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It's tiiiiime for Dodger baseball, dear SoSG readers.
I know, I know, it's only the first Spring Training game of the year. It means nothing, our key players will only get an AB or two, it's just the warm-up before the pre-warm-up, etc. But still...we have to start this season somewhere. And that somewhere is today and now.
Kemp and Crawford won't feature, but let's see what we can put together. Breaking from tradition of listing the lineup in the comments, here goes:
Ramirez 6
MEllis 4
Gonzalez 3
Ethier 9
Cruz 5
* Schumaker 8
Hairston 7
AJEllis 2
Uribe DH


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One of my favorite weekend lunches is the simple peameal bacon sandwich. Peameal bacon is pork loin that is cured and rolled in cornmeal. Unlike normal bacon it is not full of fat and your pan is
swimming in grease after frying it. Peameal bacon is nice and juicy and full of flavour. Luckily I live within walking distance of the St. Lawrence market where there are several butchers that make their own peameal bacon and there a several shops that sell peameal bacon sandwiches. Every time I go I am tempted by the sights and smells of the peameal bacon. A peameal bacon sandwich can be as simple as fried peameal bacon in bread, or you can add some mustard, or you can make a BLT, etc. I like to make mine with the works, with lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo and sometimes pickles. It is a really tasty sandwich that never fails to satisfy. (Note: Those brown caramelized bits in the pan after frying the peameal are so full of flavour! I try to scrape them up and add them to the sandwich.)
Peameal Bacon Sandwich
- 2 slices peameal bacon
- 1 bun
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
- 2 slices tomato
- 2 leaves lettuce
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Fry the bacon in a pan until lightly golden brown, assemble sandwich and enjoy!
Tomato and Bacon Sandwich
Peameal Bacon and Onion Chutney Crostini
Peameal Bacon and Kimchi Breakfast Muffin
Peameal Bacon and Roasted Tomato Sandwich with Cheddar Cheese

subset: commoncrawl


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Have you heard of food poisoning? It may sound strange, but you can be poisoned by food, especially food that wasn't cooked or preserved properly. Botulism (say: BOTCH-uh-lih-zum) is a serious kind of food poisoning, but fortunately it's also very rare. Only about 100 people get it every year in the United States. About 300 million people live in the United States, so that's not very many.
What Is Botulism?
Botulism can be caused by foods that were canned or preserved at home. Maybe you've had fruits or vegetables that someone picked from the garden in the summer and jarred so they could be eaten during the winter months. These foods need to be cooked at very high temperatures to kill the germs.
If not, bacteria called Clostridium botulinum could cause botulism in the people who eat the food. You can't always see, smell, or taste these bacteria, but they release a poison called a toxin. This toxin travels through the blood to attach to the nerves that control muscles. From several hours to a week after eating contaminated food, the person may get sick.
Many botulism cases occur in infants, and experts think that's because their digestive systems can't protect them from germs the way an older kid's or an adult's digestive system can.
Infant botulism can happen if a baby younger than 1 year eats honey, so it's important that babies don't eat honey until they're older.
What Does Botulism Do?
Botulism stops the muscles from working, so someone with botulism needs medical care right away. As the toxin spreads, muscles become weak all over. Many people feel queasy and may throw up or have diarrhea.
Other symptoms can include:
- difficulty swallowing
- difficulty speaking
- droopy eyelids
- double or blurred vision
- trouble breathing
What Will the Doctor Do?
After hearing about a person's symptoms or examining a baby, the doctor will probably test the blood or stool (poop) for the toxin. The doctor also might do a spinal tap or other tests to be sure.
Someone who has botulism will have to go to the hospital to be watched closely. It can take a long time for the person to get better.
Preventing Botulism
Kids aren't the ones canning food, but if their parents do, they can talk to them about the safety rules. And kids also can remind grown-ups that babies shouldn't have honey.
There's one more thing kids can do to prevent the spread of germs. Can you guess?
Wash your hands!
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2024 KidsHealth ® All rights reserved. Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com


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November 14, 2023
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Community Partner site to email this completed form to firstname.lastname@example.com. Midwestern will contact the patient to schedule an appointment within 48 business hours of receipt.


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IA154-KAL: Impressart Stamp Textures 6mm 4 Piece - Set
These professional quality stamps are manufactured to the highest standard for durability and alignment. Designs are precision-cut from carbon tool steel, hardened to last project after project. The stamp has an oil-free finish to protect against rust, and the side of the stamp is labeled with the design for easy identification.
Impression Size: 6mm
Impression Size: 6mm


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy is looking more resilient, thanks in part to encouraging signs for the two most expensive purchases most Americans make: cars and homes.
Cheap loans and a bounty of fuel-efficient models enticed people to buy new vehicles at a brisk pace last month. And the nation enjoyed another year-over-year surge in home prices in August — a sign that the housing industry is making a sustained comeback.
Both trends reflect rising confidence in the economy. More families are replacing aging cars. And rising home prices are leading more would-be buyers to conclude that a home is a good investment.
Two surveys last week also reported improving consumer confidence.
The apparent progress could benefit President Barack Obama, who faces off with Mitt Romney on Wednesday in an economy-focused debate just five week ahead of the election.
Despite the brightening auto and housing industries, the broader American economy is still struggling. It grew at a meager 1.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter. Most economists foresee little strengthening the rest of the year.
Hiring remains too sluggish to reduce high unemployment, which is at 8.1 percent. The manufacturing sector is struggling to grow consistently. Workers' pay is lagging inflation. A dismal European economy has cut demand for U.S. exports.
And the economy remains at risk of falling off a "fiscal cliff" early next year. That's when tax increases and deep spending cuts take effect unless Congress reaches a budget deal. If those measures do take effect, the economy could fall into recession.
Yet many Americans appear to be looking past the economy's troubles.
Surveys by the private Conference Board and the University of Michigan show that while consumers are anxious about current conditions, they're more optimistic about the future.
That helps explain why Americans are expected to step up spending during this year's holiday shopping season. The National Retail Federation, the largest retail trade group, predicts sales will rise 4.1 percent. That's less than in each of the past two years but more than the average growth over the past 10. And it extends a growth trend that began after holiday sales sank 4.4 percent in 2008 in the midst of the recession.
Increased consumer confidence is also a factor in this year's auto sales gains. On Tuesday, automakers reported solid increases in September. Total sales for the month are expected to exceed 1.1 million vehicles, up 11 percent from September 2011.
Analysts expect sales to total about 14.3 million this year, up from 12.8 million last year. Sales peaked at 17 million in 2005 before hitting a 30-year low of 10.4 million during the recession in 2009.
Auto purchases have been robust in part because people are replacing cars they kept during the recession. The average age of vehicles on U.S. roads is nearly 11 years.
Bargain loan rates are also fueling sales. Some banks and credit unions are offering 2 percent financing to auto buyers with good credit. Rates from some automakers' finance companies are even lower.
The auto industry's recovery could inject itself into Wednesday's presidential debate. Obama has boasted that the bailout of General Motors and Chrysler helped save more than 1 million jobs. GM and Chrysler have since returned to profitability and hired thousands. Detroit's automakers build most of their cars in the Midwest, including Ohio, an election battleground state.
Romney has countered that the auto companies should have gone through bankruptcy with private funding and been allowed to recover with government-backed private loans.
The steady rise in home prices may also be affecting voter perceptions of the economy. The price increases coincide with higher sales fueled by record-low mortgage rates. The gains could embolden people who had been spooked by their shrunken home values or wary of selling or investing in a home.
A gauge of prices calculated by CoreLogic, a private data provider, jumped 4.6 percent in August compared with August 2011. It was the sharpest year-over-year gain in more than six years.
Other home-price measures have also risen. The Standard & Poor's/Case Shiller index rose in July compared with a year ago, a second straight increase. And an index compiled by a federal housing regulator has reported annual increases.
Only 20 large cities out of 100 that CoreLogic tracked showed declines in the 12 months that ended in August. That compared with 26 in July.
Home prices are still 30 percent below their peak in June 2006, according to Case-Shiller. That was the height of the housing boom.
"The housing market's gains are increasingly geographically diverse, with only six states continuing to show declining prices," said Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic.
The six states with price declines are Kentucky, Connecticut, Alabama, New Jersey, Illinois and Rhode Island.
The auto and housing industries are benefiting from the historically low interest rates engineered by the Federal Reserve. The Fed last month launched a mortgage-bond buying program to try to drive down mortgage rates further. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is already a record-low 3.4 percent.
Since 2008, the Fed bought more than $2 trillion in Treasurys and mortgage bonds to try to drive down long-term rates. Besides lower mortgage rates, lower long-term rates have led to cheaper auto loans.
Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, said housing and auto manufacturing are providing critical support for a still subpar economy.
And he pointed to a connection between the two: Rising home prices make homeowners feel more secure and more willing to buy expensive items such as cars.
"Housing is a lifeline," LaVorgna said. "We would be a lot worse off without it."


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I got up on a Monday. I was feeling blue or maybe yellow, I don't know. I felt like I was going to have a metamorphosis for sure, but into what I couldn't say.
Tuesday had me searching for three or more of something, anything. Grains of rice or pretty poppies. Which to choose. Rice is pretty interesting.
I was
By Thursday I am so exhausted from all the memes I think I will Treat Myself. Apparently I was just about the only doing this so treating myself may be retired. The ladies are all so busy setting the tables they don't have the time for treats. The dishes are filling their cupboards and some are spilling into other rooms too. Forget what fork to use. I want to know what happens to people who spill their red wine across these beautiful tablescapes.
Then when Friday hits we finally have something to put on those lovely dishes. Foodies everywhere cook and bake and create. We all moan and groan with delight and some of us plan our grocery list to cook up the foodie offerings that look so darn good. Some of us just lick the screen.
Saturday is the day to make small talk. Chit chat. Lists of six. Of course us overachievers always have to add just one more. The real overachievers will write it in a pink font.
Sunday is a day of rest for bloggers. Ya right. We repost a favorite one from the past but we end up writing a whole new post to explain why we chose the old post and then we update the information that has changed since we posted the old post so that we don't have to come up with a new post on Sunday so we can have more time to ourselves to take pictures of our gardens and tables and food and collections and walls and redecorating and thrifty finds and and and...
And where does Mr. Linky fit into all of this? He teases us and laughs at us. He plays games with us. Doesn't he know what day this is? Keep your fingers crossed that he will show up.
Oh yes. Please note the Mosaic for this Monday at the top. Make sure you visit all the lovely hostesses for these memes. They always put on a great event and the other bloggers never cease to amaze me with their creativity and talents.
Have a good week.
- Mosaic Monday
- Metamorphosis Monday
- Blue Monday
- Mellow Yellow Monday
- Three or More Tuesday
- Wordless Wednesdays
- What's on Your Wall Wednesday
- Outdoor Wednesday
- Treat Yourself Thurday
- Tablescapes Thursday
- Foodie Friday
- Small Talk Six Saturday
- Sunday Favorites


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Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts / BOYER COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND DANCE
Learn more about the Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance.
About the Program
The objective of the DMA program in Trombone Performance is to foster growth and development of the highest and most sophisticated expression of musical interpretation through performance under the guidance of a very highly specialized faculty.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years
Campus Location: Main
Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.
Accreditation: The degree program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
Areas of Specialization: Diverse areas of study are included to ensure the broadest possible cultivation and expansion of students' talents.
Job Prospects: Graduates of the program typically find employment in professional music ensembles throughout the world, in colleges and universities, and in private teaching studios, among other employment venues.
Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may enroll in select courses in music with permission, but may not take applied lessons until they have been fully admitted and matriculated.
Financing Opportunities: Boyer College of Music and Dance offers a number of assistantships and academic internships to matriculated graduate students. Full awards carry a cash stipend plus full tuition remission for the Fall and Spring terms. Partial awards also are available in values of 1/4 or 1/2 of a full award. Duties for assistantships and internships vary, but typically include teaching, tutoring, classroom assistance, research, artistic performance and/or direct service related to academic programs. Assistantship and internship awards are made only in the Fall term for up to two terms: Fall and Spring. Awards may be renewed on an annual basis (typically up to one additional year for master's students and up to three years for doctoral students) based on departmental needs as well as satisfactory academic and musical progress by the recipient.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
Application Deadline:
Fall: November 15
APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.
Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from evaluators who can provide insight into the applicant's abilities, talents and aptitude for graduate study.
Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of the appropriate Bachelor of Music degree at Temple University, which is based on a curriculum of 124 to 135 hours. Doctoral candidates must hold the Master of Music degree (or the equivalent) in the field of specialization from an accredited institution. Applicants accepted with deficiencies will find the deficiencies noted in the letter of admission. Deficiencies must be addressed prior to completion of the degree.
Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A degree in Music is expected.
Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A degree in Music is expected.
Statement of Goals: Share your special interests within the discipline and expectations for the program.
Standardized Test Scores:
Applicants who did not earn both their baccalaureate and a master's degree from an institution in the United States must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:
- TOEFL iBT: 100
- TOEFL Essentials: 10.5
- IELTS Academic: 7.0
- PTE Academic: 68
Prescreening Video and Audition: Applicants submit a prescreening video via Acceptd. This recording may contain representative movements of the audition material, with the majority of the material having been recorded within the last 12 months. Video recordings of accompanied works must have piano or orchestral accompaniment.
If preliminary approval is granted, an in-person live audition is arranged. Audition repertoire requirements include:
- A concerto, sonata, or solo piece from the Classical, Romantic, or Impressionistic period.
- A concerto, sonata, or solo piece from the 20th Century.
- Excerpts from the standard orchestral repertoire.
All works, except sonatas, should be memorized.
Note that video recordings alone are not acceptable for admission, except in the case of students living outside the United States. In this case, applicants must submit a video recording of complete works.
Resume: Current resume required.
Interview: Applicants are interviewed by the department chair and Associate Dean at the time of the live audition.
Scholarly Paper: Applicants must upload a scholarly paper to Acceptd.
Writing Examination: An on-site Writing Examination is required as part of the doctoral admissions process. Remedial coursework may be required.
Advanced Standing: The DMA program in Music Performance consists of 54 discrete credits taken beyond the master's degree. At the time of admission, the entire master's degree serves as advanced standing credits. These credits are not counted toward the 54 required credits of the doctoral degree. However, students may transfer into the doctoral program up to 12 additional graduate credits in coursework taken beyond the master's degree. Typically, this coursework is reviewed after admission to the DMA degree and must be approved by the major advisor and the Associate Dean. The maximum number of advanced standing credits awarded is 30.
Additional Requirements: Applicants must:
- Include with the application a repertoire list indicating works previously studied. The list should indicate which of the works were performed publicly and, if possible, where and when they were performed.
- Show transcript evidence at the master's level in the area of bibliographical resources in music. If no transcript evidence is available, students must take MUST 8701 Research in Music in addition to the 6 required credits within the History/Theory area.
Other: Due to the large number of applications for admission and the competitive nature of its music programs, the College admits only a portion of its applicants. In addition to the general admissions credentials required of all Temple University graduate applicants, specialized admission criteria (i.e., auditions, portfolios, interviews, recommendations, departmental term papers, and standardized examinations) are very heavily weighted in admission decisions of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. Graduate applicants may be rejected for admission for failing to obtain the required level of proficiency in any one area of the specialized admission criteria regardless of the level of success in meeting the Temple University general admission criteria. In addition to the level of success demonstrated in the above-mentioned criteria, a final admission factor is the College's Optimum Enrollment Policy. This policy may preclude the admission of any student who meets the minimum requirements.
Program Requirements
General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Master's: 54
Required Courses:
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
Core Courses | ||
MUSC 9011 | Doctoral Chamber Music | 1 |
MUSC 9012 | Doctoral Chamber Music | 1 |
MUSC 9184 | DMA Solo Public Recital | 1 |
MUSC 9351 | Performance Traditions | 3 |
MUSC 9504 | Doctoral Instrumental Major | 3 |
MUSC 9514 | Doctoral Instrumental Major | 3 |
MUSC 9517 | Advanced Conducting-Doctoral | 2 |
MUSC 9524 | Doctoral Instrumental Major | 3 |
MUSC 9534 | Doctoral Instrumental Major | 3 |
MUSC 9565 | Lower Brass Pedagogy | 2 |
MUSC 9684 | DMA Lecture-Recital | 1 |
or MUSC 9784 | DMA Performance with Orchestra | |
MUSC 9701 | Doct Perf Practice I | 3 |
or MUSC 9702 | Doct Perf Practice II | |
MUSC 9984 | DMA Final Recital | 1 |
MUST 9701 | Doctoral Seminar Analysis, Interpretation, and Performance | 3 |
Electives | ||
Music History | 3 | |
Advanced Music | 3 | |
Minor Area in Music 1 | 12 | |
Research Course | ||
MUSC 9999 | Monograph Research | 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 54 |
- 1
Select from courses at the level of MUSC 8404 or higher.
- Solo public recital by the conclusion of the fourth term of lessons (MUSC 9534)
- Solo public recital (MUSC 9184)
- Lecture Recital (MUSC 9684) or Performance with Orchestra (MUSC 9784)
- Final Doctoral Recital (MUSC 9984)
Additional Requirements:
Written Entrance Examinations:
All doctoral students must take written entrance exams prior to or during the first term of doctoral study. Candidates who fail the entrance examinations the first time may, upon application to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies of the Boyer College of Music and Dance, be permitted to take the examinations a second time. A third opportunity is not allowed.
To continue registration in the doctoral program beyond the second term of study, all portions of the examinations must be passed or the appropriate review courses (or the equivalent, as determined by the examining department) must be in progress. Students planning to take the written examinations should request a list of dates from the graduate secretary and submit a written request to the Associate Dean one month prior to the administration date.
- Music History Exam: A general examination covering the history of music is administered. Questions relative to forms, styles and periods of music are included. It is expected that all examinees are acquainted with the standard literature of music.
- Harmony Exam: This exam involves completion of a harmonic excerpt in advanced chromatic idiom and the creation of a bass line with figuration (figured bass) in Baroque style.
- Counterpoint Exam: From a given motive, approximately 20 measures of imitative counterpoint in three parts are to be completed.
- Form and Analysis Exam: A score is provided at the examination that requires analysis of specified passages.
- Literature and Pedagogy Exam: This examination focuses on the literature and pedagogy of the instrument of specialization.
- Writing Sample: A 90-minute examination of the student's ability to write at the doctoral level is conducted. Examination topics are of a general nature.
Diagnostic Recital:
A diagnostic recital is required and must be performed before a faculty jury at the conclusion of the first term of study. The candidate must contact their advisor to arrange the jury. The recital consists of a full program, approximately 45 minutes in length, and may include the performance (with music) of a new composition that is presented to the applicant for study 48 hours in advance of the jury. An analysis of repertoire and technical needs results.
Continuous Registration:
Continuous registration of at least 3 credits must be maintained each term, with the exception of Summer, from the time of acceptance into the DMA program in Music Performance until the completion of all coursework.
Continuation in the DMA Program:
Each course or seminar requires an end-of-term final grade based on papers prepared, recitals presented, discussion, and/or examinations taken during the course of the term. Each term of private study culminates in a performance examination or jury, except during terms in which the student has presented one of the required adjudicated recitals. Screening for continuance in the program after the first term of study is conducted at adjudicated recitals, end-of-the-term juries, and major examinations. This ensures that only the most qualified students continue beyond the early stages of the program.
For all doctoral programs, only grades from "A" to "B-" can be applied toward degree requirements. Grades of less than "B-" cannot be counted toward the degree. Any student who earns a grade less than "B-" may, with permission of the department chair and the Associate Dean, retake the term of study one additional time. The same applies to recitals.
Professional Development Policy:
In addition to taking the required subjects for their degrees, all students in the Boyer College of Music and Dance are obligated to serve in a number of capacities in order to enrich their academic and musical expertise. Boyer College of Music and Dance believes that such experiences give impetus to successful professional careers. Among the duties that may be required are conducting laboratory classes; tutoring; teaching private lessons; coaching; participating in the distribution and inventory control of Temple University-owned musical instruments and instructional materials; participating in ensembles; accompanying; performing at admissions and open house events; supervising performance classes; and engaging in other academic activities.
Performing Ensembles:
- Touring: All students in touring performing ensembles are required to participate in all scheduled tours. These tours, usually one or two weeks in length, often take place immediately after termination of terms. Students must arrange their schedules to accommodate this requirement.
- Non-Credit Participation: With special permission, graduate students for whom there is no ensemble requirement, or where previous ensemble credits exceed the graduation requirement, may participate in choral and instrumental ensembles without cost, with prior permission from the ensemble director, the department chair and the Associate Dean.
Independent Study Courses:
Independent study courses provide a special opportunity for graduate students to work in a highly individualized setting with one or more faculty members. All such study must receive the approval of the faculty member providing the instruction, the students' major advisor, and the Associate Dean. Approval is granted only after the student has presented a detailed description of the intended independent study project. Approval of independent study projects is granted only for students whose academic and musical record provides substantial support for the benefits of this type of study. In no case may more than 20% of a graduate student's curriculum be taken as independent study. Private lessons beyond those required in the curriculum are not an appropriate form of independent study.
Acceptable English:
All students, including those for whom English is not the native language, are expected to present all written work in acceptable English. No double standard exists to differentiate students on the basis of proficiency in the use of the English language. Students are also responsible for becoming familiar with the College's statement on plagiarism and academic honesty.
Graduate Private Lesson Policy:
Weekly one-hour private lessons are provided for all matriculated master's and doctoral performance majors in good standing, provided at least three additional credits of programmatically required graduate-level study are taken simultaneously. A $250 per term lesson fee (subject to change without notice) is charged for all private lessons. Tuition remission may not be used to cover the private lesson fee.
The four terms of private lessons must be taken consecutively, with the exception of summers. Any deviation from this must have the approval of the advisor, department chair, and the Associate Dean of the Boyer College of Music and Dance. Graduate assistantships and other forms of University-sponsored financial aid do not cover private lesson and recital extension fees.
Written Preliminary Examinations:
The written preliminary examinations may be taken during the final term of coursework, but no later than in the term after completion of coursework. They are administered several times each calendar year, and span two consecutive days of six hours of examination each day. Written and performance examinations should be taken no later than the end of the fifth year to allow for the successful completion of the Final Recital and the writing of the monograph. Preliminary examinations must be successfully completed before formal work on the monograph may be undertaken and before the Final Recital may be presented.
Students planning to take the written examinations should request a list of dates from the graduate secretary and submit a written request to the Associate Dean one month prior to the administration date. Students are then notified in writing of the specific dates and administration times of the preliminary examinations for which they have been scheduled.
The examinations consist of questions relating to the major and minor areas and to musical style; require the student to comment articulately on the style and historical significance of musical compositions; and entail the student discussing and defending the principles of performance on the basis of which they would undertake to perform any composition in their major area. The questions are prepared by faculty members within the student's major and minor subject areas. At least two graduate faculty members read each section of the written preliminary examinations. Students typically are graded "Pass" or "Fail" based on a consensus of the examination readers.
Oral Preliminary Examinations:
For those students who pass the written preliminary examinations, no oral preliminary examination is required. (This refers only to the oral preliminary examination and does not refer in any way to the oral defense of the dissertation/monograph.)
If a student fails one or more portions of the written preliminary examination, an oral examination is administered by the major advisor and a minimum of two additional faculty members. In the case of failure in one subject area, two members of that department are asked by the student's major advisor to participate with the major advisor in the examination. In the case of failure in more than one subject area, at least one faculty member from each of the departments in which the failure occurred is asked by the student's major advisor to participate in the examination.
The examination is to be a formal oral examination rather than an informal meeting with graduate faculty from departments in which the examination revealed that the student needs further work. This does not preclude such informal meetings, however, in preparation for the oral examination. Upon passing the oral examination, the student, as advised by the examining committee, is permitted to schedule a second and final attempt at the failed portions of the written examination.
Final Recital and Monograph Proposal:
After the successful completion of the written preliminary examinations, MUSC 9984 DMA Final Recital and written monograph are undertaken in consultation with the major advisor, the department chair, and the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC). The DAC shall be appointed by the Associate Dean to adjudicate the Final Recital and to guide the student in writing both the monograph proposal and the final document itself. When the student, in consultation with the major advisor and department chair, has identified a tentative advisory committee, the chair gives those names to the Associate Dean for consideration. The Associate Dean appoints the DAC. The DAC consists of no fewer than three persons: two faculty members from within the department, and a third person from outside the department. Members of the DAC serve as the adjudicators of the Final Recital.
After a proposal for the monograph has been developed by the student in consultation with the DAC, the student prepares a final copy for approval. Each member of the DAC must sign the final proposal. Once all DAC members have signed the title page, the student copies the final proposal and delivers within 30 days one copy to each member of the DAC, the department chair, the Associate Dean, and the Graduate School. Students register for MUSC 9999 after the proposal has been officially approved. Doctoral candidates are required to register for a minimum of 6 credit hours of MUSC 9999 Monograph Research during their program as a whole and must register for a minimum of 1 such credit each term.
Recital Extension:
Students withdrawing from the recital requirement during the recital term receive an Incomplete and must register for extended study for non-degree credit (MUSC 5000 Recital Extension for 2 credits). Recital Extension must be taken each term until the recital has been presented. This course is offered on a "Credit/No Credit" basis only. Upon satisfactory completion of the recital, the Incomplete for the recital course is replaced by a letter grade and MUSC 5000 Recital Extension is issued a grade of "CR." Credit derived from Recital Extension is not counted toward degree requirements.
- Recital Extension Fees: Tuition for these additional terms of private study is the cost of 2 graduate credits plus a $400 Recital Extension fee. Graduate assistantships and other forms of University-sponsored financial aid do not cover the Recital Extension fee.
- Exceptions to Recital Extension:
- Students who perform their recitals during the first three weeks of the Spring term are not required to register for Recital Extension that term.
- Students who register for Recital Extension during the Summer may perform their recitals during the first three weeks of the Fall term. However, any student who does not take Recital Extension during the Summer may not present the recital in the Fall term, regardless of the date, without also registering for the Fall term of Recital Extension.
- Failure to Present Recital: The degree status of students who are unable to present a recital after one term of Recital Extension is reviewed by the Associate Dean and the major advisor, who, in consultation with the major teacher and department, determine whether or not the student may continue in the program. Inability to present the recital after one term of Recital Extension may be grounds for dismissal from the degree program for failing to maintain reasonable academic progress.
Final Oral Examination:
When the monograph is complete, the major advisor of the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) asks the Associate Dean to appoint an outside reader. The DAC plus the outside reader constitute the Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC) for the monograph defense. Doctoral candidates must schedule a defense of the monograph with the Associate Dean at least one month before the requested defense date. Forms to schedule the defense are available from the graduate secretary.
Doctoral candidates must submit a defense copy of the monograph to members of the DEC and the Associate Dean at least two weeks prior to the defense. Students should register for MUSC 9999 Monograph Research (1-6 credits) each term, Fall and Spring, until the final project has been successfully defended. Doctoral candidates are required to register for a minimum of 6 credit hours of MUSC 9999 during their program as a whole, but must register for a minimum of one such credit each term.
All incomplete grades and keyboard proficiencies must be fulfilled by the first day of the month in which the student expects to graduate.
Culminating Events:
Final Recital:
Students may present the DMA Final Recital (MUSC 9984) after the preliminary examination has been completed and the DAC has been appointed.
After a proposal for the monograph has been developed by the student in consultation with the DAC, the student prepares a final copy for approval. Each member of the DAC must sign the final proposal. Once all DAC members have signed the title page, the student copies the final proposal and delivers one copy to each member of the DAC, the department chair, the Associate Dean, and the Graduate School within 30 days.
Early in the term in which a defense of the monograph is anticipated, the major advisor notifies the Associate Dean that it is time to appoint the Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC). The DEC consists of the DAC plus an "outside" reader, who is an additional graduate faculty member from Temple or another university, but not from the faculty of the student's home department.
Doctoral candidates must schedule a defense of the monograph with the Associate Dean at least one month before the requested defense date. Forms to schedule the defense are available from the graduate secretary. This includes the "Announcement of Oral Defense" form, found in TUportal under the Tools tab within "University Forms," which must bear all appropriate signatures and be submitted to the Associate Dean.
Two weeks prior to the oral defense, the student submits individual copies of the abstract and the completed dissertation/monograph to the Associate Dean and each member of the DEC. The graduate secretary notifies the Graduate School and posts notices of the impending defense on bulletin boards located within the Boyer College of Music and Dance. All members of the DEC attend the oral defense and then vote to pass or fail the monograph and its defense after the conclusion of the public presentation.
Changes in membership of a DAC or a DEC must be approved by the Associate Dean. The change also must be communicated to the Graduate School.
Program Web Address:
Department Information:
Dept. of Instrumental Studies
Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts/Boyer College of Music and Dance
2001 N. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6079


text:
Gretchen "Gertie" Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web's most popular sewing blogs: Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. The blog began as a way for readers to follow Hirsch's progress as she stitched all 14 fashions from the iconic 1950s sewing book Vogue's New Book for Better Sewing (a Julie & Julia–esque experiment for the modern sewist). It quickly became a place for Hirsch to share tutorials and lively posts about sewing as it relates to fashion history, pop culture, body image, and gender. An extension of the blog, Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing is a hardworking reference title packed with lessons on couture techniques and customization, as well as an inimitable pattern collection featuring 25 wardrobe essentials and variations inspired by vintage fashion and Gertie's spirited, modern style.Readers, if you've enjoyed my blog, may I humbly ask that you support the book by pre-ordering it? This is a crucial time in showing bookstores that the book will sell if they carry it.
A few fun facts:
- Can you spot Henry on the cover?
- The dress I'm wearing is a brocade, short-sleeved version of the Wiggle Dress pattern (see below), which is included with the book, along with 9 other patterns. The patterns are printed on sturdy paper sheets and go from bust size 32" to 46".
- The infamous green clogs made the cover!!!
- I love the way the cover echoes VoNBBS, with the larger-than life sewing illustrations (done by a fabulous illustrator named Sun Young Park).


text:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is investigating reports of 13 deaths possibly linked to so-called "energy shots" and cautioning consumers to talk to their doctors before they take them or other energy drinks.
The agency has received 92 reports that cite illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths after consumption of a product marketed as 5-Hour Energy. The FDA has also received reports that cited the highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drink in five deaths and one non-fatal heart attack.
Agency officials said the reports to the FDA from consumers, doctors and others don't necessarily prove that the drinks caused the deaths or injuries, but said they are investigating each one. In a statement, FDA officials said they will take action if they can link the deaths to consumption of the energy drink. Such action could include forcing the company to take the drinks, often found at convenience store checkout counters, off the market.
FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess said the agency is cautioning consumers that these "energy shots" or "energy drinks" are not alternatives to rest or sleep.
"If someone is thinking about taking one of these products, they should consult with their health care provider to ensure that there are no underlying or undiagnosed medical conditions that could worsen as a result of using them," Burgess said.
The agency doesn't individually regulate caffeinated drinks or supplements such as the energy shots but can take action if they are proven to do harm. Makers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks took those products off the market in 2010 after the FDA sent the companies warning letters saying that combinations of caffeine and alcohol in the drinks was a public health concern and could lead to alcohol poisoning, car accidents and assaults.
5-Hour Energy's small size can also be dangerous to consumers with underlying conditions because it's easier to take several of them or mix them with alcohol. Though it is liquid, the 5-Hour Energy "shot" is marketed not as a drink but as a dietary supplement. FDA regulations require supplement manufacturers themselves to be responsible for products' safety.
A spokeswoman for the company that makes the product, Michigan-based Living Essentials, LLC, says 5-Hour Energy is a "compact-sized energy shot intended for busy adults — it is not an energy drink, nor marketed as a beverage."
Elaine Lutz said the company is not aware of any deaths proven to have been caused by their product. She said the company's website advises consumers to drink no more than two bottles of the shots per day, spaced several hours apart, and for new consumers to drink half a bottle to start.
The New York Times first reported that 13 deaths were linked to 5-Hour Energy.


text:
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Despite the obvious hassle of having to upload a potentially massive music collection, and — at least in the case of Amazon Cloud Drive — pay for the privilege to do so (once you pass the 5 GB threshold), there are advantages to this approach. The main one is being able to access all of your music anywhere you want from a mobile device or computer — wherever you can jump online. And then there's the safety of knowing a backup of that data exists in case your computer or external hard drive kicks it.
Of course, many of us use Amazon and Google on a daily basis. But at the end of the day, do you want to entrust them with your entire digital life? Music, photos, everything? As the recent Sony PSN debacle proves, not even mega-corporations are immune to hackers and shutdowns. It might be a better idea to store that valuable data in your own personal Cloud.


text:
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Hey Everybody, Do You Know What Time It Is?
Saturday, January 24, 2009
If you guessed "time to learn the difference between an old-style telephone and a clock", then you are absolutely correct!
I would have also accepted "Time to ban CCCs" or "Time to train a wreckerator". Any other suggestions?
Michelle H., call me!
107 comments | Post a Comment
Ha, that's hilarious! I love how frilly it is!
- January 24, 2009 at 9:31 AM
To me it looks like Tickety Tock and Magenta (both form Blue's Clues) had a love child.
Wrong on so many levels. - January 24, 2009 at 9:37 AM
- heather said...
Took me a while, at first I thought it was supposed to be Magenta from Blue's Clues, then Tickety Tock in the middle. Clearly I was as mistaken as this "decorator".
- January 24, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- chow bella said...
That cake looks like the back of a sheep's head...a sheep that happens to be wearing a pink sweat band and have a pink clock inserted into it's skull...
- January 24, 2009 at 9:43 AM
- Ream O Rama said...
OK, but seriously, WTH is that? Usually I can kinda get it, but I feel like Steve Martin saying "What in the hell is that thing?"
- January 24, 2009 at 9:46 AM
- Unknown said...
I'm not sure what it says about me, but I thought it was a "biological clock", based on the color and the 8th grade rendering of the female reproductive system.
- January 24, 2009 at 9:47 AM
- Kate said...
could it also be time to put down the pink air brush? This is pretty random.
- January 24, 2009 at 9:48 AM
It looks like a naked lady with a phone in her stomach. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!
- January 24, 2009 at 9:49 AM
- Beth said...
What? I am so confused. There has to be an explanation from this one. Get this wreckorater on the phone... I mean clock... I mean phone...
SO CONFUSED!!!!! - January 24, 2009 at 9:55 AM
- skinny minny said...
I love analog clocks...not this one though!
Spent too much time trying to figure out why the phone had 12 numbers on it... - January 24, 2009 at 9:56 AM
Time to ban spray caking!
- January 24, 2009 at 10:02 AM
- Lulubelle B said...
Phone? Clock? Maybe it's one of those space-saving combo countertop dealies.
wv: becomed
I becomed confuse when I seen this wreck. - January 24, 2009 at 10:06 AM
- Glassgrrl Studios said...
That slays me.
My first thought: 'a rotary phone - no, wait, not with 12 digits and hands.....but I'm sure that's a telephone reference....STOP you moron, it's Cake Wrecks, do not think, you'll only get a headache.' - January 24, 2009 at 10:09 AM
- Kathryn said...
The first thing I thought of when I saw this cake was, unfortunately, "Is that a biological clock cake??"
If you don't see it I won't go into any more detail then that.... - January 24, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Is it 3:00 or 12:15?
- January 24, 2009 at 10:23 AM
- Donna M. said...
My first thought was a telephone gone bad.
I was watching Ace of Cakes the other night and some of the girls were doing a wedding cake for a friend and wanted cupcakes. Duff refused to do cupcakes. Now there's a smart decorator lol
wv: finglyp "You can take a fyinglp if you think this is a good CCC" - January 24, 2009 at 10:27 AM
What the heck was it supposed to be? It may have started with a great idea or design but I think it got lost somewhere in the process of adding way too much frosting. (Don't get me wrong, I love frosting, but sometimes there is such a thing as too much.)
- January 24, 2009 at 10:27 AM
- Angie McCullagh said...
Huh. Well, we don't know the occasion, right? Could be someone who got a call at exactly three o'clock that they made it into the college of their choice or are going to Africa on Safari or getting dumped by their significant other...
Angie (from over at www.HalfAssedKitchen.com) - January 24, 2009 at 10:32 AM
- FreedomFirst said...
Wow, and I thought the jump drive was depressing!
- January 24, 2009 at 10:38 AM
How 'bout "Time to put a clock face in a poodle's head"? :P
WV: crings - what I did when I saw this monstrosity. - January 24, 2009 at 10:41 AM
It sort of reminded me of that clock character in Beauty and the Beast. Think his name was Cogsworth.
- January 24, 2009 at 10:41 AM
- Unknown said...
- January 24, 2009 at 10:45 AM
- Kami said...
It looks like a poodle clock, with all the swirls.
- January 24, 2009 at 10:48 AM
- Becca said...
My 3 yr. old said it looks like a clock on a people's tummy. :)
- January 24, 2009 at 10:51 AM
- sendingtheclowns said...
Heh heh heh...
Shall we call you on this phone?
What a lovely ombre effect it has going on. So subtle...so innocent and unassuming...
And perhaps someone was channeling Salvador Dali when applying the clock?
What a bold and avant-garde take on your average, everyday clock/phone cake, no? - January 24, 2009 at 10:52 AM
- Women on the Verge said...
Time to go to a different bakery!
- January 24, 2009 at 10:56 AM
it seems clear to me that this is, in fact, the well-referenced "biological clock"....the pink, the weird curving bar across the top...sure, its not anatomically correct in any way, but when has that ever stopped a wreckerator?!
- January 24, 2009 at 10:59 AM
We need a new tag - "what is it?"
- January 24, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Maybe they are on to something...if we ever start making rotary dial phones again, it will save so much time dialing 9-11! Just think...
- January 24, 2009 at 11:06 AM
- Becky said...
Time to scream and run?
- January 24, 2009 at 11:08 AM
UMMM....YEAH.....sorry, I just have NO words for that one ***shakes head and rolls eyes ****
- January 24, 2009 at 11:10 AM
- Ms Unreliable said...
Kids these days.
- January 24, 2009 at 11:13 AM
- thecatsmeow said...
Wow...I thought the cake itself was funny enough; but then I started reading the comments and just about wet myself from laughing! Personally I thought it looked like one of two things: the middle of a person's body with a clock stuck in it (perhaps some sort of "it's time to pop out that baby" kind of thing), or a fanciful "menopause cake" channeling the reproductive system.
Been reading here for a while and can always count on a good laugh. Keep those crazy cakes coming! I'm no expert on cakes or anything, but this has to be one of the funniest blogs I read with any regularity. - January 24, 2009 at 11:21 AM
- Amy said...
tool time! hahah
- January 24, 2009 at 11:21 AM
- Unknown said...
Um..speechless. Again.
~Amy B. - January 24, 2009 at 11:22 AM
- Maddy said...
If you're really 123 years old, then maybe it doesn't matter quite so much.
Cheers - January 24, 2009 at 11:30 AM
- Maureen said...
Sweet Jesus!
- January 24, 2009 at 11:35 AM
You mean it's not Chico time?
- January 24, 2009 at 11:40 AM
- momofonefornow said...
Am I the only one that thinks that pink strip across the top looks like when they show "cast=ff" blood from a murder on CSI?
- January 24, 2009 at 11:42 AM
- the ginabean said...
the number dial looks like a pink record (with numbers on it for some reason).
the...ah...phone loos like...i'm not quite sure, actually. once i read that it was an old fashioned phone, i could totally see it when i squinted my eyes. but then i looked at the pink record and again became confused. you see, i have one of those old-fashioned phones. and last i checked, they don't have hour and minute hands. at all.
even for a CCC, it's fugly - January 24, 2009 at 11:46 AM
I'm totally going with the Blues Clues folks on this one but...wow. That is BAD. And a bit head scratching.
- January 24, 2009 at 11:48 AM
- Glory von Hathor said...
Ring ring. Ring Ring.
"Hi! It's your ovaries here. We're just calling to say YOU'RE THIRTY."
"Uh. Okay. But I thought you guys went Tick Tock."
"Hybrid technology. It's the future." - January 24, 2009 at 11:55 AM
- Nulono said...
"To me it looks like Tickety Tock and Magenta (both form Blue's Clues) had a love child."
Thanks for the mental image. Lesbian dog-on-clock sex.
Lovely. - January 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Actually, that's a poodle mix. It's a clockapoo. My grandma had one. Had to be fed at 6:00 on the dot.
- January 24, 2009 at 12:42 PM
- Julie said...
April said...
[i]Actually, that's a poodle mix. It's a clockapoo. My grandma had one. Had to be fed at 6:00 on the dot.[/i]
Clockapoo!!?? LOL! - January 24, 2009 at 1:00 PM
- CrazyMom said...
LOL at the pic... This may be Devil's Advocate here, but I think it's a good attempt. :D
- January 24, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Goodness! They could have put a face on that thing and called it santa!
- January 24, 2009 at 1:13 PM
- WM said...
I totaly didn't see it as a phone...too literal, I guess. This comes under "What were they thinking????" I'm missing the concept here.
- January 24, 2009 at 1:46 PM
- Aviatrix said...
I thought it was a "biological clock", based on the color and the 8th grade rendering of the female reproductive system.
I'm in hysterics here at the number of people who interpreted it this way. I'd love to know what the decorator was aiming at.
My vote is that this is the telephone that rings at 3 a.m. in the White House. Obama will make Clinton answer it. - January 24, 2009 at 1:47 PM
- MamaLee. said...
Amazing. - January 24, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Actual conversation with my 5 yr. old daughter...
H - Mom, why are you laughing?
A - I'm reading something funny. Hey, come here for a minute. What do you think this is? (Showing H picture of "cake")
H - It's a clock! No, it's a cupcake thing... What's that on top?
A - Not sure honey. Do you think it looks like an old telephone?
H - Yes! It's a cupcake clock phone thing. It's cool. I like it. Gotta go now...
There you have it - it's a cupcake clock phone thing with a 5 year olds seal of approval. :) - January 24, 2009 at 2:11 PM
Maybe it's supposed to be a cloud with a clock in it, thus symbolizing the looming inevitability of death or a heavenly countdown to the apocalypse. They made it pink to remind the people eating it that God still loves them even though he's pacing back and forth waiting for them to die.
- January 24, 2009 at 2:25 PM
- fading in the sun said...
my first thought: does anybody really care? but that's really just me listening to old Chicago.
WV: coushedd.
indeed. - January 24, 2009 at 2:38 PM
- Brianna said...
Okay, now I am really confused. The colck looks like something from Alice and Wonderland :)
- January 24, 2009 at 2:47 PM
- Sondra! said...
Time to get a new Cake Decorator!
What in the world was said in that ordering conversation is what I'd like to know. - January 24, 2009 at 2:56 PM
- Just A Midwife said...
I was going to try, but darn, April, I just can't top that...laughing SO hard!!
- January 24, 2009 at 3:13 PM
- Scritzy said...
All rightie, then!
Even if it is supposed to be a clock in a phone (why? just why?), whoever decorated the darned thing could have made the clock face a little less wonky. - January 24, 2009 at 3:18 PM
- Keemster said...
I was going to mention how delish the white icing on the cupcakes looks...then I realized that there was a naked pink breast in the middle of the whole thing with a clock face on it! Ewwww!
- January 24, 2009 at 3:58 PM
- Corinn said...
This entry just subjected me to an ad about getting the best price on diaper cakes. I'm pretty sure I know what those usually are, but considering the things often seen here... EWWWW...
- January 24, 2009 at 3:59 PM
I know what it is...it is a montage of things current second grade student had no idea once exisited like rotary phones and analog clocks in the kitchen. If they could have added rabbit ears antenna and a record player, it would have been more obvious. Maybe we should call it the GreatGrandma's Things Cake cause those swirly things remind me of those crochet monstrosities with dolls heads attached that were once used to hide toilet paper.
Breathtakingly horrible. - January 24, 2009 at 4:04 PM
- Susan said...
Time for somebody to take their meds I think!
WV: prebra: What you are when an undershirt will still do it for you. - January 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM
- Crafty Lady said...
Don't forget to vote for Cake Wrecks!
One vote per person (e-mail address) so let's make them count!
WV: blumi- The fact that Cake Wrecks got another food blog nomination BLUMI away! - January 24, 2009 at 4:35 PM
- Nil Zed said...
What? was it supposed to be an old phone & the wreckorator was a young'un who couldn't understand the concept of the dial? Someone said, 'the numbers go around, like a clock'. or what!?
this is hurting my brain! - January 24, 2009 at 4:36 PM
- Significant Snail said...
Time to call in a professional.
- January 24, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Time to take away somebody's airbrush?
Or. . .time to find a different bakery?
Or maybe, time to say heck with it and eat some cake?
I'm really leaning towards the last one, personally. Want. Cake. - January 24, 2009 at 4:45 PM
- Trevor said...
I thought it was a Dali cake.
- January 24, 2009 at 5:08 PM
The CCC wreckiness distracted me enough that I didn't even realize how wrong the clock on a phone bit was until I read through the blog, then stared back at the cake for about thirty seconds. Please tell me I'm not the only one!
- January 24, 2009 at 5:11 PM
"Happy birthday! Isn't it about time you got knocked up?"
- January 24, 2009 at 5:39 PM
- Kristin said...
I thought it looked like a uterus and fallopian tubes!
- January 24, 2009 at 5:40 PM
i actually love this one... it made me think of the curvy swirly world of Alice in Wonderland. I'd like to think the fluidity of the face and airbrushing is on purpose. I really do love it though, an dthe cupcakes aren't all smeared together.
- January 24, 2009 at 7:27 PM
- Amanda said...
I'm a terrible person and had to look at the rest of the entry to realize it was not in fact just a poorly-painted ugly phone CCC. I completely missed the fact there was a clock on it somehow. I feel so wrong D:
- January 24, 2009 at 8:00 PM
On the upside, the clock is properly made if you don't pay attention to the accuracy of the circle (face plate?). Although, after reading some of the comments here, the 2 was beginning to look like a sperm.
- January 24, 2009 at 8:09 PM
- Leggrilee said...
I think I have a third suggestion;
Time to ban wreckerators that make CCC's. And if they do not agree.............
Bi-bi money
AND cake - January 24, 2009 at 8:40 PM
- Bee said...
I agree with the Tickety Tock/Magenta love child idea...though I do hate to conjure that image. I -think- I could actually tell that it was a phone, but the numbers really confused me...
WV: echami: A state of confusedness, such as one brought on by this CCC. - January 24, 2009 at 9:37 PM
It's a Phock silly!
- January 24, 2009 at 9:55 PM
WV: logre....
The logre I think about these wreckorators and their creations, the more I think that my cats are more qualified to work in a bakery then those who have wreckorated anything seen on this blog. - January 24, 2009 at 10:00 PM
- angeluvsyou2 said...
just wanted to let you know I'm a huge fan of your blog!!
- January 24, 2009 at 10:45 PM
- Unknown said...
What time is it? Time for this wreckorator I mean decorator to get a new job.
- January 24, 2009 at 10:48 PM
- Charly said...
I was thinking it is a Biological Clock...the cake looking a little like a uterus and folopian tubes. Haha1
- January 25, 2009 at 12:13 AM
Seriously... these people DRIVE AND REPRODUCE!!!
*pulling covers over my head* - January 25, 2009 at 12:36 AM
- KilaRohner.com said...
How about "Time to ask for help".
Very frilly clock/phone. - January 25, 2009 at 1:15 AM
- Haruhi said...
wow! You find amazing terrible cakes! I'm such a fan!...plus...where's the bottom of the comment list?
...it goes on...like forever... - January 25, 2009 at 1:19 AM
- sendingtheclowns said...
After reviewing all of the possible excuses for this cake up to this point, I have come to the semi-conclusion that maybe we are all wrong in our diagnoses. There just may be no One True Explanation for this cake; not for us, anyway.
We've got nothing to work with here! No motive, no background, no history of violence or poor taste.
Sometimes, a cake is just a cake.
A kiss is just a kiss.
A cigar is just a cigar...
The cake's creator could possibly (and thoughtfully) take this secret to his or her grave (I hope they don't hurry on my account--JUST KIDDING!)in which case we will simply have to move on,
forever wondering...wondering.... - January 25, 2009 at 1:45 AM
Love your blog; always good for a laugh out loud.
But have you seen this cake or Oprah's head?
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=155567818d8d638e&q=cake%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcake%2Bsource:life%26start%3D100%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Dfr%26sa%3DN - January 25, 2009 at 3:27 AM
- Merissa said...
my hubby says it looks like a clock under an old British costume wig
- January 25, 2009 at 5:29 AM
- Karen and Kyle said...
I say it's time to ban airbrushing!
- January 25, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Doesn't anyone else see a plain old alarm clock -- the kind that came with the bell right on top of the clock? This simply seems as close as you can come to that when you're working with cupcakes.
- January 25, 2009 at 2:18 PM
- Gale said...
How about "Time to take away someone's airbrush!" I mean, what is that pink streak up at the top supposed to represent?
- January 25, 2009 at 2:47 PM
- Miranda said...
ring ring ring ring
cupcakephone! - January 25, 2009 at 10:56 PM
- Unknown said...
*blinks* Okay. So at first glance... I thought it was an abstract (or deformed) poodle head. O.o
-Myc - January 26, 2009 at 1:16 AM
- Boozy Tooth said...
Kind of reminds me of the Clock Tower/Flux Capicitor scene from Back To The Future - AFTER the tower got struck by lightining.
- January 26, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Just taking a wild guess...
could it be
"24 hours on call" ?
Nat - January 26, 2009 at 12:33 PM
....the time is three hours past midnight?
- January 26, 2009 at 3:50 PM
- E.A.D. said...
Whatever that was supposed to be, the decorater failed. Unless it was supposed to look so silly, in which case the decorater gets a nice shiny star sticker.
- January 26, 2009 at 6:04 PM
- Samantha said...
Maybe someone fell asleep the afternoon their kindergarten teacher taught the difference between phones and clocks?
I do like the colors though! - January 27, 2009 at 9:06 PM
- Rowenna said...
I asked my husband what this was...and he said "Biological clock?" which I didn't get until he pointed out the that tha "phone" bears a strange resemblence to health book drawings of a uterus.
- January 28, 2009 at 8:39 AM
My first impression was a poodle head, with a clock instead of a face.
- January 31, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Actually having lived in the south I know this is supposed to mean "Jesus called" meaning someone has died. Jesus called them "home".
- February 2, 2009 at 4:28 PM
What? MY phone has a clock in it ...
-girl with the lime - February 3, 2009 at 1:15 AM
- Michelle said...
Oh hey, my cake got posted! (not "my" as in I made it, but "my" as in I took the picture.)
I send this to people via text message when I want them to call me.
Or tell me what time it is.
=D - February 21, 2009 at 1:40 AM
How about "time to throw a (for want of a better word) cake and its Wreckorator out of a large and preferably high window"?
- March 7, 2009 at 8:49 AM
- Laura said...
Just found this blog... Needed something to keep my mind off the water rapidly rising up my driveway... Thanks so much for the CCC relief!! Time to fill some sandbags...
- May 21, 2009 at 4:12 AM
It took me a while to figure out what this was about--I saw a hideous design but never heard of a "jump drive"! Hilarious, loved the comments, but if the decorator was some little old lady from another country and was handed this--maybe she thought it was a joke for some geek. Makes sense to me! I never heard of someone dropping off a device like this at a bakery! I'm sure the person who said to bring in the device never gave instructions to the decorator.
- October 14, 2009 at 11:00 AM
- Stephanie said...
I'm at an airport right now and I literally laughed hysterically when I saw this one! I was thinking how I use my cell phone as a clock, but I'd like one of these instead! Now everyone is staring at me...
- May 30, 2010 at 12:54 PM
- Ret said...
I forced me to take time to review and review the image. At first, I don't understand it. But a self opinion of mine says that a telephone user should be alert of time. Of course it's a clock on the phone. Crazy funny.
- August 13, 2010 at 3:53 AM
- Cupcakes Lady said...
Its shaped like a phone, with a clock center...its basically...a nightmare! xx
- October 13, 2010 at 8:47 AM
- Freya said...
- June 13, 2011 at 12:02 AM
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What's a Wreck?
What's a Wreck?
A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places.
Now, don't you have a photo you want to send me? ;)
- Fan Faves
- The Classics
The Classics
Praise for the Book
- "Will have you laughing so hard you'll forget to eat!"— Washington Post
- "a hilarious winner" — The Oregonian
- "a fantastically gut-busting book"— NPR
- "It's all here, each wreck a disaster of hilarity." — BookPage.com
- "Hysterically funny!"— Epinions.com
- "laugh-out-loud funny"— The Times
- "Yates' sharp humor makes the funny even funnier." — The Dallas Morning News
- "an amazing laugh-out-loud book"— The Book Triblog
What the fans are saying
- "I was laughing so hard, I couldn't catch my breath."
- "As funny as the blog that started it."
- "WAY better than I expected!"
- "Cake Wreckery at its best!"
- "Wrecktastic!"
- American Mensa:Top 50 Websites of 2010
- Amazon: Top 10 gift books of 2009
- The Orlando Sentinal "Orbbies": Winner Humor
- 2009 BlogLuxe Awards: Funniest Blog
- 2009 Bloggies: Best Writing of a Weblog, Best New Weblog, Best Food Blog
- The 2008 Weblog Awards: Best Food Blog
- Blogger's Choice 2008 Awards: Best Humor Blog
Where's the book?
We don't have any copies of Cake Wrecks for sale here, autographed or otherwise. We decided the shipping and handling costs would be too high to make it worth your while. So instead, buy your copies locally or online and then order personalized bookplates: it's cheaper, easier, and I think even looks a bit nicer.
Ordering Info
Payments must be made through Paypal, which accepts all major credit cards. Sorry, but that means no checks or MOs or barter-based chickens.
We ship everything first class USPS, and will do our best to have your package in the mail within 2 days of your order.
Popular This Month
Popular This Month
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- Score!
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- The Presidential Sweet
- Wedding Crashers, Cake Wrecks Style
- That Poe Bird
- Sunday Sweets: Lord of the Rings
- It's Just a LITTLE Soap Box, I Promise
- What Do You Mean, "Last Minute"?
- Big Day, Big Wrecks
- Think They're Organic? [smirk]
- Introducing a Good Sport
- Double Your Photos, Double Your "Fun"
- LIFE Wrecks
- Voting Update: This One's For John
- Sunday Sweets: Castles & Fairies
- New Tees!
- My Sweet What is What?
- How to Make Your Twins Hate You
- Hey, Bebeh
- Cake Wrecks Gets Its Own TV Show!
- A Real Stretch
- Calling All Evil Wrecks Henchpeople...
- Now THAT'S What I'm Talkin' 'Bout
- Bonus Side Tangent Contest Results
- Why Football & Bridal Showers Don't Mix
- Sunday Sweets: Fastastical Beasts
- Groom's Cake for a Cop
- Food that's Bad for You, Disguised as...Food that'...
- Year of the Tongue?
- Wasted Cakes


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It's Pippy Day on LaineyGossip.com! Just what he wanted!
I posted a blind riddle yesterday -- click here if you missed it. Gawker has the video. The video is exactly how I described it. Homeless people taped AS A JOKE wishing Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel a happy wedding...you know, because they couldn't make it.
The video was produced by Justin Huchel who is also close to Rachael Yarbrough who is Pippy's cousin and apparently his personal assistant.
ALL CLASS, motherf-ckers. That is ALL CLASS.
I noted in the blind that I wasn't sure if the video ended up getting played at the wedding.
Gawker confirms that it was.
They laughed at a disadvantaged segment of society to celebrate their marriage.
Isn't it SO FUNNY to see people struggling and without teeth and probably smelly and definitely hungry presented as the butt of the joke?
Don't you want to toast to that?
Of course Huchel is now trying to save JT's ass. His lawyer sent a letter to Gawker threatening a lawsuit and clarifying that:
"Mr. Huchel made [the] video to be used and exhibited privately at Justin Timberlake's wedding as a private joke without Mr. Timberlake's knowledge."
I'm willing to believe that JT had no idea about the video. But I'm not sure he would have been offended by the video -- which is the ONLY APPROPRIATE reaction. And here's the thing ...
Wouldn't your friend and YOUR COUSIN who also works for you know you well enough not to show something so disgusting if you wouldn't appreciate it? Is Justin Huchel, one of JT's closest confidantes, so off base about his boy that he totally miscalculated on his own? Or... did Justin Huchel know exactly what to do to amuse his friend?
What a pleasant way to kick off a marriage, non?
By sh-tting on homeless people, kicking down those less fortunate, as you jump up and down on your bride's head on the cover of a magazine during your SIX MILLION DOLLAR wedding.
Click here to watch the video -- over 8 minutes of entertainment at the expense of the poor.


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Jason Leffler dies, NASCAR driver Jason Leffler died after an accident Wednesday night in a heat race at a dirt car event at Bridgeport Speedway.
The 37-year-old Leffler, a two-time winner on the NASCAR Nationwide Series who had the nickname "LefTurn" above the driver's side window on his race cars, was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., New Jersey State Police said.
"NASCAR extends its thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies to the family of Jason Leffler who passed away earlier this evening," NASCAR said in a statement. "For more than a decade, Jason was a fierce competitor in our sport and he will be missed."
Bridgeport Speedway immediately suspended racing for the rest of the night after Leffler's accident at the 0.625-mile, high-banked dirt oval.
After losing his NASCAR ride, Leffler had been racing dirt car events most of this year, including the 410 Sprint Car race Wednesday that promised a $7,000 prize to the winner. On Sunday, Leffler finished last at Pocono in his lone NASCAR Sprint Cup start of the year. He ran just eight laps in a start-and-park ride.
From Long Beach, Calif., Leffler made 423 starts in NASCAR's three national series, but won just the two Nationwide races and one Truck Series event in a career that began in 1999. He also made three IndyCar Series starts, finishing 17th in the 2000 Indianapolis 500.
A statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway called Leffler "one of the most versatile race drivers in America, showing his talent by competing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during his career."
"He also displayed the skills that would help him reach the top levels of the sport by winning four USAC national series titles while winning on tracks throughout the Midwest," the statement said.
Leffler's last full NASCAR season was 2011, when he ran the entire Nationwide schedule for Turner Motorsports. He finished sixth in the standings that season and hadn't had a steady NASCAR ride since.
Although he never made it at the NASCAR Sprint Cup level, Leffler ran almost the entire 2001 season for Chip Ganassi Racing and ran 19 races in 2005 for Joe Gibbs Racing in the car now driven by Denny Hamlin.
Leffler is survived by 5-year-old son Charlie Dean.
"Really sad for Jason Leffler and his family," NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski said on Twitter. "Thinking about his little boy."
Leffler won three consecutive USAC Midget championships from 1997-99 before following mentor Tony Stewart's path into NASCAR. Stewart-Haas Racing, owned by Stewart, tweeted: "Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Jason Leffler. A good man; a good racer. Godspeed friend."
Leffler originally signed with Joe Gibbs Racing, the same team Stewart drove for at the time, and ran the 2000 Nationwide season for JGR. He grabbed four top 10s as a rookie, and moved to Cup the next year with Ganassi in a deal that lasted only one season.
IndyCar driver Justin Wilson tweeted: "Another reminder of how this sport we love can be so cruel. Thoughts with his family." Wilson included the hashtag "LEFturn."
NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer also included the hashtag "LEFturn" in a tweet, saying: "So sad to hear about Jason Leffler. Was a wheel man and a fun fun person to be around."
Many drivers also mentioned Charlie Dean in their tweets. A single father, Leffler was devoted to his son and his Instagram account was full of photos of the two spending time together, including many at race tracks.
"Praying for all of Jason Leffler family, especially his little guy Charlie," tweeted IndyCar driver Ed Carpenter.
A little over two weeks ago, 22-year-old driver Josh Burton died of injuries sustained in a crash at Bloomington Speedway in Indiana. In late May at a dirt track in Nevada, two drivers were killed in a race. In March in California, two people were killed when a car careened off a dirt track and crashed on pit road.
Sprint car races can be more dangerous for drivers and spectators because the safety measures taken by series aren't at the same level. Many facilities lack the SAFER barriers that are standard in NASCAR and IndyCar, and the cars aren't always adequately protected.
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While I was at the St. Lawrence market this weekend I noticed that a lot of the butchers had corned beef. I had never seen uncooked corned beef brisket in a store before and I picked one up immediately. It was in vacuum sealed plastic along with some spices so it looked like it had had a nice long marinate giving it time to pick up the flavours of the spices. Cooking corned beef is pretty easy; you simply simmer it along with the spices until it is fork tender. What makes a corned beef dinner even better is that it can be a one pot meal as you can throw the vegetables, like cabbage, carrots and potatoes into the water to cook along with the corned beef. This way the vegetables get a chance to pick up the flavours from the corned beefs spices. I had recently enjoyed a maple and mustard glazed chicken and I was thinking that the corned beef would be even better with a sweet and tangy honey mustard glaze. I pulled the corned beef out of the water a little early, patted it dry, applied the glaze and finished cooking it in the oven. The corned beef dinner turned out great! The corned beef was nice and moist and tender and tasty! The honey and mustard glaze was once again, a real winner. I must say that I almost enjoyed the spiced cabbage as much as the corned beef itself. What a great meal! And just in time for St. Patrick's day. Now I am looking forward to enjoying some reuben sandwiches with the leftovers.
Corned Beef Glazed in Honey and Mustard Dinner with Cabbage
- 1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with pickling spices
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cabbage, cut into wedges
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces
- 2 potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- Place the corned beef along with the pickling spices into a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered until tender, about 1 hour per pound, adding the vegetables for the last 2 hours.
- Place the beef in a baking pan, mix the honey and mustard, brush onto the beef and sprinkle on the brown sugar.
- Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the glaze is bubbling, about 20-30.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes, slice and serve with the vegetables.
Reuben Sandwich
Breakfast Reuben Sandwich
Reuben Quiche
Reuben Dip
Reuben Quesadillas
Reuben Soup
Corned Beef Poutine with Guinness Gravy
Corned Beef Hash
Reuben Cauliflower Corned Beef Hash
Kimchi Reuben Sandwich
Corned Beef, Cabbage and Kimchi Burrito
Corned Beef Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Guinness Caramelized Onions
Corned Beef Cuban Grilled Cheese Sandwich


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If you follow my Facebook page at all (and I hope you do), you'll know that I'm going through a bit of a hat obsession. I can't stop looking at them! There are so many beautiful headpieces out there - vintage, contemporary, couture. I've never been a hat-wearer myself . . . but no time like the present to start, right?
There's nothing more beautiful, I think, than a veiled hat. So I decided to dabble a bit in making some veiled fascinators, since that seemed like a good entree into the world of chapeaux. (You know, like a gateway drug for hats!)
I looked at some online tutorials (like this one) and they really demystify making little headpieces like this. It all seems very crafty, involving things like felt squares and glue guns. In other words: fun! So I went on an Etsy spree, and ordered some materials. I got a straw base and nude veiling from this seller, and she was fab - super fast shipping, even from the UK.
The trim I chose is a vintage millinery supply - velvet strawberries! (Purchased from this fantastic seller.)
I haven't actually put them together yet; I just started playing around with the placement while looking in the bathroom mirror. This is how Jeff found me before before bedtime last night:
I ordered the skin-toned veiling so it wouldn't compete with my glasses, but I feel like it might still be a bit too much muchness around my face. Might be time to place a contact lens order - sigh.
But I think this fascinator business is SO FUN, guys! I want to buy a bunch of feathers and flowers and ribbons and invite you all over for a slumber party and we can put stuff on our heads together! Afterward we'll watch old seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer while eating cookies. Are you in?


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Senate blocks expanded gun sale background checks and ban on assault weapons!
ByAs reported at http://news.yahoo.com/senate-blocks-expanded-gun-sale-background-checks-204925160–politics.html.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats scuttled the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades on Wednesday, refusing to tighten background checks on firearms buyers or ban assault weapons as they spurned the personal pleas of families of the victims of last winter's elementary school shootings in Newtown, Conn.
"This effort isn't over," President Barack Obama vowed at the White House moments after the defeat on one of his top domestic priorities. Obama, surrounded by Newtown relatives, said opponents of the legislation "caved to the pressure" of special interests in casting their votes.
An attempt to ban assault-style rifles went down, too, and a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines faced the same fate in a series of showdown votes four months after a gunman killed 20 elementary school children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary.
A bid to loosen restrictions on concealed weapons carried across state lines also fell.
That last vote marked a rare defeat for the National Rifle Association on a day it generally emerged triumphant over President Barack Obama, gun control advocates and individuals whose lives have been affected by mass shootings in Connecticut and elsewhere, some of whom watched from the spectator galleries above the Senate floor.
"Shame on you," shouted one of them, Patricia Maisch, who was present two years ago when a gunman in Tucson, Ariz., killed six and wounded 13 others, including former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Vice President Joe Biden gaveled the Senate back into order after the breach of decorum.
The background check measure commanded a majority of senators, 54-46, but that was well short of the 60 votes needed to advance. Forty-one Republicans and five Democrats sided to scuttle the plan.
In the hours before the key vote, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., bluntly accused the National Rifle Association of making false claims about the expansion of background checks that he and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., were backing.
"Where I come from in West Virginia, I don't know how to put the words any plainer than this: That is a lie. That is simply a lie," he said, accusing the organization of telling its supporters that friends, neighbors and some family members would need federal permission to transfer ownership of firearms to one another.
The NRA did not respond immediately to the charge, but issued a statement after the vote that restated the claim. The proposal "would have criminalized certain private transfers of firearms between honest citizens, requiring lifelong friends, neighbors and some family members to get federal government permission to exercise a fundamental right or face prosecution," said a statement from Chris Cox, a top lobbyist for the group.
Said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, "Expanded background checks would not have prevented Newtown. Criminals do not submit to background checks."
The events were unlikely to be the last word on an issue that Democratic leaders shied away from for nearly two decades until Obama picked up on it after the Newtown shootings.
Vice President Joe Biden presided over the Senate, a symbolic move since each proposal required a 60-vote majority to pass and he would not be called upon to break any ties. Democratic aides said in advance the issue would be brought back to the Senate in the future, giving gun control supporters more time to win over converts to change the outcome.
The day's key test concerned the background checks, designed to prevent criminals and the seriously mentally ill from purchasing firearms. Under current law, checks are required only when guns are purchased from federally licensed firearms dealers. The proposal by Manchin and Toomey called for extending the requirement to other sales at gun shows and on the Internet.
Their bipartisan approach was widely seen as advocates' best chance for winning enough GOP votes to change current law in a way that Obama and gun control groups support. But foes had proposals of their own, including one that would require states that issue concealed weapons permits to honor the permits from other states.
In the hours leading to a vote on the background check measure, Democrats Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Republican Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire became the latest senators to announce their opposition.
On the vote, Democratic Sens. Mark Begich of Alaska and Max Baucus of Montana joined Pryor and Heitkamp in voting against the proposal. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a supporter of the plan, switched his vote to the prevailing "no" side to permit him to call for a revote in the future.
Begich, Pryor and Baucus are all seeking re-election next year. In an indication of the intensity of the feelings on the issue, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a liberal group, swiftly announced it would seek to defeat them in 2014.
Among Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mark Kirk of Illinois, John McCain of Arizona and Toomey sided with Democrats.
Numerous polls in recent months have shown support for enhanced gun control measures, including background checks, though it may be weakening.
An Associated Press-GfK poll this month showed that 49 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, down from 58 percent in January. In that recent survey, 38 percent said they want the laws to remain the same and 10 percent want them eased.
Obama has made enactment of greater curbs a priority on his domestic agenda in the months since the massacre at Newtown, making several trips outside Washington to try and build support. Last week, he traveled to Connecticut, and he invited several parents to fly back to Washington with him aboard Air Force One so they could personally lobby lawmakers.
To an unusual degree for professional politicians, some senators said afterward that they had not wanted to meet with the mothers and fathers of the dead, or said it was difficult to look at photographs that the parents carried of their young children, now dead.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said before Wednesday's vote, "I think that in some cases, the president has used them as props, and that disappoints me."
Some of the parents of the Sandy Hook victims watched the votes from the spectators' gallery that rings the Senate floor. They were joined by relatives of victims of other mass shootings in Arizona, Virginia and Colorado.
At the White House, press secretary Jay Carney said some of them had met earlier in the day with lawmakers, who he said should "consider who they're representing.
"Ninety percent of the American people support expanded background checks," he said.
Democratic aides said in advance that the day's events would end debate on the issue for the time being. But they added they expect Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to bring it back to the floor in the coming months, after supporters of greater controls have had more time to rally public support.
The NRA told lawmakers it intended to keep track of how the votes were cast, and consider them in making decisions about its efforts in the mid-term elections for Congress next year.
An opposing group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, funded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said it would do likewise.
The NRA has a long track record in electoral politics, and is viewed by lawmakers in both political parties as unusually effective. Bloomberg's organization has yet to be tested.
The day began with an unexpected announcement from Reid, who has long been a political ally of the NRA. In remarks on the Senate floor, he said he intended to vote for a ban on assault weapons "because maintaining law and order is more important than satisfying conspiracy theorists who believe in black helicopters."
In the AP-GfK poll, among independents, support for stricter gun laws dipped from 60 percent in January to 40 percent now. About three-fourths of Democrats supported them then and now, while backing among Republicans for looser laws about doubled to 19 percent.
The survey was conducted from April 11-15 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,004 randomly chosen adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.


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