text:
Sunday, February 12, 2006
News From the Bizarro-verse and Other "Sacrifice" Thoughts
Seriously, has anyone sat down and worked out the sheer amount of dimness that was required to make "Sacrifice"'s plot work? First there's Sesha and her friends, who genuinely believe that they're going to get somewhere by taking people hostage and threatening to shoot them. Did they not have cop shows in the twelve colonies? Doesn't everyone with a halfway functional brain know how hostage situations play out? Those people were dead the minute they shot off their weapons, and it boggles the mind that they actually thought Adama would deal with them. The only question was how many of the hostages were going to end up in body bags. Then there's Starbuck, who has somehow forgotten that she's a pilot, not a marine, and doesn't have the expertise for armed combat outside of a cockpit (which, granted, raises the question of why she was put in charge of the assault team in "Bastille Day"). Ellen Tigh's stupidity in blowing Starbuck's cover is pretty much the reason that shooting breaks out (Starbuck may have been wrong to go into the room, but she was right to reach for her weapons once her cover was blown--she would have ended up dead or one of the hostages otherwise). And, of course, Adama and Sesha race each other to finish line to see which one of them can commit a greater act of idiocy--is it Sesha, who honestly needs to have it pointed out to her that the grey, frozen and slightly decomposing corpse of the first Boomer was not killed recently, or Adama, who pulls a switcheroo so obvious that a four year old would see through it and yet fails to demand a release of hostages before delivering the corpse, thus necessitating further gunplay (Roslin is right to blame Adama for Billy's death, but not because he wouldn't hand Sharon over but because he so thoroughly squandered this opportunity)?
Far more disturbing than the fact that they're borrowing tricks from the Stargate: Atlantis writing staff is the fact that, for all their talk about writing morally complex stories, Galactica's writers have consistently chosen, thus far in the winter season, to paint their characters' antagonists as one-note caricatures. The argument can be made that the fleet's bereaved civilians deserve justice, and that harboring a Cylon agent and lying to the fleet about it is a miscarriage of Adama and Roslin's responsibility to the civilian population. And since even Adama begins to suspect Sharon of manipulating and misleading him, Sesha's argument that Sharon needs to be killed in order to protect the fleet is clearly meant to have some merit to it. However, as presented in this episode, the woman is clearly deranged, and her motivation--grief over the death of her husband--is not only overstated but unappealing. As many commenters have already said, every single person in the fleet has lost someone, and the episode fails to make us feel for Sesha and her compatriots--the unfortunate flashbacks of Ray's death are simply overkill, and frankly do more to raise questions about the writers' priorities. They keep us completely in the dark about Dualla and Lee's burgeoning relationship, but they have time to repeat that ineffective flashback three or four times?
"Sacrifice" would have been a much stronger episode if we could have sympathized with Sesha or been swayed by her argument, but not since the death of Admiral Cain have Galactica's writers chosen to give us such a complicated villain. The pro-Cylon activists in "Epiphanies" are painted as deluded fools and terrorists, whose arguments are incoherent and under-explored. They are being duped by a Cylon agent, and their representative is a semi-psychotic who couldn't argue his way out of a paper bag and is playing the tired old 'we're the political arm' game that we all know is the universal identifier of someone who can't be trusted or reasoned with. The black marketeers, who characterize themselves as providing a necessary relief valve for the fleet, are actually nascent mobsters who steal medication, murder anyone who gets in their way, and, just in case we weren't sold on their evilness, run a child prostitution ring. There are arguments to be made for treating the Cylons like people and trying to reason with them. There are arguments to be made for allowing illegal trade in the fleet. None of these arguments are showing up on the screen, and the resulting stories are flat and simplistic.
If the hostage-takers are unappealing, the main characters barely even show up on the screen. Adama's lines seem to have been spliced together from snippets of previous episodes, and his interactions with Tigh and Sharon fizzle instead of crackling. Lee, who obviously wasn't going to die, doesn't have much to do beyond bleed, and although both Katee Sackhoff and Mary McDonnell hit the ball out of the park in, respectively, the scene in which Starbuck tells Adama about the botched reconnaissance mission and Roslin's breakdown in the morgue, they have little to do during most of the episode. The fact that the "Sacrifice" doesn't fail entirely can be directly attributed to Billy Keikeya, who in many ways is the episode's heart and soul. I understand that Paul Campbell's departure from the show was partly his own decision, as his relatively small role was keeping him from pursuing other work. It's the right decision for him and I wish him well in his career (and hell, if things don't work out, we can always discover that Billy was a Cylon), and there's no question that the character got a proper send-off.
In his last day of life, Billy is smart enough to realize that Roslin has to be honest with the fleet, and brave enough to say so to her and Adama's faces. He makes a bold move with Dee and, once he realizes how thoroughly he has misjudged her feelings for him, gives her a much-deserved dressing-down (I have no problem with the fact that Dee doesn't love Billy, but keeping him around as a fallback while she propositions Lee is tacky). In the bar, Billy is the only person who bothers to argue with the hostage-takers, and his response to their argument--"They're all good men"--is clear and precise. I don't believe that Billy's final act of courage was an attempt to be the soldier that, he thinks, Dualla desires, but a genuine expression of his willingness to stand up and fight. Billy took his vitamins the day he died and, although things didn't exactly work out for him, he spent that day being the best possible version of himself--smart, courageous, morally staunch, and dignified. I'm glad we had the opportunity to see him that way. But for fuck's sake, you can't put Billy Keikeya in the same room as Ellen Tigh, put a gun to both their heads, and have that fine young man be the one who ends up getting carried out feet first.
I understand that there are Galactica fans who genuinely enjoy Ellen's antics, just as there were fans last season who thought Six's All Vamp, All the Time act was appealing. I feel for these people and I hope they get the help they so obviously need, because Ellen Tigh is thoroughly, and deliberately, disgusting. In everything she does, in every single word that comes out of her mouth, she is despicable. Cowardly, lascivious, dishonest, disloyal, and, worst of all, criminally, painfully stupid, she is clearly an attempt on the writers' part to get our gorge rising, and I don't appreciate it. Ellen is a caricature who couldn't find a second dimension with two hands and a flashlight, with no appealing or redeeming characteristics. For all that the winter season has been problematic, Galactica should still be above her kind of character. I understand that the resonance of Ellen's death wouldn't begin to approach the tragedy of Billy's (hell, I would have been cheering in the streets if she'd gotten a bullet to the head), but the character needs to go, and her death would have been a perfect opportunity to drive a wedge between Adama and (the criminally underused, these last six episodes) Tigh. Instead, Billly's death precipitates a cooling of Adama and Roslin's relationship, and I'm sorry, but we've already done that and we know who comes out on top. Ellen's purpose in "Sacrifice" was to advance the plot through her stupidity and selfishness (if she'd stayed in the bathroom with Lee, it's likely he wouldn't have been caught and eventually shot, which as previously mentioned is also Ellen's fault), which, once again, is lazy writing. The character needs to be gotten rid of, and it pains me to see the writers squander such a perfect opportunity to do so.
I honestly don't understand where the Galactica writers' heads are these days. They seem to have cast character continuity by the wayside (did you know that they actually shot scenes of Starbuck having an empty and meaningless assignation on Cloud Nine? Did they not watch last week's episode?) in exchange for disposable plots that don't really work with the show's overarching plotlines. When I wrote about the summer season, I expressed concern about Galactica's standalone episodes, but it never occurred to me that the writers were so willing to sacrifice the overall feel of the show in order to tell whatever story had caught their fancy, or that they were truly incapable of marrying Galactica's mood and tone to a non-arc plot. Which brings me to the scary thought I mentioned at the beginning of this entry, and I want you to sit down or hold on to something before you read this: for overall entertainment value, Battlestar Galactica's winter season has been running a distant second to Stargate: Atlantis. Hell, I actually enjoyed Friday's Stargate: SG-1 entry more than I did "Sacrifice", and not just because it reunited Ben Browder with leather pants. Which, assuming that I haven't shifted into the bizarro-verse, is not a sentence that I ever anticipated typing. Even with four episodes still unaired (and, I suspect, with the arc about to heat up again), the winter season is already shaping up as the least successful block of episodes in the show's history. It's time for the writers to take their vitamins, remind themselves of the kind of show they're trying to make, and get back on track.
11 comments:
Hm. I mostly agree with you, I don't think they've handled the non-arc episodes very well. I have two points of departure:
1. I'm finding the Stargate shows unbelievably shoddy and dire lately. I've been a long term watcher, Stargate SG-1 as soon as it went to syndication and Atlantis from the beginning, and I've always kept my expectations for the show limited, but nowadays most episodes cause me physical pain. When I'm upset with Galactica, my thoughts tend to run something like "Oh, I wish they'd done that a little differently.", or "That was an odd choice.", as opposed to the Stargate shows where I think "Jesus, are they drunk? Can they run the script past a seven year old to check for logic?" I realize the Stargate franchise isn't intended to be the TV equivalent of Shakespear, but even the fluffy sci-fi adventure flavor has fallen to sub-Andromeda levels.
The other point isn't so much a disagreement as an observation, which is that I believe I read somewhere that for some reason (don't know why), some of these Galactica eps are airing out of production order, which is screwing with some of the character progression/continuity (for example, I believe Starbuck's assignation on Cloud Nine was supposed to have taken place before the events of Scar, and that originally she was supposed to be impaired either by drunkeness or hangover when she shot Lee, while Lee's recovery from the shooting explained his lack of flying in Scar.) But they've had to re-edit and rejigger and cut certain scenes. So it's all higgeldy piggeldy. No idea what caused them to do that. As I listen to Ron Moore talking about all that had to be cut or changed in Sacrifice, and the things they didn't have time to do, etc, and based on some things he said in the Black Market commentary, I get the impression that the production staff is for some reason having difficulties with the 20 episode schedule for season 2. I don't know if the network is interfering more, or if the budget is a problem, or if it's pure production logistics or script revision time crunch or what, but reading between the lines you get the distinct sense that switching from 13 eps to 20 has been a challenge and Moore acknowledges they need to do better season 3.
- February 12, 2006 5:45 PM
- Abigail Nussbaum said...
Shoddy and dire might be a bit extreme as a description of SG1, but I've certainly been finding it dull and perfunctory recently (but Friday's episode was fun plus Ben Browder in leather pants is always a good thing). SGA, though, has been sort of fun lately, in a completely ridiculous way, and I enjoy the characters. There's certainly an issue of expectations here - I'll trash BSG for making the characters stupid in order to advance the plot when SGA has been doing nothing else all season - but the Stargate shows have been living up to my expectations of them and BSG hasn't. I don't think either show has sunk to Andromeda's level, though. Every now and then, I'll catch a few minutes of that show's fifth season and wonder what kind of drugs I'd have to take in order for the dialogue to even start making sense.
Those are some interesting observations about the episode order and the issue of 13 episodes versus 20. It does seem strange that the writers should be having so much trouble with the extended season, especially as they presumably write the summer and winter seasons separately. It's good to know that they realize they're going off-kilter, though.
- February 12, 2006 8:20 PM
- niall said...
Billy took his vitamins the day he died and, although things didn't exactly work out for him, he spent that day being the best possible version of himself--smart, courageous, morally staunch, and dignified.
I think you're being a bit generous here--it is after all standard tv practice to give characters their best scenes just before they die. Some of the ones here just seemed forced; I'm thinking in particular of the proposal, because I didn't think of the two of them being anything like that serious, and because we would have felt for Billy enough when he saw Dee and Lee together without that additional rejection.
- February 13, 2006 12:23 PM
- Abigail Nussbaum said...
I don't think it's necessarily that important that the proposal make sense within the relationship, which, after all, we've seen very little of since the beginning of the second season but was nevertheless ongoing. Plus, remember that this is wartime and people get married quickly in these situations. I'm surprised that we haven't heard references to other crew members who have tied the knot since the attack. I can accept as a given, without too much evidence, that Billy loved Dualla and wanted to marry her, in which case the fact that he proposed makes sense for the character as we knew him.
You're probably right that the writers deliberately built Billy up so that his death would hurt more, but I still think that the way they did this was true to the character - the best version of him, as I said. Since the miniseries, Billy has been a source of quiet strength and unexpected toughness - I particularly liked him in the scene in "Epiphanies" where he's showing Baltar Roslin's office and when he tells Roslin he won't go with her to Kobol (which, admittedly, was also done because Paul Campbell wanted some time off the show to pursue other projects).
- February 13, 2006 1:35 PM
- Kate Ebneter said...
Here via LJ's galacticanews. With regards to this:
(did you know that they actually shot scenes of Starbuck having an empty and meaningless assignation on Cloud Nine? Did they not watch last week's episode?)
...that's actually not true. There was such a scene in the script, but they never filmed it. It was cut because of time and budget constraints and also because they didn't think it fit with the events of "Scar," although Moore says in the podcast that he wishes that they'd kept in some explanation of exactly what Kara was doing on Cloud Nine.
- February 15, 2006 11:15 AM
Good review. I agree with most of your sentiments, except for one:
Starbuck pulling her guns was actually a huge mistake. Much of what she did went against the training people get when handling hostage situations. If you noticed, they started shooting when she prepared to fire at them. And she did so without thought or guarantee to the safety of the hostages.
It cost two marines, a civillian, and a mortally wounded CAG.
Given the previous situation with Lee that was resolved without mass gunfire, plus his warning about shooting within a spaceship, chances were very high that Kara would've been shuffled with the hostages had they discovered her weapons... but if it was to be a recon mission, then why the guns?
Adama was specific in his order that she was to find a volunteer and that it was supposed to be a recon mission. Period. Instead, Kara kind of bastardized his orders by enlisting herself and then resorting to shooting when they asked to check her kit again.
Ultimately though, I find Adama at fault for cultivating this situation. As unwise as her choices were, Kara thought she was doing her best and was "trying" to fulfill Adama's orders. Its not necessarily her fault for being put into a position she is not qualified for.
- February 16, 2006 2:27 AM
- Abigail Nussbaum said...
Starbuck pulling her guns was actually a huge mistake. Much of what she did went against the training people get when handling hostage situations. If you noticed, they started shooting when she prepared to fire at them. And she did so without thought or guarantee to the safety of the hostages.
See, but I doubt Starbuck has had any training handling hostage situations. She's a soldier, not a policewoman, and so is Adama, which is one of the many reasons the situation turns out so badly. The main objective of a hostage negotiator would be, as you put it, safeguarding the hostages, but for Adama and Starbuck, the main objective is to take down the hostage-takers.
Which brings us back to "Bastille Day", the obvious parallel for this episode (also featuring Apollo, Dualla and Billy as hostages), in which Apollo as the most unsoldierly soldier in the fleet manages to defuse the situation with almost no blood on the deck. Granted, he had better material to work with - and it really says something about Sesha that she makes Tom Zarek look reasonable - but the writers deliberately and, in my opinion, unjustifiably chose to make Apollo a passive participant in the hostage situation, instead of having him once again try to resolve it from within.
- February 16, 2006 9:24 AM
Haven't they hinted pretty strongly (anvil-over-the-head strongly) that Ellen is a Cylon, which would make her behavior in this episode less of pure stupidity and more of general troublemaking? Granted that chip is one that should be cashed in soon, but it makes her character more interesting to think that her ditziness is deliberate.
- February 17, 2006 7:08 PM
- Abigail Nussbaum said...
I'm pretty certain that the theory that Ellen is a Cylon is something that came out of fandom - I certainly don't see anything on the show that makes her a particularly likely candidate.
Plus, I'd like to think that even the Cylons have standards.
Frankly, I think I'd be very happy if no more human characters (certainly not major or recurring ones) turned out to be Cylons. Once, with Sharon, was creepy and disturbing. Twice, with D'anna Biers, was mildly surprising. Three times will officially make the device old hat.
- February 17, 2006 9:04 PM
- Jenah said...
I happen to think you were dead on with your review. I do truly hate the way however, they did finally kill Billy. Obviously they had made the decision to kill him since the actor is leaving the show. But I found the manner of his death torwards the end of the episode to be trite and over the top.
A more effective death would have been when Sesha first pointed the gun at him and Ellen Tigh - before Adama backed down. Bam! Billy would have been shot. Bam! Ellen would have been shot.
Sure scores of folks would have flooded the streets whooping in joy since the wicked witch was finally dead and off of their screens - but equally we could have mourned Billy's sudden and shocking demise - as opposed to how it really played out.
But that would have taken guts and creativity - which I haven't seen, as you say, since they killed Cain.
And it would have opened up the doors creatively for all affected characters.
One more thing - I truly - truly - despise the fact that Kara appears to be some sort of one-stop-military answer and wonder woman. It has bothered me since Bastille Day [interesting you brought that up] and bothered me even more during Sacrifice.
I understand that there is some cross training that could be explained [for example when viper pilots lose their ships and are on the ground it makes sense they would have combat training]. But to have her lead the assault is ridiculous.
Sloppy. Preposterous.
At least she did frak up and shoot Lee.
FYI - I am jenahville on LJ
- February 18, 2006 1:17 AM
- temmere said...
"However, as presented in this episode, the woman is clearly deranged, and her motivation--grief over the death of her husband--is not only overstated but unappealing. As many commenters have already said, every single person in the fleet has lost someone"
It still baffles me that they felt the need to invent some random battle for her husband to die in, as if the initial Cylon attack was somehow insufficient to explain her grief and rage. It really felt sometimes like they just plum forgot that attack ever happened.
- July 04, 2016 9:28 PM


text:
Mmmm...sounds really like Aisan voices.
Allied General's Shattered Alliance (AGSA) is a total conversion modification for Red Alert 2 Yuri's Revenge using Ares - A Yuri's Revenge Expansion DLL.
Mmmm...sounds really like Aisan voices.
I love how Asian it is without being overly annoying. Well done.
great! that voice sounds soo good!
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.
The new EVA for the PRA faction in AGSA.
I would like to thank George "Seòras" Exley (known for his excellent voice acting work in Rise of the Reds and several mods within the ModDB community)
Disclaimer - ingame the sound quality is actually much higher.
EVA - George "Seòras" Exley Seorasvoiceacting.com
PRA Logo - CCHyper
Video Editing - Starkku
Music - HybridMusikStudioz

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Come as a Stranger…Leave as a Friend!
Relay Station has been known as "America's Friendliest Travel Center" and now it's even better! Locally owned and operated, the Relay Station has dang-good food at sensible prices, fuel, diesel, full service convenience store, truckers' showers and amenities, plus all your favorite video poker games and the friendliest service around.
We're open 24/7/365… We'll be lookin' for ya!


text:
Bulls Fight
Welcome to the ancient competitions held for thousands of years. Take control of one of the contenders. Show all your skill. Destroy your opponents. Become a champion and finish the game. Player 1: A to smack the balloon, Player 2: Down Arrow key to smack the balloon. M to mute sound, P to pause the game and Esc to quit to main menu


text:
His dinner was rendered to a hungry mouth
in rough fistfuls,
without interruption.
Without skill or subtlety.
Sauce-drenched bits,
white knuckles,
unblinking desire.
In front of him,
of it,
a large plastic bowl,
unlidded with haste.
To the side, a discarded top
dirty-side down
on a watch cap
and a book.
Beady eyes fixed on the contents,
a gelatinous swirl of I-really-do-not-know-what.
The first lunge catches the observer off guard.
From under the desk,
a flabby hand swings up and plunges
into sauce and vegetable,
plucking out a white fleshy morsel.
It was torn, not cut,
formerly living tendrils
that hinted at earlier lusting.
Fingers curl around wet meat,
hand becoming a fist,
fist becoming a missile,
whirling back toward the head.
A second lunge, just as surprising,
and the other hand sweeps above the stained papers
not moments after the first
arrived above the chin.
Teeth peek through lips,
and a tongue emerges eagerly.
Three fingers and the morsel enter,
then the lips contract.
The meat is gone,
the fingers swabbed,
but not clean.
Moving fast,
blurry and shiny.
It doesn't stop.


text: Hey guy, I been using the launch pad for about a week now. I have not done that much with it yet, but I have enough to have a few comments in regards. The first thing I will point out, is that it is not as easy to use as the arduino. The arduino has its own library that simplifies allot of things. For example if you want to write to the serial port with the arduino it is only a matter of serial.open(baud); serial.print() or similar. On the launch pad, you would need to figure out how to divide your clock, set an interrupt every X number of cycles and set the bit manually. Same thing with the analog pins. That being said if you have used the arduino with simply the AVR c code, then this is not any thing different or if you used any other similar processor. That being said, if you are ok with the take on programming this is a great development platform. The thing that has impressed me the most is the debugger. Normally you would need either an expensive development board or some JTag. I never ventured into JTag since it looked expensive and complicated and it looked scary ( I don't know if it really is though). This though, is 4.61$ and you can debug your code. you can set break points, you can see the value of you variables and step threw your code. All you need to do is hit the debug button the the eclipse IDE and debug it as you would any other eclipse code. The chip it self is not as powerful as the AVR (arduino). These 16 bit processors, only has 2k Flash program space and 128 byte of ram. Though for simple projects or drivers these are prefect. They are cheap and you can even sample some for free. A good use for them would be for sensor drivers or line drivers. For example you could have that chip read the temperature convert it to Celsius and then that to your arduino (kinda like 2 threads). I say this because they have some neat features like 10 analog pins. Another thing I like is you can set an interrupt on raising or falling edges or change of any digital pin. To my understanding AVR only has 2 pins for that (please correct me if i am wrong). As for the documentation, it took me a while to find what I needed. There is allot of example code with really bad comments so they are not that helpful. what I found the most helpful was the uses guide with the data sheet. I think it would be better if there were more comments or explanation. I have managed to send data to the serial port and read my snes controller. With the new baby and wedding coming up this week end ;) I have not had time yet to put them all together so that it works. I hope to have my SNES controller work on my PC by the end of the week. If any one is interested in the source. I will try to comment it as much as I can so first time users will understand what is going on. P.S. if you are worried about the small program space, my code is only 64 bytes and 16 bytes ram. Jean-Marc Le Blanc --- "Do you pine for the nice days of Minix-1.1, when men were men and wrote their own device drivers?" Linus Torvalds


text:
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Cream Cheese Frosting
12 oz. of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup of real un-salted butter (softened)
2 tsp. of real vanilla extract
6 cups of powder sugar
-Mix together the cream cheese, butter and the vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Using small 1 cup batches, stir in the powdered powdered sugar completely before the next addition. Use this to frost 1 double layer cake, a batch of cupcakes or 1/2 of the recipe for a 9"x13" or a 9"x9" cake. Enjoy!
Oatmeal Banana Cake
1 1/4 cups of boiling water
1 cup of quick cooking oats
3 medium over-ripened bananas (mashed)
1 stick of real un-salted butter
1 tsp. of real vanilla extract
1 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature, then beaten)
1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of baking powder
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/2 a recipe of my Cream Cheese Frosting
-Preheat your oven to 350*. Grease and flour a 9"x9" baking dish; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the boiling water and the oats. Then add in the mashed bananas, butter, vanilla extract, brown sugar and the eggs. Stir well. In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir the flour mixture into the oatmeal mixture in small batches until it is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into your greased and floured baking dish and bake at 350* for 40-50 minutes or until an inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool well before frosting it with 1/2 of a recipe of my Cream Cheese Frosting. Serves 9. Enjoy!
Mini Pattymelt Rye's
Talk about a blast from the past. Or at least one from mine that is. These were a constant 'snack dinner' in our household when I was a little girl. They were usually reserved for making on a brisk fall day to munch on during the game. These were the main part of why I watched football with my Dad back then. Basically for the food. Kinda not so far off from why I watch football with my husband now. Basically still for the food, except it's even better now. Mostly because I am easily enticed and have a hard time of not forever trying to out-do myself. I prefer a vast array of fixings on Game Day. And these are a great staple for that. Everybody loves a good cheeseburger. Especially when they are made by the cutest cook in the house, my 5 year old daughter, Paige Leigh.
1 lb. of 80/20 ground beef
1 jar of Cheese Wiz (yep)
1 loaf of mini light cocktail rye's (find by the deli at your local market)
1/2 of a large Vidalia sweet onion (halved and then sliced)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 T. of real mayonnaise
1 tsp. of A.1. steak sauce
-Preheat your oven to a Low Broil and cover your baking sheets with aluminum foil (for a no mess clean up). Mix together the ground beef and the cheese thoroughly in a large mixing bowl. Spread a heaping spoonful on each of the slices of the rye bread (making sure to get it all the way to the edges-or else they tend to burn easily). Line them up snugly on your foil-lined baking sheets and broil on low for about 10 minutes or until the begin to nicely brown. Meanwhile, for the onion topping, over medium heat, saute the sliced onions in the butter with a good healthy amount of salt and pepper just until they are softened and become translucent. Stir in the mayo and the A.1.; bring to a little boil while stirring well. Top each of the cooling slices with a few onions as a garnish. Makes an entire loaf perfectly. Enjoy!
Posted by Tonya Marie Michalec at 11:35 AM
1 comment:
Crumbled Blue Cheese and Tomato Topped Fillet Mignon
4- 6oz. cuts of fillet Mignon (or beef tenderloin is great this way too)
Worcestershire sauce
McCormick's Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning4 oz. of crumbled blue cheese
2-3 fresh Roma tomatoes (sliced lengthwise about 1/4"-1/2" thick)
4 oz. of crumbled blue cheese
-Preheat your grill with a medium-high flame. Place your steaks flat on a platter and douse both sides well with the Worcestershire sauce and a nice healthy sprinkling of steak seasoning (making sure to again get both sides well). Toss them up on the top rack of your grill for about 4-5 minutes on the first side (longer or shorter depending on the thickness of the cut, but we are going for a MR-M doneness), then flip and grill for about another 3-4 minutes on the second side; top with a layer of sliced tomatoes, covering that with a handful of blue cheese and then a little bit of salt and pepper on top. Close the lid and grill until the cheese looks melty and your tomatoes look a little bit flame kissed. Serves 4. Enjoy!
Posted by Tonya Marie Michalec at 6:39 AM
1 comment:
Sunday, September 25, 2011
My Take On a Coney Dog
8 all beef hot dogs (I used Ballpark this time)
1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups of my warmed Scratch-Made Chili (see recipe)
2 cups of my Homemade Cole Slaw recipe: http://tonya-justcooking.blogspot.com/2011/03/homemade-cole-slaw.html
1/4 cup of red onion (diced)
8 of my Sliced Jalapeno Dill Pickles (see recipe)
1 package of sausage roll buns (they are nice and thick-hold up better with all the heavy fixing's)
-Bring a medium saucepan to a rapid boil; add in hot dogs. Boil the hot dogs for about 5 minutes or until they start to 'plump up'. Remove and place one in each bun and cover it with cheese. Spoon on a heaping ladle of chili, a mountain of slaw, a sprinkling of onion and wedge a pickle in the side. Serves 4-8. Enjoy!
Ricotta Cheese and Fresh Blueberries Stuffed Pancakes
2 cups of Bisquick
2 tsp. of baking powder
1 T. of sugar
1 cup of milk
2 T. of lemon juice
2 eggs (beaten)
1 cup of fresh blueberries (rinsed/ dried)
less than 1/4 cup of fresh ricotta cheese
real un-salted butter and maple syrup (I use Lite syrup-it's slightly less sweet to balance the over-sweet pancakes that I am always making)
-In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients well. Stir in the milk, lemon juice and eggs (batter will be slightly lumpy). Let is sit while you preheat your griddle or frying pan to a medium heat and then grease it all over with butter. Using a 1/2 cup measuring cup, or a gravy ladle like me, pour on your pancakes. Then dot with ricotta cheese bits (I just used the tip of a knife and my finger to put them on with) and a few blueberries. Once the bottom of the pancake has begun to turn a nice golden brown, flip them over to brown the side with the cheese and berries (about 2-4 minutes on each side-every stove is different-keep a watch). Serve with butter and maple syrup. Serves 4. Enjoy!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Slow-Cooker Coca-Cola Pulled Pork Sandwich
3 lb. pork picnic roast (only because that's what I had in my deep freezer-you could use any pork roast)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 T. of bacon grease (I save my bacon drippings in an old pickle jar for cooking with)
1 Lg. vidalia sweet onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 can of Coca-Cola
1 jar of chili sauce
2 T. of light brown sugar (packed)
sliced Jalapeno Dill Pickles (see my recipe)
-In a large stockpot over high heat, brown your salt and peppered pork roast in the bacon grease for 3-5 minutes on each side or until you start to develop a nice dark brown (not burnt) crusting. Once it is fully browned on all sides, remove from your pan and place in your slow-cooker. Return to your pan and reduce the heat to medium-high. Toss in your onions, garlic and a little bit more salt and pepper (to sweat them). Saute' for a few minutes until the onions are softened. Pour in the soda, chili sauce and the brown sugar. Stir well while bringing it to a boil. Then just pour over your roast that's in the slow-cooker and set it to go Slow and Low for 8-10 hours (as always in crockery cooking, the longer the better). Once it is done, using 2 forks, shred and place on a bun with a pickle. Serves 8-10. Enjoy!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Shephard's Pie
1 lb. of bulk sage breakfast pork sausage
4 T. of pancake mix (I used Bisquick)
1 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of apple cider
fresh cracked pepper
3 Lg. baking potatoes (peeled, quartered and sliced)
sea salt
1/3 cup of milk
3 T. of real unsalted butter
12 oz. of frozen peas (defrosted)
1- 14.75oz. can of creamed corn
1 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese (divided)
-Preheat your oven to 350* and start a large stockpot of water for a boil. In a large saucepan, begin browning your sausage over a high flame. When your sausage has just begun to get a nice golden brown crusting on it (don't let it go too long or else the grease pulls up into it too much), stir in the pancake mix and continue cooking a few more minutes to brown it (make sure to be continuously stirring through this entire gravy making process). Then add in your chicken stock, water and cider. Bring this to a simmer while stirring constantly still until it begins to thicken and tighten up. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of a 2 qt. casserole dish. Meanwhile for the mashed potatoes crust, add a healthy amount of sea salt into your rapidly boiling stockpot and the potatoes; boil for about 15-20 minutes or until they are soft. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add in the milk, butter and some pepper (your salt is already in there from the boiling process) and mix well with a hand mixer (I like them whippy with a few little lumps); set aside. Back to the casserole dish with the layer of sausage and gravy, cover this then with a layer of the peas, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, a layer of the creamed corn, the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese, the crumbled blue cheese and then lastly the mashed potatoes (I spread them out keeping about 1" from the edges). Bake at 350* for 65-70 minutes or until the mashed potatoes begin to get slightly brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving (or else it will be soupy-let it firm up while cooling). Serves 4. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Candied Sweet Potatoes
4 large or 2 lbs. of sweet potatoes (peeled and 1/4'd lengthwise then thickly chopped)
sea salt
1/4 cup of light brown sugar (packed)
4 T. of real un-salted butter (chopped into tiny cubes)
1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of pecans (chopped)
3/4 cup of mini marshmallows
-Preheat your oven to 375*. Start a large stockpot of water for a boil. Once it has reached a rapid boil, stir in a dash of salt and carefully add in your potatoes; cover and boil for about 12 minutes. Strain the potatoes well and place them in a a large 2 qt. baking dish (I used stoneware), dot with the butter cubes and sprinkle on the nutmeg and the cinnamon. Bake it uncovered for about 35 minutes, stopping and stirring it about 1/2 way through. Remove it from the oven and sprinkle the pecans on and cover it all with the marshmallows; return it to the oven and bake for about 5 more minutes or until the marshmallows have a tinge of color to them. Serves 6. Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Green Chile Corn Muffins
1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg (that has sat at room temperature for about 20 minutes)
1/3 cup of milk
4 T. or 1/2 a can of diced green Chile peppers
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar Monterrey jack cheese
-Preheat your oven to 400*. Spray a metal muffin pan with canola oil well (making sure to get the entire surface because you want big popover style muffins). Stir together all of the ingredients until combined (the batter will be a little bit lumpy-that's ok). Fill each muffin spot 3/4's of the way with batter and bake for about 20 minutes or until they are a perfect dark golden with brown edges. Makes
Floured and Fried Bacon
1 lb. average sliced bacon of choice
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
-Spread flour out evenly on a large dinner plate and place next to your hot griddle. Dredge each piece of bacon through the flour, on both sides, and fry on just about high heat for about 3-4 minutes on the first side. Make sure to watch it and flip it only once when the bottom has become golden brown. The second side only takes a minute or so to brown. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Cream of Chicken Soup with Gnocchi Dumplings
1-2 T. of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 1/2 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken stir fry meat
3 stalks of celery (sliced)
1 medium sweet Vidalia onion (chopped)
2 small cloves of garlic (minced)
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of heavy whipping cream
1 T. of dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. of dried crushed basil
32 oz. of frozen gnocchi
-Heat your e.v.o. in a large stockpot over high heat and add in the chicken along with some salt and pepper. Saute for about 6-7 minutes then add in the celery, onion, garlic and a little bit more salt and pepper. Saute until the chicken and the veggies are all cooked and softened, but don't brown (you want the chicken to be soft and not tough). Pour in the chicken stock and add in the bay leaf. Once you reach a good strong boil, add in the cream, parsley, paprika and the basil; return to a boil. Add in your frozen gnocchi and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Serves 6. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Fresh Mozzarella Fettuccine
This is one of my personal favorite pasta dishes. I absolutely love the way the Italian sausage tastes along with the veggies. The older I get the more I love them and try to incorporate in as many in my cooking as I can. But seriously, lets not leave out the huge wads of ooey gooey goodness, the fresh mozzarella. That would have to be my most favorite part. That and how well all of these ingredients stand out on their own and create balance at the same time. It truly is a work of art.
1 T. of extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. of bulk Italian sausage
1 bundle of asparagus (with the dry cut ends snapped off at their breaking point and then chopped)
1 roasted red bell pepper (chopped)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/4 cup of white wine (I used a sweet Pinot Grigio-use whatever white wine you would drink)
1 cup of chicken stock
1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. of fresh basil (thinly chopped)
1 lb. of fettuccine or linguine uncooked pasta
-Start a large stockpot with water for a boil. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat up the e.v.o. to brown the Italian sausage. Meanwhile, once your stockpot reaches a rapid bowl, stir in a healthy dash of sea salt and then blanch your asparagus cuts in it for 3 minutes. Strain out the asparagus and place them into an ice water filled bowl (this stops the cooking process) and return your stockpot water to a rapid boil; toss in the pasta for 7 minutes for Au-dente' (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Back to your saucepan now, once the sausage is nicely browned, add in the strained cooled asparagus and the red peppers and saute for 1-2 minutes to heat them all up. First pour in the wine to deglaze the pan while stirring it with your wooden spoon, then pour in the chicken stock and the red pepper flakes. Bring this up to a boil. Once the pasta is done, strain it and fold it into the sauce. Lastly, fold in the basil and then the chopped mozzarella cheese. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
1 T. of extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. of bulk Italian sausage
1 bundle of asparagus (with the dry cut ends snapped off at their breaking point and then chopped)
1 roasted red bell pepper (chopped)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/4 cup of white wine (I used a sweet Pinot Grigio-use whatever white wine you would drink)
1 cup of chicken stock
1/2 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
3 T. of fresh basil (thinly chopped)
1 lb. of fettuccine or linguine uncooked pasta
-Start a large stockpot with water for a boil. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat up the e.v.o. to brown the Italian sausage. Meanwhile, once your stockpot reaches a rapid bowl, stir in a healthy dash of sea salt and then blanch your asparagus cuts in it for 3 minutes. Strain out the asparagus and place them into an ice water filled bowl (this stops the cooking process) and return your stockpot water to a rapid boil; toss in the pasta for 7 minutes for Au-dente' (it will finish cooking in the sauce). Back to your saucepan now, once the sausage is nicely browned, add in the strained cooled asparagus and the red peppers and saute for 1-2 minutes to heat them all up. First pour in the wine to deglaze the pan while stirring it with your wooden spoon, then pour in the chicken stock and the red pepper flakes. Bring this up to a boil. Once the pasta is done, strain it and fold it into the sauce. Lastly, fold in the basil and then the chopped mozzarella cheese. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
Posted by Tonya Marie Michalec at 2:46 PM
1 comment:
Apple Cobbler
1/2 cup of real un-salted butter (melted)
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of brown sugar (packed)
3 tsp. of baking powder
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 cup of milk
6 medium tart baking apples (cored and thinly sliced)
1 T. of juice from 1/2 of a fresh lemon
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of ground nutmeg
-Preheat your oven to 375*. Pour your melted butter into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and the salt. Slowly pour in the milk and stir until just wet. Layer this batter over the melted butter layer in the baking dish. DO NOT STIR THEM TOGETHER. Then is a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat bring the apples, lemon juice and the sugar to a boil (while constantly stirring). Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Again pour this mixture over the first 2 layers in the baking dish without stirring them together. While it is baking it will combine as much as it needs to. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Serve with some vanilla bean ice cream and cool whip. Serves 9. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Fresh Tomato Pasta
1 lb. of uncooked angel hair pasta
5-6 T. of extra virgin olive oil
7-8 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
4 small cloves of garlic (minced)
2 T. of fresh basil (chopped)
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1/8 tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes
fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Coca-Cola Bread
3 cups of pancake mix (I only use Bisquick)
1- 12oz. can of Coca-Cola soda
-Preheat your oven to 400*. Grease the inside of a loaf pan (I used stoneware). In a large bowl stir together the pancake mix and the soda just until wet (it's ok-the batter will be lumpy). Pour into your greased loaf pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted wooden toothpick comes out clean. Serves 8. Enjoy!
Posted by Tonya Marie Michalec at 1:43 PM
4 comments:
Monday, September 5, 2011
Blackened Striper
Some of our most favorite dinners are the ones that 'fall' into my lap, or more literally, hook themselves onto my husbands' line. I had not layed out anything from the freezer for the main part of our dinner for tonight, even though I had already made my Corn Bread Casserole for a side and also my Honey Peach Crisp for the dessert. This, I guess, would be what I would consider to be some of my very own Woman's Intuition. Rich said that he was going fishing this afternoon on one of the big lakes near our home. I figured that he would be bringing something good home in the live well. And boy did he ever. He brought us home a 7 1/2 pound gorgeous Striper Bass. And there's no better way to prepare this particular catch than with a great blackening rub and served with some down home fixings.
ice water
2 T. of sea salt
4 T. of season salt
2 tsp. of dried oregano
1/2 tsp. of ground black pepper
2 T. of paprika
1/4 tsp. of ground cayenne pepper (it has a nice kick at this amount)
1/2 tsp. of sugar
1/4 tsp. of celery salt
1 bay leaf (crushed)
1/8 tsp. of cloves
1/8 tsp. of allspice
1/8 tsp. of ginger
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
2 T. of extra virgin olive oil
1 recipe of my Scratch-Made Tartar Sauce
fresh lemon slices for garnish
-Clean and disinfect one side of your sink. Place the cleaned fish filet's, sea salt and enough ice water (2 trays or so of ice) to cover them in it. Allow to soak (keeping it iced) for 30-60 minutes (the longer the better to remove the 'fishy' taste from the striper). Meanwhile, for the rub, combine the next twelve ingredients from above in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer the rub to a large dinner plate and spread it out evenly. Heat the e.v.o. in a large skillet over a high heat. While your pan and oil is heating up, drain the salted ice water and pat both sides of the filet's dry with paper towels. Dredge one by one through the rub and place in the very hot oiled skillet. Saute for 5-6 minutes on each side (longer for the thick pieces-you want it to flake just like salmon), flipping with a wide spatula only once. Serve with a slice of lemon and a dollop of my Scratch-Made Tartar Sauce. Serves 4. Enjoy!
Honey Peach Crisp
7-8 medium ripe peaches (pitted and sliced)
3 T. of sugar
2 T. of lemon juice
1 T. of honey
1/2 cup of quick cooking oats (because that's what I had-you can use old fashioned rolled oats as well)
1/2 cup of brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. of ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of real un-salted butter (melted)
3 T. of shredded coconut
1/4 cup of chipped pecans
-Preheat your oven to 375*. Toss the sliced peaches along with the sugar, lemon juice and honey in a 9"x9" or like I did in a 5"x9" baking dish. Then in a medium mixing bowl, using a fork, stir together the oats, brown sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Once it's nice and crumbly, slowly stir in the melted butter while continuely stirring. Add in the coconut and the pecans. Cover the top of the fruit mixture with the oat mixture and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve alone, over vanilla bean ice cream or with whip cream. Serves 6. Enjoy!
Cornbread Casserole
1 cup of sour cream
1 can of whole kernel yellow sweet corn (drained)
1 can of cream style yellow sweet corn
1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1/2 cup or real unsalted butter (at room temperature-not melted)
-Preheat your oven to 350*. In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients together well. Pour into either a 8"x8" or a 9"x9" square baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour or until the top is a nice golden brown. Serve on the side of your favorite meal. Serves 8. Enjoy!
Posted by Tonya Marie Michalec at 9:31 AM
2 comments:
Friday, September 2, 2011
Steamed Broccoli and Cheese
16 oz. of frozen broccoli florets
4 T. of real un-salted butter (melted)
3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
-In a medium saucepan, covered and over medium-high heat, steam the broccoli in a 1" of water for about minutes 5 minutes. You want it to be just a little bit tender, but still slightly firm. Drain broccoli and place in a medium microwave-safe serving bowl. Drizzle with melted butter and evenly sprinkle with the shredded cheese. Place in microwave on high for 1 minute or until the cheese is nice and melted. Remove dish with potholders, stir and add a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!
Honey Mustard Glazed Smoked Ham Steaks
This was just absolutely fantastic. The ham was cooked just the way that I like it, soft and juicy throughout from the glaze and with a hint of charring (flavor maker) of the marbleizing on the edges. The smokey flavor combined with the sweet and tangy sauce was a match made in heaven. My only regret with this recipe is that there wasn't enough for leftovers. They ate every last bite and I even caught my daughter, Paige, gnawing on her fork when she was done. I asked her jokingly if she wanted to suck on the bone and she was like, "Sure". That's my girl.
1/4 cup of apple cider
1/4 cup of honey
3 T. of Dijon mustard
2 T. of real mayonnaise
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 large smoked ham steaks
-Whisk together the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Once thoroughly combined, cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge for a few minutes while you preheat your grill to a medium-high flame. Lightly salt and pepper both sides of the ham steaks and toss onto the top rack of your grill. Baste with the honey mustard sauce and flip throughout the entire grilling process of about 5-6 total minutes on each side (I flipped it maybe 4 times throughout). Towards the end of the grilling, transfer the ham steaks down to the bottom rack to really charr them up a bit and add some grill marks. Serve with a drizzle of the remaining honey mustard sauce on top. Serves 4. Enjoy!
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Loyola brings beauty of music to babies in new Musikgarten August session
Loyola press release - July 14, 2014
Loyola University New Orleans' Musikgarten program is a fun and educational way to introduce young children from infants to age 5 to the beauty of music. Offered through the Loyola Preparatory Arts Program, the Musikgarten classes are set for Saturday mornings in August from 9 to 9:45 a.m. (Aug. 2, 9, 16 and 23).
Taught by Loyola alumna Helen Honoree Myers '88, N.C.T.M., classes help develop language, self-expression, self-awareness and motor skills through music. Musikgarten classes are held on Loyola's main campus in the Communications/Music Complex in room 204G and are designed for children accompanied by a parent or grandparent.
Tuition is $90 for the entire August session and includes all class materials. Space is limited. Registration is available online. For more information, contact the Preparatory Arts Program at 504-865-3627.


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Accelerating the performance of our Community…
Venturi applies an employee-centered philosophy that includes a commitment to giving back to the community.
Although we make customer satisfaction a top priority, we also give our employees flexibility to participate in community organizations. Consequently, Venturi employees contribute to community success by employing some of the skills they use each day to serve our customers.
Venturi employees support numerous causes and focus their energies and resources on improving lives. From helping children, families in need and the mentally disabled to supporting schools and local charities, our employees generously give their time, skills and money to make life better for others.
As one business can often look much like another, Venturi always seeks ways to stand out in the crowd.
In addition to our employee-friendly practices, technical capabilities and award-winning performance, the Venturi Brighter Day Employee Fund is unique and is one of our greatest successes. Since the fund's inception in April 2007, Venturi employees have contributed thousands of dollars and numerous hours to dozens of charities in the communities where our employees live and work.
In addition, Venturi as a company continually gives time and money to many charities and business/professional associations. For a company our size, the time and financial donations are significant and underscore Venturi's commitment to enhancing the health of the communities where we do business.


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Specialty Connectors
Specialty wire connectors include splice kits that are designed to help protect splicing on motor leads, pool wiring, and power cables. A selection of these splice kits are rated for underground use. Insulation displacement connectors let you easily complete connections without stripping the wire. Street light disconnects are waterproof breakaway safety devices that de-energize roadway lights, streetlights, parking lot lights, and other freestanding electrical fixtures in the event of a knockdown, or when fixtures require maintenance. Solar specialty connectors are suitable for high-voltage photovoltaic applications and are easy to assemble. Battery and cable connectors are available in a number of varieties for charging stations, construction equipment, forklifts, vehicles, and other commercial and industrial applications.


text: This site is dedicated to supporting all members of your family. A passion for helping people and a devotion to working with animals led me to a practice that serves both. Through my psychotherapy and mentoring services, I empower teens, educate parents, and guide adults through life transitions. As an animal communicator, I strengthen your relationship with your pet and provide practical solutions for behavior or medical difficulties. I look forward to working together to cultivate a plan that improves your family's health and well being. Click here to learn more about Jenny's approach.


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I first heard of Jackie Francois on the SpiritandSong Commons compilation CD singing "My Soul Rejoices," a lovely song based on the Magnificat from the Gospel of Luke. The refrain was unusual and memorable and her voice was very pleasing. I found myself wanting to hear more.
I was very glad to receive a copy of Jackie's debut CD, Your Kingdom is Glorious, and I was not disappointed.
Let me first say that I am a big fan of Jackie Francois' voice. It is clear yet full, strong and expressive – a voice, frankly, I wish I had. But Francois is not just a singer – she is a very capable songwriter as well.
The aforementioned "My Soul Rejoices" is a fine example of her songwriting and appears on Your Kingdom is Glorious. Francois has written a fine variety of songs ranging from upbeat pop songs such as "Holy Are You, Lord" and "Joy" to the softer sounds of "God My Father" and "Be Forgiven."
Her treatment of chastity in "For So Long" was very noteworthy, avoiding the usual clichés for lyrics based solidly on scripture.
Your Kingdom is Glorious is an album I will listen to again and again. You can purchase your copy through the SpiritandSong website at www.spiritandsong.com/artists/jackiefrancois/discography.


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I learned the importance of a ten yen today. Every little bit counts. Yesterday I forgot to ask my sister for some extra change, and I found myself standing infront of the ticket machine face-palming myself. I was the only teacher for today's activity, it would have been really unfortunate had I not had that extra bit of money to get on the train.
Every month the school puts one of the teachers I charge to teach an activity. The theme for each month changes, and this month is all about food.
Though I have been at my present job for a little over three years now, my nerves never fail to take over me and I dread the activity day.
I am happy to report that it all went well as I knew deep down it would. I don't know why I keep reverting back to worry even though I am familiar with it enough to have confidence. I wonder if I will wake up someday and be fine with it all.
With a book that I recently got in the mail from a friend in my bag, and my hair up and out of my eyes, I am happy. I am happy to look around and breathe in the crisp air. I am closing my day with people watching at the station and dinner with a friend.


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Reggie Jackson was the King Midas of baseball. Everything he touched turned to gold.
The Kansas City A's had a 62-99 record in 1967, Jackson's rookie season. But Jackson only played in 35 games. When he became a starter, the A's won three World Series championships, never had a losing season, and enjoyed the "dynasty" label. In 1973, Jackson won the Most Valuable Player Award, an honor duplicated in 1977, during his Yankee tenure.
Jackson left the A's after the 1975 season, spent a year with the Orioles, then played for the Yankees in a five-year run that resulted in two World Series championships. In the 1977 World Series, Jackson hit three home runs in one game. Celebrations in the South Bronx could be heard from Manhattan to Montauk.
When his sting in the South Bronx ended, Jackson landed in Anaheim, where he bid farewell to baseball after the 1987 season. Jackson reached a milestone in an Angels uniform, smacking his 500th home run on September 17, 1984. It elevated Jackson into the pantheon of the 500 Club, whose membership to date consisted of Mel Ott, Ernie Banks, Eddie Mathews, Willie McCovey, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Frank Robinson, Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Mantle, and Jimmie Foxx.
Jackson's dinger contributed the only run in a 10-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals. There was a circular quality to the moment. Ross Newhan of the Los Angeles Times noted that Jackson hit his first major league home run against the Angels and his 500th in Kauffman Stadium, where he played for the Kansas City A's, long since transported to Oakland. Additionally, the 500th home run happened on the 17th anniversary of the first time Jackson went yard.
Gerald Scott of the Los Angeles Times quoted Jackson about the pitch: "I was very, very elated going around the bases. I said thanks (to myself) to Bud Black because he'd given me a pitch to hit.
"It was a 7-0 (lead) pitch. It was a 'room service' fastball. I just wish we could've been winning. I wish it could've been a seven-run homer."
Black, a formidable hurler for the Royals, compiled a 17-12 record, 3.12 ERA, and 140 strikeouts in 1984. Jackson's home run was one of 22 that Black allowed in the year that saw the débuts of the Huxtable family, a Beverly Hills cop named Axel Foley, and undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs working for the Miami Police Department's Vice Division.
Jackson had signed with the Angels after Yankee owner George Steinbrenner did not guarantee the slugger a place in the starting lineup as an outfielder. It is a good bet that the Yankees would have continued Jackson's recent role as a designated hitter.
Joseph Durso of the New York Times reported on Jackson's optimism upon closing the the deal with Angels owner Gene Autry. "I'm very happy to join a club that really seemed to pursue me and wanted me," said Jackson. "With the Angels, I get a chance to play. I guess with everything being equal, the most difficult decision for me was whether to go to Baltimore or California. Both clubs have really fine people."
A version of this article appeared on www.thesportspost.com on February 12, 2016.
Tags: 1973, 1977, 1984, 1987, A's, American rebels, Anaheim, Angels, Axel Foley, Babe Ruth, Baltimore, Beverly Hills, Bronx, Bud Black, California, Eddie Mathews, Ernie Banks, Frank Robinson, Gene Autry, Gerald Scott, Hank Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Huxtables, Jimmie Foxx, Joseph Durso, Kansas City, Kansas City A's, Kansas City Royals, Kauffman Stadium, King Midas, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, Manhattan, Mel Ott, Miami, Miami Police Department, Miami Police Department's Vice Division, Mickey Mantle, Midas, Montauk, Most Valuable Player, Most Valuable Player Award, New York, New York Times, Oakland, Orioles, Reggie Jackson, Rico Tubbs, Ross Newhan, Royals, Sonny Crockett, South Bronx, Ted Williams, Vice Division, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, World Series, Yankees


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Oxley Estate offers a selection of wines where attention to detail in the vineyard and winery shine out from the glass. From crisp dry whites, fruit-driven and robust reds to luscious dessert and fortified wines, our wines cover all tastes, all moods and seasons!
As well as some 'main-stay' varieties, we have a number of varieties and wine styles that you may not come across elsewhere. Like many wineries in the King Valley, we do not hang our hat upon any one wine. In fact one of the strong points of our valley is the diversity in the wines on offer.
Bread and butter (but with sprinkles)
Our range can change from time to time, as we are always interested to try new varieties and wine styles. So, at times you will find a new variety on the list, perhaps as a on-off due to our urge to dabble. However, our chardonnay, viognier, cabernet sauvignon and blends with merlot, shiraz and shiraz-viognier, durif, Dolcino, aucerot, fortified white and fortified durif have become the backbone of our wine list. Among those, there are some less common varieties and styles.
We believe our planting of aucerot is the only one in Australia, despite it seeming to have been popular and well regarded in the late 1800s. There were numerous plantings in the Rutherglen, Albury and Glenrowan wine regions before infestations of the phylloxera insect destroyed so many of the vineyards of that period.
We use aucerot in our fortified white and in fantastic dessert wines. It makes ageworthy wines that develop intensity and complexity with cellaring.
There is more information about the variety on our aucerot page.
Fortified White (previously named White Port)
Our fortified white is blended as a non-vintage style from a base of verdelho and aucerot – a mystery variety of which Ciavarella Oxley Estate are custodians. A unique style, this fortified is sweet and with flavours of raisins, dried fruit and almonds. The wine was previously labelled under the name 'White Port", until agreements between the Australian wine industry and the EU took that name of limits for Australian makers, just like Champagne.
'We thought this would be a "cellar door only curio" for a small band of white port die-hards – now it has an eager following of fans.
Our Dolcino ('little sweet one') is a red wine with a difference. A sweet red wine with a surprisingly dry finish, it's made from a blend of cabernet and merlot that we worked hard to perfect in this style. It's a great 'stepping stone' for those making the switch from whites to reds, but it finds appeal with drinkers of dry wines too. Delightfully fruity, Dolcino is refreshing when served lightly chilled. A great match for spicy/curried meat dishes or stronger tasty cheeses.
'Dolcino's appeal has reached a far wider audience than we ever anticipated.'
An august red wine with a big heart. Durif is grown virtually nowhere else in Australia but in the warmer pockets of North East Victoria. Whereas most Durifs have a 'take-no-prisoners' attitude, ours shows a welcome elegance rare to the grape. Expect powerful cherry and blackberry flavours with classic spice, leather, tobacco and some earthiness.
It is only fitting that Oxley Estate grow zinfandel. Under its Italian name primitivo, it is a staple grape variety in Puglia, the region of Italy from where the Ciavarella family migrated in 1926. 'Zin' is a cantankerous grape, being difficult to manage in the vineyard, and at times equally rebellious in the winery. However, the reward is a wine with fantastic cherry/berry flavours, vibrant and lively with more than its share of tannins. We make only a small volume of zinfandel each year, typically 2-3 barrels. The wine is quite sought after and we tend to sell out between vintages.


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Wednesday, January 23, 2013
BTS pin 2012
Every year I make 10 new pins for the studio and give it to my students. They don't get to choose which one, they are all seal in a envelope. Its was fun seeing them trading with others and getting the one they like. Here's a photo of the pin in production. took me a long time to design, print and make them. I am glade the kids like them :)
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By JB
May 27 2009
Fulham celebrate a club record despite a 2-0 loss at home to Everton. Since 1879, when the club was formed as Fulham St. Andrews, they have never achieved such a high position in English football. Even in the days of the greats, Fulham never achieved what Roy Hodgson, Mike Kelly, Ray Lewington, and the squad did last season in the English Premier League. This is crowned with qualifying for Europe
The new Europa League kicks off next season, replacing the UEFA Cup, and Fulham FC will be part of it. One of three English clubs, this competition will be a similar format to the Champions League and Fulham will start their European journey in the third qualifying round, one round behind Everton and Aston Villa.
Let's go back to the end of last season, it all seems like a distant memory. Danny Murphy headed the ball into the Portsmouth net for a win, and the legend of the Great Escape was born. The next season came around with Fulham leading the pack of likely candidates to be in yet another dog fight for survival at the bottom of the table. Roy made some purchases that didn't all inspire confidence. Andy Johnson cost 10.5 Million (alledgedly) and the promise of a better season, with more goals beckoned. At the start, it seemed that we missed Brian McBride rather alot, the talismanic figure at the front was a sad loss formany Fulham fans, me included. It was then clear that the attack was not going to be the focus. The back five were gelling nicely, and not letting in many goals. Craven cottage was getting a name for itself as somewhere hard to score and win. Who would have thought it? A win against Arsenal, with Hangeland scoring a goal summed up the new Fulham. Roy Hodgson's skill as a manager and coach was working wonders. A solid passing game, strong defence, and a steady squad was getting the points, albeit mostly at home. Fulham were still suffering from a lack of confidence away from The Cottage.
Roy Hodgson salutes the Fulham faithfull
We lost Jimmy Bullard to a Hull that looked good, but were soon to find themselves struggling at the foot of the table. Jimmy badly damaged his knee, and missed out on the rest of the season. The rest of the season saw us badly beaten out of the FA Cup by a marauding Manchester United, only for us to take our revenge at home with a 2-0 victory over the Red Devils. Roy's men kept grinding out results, added a few away wins, and made a Cottage into a fortress. Joe Kamara came backe from injury with a vengance, and it seems that Roy's managing is starting to make him a more complete footballer. Eric Nevland also impressed all season as a 'Super Sub', and gained the respect of the fans. Andy Johnson scored a few goals, although not as many as we'd hoped, and Bobby Zamora, largely disappointed, with a meagre goals to minutes played ratio.
The midfield imressed, with great leadership from Danny Murphy. His reliable passing and stellar penalty kicks showed us all what a great player he is, winning many man of the match awards from football pundits. Dickson Etuhu filled in for Jimmy Bullard, and after a couple tricky games settled in nicely, and looks like a good purchase. Clint Dempsey gave us his all. His work rate and desire was second to none. His playmaking was great and he added a few more goals to hos Fulham tally, let's hope he stays. Davies seemed to start slowly, but in the latter half of the season stepped it up a gear until his unfortunate injury. Gera lost his place to Dempsey early on but certainly came back with a bang when he scored the winner against Man Utd.
The back four were great. Pantsil was the best value signing ever. He never settled at West Ham, but the Fulham coaching staff really seemed to work well with him. He made great tackles and could always be relied upon to start the attack from the back with runs up that right wing, passing the ball into the box. Konchesky, although overshadowed by the other three still played well, and was a reliable cog in the defensive wheel, and who could forget that amazing goal against his former club at Upton Park? Aaron Hughes was superb, and is the best signing from the dreaded Sanchez era. He acted as a great Vice Captain, and took control of things when Murphy was subbed. Brede Hangaland looks like one of the best Centre Backs in the Premier League, and we'll be lucky to keep hold of him. Roy brought the Norwegian giant in, and many were asking who he was. He turned out to be a great buy and a fantastic player, heading that ball out of danger, tackling in the area and causing many forwards no end of trouble. Mark Schwarzer finishes off the review, and for Fulham fans has earned our praise on a regular basis. With 15 clean sheets this season he has shut out some formidable attacks, and kept us in the game with spectacular saves on more than a few occasions. It seems that he has signed on for a couple of years, and thank goodness!
As for players of the season, they will follow. But please give us your thoughts.
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ABC is back in the "Lost" biz as of Wednesday, Jan. 21.
The fifth season of the fantasy-mystery skein will air Wednesdays at 9 p.m., after airing on Thursdays last season. The current occupant of the Wednesday 9 p.m. berth, ABC's sophomore season drama "Private Practice," will be relocated when "Lost" returns, ABC said Friday.
ABC is expected to make more Wednesday sked changes in the near future given the weak perf of 8 p.m.'s "Pushing Daisies" and 10 p.m.'s "Dirty Sexy Money" this fall. "Private Practice," on the other hand, has been given a full-season order.
"Lost" will bow Jan. 21 with two back-to-back segs 9-11 p.m., preceded at 8 p.m. by a clip recap show.


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Amatista 4-Day Amazon Cruise - Amazing Time in Peru
| Amatista
"Hi Miles,
We had an amazing time in Peru, but I must say that our time in the Amazon on the [Amatista 4-day] cruise was by far the highlight of the trip!
Our naturalists Juan Carlos and Robinson were so knowledgeable and friendly, I definitely learned a lot from them about the plants and animals we were seeing, which is very important to me. The crew were all very friendly and the food was very good. I loved the fact that there were less than 15 people on the cruise, not too big, not too small.
I also really appreciated the fact that the local communities were involved with showing us their home and their way of life. It made me feel less like an invader just taking pictures and moving on, and more like a guest of the locals.
The entire trip was really fantastic! Thank you, and I will be highly recommending Rainforest Cruises to my friends and family."
Jenna Luckhardt & Jonathan Brosnan
Alameda, CA


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Bound for Botany Bay: Singing Australia's Convict History
The Depot
Donkey Wheel House
673 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
More information
Join Dr Una McIlvenna on a trip through Australia's early penal history through song, beginning with execution ballads from Britain and Ireland, followed by songs about transportation to Botany Bay and Van Diemen's Land, and ending with convict ballads composed here in Melbourne.
This event will appeal to anyone interested in Australia's convict history, crime and punishment in the past, folk song, and the ancient tradition of singing the news. Come to listen or sing along.
Dr Una McIlvenna, Hansen Lecturer in History at the University of Melbourne, investigates emotional responses to public execution in the early modern period, with a focus on the use of songs and verse in accounts of crime and execution. To perform the ballads, Una will be joined by local singer/songwriter Lisa Salvo (Grand Salvo; On Diamond).
Being Human Festival 2018
This event is being held as part of the 2018 Being Human Festival. Founded in the UK as the only national festival of the humanities, Being Human is now a global celebration dedicated to demonstrating the breadth, diversity and vitality of the humanities.
Dr Una McIlvenna,


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Back in August while on my way to chase the eclipse, I took a side stop to a place I didn't know existed until a photographer I fell in love with a couple of years ago announced she was having a show there. The Paine is an English style estate in the small town of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Which is actually a pretty famous place for other reasons and I'll write about that soon.
Kirsty Mitchell created a magnificent body of work after a personal loss titled Wonderland. It is glorious to behold and if you can make it to the final weekend of the exhibit to see it, I really can't encourage you enough. The Paine its self is also a lovely place though I do wonder to the wisdom of building a house so large that no one lives in. It is lovely to look at and they do host events there too. It's worth a visit if you are in the area. Especially if you like details. Which I do.
See some of the house and work here:


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2013-01-29 55 13
Tue 29 Jan 2013 in 55,13:
Close to home, easy.
Had a booking in Hörby to motor-vehicle inspection and afterwards drove out to a nearby geocache to grab its trackable to bring home. Then set off to the geohash. Is was located close to the road near a old gravefield. There was also a geocache hidden so I decided to log this first before walking out in the snow to find the correct location of the geohash. Took some photos of the place, but forgot to measure the distance to the geocache while standing at the geohash. It seemed to be more than 100 meters and it wasn't visible from the geohash location. Maybe if I return later I can find out whether I could see the geocache hide, but the weather was grey and cold so I decided to drive back home instead.
| Llavids earned the Land geohash achievement
Other Geohashing Expeditions and Plans on This Day[edit]
Expeditions and Plans
|Ballarat, Australia
|Just outside Rokewood as far as Palmpje can make up from the map.
|Newark, New Jersey
|A wooded lot in South Bound Brook
|Pforzheim, Germany
|Directly after my University I made my way to Pforzheim, but I had no luck ...
|Erfurt, Germany
|Juja, davey
|20 meters into a probably muddy field near Mennewitz (Schlöben), Thuringia....
|Malmö, Sweden
|Ekeröd, Hörby, Skåne, Sweden.
Update this list.


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As the 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival winds to a close on May 22, one of the movies that has made a mark with critics, and hopefully would with the George Miller jury as well, is a charmingly unpretentious work from Romania called Graduation.
Romanian director Cristian Mungiu has reaffirmed that style is unimportant while telling a story in a film, and he does this with admirable excellence in his Palm d'Or competitor, Graduation. Earlier, he had won the Palm for his abortionist tale, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, and a director's trophy for Beyond the Hills.
In Graduation, he examines a universal dilemma of parental anxiety for a child's welfare. Dr Romeo Adrian (played by Adrian Titieni) is a respectable member of society, who wants the very best for his academically brilliant daughter, Eliza (Maria Dragus) -- which is to send her away from the morally bankrupt and corrupt Romania to England, where she has won a scholarship to study psychology. But she has to pass one graduation test that will see her getting on the plane.
Read: At Cannes, documentary Peshmerga and its gutsy cameraman applauded
Read: How Iran's independent cinema is drawing attention at Cannes
However, on the morning of her examination, she is assaulted outside her school and nearly raped, and the father finds himself being forced to make moral compromises to ensure that Eliza gets her required grades. Graduation is an extraordinarily powerful work where Mungiu's unassuming helming makes a great impact on the viewer -- a realist, indeed he is, who shuns stylistic adornments and firmly believes that technical tricks do not make a magical movie.
Will Graduation win the coveted Palm d'Or or at least any of the other top prizes?
(Gautaman Bhaskaran is covering the Cannes Film Festival.)


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torsdag 16 maj 2013
Ashley Greene Talks to PEOPLE Backstage at the Runway to Hope Spring Fashion Soiree
Two months after losing her beloved fox terrier in an apartment fire, Twilight's Ashley Greene has found a surefire way to move forward with her loss: shifting her focus to helping others.
"Obviously, I've had a rough few months, but I'm doing okay," she tells PEOPLE. "I'm exploring new opportunities, and I try to participate in charity events as much as possible."
"It's very important to me to focus on others, not just myself. You look at children with cancer and you think, 'Wow, it really puts my own problems into perspective.' Not to say that what we all go through isn't important, but there are people who have much greater problems that they deal with every day."
Greene caught up with PEOPLE backstage at the Runway to Hope Spring Fashion Soiree on Saturday.
The event, founded by CNN analyst Mark NeJame and his wife Josie, raised more than $700,000 for pediatric cancer research. Greene and Olympic medalist Gabby Douglas emceed a fashion show and chatted with the runway models – all pediatric cancer patients.
"The numbers are just staggering. More than 12,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year," says the actress. "I definitely wanted to lend my name to something like this."
Next up for Greene: a role in the upcoming drama CBGB. One thing you won't see? The actress playing a vampire anytime soon. "If I've been getting vampire offers, my management hasn't been sending them to me," she says with a laugh. "We agreed that, unless a vampire role is spectacular, I just can't do it."
As for her Twilight costars, Greene says they mainly bump into each other on red carpets. "I still try to keep up with everyone, but we don't see each other as much as we'd like to. And then there's always Skype! I chatted with Kellan Lutz the other day and he was in Bulgaria!
ICYMI Fan Pics and Videos from the Runway to Hope Spring Fashion Soiree Here
Source: People Via: ash-greene
Upplagd av Crystal kl. 00:12
Etiketter: Ashley Greene
Prenumerera på: Kommentarer till inlägget (Atom)


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Latest News
How to embarrass your teenager
It isn't hard, but it does take some talent.
Parents tend to lose control as their kids grow older. You can't threaten to take away the stuffed animal they slobber over every night or seat them in a corner until they've realized the error of their ways. No, the teen years require creativity.
Fortunately, they fluster easily at this age.
Nothing will get a teenager's attention quicker than the risk of an embarrassing moment caused by mom.
Honestly, all you have to do is be yourself, but here are 10 tried-and-true methods for exacting sweet mom revenge on a young offender.
1. Like one of their photos on Instagram.
2. Dance.
3. Try to have a conversation with one of their friends.
4. Sing in the car (even better if there is no music on).
5. Wear a bikini.
6. Walk into a party or school to pick them up instead of waiting in the car like a good taxi driver.
7. Ask to speak to the parent of the kid hosting the party.
8. Have them paged on the overhead speaker at the store.
9. Photobomb their pictures with their friends.
10. Write a moms blog.


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Push start
Push starting, also known as bump starting, clutch starting, popping the clutch or crash starting, is a method of starting a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine by engaging the manual transmission while the vehicle is in motion.[1] The technique is most commonly employed when other starting methods (automobile self starter, kick start, jump start etc.) are unavailable.[2]
The most common way to push start a vehicle is to put the manual transmission in second gear typically, switching the ignition to on/run, depressing the clutch, and pushing the vehicle until it is at a speed of 5 to 10 mph (8 to 16 km/h) or more, then quickly releasing the clutch to make the engine rotate and fire, then quickly depressing the clutch so it does not stall. This is done by one person pushing a lightweight automobile, pulling or being pushed by another vehicle or even rolling down a hill.
Push starting is most successful when the automobile is using a gasoline engine, uses a carburetor, and uses a capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) or an inductive discharge ignition system. Automobiles with other types of engine, ignition, and fuel delivery configurations may work, but may be more difficult to start. Some engines must have a battery providing some electricity since fuel injection systems must have power to operate.
Automatic or manual gearbox[edit]
A vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission (including semi automatic) is difficult to push start since selection of transmission gears is possible only when the internals of such a gearbox are rotating. However, automatics with both front and rear hydraulic pumps can be push-started with no problems. The last American automobile with this type of transmission was the 1969 Chevrolet Corvair with a Powerglide automatic.
Petrol or diesel engines[edit]
A diesel engine uses heat and high compression (compression ratios commonly 22:1 versus 9:1 for gasoline) to ignite the fuel. When normally starting a modern diesel engine, it typically uses glowplugs to preheat the cylinder(s). If a battery is completely discharged then it may not provide the necessary electrical power to 'glow' the glowplugs, making the push starting of a diesel vehicle with a dead battery almost impossible.
Fuel delivery systems[edit]
Fuel injection is most common for modern gasoline and diesel engines. Fuel injection needs electrical power to open and close the fuel injectors. If a battery is of a sufficiently discharged state that it cannot provide the power to turn an automobile self starter then it may also not be possible to activate the injectors. The most common method to start such a vehicle engine is to jump start it.
A fuel pump is used for fuel injection. It can be mechanically driven or is electrically driven. If electrical then the same problem may arise which the battery cannot turn the pump because it is heavily discharged. A carburetor only needs suction from the internal combustion engine to work best when push starting. Once the engine is running, a fuel pump (mechanical or electrical) will continue to supply fuel to the carburettor.
Ignition systems[edit]
A modern gasoline engine contains an electronic ignition system which precisely times the electrical pulse to the spark plug. The advantage of such a device is that it can deliver a full power electrical pulse to the spark plugs even when the alternator is turning very slowly (as in push starting a motor). The outdated method of a mechanically timed ignition system is that is cannot deliver a full electrical pulse at very low engine revolutions per minute (RPM). This may affect the ease of push starting an engine to life.
In the early 20th century, many motorcycles could only be push started; the 1908 Scott was distinguished by introducing a kick starter feature.[3] Excelsior Motor Company's Welbike, intended to be carried by paratroopers in World War II, was designed to be started only by push starting.[3]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-11-04. Retrieved 2007-10-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link) Driving Tips - Workshops
- ^ [1] AskMen.com - Push-start car
- ^ a b Walker, Mick (2006), Motorcycle: Evolution, Design, Passion, JHU Press, p. 32, 45, ISBN 0-8018-8530-2


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Band cites Mount Polley disaster in rejecting mine development.
Aboriginal Mining News
Protesters slam Imperial Metals over Mount Polley
"We have two once pristine lakes that are now Imperial Metals tailings ponds."
Mining industry at a crossroads
Some of what is missing is any sense that the company is being open and transparent.
NEB Trans Mountain decision delayed by proposed route revision
The company's preferred corridor would include a trenchless drill crossing a conservation area.
Rio Tinto exhibits over $1 million in artwork from Australia's Kimberley region
It consists 44 pieces of artwork valued at more than US$1 million, and is on display at the AAMU Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Art in the Netherlands.


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Oh these boys! So stinking cute! They were such good listeners and laughed at all my jokes and were just such fun to photographThanks for coming and supporting such a great cause!
Category Archives: Fundraiser
These handsome boys were full of smiles at the American Cancer Society Fundraiser, and I can't get over how well their dog behaved…even sat on the pumpkin! Thanks for coming and supporting a great cause!
Fall- Family- Fundraiser- Photography- We teamed up to help fight cancer! Great event, thanks to all those who participated!
Another new family to me to support the SFRC. Sloper is such a beautiful place in the fall, and it even snowed a bit during our session! Thanks for coming out, hope to see you guys again!
So great to see whole family portraits these days! This family came out to Camp Sloper to support the FRC . Thanks for helping a great cause and creating memories your children will cherish forever! I love when parents and grandparents get in photos, it makes me happy for our kids that they will have...