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Commercial Audio Video Contractor Houston, TX | Corporate Office A/V Systems Installed | Church Sound Systems, Hotels, Bar & Rest.
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As a small design & integration firm, we can take on large competitors who often focus on standard product solutions that makes things easy for their salesmen. We create unique and specific systems tailored to what will arrive our clients to their best goal destination most efficiently. Not being influenced by the distribution channel, we utilize different brands together because we know what makes sense on a given project. Although some systems work best with pieces from within their own brand line, that doesn't mean that the specified brand is the most cost effective and efficient, nor better suited than a collaboration of good components derived from many brands and poured into a custom hybrid system. The custom electronics industry in Houston or anywhere else for that matter offers a steady stream of new technologies, and its important to note that we do the testing and R&D with our distributors before we stamp its approval and push solutions to our clients. Audio Visual Equipment in Houston has become more affordable for small AV Companies and consumers thanks to small local distributors growing and assisting the local custom industry. We are happy to push the savings to our clients and offer a FAIR pricing structure, always.
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Kinshasa, Kwando Mbiassi
KWANDO M. KINSHASA, PhD is a Full Professor of Sociology in the African American Studies Department, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. He is author of African American Chronology: Chronologies of the American Mosaic (Greenwood Press, 2008). Black Resistance to the Ku Klux Klan in the Wake of the Civil War (McFarland, 2006), The Man From Scottsboro: Clarence Norris and the Infamous 1931 Alabama Rape Trial, in His Own Words (McFarland, 1998, 2003), and Emigration vs. Assimilation: The Debate in the African American Press: 1827-1861 (McFarland, 1988). Dr. Kinshasa's numerous articles and research interest examine the sociological interaction and consequences of voluntary and involuntary migration patterns on social unrest within the Africana Diaspora. His current articles and interest is in examining the plight of colonized migrants who participated in anti-colonial resistance movements as well as the plight of internal national migrant groups in Europe and Africa. Dr. Kinshasa specializes in 19th century African American history with a particular emphasis on migration.

subset: commoncrawl


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Category Archives: Spa
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Canada's Insurance and Risk Magazine
CARSTAR Automotive Canada is entering 2013 with the launch of 25 new franchise partners across Canada.
The company's recent NAPA Autopro transition will account for the conversion of 20 new locations throughout Quebec in January, with more locations expected to be added in the early part of the year.
"This will greatly improve our coverage within the province," Yves Robichaud, CARSTAR's director of development for Quebec noted in a statement. "Now with 45 stores in Quebec, we will have an opportunity to provide an enhanced value proposition to our insurance and vendor partners and customers."
In Alberta, a new location will open in Medicine Hat, while in Atlantic Canada, a new location will be opened in Amherst, N.S. Both locations are brand new centres.
In British Columbia, new locations are being added in Duncan and 100 Mile House. Both stores have already completed CARSTAR's integration training and are currently updating their store image and signage before they will be officially launched.
In Ontario, CARSTAR Kincardine has recently joined the network and will begin their year as a new CARSTAR franchise partner.
"In our 18 year history this has been the most amount of stores we have had in our conversion action plan process at the same time," Michael Macaluso, AVP of Operations for CARSTAR noted. "We look forward to working with our new franchise partners in providing assistance to enhance their business and strengthen our network."
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Things Connected
The frenetic pace of technological change often begs the question of the "next big thing" in IT: Is it merely a futuristic vision or imminent reality? In the case of the Internet of Things (IoT), the answer is both.
Evolving with Customers
After more than 20 years in the insurance industry, Michael Brattman, incoming president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO), wants to do his part to help independent brokers "own" their future.
The Long Run
What is the phrase? It is a marathon, not a sprint.
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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'gospel of luke' tag.
They were 50,000 strong, coming from 26 dioceses in Germany and beyond, filling all of St. Peter's Square for an encounter with Pope Francis yesterday. Young altar servers, accompanied by some of their bishops, on a pilgrimage to Rome. To their great surprise Pope Francis addressed them in German. In my translation:
"The words from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians that we heard, make us sit up and listen. The time is right, Paul says. God is serious now. What God has always told the people through the prophets He now shows us with a striking example. God explains us that He is a good father. And how does He do so? By the fact that He made His Son man. Through this concrete human being Jesus we can understand what God really means. He wants human beings, who are free but know themselves always to be secure as children of a good father.
To release this, God needs only a man. He needs a woman, a mother, to bring His Son into the world as a human being. That is the Virgin Mary, whom we honour with these Vespers tonight. She was completely free. In her freedom she has said yes. She has done what is good for all time. That is how she has served God and the people. Let's keep her example in mind when we want to know what God expects from us as His children."
After the Vespers, four altar servers asked questions to Pope Francis. The first question was about how young people could play a bigger part in the life of the Church, as suggested by the Holy Father in Evangelii Gaudium, and also what the Church expects from altar servers? The second server asked for advice in how to respond to friends who do not understand why anyone would want to be an altar server at the expense of other passtimes. Question three dealt with freedom, and how to experience, understand it in a life which has so many rules.
Pope Francis answered:
"Dear servers,
I thank you for this encounter on the occasion of your pilgrimage to Rome and I want to give you some food for thought related to the questions that your representatives have asked me.
You have asked me what you can do to contribute more in the Church and what the Christian community expects from you as altar servers. Let's first remember that the world needs people who attest to others that God loves us and that He is our father. Everyone in society has the obligation to serve the common good by contributing to what is essential: food, clothing, medical care, education, information, the legal system, and so on. As disciples of the Lord we have an additional task, namely to be the "channels", the lines which pass the love of Jesus on to others. And in this duty you, youth and young adults, have a special role: You are called to tell your contemporaries about Jesus – not just in the parishes or organisations, but especially outside them. That is a task which has been especially entrusted to you, because with your courage, your enthusiasm, your spontaneity and your sociability it is easier to reach the thoughts and hearts of those who have drifted away from the Lord. Many people of your age have an enormous desire for someone who tells them, with their lives, that Jesus knows us, loves us, forgives us, shares our problems and supports us with His mercy.
But in order to speak with others about Jesus, we must known and love Him, experience Him in prayer and in His Word. You have the advantage in that respect, because of your service in the liturgy, which allows you to be near to Jesus, the Word and the Bread of Life. Let me give you some advice: The Gospel reading you hear in the liturgy, read it again for yourselves, in silence, and apply it to your lives. And with the love of Christ, which you have received in Holy Communion, you will be able to put it into practice. The Lord calls each of you today to work in His field. He calls you to be happy players in His Church, willing to share with your friends what He has shared with your, especially His mercy.
I understand your problems of combining your service at the altar with your other activities, which are necessary for your human development and cultural formation. So you must organise a bit, plan things in a balanced way… but you are German, so that should be easy! Our life consists of time, and that time is a gift from God, so it must be used for good and fruitful things. Perhaps many young people waste too many hours with useless things: chatting on the Internet or on your mobile phone, but also with television programs. The products of technological progress, which should simplify life or increase its quality, are sometimes distractions from what is really important. Among the many things which are part of our daily routine, those that remind us of our Creator, who gives us life, who loves us and accompanies us on our journey through life, should have priority.
Because God has created us in His image we have also received from Him this great gift of freedom. But when we don't use this freedom properly it can move us away from God, can let us lose that dignity which He has given us. That is why guidance, rules and regulations are necessary – both in society and also in the Church – to help us do the will of God and to live in this way according to our dignity as human beings and children of God. When freedom is not influenced by the Gospel it can turn into slavery, the slavery of sin. Adam and Eve, our first parents, moved away from the will of God and so fell into sin, and also into a bad use of freedom. Dear young friends, do not use your freedom wrongly! Do not waste your great dignity as children of God, which has been given to you. When you follow Jesus and His Gospel, your freedom will bloom like a flower and bear good and rich fruits. You will find true joy, since God wants us to be completely happy and fulfilled. Only when we immerse ourselves in the will of God, we can do what is good and be both the light of the world and the salt of the earth!
The Virgin Mary, who understood herself to be the "handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1:38), is your example in the service of God. She, our mother, will help you, young people full of hope and courage, to be workers for good and labourers for peace in the Church and in society."
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, best known as Doubting Thomas. The passage from John 20, in which Jesus appears after His death on the cross, but Thomas happens to be absent is well known. Thomas refuses to believe what he didn't see for himself, only to be corrected by the Lord when He appears again and shows His wounds to Thomas, even inviting him to place his hand in the wound in His side.
"You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe" (John 20:29).
Rich as this passage from the Gospels is, and it teaches us much about the nature of faith, there is more to St. Thomas than this. In the Bible, he appears in all four Gospels, as well as in the Acts of the Apostles. Matthew (10:3), Mark (3:18) and Luke (6:15) first list him among the Apostles called by Jesus, while John first mentions him in the story of the death of Lazarus, where Thomas seems a bit defeatist. Upon hearing Jesus' decision to go to Bethany, in the land of the Jews who had earlier tried to kill Jesus, he says, "Let us also go to die with him" (John 11:16). Still, it indicates a willingness on Thomas' part to follow Jesus whatever the consequences, even if death is one. Not exactly the sign of a doubting follower.
Later in the Gospel of John, we see another side to Thomas: the questioning follower, the man trying to understand. As Jesus announces His return to the Father, telling the apostles that they know where He is going and how to get there, Thomas replies, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" (John 14:5). This prompts Jesus to teach him – and us – that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Thomas comes across as honest and straightforward, not afraid to ask about what he doesn't understand. The next time we come across him is in the aforementioned passage of the Lord's appearance in his absence. Thomas doubts, is still as honest and straightforward as ever, but not stubborn: he accepts what the Lord teaches him and professes his faith in his Lord and God.
Thomas appears once more among the disciples to whom Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21;2), but the Evangelist does not tell us any details about what Thomas may have said or done. But he did witness Jesus giving Peter the task to look after His sheep. After the Lord's Ascension, Thomas remains with the other disciples, as Acts 1:13 tells us, part of the young and rapidly growing Church.
That's all the Bible tells us about St. Thomas, but it's enough to slightly correct the image we have of him as a doubter. It would be more accurate to see him as a very honest man, to himself and to others. He is not afraid to ask questions, or even to ask others to be more clear, but also does not hesitate to recognise his own errors and correct them.
Several post-Biblical sources tell of Thomas travelling to India to preach the Gospel there. Indeed, south India is home to the St. Thomas Christians, who can be traced back to the 2nd or 3rd century. The trip from the Holy Land to India would at least have been possible in the first century, as trade relations existed between the subcontinent and the Roman Empire. It is hard to tell what is true and what is apocryphal in this, but the fact remains that Thomas is strongly connected to Southern Asia, and Christian communities appeared very early in India. A strong-willed follower of Jesus may well have taken it upon himself to undertake such a perilous and uncertain mission to remote parts, all to spread the Gospel and enkindle the faith, serving the Lord as he did from the moment he was first called.
Bishop Heiner Koch of Dresden-Meiβen suggests we should be like Christ on the road to Emmaus towards the people around us whose hearts do not burn at Easter.
"Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32). That is how the disciples asked each other about their encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Here in Saxony, we live in a land in which Christians find that at Easter the hearts of eighty percent of their neighbours do not burn in the least. They do not want anyone to explain the Scriptures to them. Not that they don't value the Church and Christians. I am under the impression that they do so more than in the dioceses of former West Germany. But God? "Stay away from me with that phantom". That makes Easter for them an unrealistic and meaningless history. There is no reason to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus or hope for our own resurrection, but the infinite love of God which leaves no one, not even in the hour of our death, alone. Infinite: even in our death it knows no boundaries. The good-hearted Lord remains true to us. That is the heart of the eve of Easter, without which it becomes crippled, a celebration of hares and hidden eggs.
How happy and grateful should we be when our heart burns at Easter, when we remember the the love of God through the fire of Easter, which does not go out for any of us!
And when we see that for so many people around, there is no spark jumping from the fire, even this Easter, which is for us so important? Than nothing remains but to do as little or as much as Jesus did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus: before he opened the Scriptures for them, he walked with them, listened to them and asked them questions, and he remained with them when they stood in sorrow. Perhaps that is the service of the pascal faith which we are called to perform, today and perhaps even longer, in the name of Jesus, also here in Saxony.
I wish you and all that are yours a happy and blessed Easter,
+ Dr. Heiner Koch
Bishop Dresden-Meißen
On behalf of the hermitage and shrine of Our Lady of the Garden Enclosed, a unique place of prayer and spiritual care, I am sharing the following message that the Confraternity of Our Lady of the Garden Enclosed placed on its Facebook page today It would be fantastic if even one reader of this blog would be able and willing to contribute to the sole contemplative religious establishment in the Diocese of Groningen-Leeuwarden. There is no place where the motherly care of the Mother of God does not read, not even what Brother Hugo, the hermit of the place, calls "the North Pole".
"We ask your attention for the following. Our Lady of Warfhuizen still lacks the heart with seven swords which is so characteristic … for a "Mother of Sorrows."
As confraternity we think that is unacceptable, but we are a penniless organisation, so simply ordering one is something we can't do. Now, in Naples we found one which would be ideal. It costs €430 [$595 - MV], an amount of money that we think should be possible to collect if all loyal devotees of Our Lady of the Garden Enclosed would contribute a small amount.
Hence this call: help us give Mary a heart and donate a contribution on bank account NL45TRIO0198535724, in the name of "Broederschap O.L.V. vd Besloten Tuin in Glimmen, the Netherlands, quoting HART VOOR MARIA."
If it is easier, donations may also be made via my PayPal account in the left sidebar. Do state with your donation that it is intended for the heart of Mary. I will make sure your donation is passed on to the confraternity.
For more information on Our Lady of the Garden Enclosed, the shrine, pilgrimages, the confraternity and what makes it unique, go here. The website is available in Dutch, French and English, and in the near future, additional languages will be added.
Some may wonder, why spend such a large amount of money on what is a piece of decoration? An answer to that question would have to include the fact that we spend money on what and who we love, and that nothing in the shrine is simply an object (from the lights on the ceiling to the brooms in the cupboard, everything has a function). The heart pierced with seven swords reflects the essence of who Mary is as the Mother of Sorrows. In the first place it refers to the passage from the Gospel of Luke:
"Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed – and a sword will pierce your soul too - so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.'" (2:34-35)
Tradition later expanded this piercing of Mary's soul into the seven sorrows:
The prophecy of Simeon quoted above
- The flight into Egypt
- The loss of the Child Jesus at the Temple
- Mary meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary
- Jesus' death on the Cross
- The piercing of Jesus' side, and Mary receiving His body in her lap
- The body of Jesus being placed in the tomb
These experiences, terrible for any mother, show us how Our Lady of Sorrows can be a comfort and example to people who suffer, as she does at Warfhuizen. The heart with seven swords shows us who she is for us, an identity given her because of her unique role in salvation history and Jesus' life on earth.
The shrine at Warfhuizen continues to attract increasing numbers of pilgrims from all over the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and beyond. It is a small and intimate place, but rich in symbolism, comfort and prayer. You can help complete it further.
In a full cathedral basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul and St. George, Archbishop Ludwig Schick consecrated the new auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Bamberg, Herwig Gössl, at 47 Germany's fourth-youngest bishop.
In his homily, Archbishop Schick outlined the full calling of a bishop, to be everything for everyone: a bishop has to proclaim the entire Gospel and the entire faith and celebrate all of sacramental life. The entire diocese, all of humanity and the entire world is his work place. He also quoted Pope Francis in saying that a shepherd has to have the smell of his sheep, that he has to be close to his people.
Going further back in time, the archbishop also passed on some advice from Saint Boniface, the Apostle of the Germans, who said that bishops "should not be dogs who don't bark, not silent onlookers and unpaid servants who flee before the wolf," but good shepherds "who watch over the flock of Christ. Let all of us, great and small, rich and poor, people of all ranks and ages, proclaim all of God's plan, to the extent that God, conveniently or not, gives us the strength."
Among the other bishops present at the consecration were Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg and Heiner Koch of Dresden-Meiβen and the auxiliaries Wolfgang Bischof of München und Freising, Florian Wörner of Augsburg, Reinhard Pappenberger of Regensburg and Otto Georgens of Speyer. Bishops Karl Braun and Werner Radspieler, retired auxiliary bishops of Bamberg, served as co-consecrators.
Bishop Gössl chose a simple style of staff, ring and pectoral cross, but is not a stranger to symbolism, as his coat of arms shows:
The motto comes from the Gloria, "You alone [are] the Lord". On the red half of the shield we see Mount Tabor, on which Jesus, his monogram shown above the mountain, was glorified. The red refers to the sacrifice about which He speaks with Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:28-36). This Gospel passage is, of course, read on the second Sunday of Lent, the day of Bishop Gössl's consecration. The right half of the shield shows the coat of arms of the city of Bamberg and below it a river, which is to be understood as the River Jordan and an image the Sacrament of Baptism. The river can also refer to the places where Bishop Gössl worked as a priest: Pegnitz, Seebach, Regnitz and Main. The colours of the coat of arms can, finally, also be seen to refer to his birth place of Munich (gold and black) and to Nuremberg, where he attended school (red, silver and black).
"When he went out after this, he noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting at the tax office, and said to him, 'Follow me.'
And leaving everything Levi got up and followed him. In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?'
Jesus said to them in reply, 'It is not those that are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have come to call not the upright but sinners to repentance.'"
Luke 5:27-32
Jesus calls everyone to follow Him, but in the Gospels we see Him pointing out specific people and presents them with the choice very directly. Apparently, He does not need to have to interact much with people before asking – telling, even – them.. He sees the tax collector at work, and knows enough. This is a man He wants to be seen with.
The world doesn't understand that, as we see in the reaction of the Pharisees. Why choose to be with these people, these sinners who are spat out by the rest of decent society? But dividing society in wanted and unwanted people is an artificial construct. After all, society is made up by all people, rich and poor, holy and sinful, good and evil. Jesus choose to become a part of this multifaceted society in order to heal it. And just like when our body is sick, we try to heal the parts that affect us adversely, not cut them off. Jesus does the same. He does not cut out the unwanted elements of society, but tries to change them for the better.
Human society, the combined body of all our interactions and relations is not an accident. It flows from our nature as human beings created by God. And as such it is wanted and has a purpose or destination in God. Christ came to put us on the right path to that destination, by healing us from our sins and ills. And he does so first in the ways of society: in the form of a social gathering. He eats and drinks with the tax collectors. We can only imagine what they talked about, but it would be a safe bet to assume that Jesus won Himself a place in the hearts of the sinners He ate with.
We are called to imitate Jesus and introduce Him to the people around us. A good way to start is simply through society, as Jesus did. Not by expounding about the evilness of their ways or pouring boatloads of information about God and faith on them. That can wait, and will come naturally when the time, and everyone involved, is ready. That is the start of evangelisation.
Various bishops have written messages to their faithful on the occasion of Lent. In this post I want to go over six of them, written by bishops in and around the Netherlands. I have been scanning the various diocesan websites for them, and an interesting conclusion from that is that there aren't a lot. I have found one in the Netherlands, and a few in Belgium and the Nordic countries. Oh, and one from Luxembourg. None from Germany, oddly enough.
Anyway, let's see what the bishops who did write a message found important to share.
From Utrecht, Cardinal Wim Eijk speaks about charity. He writes:
"For many of us [Lent] is a time of abstinence, a period in which we deny ourselves "the pleasures of life" or at least limit ourselves. Lent is a journey through the darkness to the Light of Easter, a journey through the desert to the Source. And we take the time for that: this is not 'merely' a Four-Day March, but one of forty days. We do not fast with an eye on losing weight or adopting a healthier lifestyle – although these can certainly be positive side effects… [...] During Lent we place not ourselves but God and also our neighbours at the centre. It is the we have in mind when we downsize our consumption pattern."
But the cardinal warns, Lent is not just about saving money to give to some charity. He quotes Pope Francis, who said that if we do not have Christ and the Cross, we are a enthusiastic NGO, but not a Church. In other words, we can't lose sight of our faith when doing good. In addition to fighting material poverty, we must also fight spiritual poverty.
"[Lent] is after all a time in which we make room to enrich our heart and our spirit, through prayer and reading Scripture, by directing these on what the should be the heart of our existence: our personal relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ. We remove the frills and side issues from our life to experience that our wellbeing does not depend on them."
In essence, Cardinal Eijk explains, our charitable actions can not be seen separate from the Eucharist.
"In the sacrament of the Eucharist we come closest to Our Lord Jesus Christ. In receiving the Eucharist we are conformed to Him. This creates obligations and holds an assignment: from now on, try to act in His Spirit."
He concludes with pointing out several "desert experiences" that deserve our attention: the loneliness of people around us, and the loneliness that we as faithful can sometimes experience.
"We live in a time in which faith has long since ceased to be a matter of course, in which not belonging to a religion is increasingly becoming normative. Going to Church on Sunday has almost become "socially maladjusted behaviour" now that this day is beginning to look more and more like every other day of the week. And then there is the unavoidable fact that several churches will have to be closed in the coming period, churches in which parishioners have often had decades worth of precious experiences and memories. It is clear: a person of faith in the year 2014 must stand firm to continue following Jesus faithfully.
But the person of faith and his faith can also be shaken from within. Every faith life has fruitful and barren periods. Barren periods during which we are locked up in ourselves, imprisoned by doubt and sorrow. Sorrow for the loss of a loved one or the disappearance of what was once familiar. In those dark nights of abandonment it may seems as it of our prayer do not reach beyond that barrier of sorrow, as if they return to us like a boomerang."
Countering that is the realisation that Christ is with us, even in times of sorrow and suffering, even of sin.
Brussels' Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard sheds a light on the three constituent elements of Lent – fasting, almsgiving and prayer – and asks his audience some direct questions. About fasting, he writes:
"Properly understood, fasting is an act of love for God. Is it not right to happily deny ourselves something for the people we love the most? [...] The way in which our Muslim brother and sisters practice Ramadan can inspire us in an exemplary manner to be at our most generous in this field."
About almsgiving, the archbishop explains:
"This is an important aspect of Lent. Brotherly sharing starts at home. With that I mean the sharing of friendship, respect, patience and service."
Lastly, there is prayer. Archbishop Léonard remind sus that the most important prayer is the Eucharist. About personal prayer, he asks us a question:
"We all know, at least in theory, the importance of prayer. But reality shows that a solid reminder sometimes does wonders! I ask you again: "How much time did we spend on prayer over the past month? Where were we?" Lent is an excellent opportunity to make a new start or, who knows, finally get started. Spending a few minutes a day with the Lord is not to much to ask, is it?"
And prayer is not hard:
"We must at least realise that every one of us can pray, even a longer prayer. Prayer is not reserved to priests and religious. It does not require a diploma or any special talent. The desire for prayer and asking Jesus, like His Apostles did, "Lord, teach us to pray!" (Luke 11:1), is enough. Let su listen to the voice of the Lord, who asks us, "Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person's side" (Rev. 3:20)."
Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg uses his message to urge the his faithful to devote themselves even more to the practices of Lent and Easter. In order the hear the voice of God, we must be ready to do so, he writes.
"I [...] propose we fast and do abstinence every Friday during this time of preparation for Easter. A simple meal can help us break down barriers in our daily routine and to open ourselves to Christ's call. It is also a gesture of solidarity with the poor. And it would be good to not do it alone, but to do so in our various communities. Fasting and abstinence open our hearts and make us better able to pray. Would this not be an opportunity to pray more, to maintain dialogue and contact with the living God? Without personal prayer these things elude us!"
Archbishop Hollerich also speaks about almsgiving, about giving something up for the other. And this is also good for ourselves:
"Let's shake ourselves up during this Lent! Let's open our hearts to the distress of the world, which also exists in Luxembourg. Only someone who opens their hands to share can receive this gift: the freedom of the children of God."
The archbishop urges us to celebrate all of Lent, not just Easter, but also Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, in order to encounter Christ fully in our hearts.
Despite the problems the Church faces, and we as individual faithful also, Lent is ultimately a season of hope, and that hope grows the closer we come to the Living Lord.
Bishop Anders Arborelius of Stockholm takes a slightly different approach to his message for Lent, as he does not explicitly discuss what we can and should do during this season. Instead, he begins with the image of a forgotten God, opening his letter with these blunt lines:
"We forget God. We live in age where God has become the forgotten God. Even the one who says, "The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me" (Isaiah 49:14) has in fact himself forgotten God."
But God does not forget us, he continues. We can't imagine how close God is to is, and how much he loves us. It is up to us to remind others that, while they may forget Him, He never forgets them. And that is hard to communicate, but we must remain hopeful.
Forgetting God contains an enormous risk for us, the bishop explains:
"When we forget God, there is a great risk that we also forget man and fail to see him in his dignity of being created in the image of God. When God is forgotten, creation itself is diminished and so are all created beings. In a time and environment where consumerism is paramount, everything – and everybody – is easily reduced to things that can be consumed. When God is out of sight, so is humanity – indeed all of creation is brought down and diminished."
But God is knowable in His creation, Bishop Arborelius states. "His presence permeates everything". And when we get to know God, our respect for His creation grows. In Lent, that respect is shown by our refraining from making unnecessary use of created things.
"We eat less. We disengage ourselves from our covetousness. We try to help our neighbour. We meet God in the poor and naked. We forget ourselves so that we can set God in the centre. We serve those who need us. We praise Go for His goodness. We deepen our faith. Lent helps us to seek God with greater eagerness. We are more receptive to God's will for us." St. Birgitta likens God to a washerwoman, who constantly washes us clean of our sins and guilt. During Lent we are serious about our conversion. We prepare ourselves for the triumph and joy of Easter through contrition and penance, by receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation and by participating in the Eucharist more often. We unite ourselves to the suffering and crucified Christ so that we can meet Him as the Risen and glorified Lord. The cross always leads us to the joy and peace of Easter."
During Lent we must make a choice, the bishop insists.
"We must choose sides. We cannot limp on both sides. Mediocrity and half-heartedness must give way to devotion and commitment. We must begin each day anew in the new life of grace. We must seek the face of God each day by praying to Him and serving Him in our neighbour."
But we need not stand alone in this radical choice. We are part of the community of the Church, which strengthens us, and the saints in heaven support us by their prayer. This is an antidote against selfishness and forgetting God.
Bishop Arborelius concludes his letter by presenting the Blessed Virgin, to whom the bishops of the Nordic countries will consecrate their nations on 22 March in Lund, Sweden, as our great help in heaven. She helps us be more evangelising and a better witness of Christ.
Antwerp's Bishop Johan Bonny devotes a major part of his message to the Belgian bill which allows euthanasia on minors. He quotes part of the bishops' response to that immoral piece of legislation, which was sadly signed into law by King Philippe only days ago.
"The bishops agree with all who have expressed themselves unambiguously against this law on the basis of their experience and expertise. They fully support the rights of the child, of which the rights to love and respect are the most fundamental. But the right of a child to request his or her own death is a step too far for them. It is a transgression of the prohibition to kill, which forms the basis of our humane society."
Following this reminder of the Church's opposition to the laws of death, Bishop Bonny writes about the two complementary topics of freedom and solidarity.
"From where does our freedom come, and what does it consist of? Where does our solidarity consist of and what does it consist of? In the Christian view of humanity and the world freedom and solidarity are inseparable. They are like twins who belong together and strengthen each other."
Using the example of St. Damian, Bishop Bonny then asks what connection we still make between freedom and solidarity. Lent leads us to the answer to that question.
"What was Good Friday but the ultimate unity of those two: freedom and solidarity. Why did Jesus end up on a cross? On the one hand because He wanted to be free: free to witness to the truth free to say and do what the Spirit of God inspired Him to do, free to give His life for His friends. On the other hand because He wanted to remain solidary: solidary with poor and broken people, solidary with the martyrs of all times, solidary with a weak and sinful humanity. He did not make a success story out of His life. He lost His trial. He was carried off through the backdoor of society."
And so we come full circle, as the bishop seems to want to imply a link between the victims of draconian laws and Jesus Christ.
Reykjavík's Bishop Pétur Bürcher writes about the Year for Consecrated Life that Pope Francis has announced for 2015, and uses the opportunity the address the religious communities in Iceland which, he says, "are a sign of hope for our Church!" The bishop goes on to relate the contributions that the religious communities have made to Catholic Iceland and announces a plan for the future:
"I would like to establish a male monastery, if possible with the Benedictines or Augustinians who in the Middle Ages possessed several monasteries in Iceland. We have already found a large piece of land with houses and a heated church in Úlfljótsvatn. Now we have to find a monastic community! I have undertaken a lot to find it and hope soon for a fulfillment of my dream which has become one of many people in Iceland and abroad!"
Lastly, Bishop Patrick Hoogmartens of Hasselt opens his message by acknowledging that our environment does not make it easy for us to have the right attitude to start Lent.
"There is very little around us which calls us to it. The chocolate Easter eggs are already in the supermarket and commercials and media have always spoken with more easy about carnival, dieting and the Ramadan than about Christian fasting. Lent is apparently considered to be a private matter which we had better not discuss too much."
But Lent is a precious time of conversion, the bishop says, drawing parallels with Christ's time in the desert and the forty years that the people of Israel spent in the desert. It is a time of conversion from worldly things, in preparation for the future. And that conversion begins with the person of Jesus. Quoting Pope Francis, Bishop Hoogmartens says we must understand Christ's deepest 'being'.
"Jesus reveals Himself, not with worldly power and wealth, both more so in weakness and poverty. He came to us with a love which does not hesitate to sacrifice itself. He became like us in every way, except in sin. He carried our suffering and died on the Cross. It is He who we must open our hearts and lives much more to during Lent. From out of the love of Jesus, out of His mercy as the Christ, we can, as it were, 'practice' our witnessing, in honest love for the other, during Lent."
The bishop emphasises the two sorts of poverty we must address, material and moral. About the latter he says:
"The extreme emphasis on human autonomy, for example, which became to shockingly visible in the recent amendments in Belgium regarding euthanasia, must urge us Christians to even more support care and nearness to suffering people according to the Gospel."
In the first place, the bishops concludes, we must first make a conversion ourselves, before we can address the various sorts of poverty we see around us, for it is in Jesus that we find the means to fight it.
As many styles as there are bishops. Some offer deep theology, others outline plans for the future, but all offer points that we can keep in mind during Lent.
"He said, 'The Son of man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.'
Then, speaking to all, he said, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, will save it. What benefit is it to anyone to win the whole world and forfeit or lose his very self?"
Luke 9:22-25
A rather gloomy prediction of the future we hear today in our reading of the Gospel. Jesus gives a clear image of what His immediate future will hold; an image of pain and suffering, but certainly also of hope. His ressurection on the third day would have reminded his audience of the prophecies regarding the Messiah, even if most did not yet realise that the Messiah was the one telling them this. The rejection that Jesus foretells is by the hand of "the elders and chief priests and scribes", the very leaders of the religious establishment and community. These are usually the ones that are trusted to do what is right, but their future betrayal of the ultimate truth that is God shows how deeply the salvation the Messiah brings is needed. This is more than the personal sins of individuals, but extends into the very heart of civilisation. Christ's sacrifice will bring healing to all of society, to its individual members and to the relationships that unite them.
Christ does not only speak about Himself here, but also about us. The decision to follow Him is a big one, and just like His sacrifice and salvation, it reaches down to the very roots of our humanity and society. We must renounce ourselves, which means that we mustachieve a balance between respecting and making use of what has been given to us by God as His creation, and denying what distracts us from Him and His desire to brings us to Him. In other words, do not put yourself first, but always look at yourself as a being created by and wished by God. We must look at ourselves with His eyes, not our own. That is why Jesus speaks about losing our life "for His sake". Just losing our lives is a shameful waste without any merit. But losing our lives for Him (in other words: handing over our lives to Him) is essentially the opposite of losing it. God gave us life, and He did not do so by accident. He has given us our very self, which is far more than the mere fact of being alive. Life has a greater meaning than that.
We are asked to lose our lives for God, which means we acknowledge the fact that our life, or being, was not ours in the first place. God will not take it and then ignore us. He will accept our very being and lead it on the path to fulfillment, to reach our full potential. And that path is hard. Jesus is the first to go that path, to show us the way. His death and resurrection foreshadows what he asks us to do. To die for ourselves and be reborn in God.
It's almost Lent. Snuck up on you, didn't it? But it's true, Less than a week away the great time of fasting and penitence will begin and prepare us for Easter.
Time to plan ahead.
For this Lent and Holy Week I want to take the Gospel readings of every day and do some lectio divina with them, a spiritual reading. I'll be posting the relevant passage every day (well, that's the plan) and reflect on it. These reflections will be short, as lectio divina is by definition a personal exercise: we prayerfully read a Bible text for ourselves and are open to learn from it. The reflections are therefore what I take from the text: your experience may be a different one, but I hope that comparing what others learn with what you have learned can set you off on new avenues of thought, prayer and discovery.
For those who want to read and reflect in their own time, or if I am unable to post every day, here is a list of the Gospel reading of every day:
Wednesday 5 March (Ash Wednesday): Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18)
- Thursday 6 March: Luke 9: 22-25
- Friday 7 March: Matthew 9:14-15
- Saturday 8 March: Luke 5:27-32
- Sunday 9 March (First Sunday of Lent): Matthew 4:1-11
- Monday 10 March: Matthew 25:31-46
- Tuesday 11 March: Matthew 6:7-15
- Wednesday 12 March: Luke 11:29-32
- Thursday 13 March: Matthew 7:7-12
- Friday 14 March: Matthew 5:20-26
- Saturday 15 March: Matthew 5:43-48
- Sunday 16 March (Second Sunday of Lent): Matthew 17:1-9
- Monday 17 March: Luke 6:36-38
- Tuesday 18 March: Matthew 23:1-12
- Wednesday 19 March (Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary): Matthew 116, 18-21, 24a or Luke 2: 41-51a
- Thursday 20 March: Luke 16:19-31
- Friday 21 March: Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46
- Saturday 22 March: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
- Sunday 23 March (Third Sunday of Lent): John 4:5-42 or John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42
- Monday 24 March: Luke 4:24-30
- Tuesday 25 March (Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord): Luke 1:26-38
- Wednesday 26 March: Matthew 5:17-19
- Thursday 27 March: Luke 11:14-23
- Friday 28 March: Mark 12:28-34
- Saturday 29 March: Luke 18:9-14
- Sunday 30 March (Fourth Sunday of Lent): John 9:1-41 or John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38
- Monday 31 March: John 4:43-54
- Tuesday 1 April: John 5:1-16
- Wednesday 2 April: John 5:17-30
- Thursday 3 April: John 5:31-47
- Friday 4 April: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
- Saturday 5 April: John 7:40-53
- Sunday 6 April (Fifth Sunday of Lent): John 11:1-45 or John 11:3-7, 20-27, 33b-45
- Monday 7 April: John 8:1-11
- Tuesday 8 April: John 8:21-30
- Wednesday 9 April: John 8:31-42
- Thursday 10 April: John 8:51-59
- Friday 11 April: John 10:31-42
- Saturday 12 April: John 11:45-56
- Sunday 13 April (Palm Sunday): Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54
- Monday 14 April: John 12:1-11
- Tuesday 15 April: John 13:21-33, 36-38
- Wednesday 16 April: Matthew 26:14-25
- Thursday 17 April: John 13:1-15
- Friday 18 April (Good Friday): John 18:1-19:42
- Saturday 19 April (Holy Saturday): Matthew 28:1-10
- Sunday 20 April (Easter Sunday): John 20:1-9
It's much, to be sure, but it is an investment that's worth the effort. Lent is especially a time to return to the basis, to the Word, and allow the Lord to join us on our way.
"What has come into being in him was life, life that was the light of men; and light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it."
John 1:4-5
"Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."
Luke 2:10b-11


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The MFT Lady
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Originally Posted by
T. Joy
Twas two weeks before Christmas and coming in bands,
Giddy stampers were gathering to MFT Land.
Their children were nestled in front of TV,
Watching a movie and drinking iced tea.
While Mom, with her laptop was sitting nearby,
Ready to Ooh and to Aah and to sigh.
Hi Kim! Hi Joanne! Oh the gang is all here!
The samples were awesome
Who brought the root beer??
The party begins and goes faster and faster,
The questions start coming,
We race quick to answer.
Soon the VIPs shop and fill up their carts,
While the wanna-be VIPs lists top the charts.
But all through the night, in everyones mind,
Is a question that keeps every Who in a bind.
Whose stocking will bulge with tons of good things,
Stamp sets and dies and Guest DT bling?
It could be you! You just never know!
But stay tuned for now and dont miss the show!
Well, all my good friends, my song is quite through -
Merry MFT Christmas - to you, you and you!
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MOVIEmeterSEE RANK
Up 109,815 this week
The Littlest Cowboy (2003)
- Comedy | Short | Western - 27 September 2003 (USA)
Gammons Gulch; a small, quiet, old west town that has recently discovered gold in a nearby mine. The discovery attracts a gang of outlaws headed by the notorious Paco. This gang begins ... See full summary »
Directors:Todd Sepp, Matthew Van Hoesen
Writers:Todd Sepp, Matthew Van Hoesen
Stars:Matthew Stagi, David Glenn, Kerry Watterson | See full cast and crew »


text:
The Denver Broncos signed fourth round draft pick Philip Blake to a four-year contract. That leaves just two rookies unsigned from the Broncos 2012 draft class.
Blake snapped the ball to Robert Griffin III at Baylor and now he will have a chance to snap to Peyton Manning in Denver. Blake can play both center and guard, and will likely have a better chance at playing the guard position at least for now. Fellow Baylor alum, J.D. Walton, is the team's starting center.
To learn more about Blake's long road to playing football in the United States, go here.
Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter.
Tags: Denver Broncos J.d. Walton Peyton Manning Philip Blake Robert Griffin Jr. III


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2014 four-star weak-side defensive end recruit Keyon Brown stated late last month that the Georgia Bulldogs are the leaders in his recruitment, and that hasn't changed according to Scout.com. FOX Sports NEXT recruiting analyst Amy Campbell tweeted that Georgia leads for Brown, but that Brown has also released a top three that also includes the Clemson Tigers and Florida State Seminoles. She also added that Brown will be visiting Georgia this month.
Georgia offered Brown back in early March, and Brown named a school ten days later as his leader. But this leader wasn't Georgia at the time, it was the Miami Hurricanes. Miami is still actively pursuing Brown, but they aren't in his top three. In fact, the rival Florida State Seminoles made the cut and Miami didn't, which is very interesting indeed. Even as recently as early April, Miami looked like the best bet, as Gerry Hamilton predicted the 'Canes for Brown on the 7th of April.
Keyon Brown is the 117th-best recruit in our FanSided 150 rankings, so he would definitely be a big get. He is ranked by Scout as the 20th-best defensive end in the country, while 247Sports narrows him down to 11th among just WDEs. In my opinion, Brown is one of the top 15 recruits in the talent-rich state of Florida, and he is just such an explosive player with mouth-watering athleticism. Brown is easily one of the top 150 recruits in the country, and the Hardee Senior's 6'4″, 235 pound frame is something to behold.
The offers continue to pour in for Brown, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Brown updating his list more often to reflect the teams going after him. Georgia continues to be in a great position to land the elite Florida DE, but it is interesting to see that Clemson quietly made the top three cut.
Tags: Clemson Tigers Florida State Seminoles Football Georgia Bulldogs Keyon Brown


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Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs.
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Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 April 27, 1882) was a famous American essayist and one of America's most influential thinkers and writers.
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Manhattan Resident Looking for Lunch & Dinner Rec for San Fran
My husband and I will be in San Fran during Memorial Day weekend for a wedding and would like to get a lunch and dinner recommendation. We are both foodies who have spent time in San Fran in the past. A lot of people rave about the great cuisine in San Fran but we've never really had an amazing eating experience during our past visits to this city. Can you recommend a must try? We don't care as much about decor and would rather stay away from really stuffy & formal places (reminds us of work related meals). Cost is not an issue but we don't want to be taken advantaged of. We're just really focused on amazing food...where is the great CA cuisine that everyone raves about?
Also, my husband is watching his weight. He can cheat on this trip but unfortunately will put his foot down against tasting menus.
Thanks for your help!
Since there are so many different ways to answer your post, a little more info will help us help you.
What kinds of cuisines do you like? What places did you try before that you thought weren't amazing? Also, you mention you are from Manhattan. Are you telling us that because you want something like a Manhattan restaurant, or because you want something you can't find there?
re: Shane Greenwood
Sorry if I wasn't too clear....and thanks for your help. Here are some more details:
I mention Manhattan since we have a lot of amazing food options and are very serious about food. We are not looking for a typical Manhattan restaurant...we just want great food in whatever decor. Totally casual, hole in the wall is fine or high end with top notch service is fine too as long as the food is great.
We're open to any types of cuisines and are not picky eaters at all. Oh, we would love to get a recommendation for a great authentic Mexican restaurant/food stand since Manhattan does not have good Mexican food at all. We love foie gras, uni, sushi, other seafood, bone marrow etc. etc.....basically everything.
It's been a while since we were in San Fran proper so my memory is a little rusty but we tried Acqua and Slanted Door (food at both were okay). We've been to Napa county a couple of times and have tried Cyrus (food was okay; service was obnoxiously over the top), Auberge du Soleil (very good food but not amazing), Tre Vigne Restaurant (very good food with great outdoor seating).
Thanks again.
re: tabby11
hi tabby,
i've never had a great meal in san francisco but i've had a lot of really good ones. bar crudo is informal, tasty and fun. maybe do a few searches and see if this place works for you. next door is tunnel top, a raucous cash bar perfect for after-dinner drinks.
tadich always works as a lunch destination ( go late). yank sing, too. zuni cafe is our "goto" lunch place.
enjoy your trip.
re: steve h.
crudo may still be on a hiatus depending on the visit. they're expanding into tunnel top.
re: sugartoof
No, it's the opposite -- Crudo has moved, and will open shortly at their new location on Divisadero. Tunnel Top is expanding into the old Bar Crudo space.
re: JasmineG
Oh my mistake. Thanks for clarifying!
re: JasmineG
655 Divisadero
Phone: 415-409-0679
- walking to Bay-to-Breakers on Sunday morning for the view from the Hayes Street Hill, we peered in the window at Bar Crudo's new location on Divisadero - still under construction — call to confirm that they are open on Friday as planned -
re: tabby11
I also don't like Aqua and truly dislike Slanted Door, so perhaps we have similar interests. Try Quince (only has a tasting menu, tho) or Coco500 (beef cheeks and flatbread are a must). Chez Panisse (the Cafe) is another all-time favorite, but that's in the East Bay. The best meal in SF I've ever had (food-wise) is La Folie (once again, that may be prix only, but I'm not sure).
re: tabby11
I think overall, Manhattan is the better city for restaurants, but the Bay Area is the better place to live if you love to cook. I think the Bay Area's real strengths are local bread, cheese, wine, and produce - if you're here on a Saturday and can get to the Farmer's Market, grab a loaf of Della Fattoria's levain, some cheese from Andante, Pug's Leap, and Cowgirl Creamery, some salumi from Boccalone, some fruit, and eat it while basking in the sun by the water.
That said, there are definitely a number of restaurants worth your attention. I would do either Lers Ros Thai, Zuni Cafe, or Taqueria Cancun (for a burrito) for lunch, and either Coi or Canteen for dinner (Coi is tasting menu only, but the fare is actually very light). One Mexican place that gets great reviews is Poc-Chuc (I haven't been). My go-to rec for a long time for great Cal-Mediterranean has been Bar Tartine, although a recent negative review from a reliable friend worries me a bit - they do have some of the best bread in the city, though, and I haven't had a bad meal there yet.
Definitely get ice cream at Bi-Rite and/or Humphrey Slocombe. NYC may be catching up in the gelato department, but it is distinctly lacking in great ice cream.
The restaurant that seems most to impress all my manhattanite frieds has been 5/5 Aziza.
It is Cal-Moroccan. Very local, market driven but with a clear view point that takes it away from all the other local, market driven food in SF. And I always feel the value for the money is very high.
I love their mediteranean spreads (very different from what you imagine as spreads), the bastilla is wonderful (though similar to all bastillas) and anything I have ordered with lamb has been great. Other people love the skewers with beef and grapes, but I haven't yet tried them.
Definitely have a cocktail - the harissa bloody mary is my favorite even for dinner time.
5800 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94121
re: Meredith
I was just about to suggest Aziza, more for the different take on food that might impress the OP.
Other potentially good places that could provide some "wow" factor:
A16 in the Marina district because they have creative Italian cuisine, although it might seem like a typical neighborhood restaurant in the Village to you.
Spruce because the chef has really good reputation, but the decor might be considered stuffy.
Great CA cuisine? Coi.
I think the main dining room is pretty cozy, but if it is too stuffy for you, you can get the tasting menu in the lounge. As for your husband's health, Coi's tasting is very light--no huge hunks of foie, bone marrow, pork belly ad nauseum. Local ingredients, bright flavors, truly imaginative.
California cuisine:
Chez Panisse in Berkeley is the mother ship of California cuisine, opinions vary but you can go elsewhere, pay more and get less of an experience. If you're unsure, go upstairs on a weekend for lunch.
Manresa in Los Gatos (1 hour away from SF), on the level of the French Laundry (Per Se) but very California...veggies from the garden, local ingredients, unmatched technique and creative edge. It would be a shame however to not do the tasting menu...it's not more food, just spread out.
I'd say both are must try for different reason. CP for its history, Manresa for what it brings, won't find it anywhere else.
Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
re: ML8000
Thanks everyone for your recommendations. I have made dinner reservations at Chez Panisse for Monday night at the cafe (the main restaurant was booked). We're staying at Cavallo Point for the weekend and I was wondering if we should have Saturday dinner at the restaurant at Cavallo, Coi, Manresa or Aziza. Any advice?
re: tabby11
The restaurant at Cavallo has gotten very mixed reviews -- mostly good on the food and awful/clueless on the service. For what it's worth, the chef got two Michelin stars at his previous gig, so it's not out of the question.
I think it really depends on what kind of experience you want for your weekend. Manresa is a bit of a trek from Sausalito; Aziza is pretty close, right over the bridge, but it's more of a neighborhood and won't give much of an "out on the town Saturday night" experience; Coi is a bit more "urban." I think you'll be happy with the food at all of them, so it really comes down to what you think you'll be in the mood for in terms of the total experience.
re: tabby11
Manresa is a long drive, 50 miles, at least an hour each way, more if there's traffic. Frankly I'd go somewhere in the City if you're just here for the weekend.
I agree that Aziza or Coi would be very, very nice. The experience will be just as nice, both places get very good reviews. You also save 3 hours that can be spend elsewhere.
For drinks or small plates before/after Chez Panisse, Cesar is basically next door to CP. Very Californian, gets busy and noisy.
re: tabby11
If you're interested in "only the best" it's a pretty short list, and you've got the high points, minus cavallo. Manressa is a really long drive - it's an hour, but it's a long hour at 85 mph on a rather beautiful freeway (I-280). Go read uhockey's recent reports - great writing, hitting the high points.
CP cafe will likely be a disappointment. It's casual, the food is good, the service is uneven (befitting the lower price) but the food is just not in the same category as the others - go for the history, and get a cocktail next door first, don't let your expectations ruin a good meal. It will be a good meal, it won't be the best of your life. Not even top 10. If you get to Cesar at about 4 you might be able to sit at their open window, which is fairly glorious that time of day.
Is beijing food strong in NYC yet? It's starting to come on here - there's been a few long-time favories, but a few new up-and-comers.
re: tabby11
You might check a week before you arrive to see if there's any cancellations at Chez Pannisse (or even check that day). After the menus for the week are posted, some people might cancel based on what's being served.
re: tabby11
I happen to love Murray Circle, but I will agree with the poster below (Ruth) that the food is wonderful as is the ambiance, but the service is frequently subpar - anything from great to clueless and anything in between.
If you are staying at the resort, it is a very nice option. The chef Joe Humphries is very talented and the menu is structured in an affordable way. The pea gazpacho is a standout. The room has a pressed tin ceiling and you can sit outside and have a glass of wine before or after your meal on the veranda. Cuisine is very california fresh. not fussy though.
re: Senor Popusa
I like Murray Circle too but I wouldn't pick it for dinner. However, do NOT miss the breakfast pastries in the morning. The croissants are especially wonderful.
re: tabby11
If you want to try light, imaginative California cuisine you need to go to Coi. It's not far from Cavello Point (15 minute drive).
re: tabby11
Out of that list, I would say Coi. It can be a little ridiculous with the foams on a spoon, and sensory cuisine but I can't think of anything like it in NY. (though if you have an aversion to molecular places like WD50, this not might be for you either). I've personally never understood why an East Coaster would be thrilled by Aziza. Neither is a bad choice but my suggestion, from reading your past experiences with past picks would be to skip the fine dining and focus more on mid-range casual or even cheap eats
re: sugartoof
You know, aside from the very first dish with the perfume, I don't think Coi is really very molecular gastronomy at all. At least not to the extent of WD50, which was more like "let's do crazy things to the food because it is SOOO cool and to hell with how it actually tastes."
Coi is more about simple cooking to bring out the essence of the local ingredients. To me, philosophically, it is much more similar to kaiseki than it is to molecular gastronomy.
re: sfbing
Agree completely, sfbing.
re: sfbing
Oh I agree as well, it's not molecular but if one were to have an aversion to WD50 style deconstruction at all then Coi still might not be their choice. There are similarities.
Simple cooking would suggest it's in line with NYC places like Craft or Blue Hill, which it's really not. This is a place that serves foams, gelatins, and emulsions, bone marrow jellies, edible flowers.
I always hear Manhattan is death when it comes to Mexican food, but actually my favorite Mexican place is in Manhattan! Zarela has simply the best fajitas I've ever had. I rarely (ha! RAREly) eat beef anymore but I make an exception there. The lunch fajita platter comes with all sorts of yummy sides. The Aztec Treasure Pie (sort of a chocolate pecan pie) can't be missed either.
In SF, go to The House for their sea bass (served with sesame noodles and garlic green beans). It's incredible.
The House
1230 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
953 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10022
To me, the two best restaurants in the Bay Area right now are Manresa and Ubuntu. I've never ordered a la carte at Manresa, so I can't comment on what your experience might be like if your husband would prefer not to do a tasting menu But Ubuntu is absolutely worth a look whether you do the tasting menu or not. It's light years better than Chez Panisse Cafe, in my opinion.
Aziza is also a better bet, I think, if you're looking to replace that Monday night dinner at Chez Panisse Cafe.
The dining scene is so awesome in NYC, that I think the only place that would blow you away that I have been to is Ubuntu... If is farm and vegetable focused and it is much better than Blue Hill in NYC IMO even without meat. Then, I haven't been to Coi or Maneresa yet... I do agree that Aziza is great, but I don't think some one who dines out regularly in NYC would be blown away,
re: lrealml
I don't know of anyone (myself included) who has been blown away by Aziza. But I know tons of people who have really enjoyed it. I can't think of an equivalent cuisine (California-Moroccan) in Manhattan.
I also agree that Ubuntu is better than Blue Hill in Manhattan. I also find it better than Blue Hill @ Stone Barns, actually.
Anywhere in the Ferry Building, because it is so much fun to just walk around there, and because of the great views . . .
In Pier 1 (next to the Ferry Building), there is a great Peruvian restaurant, La Mer... (Have to reserve in advance, it gets crowded). Try the ceviche sampler, and also the creme brulee sampler . . .
As I read this thread, I am thinking that you might actually be going to the same wedding I am that weekend!
My two cents, as a complete SF foodie (recently returned from a NYC trip full of FOOD!)... hit COI for an amazing evening of food, tasting menu, but light and fresh if that's possible. RN74 is Michael Minna's newer spot and is more casual, but still really good with an awesome ambience. La Mar is also quite good, but definitely more casual. aziza is great, but won't knock your socks off...however, a dish I had recently was quite possibly the best thing I have eaten in a while.
Ubuntu is not worth the trip - they had a major shakeup in the kitchen and the top talent is now gone. I imagine they will be reeling for a while, and am not confident that they will ever be what they were.
For mexican, please go to the Ferry Building on Saturday for the farmers market and get a mexican breakfast at Primavera...the menu changes, but it is always amazingly delicious. If you can't do that, go to La Taqueria in the mission for lunch. My NYC friends require it every time they visit.
If you are going to do Murray Circle, do it for brunch... too many other good options for dinner in the city.
Have fun!
re: kshennessy
This thread's nearly a year old. Probably a different wedding.
re: SteveG
"Probably" Is that irony?
Mon May 25 2009 Memorial Day


text:
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text:
|Messenger bag
|July, 2005
|Backpack system
|January, 2005
|July, 2003
|Golf bag carrying structure
|March, 2003
|Backpack having removable, re-positionable carrying straps
|October, 2002
|Front and back book sack
|June, 2002
|Reversible backpack
|May, 2002
|Shoulder strap assembly for backsacks
|May, 2002
|Dual strap system for conversion of bags to backpacks
|November, 2001
|September, 2001
|Utility bag system
|March, 2001
|Nested, two-layer golf bag strap for one-shoulder or two-shoulder carrying
|January, 2001
|Convertible backpack/shoulder bag
|October, 2000
|Backpack assembly
|September, 1999
|Non-slipping shoulder strap assembly
|April, 1999
|February, 1999
|Backpack with adjustments for body size
|March, 1998
|Straps for backpacking apparatus and backpacking apparatus
|August, 1997
|Convertible backpack
|November, 1996
|February, 1994
|Utility bag system
|July, 1992
|Front load carrying apparatus for backpacks
|September, 1978
|January, 1994
|July, 1994
|March, 2005
1. Technical Field
The subject disclosure relates generally to backpacks for hiking, camping, or carrying cameras, school paraphernalia, or other equipment.
2. Background
The typical backpack is a bag with a closure and two shoulder straps, which are slung over the shoulders so that the weight of the backpack is distributed on the shoulders and the backpack is carried on the upper back. Each shoulder strap is attached near the upper corner and lower corner of the bag, and each makes a rough loop, between the strap and the bag, through which one of the wearer's arms is stuck. The shoulder straps are typically made from padded material and nylon webbing, to make it more comfortable for the wearer's shoulders to bear the weight of the backpack.
Generally, using two shoulder straps is preferable to slinging the backpack over a single shoulder because the weight load is distributed between two shoulders, making it easier to carry heavy loads for longer periods. Single-shoulder-strap backpacks, such as the common "messenger-bag" style do not offer this, and other, advantages.
The major drawback of using two shoulder straps and carrying the backpack on the back is that the backpack can not be accessed while wearing. That is, accessing the contents of the backpack requires taking at least one shoulder strap off.
The present disclosure is an improvement to the standard backpack, which allows the wearer to reconfigure the straps while wearing the backpack and to swing the backpack around to the wearer's front and access its contents.
The present disclosure is for a backpack that can be accessed by the wearer, comprising a backpack with a first primary shoulder strap and a second primary shoulder strap; the first primary shoulder strap comprising two segments, the upper segment with one end connected near the top of the backpack and the lower segment with one end connected near the bottom of the backpack, and whose second ends are separably connected together.
This disclosure also includes a method for accessing the contents of a backpack with a plurality of shoulder straps, comprising the steps of disconnecting one shoulder strap; grasping the shoulder strap; lifting the shoulder strap upward; moving the shoulder strap around the wearer's back; and moving the shoulder strap around the wearer's opposite shoulder; and moving the shoulder strap around to the wearer's front; and grasping the backpack; and accessing the contents of the backpack.
Several alterations to the backpack and its straps can be used to create separate embodiments. First, a small handle can be added to the first primary shoulder strap's upper segment.
Second, on the second primary shoulder strap, a secondary shoulder strap can be connected with a first end connected near to the bottom of the second primary shoulder strap and a second end connected nearer to the top of the second primary shoulder strap.
Third, a waist strap or strap around the torso can be separably connected to the second primary shoulder strap by a buckle and connected to the secondary shoulder strap.
Fourth, a bracket and/or snap can be used to hold the second primary and secondary shoulder straps against each other while the backpack is being worn but not being accessed.
Fifth, a bracket, snap, clip, or similar mechanism can be used to temporarily hold the backpack against the wearer's front, while the backpack is being accessed.
Configuring a backpack in this fashion has, at minimum, several advantages over the prior art. First, the backpack can be accessed by the wearer without taking the backpack off. Second, since the present disclosure keeps the backpack "on" the wearer while it is being accessed, it can reduce the possibility of theft of the backpack or its contents. Third, accessing the backpack can be done more simply and in less space, since taking a backpack on and off is often a cumbersome procedure, requiring the wearer to outstretch arms, tilt, bend over, or otherwise contort, while "shrugging off" the shoulder straps, one at a time. This can be of great benefit to wearers in confined conditions, while surrounded by many people or other obstacles, such as on a crowded train. Fourth, it can greatly speed up the process of accessing a backpack's contents. Fifth, unlike a messenger-style backpack with a single shoulder strap, the distribution of weight on the two shoulder straps allows for more comfortable weight carrying.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the disclosure in use by a wearer.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the disclosure in use by a wearer.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the disclosure, in a front elevation view.
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the disclosure, in a side elevation view.
Before beginning a detailed description of the subject disclosure, mention of the following is in order. When appropriate, like references and characters are used to designate identical, corresponding, or similar components in different figure drawings. The figure drawings associated with this disclosure are not drawn with strict dimensional accuracy, i.e., such drawings have been drafted with a focus on clarity of viewing and understanding rather than dimensional accuracy.
A typical backpack and its shoulder straps are roughly symmetrical. For simplicity's sake, the figures and the explanation show certain alterations or additions made to one strap or another. These same alterations could be reversed, so that they are made to the other side of the backpack, rather than the one described or shown herein; the present disclosure is not limited to alterations made to one side of the bag or the other. Thus, a "left-handed" or mirror-image version of the same backpack could be made by reversing the changes described.
As described above, a basic backpack typically consists of a bag which can be closed by zipper or otherwise, along with shoulder straps, one for each shoulder, attached at each side of the bag. The shoulder straps are typically padded.
Each shoulder strap is usually made up of two separate pieces: a padded upper segment which is permanently attached to the top of the bag, plus a lower segment which is permanently attached to the bottom of the bag. Typically, the straps are made of two connected segments of woven nylon, connected so that the wearer can adjust the tightness of the shoulder strap but not easily separate the segments. Each shoulder strap, when attached to the bag, roughly forms a loop through which the wearer puts an arm.
In the primary embodiment, the first primary shoulder strap, 1, has an alteration. The two segments of this shoulder strap are connected using a buckle, 10; rather than simply being connected so that the tightness can be adjusted, as with a typical backpack strap. These buckles are commonly used in camping equipment and are well known in the art. A quick-release buckle, while not essential, is preferred. A buckle with a means for adjusting strap length can be used in the present disclosure and is preferred to tighten the shoulder strap against the body while in use, retaining this feature of the typical backpack strap. The buckle allows the wearer to quickly and easily separate, and reconnect, the upper segment, 2, of the first primary shoulder strap, 1, from/to the lower segment, 3, so that the accessing maneuver can be performed.
Connecting the segments of the first primary shoulder strap together can also be accomplished using a snap, clip, or other common mechanisms for connecting straps. Various mechanisms are well known in the field of apparel and sporting goods.
The first primary shoulder strap may have an attached handle, 9, above the buckle that connects the upper, 2, and lower, 3, segments of the first primary shoulder strap. The handle allows the wearer to more easily hold onto the first primary shoulder strap while swinging it around his back during the accessing maneuver.
This embodiment has several preferred alterations to the shoulder strap on the wearer's opposite side (hereinafter the "second primary shoulder strap", 6) as well. First, a secondary shoulder strap, 4, has been added, that slings over the rear of the wearer's shoulder, while the second primary shoulder strap slings over the front of the wearer's shoulder. The second primary shoulder strap and the secondary shoulder strap form a loop, through which the wearer puts his arm, when putting the backpack on. During the accessing maneuver, both second primary shoulder strap and secondary shoulder strap stay slung over the wearer's shoulder. In this fashion, the second primary and secondary shoulder straps operate much like a common pistol shoulder holster.
Another preferred alteration to the second primary shoulder strap is the inclusion of a waist strap, 8, which is connected to the secondary shoulder strap (as shown most clearly in FIG. 3) and separably connected to the second primary shoulder strap (as shown in FIGS. 1-3). This waist strap, 8, helps anchor both the second primary and secondary shoulder straps to the wearer's body during the accessing maneuver. The waist strap is preferably adjustable in length. A quick-release buckle is preferred to separably connect the waist strap to the second primary shoulder strap. This strap can go around the waist, chest, or at any height on the torso.
When not in use, the waist strap may be removably connected to the first primary shoulder strap to keep it within easy reach of the wearer, but this is not essential to the disclosure and not shown in the figures.
As shown in figures, the second primary and secondary shoulder straps can be connected to each other on the front of the wearer's shoulder, rather than at the top of the shoulder or at the bag. This allows the bag to swing further forward when accessed. This is most visible in FIG. 4. While not essential, this is preferred.
To further keep the straps stable during wearing, the second primary and secondary shoulder straps can be held aligned parallel and together with a piece of rigid material, a bracket, 5, placed on the front, forward surface of the secondary shoulder strap, to act as a channel within which the second primary shoulder strap can rest. The bracket is preferably a roughly flat piece of rigid material whose left and right edges are bent inward at roughly ninety-degree angles, approximating a roughly square-bracket-shaped ("[") channel that the second primary shoulder strap can rest in. The bracket lessens side-to-side movement of the second primary shoulder strap vis-à-vis the secondary shoulder strap.
Alternatively or additionally, a common snap or clip can be added on the face of the bracket or near it. This is not shown in the figures, but it could be used to lessen side-to-side movement of the second primary shoulder strap vis-à-vis the secondary shoulder strap by holding these two straps against one another when the backpack is being worn but not being accessed.
A further non-essential alteration is possible, creating a second embodiment. In order to help hold the backpack against the front of the wearer while the backpack is being accessed, a clip mechanism can be added to the rear of the backpack itself. This is illustrated only in FIGS. 3 and 4. Although not essential, the clip in FIGS. 3 and 4 is show as having a male clip piece, 11, and a female clip piece, 7. (Alternatively, these clip pieces can be reversed.) While the backpack is on the wearer's front, being accessed, the wearer can clip the backpack onto the waist strap, to help hold the backpack against the wearer. Following the suggestion of the figures, the male clip piece would clip into the female clip piece. Two-piece clips of this general nature are common in the apparel and sporting goods industries.
Similarly, a male clip piece, on rear of the backpack, could be used by itself to perform a similar function. Any manner of one-piece clip could be used; for example, those commonly used to clip a mobile phone to a belt. In this fashion, the clip could slide over the waist strap and perform the same function.
Whether a one-piece or two-piece clip is used, the function is approximately the same. When the backpack is being accessed, the rear of the backpack is flipped facing toward the wearer. By affixing a clip to the rear of the backpack, this clip can be temporarily clipped to the waist strap while the backpack is against the wearer's front. Alternatively, the clip on the rear of the backpack could temporarily clip to the wearer's belt. By clipping the backpack to the wearer's front, some of the weight load of the backpack is relieved from the wearer's hands while accessing is performed.
The accessing maneuver for the primary and secondary embodiments works as follows. The wearer puts the waist strap around his waist and buckles the waist strap, 8, to the second primary shoulder strap, 6, as shown in the figures; this is so that the second primary shoulder strap and secondary shoulder strap are connected around the wearer's torso. The wearer then unbuckles the two segments of the first primary shoulder strap and grasps the handle, 9, on the upper segment, 2, of the first primary shoulder strap. The handle can be grasped with either hand. The wearer then swings the first primary shoulder strap around his back, from one side to the other, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The first primary shoulder strap, and then the backpack itself, is brought all the way around to the wearer's front. At this point, the backpack itself can be grasped, opened, and its contents or attachments accessed. It can be held against the wearer's front using the clip described above. This maneuver is reversed to put the backpack into normal carrying position.
Multiple further embodiments can be created by variously eliminating or adding any individual element mentioned above. A third embodiment can be created by eliminating the waist strap. A fourth embodiment could be created by eliminating the secondary shoulder strap. A fifth embodiment could be created by eliminating the bracket on the secondary shoulder strap. A sixth embodiment could be created by omitting the handle from the first primary shoulder strap. Other combinations of elements mentioned can be used to create further embodiments.


text:
Tag Results
8 posts tagged pork belly
8 posts tagged pork belly
Chili Orange Sage Pork Belly with Braised Peaches and White Beans
Not to brag (only a little), this was the best pork belly I've made so far, and the beans went with it incredibly. Not a ton of ingredients but they work really well together, and it only takes a few minutes to throw together.
Ingredients (pork belly):
Arrange the ingredients (except the pork) on the bottom of a glass pan that will fit the pork belly nicely, including the orange juice. Score the skin of the belly about 1cm apart, not cutting the meat. Place it meat side down in the pan, rub the skin liberally with salt, and chuck it in the fridge overnight.
When it's time to cook, bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes) and pre-heat the oven to full heat. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 150C / 300F. Cook for about an hour, then blast the heat again until the skin bubbles but not burns. Let rest for 10 minutes in its own juices before serving.
Ingredients (white beans):
In a pan with a touch of oil, slowly caramelize the onions, about 10 minutes, until very soft. Add the harissa paste and peaches, cooking for 5 minutes more. Stir in the white beans, sage, and stock. Reduce slightly before adding the tomatoes, then cook to a thicker sauce. Add the parsley and lemon juice, cook 2 minutes more, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Crispy Coconut Pork Belly
I've been trying to find ways to improve my pork belly recipe, and after a bit of research (thanks, internet!), I found that a lot of people swear by boiling it first. I don't really get it. I figured, if I'm going to boil it, it needs to at least add something to the pork. This was really moist and delicious, and added sweetness into the pork belly without coating it with sugar and scorching it in the oven.
Boil the pork belly in the coconut water for about 15-20 minutes.
Remove, dry thoroughly, and rub the flesh with 5 spice, and the skin with salt. Bake, skin side up, on the star anise and cardamom, at 220C / 425F for 20 minutes, and then lower the heat to 150C / 300F for 1 hour. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Pork Belly Ramen
After what I now call "the pork belly incident" there were quite a lot of leftovers. I made a kind of pseudo attempt at this ramen recipe, and while it was a bit labor intensive for a weeknight, if you have the broth made ahead of time it wouldn't be too bad; one for the recipe book.
Pork Belly Sliders with Chipotle Mayo and Cabbage Slaw
If I'm up on a Saturday morning before noon there are a few places I may end up, one of my favorites being the Vic's Meat Market Day. A misinterpretation of what I thought was a signal for a pork belly portion for 2, and my inability to say no, left me with 2.5kg of meat and a plan to have some friends over to indulge in its porky goodness. I started prepping Saturday afternoon, which is minimal work but worth letting it hang out for a while and marinate.
This doesn't look like much, it was the last measly slider left on the plate and you can't even see the delicious crackling. I made the buns as well, but wasn't blown away by them, so just buy some little rolls, but the rest is worth the effort.
Ingredients (chipotle mayo):
Blend and adjust to taste.
Ingredients (cabbage slaw):
From Zen Can Cook, modified only slightly.
Mix well and let sit for at least an hour. Remove liquid and seeds to serve.
Ingredients (pork belly):
The day before, rub the pork belly skin with salt and sugar, coating liberally. I didn't score the skin, but I would have with a belly this size if I did it again. Mix the mirin and soy sauce, and rest the meat in it, making sure the liquid doesn't touch the skin. Cover and refrigerate.
The morning of, remove the liquid and pat dry the top of the roast. Rub the meat with the remaining ingredients, and re-salt and sugar the top. Refrigerate uncovered.
An hour before, let come to room temperature. Turn the oven on high, and for 20-30 minutes roast the pork belly until the crackling is golden and darkly colored. Lower the heat to 150C / 300F, and roast for 2 hours. Baste the skin with the juices, and return to the oven for another hour. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving, and assemble the sliders with a slice of meat and crackling, cabbage slaw and the chipotle mayo.
Sage Rubbed Pork Belly with Roasted Chokos, Carrots, and Parsnips
I can't really stress how easy pork belly is. Put it together the night before when you're making dinner and all you do is throw it in the oven the next night. So tasty.
I grabbed a random vegetable at the store called a choko, I had no idea what it was or what to do with it. They're pretty weird looking, kind of avocado shaped, but lighter, and tougher. I would say they taste kind of like a sweeter potato. Really nice with the roasted vegetables, tossed in olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.
Also served this with some sauteed broccolini, and leftover red cabbage and raisins, reheated.
Ingredients (pork belly):
The night before, rub the meat of the pork belly with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In a pan, lay the garlic and sage leaves, putting the pork belly on top. Pat the skin dry and salt it liberally. Previously I have scored it, but saw somewhere not to so it keeps the juice in. It worked pretty well, but it's much harder to cut into portions. Put it in the fridge uncovered until the next night when you're ready to cook.
Pull the pork out while you preheat the oven to 220C / 425F. Pat the skin dry again, removing some salt. Do not add liquid. You don't need to. Bake for about 20 minutes until the skin is very, very brown. Lower the heat to 170C / 325F for an hour. Let rest for a few minutes before cutting and serving.
Orange Spiced Roasted Pork Belly
Pork belly seems to be one of those love or hate things. I love it. I can't get enough of it. And I've generally found that when serving skeptics, as long as you succeed at crispy crackling so the meat isn't too fatty, they're fans as well.
The night before (or morning of, or however soon you can do it), mash you garlic in a mortar and pestle with some salt and pepper. Mix in the spices, breaking open the star anise and cardamon. In a baking dish, line with sliced orange, and squeeze on orange juice from the quarters (don't discard it yet). Rub the bottom of the roast with the spice mix, and set on top of the oranges. Stuff the squeezed quarters on the sides, and generously salt the top of the pork, rubbing into the scores. Leave uncovered in the fridge to help dry out the skin.
Before cooking, wipe the top of the pork with a paper towel to remove any liquid, and set the oven to 240C / 425F. Bake on high for about 20 minutes until the top is very brown and the crackling has formed. This also will create liquid in the bottom of your roast, and the pork will literally be hanging out in its own juices. How cool is that?
Turn down to 150C / 300F for an hour. Baste and cook for 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes and serve sliced.
Sage and Onion Pork Belly Roast with Zucchini, Tomato and Rice Bake
I have an extreme aversion to per-marinated food. Unless of course it's on sale. One of the things I picked up last weekend was a cryovaced, tied, and marinated pork belly roast for a weeknight meal that would have enough leftovers for days (and days, and days). I think it was about $15 for the 1.5kg roast. I won't bother with the recipe for the side, it was a good idea that failed due to lack of ingredients (herbs, red wine.. anything to add some flavor to it). The pork roast was easy; I seared the roast in a hot pan before baking on high heat (250C / 425F) for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes I pulled it out and basted it, and returned to the oven which I lowered to 180C / 325F. Cook for another hour at that lower heat, let rest for 5 or 10 minutes, and serve.
Pork Belly with Sage Carrots and Fingerling Potatoes
Oh man. Pork belly. What can I say. It's an extremely delicious way to have a heart attack.
Heat the oven to 250C/425F. Pat the pork belly dry and score the skin, about 1 cm apart, deep enough to get close to the meat but not into it. Rub the whole thing with salt.
In a mortar and pestle, grind up the garlic, 5 spice, star anise, cardamon, cinnamon, and a bit of salt and pepper. Rub onto the bottom of the pork belly, and put in a roasting pan. I know, there's no oil, but trust me, that will change. Bake for 30 minutes until the crackling has formed, and then reduce heat to 180C/325F for 1 hour. Remove the pork belly, drizzle with fat, and then add the potatoes, onion, wine, stock and soy sauce. Put the pork back in so it's sitting on top but move the potatoes around until the bottom of the pork is at least touching the liquid. Bake for another hour.
In a saucepan, saute the carrots, sage and butter for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
Serve with the pork, potatoes, and a bit of the juice from the bottom of the roasting dish (if you want it thicker, just reduce on the stove for 5 minutes).


text:
Saina Nehwal- first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships- Great news... Isn't it?
Asked by Sunita, 04 Nov '08 12:58 pm
Earn 10 points for answering
Answers (6)
Really a great feat. She had shown her worth in China Olympics itself. Good too see more & more Indians coming up in different games other than cricket.Answered by FriendsRfriends, 04 Nov '08 01:00 pm
No doubt about it.Answered by Srijith KP, 04 Nov '08 01:24 pm
Ya sunita ....Indian chicks are doing good initially ...then later they start getting into business ads and modelling and affairs etc and pollute the environment.Answered by Vamshi Krishna, 04 Nov '08 01:00 pm
Yah it is... and if i am not mistaken she is the world num 11 right now..! hope she makes it big.. and get us a gold medal in 4 yrs time :)Answered by khalid ishaque, 04 Nov '08 12:59 pm
Congrats to Saina NehwalAnswered by abhijitdey, 04 Nov '08 12:59 pm
Yea.. great newsAnswered by raghu rao, 04 Nov '08 12:59 pm