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Originally published in Interiors & Sources
Employing evidence-based design ensures public welfare while building on the Body of Knowledge.
By Ernest Rhoads
Can you imagine a doctor prescribing a medication simply because he or she liked its color? (E.g. "Here Joe, these little purple pills will coordinate with the larger blue ones you are already taking.") Doctors prescribe certain medicine because there is documented evidence that shows it works to cure a specific illness or infection.
Franklin Becker, Ph.D., of Cornell University, writing in a recent InformeDesign® article, calls for the interior design profession to close the gap between research and design. He muses, "Doctors don't prescribe penicillin because they love the color pink or because no one else is doing it and the results would be novel." (Implications, October 2007). How does interior design get to that point ... where designs are "prescribed" because we have valid evidence that they make a difference-a difference in human behavior, health, well-being and productivity?
Caren Martin, Ph.D., and Denise Guerin, Ph.D., co-authors of the Interior Design Body of Knowledge, will tell you that there is no more important focus for defining our profession than contributing more documented research to the interior design Body of Knowledge (BOK). But, what is a body of knowledge and how can you contribute to it?
Every profession-be it doctors, lawyers, engineers-has a body of knowledge that lends credence to the profession. The term is defined in the interior design BOK as, "The specialized knowledge a profession requires to achieve and maintain its purpose; its jurisdiction." This knowledge is considered "abstract"-not necessarily the concrete skills individuals need to practice interior design. Therefore, consider that the BOK content may be different from the content of the NCIDQ Examination. This makes sense, as the Examination tests for minimum competency in interior design in order to protect the public. The BOK includes "imbedded" knowledge from interior designers who have been practicing interior design for a few years and who have already passed the NCIDQ Examination.
There are six knowledge areas identified in the BOK. These areas were weighted for importance to practice using a scientific method, and then further reviewed by a panel of experts. The six categories are:
The panel of experts agreed that Human Environment Needs, ranked as the highest in its scientific weighting, reflecting their consensus that this category "belongs" to interior design. The emphasis on "understanding human behavior and how humans interact with the built environment" is apparent in the first phase of interior designers' work: Programming. The BOK states that, " ... human environment needs are about identifying and analyzing the clients' and users' needs from the broadest view possible so that the natural environment, context, human values, function and aesthetics are all recognized as contributing to people's well-being." (BOK p. 52).
I believe one of the challenges facing interior designers is to use language that lends credibility to the amount of research and educated thought that goes into our design solutions. Explaining the programming process to a client and emphasizing how our research dictates a design solution is vital. We need to do this in order to break through the public perception that design is novel and subjective.
What are some concrete steps to achieve this research-based use of language? One way is to refrain from sharing any images or plans with a client until well into the project. The perception of our profession is image and style. What would happen if we shared only written reports with the client and withheld drawings until the client affirmed our written research was a correct summation of their needs? A professor in an interior design program states that his students' plans for a studio look more like a thesis document because of all of the citations on the drawings. Can we, in our practices, put more emphasis on research and, further, share that research with the authors of the Interior Design Body of Knowledge and InformeDesign?
This last step requires more work on our part. Although many interior designers have the best intentions of conducting post occupancy evaluations (POEs) with their clients, often the process turns into a cursory check to make sure the client is satisfied. A more rigorous constructive criticism process documenting what has worked and what can be improved ensures our understanding of the implications of our designs. Additionally, a consistent method of reporting our findings-encouraging us to share our knowledge with other interior designers-is one way for us to contribute to the Body of Knowledge.
Sharing the results of research is not a foreign concept in the realm of healthcare design where the use of evidence-based design is used to solve client problems. Evidence-based design supports the link between healthcare facility design and increased health promotion and patient satisfaction while reducing infections, nursing errors and patient falls. In fact, one can surmise that the healthcare field is already so familiar with prescribing medicine because of documented research (rather than because the drug is novel or aesthetically pleasing), that evidence-based design has become a natural extension of that work.
Evidence-based design is a movement that emphasizes use of past data to design for the future. Sharing this data will eventually help expedite solid design solutions in the design studio ... and keep designers from having to repeatedly reinvent the wheel to access this data. Our challenge is to use research-based language with clients-to employ a rigorous consistent post-occupancy evaluation process and embrace a willingness to share our findings with interior designers in order to build on the Body of Knowledge. A full copy of the Interior Design Body of Knowledge can be found at www.careersininteriordesign.com.
Ernest Rhoads is a member of the NCIDQ board of directors and is the director of interior design for MultiCare Health System of Tacoma, WA. An NCIDQ Certificate holder, Rhoads has been a member of NCIDQ's Practicum Examination Committee for the last three years. He has worked as a corporate manager of interior design for Fortune 500 Companies such as Boeing, U.S. Foodservice and Safeco Insurance. For information about NCIDQ, visit www.ncidq.org.
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text: FRESH PICK OF THE MONTH: TULIPS Cheery tulips from The Home Depot® make the best choice for early spring. We love their brightly colored petals and love for the sun, of course. Bell Nursery, an exclusive provider for The Home Depot®, gave us a few helpful tips for potted tulips: 1. Choose tulips when you want to bring spring indoors or forgot to plant them last fall. 2. Make sure to keep them in a sunny location, otherwise, they will stretch toward the light and tip over. 3. Water one to two times per week as the soil dries out.(Source: homedecorators.com) Notes pandany21 likes thisvaishu1295 likes thisadrntento reblogged this from homedecoratorscollectionshernai reblogged this from homedecoratorscollectionhomedecoratorscollection posted this

subset: commoncrawl


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A contractor is a person or firm who provides a product or service under contract.
Expanded Definition
In modern useage, a contractor is often an individual under contract to work for an employer for a specified period at a specified rate of pay. They are considered self-employed and pay for their own benefits and self-employment taxes including Social Security and Medicare payments. Some may have their own firms or corporations. When their contract ends, their job is over. They receive no severance pay, no pension, or any other benefits.
Certain companies, most notably Microsoft, have recently had their contractor hiring practices challenged. Challengers maintain that people claiming to be self-employee contractors were in fact employees. That would require payment of employment taxes plus back payments for vacation, holidays, and other benefits routinely provided to employees. To avoid such challenges, employers are increasingly hiring temporaries who work for employment agencies. These temps are employees of the temp agency and cannot be construed to be employees of the temp agency's client.
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text:
News in brief
22 October 2001
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It's time to get off the fence. I've heard, ad nauseam, the case for both sides in the labor dispute. I have come to a conclusion and I don't think it's going to be popular.
Let me preface this by saying that if the fans could somehow form a third party in this dispute, my allegiance would be firmly in their court.
It's generally agreed that whoever appears to get the upper hand between the players and the owners, fans will be roundly screwed underwhelmed. We will be paying more no matter who wins. Bet on it.
It's seems abundantly clear to everyone except the two parties involved that the league's entire wealth is predicated on fan spending. And fans have a single plank in their platform; Keep the game a level playing field.
Baseball has demonstrated that giving financial power to a few big markets is a surefire way to deflate the game in smaller markets (see: Kansas City). And don't get me started on the luxury tax.
So who gets my greatly anticipated and valued vote of confidence in the NFL labor dispute?
The owners.
Why? They own the league. It is theirs and not ours or the players. If your boss wants to change things at your job, be it salaries, working conditions, hours, location, etc., it's their prerogative (see: Bobby Brown).
No one has the right to play in the NFL any more than they have the right to choose any other job. Period.
And this anti-trust stuff is laughable. Go form a new league if you don't like the NFL rules. Go on, do it.
"But who will pay our exorbitant salaries?" players say.
The short answer is, "No one."
Listen, I want players to be compensated well. They provide a great product that earns a ton of dough for the owners. But does anyone outside of the NFLPA believe they are poorly paid "slave labor"? (see: Rashard Mendenhall)
When I hear stuff like that from millionaires it makes my stomach turn.
Players, if you can make more money taking your skills to the CFL, UFL, AFL, or becoming a Subway Sandwich Artist, then go. That's how the free market works. You are worth what you can convince someone else to pay you.
And here is a news flash. Everyone is replaceable. Everyone. Even Tom Brady and Peyton Manning can be replaced. Their replacement likely won't play as well, but they can be replaced. Fans will get over it if they feel the integrity and long-term health of the game prevails.
I also hear some players talk about themselves like gladiators sacrificing for the mobs in Rome. Baloney. For every player in the NFL, there are a hundred players who didn't quite make it who would trade places in a heartbeat.
I don't recall stories of gladiators begging to get tossed to the lions. They were forced labor, not volunteer millionaires.
My one soft spot is for the old veterans who played in another era and made nowhere near the money and suffered crippling injuries with little or no recovery assistance. If today's players want to sway me, lead your argument with policies to help the old guard, not policies on how to further stuff your pockets.
So call me a Capitalist pig.
I just hope I don't run into Mike Vrabel in a dark alley.


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Tag: JohnKrasinski
Mac-wielding celebrities
ifoAppleStore is pointing to a great Flickr find today: A (blurry) snapshot of John Stewart bringing his iMac into the SoHo Genius Bar for service (how he managed to get an appointment there I'll never know). The picture reminded me of these shots of John Krasinski from NBC's The Office checking out...
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The Professional Practice Executive Committee (PPEC) provides a forum for CAQ member firms to express their views on technical and regulatory matters involving practice before the SEC and the PCAOB and advocate positions on behalf of member firms. The PPEC also strives to enhance the quality of member firms' public company audit practices through the development of technical and educational information, the communication of SEC/PCAOB developments, and the sharing of best practices. The PPEC serves as the public company auditing profession's liaison with the SEC, PCAOB, and others to communicate member firms' views on SEC and PCAOB matters.
Michael J. Gallagher, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP – Chair Jim Dolinar, Crowe Horwath LLP – Vice Chair Michele B. Amato, Friedman LLP Doug Bennett, BKD LLP Peter Bible, EisnerAmper LLP Brian Bluhm, Eide Bailly LLP Jeff Brown, Moss Adams LLP Susan S. Coffey, American Institute of CPAs Trent Gazzaway, Grant Thornton LLP Wendy Hambleton, BDO USA LLP David Hinshaw, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP Jean M. Joy, Wolf & Company P.C. David Kane, Ernst & Young LLP Dave Middendorf, KPMG LLP Jim Morton, McGladrey LLP Tom Omberg, Deloitte & Touche LLP Phillip J. Santarelli, Baker Tilly, LLP Mark Spelker, CohnReznick LLP
Joint letter to SEC chairman Christopher Cox opposing suspension of fair value accounting
CAQ comment letter to SEC on fair value accounting
The Landscape of Integrated Reporting: Reflections and Next Steps


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Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC)
The Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) is the Department of Education's monitoring and evaluation system for public school districts. The system shifts the monitoring and evaluation focus from compliance to assistance, capacity-building and improvement. It is a single comprehensive accountability system that consolidates and incorporates the monitoring requirements of applicable state laws and programs and complements federally required improvements. The system focuses on monitoring and evaluating school districts in five key components that, based on research, have been identified to be key factors in effective school districts.
School Year 2014-2015
- SOA Instruction and Program #3 – Curricula Requirements
- QSAC Requirements for School Year 2014-15 – 8/26/14 Memo
All districts must submit a Statement of Assurance (Excel file), a signed Declaration page (PDF file) and a board resolution (PDF file) through NJ Homeroom by November 15, 2014. Districts scheduled to undergo a full QSAC review this year should make every effort to submit the SOA by October 15, 2014. Special instructions regarding the DRR will be provided at a later date.
- 2014-15 SOA (Excel)
- Signed Declaration (PDF)
- Board Resolution (PDF)
NJDOE Data Needed for SOA completion:
- SOA Instruction and Program #4 – Approved CTE Programs
- SOA Instruction and Program #5 – Districts Receiving Preschool Aid That Have Approved Early Childhood Plans
- SOA Operations #2 – NJSMART Submission – Districts with Error Rate of 2% or Greater
To assist you in determining compliance with SOA Operation #1 regarding required trainings, refer to the list of Required Professional Development.
DPR and SOA Submission Method:
All documents must be uploaded through NJ Homeroom (http://homeroom.state.nj.us). The person who will be uploading the files will need to know the district ID and the username and password. If that individual does not have a user name and password, the district's Web User Administrator will need to provide one. Please arrange for this sign-in information to be set up prior to uploading files.
Once logged into NJ Homeroom, staff will see how each file is to be named. All districts need to upload the SOA Excel file (not a PDF of that file but the file itself), the signed Declaration page (PDF file) and the board resolution affirming the SOA (PDF file).
Submission Deadline and Board Approval:
The deadline for SOA submission is November 15, 2014. Both documents must be board approved prior to submission.
If your board of education meeting will be held after the November 15 deadline, you must email email@example.com and provide the date of the board meeting at which the DPR and/or SOA are scheduled to be approved. Following the board meeting, you must submit all required documents. Please do not submit the documents in stages. All documents need to be submitted at the same time.
If you have any questions about completion or submission of the SOA files, please contact our office at firstname.lastname@example.com or 609-984-6755.
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Raw Cinnamon Spice Ice Cream Cake
I was hoping to update you with happy news that our stuff had arrived. Sadly, no. A mix up at the customs warehouse means we are still without all stuff. Except our car. We have that because my parents' drove it down, hoping to help us unpack, only to find out our pod was not coming, as expected.
Anyways, I am ahead of myself. I am still reliving last weekend's debacle.
Curious as to how so many people were able to help when we were stranded with the car in the middle of nowhere?
Turns out my brother and sister-in-law were also driving back to Toronto around the same time. They were in Ottawa for my SIL's baby shower and we both left around the same time and thank goodness, they were still reasonably close when our distress call went out.
My mom hosted a fabulous shower and I had very little involvement. Other than suggesting some menu changes as there were limited vegan options. Considering I finagled 3 dishes, it was in directions only. I suggested some tried-and-true favourites for the appetizers: Pineapple and Cucumber Guacamole (my SIL stole the leftovers, so that was a success!), Cucumber Hummus Dip (very well received), and my Moroccan Chickpea and Carrot Salad as my main. I added a bit of cinnamon this time and liked that, too. I actually made a double batch so I could take the leftovers, but alas, they never made it. I hope my Mom liked it instead.
My mom totally outdid herself with the desserts (so.many.pretty.cakes!) so I knew any dessert I made would just be for myself. This was my experiment. And it was a very good experiment. My Mom treated herself to a new Vitamix so I took full use of it!
I used Brandi's recipe as my inspiration for this cinnamon spice vegan cheesecake. It was also my first time playing with a cake swirl! I really liked the the cake. I think lemon juice would be great here, but I swapped it for orange juice, since that was what my parents' had on hand. I also swapped a fresh apple for the apple juice. Because this is oil-free (no coconut oil or coconut butter), it is softer than my previous raw cheesecakes. This just means that you need to time it perfectly before you can eat it. If you leave it out at room temperature too long, it will melt into a softer cake. I liked it with still a bit of bite from the freezer, thus this was definitely an ice cream cake!
My swirling wasn't perfect but this just means I will have to try again with my next attempt. (See my tips below for my next round).
I am sharing this with Bookmarked Recipes. (more…)
Lemon Ginger Hemp Bites
I have been a bit quiet on the cycling front.
I kind of poured my everything into the Shiner GASP and let my body (and mind) recover as needed. Rob and I kept cycling, but nothing over 50 km. There is no point in cycling if you aren't having fun. It pales to our upcoming distances, but I just didn't have it inside me to resume our crazy adventures.
Three weeks later and I got my mojo back. I started swapping my morning gym with longer routes to work. Rob would join me. On his road bike, no less, which was a good motivator to keep pushing it on my commuter, while carrying all my stuff for work on my back. I managed to squeeze an extra 50 km, in addition to my regular commute, over the 2 days we tried this out. Sadly, the forecast is all rain this week, so I may return to the gym after all.
With the long weekend, Rob and I had time to both relax and fit in some longer cycling. A perfect balance, methinks. 50 km and 107 km, including an urban hilly ride. Thankfully we made it home yesterday before the torrential rain, which is merely a preview for the week.
In any case, I made these delicious snack bites to tote along for our longer ride. They were inspired by a reader, Jessica, who encouraged me to try adding ginger and turmeric to Gena's Hemp Cocoa Energy Bites. I love it when you guys know me too well!
No stranger to sharp, fresh ginger in sweets (remember my Matcha Ginger Smoothie?), I didn't add enough turmeric for it to be a strong taste. I will admit that I added the ginger because I like its taste but its anti-inflammatory properties are a bonus. However, I added the turmeric specifically because of its anti-inflammatory properties (I really don't like its taste in strong amounts!). The dates sweet this nicely and the hemp protein powder gives it a grassy/earthy undertone which complements the sweetness perfectly.
What do you think of turmeric? Do you try to incorporate into more of your foods? Any recipes you recommend?
Tahini Cups with a Sweet Coffee-Infused Filling
You probably wept as I described Houston's spring/summer weather a few months ago. With the atrocious Canadian winter, I started clarifying when my Mom would ask me about the weather: Do you really want to know? Do you really want to know we have bone fide summer with 30 C highs while you just lost the last of your winter snow? I thought not.
Have no fear, though, you will have your just revenge. That hot and humid weather is mere weeks away, if not here already. Hot and humid? Yeah, that's was this weekend. Houstonians know this is peanuts compared to the upcoming summer (sad face). I am convinced that it is the humidity that makes the wind so heavy here, but I have nothing to prove it.
In any case, I made a Houston-newbie mistake last weekend. I brought these treats to a potluck. Not a problem in other cities, but Houston is hot these days. They were very keen to melting. Even in our apartment, with the air conditioner, they were quick to begin to melt. Since they were my only cooked food fit for others, I brought them anyhow. Imagine my shock when I arrived at the potluck, when they decided to serve the food outdoors! GAH!! A bit of reprieve, the desserts were to stay inside. I placed my container of mini treats with the other desserts and proceeded to pile up with all the delicious savoury options.
I returned indoors to the dessert table. The line from the savoury table now snaked indoors, right past the desserts. I had to do a double-take: only one half-treat remained. I told Christine to grab the last one. Instead of melting, within 5 minutes they had evaporated to high acclaim! Success!
One of my favourite parts of going to vegan potlucks (other than trying so much delicious food), is experimenting in my own kitchen. After seeing Lisa share these, I immediately wanted to try it. Tahini-based desserts were a definite hit earlier this year (see my Sweet Sesame Rice Crispy Treats) and I am warming up to liking a hint of coffee flavour. It pairs well with chocolate (hello Chocolate Mocha Pudding Cake!) but I was unsure about it without the chocolate. Lisa raved about it, so I gave it a whirl.
In case it wasn't obvious: it was a definite hit. The coffee flavour was subtle enough (for me) and paired well with the sweet dates. The tahini cups were a nice contrast with a creamy base. I liked that it was nut-free, which helps for those with nut-allergies at potlucks.
I made these into mini cups, which I think worked well since you could get more filling:base ratio. Tahini can be a bit bitter, but it was tempered nicely with the sweet date-heavy filling. I still had some filling leftover, which was easily slipped into my next morning's oatmeal. The tahini base settled a bit funny on top, which is probably because I didn't use enough. I just barely had enough to surround my 24 minicups. I changed the recipe below to account for more base.
Do you like tahini in your desserts? I am inspired to try more! Perhaps these salted tahini caramels are in my future: tahini + coconut flour + sweetener!
PS. I am sharing this with Bookmarked Recipes.
Thrive's Cookies and Cream Recovery Smoothie & Cookbook Giveaway
Rob disappears and I do a cold, windy and rainy bike 100 km ride. Cameo appearance by the dreaded flat tire again. Sound familiar?
It is hard to believe, but within the span of a few days of my last solo cycling adventure, I signed up for the Tour de Houston for the 60-mile/100-km ride. More impressive (or shocking), I also dedicated some overflow vacation days to visit my parents and cycle Rideau Lakes with my Dad in June. This will be my third time on the 360 km 2-day course, I am hoping it will keep me motivated to continue to cycle throughout the summer to have fun at Cycle Oregon.
In any case, cycling season has begun. This weekend simply solidified why I love cycling so much. IT IS FUN! Even with nearly 4 hours of on-and-off again rain and fierce winds, I had a blast. Granted, I was sad Rob was missing such a fun experience but it was liberating to tackle the course at my own pace (yes, I know, Rob is usually the one waiting for me, not the other way around). I don't know how many people showed up in spite of the weather (see the video recap here), but over 5000 people registered for the event. It is infectious to be surrounded by other cyclists. I rarely see another cyclist on my commutes to work but now, I had to jostle and wind my way around so many others.
I picked this event because it is actually run by the City of Houston to promote cycling in the city. It was well marked (save one turn) and well staffed. The course changes every year to highlight different areas of Houston. This year, the course was fantastic. Nearly all intersections were staffed to give cyclists the right-of-way (most of the time, obviously they had to let cars go through as well). I also knew it would give me the courage to try out a 100 km course with lots of support. Turns out, I needed it. I found myself with a flat tire a bit after the half-way point. When I cycle with Rob, he always brings a tube, pump, and tools to fix tires but this time, I didn't. Thankfully, I turned around and one of the sag trucks found me and my sorry wheel. They brought me back to my last rest stop where I was able to get my flat tire. In addition, they then drove me back to where I had my flat tire so I could continue my journey.
I was a bit bummed because I had lost a lot of time and I was even turned away at one of the rest stops. I had a flat tire, I am not that slow! I kept thinking to myself. However, with the continuous rain, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise: the cyclists had thinned out so it was less congested but the best part was that I was mostly passing everyone. Not just a morale boost, this was incredible practical: less mud in my face! No one has mud guards, so if you are within 10 feet of the person cycling in front of you, you would be greeted with mud galore. How do I know? Right before I had my flat tire, there was a muddy patch and it landed all over my face, my glasses, my clothes and my bike.
The course was well stocked with bananas, oranges and peanuts (and pretzels which I didn't eat) but by the time I arrived at the finish line, most of the vendors had packed up for the day. I cycled home. And only then I remembered how long rides really deplete my motivation to cook. I had the most motivation to do laundry and have a bath, though. Talk about being dirty. But before that, I treated myself to a fun recovery smoothie courtesy of Brendan Brazier's new cookbook Thrive Energy Cookbook.
Based off the recipes from one of my favourite restaurants, Thrive Juice Bar, this is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing: the recipes taste great. If they are true to the restaurant, you will want to make that pad thai stat. However, the curse: that pad thai? It tastes great, in part, because each component is perfected. The recipe may be on one page but it will redirect to 4 addition recipes – three sauces/vinaigrettes and a vegetable mix. All for a single serving.
The photos are gorgeous. The recipes are tantalizing with many classic vegan combinations. I am salivating over the drinks: kale mojito (I have had that at the restaurant and it is great!), chocolate-truffle-caramel mocha, chocolate-peppermint matcha magic drink. The restaurant's Big Green Energy Charger is in there, too, which I love with a hit of maca, but I don't know how I will find my own freshly squeezed wheatgrass juice for my version to be authentic. The recipes focus on mostly whole foods, although Daiya cheese makes its appearance, numerous Vega products along with Wildwood Zesty Garlic Aioli which seems to be the base for all four aioli recipes. Some incredibly hard-to-find ingredients are included (lucuma, astralagus, ginseng, wheatgrass juice, reishi mushroom, maca) but not too many.. and most could easily be omitted. I look forward to trying out more recipes and thrilled I can share a cookbook with one of you, too.
For this smoothie recipe, nuts, chocolate and protein powder are combined to make a satisfying smoothie. I typically don't like smoothies with ice, but this was well balanced, probably because there was a larger amount of nuts than my typical smoothies. Brendan calls this a recovery smoothie although for information on his rationale for his sports recipe (either before, during or after exercise), you are redirected to his previous books.
Thankfully, the publisher allowed me to share the recipe (with my modifications, of course) AND giveaway the cookbook to a reader living in the United States. To be entered in the random draw for the cookbook, please leave a comment below. The winner will be selected at random on March 29, 2014. Good luck!
Recipes from Thrive Energy Cookbook shared elsewhere:
Roasted Red Pepper & Sweet Potato Soup
Coconut, Lemongrass and Lime Soup
Red Lentil & Chickpea Burger Patties
Avocado, Black Bean & Chipotle Burger with Chipotle Lime Aïoli
Chocolate Chip French Vanilla Smoothie
Chocolate-Almond Decadence Smoothie
Acai Berry Pre-Workout Energizer
Blood Orange and Ginger Citrus Tart
This is being submitted to Ricki's Weekend Wellness.
Raw Brownie Cake with a Chocolate Avocado Frosting
Remember Valentine's Day? I reneged on my promise to make dessert. Rob had no problem coming up with an alternative. In fact, he was happy when I said I didn't have the time to make my dessert of choice. He had already planned the whole meal!
The week post-V-Day is always special for us because we celebrate Rob's birthday and our anniversary, so I eventually made my planned dessert, too. Our stash of avocados were perfectly ripe and could I really ignore an excuse to try out a new coconut flour-based dessert?
I cobbled together a delicious dessert from a few places. The base is inspired by Emma's Raw Brownies but I topped it with a chocolate avocado frosting, based on my chocolate avocado mousse. To get a firm frosting, I used juicy Medjool dates as the sweetener (with a dash of agave only because I ran out of dates) along with a touch of lemon juice to balance the flavours. Next time, I might try a spiced version with cinnamon and cardamom again (like in my mousse).
Because I smushed this into a springform pan, this is more like a brownie cake. The brownie was delicious and it was amazingly fudgy and moist for a raw/no-cook dessert. Unlike my walnut-based raw brownie, this was lighter in texture due to the coconut flour (but more fudgy than my raw chocolate zucchini muffin). Plus the frosting just sealed the deal: delicious decadence. I highly recommend this. Although make no mistake, this is a decadent and filling treat.
This is my submission to this month's Four Seasons Food, Dead Easy Desserts and Tea Time Treats.
PS. Here's a shout-out to my Mom who got me a small off-set spatula. Which I totally used to frost the brownies. :)
PPS. Have you entered my giveaway for No Meat Athlete yet?
High Raw Vegetable Chili
Raspberries and tomatoes: red foods for Valentine's Day! Matt, a friend from Canada, is joining us right now so for tomorrow, I think Rob will be making all of us dinner! Youpee!
Tomorrow is also the day to sign up for Cycle Oregon. After mulling over our options, we decided to scrap the Houston-Austin MS 150. Instead, Rob and I will be training for the 1-day 100 mile Shiner GASP (Great Austin to Shiner Pedal) ride this spring. For many reasons, we switched allegiances. I always prefer the first day of the long cycling rides and this will allow us to enjoy some time in Austin afterwards. (Free beer from the Spoetzle Brewery once we finish doesn't hurt, either). And yes, it is only a stepping stone. Our master plan (provided we snag a porter) is to do Cycle Oregon this fall.
Cycle Oregon is not for the faint of heart: 2200 cyclists. 7 days. The route changes every year and this year it is over 400 miles and over 30,000 ft in incline. The hilly route mimics a portion of our beautiful roadtrip from Portland to Burning Man. This time, it will be by bike instead of by car.
Having a goal is a great way to stay on track. Even though we haven't started training in earnest yet (blasted knees!), reading Gena's snippet in No Meat Athlete about raw foods, reminded me why it is good to incorporate a variety of foods into your diet. Cooked or raw. And raw definitely does not need to be a salad. In the winter (even Houston's winter), it can be hard for me to eat salads.
Filled with veggies, this is a fun twist on chili, done raw-style. A hybrid of my raw chili dip and chili salad wraps, this is a fun high-raw hearty chili. Red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes spiced with chili powder, tamarind and cocoa powder (YES!) create a smooth sauce that coats more veggies and beans. I used cooked pinto beans to make this a filling dish (and in my experience, easier to digest than using sprouted beans).
Is anyone else planning to do Cycle Oregon? We hope to have a small Cobra* contingent.
*Cobras are the name of our biker gang. We are a very inclusive bunch. Join us!
PS. This is my submission to Anyone Can Cook Vegetarian Food for tomatoes.
Raw Austrian Linzer Tarts
One thing my friends and family have heckled me about recently (not my knees, thank goodness), is my purchase of 25 lbs of coconut flour last year.
What will you make with it? What's your plan?
It may seem like I have a plan for most of my purchases, but not this one. Reading through a new cookbook with coconut flour recipes, I envisioned running through my coconut flour fairly quickly. And while I have been pretty good with making a few recipes with coconut flour, the recipes only use a small amount.
I did the math. I
don't think know I will not be able to finish all of my coconut flour before I leave Houston. That would be over a pound per week. No. Can. Do.
Instead, I am having a lot of fun experimenting. This dessert intrigued me as it asked for a lot of coconut flour compared to the nut flour. I wondered how it would bind together without dates or oil. I tried it out. And true enough, it did not stick together. It was dry as a bone. Natasha told me to have faith, it would clump if I pressed it really hard in my pie plate.
I pressed and pressed. And then gave up. Perhaps the secret was the refrigerator chilling. I opted to try remedy the recipe myself: I added more sweetener, some oil and lots of almond milk. Coconut flour is thirsty, give it some liquid! I added and added until I felt the batter come together. I pressed it into a 6″ springform pan (unpictured), topped it with the radacious raspberry puree and sprinkled more of the batter overtop.
With still some batter and puree leftover, I created these mini versions. Too cute not to photograph and share.
The larger pie pieces stayed together easily, but that could be because I left it in the fridge longer. These were inhaled within a few hours. Don't wait too long to eat your dessert, though. The coconut flour will dry up (sucking it from your raspberries perhaps) and taste a bit chalky. However, with a crumbly base, it is akin to a linzertorte, the Austrian cake with a pastry base, a fruit jam topping and the classic lattice topping. Delicate lattices are for chumps when you can much easily make a delicious, delicate crumb topping. ;)
Do you have any recipes you love with coconut flour?
Vegan coconut flour recipes I love:
Nut-Free Raw Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
Chocolate Zucchini Protein Brownies
Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
This is my submission to Raw Food Thursdays.
Lucuma Macadamia Smoothie & Superfood Smoothies Cookbook Giveaway!
There was How I Spent My New Year's Eve and now How I Spent My New Year's Day.
Who did not enjoy a mid-week hump day holiday?
Because we had returned to Houston, this was a New Year's Day like no other. It was reasonably warm outside. Rob had a taco craving. The much-hyped taco restaurant was open on January 1. We wanted to cycle. So we combined the plans.
In truth, while I cycle to/from work every day, our weekend rides have dwindled in between all our travel, cold and rainy weather and lastly Rob's cold. By the time I became infected, I was only inflicted by a minor sore throat (so far, at least). I didn't let that stop us from cycling for tacos.
Instead of our dawn-cracking bicycle rides of summer yonder, our winter cycling is more of an afternoon affair. In Houston, daily temperatures are at their peak around 3-4 pm, whereas in Toronto, it is more like 1-2 pm. In any case, we forged ahead. Rob picked the location that would lead best to a bike ride.
We picked a nice bike trail that is fairly sheltered from motorists. While construction has demolished its uninterrupted bicycle bliss (Houston's construction season must be winter), it was a great ride… and surprisingly without too many other people sharing the path.
While the bike ride was fantastic, nearly 40 km and with a good pace, we had a much slower pace at the restaurant. Because it was THE place to be… we had to wait at least 15 minutes prior to being seated. Rob felt vindicated, though. He had eaten the best tacos yet, although I still feel like those in Mexico City were superior. Rob pointed out that the commute is much easier if we stay within Houston.
Hope you enjoyed your holiday, too.
After our ride, I treated us to this delicious smoothie. A little messy, but I decided not to clean up my mess. All for a better photo, no? ;)
While we have a freezer filled with frozen bananas, I like to whip together banana-free smoothies, too. Dates and lucuma powder provide the sweet caramel undertones for this creamy smoothie. Banana usually lends well to both creaminess and sweetness, and in this case, the creaminess comes from tofu, hemp seeds and macadamia nuts. It is actually a very simple smoothie but it tasted great. It kind of brought whole foods smoothie to a new level for me (due to the lack of non-dairy milk). In addition to the lack of banana, this smoothie was fun because you basically create your own non-dairy milk from macadamia nuts and tofu.
This is just one of the creative craveable concoctions from Julie Morris' Superfood Smoothies. She has really outdone herself, because there are so many wonderful drinks here: watermelon acai, carrot cardamom, mango chili, cucumber mint, chocolate kale, mint chip, mayan chocolate, maca oat, pineapple maca, red velvet cake (with roasted beets!) and even a chocolate smoothie with cauliflower.
All of the smoothie focus on plant-based ingredients, with a special focus on superfoods. Superfoods including standard fruits and vegetables but also less common ingredients (aka expensive) like acai, macqui, maca and camu powders, dried mulberries, hemp seeds, and fresh coconut water. A handy substitution chart at the back of the book will help with substitutions, but let's be honest: smoothies are meant to be forgiving. Most of the time, the hard-to-find ingredients could be omitted altogether since they are used in limited amount, substituted with something more common or you could splurge and just use a little bit of them for each smoothie, which would last you a long time. A bit more of a bother for me was the inclusion of different juices in the recipes – carrot, apple, orange, pomegranate, aloe, etc. I would rather throw in a whole carrot than only use its juice, but one is way more sweet than the other… and way more juicy. If you use the recipes as a guide, I don't think you will be let down. Furthermore, while there may or may not be a conflict of interest, Julie is a spokesperson and executive chef for a company that sells said expensive superfoods. Although her work with the Smoothment (Smoothie Movement), may indeed make her an expert with such ingredients. Perhaps if you drink your way through this cookbook, you will become one, too.
Thankfully the publisher is letting me give a cookbook to one reader living in the continental United States (sorry to all my non-US readers). To be entered, please leave a comment here, telling me about your favourite smoothie. If you have yet to venture into the land of smoothies, have a look through the index of Superfood Smoothies on amazon (or any of the smoothies listed here) and tell me what you want to drink the most. I will randomly select a winner on January 15, 2014. Good luck!
Superfood Smoothies spotted elsewhere:
Toasted Coconut and Macadamia Smoothie
Lemon-Lime Smoothie (with Bok Choy!)
Cocoa Cream (aka Chocolate Dream Smoothie)
This is my submission to this week's Weekend Wellness and to this month's Random Recipes.
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with an Almond-Coconut Crust
Hope everyone had a nice holiday. Back at work for me, already.
Rob and I returned to Canada, in all of its ice storm, power-deficient
stateprovince. Over half a million people lost power in the days leading up to Christmas and just before we scooted back to Houston, my brother lost his power, for the second time, on Boxing Day.
With a few short days in the GTA, we explored Toronto as tourists: fast and furious. We met up with many friends and family, reminding ourselves why we love Toronto so much. Despite the cold, the warmth comes from our social network. We cooked, we ate at both new and old (favourite) restaurants and relished in multiple Christmas feasts.
As I said, I didn't have enough forethought to bring any treats with me from Houston. Nothing lost, as I was oftentimes filled to the brim with good food, and had no desire to cook. However, while in Woodstock, I spotted a few pantry staples that could easily be whipped into a shockingly simple dessert. I could not resist. I am shocked I am sharing another dessert with you all, but in case you are looking for a fun party dessert, this could be your treat.
I threw together almonds, coconut and dates for a simple raw pie crust. The salt and vanilla accentuate the sweet maple syrup and dates. You could replace the coconut with additional nuts, but I enjoyed the textural foil next to the rich smooth filling. The filling was super simple: a bag of melted chocolate chips mixed with canned coconut milk and lots of peanut butter. At first I thought the peanut butter was a bit odd, but when you consider that the majority of raw cheesecakes are made with an abundance of cashews whipped into a butter, the leguminous peanut butter made sense. Combined with chocolate, you have a winning treat. It is rich and filling without being cloyingly sweet. And I even used semi-sweet chocolate.
Are you back at work, too? This is my shortest Christmas holiday yet.
This is my submission to this month's We Should Cocoa.
Raw Apple Cinnamon Macaroons
I have embraced being a (temporary) Texan.
Summer in November? Yes.
Biking year round? Definitely.
I have obviously already forgotten about the hot, humid summer..
One problem, though: my dates are all messed up. Time is literally flying by. I saw an event for the end of November and thought it was weeks away. It was warm and sunny at the time… my internal clock had not registered that yes, it is indeed almost winter. At home, they've received more snow and cold weather than I can recall seeing in November.
I would be hard to pity me, though.. That warm spell disappeared and it is cold again. It will be a low at freezing point tonight. And I forgot (or did not pack?) my winter cycling gloves in Canada. Either that, or they are lost. :( I hope it is the former.
The warm weather partially explains my penchant for raw eats despite the season. The other, is that raw is easy to make and this was a recipe I knew would be fabulous. When Rob and I visited Ellen and Andy on our road trip to Houston, we shared a veritable feast for breakfast and these were my favourite treat. I have made raw (chocolate) macaroons before, but these were simply delightful. Apple, cinnamon and caramel-like dates are pulsed together with almonds and coconut for an autumn/winter-inspired treat. A touch of maple syrup and a sprinkle of salt made the flavours veritably pop.
These are so simple to make, but absolutely delicious.
Are you building your holiday treat roster yet? What are you excited to make?
This is my submission to this month's Bookmarked Recipes.
Curried Ginger Date Bok Choy and Soy Knots
To all those celebrating, Happy Diwali!
While Rob remains away (he came and left again), I was whisked away by friends into a wonderfully chaotic Diwali celebration over the weekend. A huge crowd came to the Houston BAPS in Sugarland to enjoy the music, light and firework display for the Indian festival of lights. A place named Sugarland, a suburb of Houston, seems like a fitting place for a Diwali celebration which includes a lot of dancing, fun, and food including Indian sweets.
While I don't know the difference between a laddoo, burfi, and mysore pak, I can tell you all about how make dhokla, a steamed chickpea flour bread, and baked (not fried!) pakoras. Obviously, I am all over the savoury Indian meals. While I adore Indian curries, I like mixing Indian spices with other dishes as well.
Enter this simple bok choy skillet with soy knots. I got the idea from Iyer's newest cookbook, Indian Cooking Unfolded. Iyer, the author of one of our favourite Indian cookbooks 660 Curries, has written a new cookbook that is, in essence, a cooking class in book form. Based on his own cooking curriculum, he takes you through different cooking techniques in each chapter, highlighting ingredients, methods and tips for each recipe. What it lacks in number of recipes, he makes up for it in sharing his cooking knowledge.
So, I took his idea for a quick-and-easy ginger raisin bok choy side dish and turned it into a heartier ginger date bok choy skillet with soy knots. I swapped dates for the raisins and added in these interesting soy knots. To be honest, I prefer the texture of the yuba skins (aka tofu intestines) as they were very dense. The recipe, though, is a keeper. A colourful keeper perfect for any celebration. A bit more spicy than I am used to (darn, green chiles in the tomatoes) but it mellowed as leftovers and worked well with the sweetness of the dates.
If you celebrated Diwali, how did you enjoy it?
Raw Caramel Apple (without any apple!)
I know I said I don't like to play food guessing games with others. However, Rob is fair game. He gets it all.the.time. More along the lines of How does this taste? Sometimes, What do you think I should add to this? And then the infamous, What does this taste like? Guess what is in it!
You could probably guess just by looking at these photos, but I gave Rob smaller bits to sample. In fact, this was a two-step taste-test. Sauce alone and then after dehydrating it onto the bits.
First of all, this was a real simple recipe. Just whiz the ingredients together for the caramel sauce, stir it onto your "apple" bits and dehydrate for 12 hours.
Even before dehydrating the sauce, I thought it tasted great. Rob agreed. I asked him to guess the ingredients: cinnamon, almonds, and apple. Close: cinnamon, yes; almond butter, yes; but no apple, I informed him. That sweet taste was from dates.
I proceeded with the recipe, and then tried the now dehydrated sauce: oh my gosh, it tasted like sticky, wonderful caramel. Not too sweet, well balanced by the cinnamon. It had coated the "apple bits". They were soft and sweet. Rob tried it and loved it. He still thought it reminded him of apple. Even though there was still no apple, Rob reminded me I had just created raw caramelized apple. He knew it before I did!
And that secret non-apple? Cauliflower! It really is a textural issue. Crisp yet soft (hard to explain). Sweet. With smaller pieces drenched in the sauce, you would never believe it was cauliflower. Bigger pieces had a more pronounced cauliflower flavour (and a telltale shape), but had a nice crunch.
Dehydrating is a magical thing. Definitely more than the sum of its parts. Looking at the recipe, there is a lot of water. You need it to be able to blend it smoothly, but after dehydrating it away you, the dates are more sweet and caramelized. Eating this straight from the dehydrator, still warm, was a treat. I only wish I had made more, because this did not last long at all.
Trust me, I have nothing against apple. I love apples. I eat a minimum of half dozen a week. I also love dehydrating apples into chips but usually save that when apples are ridiculously cheap in the fall. I make a small internal sob every time I shell out more than $1/lb for apples, which is the usual in Texas. (Although I nearly flipped out when I saw Honeycrisp apples for only $1.29/lb a few weeks ago.. those are ungoldy expensive in Toronto).
Thus, the question still remains: how would this caramel sauce taste on real apples (in the dehydrator)? I don't think they would be as crisp, but definitely more sweet. I would be afraid they would collapse more into mush, but if you try it out, please let me know! :)
PS. The winner of The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen giveaway is Gloria. Congratulations!
PPS. I noticed my typo for ungoldy. It was meant to be ungodly, but I like my new word. It fits. :)
This is my submission to this week's Vegan Potluck Linky, Raw Food Thursdays and to this month's Bookmarked Recipes.
Citrus Collards and Chickpeas (& Tips for Moving to Houston)
And then there were three.
Three Canadians in Houston!
One of my friends recently moved here and I could not be more thrilled.
After massive hugs and giggles, Rob and I tried had to pass on our new-found Texan/American wisdom:
1. Beware of the drivers and HUGE potholes. Houston's roads are pretty atrocious (broken roads explained here)
2. Beware of the new bugs here
3. Get used to the heat, quickly. Stay indoors. Use the air conditioner. Do not go outside between 9am and 5pm. ;)
4. Get used to the sporadic rain. In Houston, it will rain like crazy for half an hour, then stop and dry up within another hour. I shudder to think what it will be like when a hurricane hits.
5. Locate your closest recycling depot, fastest DMV, nicest bank
6. Speaking of DMV, learn how to import a Canadian car. It needs a special anti-theft check done once a week during a 30 minute window. Yikes!
7. Lament about the terrible cell phone reception, even within our own home
8. Your SSN is very important. You need it to get paid (and open a bank account). When you are ready to get your SSN (do it ASAP, but after they resume working), show up an hour before they open. Even then, there will still be thirty people ahead of you, possibly more since they have been on shutdown
9. Saturday mail. Yes, they deliver mail on Saturdays!
10. Insurance, insurance, insurance… medical, home/rental, car, etc. Credit card? Well, we have yet to get one from a US bank.
… and many more that I have forgotten or have yet to learn
Of course, we also shared our tips for our favourite grocery stores. We tried to explain the awesomeness of Trader Joe' but we could see it was lost in translation. Thus, we took matters into our own hands. We brought her for a personalized tour of our favourite eats. Cheap pantry staples, beer, almond milk, vegan ice cream, etc… now we're talking!
Inspired by talking all things local, I went Southern with my meal, too. Similar to my last Southern beans and greens saute, this is a dish that is more than the sum of its parts. The original recipe was just for the citrus collards, but I swapped things around: dates instead of raisins (and less of them) along with chickpeas to make this a complete meal. Collards are local to the Southern United States, especially during the fall, and are best during the winter. I love collards in all of its forms, but it can be bitter if cooked poorly. This dish uses a few techniques to coax the collards into sweet submission.
First of all, this dish a bit more fiddly than a throw-into-the-pan stir fry. The collards are boiled, blanched and dried. This prevents the need to cook them into oblivion. Next, a quick saute is enough to infuse the greens with the sweetness to offset the collards' astringency. Fresh orange juice and dates provide a great flavour, too. And then I threw in the chickpeas.
It is funny how our taste buds work. We thought this dish was fabulous. It exceeded my expectations. And then Rob said it: it smelled like bacon. The dish had a depth of flavour that was definitely was reminiscent of bacon even though we did not use liquid smoke nor maple syrup. It must be something about sweet, chewy things that reminds us of bacon. In this case, I think it was the caramel undertones from the pan-roasted dates.
Do you have any other tips for moving to the US? Do you feel like your pant-based meals taste like bacon, too?
This is my submission to this month's Random Recipe for local ingredients, to this month's Shop Local Challenge and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck.
Raw Chunky Tomato Marinara Sauce with Zucchini Noodles
Our vacation was pretty awesome. And pretty overdue. While road tripping from Toronto to Houston was fun, it definitely was not a vacation. Since tickets to Burning Man can be very hard to get, we planned this trip last winter. Rob has been a few times and only had positive things to say about it (other than the insidious playa dust). In my mind, I thought: Hey, Texas is pretty close to Nevada. We should go to Burning Man! True enough, Houston is closer to Nevada than Toronto is to Nevada, but Houston is still 2000 km from Reno. Not that close.
I plan to summarize Burning Man in next week's posts, as I recoup and regroup this week. Suffice it to say, I thought it was hot while camping in Nevada's desert. We boarded the plane from Reno and landed in Houston. A week away and I had already forgotten how HOT, HOT, HOT (and humid) it is in Houston. Since Rob turned off the air conditioner while we were gone, we were greeted with an empty fridge and a hot kitchen. Other than thawing some (delicious) freezer meals, I had little interest in cooking anything. Zucchini noodles to the rescue!
Zucchini noodles have been my go-to lunch this summer. Gabby warned me that Houston's heat would lead me to more raw foods and she was right. My meals have become simpler. Zucchini noodles are simple enough and of course, are just a vector for the sauce. The end of summer is a prime time for juicy tomatoes, at least in Ontario. I have yet to find tasty tomatoes here in Houston, so I have resorted to cherry tomatoes, which, in general, have more flavour. A portion of the fresh tomatoes are pulsed with a red bell pepper and sun-dried tomatoes along with a bunch of fresh herbs (basil and oregano) and garlic. A dash of chile flakes give a bit of kick and a date balances it out with a bit of sweetness. I topped it with some hemp seeds, too. I actually used a lot more than what I photographed since I knew it wouldn't be as photogenic. ;) I usually add the sauce and hemp seeds just before I eat the salad but I took photos of my partially packed lunch. Of course, this sauce will work equally well with your favourite spaghetti-type noodle.
What is your easy, no-cook go-to meal?
This is my submission to this month's Pasta Please for long noodles, hosted by Johanna, to this week's Healthy Vegan Fridays, and to this month's Cooking with Herbs. (more…)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (No Bake)
I have discovered the secret to living in Houston's summer. You need to fall into one of these two groups of people:
1. The people who wake up early before the sun rises
2. The people who stay up late after the sun sets
Rob and I have been exploring Houston by bicycle on the weekends. At 7am, we'll cycle the deserted streets, only to find the paths at the parks literally packed with joggers and walkers. We must be thinking along the same lines: if you are going to be outdoors, best to do it before the sweltering heat arrives.
We quickly learned that Houston is wonderful after sunset. Many public events start late in the day, again to beat the heat.
The problem is trying to fit into category 1 and 2, on the same day. Suffice it to say, after a long bike ride in the morning, I was almost asleep mid-way through a Shakespeare in the Park production later that evening. The comfortable, balmy weather was a bit too conducive to napping. We didn't even last past the intermission, HA! It was a splendid day, though.
Speaking of cycling in the Houston heat, it is very, very important to keep hydrated and fuelled. Even short runs are more demanding. This is a portable snack recipe I promised a while back. I whipped them up with the odds and ends in my mom's kitchen before we left for our cycle to Kingston. I must have had some forethought because I remember bringing the coconut flour with me. My master plan for a chocolate date and peanut butter combo was thwarted because the dough was just too runny. But the magic of coconut flour did the trick. It is a very thirsty flour, so it sopped up the batter into portable chewy balls. The peanut butter made them rich and decadent, balanced by the sweetness of the dates and cocoa flavour.
A treat like this is perfect for fuelling during long rides. While our weekend rides are more around 50km now; in this heat, we feel like it gets a conversion factor of 1.5x for intensity. We are still a long way from the MS 150, but we're hoping to improve our distance as the weather improves…. you know, in October, when it is supposed to cool down.
Are you a morning person, a night person, both or neither?
This is my submission to this month's We Should Cocoa for truffles. (more…)


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February 9, 2011
Senator Jim Webb announced Wednesday that he will not run for re-election in 2012. He made his announcement in an e-mail in which he said he intends to return to the private sector.
Webb visited Charlottesville on Jan. 20 amid rumors that he may not defend his seat. The Senate Democrat issued the following statement on Tuesday:
It has been a great and continuing privilege to serve in the United States Senate. I am very proud of my talented and dedicated staff, which has worked tirelessly to resolve the issues on which I based my candidacy, and to protect the interests of all Virginians in this national forum.
Among other contributions we have given our Post- 9/11 veterans the best GI Bill since World War Two; we have taken the lead in reforming our criminal justice system; we have led the way toward stronger relations in East and Southeast Asia; and we have been a strong voice in calling on China to act more responsibly in the world community. We will continue to work on these and other issues throughout the rest of my term.
However, after much thought and consideration I have decided to return to the private sector, where I have spent most of my professional life, and will not seek re-election in 2012.
Notwithstanding this decision, I have every intention of remaining involved in the issues that affect the well-being and the future of our country.
Webb's decision is a blow to Democrats, who now must find a replacement to run in the state.
Several Republicans have already begun campaigning, including former Virginia Governor George Allen. Allen signed and delivered his declaration of candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2012 back on Jan. 24.
Allen released the following statement regarding Webb's announcement:
"I respect Senator Webb's service to our country and the very personal decision that he and his family have made. I did not enter into this race to run against any one person, but to fight for the families of Virginia to improve their opportunities in life."
Governor Bob McDonnell added the following:
"Senator Jim Webb has spent his life serving our Commonwealth and our country. As a young Marine he bravely served on the front lines in Vietnam. Later he served his nation in the Reagan Administration, including a stint as Secretary of the Navy. Most recently his public service has come in the field of politics, representing the people of Virginia as a United States Senator. He cares deeply about this nation, and our future.
I applauded his leadership in passing the Post-9/11 GI Bill expanding education benefits to veterans. I greatly appreciated his partnership and leadership in addressing the proposed closing of Joint Forces Command.
Jim Webb puts his country first, and I thank him for the public service he has long provided, while looking forward to the continuation of that service, albeit in a different capacity, in the years ahead. I wish him, his family and his staff the very best."


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There's no such thing as a free lunch, even when you're President of the United States.Read Full Story
On Thursday in the backyard of Gwyneth Paltrow's Brentwood, California, home, it was all about political fundraising — apart from the fact that the actress might have a crush on President Barack Obama.Read Full Story
Fans know that Gwyneth Paltrow takes her duties at Goop very seriously. The actress is now taking that "hostess with the mostest" title to the next level by heading a dinner party for the President of the United States.Read Full Story
You know who's a bad b****? President Obama. For proof, just check out the new video of him "covering" Iggy Azalea's "Fancy." OK, OK. So, maybe he's not really singing the song. But it's still the best thing we've seen all week.Read Full Story
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Genre: Series, Silhouette Desire, Current Series Imprints
Brenna Montgomery moved to Tranquility, Texas to escape the reminders of her broken heart. She has no intention of allowing a man to control her again, including the incredibly handsome Sheriff Dylan Chandler. That's fine with him: Dylan has no intention of allowing the beautiful Brenna anywhere near his heart. Then why does Dylan's enroll in Brenna's art class, rather than attending the weekly poker game? Readers will easily relate to the realistic and entertaining characters in A LAWMAN IN HER STOCKING (4) by Kathie DeNosky, right down to Brenna's insatiable need for chocolate!
Reviewed By: Angela Keck
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: November 2002


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Tall plants produce big, double, bright mandarin-orange flowers. A stunning color that really makes a bold statement.
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Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
America's Top Source for Pure Heirloom Seeds


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These words of wisdom impart tips on how to apply for a "situation" (apparently, a synonym for job). Antiquated-yet-timeless and originally pulled from an instructional book from 1891—this old-timey print will have you wondering how you've ever landed a gig without it.
Silk-screened on khaki-colored paper. Unframed.
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mailing list archives
I haven't seen much on this on this list, or dns/bind.
Is everyone following this topic, and what do you all think?
I've written a second draft of my comments to them which runs about 480
lines; is anyone interested in seeing it/I'd appreciate the opportunity
to post it for commentary and peer (?! :-) review, before I send it
-- jra
Jay R. Ashworth jra () baylink com
Member of the Technical Staff Unsolicited Commercial Emailers Sued
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As the dust settles (or the flames grow, however you want to consider it) on Donald Sterling and his tenure as Los Angeles Clippers owner, the bids are piling in to vie to take over the Clipper throne. Although there may be a long, drawn out fight for control of the Clippers, one has to question if the Lakers "little brother" will spread his wings…and move OUT (of Staples Center).
For the last 15 years the Lakers and Clippers have shared an arena. It's considered quite inexplicable as to why Sterling has spurned Orange County early and often to secure the Clippers their own identity in their own arena. Outside the common consensus, being that Sterling simply wanted to hob nob with the stars in downtown L.A. at Staples, there's been good reasons to move the Los Angeles Clippers to Anaheim.
The Clippers move can and will generate a more regional revenue for the franchise, for starters. Currently sharing only 30% of revenue with the Lakers, a new arena, more local fan base, and more individualistic identity can definitely create more loyalty as well as spending. The Angels and Ducks of Anaheim enjoy this luxury as they pull in over 40% of revenue sharing with cross town rivals the Dodgers and Kings. Thus, there's money to be made.
Now of course, the Clippers are "locked" into a lease until 2024. However, it doesn't sound impossible that the Lakers would be willing to accept a payday for the Clippers to move out and break their lease. With billionaires such as David Geffen, Henry Samueli (who's longed to move an NBA team into Anaheim), and Larry Ellison, all highly interested in the Clippers, the bottom line (money), could be a high motivation to pay the very large tab to move the Clippers into an arena of their own.
And, if you are the superstitious type, you may be convinced that a move to Anaheim may soon bring the Clippers an NBA title. Hey, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Angels have championship hardware, right?
When you add the near-great fan bases, a higher chance to create more revenue, and a break into establishing your own home base and identity as a franchise, moving the Clippers can speak in volumes for what it can do for the franchise.
Tags: Donald Sterling Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers NBA NBA Relocation Staples Center


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Written by:
Unlike many, I found ways to transcend
I attempt to show you my ways
to put your sorrows to an end.
However, I am drained with this trend.
Do you ever question if I pretend?
I bottle up my uncertainties, hoping for amend.
I hope one day you'll comprehend,
I desire a friend that will lend me a hand for a change.


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MuniLand Snaps: April 12
Reuters' David Cay Johnston has a stunning story about the 16 states that allow 2,700 companies to withhold state income taxes from their employees and pocket the money instead of turning it over to the state treasuries. His story helps explain the low level of corporate tax collections by states. A must-read for muniland.
Good Links
Pension Corporation: The real value of a defined-benefit pension
FT: Many states face legal challenges over pension plans
Pittsburgh Tribune: Monroeville, PA is rushing to create a finance authority
Boston.com: Boston mayor's budget would add a small number of employees
WSJ: Big banks would be bypassed with BlackRock bond platform
Bond Buyer: Ebb and flow of muni mutual funds has an outsize impact on the market
Learn Bonds: Useful list of retail offering periods
Bloomberg: Jefferson County, creditors open fight on size of bond payments
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