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Financial Times All-Share Index(redirected from FTSE All-Share Index)
Also found in: Acronyms, Wikipedia.
Financial Times All-Share Index
An index tracking approximately 600 publicly-traded companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and representing approximately 98% of the LSE's market capitalization. Like many other FTSE indices, it is calculated in real time, with prices updated every 15 seconds. Each quarter, the FTSE reevaluates the companies tracked on the index and makes necessary adjustments to ensure that it represents the correct companies. It includes all companies tracked by the FTSE 100, the FTSE 250, and the FTSE Small Cap. It is weighted for market capitalization.


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Hotels in Cork
Search 59 hotels in Cork
Top neighbourhoods in Cork
Top landmarks in Cork
Find out more about Cork
Cork people are famously proud of their city and heritage, and they have every reason to be. As the largest county in Ireland, and boasting a beautiful coastline, there many Cork attractions to offer the visitor. Cork city centre is compact, friendly and caters to the pedestrian, and the countryside is some of the most scenic in Ireland. Cork has its own airport and cheap flights are available all year round. You will be spoiled for choice with Cork accommodation, with the guesthouses and B&Bs here providing the best in Irish hospitality. Check out Hotels.com for the latest deals.
Cork city centre has a great atmosphere and buzz all year round. For boutique, designer and high street shopping, take a trip down the main thoroughfare, St. Patrick's Street, and explore the winding narrower streets branching out at either side. A must-visit is the English Market, Ireland's most famous covered market. The market specialises in the best of local specialities and organic produce, as well as offering gourmet treats and baked goods. Market eateries serve up some of the best food in Cork and are great spots to people-watch. The Farmgate Restaurant and Café on the first floor, overlooking the market gallery, provides a bird's eye view of the floor below.
Cork is a student city, which gives it a particular energy. Visit University College Cork (UCC) campus, which is a 5-10 minute walk from the city centre and take in the historic quad, stroll around the beautiful grounds, and peruse the Glucksman Art Gallery, which is on campus and free of charge. Close to the university you will find the impressive St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, dating back to the 1860s, in one of the older parts of the city. Looming on a hill, and with a particularly haunting presence, St. Fin Barre's is definitely worth a visit.
A great way to see the city is to take one of the 'hop on, hop off' bus tours which cover inner city tourist sights such as the historical Cork City Gaol and Shandon Butter Museum, as well as attractions on the outskirts, such as St. Fin Barre's and the Blackrock Castle Observatory. After dark, Cork comes alive. The city offers great choice in bars and restaurants and live entertainment. Don't miss Cork Opera House, on the banks of the river, which hosts an array of plays, gigs and musicals for all the family. If you want to paint the town red, Cork has some great bars and clubs, whether it's live music or dancing you're looking for. Venture across the river for some traditional Irish pubs and Cork's best local beers.
Rural Cork is extremely accessible from the city centre, with many of the best attractions a short drive, bus or train journey away. Fota Wildlife Park, only 15 minutes from Cork city centre, is a great family-friendly trip. Kids will love the open space where animals roam more freely than in a regular zoo. There are some quaint waterside towns dotted around Cork such as Kinsale and Cobh that are perfect for a leisurely visit and to learn more about the history of the area. Also, visit Blarney Castle, a beautifully maintained building built over 600 years ago. Stroll around the enchanting park and kiss the famous Blarney Stone to be blessed with the 'gift of the gab' for which the Irish are so famous.

subset: commoncrawl


text: I have been studying Systema under Vlad for a while now, and the great thing about this DVD is that it is an awesome distillation of what we have done in the last few years for Hand to Hand. For anyone who is serious about the core curriculum of Systema, this is a must have. I cannot stress this eno..read more >>


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Hail Bravehearts
Ah, the goodness, the welcome delight, a fresh backyard garden to enjoy and delight. Flowers with fragrance fill the air, with sweet summer scents, to draw you back there. A rose is a dainty, admired for it's beauty, but beneath that colorful coat, lies a secret kept neatly. It's worth in it's petals fill the air, with a scent so aromatic we gather it with care. Brilliant on it's stem, it holds it's head brightly, filling it's container with blossoms, so sprightly. Gathering the petals, so soft to the touch, for a dainty delicacy, there's not very much.
An added abundance to fill the larder, flowers are growing, but the work is much harder. Smaller and precious, they fill their space, with fragrance, color, and beauty in their place. Dainty and delightful, smelling so divine, I pluck the petals that grow on the vine. The air in the house is sweet perfume, and extracting the essential oils clutters the room.
The recipes prove, there are plenty of us, gathering flowers, for their values is a must. We eat the good ones, gathered with care, to try a dish of culinary rare. Some salads, some biscuits, some chocolate too, a craving of harvesting a plant or two. This sweet tart taste is the treat of the day, we sit and enjoy rose petal sorbet.
The gathering of flowers, even the dead headed ones, is as fragrant and blissful as these moments become. A headful of perfume, as the passing rose, still lingers its fragrance in my nose. The smell lingers in the air, aromatherapy is here, I wake each morning to it's presence so dear. Lovely to look at, delightful to hold, there's something special about the rose.
written by Dr. Louise Hayes
August 18, 2017


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The Glasson Murray Group, Pty. Ltd. creates and presents high quality and engaging content for delivery across a range of media. They designed and developed the virtual exhibition in conjunction with the Western Australian Museum, producing a truly compelling and unparalleled presentation.
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Sorting Out the Linux Desktop Mess
Apr 4, 2013 5:00 AM PT
It seems fair to say that every tech community out there has its own hot-button issues that are pretty much guaranteed to get conversations flowing and blood pressures rising.
The Linux community, of course, is no exception, and it's difficult to imagine a better illustration than a debate that came up recently over at Linux Advocates.
"The Linux Desktop Mess" is the title of the post that got the discussion going, and sphygmomanometers throughout the blogosphere have been getting a workout ever since.
'We Need to Do Something'
"Today we have Linux complete with all of the wonderful open source and choice at our fingertips," wrote Dietrich Schmitz, author of the post in question. "So much variety. That is trumpeted as a good thing. I would tend to agree, to a point."
There's a pressing need for standardization, Schmitz asserted, pointing to the Linux Standards Base (LSB) as a mechanism already in place to help make that happen.
"What would it take to join together to achieve LSB compliance for one file structure standard, one universal package management standard?" he asked. "If that were accomplished, we'd see the number of installers reduced substantially."
Standards "need not be a control issue," Schmitz added. "Standards help reduce costs.... We really need to do something about this before it gets out of hand."
'The Linux Desktop IS a Mess'
The virtual ink had barely dried on Schmitz's post -- or on the dozens of comments that soon followed -- when another post appeared on the site, this time by contributor Ken Starks.
"I hold Dietrich in the highest of regard," wrote Starks in a post the next day entitled, "The Linux Desktop Mess -- Well, There's Your Problem Right There.... My respect for him is great. And while he may have made some good points, regarding 'The Linux Desktop Mess'.....there's more to the story. A lot more."
Starks went on to tell the tale of a friend for whom Starks' own favorite distro lacked a critical feature, noting that distro variability can be a particularly big problem for new users.
"Dietrich is right," Starks said. "The Linux Desktop IS a mess."
'They Rarely Come Back'
Now, even more telling than the many new users who embrace Linux each day are "the numbers you don't see... those that have given up in disgust and went back to their Windows or Macs," Starks concluded. "Because as many of us realize... once someone pronounces that Linux sucks...they rarely come back."
As if the topic needed any further accentuation or illustration, by the force of sheer coincidence -- or cosmic destiny, perhaps -- a closely related discussion was going on over at Slashdot at the same time.
Namely, in response to an "Ask Slashdot" post, bloggers there were busy trying to help a new user choose a distro -- to the tune of nearly 600 comments.
Is "choice" out of control in the Linux world? Is the Linux desktop a "mess"? Down at the Punchy Penguin, bloggers have had little else on their minds.
'One to Rule Them All'
"When a question is asked in a headline, the answer is almost inevitably no," offered Hyperlogos blogger Martin Espinoza, for example. "In this case, a creative reread such as, 'do we need to force more standardization' is required for that to be the case."
The Linux desktop has "trended towards standardization even as it has remained fragmented," Espinoza asserted. "All the major desktop environments, for example, will read the .desktop files which are now used to describe programs to launchers."
Because open source software promotes interoperability, "there's really no need for one desktop environment to rule them all," he added. "So long as I can run the same programs under each of them, their diversity represents strength rather than weakness.
"Major organizational problems may hamper a typical operating system controlled by a single corporate master, but the Linux world resists such failure through its very lack of homogeneity," Espinoza concluded.
'I Do Think We Need More'
"'Need' is a strong word, and very subjective," Linux Rants blogger Mike Stone pointed out. "Linux has been doing fine for the last two decades without desktop standardization, and without desktop standardization Linux will continue to do well over the next two decades as well."
Of course, "if we want Linux to see more enterprise adoption, which I think is key to the home user market, then unfortunately yes, I do think we need more standardization," Stone opined. "For enterprises, training becomes an issue even when they decide if they're going to upgrade their Office suite, or allow for a new Web browser.
"Throwing multiple desktop environments into the mix can cause an enterprise IT manager's head to explode -- most of them don't even like having two different versions of Windows," he added.
'They All Reinvent the Wheel'
"I really don't mind that there are so many desktops," offered consultant and Slashdot blogger Gerhard Mack, for example. "What bothers me is that they all feel the need to reinvent the wheel."
For instance, "there is no reason there can't be a common library for things like file managers or terminal emulators that everyone simply makes a wrapper for making one place to add new functions rather than 10," Mack explained. "And while I'm at it, there is no reason for things that boot before the desktop environment, such as desktop managers, to include the entire dependency chain for GNOME or KDE.
"I also doubt each window manager needs to implement its own cd burning tool or photo editor," he added. "I don't mind multiple app options, but per window manager is just silly."
'There Is Going to Be Trouble'
Windows and iOS are "monolithic, because they are owned and completely controlled by a company," suggested Google+ blogger Kevin O'Brien.
Linux, on the other hand, "is open, and part of that is that anyone can do what they want," he said. "There is no possible way to force all of the distros to agree, and I don't know that I want them to."
For example, "LSB specifies RPMs for packages, but I happen to think DEBs are a whole lot better," O'Brien explained. "Is someone proposing that I be forced to switch to RPMs? Because there is going to be trouble if you do that."
'We Need Some Pattern'
Diversity is good "for both the growth and the strength and security of GNU/Linux as a whole," Google+ blogger Gonzalo Velasco C. told Linux Girl. "Several minds think and create better than just a few."
However, "to conquer the common users as well as enterprise users, we need some pattern," he added. "Hence, I also advocate for some standardized choices -- three or four families (by architecture), or some common ground for distros with the same DE -- so users know what to expect."
For instance, "all the .deb distros can agree on something, as well as all the .rpm distros, so the packages are made for all of them," Gonzalo Velasco C. explained. "If this happens, a user of Debian, Knoppix, Ubuntu, Mint, Bodhi, Poseidon, etc. -- or Red Hat, Fuduntu, Mageia, PCLinuxOS -- all will have the same packages and the same tools to solve problems.
"A user (home or professional) can switch from one distro to the other without any problem, then," he noted. "That's a thought."
'Right Now, This Is Hit and Miss'
For Google+ blogger Brett Legree, "consistency" is what's needed, and that "requires adherence to some standards, of course," he told Linux Girl.
"What I believe we need is consistent core stability, consistency across distros externally, consistency between upgrades internally, and consistent sensible defaults," Legree explained.
For example, "if I install Fedora, openSUSE and Ubuntu on a certain piece of hardware, and all three versions I use have the same main kernel version (e.g. 3.x.y), then I expect that they will behave the same way," he said.
"Power management should be identical, driver support should be identical etc., and if the hardware works with one, it should work with the others," he added. "Right now, this is hit and miss in my experience."
'Linux Could Deliver All of These'
Consistency across distros externally, meanwhile, "is critical when it comes to wider uptake going forward, for third-party application developers and users," Legree told Linux Girl. "This is where package management comes into play: too many moving targets make it challenging for application developers to provide support."
In a perfect universe, "Linux could deliver all of these: consistent core stability, consistency across distros externally, consistency between upgrades internally, and consistent sensible defaults," Legree concluded. "World domination will go to the first one to deliver this :)"
The best part, meanwhile, is that "the tinkerers will still have their rolling release bleeding edge tinker-toys!!!" he added.
'A Hobbyist Operating System'
Standardization in Linux is "not going to happen," began Robin Lim, a lawyer and blogger on Mobile Raptor.
"What should be done instead is to stop lumping all the Linux distributions under the name 'Linux,' and just call them Red Hat, Fedora, Ubuntu, Mint and so on," Lim offered. "They are that diverse."
In fact, "if we woke up tomorrow and only one desktop Linux distribution was left in development, we would all be better for it," Lim opined. "It would be a point of focus for app developers and hardware manufacturers. Instead, we have a hobbyist operating system."
Operating systems are supposed to be "nearly invisible," Lim concluded. "Linux distributions are focused on creating the ultimate Linux distribution. This has resulted in a diversity of choices that do little for user productivity."
'It's Been Tried Before'
Slashdot blogger hairyfeet took a similar view.
"Linux and standardization? Yeah hold on to that dream, pal, it's been tried before," he said. "Linux isn't an OS, not really; it's a bunch of teeny tiny fiefdoms each ruled by some massive egotist and they all use the same kernel...that's it, that is ALL it is."
That's why, "even after MSFT puts out the flop of the decade in Windows 8, nobody is selling Linux laptops," hairyfeet added. "That is why all the OEMs and B&M stores treat it like the plague, as you will NEVER get that many ego driven guys on the same page -- it's like herding cats."
Some think Linux's diversity is a strength, but "I think it's a mess that insures MSFT can flop like a fish and all that will happen is Apple and Google will take the business," he concluded. "And for the one billionth time, Android is NOT Linux -- they use their own kernel, they don't care what up or downstream does, it's Google's way or the highway."
'That's Not a Mess'
Last but not least, blogger Robert Pogson saw it differently.
"The GNU/Linux desktop mess is imaginary," Pogson told Linux Girl. "Take any distro and its desktop is usable and easily learned in a few hours. It's the same as each new release of that other OS.
"The confused remain confused and the inquisitive become accustomed," he added. "That's not a mess. It's just the way a GUI works."
The mess, however, "is in the market, where competition is not allowed by OEMs and retailers catering to M$'s whims," Pogson asserted. "That's slowly being remedied by Android/Linux, showing the world that M$ has no monopoly on innovation nor performance but delay in the arrival of competition has cost the world dearly.
"Just get GNU/Linux on retail shelves and many problems will be solved by users enjoying proper IT," he concluded.


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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament in Myrtle Beach, SC
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament • 2904 Fantasy Way • Myrtle Beach, SC 29579View on Map
The longest-running dinner attraction in North America, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament's Myrtle Beach Castle provides a variety of 11th-century features that delight guests of all ages. From jaw-dropping jousting acts and exciting swordplay, epic fight choreography and a delicious four-course meal, this one-of-a-kind dinner show keeps guests entertained from start to finish.
|Hotels & Lodging
Is there a pre-show guests should be aware of at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament?
There is not a pre-show per se, but the castle does open 90 minutes prior to show time. Knighting ceremonies and photos are taken prior to the show starting.
If my child is under 3, are they free?
Children under 3 are admitted free as long as they sit on an adult's lap and eat from their plate. If you prefer the child have his own seat or meal, a child rate would apply.
Are visitors allowed to meet & greet the performers at Medieval Times?
Yes. Performers are available after the show for pictures and autographs after the show in the Hall of Arms.
Are cameras, audio or video recording allowed during the show?
Cameras are allowed. Audio and video recording are strictly prohibited.
What else is offered at Medieval Times, besides the show?
Medieval Times also features an excellent bar, dance floor, Hall of Arms displaying medieval artifacts and medieval torture museum, also known as the dungeon tour.
What type of menu is served at Medieval Times?
The standard menu consists of garlic bread, creamy tomato bisque soup, choice of roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb basted potato and pastry of the castle. A vegetarian meal is available. It consists of garlic bread, creamy tomato bisque soup, large Portobello mushroom stuffed with whole grain rice and beans, a large skewer of roasted vegetables, hummus with pita chips and pastry of the castle. Soft drinks, ice tea and coffee are included in the meal.
Is it true that we must eat with our hands?
Absolutely! Eating utensils were not used in the 11th-century and we take you back.
What is the length of your intermission?
There is no intermission.
Approximately how long is the Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Show?
The show lasts approximately two hours.
Does the theater offer handicap seating?
Is seating assigned?
No. Seating is first come, first serve.
Is there a dress code I should follow?
Casual dress is acceptable for this performance.


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We're back, and so is Chucky!
The Syfy Channel has ordered up 13 episodes of the BBC hit series "Being Human". The show revolves around a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf living together as roomates.
Brad Dourif joins Vivica Fox in a new cannibalistic serial rapist thriller called "Junk Yard Dog".
"Evil Dead" is coming to theaters. Read that again. "Evil Dead" is coming back to theaters! That's right, the original movie, not a remake, is being brought back for a midnight run at select theaters across the country.
Joe Dante and Roger Corman team up for a new series available only on Netflix streaming called "Splatter". The included clip at the link looks cheese-tastic, so check it out. And uh... you know, I heard about this cool place to get Netflix if you wanted to give it a watch...


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Listed on Feb/05/2013
Back to the list
2013 Harley-Davidson XL1200V Sportster Seventy-Two
- Year : 2013
- Color : Hard Candy Coloma Gold Flake
- Mileage : 1 Miles
- Location : Union City, TN, US
Product Description
Authentic '70s chopper attitude and premium H-D styling in this bare-bones, lowrider-inspired radical custom.
The 2013 Harley-Davidson Sportster Seventy-Two model XL1200V is a bare bones radical custom motorcycle. From front to rear, the Seventy-Two sports a bold, vintage look that recalls classic bobbers and the styling of '70s choppers. New for 2013, the XL1200V Sportster Seventy-Two model comes with optional Hard Candy Custom paint, a large metal flake paint finish that recalls the iconic styling of 1970s custom bikes, and offers blazing color showing through a deep, rich finish. With its large metal flake paint, peanut tank, round retro-style air-cleaner cover, ape-hanger handlebars, and brilliant whitewall tires, the Sportster Seventy-Two model boasts a one-of-a-kind custom style that's full of attitude. And the Seventy-Two is uniquely priced to be an incredibly attractive value. No other bike in its class offers so much no-nonsense retro attitude and modern high-end style at such affordable cost. The Harley Seventy-Two model is a masterful mix of vintage bobber and contemporary retro-chopper styling. Its powerful Evolution engine gives it impressive road muscle. The XL1200V's big-flake paint on the fuel tank is eye-catching, expressive, and of the highest Harley-Davidson quality. Forward-mounted controls make the Seventy-Two model XL1200V comfortable for cruising across town. The H-D XL1200V model is an attractively priced bike that brings the best of modern chrome eye-appeal to an aggressive, old-school chopper attitude. The Seventy-Two screams high-end custom, at a price that makes it truly accessible. For more retro-inspired modern custom rides, take a look at other 2013 Harley-Davidson Sportster models, like the XL1200X Forty-Eight model, or the new 2013 Softail Slim model FLS, which brings the best of old-school 1940s-era bobber style to today's streets with a contemporary flair and up-to-date ride technology.
Media Gallery
Company Profile
Abernathy's Harley Davidson
- Contact Name Jeanette Davis
- Tel 731-885-2054
- Fax 731-885-2507
- Address 1703 West Main Street
- City Union City
- State Tennessee
- Country United States
- ZIP/Postal Code 38261


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The world depends on mariners. Mariners depend on SCI. And we depend on you.
On June 9, 2011, SCI hosted the 34th Annual Silver Bell Awards Dinner at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers, honoring Admiral Thad W. Allen (ret.) with the Silver Bell Award and James J. Devine with the Distinguished Service Award.
Photos by Leo Sorel, Mathieu Asselin and Gregory Thorp.
Special Events are an important source of funding for the Seamen's Church Institute's programs. If you would like to receive information or invitations to our events, please email SCI's Special Events Team or telephone 212-349-9090.


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Ghana will start as overwhelming favourites to beat the minnows from Cape Verde when they meet in the African Nations Cup quarter-finals on Saturday but will be wary of being added to a growing list of upset scalps at the tournament.
The Black Stars are seeking to reach the semi-finals for a fourth successive tournament after finishing top of Group B, which means they stay in Port Elizabeth for the first of the weekend's quarter-final games.
Up against them is a side who would not in their wildest dreams have considered themselves potential semi-finalists at the Nations Cup even a mere six months ago.
But after their upset win over Cameroon in their qualifiers and finishing second in Group A, undefeated against both Morocco and South Africa and after beating Angola, they find themselves already the toast of the tournament.
Whether they can keep up the giant-killing run remains to be seen. Ghana have by far the better armoury and experience in this competition.
But their coach Kwesi Appiah is insisting on circumspection, claiming the islanders are a dangerous proposition for his Black Stars because they have nothing to lose.
"I would prefer to meet Ivory Coast (rather) than Cape Verde because they are not under pressure. Cape Verde is a physical side and they are tactically disciplined as well," the former Black Stars player said.
"We have to prepare ourselves very well to match them…I respect them and we cannot afford to underrate them because any team who qualified for this tournament are good and cannot be underrated. We have to work hard to go past them."
The Ghanaians could ask fellow West Africans Cameroon about that. The Indomitable Lions were knocked out of qualifying by Cape Verde over two legs.
Ghana did beat the Blue Sharks 1-0 in a warm-up match before the competition began but Appiah said the results of friendly games did not really matter.
"What is important in such games is the tactical behaviour of your team," said the former international defender.
On Friday, Cape Verde's coach Lucio Antuness said of his side: "We are very serious. We are a serious team and we have grown in confidence since the tournament started. We are stronger.
"We are a good team with ambitious players and there is no reason why we cannot beat Ghana, I think we can. I think we can get through to the semi-finals. When you are in the tournament you have to think you are going to win it, and why not?"


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Stephen D. Doe
Do you remember Tevya's song "If I Were a Rich Man" from Fiddler on the Roof? Tevya was dreaming what his life would be like if he could escape his existence as a poor milkman. His dreams included a big house, servants, plenty of food for his family, and also time to study the Torah.
For his book Chazown: A Different Way to See Your Life (Multnomah, 2006), Craig Groeschel interviewed some fifty Christians to see what they would do with the rest of their lives if they were wealthy. The responses he received were dismaying, because these Christians, like Tevya, wanted to quit work, buy expensive things, have servants to care for their homes, etc. Groeschel concludes with this telling comment: "Do we really think that God sent His Son so our greatest life goal would be a new boat?" (p. 50).
We remember the wisdom of Proverbs 30:8-9:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
The biblical writer is certainly not inveighing against wealth in and of itself. The patriarchs were marked out for their wealth, and King Solomon was blessed with enormous wealth, as God promised him (1 Kings 3:13; cf. chap. 10). Rather, in contrast to both Tevya and our modern fellow citizens, if we are wise we come to see that we need a wise and sovereign God to care for us and give us what is right, so that we might have a balanced life.
How easy it is to sing along with Tevya and dream of quitting work and paying off the mortgage, as if those were the things in which we would find our dreams fulfilled. Christians must resist the powerful tendency to hunger for the superabundance of money and the things that it could buy. Without the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, we too would look for the freedom that we think would come if we were rich men or women. The gospel, however, tells us that we can find satisfaction only in the saving work of Jesus Christ (Phil. 4:10-13; 1 Cor. 3:21-23).
In Proverbs 30:8, there is an interesting request: "Feed me with the food that is needful for me." The writer urgently beseeches the Lord to provide for him his daily allotment of bread (see Matt. 6:11). In place of the dreams of Tevya and our society, wisdom looks to the hand of the Lord for his sufficient care (Ps. 123:2).
Yet, in our age, when we have more than we need, it is increasingly hard to think biblically. This is where the discipline of regular, consistent, and thoughtful giving to the church is so vitally important. Support of the work of the kingdom through our local congregation, our presbytery, and Worldwide Outreach redirects our dreams. Suppose across the OPC we began longing to see the work of the kingdom of God grow, instead of longing for greater comforts and pleasures in our own lives. Suppose we sang "If I Were a Rich Man" as we kept in mind the need for new tracts, a greater presence on the Web, the training of men for the gospel ministry, churches planted in our major cities, a second missionary family in Suriname, or any of the literally dozens of opportunities before the OPC. And if we joined that with a prayer for more discipline, sacrificial giving, and God's blessings, wouldn't we find more joy in that than in unsatisfying dreams of simply having more?
The author is pastor of Bethel Reformed Presbyterian Church in Fredericksburg, Va. Reprinted from New Horizons, August/September 2006.
|© 2020 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


text:
(covers information from several alternate timelines)
Pe'Nar Makull was leader of a group of protestors who were opposed to the use of polaric ion energy, believing that it was unstable and a threat to their planet. He was a native of Makull's homeworld.
He planned to sabotage a local power plant. Kathryn Janeway and Tom Paris, who had beamed down to the planet that was in ruins, were transported back to the past prior to the devastation. They tried to stop the protesters, believing that this effort would itself lead to the destruction of the planet. Makull met Janeway and Paris at a protest at the plant which turned into a riot. After both were hurt at the riot, Makull took them to his house. Makull suspected the two were government infiltrators, and asked them questions about where they lived and why they were at the demonstration.
After it was obvious that he did not believe them, Janeway told Makull who they really were and that his attempt to damage the plant would destroy his world. He did not believe her. Makull followed through with his plan to sabotage the plant, taking Janeway and Paris with his group. At the plant, Janeway realized that an attempt by USS Voyager to rescue them had caused the destruction of the planet. After Janeway was able to stop the rescue attempt, she and Paris returned to the future and the planet survived. (VOY: "Time and Again")
External link Edit
- Pe'Nar Makull at StarTrek.com, the official Star Trek website


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Oil and Gas professionals in the UK well rewarded according to 2013 Global Salary Guide
UK oil and gas industry professionals are enjoying high levels of wage growth according to the Oil and Gas Global Salary Guide 2013, which is based on data from over 25,000 respondents.
The Guide, produced by recruiting experts Hays Oil & Gas and leading jobsite Oil and Gas Job Search, shows that full time professionals in the UK oil and gas industry enjoy average salaries of £57,900 per annum*. This shows a rate of growth of 7.2 per cent from last year which is more than twice the current rate of inflation.
The Guide shows even stronger growth in salaries for imported labour. Expat labour now commands an average salary of £57,700 per annum: up 15.1% on the previous year.
The high salaries and impressive rates of growth can be attributed to a buoyant industry with a relatively stable oil price and a worldwide skills shortage.
Matt Underhill, Managing Director of Hays Oil & Gas comments: "The UK has shown impressive growth rates this year but is still only ranked 11th out of the 53 countries surveyed. Norway, Australia, New Zealand and Netherlands continue to lead the way with Brazil and Canada all paying much higher salaries."
Underhill continues: "The industry is taking positive steps in increasing pay and benefits that will make the UK more competitive on the world stage but there is still some way to go to stop the drain of talent to overseas markets."
Duncan Freer, Managing Director of Oil and Gas Job Search adds: "Whilst the overall level of pay in the UK still lags some oil and gas countries around the world, the rate of salary growth last year was impressive. This is great news for those wishing to build a long term career at home, and more importantly the UK oil and gas industry as a whole, which is seeking to keep hold of its globally respected talent."
The Salary Guide revealed that a rise in bonuses has continued and is now the dominant mechanism by which companies attract and retain talent. On average, bonuses account for a further 5.8 per cent of the employees overall package with almost two thirds receiving some kind of benefit or allowance on top of their basic salary.
Employer confidence in increasing staffing levels during 2013 remains high. A quarter expects staffing levels to increase by more than 10 per cent with almost 75 per cent anticipating some level of increase.
Duncan Freer, comments: "Despite the concerns in Europe and a slowdown in China's growth, the sentiment in the industry remains positive. Current employees and new entrants to the industry can look forward to working in a dynamic and highly rewarding sector."
Download a free copy of the Guide at Oil & Gas Job Search
* Salaries are expressed in US Dollars in the Salary Guide. Exchange rate used in this release is US$1:GBP£0.62.
2013 Salary Guide Summary:
- 24 Disciplines covered
- 53 Countries represented
- 25,000 Respondents to the survey
- 2,500 Respondents working with a global super major
8,200 Respondents who are employers in the industry


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At the risk of being labeled the anti-Christ, I'm here to report that dairy imports—most notably milk protein concentrates (MPCs)—are not the reason U.S. domestic milk prices are where they are.
And, by the way, I'm not the only one reporting this bit of non-news. USDA, the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Federation all acknowledged as much in congressional testimony this past month.
For starters, I'd like to report a few numbers on dairy imports that were released by USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service last week. Through June, imports of MPCs were down a collective 12% from the same six-month period in 2008. In fact, MPC imports have not been this low for five years, and six of the last seven.
Casein imports, both casein and caseinates, are down a whopping 38% through June. They haven't been this low this decade. Admittedly, cheese imports are up slightly—1.2%. But that, in part, is due to the fact that cheese imports last year were at their lowest level this decade.
Taken together, MPCs, caseins, cheese and butterfat imports are down 12.7% January through June compared to last year.
And the other amazing thing is that the total tonnage of these imports has very little variation year-to-year since 2001—regardless of whether U.S. milk prices are $10 or $20. There's a certain level of demand for these products—year in, year out. If they were price-sensitive, you'd think you'd see ebbs and flows with our wildly swinging milk prices.
Mark Stephenson, a Cornell University dairy economist, did some analysis on MPCs this past spring and came to this conclusion: "[Dairy] imports vary quite a bit month-to-month but they are not trending upward in any significant fashion—particularly as a percentage of U.S. production of milk.
"A case could be made that they 'displace' or 'augment' about 0.8% of U.S. milk production," Stephenson says. "The milk that is displaced by MPC imports in the United States is the amount of milk from about 70,000 cows."
But they displace that amount of milk when milk prices are at their current level, or when they exceed $20, as they did in 2007 and 2008.
MPC opponents say that is only half the problem, however, because one pound of MPC can displace several pounds of milk solids in the cheese vat. True. Except no one knows how many MPCs currently being imported are being used for cheese and how many are going into specialty products where they can only be used because of their unique properties.
The latest information anyone has on MPC use is now five years old: It was produced by the International Trade Commission in 2004. At that time, about 62% of MPC imports were used in cheese, 24% in sports and specialty drinks and the remainder in other products.
For the sake of argument, assume imported MPCs are displacing 150,000 U.S. cows today. But they were displacing even more last year (with higher MPC imports), when milk prices were at $20.
The fact is that U.S. exports have fallen dramatically from a year ago (click here for export report). Through June, our dairy exports were $1.04 billion, down 51% from 2008.That's where the problem lies--due to the global recession, changing currency values and a resurgence of milk production in New Zealand.
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) introduced legislation in late July to create tariff rate quotas of MPC and other dairy protein imports. And yes, the National Milk Producers Federation is supporting that legislation.
That's all good politics. But it could create its own new set of trade-related problems as we negotiate those tariffs with our World Trade Organization partners. That's especially true now, as the U.S. economy tries to claw its way out of our current Great Recession.
The bottom line, folks, is that if the U.S. dairy industry is to grow and prosper, it must continue to grow market share overseas. As it does, it must be willing to tolerate some level of imports here at home.
—Jim Dickrell is editor of Dairy Today. You can reach him via e-mail at [email protected].
|This column is part of the Dairy Today eUpdate newsletter, which is delivered to subscribers biweekly and includes dairy industry analysis, dairy nutrition information as well as the latest dairy headline news. Click here to subscribe.


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Suchita Agarwal
Dovednostiassembly language, c, c plus plus, embedded c, graphic designer, linux, matlab
JazykyAngličtina, Hindština, Maráthština
Externí účty
- Facebook: agarwasuchital9808
- Mozilla Support: army-of-awesome
- Twitter: Suchita_Mozilla
Mayur Patil
Suchita has great contribution towards Firefox related activities i.e. Activism and Evangelism. Her enthusiasm in trying new things and making them done successfully keep her active across the Mozilla Firefox. She is also having good skills of Webmaker, WOMOZ, Community Activism. This is the vouch for her activism !! Keep up good work !!!
Priyanka Nag
Suchita is a very active FSA from Pune and has been doing some great work for the last one year. From hosting the Firefox OS to organizing WoMoz events, Suchita has done them all with great enthusiasm. Suchita always sets a great example for more female contributors by her way of working, whereever she goes.
Diwanshi Pandey
Since last year as an FSA Suchita has contributed in different areas in Mozilla like webmaker, localization, Firefox OS, Womoz. She is the technical lead of their club. She is making a difference in Pune Community by organizing/co-organizing women specific events and helping other fsa(s). She is also a part of a project called "MILE" (Making India Literate) which is an initiative of their club to aware people from rural areas about open source technologies, web literacy , etc.


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Many of the projected 135-139 million doses of influenza vaccines being produced for this flu season for use in the U.S. are now available to consumers from six manufacturers licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A variety of flu vaccines, including some that were not available during past influenza seasons, are available this year. In addition to the availability of vaccines that protect against three strains of influenza virus (trivalent), vaccines that protect against four strains of the virus (quadrivalent) will also be available this year.
In addition, a vaccine that is produced by growing the virus in cells rather than in eggs will be available for use in people 18 years of age and older.
Unlike eggs, cells can be frozen for later use to grow large volumes of cells for the production of vaccine. This could provide a faster start-up time of the manufacturing process for any unexpected need.
"New technologies are providing additional and diverse influenza vaccines, which helps to ensure an adequate supply in the Unites States," said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
"Influenza seasons are unpredictable and can be severe, even deadly," she added. "Last year's influenza season brought an increase in reported hospitalizations and deaths compared to recent years, and vaccination is the best defense to prevent influenza."
All of the vaccines have been determined by FDA to be safe and effective. Getting vaccinated early, before flu season is in full swing, is key to prevention.
An Exacting Process
Manufacturing flu vaccines is an exacting and complex process. New vaccines must be produced each year because the viruses change from year to year and because the protection received the previous year diminishes over time.
Each February, before one flu season ends, the FDA, World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health experts collaborate on collecting and reviewing data to identify the virus strains likely to cause the most illnesses in the next flu season. Based on that information and the recommendations of an FDA advisory committee, FDA selects the strains for manufacturers to include in their vaccines for use in the United States.
Both egg-based flu vaccines and vaccines made with newer technologies work the same way; they trigger the immune system of the person receiving the vaccine to produce antibodies capable of attacking the virus.
Vaccines are available in a variety of delivery methods, as a needle into muscle, as a needle injected into skin (approved for ages 18 through 64), and as a nasal spray (approved for people ages 2 through 49). In addition, one vaccine made in a high dose formulation is approved for people 65 years of age and older.
The Procedure
Under traditional egg-based production methods, once the influenza viruses have been selected, they are adapted for use in manufacturing and provided to companies licensed by FDA. The manufacturers inject each virus strain into eggs, which are incubated for several days to allow the virus to multiply.
The virus-loaded fluid from the eggs is then harvested and purified.
Manufacturers grow each strain separately then test it, including for potency. Then the strains are mixed and tested again. Once divided into standard dosages, the vaccines are put into containers such as vials, syringes or sprayers.
Test results are submitted to FDA, along with samples from each batch, or lot. FDA reviews the test results and the samples before releasing the vaccine for distribution in the United States. Each lot, or batch, undergoes testing before release by FDA.
FDA also inspects the manufacturing facilities on a regular basis and continues to monitor the safety of the vaccines once they are in use by the public.
The level of effectiveness can depend on the health and immune system of individuals and how well a particular season's vaccine strains match circulating flu strains.
There is a possibility of a less than optimal match between the virus strains predicted to circulate and the virus strains that end up causing the most illness. However, even if the vaccine and the circulating strains are not an exact match, the vaccine may reduce the severity of the illness and help prevent influenza-related complications.
CDC recommends that everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated soon after vaccine becomes available. Those people for whom vaccination is particularly important include young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those who suffer from a variety of chronic illnesses, including asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
Although the winter months are usually the peak month for flu activity, influenza disease in people typically begins appearing in October.
FDA's website has specific information about each flu vaccine, including the FDA-approved age range of use. The website also provides the names of the influenza viruses included in this season's vaccines and an up-to-date list of the number of vaccine lots that have been released for each manufacturer.


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Aren't you super intrigued by this picture of Paul? Well, if you want to know what it's all about, you'll just have to keep on reading and find out. Before I explain the picture, I have to make an exciting announcement! We have finally, finally, FINALLY gotten Internet at our apartment!!!!!!!!! That means that I can actually post on my blog sometimes. That means that there no longer have to be months in between my postings! I think everyone we know should travel out to Kansas and have a huge party with us. We can get my dad to make jambalaya and we'll have fireworks and Mississippi mud cake. (Well, everyone but me can have the cake... I'll have some Diet Code Red Mountain Dew.) Paul will make sure to provide a massive salad, also-- and all of it will be in celebration of our home Internet access! Now that I think about it, I actually have all kinds of news because my life has been changing constantly these last few months. Let's see... I have stopped eating refined sugar, have finally started to get my apartment organized, and I have also recently embarked on two huge literary projects that involve typing up poetry and compiling. My uncle Edd chose me long ago to be the person to help him put his poems together. When I was thirteen and put my first finished novel into his hands, he gave me a long look and decided that I was probably the right person for the job. Ever since then, we've talked about it a lot and now it is finally happening. He's a wonderful poet, and I also just love him like a best friend. Seriously, I love talking to him, and it's great to have an excuse to call him all the time and talk to him frequently. It's a good project for me. At the same time, I have started re-typing the poetry of my great grandmother, Olen Bodily. In the 80s, my mom and aunt Lydia and Grandma Vadrus, and probably a lot of other family members, typed up books of her poetry and distributed them to all of Grandma Bodily's descendants. Even before I was aware of the existence of these books, I started to feel close to Grandma Bodily for no reason at all a few months ago. I thought about her frequently and then I learned about her poetry. I decided to re-type it all and make a new awesome book for everyone, including all of the new descendants that have been born since the 80s. I am really excited to make an artistic beautiful book of her work. Typing up Grandma Bodily's poems has brought me closer to her, and I have sometimes felt her presence with me. This is crazy because I have no memory of her from my own life. Yet, at certain times, I have been quite certain that she was right there with me. She is a wonderful person who loves us all so much, and I have learned a little about the connection between our world and the spirit world from typing up her poems. Now, to explain the pictures... :) We went on a trip over spring break a few weeks ago, and it was SO MUCH FUN! We threw caution to the wind and headed south into Oklahoma and then northern Texas. We stayed in Amarillo and then headed further south and west into New Mexico. The goal was Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I will have to write another post soon about the trip, but I thought I would wet your appetite with just a few pictures. The one at the top is of Paul within the huge cave at the national park. We didn't get many good pictures because caves just don't have great lighting, but I was proud of that one. Below, we have a picture of a huge cow--because we saw literally thousands of cows on the trip. And of course, we had to stay at Roswell and go to the alien museum. Below is a picture of an alien model from the museum. Many more exciting alien pictures (and other pictures from gorgeous northern New Mexico and eastern Colorado) are to follow in my next post. Yes, they are real... aliens, I mean. :)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
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Last weekend, I mingled with people I hadn't seen in 30 years at my high school reunion. One of the first questions we asked: "What have you been up to for the last 30 years?"
Just spitting out an answer to that question made me realize this was one of those milestones that encourages you to take inventory of your life and search for clarity. What have I been doing? Am I happy?
I've kept in touch with many of my high school friends and seeing them again made me go back to my roots and think about what I was like as a teen and whether I had followed the path I set out on decades ago. I am in a happy place, but I can tell you I never intended on having children. Somewhere along the way, I re-shifted my priorities. I'm glad I did.
A few of my friends who attended the reunion admitted to me they are not happy with their work life balance — they work too much, have neglected their health or want to relocate closer to family. I urged them to make a change. The experience inspired my Miami Herald column this week.


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Banded Water Snake
Scientific name: Nerodia fasciata fasciata (LINNAEUS 1766)
* Currently accepted name
* scientific names used through time
- Coluber fasciatus – LINNAEUS 1766
- Tropidonotus fasciatus – HOLBROOK 1842
- Nerodia fasciata – BAIRD & GIRARD 1853
- Tropidonotus pogonias – DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1854 (fide WALLACH)
- Natrix fasciata fasciata – COPE 1888
- Natrix sipedon fasciata – CONANT 1958
- Nerodia fasciata – CONANT 1963
- Nerodia fasciata fasciata – CONANT & COLLINS 1991
Description: Adults average from 24-42 inches (61-106.7 cm). The record is 60 inches (152.4 cm). Stout bodied snake with black, brown, or red crossbands (often bordered with black) across back. Crossbands may be obscured as snake darkens with age. Background color may be gray, yellow, tan, or reddish. Belly is light with squarish spots. Scales are keeled and there are 21-25 dorsal scale rows at midbody. The pupil is round. A dark stripe extends from the eye to the angle of the jaw. Juveniles have very clear crossbands (usually black) on pale background.
A. Top of the head
B. Underside of the head (chin and throat)
C. Elongated scales below the tail (subcaudal scales) are typically divided
D. Front (face view) of the head
E. Side of the head
F. Keeled scales
Range: In Florida, the Banded Water Snake is found in the panhandle. Its range extends northeast up the coastal plain to North Carolina and west to southwestern Alabama.
Habitat: The Banded Water Snake can be found in nearly all freshwater habitats, including ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and marshes.
Comments: HARMLESS (Non-Venomous) When threatened, the Banded Water Snake will readily bite and exude a foul smelling musk. Active mainly at night, but may be found during the day sunning on banks or vegetation hanging over the water. Feeds on fishes, frogs, salamanders, crayfish, and tadpoles. It bears live young. Mating occurs in spring and the 7.5-9.5 inch (19-24 cm) young are born in summer.
Comparison with other species: The Brown Water Snake (Nerodia taxispilota) has squarish dorsal blotches along its entire body. The Midland Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis) has fewer than 30 darker brown crossbands near the neck, which break up into alternating blotches further down the body, and the belly is yellowish marked with two rows of half moons. Since both are found around waterbodies, the harmless Banded Water Snake is often confused with the venomous Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus). Cottonmouths can easily be distinguished from Water Snakes. The Cottonmouth has a triangular shaped head and a vertical pupil. If the head is viewed from above, the eyes of Cottonmouths cannot be seen while the eyes of Water Snakes are visible; Cottonmouths have elliptical pupils and Water Snakes have round pupils; and Cottonmouths have a facial pit between the nostril and the eye, which Water Snakes do not.


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Google really wants to slim down the top of its Chrome browser, so much so that they're looking to axe something that seems sort of essential: the URL bar.
In early versions of Chrome 13, you can set it so all you've really got up top are tabs. If you want to see the URL or enter one, you've gotta double-click on the tab to make it appear.
It's an interesting idea, and it certainly streamlines the look of the browser. But is screen real estate that valuable? I think I'd rather be able to see the full URL of every page I visit rather than save those few pixels of vertical space. After all, the URL is often the only thing that indicates that you're on a phishing scam page rather than the real thing. It's important! What do you think?
For the latest tech stories, follow us on Twitter at @dvice
Copyright DVICE - DVICE


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A Sandwich a Day: The Ariccia at Savenor's Market in Cambridge, MA
In this great nation of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around the country. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.
Savenor's Market recently got rid of their fish counter and replaced it with a made-to-order sandwich area. The Cambridge-based butcher shop specializes in high-quality sustainable meats, as well as some of the weirder stuff you might be looking for, such as bear steaks and crocodile.
All of Savenor's offerings from the sandwich counter sound delicious, but the Ariccia was the stand-out. A roll from Iggy's Bakery is filled with housemade porchetta and pickled fennel then drizzled with local honey, and is finally pressed. The result is porky and salty with a bit of crunch, acidity and sweetness. A really wonderful sandwich.
92 Kirkland Street Cambridge, MA 02138 (map)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Seder, stress-free: A timetable and recipes
Seder dinner may be the most beloved meal of the Jewish year, but it's also the most daunting: All the elements must be ready to go -- and then abandoned -- for the hour or two it takes to get through the prayers, singing and stories in the first part of the seder.
A successful Passover dinner depends on careful planning. Here's a menu and a minute-by-minute timeline that takes you through all the preparations to serving the meal. Except for gefilte fish, everything is made from scratch.
This year, the first night of Passover falls on March 25. Since sundown will be at around 7:15, we're using that as a start-seder time. Seders can run anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours; you'll probably be ready to eat by 8:30, but the timetable for this Seder is adjustable. Observant Jews, who do not cook or shop on Saturday before sundown, can do the work Saturday evening.
Shop, order shank bone, order gefilte fish from fish store or purchase it at supermarket.
Soup: Make broth, strain and refrigerate.
Brisket: Make, cool and refrigerate.
Soup: Make matzo ball mixture, refrigerate.
Brisket: Skim fat, reduce sauce, slice and place meat in ovenproof serving dish.
Roast vegetables: Prepare, roast and refrigerate in ovenproof serving dish.
Dessert: Make torte and compote.
Set table: Take out all serving pieces.
Soup: Prepare vegetables (chopped parsnips, carrots, etc.) for serving soup.
Soup: Form matzo balls, refrigerate.
Asparagus: Zest, section and juice grapefruit.
Asparagus: Make vinaigrette.
Asparagus: Trim asparagus.
Seder plate: Roast shank bone and egg; make haroset; wash herbs, bitter herbs; make salt water.
Wine: Refrigerate whites.
4:00 Take brisket and roasted vegetables out of refrigerator to come to room temperature.
5:15 Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5:30 Roast asparagus for about 15 minutes, remove, cover with foil.
5:45 Bring matzo-ball-cooking broth to simmer, poach matzo balls for about 20 minutes, then keep warm in a colander, covered, over simmering water.
6:00 Bring soup to simmer, add prepared vegetables. Cook until vegetables are just tender, then cover and turn off heat. Chop dill for garnish.
6:45 Place brisket, covered, into 350-degree oven.
6:40 Plate gefilte fish and leave on counter (short seder) or stack in refrigerator (long seder).
7:00 Assemble seder plate.
7:10 Turn oven off with brisket (covered) inside.
Add matzo balls to soup, bring soup to simmer.
8:35 Turn oven back to 350 degrees, put roasted vegetables alongside brisket to reheat.
8:35 Serve gefilte fish.
In this recipe from "The Mile End Cookbook" (Potter, $27.50), Noah Bernamoff cautions, "When you're rolling them, you're not making a meatball. You don't want them to be too tight and dense, so use a gentle touch."
1 1/2 cups matzo meal
4 large eggs
1/3 cup schmaltz (chicken fat) or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon baking powder
8 cups chicken broth
1. Mix all the ingredients except the chicken stock together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. (You can make the mixture a day ahead; store it in a sealed container that has enough room to allow it to expand.)
2. Form the mixture into balls that are a little larger than a quarter; they should be completely smooth on the outside with no cracks. Put the chicken broth in a wide pot and bring to a bare simmer. Cook the matzo balls for 20 minutes. (Discard broth, save for another purpose or use to extend your homemade soup.) Add cooked matzo balls to finished chicken soup, or keep them warm by placing them in a colander and placing the colander in a covered pot that has an inch or so of simmering water on the bottom.) Makes about 10 matzo balls.
This recipe is adapted from "The Mile End Cookbook" by Noah and Rae Bernamoff. If you don't want to make your own chicken broth, skip down to step 4 and proceed with 3 quarts of canned low-sodium broth.
For the broth:
3 small chickens (2 1/2 pounds each), each cut into 8 pieces
10 whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 medium parsnips, peeled and quartered
2 medium carrots, peeled and quartered
2 stalks of celery, trimmed and quartered
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
3 sprigs dill
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
3 sprigs thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
For the soup:
2 medium parsnips, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 ribs of celery, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Matzo balls (see recipe)
Chopped fresh dill for garnish
1. Place chicken pieces in large stockpot along with peppercorns, salt, and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Heat over medium until the liquid starts to simmer. Adjust heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours, occasionally skimming any foam and fat that rise to the top.
2. Using slotted spoon or tongs, remove breast and thigh sections; reserve for the soup (or another use, such as chicken salad), leaving drumsticks and wings in pot. Add the parsnips, carrots, celery and onions and continue to simmer for another 1 1/2 hours, stirring and skimming occasionally.
3. Remove pot from heat and add dill, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Allow herbs to steep for 30 minutes, then remove all meat, vegetables and herbs and discard. (They will have lost all their taste.) Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with one ply of a two-ply paper towel. Refrigerate the soup and, if desired, skim off excess fat when it solidifies.
4. About 45 minutes before you plan to serve the soup, bring it to a low simmer. (If you don't have 3 quarts, add a little canned chicken broth.) Add the cubed parsnip and carrot, and the diced celery. Simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes, then add the cooked matzo balls and, if desired, some of the reserved breast and thigh meat. Simmer for 5 minutes more and season to taste. Garnish with dill. Serves 8 to 12 as a first course.
In this recipe, adapted from "The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen" by Matt Lee and Ted Lee (Potter, $35), asparagus is gussied up with grapefruit sections, zest and a grapefruit vinaigrette.
2 grapefruits, preferably a ruby variety
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed of any woody ends
Freshly ground black pepper
1. With a zester or Microplane grater, scrape some grapefruit zest from the skin of the fruit for garnish, and reserve.
2. Slice off top and bottom of each grapefruit. Place flat on a cutting board and, following contour of the fruit, use a sharp knife to remove the peel and white pith. Now cut in between the membranes to release each section. Hold grapefruit over a bowl while you do this to catch any juice. When you're finished, squeeze what's left of the grapefruit to release any remaining juice -- each grapefruit should yield about 1/2 cup of juice. Reserve segments and juice separately.
3. Make vinaigrette: Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, the vinegar and the mustard to the bowl with the grapefruit juice and whisk to combine. Pour in 4 to 6 tablespoons of olive oil, whisking to emulsify.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet in one layer. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and coat all spears. Roast for 15 minutes, moving spears around with a spatula every 5 minutes or so.
5. Transfer asparagus to platter, scatter the grapefruit segments evenly. If the dressing has separated, whisk to re-emulsify, pour it over the asparagus and grind some black pepper over the top. Garnish the platter with the reserved zest and serve. Makes 8 servings.
This recipe was developed by Newsday columnist Marge Perry. You can make it early in the day or the day before you plan to serve.
1 (1-pound) bag frozen baby onions, thawed
1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 pound unpeeled new potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound turnips, peeled and cut in half, then in 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Transfer to a large roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Turn the pan in the oven and cook until vegetables are tender, about another 15 minutes.
2. To reheat, bring to room temperature, then place in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
Newsday columnist Lauren Chattman developed this recipe, and she advises that when making this torte, be careful not to overbeat the egg whites (they should form very soft, not stiff, peaks) or the cake may sink in the center as it cools.
For cake:
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) blanched slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups sugar
7 eggs, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar
For compote:
2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups (about 40) dried apricots, coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and line bottom with parchment. Spray parchment with cooking spray. Combine almonds and sugar in work bowl of food processor and process until finely ground.
2. Separate 4 of the eggs, placing yolks in a large mixing bowl and whites in another large mixing bowl. To bowl with yolks, add remaining 3 eggs, salt, vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Stir in almond-sugar mixture until smooth.
3. Use an electric mixer to whip reserved whites until very floppy peaks just form. Gently fold into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a spatula. Bake until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check on cake after 35 minutes. If it is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for final 10 to 15 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edges of the cake, but cool it completely in pan on wire rack.
4. Make compote: Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in apricots, bay leaves and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat, scrape into a bowl, add vanilla extract and let cool to room temperature. Remove and discard bay leaves.
5. To serve, release cake from sides of springform pan and sift some confectioners' sugar over it. Slice and serve with compote on the side. Makes 8 servings.
This recipe is almost as easy as the ubiquitous onion soup mix recipe, and it tastes much better. The meat and vegetables give off moisture as they cook, so there is enough liquid.
2 large onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (4- to 5-pound) brisket (do not remove layer of fat)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place onions, carrots, raisins, tomatoes, mustard, salt and pepper in a baking pan or casserole just large enough to accommodate meat. (A 4 1/2-pound brisket fits well into a 13-by-9-inch Pyrex pan.)
2. Mix vegetables to combine well, then lay meat in pan, fat side up, and move some of the vegetables to go on top of the meat. Cover with heavy-duty foil and bake for 15 minutes, then turn oven temperature down to 300 degrees and continue cooking 3 to 4 hours, or until a metal skewer can be easily plunged into the thickest part of the roast. You want the liquid in the pan to be simmering as slowly as possible -- just the occasional bubble.
3. Let brisket cool in sauce. When cool, remove meat and pour sauce into saucepan. Reduce over medium-high heat until slightly thickened. To add body to sauce, you can puree a portion of the vegetables either by using an immersion blender, or by transferring some of them to a blender or food processor, processing, and then returning them to the saucepan.
4. While sauce reduces, slice brisket and lay it in a smaller baking pan. (It will have shrunk substantially.) Cool sauce slightly and pour back over brisket. (If making in advance, cover with foil and refrigerate.) To serve, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake foil-covered brisket until heated through, about 30 minutes (45 if brisket has been refrigerated). Makes 8 servings.


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WEATHER: 20 degrees and sunny.
WHERE TO: From Iwo Jima Memorial, across Key Bridge, over to the Rock Creek Park trail, and up through the park until our watches said it had been a bit over an hour. And then back to Iwo Jima.
MOOD: Cold
Long run with S. today, up Rock Creek Parkway and back. I had been considering a large bowl of oatmeal for brunch, with maybe a bowl of fruit on the side. So naturally we went to Ray's Hell Burger. Having been eating quasi-vegetarian-ly for a while, and having not eaten red meat in at least 4 months, I was unsure. Until I had a few bites, followed by a full-on mouthgasm, and had to lie down.
One topic on which S. and I talked today is the challenge of not showing off as a marathoner. It's a tough line to walk. One tries not to bring it up, but then again — well, OK. It takes up a lot of time. It's a daily companion. It's like a boyfriend. So. Imagine going through your life without telling anyone about your significant other because every time you did, you felt as if you were saying, "Ooh! Look at me! I'm dating So-and-so! Lalala!"
But then someone at, say, happy hour brings up running and you just can't help but get excited — "Oh, really? Where do you run? What races have you done? ISN'TRUNNINGAMAZING??!?!!!?" you say, with a sort of creepy and disarming enthusiasm at having FOUND A KINDRED SPIRIT! Maybe he'll talk chafing with you!
But oh, now you've done it. Because after rattling off all his achievements, large and small, then Mr. Happy Hour says,
"What races have you done?"
Now here you have a problem. Do you say, "Oh, just a few here and there…" and hope Happy Hour leaves it there? Or do you go for honesty?
Well, let's assume you're honest.
"Oh, I've done a few marathons." (Which, using my analogy, is the equivalent of saying, "Not only do I have a boyfriend, he's HOT. And LITERATE.")
"Oh, which ones?"
"Twin Cities, Marine Corps, Grandma's…" ("…and he's employed…")
"Boston…" ("…employed as a BRAIN SURGEON…")
See, now Happy Hour is not so sure he's happy he walked into this situation, but you've both gone down a path you can't get off of, because once you tell someone you've run Boston, they HAVE to ask, "Ummm…how fast do you run?"
And so you respond by sort of muttering your qualifying time. ("Did I say 'brain surgeon'? Because I meant 'brain surgeon AND a model AND an Italian chef AND the DC Fire Department's resident HOTTIE…'")
Happy Hour cocks his head, now clearly thinking you're such a tool for having told him about your mad running skillz (boyfriend), and now he feels inadequate, and, to be honest, you feel kind of dirty, too, but someone is asking about your BOYFRIEND, for Chrissakes, and what are you supposed to do, just sort of shrug and say, "Meh, he's OK"??? NO! What did we learn in Girl Scouts? HONESTY, kids!
"And how many have you run?"
And then you tell him your number. ("Also, my boyfriend farts rainbows and knows where SEVEN HIDDEN G-SPOTS ARE.")
Happy Hour, unable to take it, punches you in the face. You slump to the floor, rubbing your jaw, a little stunned, but generally thinking, "Meh. I probably deserved that."
I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from this little parable: lie. LIE. The next time someone asks me if I'm a runner, I'm going to go in the complete opposite direction.
"Ummm…I don't have legs…"
I think this will work well.


text:
The Carron Blue Enamel 11kW Multifuel / Woodburning Stove is an efficient and clean burning stove giving an efficiency of over 77%.
It is also Defra approved so can be used in smoke controlled areas.
- Cast iron construction
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- Defra Approved