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Chords / Melody ?
November 4, 2006
What's the relationship between the melody of a song and its chord structure?
I've been playing guitar for some 20 years and when I'm playing a song I understand on some pre-rational level why the chords change at that precise instant, and how the song fits into it, but I've never figured it out on an abstract level that I could explain to somebody else or use to write my own songs.
I can play some blues, and know that at certain chords in a progression, certain intervals sound better than others, but I've never figured out how to go the other way: given a melody, figure out the chords that will fit it.
When I have tried to write songs, the chords tend to match the melody almost exactly (if I sing a C, I play a C chord), which of course sounds like crap.
I'm interested in the theory of this, no matter how dry, and I'm thinking of a pop/rock context.
posted by
Media & Arts
(32 answers total)
26 users marked this as a favorite
Key signature has a lot to do with it-how many sharps or flats a particular scale has. If you play a song in C, it generally has certain basic chord structure-commonly for that key, C, F and G-but not necessarily. There will be chords that do NOT fit into a particular scale.
You can get a booklet of piano chording which might make it simpler for you to think about this. As to your songwriting, you might have to transpose your melody to get it to work with certain chords, OR figure out what keys fit your voice, what chords go with them, and go from there.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
It's not just in the pop/rock context.
You're already most of the way there. You sing a C during a C chord. Now, what other notes are in a C chord? Try singing an E or a G, and see how it changes things.
Generally, the rule is that you sing a note that's in the chord. If you're singing a note that's
in the chord, it's because you're making a new one. So, for example, if you decide to sing a B during a C chord, in total you've got a Cmaj7 chord.
So how do you figure out which chord to play at which time? Write out your melody. Next, figure out what key you're in. Then, underneath each note, write what chords in the key that note is in. Then it's trial and error. I wrote a lot more about this at
this link
Have fun.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Oh, I should mention that with the link I attached, the part you want starts where it says, "Starting with a melody".
posted by
on November 4, 2006
There's not too much to it: melody generally uses notes which fit within the chord structure. Start learning some older standards on guitar, even just the chord structure. Soon you'll begin to get a sense of how melodies play with and against the prevailing chords and key signature.
There's no real answer to your question - melody follows chords to the extent that the songwriter wants them to.
Obversely, coming up with chord structures to strictly melodic tunes is a great exercise in figuring out what "sounds right" without being totally pedestrian. Give it a try! Come up with some alternate chord changes to your favorite tune and see for yourself what works and what doesn't.
Good luck! The chord vs melody relationship can take a lifetime to appreciate!
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Generally, the rule is that you sing a note that's in the chord. If you're singing a note that's not in the chord, it's because you're making a new one. So, for example, if you decide to sing a B during a C chord, in total you've got a Cmaj7 chord.
Sort of. It's like this: there are two kinds of melody notes. Chord tones and non-chord tones (or non-harmonic tones).
This lesson
is a good introduction to non-harmonic tones.
A chord tone is a note that's part of the harmony being played. If the chord is A major, A, C#, and E are chord tones. kingjoeschmoe is talking about extending the harmony with the melodic instrument. If you have a guitar playing A, C#, and E, and then you have a clarinet play G natural, you can say that the overall harmony is A7 and the clarinet is just filling it out.
But the thing that distinguishes non-chord tones is that we expect them to resolve. If you play A, C#, and E, you can sing a D natural, but you'll create the expectation that it's going to resolve to C# or E. Of course, sometimes confounding those expectations in different ways is part of good composition. Maybe you hold the D natural until the next chord change, where it becomes a chord tone. That would be called an anticipation. Maybe the D natural was part of the last chord; that would be a suspension or retardation.
Anyway, that's about it. Melodies do not have to stay within the song's key signature, and most complex melodies indeed contain accidentals. I recommend checking out that musictheory.net lesson as well as some of the others if they seem interesting. Understanding this kind of stuff can go a long way towards demystifying composition.
posted by
on November 4, 2006 [
1 favorite
There's no real answer to your question
Sure there is, you just didn't know it.
Also, I recommend
Alan W. Pollack's notes on The Beatles canon
. Extremely in-depth analyses of every Beatles song, complete with lots of good melodic analysis and references to this kind of chord tone vs. non-chord tone stuff.
posted by
on November 4, 2006 [
2 favorites
The Wikipedia entry on
has a few books and links at the bottom - maybe look at those and work from there?
posted by
Opposite George
on November 4, 2006
I'm in the no real answer crowd actually. Music is really a tension between the predictable and the unpredictable. Sometimes you sing your melody within the chord and sometimes you don't in order to vary it up and to make the music interesting. Take Dylan's Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat. When he sings the title line in the chorus he goes off-key when he sings the Pill part of the line.
You don't have to follow the rules every time.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
I'm in the no real answer crowd actually.
Alright, I'll stop at this point, but come on. Just because you don't have a complete handle on the subject doesn't mean that there's no answer to the question. The "tension between predictable and unpredictable" also in no way implies the lack of an answer to this question.
You don't have to follow the rules every time.
No, you don't, but people who say things like that don't tend to have a very good grasp of "the rules" to begin with.
posted by
on November 4, 2006 [
1 favorite
Like the others are saying, this goes to the heart of what songwriting is. If the question is what chord progression goes with a certain melody, the answer is really
whatever works best.
It's almost completely subjective.
But for the more general question of how melody interacts with harmony, I'd think about it this way: the best composers typically don't conceive of melody and harmony separately, but rather simultaneously. That is, a composer will create a melody in his or her head and just intuitively
the chords that accompany it. To do something like that, you have to be either innately gifted or be well-versed in scales, modes, etc.
That skill can only come with extensive practice, but it has to be perhaps a different type of practice than you're accustomed to. Start by doing something like this: pick a short, very basic melody (think children's songs, holiday tunes, classic showtunes, etc.), and for each note, find as many chords as you can that fit. For instance, if the melody starts with C, there are options like C maj, A min, F maj, and Ab maj, but also D7, Db maj7, G sus4, not to mention inversions. Do this for each of the notes in the melody, and you'll start to get an idea of the range of harmonic options.
Once you start to
these different chords along with a given note, then you can start to connect the chords in a logical progression, usually centered around a "home" key -- this is the key signature concept mentioned above. But at this point I think the key is
: play around with notes and chords as much as you can until it becomes more natural, then work from there.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
I wanted to add that I got an amazing melody book from Berklee at my Barnes & Noble. It codified at least some rules for writing a melody. I don't have it with me but it was green.
Also, if you've haven't heard anything of Ludwig van's I would be rushing to do that. His music is as good as his advice in this thread (which is damn good).
posted by
on November 4, 2006
I'm a little perplexed why l_v came out swinging from the outset. Does this claim touch a nerve based on other conversations you've had that go beyond the posts above?
When I read the "no real answer" comments, I took them to be saying that although there is a classic set of pop formulas that bear a relationship to older western rules of tonal harmony, in pop/rock, these rules are a moving target--made to be broken--and to pretend otherwise just doesn't tell the whole story.
Take certain sonic youth songs, as one example. How much of the tension in their songs is based on the Alan Pollack-style melodic analysis (which is undoubtedly insightful), and how much if it is that they aren't using traditional tunings, but introducing quarter-tones and even smaller changes in tuning.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
One more on ludwig_van's side. The fact is that the "rules" of composition weren't arbitrarily selected by a man with big hair to make it difficult for everyone: they arose out of patterns that became convention because of the fact that they sound good.
For this reason, it's good to have a strong handle on what these rules are if you're interested in understanding how melody and harmony work. Yes, it is a general truth that melodies and harmonies that employ non-chord tones will sound more complex and interesting, but it is also a general truth that a lack of understanding of how consonance (a state of a pitch in which it is stable in relation to the underlying chord) and dissonance (the opposite) work will result in a song that sounds disjointed and fails to lead the listener anywhere.
The gist of it is that your question is answerable but complex. Read up on harmony and melody– there are lots of books on the topic. Opposite George has a good suggestion, and you might try your local library or bookstore. A lot of these books will probably be excessively complex, so good luck!
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Brainy: <3 33br>
I'm a little perplexed why l_v came out swinging from the outset.
I didn't "come out swinging," I just objected to people giving answers which were unhelpful and incorrect. And nothing personal of course, but your comment isn't particularly coherent or apropos either.
This isn't some kind of subjective question about what makes a good song. It was a question about the relationship between chords and melody in a pop/rock context, which is quite definable and comprehendible. Saying "there's no real answer" is wrong and gets the OP nowhere.3>
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Aw, I should've known that wouldn't work. What I meant was:
Brainy: <3<3<3
posted by
on November 4, 2006
To clarify just a little more: music doesn't have rules. That's something that people who know a little bit of theory think. Music theory is descriptive, not prescriptive. There aren't rules in music, only idioms and expectations.
If you're trying to write in the Baroque idiom, or the jazz idiom, or the Serialist idiom, for example, there are certain things you do and don't do in order to achieve that goal. If you want to sound like Bach, you don't write parallel fifths. If you don't care or if you explicitly don't want to sound like Bach, by all means, go for it. Not using parallel fifths isn't a "rule," it's just something that wasn't done in a particular musical idiom.
Similarly, listeners approach music with a set of expectations based on their listening experience. If you're writing music for people who mostly have experience with western tonal music, which I took to be the context of this question, those listeners can be assumed to have certain expectations about consonance and dissonance, tension and resolution, etc. As I said earlier, sometimes a composer will want to satisfy those expectations and sometimes he'll want to confound them.
Of course, idioms and expectations are always evolving; new ones have to come from somewhere. But that does not imply that ignorance is the best path to innovation; personally I think the opposite is true.
Of course, loads of natural talent/intuition can make up for a lack of knowledge of music theory/structure (like it did for The Beatles, etc.; but I'd argue that The Beatles must've understood the complex musical devices they used because they employed them so cleverly and consistently - it's just that their understanding was intuitive rather than formal), but I prefer not to leave things to chance, so I like to learn all of the tricks and techniques that I can. The OP's question seemed to be coming from a similar place.
So there's plenty of freedom to be had. But that doesn't mean that there's no answer, or no way to analyze and categorize these things.
posted by
on November 4, 2006 [
4 favorites
[+1 to ludwig_van; I'm siding with him]
The fact is that, for whatever reason, certain chord progression can sound more pleasing to the ear than others. Next time you pull out your guitar, play the following progression: [F Dm G7 C].
Doesn't that sound nice? It's partially because you recognize the progression (IV - ii - V7 - I] as an extremely common one in Western music, for better or for worse. This is (obviously) not to discount the billions of musicians from other cultures and genres of music who don't rely on these common progressions, but the fact is that we're used to them, and it's one of the reasons that they are pleasing to our ears.
Now, to tie this in with melody writing. You want to create a melody that hits a lot of these chord tones, especially on strong beats. Passing tones (non-chord tones on weak beats) are fine, and depending on the genre of music, there can be whole different "rules" (heavily air-quoted) for what notes do and don't sound good against that progression.
There's a lot more I can say on this (I'm a music student, as, I think, is l_v) - email in profile if this is actually interesting to you.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Yeah rossination, I study composition. The moral of the story here, from my perspective, is like something one of my teachers used to tell me: you can do absolutely anything you want, as long as you do it deliberately.
(Unless you make aleatoric music I suppose, but that's another discussion for another thread)
posted by
on November 4, 2006
I'm another music student, and I agree with ludwig_van on pretty much everything he said.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Wow, who'd have thought this question would turn out this way?
, here's how I understand music theory from the point of view of someone who's played rock and pop music for many years, but not studied music.
All songs can be said to be in a particular key.
Say the key is C. That means the melody will probably start and finish on the note, and the chord, C.
The song will almost certainly use the chords F, G, and A minor. The other chords you're "allowed" are D minor and E minor, maybe a B flat. Pretty much any sequence of those chords will sound like a conventional western pop song.
The way to fit chords to a melody is just to figure out which key it's in, and figure out by trial and error which of those chords fit the notes.
The other main concept I've taken in is "tension" -- the brains of everyone listening know, in an instinctive way, that your song is "supposed to" end on the note and chord of C. That's where it starts, and then it goes somewhere, and then in the end it's supposed to go back there.
Take a very conventional chord sequence. C, F and G. Just play a bar of each, it and sing the notes C, F and G with them. Your brain wants the next note and chord to be C, because that's the natural progression "back" to the starting point.
So do it again, and this time wait twice as long on G. More tension. And the second time, change the G to G7, more tension. And sing the note B, more tension. You should be feeling that the song "needs" to go back to C.
All these rules, are of course, made to be broken. Swap major for minor with any of the chords mentioned, see what happens. Swap halfway through a bar. "Trick" the ears of your listeners by making them think you're about to resolve back to C but go somewhere else.
But the variations occur mostly within those basic structures. You will never hear a pop song on the radio which starts with C and then goes to C sharp or F sharp.
Rock music might use a set of chords based on the blues scale instead. My quick recipe for a conventional metal song in C would be C, E flat, F, G and B flat only. No minor chords.
posted by
on November 4, 2006 [
1 favorite
One very important part of the melody vs. chordal structure question:
Melody is developed over time against changes.
Take some of what's been said already: a bit of melody over a given chord can have harmonic and non-harmonic tones in it. So if the chord is C, a relatively harmonic melody will have lots of c, e, and/or g in it, and little tension. Non-harmonic tones can be added without creating notable tension, if they're used between tension-relieving harmonic tones—a walk down from a g to an e would use, say, an f-natural as a passing tone.
Harmonic tones falling on a beat with non-harmonic passing tones on the off beat will generally create little tension. Non-harmonic tones on the beat will create more tension.
Add to that the fact that some tones are more non-harmonic feeling than others in a given context. Against a C chord, an f is non-harmonic but not as glaring as an f-sharp. What does and doesn't feel jarring depends on the chord and the context.
So: melody over
A melody is not just a set of harmonic and non-harmonic notes strung over a given chord, followed by another set of notes over the next chord, and so on. A melody is a cohesive set of notes over a whole chordal structure, and
is where things get interesting. Where a particular non-harmonic note might just sound jarring against a single chord out of context, it can have a much more satisfying and complex place if the same note appears as, say, a non-harmonic note in one chord and then as a harmonic note of a subsequent chord. That f-natural that sounds so awful in a C-Major ends up sounding sweet in a D-Major. So the construction of a song where you tease and tense with a melodic phrase over the C, and then repeat that melodic phrase of the D: that's the sort of thing at the heart and soul of melodic construction.
Roughly, pop/rock theory is an understanding of what chords work against what melodies. It's a much more condensed, repetitive form than some older classical stuff, which makes it more approachable, which is fun.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
You will never hear a pop song on the radio which starts with C and then goes to C sharp or F sharp.
Half step
Tri tone
OK, they prove your point more than not, but I just thought,
That f-natural that sounds so awful in a C-Major ends up sounding sweet in a D-Major.
Depends on what you mean by "sweet"! (Or maybe you meant f-sharp?)
posted by
on November 4, 2006
Shit. Yes, I very much meant an f-sharp there.
posted by
on November 4, 2006
I'm at something of a loss to know what you meant by that last link.
The first two are jazz, and yes, in case anyone thought differently, what I wrote above definitely doesn't apply to jazz.
But what was going on in that samba music that you felt contradicted me? It has a flattened fifth in the melody, was that it?
posted by
on November 4, 2006
The first two are jazz, and yes, in case anyone thought differently, what I wrote above definitely doesn't apply to jazz.
Actually, it does. I have a decent knowledge of jazz tunes and I certainly had a hard time coming up with ones that contradicted your statement!
But what was going on in that samba music that you felt contradicted me?
I was just thinking of tunes that start on the root and move a tritone away for the second chord. "Summer Samba" was all I could come up with. In that link, there is an intro, but when the tune starts (vocals in) the first chord is a B and the second an Fm7.
Incidentally, after I posted I also recalled the intro to this awesome tune:
posted by
on November 5, 2006
Say the key is C. That means the melody will probably start and finish on the note, and the chord, C.
The song will almost certainly use the chords F, G, and A minor. The other chords you're "allowed" are D minor and E minor, maybe a B flat. Pretty much any sequence of those chords will sound like a conventional western pop song.
Eh, I can't really vouch for this. First of all, in the key of C, the song is fairly likely to begin and end with the chord C (but this is not a requirement), but that doesn't mean at all that the melody has to begin and end on C.
Secondly, you're talking about the chords which are diatonic, or naturally ocurring, in a key. None of them contain any notes which aren't found in the key signature. In any major key these are: I ii iii IV V vi viidim. So in C major that's C Dm Em F G Am Bdim. Now these are just your plain vanilla chords. If you only wrote songs with these, they'd get boring pretty quickly. There are many ways to work different chords into the mix, but again, that's something of a separate topic.
Take a very conventional chord sequence. C, F and G. Just play a bar of each, it and sing the notes C, F and G with them. Your brain wants the next note and chord to be C, because that's the natural progression "back" to the starting point.
So do it again, and this time wait twice as long on G. More tension. And the second time, change the G to G7, more tension. And sing the note B, more tension. You should be feeling that the song "needs" to go back to C.
That's pretty minimal tension, though. That's everything that's expected. Serious tension is created when instead of resolving that G to C, you go to F#m, then B7, then Em, then F#dim7, then G, then G7, and then to C, or something far out like that. (For those following along at home, that would be analyzed in C as: V ii/iii V/iii iii vii/V V V7 I). Or even just going from G to another diatonic chord besides C (which is called a deceptive cadence). Or again by using the right non-harmonic notes in the melody. I tend to think of those as two sides of the same coin - musical interest/complexity can be created by either the relationships between one chord and the next (and the relationship between any chord and the key center as well) and also by the relationship between a given chord and its simultaneous melodic content.
My quick recipe for a conventional metal song in C would be C, E flat, F, G and B flat only. No minor chords.
This seems fairly dubious to me as well, but I can't really claim expertise on metal.
posted by
on November 5, 2006
After two posts rather unhelpful to the OP...
I've never figured out how to go the other way: given a melody, figure out the chords that will fit it.
I gained this skill not by studying theory but by simply attempting it over and over again. Eventually I started to figure it out. My dad used to play the piano and I would play along on bass. I had no idea what notes were what, what keys were, or what the tunes were. I just would fish around for notes that sounded good. And he never stopped, or even gave me any instruction. We just plowed our way through tunes. Within each song, by the end I'd have some of the structure figured out. And from session to session, I'd start to remember parts of songs we'd played before. This went on for years and eventually I got good enough so he'd take me on gigs with him.
If you don't have a similar dad available to you, you can do the same thing with the radio. Turn on an oldies station--you probably know the melodies to most of the songs--and play along. Try to pick out the chords. Do it regularly for enough time and eventually you should be able to play a song you've never played before (but have heard a millions time, so you know it) the first time through without error. I've done this many times right on the stage.
Interestingly, my wife and I had our first child recently and as a result I've done almost no playing in several months. I played a gig last night, and the ears felt
rusty. I really had to concentrate on the songs to get the changes right. So picking out changes appears to be a skill you have to maintain!
posted by
on November 5, 2006
Thanks for all the answers. FWIW, this is one of my favorite questions (of mine).
posted by
on November 5, 2006
>Eh, I can't really vouch for this.
I have to say, I'm in the anti-
camp now, after that post. For some reason you think the question was "are you cleverer than everyone else here?".
The guy is a
. He doesn't know the first thing about music theory. He doesn't want to know abstruse theoretical details, he wants to know the
absolute basics
. He doesn't want to understand atonal pieces by Stockhausen written for forty-three vacuum cleaners and a piano full of nails, he wants to understand how conventional popular music works. I tried to give him that, in simple language. And your contribution is to sneer at me?
When someone wants a very basic introduction to a subject, it's not helpful for you to say "ah yes, but" and show off your more detailed knowledge when they get one. The thing is,
know more detail than I put in my post too. But I didn't put it in. Because that's not what the OP said he wanted.
I'm not saying you're wrong, by the way. I'm saying you're patronising, and displaying your knowledge seems far more important to you than answering the question.
posted by
on November 5, 2006
Well, I have a degree in music theory, and all I have to say is this:
Think of songwriting like filmmaking. Think of the chords as the frame of the camera, and think of the melody as the people or objects traveling in and out of that frame.
Just like in filmmaking, conventions exist, and were developed because they are successful and effective. In music theory, lots of what has been said above and linked above applies here. You should know what the conventions are and how they work, if you appreciate learning.
But, don't let the rules guide what you do. If a particular shot looks good to a filmmaker, she films it and makes it work. Likewise, if something sounds good, play it and make it work. Even if it doesn't fit with theoretical conventions (which are descriptive and not prescriptive, as someone mentioned above), go with it.
That's all I have to say, because I want some chocolate.
posted by
on November 5, 2006
Ambrose, I'm not trying to patronize or show off. This being Ask Metafilter, I'm just trying to make sure the asker gets accurate and complete information like I wish someone would've provided me when I was first learning. Beginner or not, he said he's "interested in the theory of this, no matter how dry." This is not rocket science; it only seems difficult when the waters start getting muddied. That's all from me; feel free to e-mail me with questions/complaints.
posted by
on November 6, 2006
The Simpsons theme song and "Maria" from West Side Story both start with a melodic tritone (C to F-sharp or some transposition thereof).
Just sayin'.
It might help you to further classify non-harmonic tones, since "there are notes in the chord and notes outside of the chord" might seem too vague to be very helpful. You can try experimenting with:
passing tones - notes that move from one chord tone to another (for example, if you were moving from G to E in a C major chord, F would be a passing tone you could throw in between)
neighbor tones - notes that move away from a chord tone and then return (e.g. E-F-E)
There are sub-types of passing tones and neighbor tones, like incomplete passing tones, which are moved to by leap and resolved by step (e.g. C-F-E) or accented passing tones, which is when the non-chord tone lands on a downbeat. This can be an interesting, tension-generating effect because you initially hear a note that sounds "wrong" but is then resolves.
Other non-harmonic tones include:
anticipations - when a note from the next chord appears over the previous chord. For example, if you're moving from G major to C major and you throw a C over the G major right before the chord change. Another good tension-release device.
suspensions - notes held over from a previous chord which then resolve. Similar to the previous example, if you held a D over the G major chord and then continued to hold it over the C major chord before resolving to a C or E.
This is by no means comprehensive, but it should give you some things to experiment with. Play around with these and figure out what sounds good to you.
posted by
on November 6, 2006
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Categories > Anime/Manga > Eyeshield 21
Battle-cry2 Reviews
Hiruma is going to kill them.
(#) nettles 2006-06-18 11:47:46 AMVery good. I thought that Kurita was well-handled, if a bit uncertain at times, and Hiruma placed his anxieties and bluffs at opportune times, but I felt the imagery was lacking a bit. Loved the tantalizing moment on '... Oujou'; it brought good memories. I did wonder as to what happened to Mushashi and the time/setting this took place. Once again, it was a good fic with a good degree of explainatory details.
(#) SuzaShizune 2006-11-07 06:21:16 PMVery nice. I like this, it make me go YA-HA!!!!!!!


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Kelli. Pittsburgh, PA.
24 years old which is apparently ancient in the world of Tumblr.
Penguins, Steelers and Pirates fan since birth.
Currently working on a graduate degree of sorts.
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(via twitter)
Is that his son next to him? DAY-UM


text:
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Salt and pepper to taste
Remove casing from sausage (or buy it without the casing). Spray pan with Pam and cook sausage on high heat until brown stirring to break up the pieces well. Add shallot and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in water, beans, tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper and cover and bring to a boil. Uncover and cook 4 minutes or until it has thickened up a little bit. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and basil and then place in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.Tags: beans, broth, cannellini, cheese, garlic, italian, Lunch, minestrone, parmesan, pork, sausage, sausage soup, shallot, soup, spinach, stracciatella, tomatoes
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December 30th, 2012Appetizers, crock pot, Lunch, turkey
What a great appetizer or lunch. The sausage, beans and garlic make a perfect stew. Served with cheese toast, this makes a great dish to serve to guests. Even with the bread, this dish comes in under 400 calories !!
6 servings
350 calories per serving
2 t oil
3 t garlic, minced
4 2 oz. turkey sausages (any flavor you like, I used Italian hot) cut into chunks
1 c water
1 c chicken broth
2 19 oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 c baby spinach
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper
1/8 t salt
½ t garlic powder
2 T lemon juice
6 T shredded provolone cheese
6 1 oz. slices French bread
Heat oil and cook sausage until almost done. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add water, broth to crock pot then add spinach. Add salt and pepper and garlic powder. Add beans and then add sausage and garlic and any pan drippings to the top. Cook on low 3 hours. Add the splash of lemon during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve with Cheese Toasts. To make toasts, sprinkle bread slices with cheese and broil 2 minutes to melt cheese.
If you don't have a crock pot, you can do this stove top is a soup pot – after cooking the sausage and combining all the ingredients, simmer on very low for 1 hour.Tags: appetizer, bean, bread, broth, cannnellini beans, cheese, cheese toast, crock, crock pot, french bread, garlic, Lunch, provolone, sausage, sausage and bean stew, sausage stew, stew, toast, turkey, turkey sausage, white beans
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A taste of Louisiana without all the work of a typical jambalaya. This is a really good version that is so easy to make ! It is homey and filling and flavorful and all the things a good jambalaya should be (even MUSHY is a good characteristic in a jambalaya and my daughter days this one is mushy). Serve with some extra tabasco on the side for people like me
6 servings
370 calories per serving
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1 c chicken broth
2 c vegetable broth
¾ c water
1 ½ c raw brown rice
4 oz. low fat turkey sausage cut into slices
½ c celery, thinly sliced
Leaves from the top of the celery ribs
½ c onion, chopped
½ c green bell pepper, chopped
2 t Cajun seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ t hot pepper sauce
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
Spray a skillet with Pam and on medium high heat, cook chicken and sausage until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Place in crock along with all the other ingredients. Cover and cook on high 5 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.Tags: broth, cajun, cajun seasoning, celery, celery leaves, chicken, chicken jambalaya, crock pot, Dinner, garlic, jambalaya, louisiana, onion, pepper, rice, sausage
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What a great grilled dish – the onions get so nice and caramelized and that gives everything tons of flavor.
4 servings
350 calories per serving
1/3 c finely chopped onion
3 T buttery spread
¾ c apple juice
1/3 c red vinegar
2 T honey
1 T steak sauce
1 t salt
½ t pepper
1 lb Italian turkey sausage
2 small onions, quartered
8 medium large fresh mushroom caps
Cook onion in butter until tender then mix in apple juice, vinegar, honey, steak sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Boil enough water to cover sausages and add sausage to pot and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until cooked through. During the last 5 minutes throw in the onion wedges. Cool for a bit then slice into 2 inch pieces. Heat grill and spray a grill pan with Pam.
Place all sausage, onions and mushrooms in a bowl and put in half the sauce and toss to coat. Place this mix in a hot grill basket and grill 10 minutes stirring frequently. Baste with the other ½ of the sauce and continue cooking 2 minutes longer.
[FA_Lite id="9343"]Tags: apple juice, butter, Dinner, grill, grilled sausage, honey, mushroom caps, mushrooms, onions, onions and mushrooms, sauce, sausage, steak sauce, turkey, turkey sausage, vinegar
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June 19th, 2011Breakfast, Kid Friendly, Mexican
I love a dish you can make for a hungry breakfast crowd that doesn't entail you standing at the stove being a short order cook You can put this one together and throw it in the oven then sit and have coffee and chat while it cooks up perfectly. It turns out a flavorful Mexican inspired dish that everyone enjoys !
10 servings
277 calories per serving
1 lb. Italian seasoned turkey sausage, casing removed
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
32 oz. Egg Beaters
4 oz. can chopped green chiles
1 t chili powder
10 flour tortillas, warmed
1 ¼ c salsa
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage, peppers and onions in a skillet until sausage is done, and then drain on paper towels. Place in a 13×9 baking dish sprayed with Pam. Mix eggs, green chilies and chili powder and pour over the turkey mix. Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes or until set then break up with a spoon. Place 2/3 c of egg mix down the center of each tortilla then wrap up securely.
Here is a video that will show you how to fold up a wrap securelyTags: Breakfast, chilies, egg beaters, green chilies, Kid Friendly, mexican, onion, peppers, salsa, sausage, sausage breakfast wrap, tortilla, wrap
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Chorizo is Mexican sausage much like Kielbasa is Polish sausage and Andouille is Cajun sausage. It is delightfully spicy and lends its rich flavor to any dish you add it to including this great side dish made with beans.
4 servings
179 calories per serving
1 t oil
4 oz. chorizo, halved and thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ lb. wax beans or green beans
¼ c water
4 t sherry vinegar
½ c chopped parsley
Kosher salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Heat oil and cook chorizo until crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add shallot to pan and cook 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Then add beans and water, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 6-8 minutes. Add sausage to pan with vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper.Tags: beans, chorizo, chorizo beans, Dinner, garlic, green beans, mexican, sausage, sherry vinegar, side, wax beans
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There are so many good things in this casserole – and all the flavors mesh incredibly well. The mellow swiss cheese is the perfect cheese for this recipe.
6 servings
252 calories per serving
1 cup Egg Beaters
4 large eggs
1 c skim milk
2 T Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c fresh basil, sliced
4 c wheat bread cut into 1 inch cubes
5 c chopped arugula
¾ c canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1 c cooked chicken sausage, sliced thin
¾ c shredded swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Rinse the arugula and then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Fold back one edge leaving just a bit of an open slit. Cook 2-3 minutes to wilt the arugula then drain well and squeeze out extra water.
Whisk egg whites, Egg Beaters and milk then add Dijon, salt, pepper and basil and stir well. Mix together bread cubes with the arugula, sausage and artichokes. Pour in the egg mix and toss well. Place in baking dish and cover with foil then bake 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and continue baking 20 minutes UNCOVERED. Cool for 15 minutes.Tags: artichoke, artichoke hearts, arugula, arugula and chicken sausage, cheese, chicken, chicken sausage, dijon, dijon mustard, Dinner, egg beaters, eggs, mustard, sausage, swiss, swiss cheese, wheat bread
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February 3rd, 2011Lunch, Sandwiches, Vegetables
The Morningstar Farms sausage links are made out of all veggies – the consistency is not quite there, but the sausage flavor is AWESOME. When placed on a nice big roll and smothered in peppers and onions, you don't even realize that you are not eating real sausage ! This is a great way to still have one of your favorites but have a guilt free version.
1 serving
375 calories per serving
4 bell peppers, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 T oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
hot water
1 link Morningstar sausage heated according to package instructions
1 small club roll
Place oil in large skillet and heat to medium high. Put onions in pan and saute 5 minutes. Move onions to the side, remove pan from heat and spray skillet with Pam. Return to heat and add peppers to skillet. Let cook down a little and then season with all the spices. After about 5 minutes, lower heat to medium and continue cooking to desired doneness. I like mine pretty soft and let them cook a good 20 minutes. If you do the same, you will likely need to add a couple tablespoons of hot water a couple times during the cooking process so that the veggie stay moist and do not burn.
Place sausage on roll and top with peppers and onions.Tags: Lunch, morningstar farms, onion, onions, peppers, roll, sandwich, sausage, sausage and peppers, sausage and peppers sandwich, sausage link, Vegetables
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Talk about a satisfying soup ! This one has meat, spice, veggies, cheese and 3 DIFFERENT CARBS! Lentils, rice and tortellini. Oh how good
13 servings
275 calories per serving
20 oz. turkey Italian sausage with casings removed
13 c water
1 c chopped carrots
2 c chopped celery
½ c diced green bell pepper
2 t onion powder
¾ t oregano flakes
1 t garlic powder
1 t basil flakes
2 t chicken boullion
½ t seasoned salt
¼ t pepper
2 c dried lentils, rinsed
½ c dry rice
22 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
2 ½ c cheese tortellini (refrigerated)
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumble the sausage and cook in a skillet until done (keep crumbling as you cook it). In a large soup pan mix water, vegetables and spices then add lentils and rice and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in tomato sauce, bring to a boil again and add the tortellini and sausage and cook 4 minutes or until tortellini are done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Tags: carrots, celery, cheese, cheese tortellini, crushed tomatoes, Dinner, lentil, lentil soup, Lunch, rice, sausage, sausage and lentil soup, soup, tortellini, turkey, turkey sausage


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Quarles & Brady LLP and the Electric Power and Gas Distribution IndustriesQuarles & Brady LLP's lawyers have extensive experience handling issues that arise in the electric power and gas distribution industries. Among the regulatory matters Quarles & Brady lawyers have dealt with are:
In these and other regulatory matters, Quarles & Brady's lawyers can provide a full range of services, including:
One member of our energy practice, Ave M. Bie, (J.D., Wisconsin) is the former chairperson and commissioner of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission (1998-2004). Another member, Brian D. Winters, (J.D., Yale) has an advanced degree in economics and was editor-in-chief of the Yale Journal on Regulation. Not only do they understand the law, they understand the energy industry and the issues it confronts. In addition to the experience and knowledge of its regulatory lawyers, we have the depth of resources to handle most other areas of the law that affect energy industry participants, including environmental law, government relations, securities law, antitrust law, real estate laws, corporate and commercial law, and litigation. For more information on how our Energy Group can assist you with your regulatory matters, please contact Ave M. Bie at (608) 294-294-4929 /


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From: ovid
Views: 114 | Added: 30-06-2012
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1. 10 Commandments for Crafting Successful Business Strategies 1. Always put top priority on crafting and executing strategic moves that enhance a firm?s competitive position for the long-term and that serve to establish it as an industry leader.
2. Be prompt in adapting and responding to changing market conditions, unmet customer needs and buyer wishes for something better, emerging technological alternatives, and new initiatives of rivals. Responding late or with too little often puts a firm in the precarious position of playing catch-up.
2. 3. Invest in creating a sustainable competitive advantage, for it is a most dependable contributor to above-average profitability.
4. Avoid strategies capable of succeeding only in the best of circumstances.
5. Don?t underestimate the reactions and the commitment of rival firms. 10 Commandments for Crafting Successful Business Strategies
3. 6. Consider that attacking competitive weakness is usually more profitable than attacking competitive strength.
7. Be judicious in cutting prices without an established cost advantage.
8. Employ bold strategic moves in pursuing differentiation strategies so as to open up very meaningful gaps in quality or service or advertising or other product attributes. 10 Commandments for Crafting Successful Business Strategies
4. 9. Endeavor not to get ?stuck back in the pack? with no coherent long-term strategy or distinctive competitive position, and little prospect of climbing into the ranks of the industry leaders. 10 Commandments for Crafting Successful Business Strategies


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You know those times when you know the right thing to do, but you get so worried about what people will think that you don't do it? Ya, we've all had those experiences.
Think about it…
Sometimes we purposely choose not to follow the right decisions in order to please the people around us. But at the end of the day, what does that do? Nothing…
Pleasing the people around you will get you nowhere. Why? Because the people around you can't give you what you truly really need in the first place. Only God can do that.
1. How many people have failed to pursue their dreams because they are too caught up in what people might think?
2. How many people have stopped just before crossing the finish line because they didn't want people to be upset that they finished before them?
3. How many people have yet to follow their God-given calling because the opinions of others have them bound in chains?
Do any of these describe you?
The opinions of others can never compare to the TRUTH of God. And the reasoning behind this post is simple: TO CHALLENGE YOU TO IGNORE THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS, AND PURSUE WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO.
Sure, some people might dislike your decisions. Some people might turn their backs on you. And frankly, some people might never understand the reasoning behind your motives.
Psalm 118:6 - The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
But at the end of the day, there is not one opinion that is great enough to outweigh the calling God has for your life. People will leave you. Money will leave you. Jobs will leave you. But guess what? God won't.
Pursue your God-given calling. Follow your dreams. And allow God to guide you every step of the way. Pleasing people might get you some acceptance, but it won't get you acceptance into the only place that really matters. #Heaven
1 Peter 1:25 - But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you.
Don't be a people pleaser. Be a purpose seeker.


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Alright, here is an updated map, with some changes. I'd like to hear thoughts about any of them.
1) Some of my forests are different. I did these with RobA's Random Density Map. You can still see some of the previous forests, for comparison. I think I like the new forest better, but I might end up making a new animated forest brush to do them with that works in some different kinds of trees.
2) Fiddled with the Lake some more. Not right yet, but I think I am making progress.
3) I tweaked the house that was overlapping the road.
4) Reworked the grass a bit
5) Tapered the Rivers
I think I am also going to redo the fields.


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I would not recommend filing a lawsuit based on the facts presented. Most claims against nursing homes are considered a professional malpractice action. This means that a professional person, e.g., a nurse, a doctor, or other medical professional, has done something that falls below the standard of care for that profession. These cases are very expensive because they require expert witnesses, depositions (many of them out of state) and other expenses that are not generally part of a standard negligence action. Therefore, an attorney must weigh the potential amount a jury might award for the damages suffered by the nursing home patient against the amount it would cost to bring the professional malpractice claim. Generally, when a nursing home patient has not suffered some catastrophic injury, such as the loss of a limb, loss of life, or significant loss of quality of life, it would not be cost-efficient to bring a professional malpractice claim because the client will spend more money bringing the lawsuit than a jury would award. Another way to seek justice is to notify the Georgia Long-Term Care Ombudsman of the situation so that they may investigate and take action, if necessary.
The foregoing answer is not legal advice and is merely a general overview. You are advised to consult a lawyer to address your specific situation. For further information about our firm, go to aa-legal.com. You are also invited to contact me about the foregoing or to submit your questions to me at email@example.com.


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White House Down (2013)
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2 other pictures
Capitol Policeman John Cale has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer. Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news, he takes her on a tour of the White House, when the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the nation's government falling into chaos and time running out, it's up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.Links: IMDb, Posters
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My 9th wedding of the year with a White Hart reception. Someone who booked their wedding photography for 2014 was a little worried I did weddings only at the White Hart! Well I do love the place, its very local for me, I am always happy with the opportunites for great photographs and the staff are always very helpful and polite. I'm happy to travel though and I've photographed weddings this year in Lancashire, Derbyshire, Manchester, Cheshire and Wales. The new car is getting 50mpg on a longer journey so its a little bit greener than the (trusty) old Golf was.
I'm posting one photo and a slideshow of the album design that was created using Sarah & Steve's choices.
Night fell about 4 hours before we went outside to get this photo. Using a flash in a softbox up on to the side I balanced in the bright interior. Sarah looks flawless all day and this shows off both the shape and detail of her elegant dress. Steve was very relaxed all day, very easy to photograph. Getting something different every wedding, something that suits the time of year and their personalities makes every set of wedding images that little bit more special.
Each of these images is a double page spread in an A4 album, so each one is printed at A3 size.


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16 of Our Best Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes eCookbook
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Chicken Mac with Mushrooms
Chicken mac with mushrooms is a healthy and filling recipe with only 263 calories and 3 grams of fat for each serving. One of our many tasty low fat chicken slow cooker recipes, this dish might end up being a family favorite.
Ground Beef Stew
Looking for low-fat slow cooker stew recipes? This Ground Beef Stew sounds simple but it's full of yummy flavor and is a great comfort food. It's made with ground beef, potatoes, and baby carrots. This easy beef stew recipe is seasoned with dry onion soup mix, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper. Tomato soup and Italian tomato paste make the stew thick and creamy. Feel free to make the dish heartier by adding more vegetables such as celery and mushrooms.
Chicken and Veggie Bake
This chicken and veggie bake is easy to make, not to mention absolutely tasty, yet low in fat. Simply put all your ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 8-10.
Cola Chicken
This slow cooker cola chicken recipe only has 286 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving, making this the ideal dish for people watching their figure but still wanting to have a great tasting, home cooked meal.
Beef With Mushrooms and Red Wine Gravy
This beef with mushrooms and red wine gravy is only 5 weight watcher points. This slow cooker beef recipe is so delicious you'll want another helping, and you can with its low fat content!
Barbecue Pulled Chicken
Low-fat doesn't have to mean low-flavor. This barbecued pulled chicken is clear evidence of this. This low fat slow cooker recipe has more flavor than some high fat, high sodium foods.
Cabbage with Turkey Sausage
If looking for a turkey in slow cooker recipe this Cabbage with Turkey Sausage is a wonderful option. Packed with spices and flavors it makes a great dish around St. Patrick's Day.
Glazed Chicken
Glazed with orange juice, this glazed chicken recipe has a healthy light taste that's still full of flavor. Healthy chicken slow cooker recipes provide some of the greatest chicken dishes that will leave you feeling satisfied.
Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew
Looking for a low-fat dish and side to make in one? You are in luck with this chicken and sweet potato stew dish. Not only is this low fat recipe saving you calories, it tastes like the complete opposite.
Spicy Lemon Slow Cooker Chicken
Give the standard lemon chicken a kick with this slow cooker chicken recipe. A flavorful and savory Spicy Lemon Slow Cooker Chicken is a great addition to your weekly meal planner.
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Written by:
In Search of Nature
Wandering past the boundaries of his small reservation,
Crescent Moon saw the land of his ancestors' generation.
Tales handed down spoke of vast plains where buffalo used to roam,
but plains had become cities, animals had found a new home.
Most of the creatures had been captured, tagged and placed into zoos;
Anger coursed through Crescent Moon's veins as tears from his eyes did ooze.
Tribal leaders had told him that the sky was once a bright blue,
but now smog was so thick that only faint rays of sun pierced through.
Seeing mountains in the distance, he pursued a vision quest
taking him through streets that were once the great forests of the West.
Snowy peaks he finally reached, but they were lined by ski resorts.
Fire burned in him, knowing beauty had been sacrificed for sports.
As he climbed over peaks to view a river flowing below,
he saw only tainted waters that caused his anger to grow.
Sadly, slowly, he made his way back to the reservation,
knowing there was no way to reverse what the white man had done.
Although others had adjusted to life in captivity,
he'd no longer participate in tribal festivity.
Instead he made his home in a cave behind a waterfall,
to envision his land as it once was, not a shopping mall.
Carolyn Devonshire
Oh Carolyn, I wish I could attach a picture of my mother beneath this poem, with her long black hair and high cheekbones! She was one fourth Cherokee and her land is now gone. Not only has the landscape of my ancestors changed, so has their health and customs due to the ways of greed. May those who truly have a sacredness about life live on forever. You stirred the ancient spirits of my ancestors with this special write!
Love, Gwendolen R.


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Local man builds, sails his own boats
Driving by Turner's Pond it is common to see people fishing, but not so common to see a man fishing from a sailboat. It is even less common if the man made the boat himself, sails and all.
Chief Red Elk, who declines to give what he calls his "borrowed name," was sailing on the pond Friday, April 13 in the second sailboat he made.
His first sailboat was from a kit to which he later added sails. The second was all his.Subscribe to Read!


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Children lost: Another story of another family destroyed and young lives lostThere is going to be a lot more said in the case involving South Carolina mother Shaquan Duley, who has now confessed that she suffocated her children and then drove her car into the river. There will be some...
Please log in to see full story.
By Renee Carey
Published in Editorials on August 17, 2010 10:27 AM


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When I was first asked to write a blog relating to design, my first thought was "Sure, this should be easy." After all, I spend 99% of my time designing, or thinking about design, or looking at design, or doing something design-related. I could write forever about things like illustration, composition, color or even typography. But then I quickly realized that no one would really want to read it.
My challenge is to write about design and how it relates to the Paula Deen and Deen Bros. brands, brands which, if you're reading this site, you probably interact with on a fairly regular basis. I promise I'll try my best not to bore you with details like kerning or Pantone colors, but give you some insight on the thought behind some of the visual things we do and how they help to strengthen the Paula Deen brand.
Libbie, the Senior Food Editor for PaulaDeen.com, also suggested I start by talking a little bit about the Pork Chart, which has become a pretty popular article on PaulaDeen.com. The animal charts (we also have one for beef, lamb, and chicken) are always fun to work on, mainly because drawing realistic animals is definitely not my strong point. I like drawing cartoons. I studied animation in college. I was never that great in my life-drawing classes, and I NEVER nail one of these charts on the first try. In fact, between my co-workers, Libbie, Michelle, Jonathan, and I, we've had some pretty crazy email threads discussing exactly how a lamb butt should look, complete with photos attached for reference. My first stab at the lamb chart ended up looking more like something from the Jurassic era than something you would see on a farm.
After a few revisions, and in-depth discussions on farm animal anatomy, I take the drawing that looks most like the animal, throw it in the scanner and lay it over a cool graph paper texture and start adding color. It's important that I keep the pencil-lead, hand-drawn feel in there, something that can't be duplicated on a computer. I like to think of a butcher shop some time way before computers or cameras, when the charts used for reference were hand-drawn and probably stained from lots of handling with dirty butcher hands. It's more authentic that way, and authentic is a word I'll probably be using a lot when describing Paula and the boy's stuff.
The main goal of these charts is obviously to be informative; to let you know exactly where each cut of meat comes from. Who knew the "Boston Butt" was near the front part of the pig? If you had asked me where the "Picnic" was before I started this chart, I would have answered with a blank stare. I'm guessing it's one of the reasons people like that section of the site. A lot of you have even asked for it on a t-shirt, or a poster or something. I think it's a great idea and I would expect it to be on a t-shirt in the near future. It will take some tweaking (t-shirt design is a whole other blog post) but I think it has the potential to be really cool.
We've got a ton of exciting projects going on here at PDE right now, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you. I'm saving my next post for the rebranding of a restaurant, something I've never done before but am currently working on, and I've learned a lot and had a ton of fun doing it.Read More From Blogs.
By BRENDA PEHM on July 24, 2014
Hi Paula, I have to tell you I so enjoyed that TV episode with your friend from Albany who tap danced. That's the kine of cooking attitude that works. It put a smile on my fance. So I made the chicken with shallots and mushrooms and cheese - well it was easy and just yummy. My husband liked it too. Thank you. Keep up the good work girl! Susan
By Susan Young on March 26, 2012
Paula, Wanted to let you know my Grandson Danny has got to be your youngest fan. We are allways in the kitchen cooking and then we eat our lunch together watching your cooking show not realizing Danny 2 years old was paying attention. At Thanksgiving he was in the kitchen with his mother and I and also running back and forth from the living room. All of a sudden he came flying through the kitchen to talk to his mother and stopped dead in his tracks to tell his mother look Mom it's Paula Deen.
By Terri Moore on December 17, 2011
Hi Evan, Great blog! Enjoyed your writing and your art, you are one talented guy! My family are old friends of your Mom's family (from high school) and I have a nephew who just graduated from SCAD. Love Paula and love your work! Keep blogging!
By Martha Gillespie McMahan on June 13, 2011
I'm following Trudy's idea...Copying the pig to post on the inside kitchen cabinet. You must feel like "heaven" fell in your lap when you transitioned into Paula's "go to" Graphics guy! My son is an Architect in Seattle for a firm and he's there "go to" graphics guy (being only a few years out of college like you). Congrats to you! Hope you're lovin' it!!!
By tdiraimo on May 17, 2011
Thanks Remy and Trudy! I'm glad you found the chart useful and I'm glad you found my writing easy to understand. I'm not much of a writer so that makes me feel a lot better! I look forward to writing more, we've got a lot of cool projects in the works. Evan
By Anonymous on May 10, 2011
This is a great drawing Evan! I actually printed it out so can place it on the inside of my spice cupboard door along with my info on "olive oil" and different "herbs". The way you write is so "real", not so "technical". I like that because it makes this type of info much more enjoyable to read about. Thanks a million for sharing and your down to earth presentations.
By Trudy Hooe on May 10, 2011
I love the drawing! You're also a great writer.
By Remy Lorraine on May 10, 2011
This was great along with everything else you do Paula. However, as a diabetic I can't eat most of what you cook. Are you planning on having a special diabetic book or show in the coming future. LOVE YOUR SHOWS Jean Edson
By Jean Edson on May 10, 2011
I would like to have that pig picture for my kitchen! I love it!
By Janet on May 08, 2011
I just think you are incredibly handsome, as well as talented!
By Penny Rose on May 07, 2011
Evan, you are an amazing talent!! Not only would I wear this swine on a t-shirt, I would needlepoint it on a pillow!! Love this blog!
By Libbie Summers, Senior Food Editor on May 05, 2011
Hmm. . . Yes, I do believe I would purchase a chicken chart shirt. (But you can keep the giblets!) Best of luck with the blog!
By Lt. Sanders on May 05, 2011
Evan, I enjoyed your story keep up the GOOD work !!! Your drawings are great, don't worry so much about them. Your pork chart is excellent !!!
By Linda Turney on May 05, 2011
I would definitely buy a tshirt! Those look really cool
By Jonathan Able on May 05, 2011
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Tickets available from Ticketmaster here!
Sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms.
Inspired by her early days of selling lunches as The Bag Lady, Paula Deen will host a Box Lunch to End Hunger, presented by The Bag Lady Foundation, Springer Mountain Farms, and Hoffman Media. This grab-and-go lunch event will be held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Tuesday, September 16 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. For a $15 donation at the door (no advanced tickets), guests will receive a box lunch prepared by Edgar's Bakery featuring Springer Mountain Farms chicken and Golden Flake potato chips, and have the opportunity to meet Paula Deen. Grab these delicious boxed lunches and take them back to your office or share with a friend or neighbor. One hundred percent of proceeds will be donated to the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, which serves 12 counties in our area. For the price of one lunch, 135 meals or 65 pounds of food can be distributed to the food insecure in our area.
"Since September is Hunger Action Month, the timing of this event couldn't be more perfect," says Brian Hart Hoffman, Chief Creative Officer at Hoffman Media. "Paula Deen's dedication to helping those in need and positively impacting people's lives every day makes this event ideal for getting our community involved in the fight to end hunger in Central Alabama."
Each guest will be entered into a raffle to win front-row seats to the Paula Deen Live! show at the Alabama Theatre the same evening.
Sponsors for Paula Deen's Box Lunch to End Hunger include Golden Flake and Edgar's Bakery.
The Birmingham Botanical Gardens are located at 2612 Lane Park Road Birmingham, AL 35223.
Come see Paula's live show at the Times Union Center for Performing Arts in Jacksonville, FL and get a heaping helping of Paula's recipes, and some good old-fashioned fun and laughter!
Tickets available from Ticketmaster here!
Sponsored by Springer Mountain Farms.


text: Webexclusive Love with Abandon Wall Plaque Item #: 125278 $59.99 $31.49 Temporary Sale Ship to Home Keep your spirit and your colors bright with this Love with Abandon Wall Plaque. This flower will brighten your décor with its pop of color and collage design. Plaque measures 22 in. in diameter Crafted of tin Flower shape Message reads, "Love with abandon" Features hues of red, blue, green, and pink Comes ready for wall mount; no hanging hardware required Plaque features adjustable washer construction on the back to insure level hanging This item is available at Kirklands.com only, not available in stores. This item is no longer available for purchase.


text:
So I'm coming out of Georgia, on a plane that hit turbulence on its last leg, throwing the flight attendant sitting in front of me into the side of the plane, sending one person to the hospital when they landed.
My previous flight from Roanoke landed thirteen minutes before this one was scheduled to take off. I barreled through the airport as much as I could run, passing the gate attendant and throwing myself into the emergency exit door trying to bust it open upon seeing the jetway door closed. The gate attendant yelled at me that I couldn't just throw myself against an emergency exit door, to which I replied "Well I just did and it didn't open, so now I want you to get me onto that plane." (Come to think of it, aren't emergency exits supposed to open?) She called security on me.
While we were waiting for security I calmly explained how no one from the previous flight – which was delayed for mechanical reasons – had called to ask them to hold the flight, despite my requests. I listed all the things their airline had done wrong, as she spoke on the phone to someone about me as if I wasn't there. Before security arrived, however, another delayed passenger did. Then another. Soon there were five of us waiting, all delayed for mechanical reasons.
While she talked to someone I assumed was in the office, I calculated my list of needs (a 4 star hotel, $60 meal voucher, and free flight – for all of us there). Then she said, "ok y'all, come with me." I thought she was taking us around the corner to negotiate a deal, but instead she punched in the security code and let us onto the jetway. "I have NEVER seen that happen before," said the woman I sat beside.
So now I'm in the first seat I saw – right in front next to the exit, facing the steward in his fold down seat. I ask him how his night has been. "Not so good," he replies, and proceeds to tell me about people hitting the ceiling literally on the flight in from Seattle.
After a bit he asks me and my neighbor if we're going to watch any movies. "I didn't think we had any tvs," I say, having scanned the walls and ceiling for something like the screens the other passengers have in the seatback in front of them. "Oh yeah," he says, "they're right down there," showing me rotating arms like a dentists lamp hiding next to my legs.
"Yeah they have nice touch screens and all kinds of movies and games you can buy."
"Oh I left my credit card in the overhead," says my neighbor.
"That's ok," he says in confidence. "You don't need one, not when you know me. I know how to turn them on for you."
It's what he says next that grabs my attention: "Yeah they have lots of options to entertain you , and that's what we want. That's the future. We want you to be entertained. Anything to make it a little less painful. It's a long five hour flight and we don't want it to be painful. We want you to be entertained so you don't feel it."
Suddenly I feel like I'm talking to a drug pusher. Even though I know he doesn't mean any harm, I feel like he's speaking the mantra of electronic corporations everywhere, whose CEOs maybe don't mean harm either, or maybe they do. But I think, isn't that just what its all about. Life is long and it can be painful, and they want us to be entertained so we won't feel it.
It's funny because a doctor said almost the same thing to my mom when he gave her up for dead: "We just want to make sure you're as comfortable as you can be from here on out. We're interested in your quality of life." That was when I killed him.
I mean, as far as I was concerned. I walked out of the room and started searching for other doctors. We never saw his fleshy face again.
But I wonder why the word choices of the doctor and airline steward are so similar. Both of them represent a cultural response to life that has gotten just too hard. Apple is just another drug company. Screw trying to fix things; we're going to take this little pill and wait for it to be over. Imagine if drugs were administered by looking at them. If we could stare at an IV bag of morphine and feel better, it would look a lot like TV.
Which means that basically we're turning America into one giant hospital. And the illness is life. Our cultural doctors don't really know how to make life better, so they've prescribed a heavy dose of Comcast. Think I'm exaggerating? Name the biggest companies you can think of. How many of them are in the business of electronic distractions?
My mom is home from the hospital now. She's slowly worked her way back to eating, walking on her own, and being able to take care of herself better. It is an incredibly long, patient process for a woman who two months ago was still robust and working, despite having cancer. Dehydration brought her within a virus of dying, and one month in bed on life support has made her very weak. We take it as a good sign that she can make it into the family room to sit with us evenings and watch tv.
Our economy right now is built on electronics and legal drugs. The bulk of it is subsidized by credit and insurance, since what will satisfy us is far disconnected from what we are able to provide for ourselves. All this is fine, for now. Just as nurses can rest reasonably when a patient is on life support with stable vital signs. But what about when they pull the plug? What will all our children do when they pull the plug? Every generation born after me has had internet from the age of ten.
The blackout in Florida last week went unexplained. Not even the people who run the power grid could explain why it happened. The tornados in Florida tonight and freak winter storm over the middle two thirds of the country don't need explanations any more. We seem to know that you don't need specific explanations when the overall system is so strained. Our overall energy usage in the US is growing by 20% each year. Because of laptops, ipods, LCDtvs, etc. And we're not using any of it to solve our problems. We're using that power to be entertained.
My time in Virginia has been spent working on a system to get kids involved in learning about climate change and reducing energy usage, organizing a program for the Girl Scouts to educate their communities about the importance of changing habits and of efficient devices like Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs, which they will also be selling. I'm trying to change it all, but I'm just one person. I could die on this plane ride because of crazy weather caused by global warming. And everyone around me is just watching tv.
Lots of people go to the hospital. Some people die there. Some people come home. I went to the hospital once, and I didn't die. But it took me a lot of years getting better, to learn how to use my energy better, to work on what matters, to not get by in life just being entertained. My mom is home from the hospital now, and her path to getting better is long and slow, and not even assured. The sickness is still inside her.
The world needs a lot of us working on what matters now. We all are a lot closer to dying than we might imagine. Maybe it would help to realize that we are already in the hospital.
Andrew Varyu
Founder, ITSCOOL
Innovative Tactics for Sea Level and Climate Change Outreach and Opportunity Leaders
"Getting kids psyched to be America's leaders against Global Warming"
NPR: http://www.wvtf.org/news_and_notes/audio/cs_girlscouts-03-07-08.mp3
TV: http://cfc.wset.com/searchvideos.cfm?k=girl+scouts
Paper: http://www.kirklandreporter.com/jumpstory.html?story=news3&pubdate=10/10/2007
Partner: http://www.gsvsc.org/news.htm#itscool
_other projects:_
Harvard Masters of Divinity Candidate
Postulant to Priesthood, Episcopal Church of Western Washington.
blog: www.andywrites.org
alt contact: email@example.com


text:
congratulations to sandy & edward
they got married yesterday and had a very glamorous and fancy wedding banquet
unfortunately, forgot my camera at home so i wasn't able to take any photos
congratulations once again
another one bites the dust
Monday, June 25, 2007
congratulations sandy & edward
Friday, June 22, 2007
canada d'eh beach party at baishawan
for more info, click the banner above or the following links:
whether you are canadian or not...
it doesn't matter
come out and have some fun
Thursday, June 21, 2007
hanging out in sanxia
since we didn't have to work this past tuesday due to the dragon boat festival, we took full advantage of the day off
we gathered up the troops and headed to the mountains of sanxia for some bbq and a swim in the river
the sun was out full force as i'm now walking around with a major sunburn
i'm hurting like a bitch but it was well worth it
it was a lot of fun and it's always great to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city
we are going back again in a few weeks
who wants in?
everyone is more than welcome
let me know
on the way
the great roots spa resort
peach vendor on the side of the road
our little spot
some of our neighbours
looking up the river and the "pool"
down the river
gotta keep the beer cold
gotta have some grub
the boys taking a dip
ivan and the wifey
more of the boys
aaron hiding from the sun. personally, if i wanted to get away from the sun, i'd get under a shadow, find a tree or something. i would never ever hold out an umbrella (unless i was holding it for the wifey). hey, to each his own.
another look at the river right in front of our spot
can you spot the monkeys???
a few of these...
will get you acting like this
just chilling and winding down the day
a video of the surrounding area
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
dragon boat racing with some canadians
yesterday was the dragon boat festival, so the taipei city government held its annual dragon boat race this past sunday
fellow canadian jerry and i went to the races to cheer on the canadian team (a.k.a. cantai dragons) take on the dutch team
i actually joined the canadian society's team about 4 years but we were not as good as this year's team
we simply got our butts kicked
i don't know whether the dutch team they went up against just sucked ass or the guys are just better this year or maybe they just weren't as hungover as us
but then again, they didn't have go up against minnesota state's rowing champions
Monday, June 18, 2007
oh baby! ..... it's a boy! (well, most likely)
went back to the doctor's this past saturday for a check-up
here's the latest ultrasound...
we are at 16 weeks now
doc says all is good
baby is healthy and developing accordingly
he said the baby is most likely a boy
not 100% sure yet
should know for sure next check up
depends on the baby's position
we know there's no "sure" thing tho'
i've heard of doctors guaranteeing the baby's gender only to find out it was the opposite at birth
so, i will still not buy anything pink
Friday, June 15, 2007
san antonio spurs... the new nba champions
congratulations to the san antonio spurs for winning the nba championship
no surprise here as the cleveland cavaliers were simply outmatched despite the presense of lebron james
i believe he will win a few titles before he retires but it's simply not his time yet
much props to him and the cavs for even making it to the finals though
Thursday, June 14, 2007
boy or girl?
with the wifey pregnant, we are constantly asked the following...
"is it a boy or a girl?"
then usually followed by...
"do you want a boy or a girl?"
to the former question, we don't know the baby's gender yet (but we should find out in a couple days as we are going for a check-up and ultrasound this saturday)
to the latter question, we want both but most importantly we want a healthy baby
yes, we plan to have more than one kid
i want 3, she wants 2...
we'll see
we want to have both a boy and a girl in the mix
ultimately though, when we are all said and done...
we hope that there's definitely a boy in the mix
we'll see
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
chinese birth calendar
a friend of mine sent me this a few days ago
the chinese birth calendar
here's what this is all about and how it works...
The Chinese have been credited with many great inventions not least the manufacture of paper and print, it is therefore no surprise that a discovery in Beijing uncovered the Chinese Birth Calendar also know as the "baby gender Chart". It is now located in China at the Beijing Institute of Science.
Not so long ago in China the preference of the babies gender played a crucial part in life, with many men and women having preference for the birth of a baby boy to that of a baby girl so this would seem to be a valid reason for having such a gender prediction chart which was probably used to plan the sex of the baby in advance.
While we cannot guarantee or even vouch for the accuracy of the predictions this chart makes, we have learned that it is extremely accurate. But you must also bear in mind that your child could be born earlier or later than the estimated 40 weeks.
To use the birth chart you will first need to know the month of conception then simply match this to the age of the mum to be and where the lines cross will show you the prediction of the sex of your baby. But remember to use this for fun only.
The Chinese Birth Calendar below, is a representation of the original chart that was discovered in Beijing, the capitol city of China. Although it is said to be very reliable we do ask you to use it as a fun way of forecasting the sex of you baby. There are better and more reliable methods, such as ultra sound scanning that can be done at your local maternity hospital or medical center.
The horizontal rows represent the month of conception and the vertical rows relate to age, by lining up the two rows you will get the result of the prediction for the baby. Pink is a girl and blue is a boy.
this is kinda irrelevant but i'm chinese and i've never heard of this
according to this, we are having a baby boy
i know not to take this seriously
i know
it's all for fun...
and it has been fun guessing our baby's gender
we've played and studied the ultrasound video so many times in slow motion
can't help it
we are just so anxious
does this chinese birth calendar work?
we'll find out soon
Friday, June 08, 2007
for wifey's birthday, we went to onion
decent decor and pretty good food
place was kinda small so the noise level was a bit too high for my liking
despite the good food, i was still a bit disappointed
i guess my expectations were too high since i had heard so many people rave about the food there
don't get me wrong
i did enjoy the food there
really, i liked it
it was good, just not as good as i thought it would be
still, we had a good time
wifey enjoyed herself
that's all that matters to me
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
happy birthday to the wifey
to my dearest wife
love always,
Sunday, June 03, 2007
a rich gift
a gift from our good friend rich
"daddy" & "mommy" cups
rich, thank you very much!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
don't pop it..... please
since i'm venting and ranting, i might as well get this out of my chest too
i've always hated it and walking around the shopping mall earlier tonight i was reminded of it again
i'm talking about folks walking around in polo shirts with the collars popped
just like this...
are you supposed to look rich? sophisticated? posh? trendy? high fashion?
please, you look dumb and annoying
"pop ya collar"?
no, unpop that collar


text:
Horizon Iridia - Sector 86, NoidaHorizon Buildcon(P) Ltd. presenting a new luxurious project HORIZON IRIDIA at the most prefferd Location in Noida. Horizon Iridia is an ultra modern and luxurious home -that brings colours to your life. Built by the state-of-art-technology, it's a awesome place where your dreams are just a touch away ! .Horizon Group, is founded in 1975 , has set new trends and benchmarks of architectural excellence in the contemporary global scenario. The group was founded with the aim of ensuring Better productvity & cost Effectiveness. Horizon has successfully completed 20 years in real estate business and today it has revolutionized the real estate arena. Horizon Group believes in working with passion to build unmatched structures with innovative designs, fresh ideas, beautiful aesthetics and high end technology. And an ambition to raise the bar the way people live, work and play.
LOCATION ADVANTAGEHorizon Iridia homes are strategically located in sector 86, Noida to ensure major connectivity from Delhi-NCR. The project site of Horizon India is located at a well established location which shares neighborhood with premium residential complex. When it comes to location advantage, Horizon India is closely located to various metro stations which connect the site from entire Delhi-NCR.
Post Your Enquiry
Please fill up the form below and our property advisors will get in touch with you.


text:
DETROIT (WKZO) -- It's opening day in Detroit and there may be a lot of people playing hookey today.
Tigers fans from Kalamazoo and other West Michigan towns can feel right at home at Comerica Park this summer.
They have installed a concession with craft beers from Michigan. They will reportedly have Bell's Oberon and Two Hearted Ale on Tap and several other Bells beers in bottles.
They will also feature Founders All Day IPA, New Holland's Full Circle and other brews. They will sell for $8.75 for draft and $7.75 for bottles.


text:
Transocean, Inc.
3 Sizzling Oil and Gas Drilling Stocks
By Hussain Asghar - August 14, 2013 | Tickers: NE, SDRL, RIG
Companies involved in the oil and gas drilling industry are involved in developing oil and gas fields. Their primary activities are exploration and production of crude oil and gas. Global demand for energy continues to grow, especially in emerging markets such as China and India. Oil and gas are found in inhospitable areas such as deep water, arctic regions, and politically volatile areas of the world. With the rise in more »
When Will Transocean be a Buy?
By Jason Bond - August 8, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, ORIG, RIG
Since the Gulf of Mexico incident, Transocean (NYSE: RIG) shares have been stuck in neutral. When will shares rally?
Deepwater Horizon
Deepwater Horizon, an oil rig run by Transocean and leased by BP, exploded on April 20 2010, killing 11 workers and leaking almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. As a consequence of the oil spill, Transocean stock fell from the upper $80's to more »
Carl Icahn's Favorite Companies
By Jason Bond - August 6, 2013 | Tickers: HLF, NFLX, RIG
Hedge fund legend Carl Icahn is reportedly part of the original inspiration for Gordon Gekko, the ruthless antagonist in the 1987 film Wall Street. Like Gekko, Icahn is known for his corporate activism, financial acuity, and great wealth. Without further ado, here are three companies that Carl Icahn really likes.
The multilevel marketer
Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) is a multilevel marketer that sells weight loss and nutrition supplies. In December 2012 more »
Why You Should Own This Oil Drilling Player
By Matthew Frankel - August 1, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, OII, RIG
Let me start by saying that I believe in the oil drilling business over the long term. Energy experts have stated that the world's energy demand will increase fivefold between now and 2050, from 10 Terawatt-hours to 50. While a great deal of demand is likely to be satisfied by cleaner energy sources such as nuclear and solar power, there will still be an enormous demand for fossil fuels more »
After Earnings, Is BP Finally on its Way Back to Health?
By Bob Ciura - July 31, 2013 | Tickers: BP, TOT, RIG
The trial of BP (NYSE: BP) and Transocean (NYSE: RIG), the operator and owner of the rig that tragically exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, continues its proceedings. Three years after the explosion, both stocks still suffer the stigma of the oil spill, and both companies are likely to face further financial penalties.
With BP's recent earnings in the rearview mirror, investors are looking for any reason more »
Should You Invest in Off-Shore Drilling Companies?
By Ishtiaq Ahmed - July 31, 2013 | Tickers: RDC, SDRL, RIG
The off-shore drilling industry has prospered over the past few years as the companies look to replace depleting reserves. As a result of increased focus on off-shore drilling, the prospects for drilling companies like Seadrill (NYSE: SDRL), Transocean (NYSE: RIG), and Rowan Companies (NYSE: RDC) have become extremely bright.
These companies have been growing at a phenomenal rate, and expected growth in the industry will help these companies maintain high more »
This Offshore Oil Drilling Contractor Offers a Sustainable Dividend
By siraj sarwar - July 15, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, SDRL, RIG
Seadrill (NYSE: SDRL) is one of the biggest companies operating deepwater drilling platforms in the entire world and is, therefore, a top choice for investors seeking to enter this market. Its headquarters are located in Norway, but its main operating facility is in Bermuda. From there, Seadrill rents its oil rigs to companies anywhere in the world.
It is a favorite for investors due to the company's incredible growth more »
A Few Reasons Why This Company Can Get Better
By Marshall Hargrave - July 15, 2013 | Tickers: DO, ESV, NE, RIGWith its infamously appropriate RIG ticker symbol, Transocean (NYSE: RIG) operates the world's largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs. The company has been on a whirlwind ride over the past few years, thanks to the Deepwater Horizon incident; grossly under-performing the market over the past five years.
Thanks in part to this under-performance, billionaire activist Carl Icahn took a stake in the company during 4Q 2012, and now owns more »
Don't Miss Out on These Oil & Gas Drilling Companies
By Madhukar Dubey - July 1, 2013 | Tickers: DO, NE, RIG
According to Barclays, global spending on oil exploration and production is expected to rise from $604 billion in the previous year, to around $644 billion in the current year. This will be driven by an upsurge in the capex of the oil companies, that are expected to increase by 9% this year. Global rig delivery in 2013 is estimated to be around 62, which was just 33 in the previous more »
Is Transocean as Good a Buy as it Seems?
By Meena Krishnamsetty - June 30, 2013 | Tickers: DO, NE, SDRL, RIG
Offshore driller Transocean (NYSE: RIG) has not been earning much money over the last year compared to its market capitalization of $17 billion, but the company experienced a decent first quarter and Wall Street analysts are highly optimistic about its future. Consensus forecasts predict that Transocean will earn over $6 per share in 2014, making for a forward earnings multiple of only 8 -- clearly in value territory. With earnings expected more »
Off-Shore Drilling Companies: Performance Review
By Vanina Egea - June 28, 2013 | Tickers: DO, NE, RIG
US oil production has been growing at an astonishing rate. US Oil production increased 14% last year, reaching 8.9 million barrels per day, reverting the declining production of previous years. This oil production revolution has given offshore drilling companies a new and fundamental role in the oil and gas industry.
Let's see what was the performance of three big drilling companies in the past months: Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DOmore »)
Billionaire Steven Cohen's High Upside Potential Picks
By Meena Krishnamsetty - June 28, 2013 | Tickers: GNC, KORS, SM, RIG, VC
While the price-to-earnings multiple is a common value metric, one drawback is that it does not account for future earnings growth. A way to correct for this is to use the PEG ratio, which includes both the P/E multiple and analysts' expectations for future growth, although in turn, there is often a good deal of inaccuracy in analyst forecasts.
We track quarterly 13F filings from hundreds of hedge funds more »
Billionaire Louis Bacon's New Stock Picks
By Meena Krishnamsetty - June 27, 2013 | Tickers: DELL, LOW, MS, TWX, RIG
We track quarterly 13F filings from hundreds of hedge funds, including billionaire Louis Bacon's Moore Global. Even though the information in 13Fs is a bit old, there are still a few ways for investors to use it. For one, we've found that it's possible to develop investment strategies based on hedge fund activity--one example is our finding that the most popular small cap stocks among hedge funds more »
Fat Dividends for Lean Times
By David Mercer - June 26, 2013 | Tickers: PM, RDS-B, RIG
Amidst tough economic times it's critical that investors produce significant passive income. In this post we'll examine several dividend stocks that meet specific income-producing criteria, expand upon current market opportunities, and offer growth potential to investors. By doing so, investors will be better able to analyze potential investment opportunities, as well as acquire knowledge of key stock metrics.
The first of these, Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-B), offers more »
How Oilfield-Services Stocks Can Bolster Your Returns
By Damon Churchwell - June 25, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, NE, SLB, RIG
Don't let pressured stock prices in the oilfield-services sector deter you from considering them to be good long-term holdings. Crude oil prices have been hovering above $90 a barrel, spurring demand from the major oil and gas companies for drilling equipment. In the past, prices of above $80 had been conducive to the drilling of new wells. Selecting holdings from the oilfield-services industry will require an overview of the more »
A Great Play on the Increasing Need for Energy
By Matthew Frankel - June 21, 2013 | Tickers: BP, DO, RIG
Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE: DO) is a contract driller of offshore oil and gas wells and currently owns 44 mobile offshore drilling rigs operating all over the world. While Diamond (and others like it) may experience some short-term volatility due to the unpredictability of oil and gas prices and the constantly changing drilling policies of different countries, over the long run Diamond should be a winner. With world energy demand more »
Investing in Inflation
By Chris Johnson - June 20, 2013 | Tickers: DBO, GLD, RIG, USO
With the FOMC wrapping up their two day meeting on Wednesday and announcing the future outlook of the quantitative easing program, the idea of inflation is particularly elevated in the minds of investors. A quick glance at the overall inflation numbers might suggest there is little reason to worry, but the adage "a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow" has been around for decades, and economics teaches more »
Why This Driller Looks Attractive Despite Its Recent Rally
By Piyush Arora - June 19, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, SDRL, RIG
Crude prices have been hovering around the $100 mark for most of the year, which has made oil exploration a profitable affair (again). But hydrocarbon land reserves are depleting while inflationary pressures are adding up. This has made exploration of high margin oil fields almost a necessity.
This is one of the reasons why Seadrill (NYSE: SDRL) has been growing rapidly, despite having a debt ridden balance sheet.
Hefty dividends more »
Billionaire Carl Icahn's Campaigns
By Marshall Hargrave - June 12, 2013 | Tickers: CHK, HLF, NFLX, RIGBillionaire activist investor Carl Icahn is a famous corporate raider, and he's running a number of high-profile campaigns all at one time. With personal wealth of some $17 billion, Icahn has plenty of capital to throw around. Icahn believes that "consensus thinking is generally wrong; if you go with a trend, the momentum always falls apart on you, so I buy companies that are not glamorous and usually out more »
These 3 Oil and Gas Drillers Offer Yield and Value
By Ryan Glosier - June 9, 2013 | Tickers: ESV, SDRL, RIG
One sector that the market may be undervaluing amid the run-up in stock prices year-to-date is oil and gas exploration and drilling names. A scan searching for large-cap stocks yielding more than 3% and trading at a forward P/E of less than 15 and a PEG ratio of less than 1 turned up 10 different names. Of them, three were oil and gas exploration and drilling companies.
These stocks more »
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text:
Calling all fathers and sons
As teenage boy's break down the old reality of their formative years, they release a new energy that has to negotiate many different pressures. In many cultures boys have a community rites of passage process that offers a language for talking about transition, but curiously in the West young boys are largely left on their own to find their way through a bewildering range of choices as they slowly step towards manhood. The Pathways programme creates the experience and a context that permits a re-definition of the relationship between the boy and older men
The Pathways programme also strengthens and deepens the bond between father and son – and the whole family. This happens through processes that affirm and honour the emerging young man as he moves into manhood – with his father present and acknowledging the transition into a new and different relationship. While there is a perception that the programme is for the transition for the boy, it's equally for the transition of the father into a new phase of fathering and 'letting go'. The community of men facilitate a trusting and supportive space that guides and nurtures this powerful journey and it celebrates the new relationships between the young men and their fathers/significant older men, who attend with them.
Here's what fathers and sons say about the programme:
"When I first heard about Pathways I thought I haven't really got time to spend a whole week away, but a week later I realised I'd had one of the most profound weeks of my fatherhood. " (father)
"My son went to Pathways somewhat uncertainly, but when he stepped forward as a young man to honestly and quietly speak his truth, it rocked my world." (father)
"I really valued the structure of the question and answer session that gave me and my son a voice on issues that are difficult to language and rarely spoken about." (father)
"Where in your life can you spend 5 days and five nights alone with your son? It's something rarely available in our busy lives. It's possible that I might have looked back with some sadness at how I didn't really hear what he was saying." (father)
"Post Pathways I could sense the difference in him – more confident with longer fuller communication with me. The invisible bond between us had strengthened. I was surprised how powerful and emotional the new bond was for me." (mentor)
"It leveled the assumption that I had the power as his father, by skilfully giving my son a platform to embrace his embrace his manhood." (father)
"Made some cool friends and it gave me a lot more confidence." (young man)
"Hearing him speak his truth was hugely revealing. I really listened. There is so much background noise in our lives I really didn't hear him." (father)"
"What I really felt was the reassurance around the quality of my parenting. It was a reminder that a great men's culture is really accessible." (father)
"I realised that my son had seen a lot of my authoritative side rather than my affectionate side." (father)
"I was arguably one of the most powerful and profound experiences of my life, up there with my wedding day and the day of my son's birth." (father)
"I'm trusting that my son will speak to me as a man and that I'll let go of my level of control and worry."
"It was a shock to realise that in our day to day lives, most of our conversations are around domestic detail, rather than genuine meaningful communication." (father)
'"My relationship with my father got stronger. I hardly ever talked before (he's my parent, pays bills, looks after me…) but now I see him as someone I can talk to." (young man)
"I came here so my son doesn't have to spend his whole life figuring out how to be authentic. That's the gift in bringing him here." (father)
"Everything worked beautifully – well balanced in a culture of openness and trust." (mentor)
Register Now for The Next Course
The next course is on April 7th – 12th, 2015. Places on the course are limited and so you are advised to register early:
Register Now . . . or . . . Download Brochure . . . or . . . Contact Us