text:
Mr. President, as Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I have closely monitored developments in the Republic of Belarus and informed my Senate colleagues of disturbing trends in that nation. I have met with members of the fledgling democratic opposition who, at great personal risk, dare to speak out against the repressive regime led by Alexander Lukashenka. I have met with the courageous wives whose husbands disappeared because they stood up to the regime and would not be silent. Against the backdrop of this climate of fear, the powers of the state have been brought to bear against independent journalists, trade unionists, and other voices of dissent.
Increasingly, Belarus has been driven into self-imposed isolation under Lukashenka devoid of legitimate leadership or accountability. A little over a year ago I addressed the Senate to voice concern over reported arms deals between the regime and rouge states, including Iraq. It appears that such sales have taken on greater importance as the Belarusian economy spirals downward.
Mr. President, while some might be tempted to dismiss Belarus as an anomaly, the stakes are too high and the costs too great to ignore. Accordingly, today, I am introducing the Belarus Democracy Act of 2003, which is designed to help put an end to repression and human rights violations in Belarus and to promote Belarus' entry into a democratic Euro-Atlantic community of nations.
As a participating State in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Belarus has accepted a series of norms in the areas of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. As Europe's last dictator, Lukashenka continues to brashly trample the fundamental rights of his own people and their culture.
As I alluded to earlier, independent media, non-governmental organizations, trade unions and the democratic opposition have had to operate under extremely difficult conditions, often facing serious mistreatment and an orchestrated campaign of harassment. Despite the repressions there are courageous individuals who support democracy have not been silenced. Two weeks ago, for example, Alexander Yarashuk, the leader of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, called on Lukashenka to immediately cease backing Saddam. Moreover, just last week, on March 12, thousands gathered peacefully in a central Minsk square to protest deteriorating economic and social conditions in Belarus. Four of the rally's organizers – Andrei Sannikov, Ludmila Gryaznova, Dmitry Bondarenko and Leonid Malakhov – were given 15 day jail sentences for "participation in unauthorized mass actions."
Despite calls for change within Belarus, and considerable prodding from the international community, Lukashenka has shown no desire to deviate from his path of authoritarianism and personal profit at the expense of his own people. A few months ago, Lukashenka, who effectively controls the Belarusian parliament, signed into laws a new, repressive religion law. Local elections held earlier this month followed the pattern of Belarus' 2000 parliamentary and 2001 presidential elections – they were a joke. Control of election commissions, denials of registration for opposition candidates, "early voting" and outright falsifications were the norm.
Mr. President, the Belarus Democracy Act of 2003 would authorize additional assistance for democracy-building activities such as support for NGOs, independent media, including radio and television broadcasting to Belarus, and international exchanges. It also encourages free and fair parliamentary elections, which have been notably absent in Belarus. This bill would also deny high-ranking officials of the Lukashenka regime entry into the United States. Additionally, strategic exports to the Belarusian Government would be prohibited, as well as U.S. Government financing, except for humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical products. The U.S. executive directors of the international financial institutions would be encouraged to vote against financial assistance to the Government of Belarus except for loans and assistance for humanitarian needs. The bill would also require reports from the President concerning the sale of delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from Belarus to rogue states, including Iraq and North Korea.
I am very pleased that the Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Biden, is an original cosponsor of this measure. His support will ensure that we proceed on a bipartisan basis as we work to ensure the timely adoption and implementation of this legislation.
Mr. President, the goal of the Belarus Democracy Act is to assist Belarus in becoming a genuine European state, in which respect for human rights and democracy is the norm and in which the long-suffering Belarusian people are able to overcome the legacy of dictatorship – past and present. Adoption and implementation of the Belarus Democracy Act will offer a ray of hope that the current period of political, economic and social stagnation will indeed end. The people of Belarus deserve a chance for a brighter future free of repression and fear.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of the Belarus Democracy Act be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the "Belarus Democracy Act of 2003".
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The United States supports the promotion of democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law in the Republic of Belarus consistent with its commitments as a participating state of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
(2) The United States has a vital interest in the independence and sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus and its integration into the European community of democracies.
(3) The last parliamentary election in Belarus deemed to be free and fair by the international community was conducted in 1995 from which emerged the 13th Supreme Soviet whose democratically and constitutionally derived authorities and powers have been usurped by the authoritarian regime of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenka.
(4) In November 1996, Lukashenka orchestrated an illegal and unconstitutional referendum that enabled him to impose a new constitution, abolish the duly-elected parliament, the 13th Supreme Soviet, install a largely powerless National Assembly, and extend his term of office to 2001.
(5) In May 1999, democratic forces in Belarus challenged Lukashenka's unconstitutional extension of his presidential term by staging alternative presidential elections which were met with repression.
(6) Democratic forces in Belarus have organized peaceful demonstrations against the Lukashenka regime in cities and towns throughout Belarus which led to beatings, mass arrests, and extended incarcerations.
(7) Victor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, and Yuri Zakharenka, who have been leaders and supporters of the democratic forces in Belarus, and Dmitry Zavadsky, a journalist known for his critical reporting in Belarus, have disappeared and are presumed dead.
(8) Former Belarus Government officials have come forward with credible allegations and evidence that top officials of the Lukashenka regime were involved in the disappearances.
(9) The Lukashenka regime systematically harasses and represses the independent media and independent trade unions, imprisons independent journalists, and actively suppresses freedom of speech and expression.
(10) The Lukashenka regime harasses the autocephalic Belarusian Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Jewish community, the Hindu Lights of Kalyasa community, evangelical Protestant churches (such as Baptist and Pentecostal groups), and other minority religious groups.
(11) The Law on Religious Freedom and Religious Organizations, passed by the National Assembly and signed by Lukashenka on October 31, 2002, establishes one of the most repressive legal regimes in the OSCE region, severely limiting religious freedom and placing excessively burdensome government controls on religious practice.
(12) The United States, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Parliamentary Assembly, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly have not recognized the National Assembly.
(13) The parliamentary elections of October 15, 2000, conducted in the absence of a democratic election law, were illegitimate, unconstitutional, and plagued by violent human rights abuses committed by the Lukashenka regime, and have been determined by the OSCE to be nondemocratic.
(14) The presidential election of September 9, 2001, was determined by the OSCE and other observers to be fundamentally unfair, to have failed to meet OSCE commitments for democratic elections formulated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document, and to have featured significant and abusive misconduct by the Lukashenka regime, including–
(A) the harassment, arrest, and imprisonment of opposition members;
(B) the denial of equal and fair access by opposition candidates to state-controlled media;
(C) the seizure of equipment and property of independent nongovernmental organizations and press organizations, and the harassment of their staff and management;
(D) voting and vote counting procedures that were not transparent; and
(E) a campaign of intimidation directed against opposition activists, domestic election observation organizations, and opposition and independent media, and a libelous media campaign against international observers.
(a) PURPOSES OF ASSISTANCE.–Assistance under this section shall be available for the following purposes:
(1) To assist the people of the Republic of Belarus in regaining their freedom and to enable them to join the European community of democracies.
(2) To encourage free and fair presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in Belarus, conducted in a manner consistent with internationally accepted standards and under the supervision of internationally recognized observers.
(3) To assist in restoring and strengthening institutions of democratic governance in Belarus.
(b) AUTHORIZATION FOR ASSISTANCE.–To carry out the purposes set forth in subsection (a), the President is authorized to furnish assistance and other support for the activities described in subsection (c), to be provided primarily for indigenous groups in Belarus that are committed to the support of democratic processes in Belarus.
(c) ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED.–Activities that may be supported by assistance under subsection (b) include–
(1) the observation of elections and the promotion of free and fair electoral processes;
(2) the development of democratic political parties;
(3) radio and television broadcasting to and within Belarus;
(4) the development of nongovernmental organizations promoting democracy and supporting human rights;
(5) the development of independent media working within Belarus and from locations outside Belarus, and supported by non-state-controlled printing facilities;
(6) international exchanges and advanced professional training programs for leaders and members of the democratic forces in matters central to the development of civil society; and
(7) other activities consistent with the purposes of this Act.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.–
(1) IN GENERAL.–There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $40,000,000 for fiscal years 2004 and 2005.
(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.–Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1) are authorized to remain available until expended.
(a) PURPOSE.–It is the purpose of this section to authorize increased support for United States Government and surrogate radio broadcasting to the Republic of Belarus that will facilitate the unhindered dissemination of information in Belarus.
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.–In addition to such sums as are otherwise authorized to be appropriated, there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each fiscal year for Voice of America and RFE/RL, Incorporated for radio broadcasting to the people of Belarus in languages spoken in Belarus.
(c) REPORT ON RADIO BROADCASTING TO AND IN BELARUS.–Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on how funds appropriated and allocated pursuant to the authorizations of appropriations under subsection (b) and section 3(d) will be used to provide AM and FM broadcasting that covers the territory of Belarus and delivers independent and uncensored programming.
(a) APPLICATION OF SANCTIONS.–The sanctions described in subsections (c) and (d), and any sanction imposed under subsection (e) or (f), shall apply with respect to the Republic of Belarus until the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the Government of Belarus has made significant progress in meeting the conditions described in subsection (b).
(b) CONDITIONS.–The conditions referred to in subsection (a) are the following:
(1) The release of individuals in Belarus who have been jailed based on political or religious beliefs.
(2) The withdrawal of politically motivated legal charges against all opposition figures and independent journalists in Belarus.
(3) A full accounting of the disappearances of opposition leaders and journalists in Belarus, including Victor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, and Dmitry Zavadsky, and the prosecution of the individuals who are responsible for their disappearances.
(4) The cessation of all forms of harassment and repression against the independent media, independent trade unions, nongovernmental organizations, religious organizations (including their leadership and members), and the political opposition in Belarus.
(5) The implementation of free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections in Belarus consistent with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) standards on democratic elections and in cooperation with relevant OSCE institutions.
(c) PROHIBITION ON STRATEGIC EXPORTS TO BELARUS.–
(1) PROHIBITION.–No computers, computer software, goods, or technology intended to manufacture or service computers, or any other related goods or technology, may be exported to Belarus for use by the Government of Belarus, or by its military, police, prison system, or national security agencies. The prohibition in the preceding sentence shall not apply with respect to the export of goods or technology for democracy-building or humanitarian purposes.
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.–Nothing in this subsection shall prevent the issuance of licenses to ensure the safety of civil aviation and safe operation of commercial passenger aircraft of United States origin or to ensure the safety of ocean-going maritime traffic in international waters.
(d) PROHIBITION ON LOANS AND INVESTMENT.–
(1) UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FINANCING.–No loan, credit guarantee, insurance, financing, or other similar financial assistance may be extended by any agency of the United States Government (including the Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation) to the Government of Belarus, except with respect to the provision of humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical products.
(2) TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.–No funds available to the Trade and Development Agency may be available for activities of the Agency in or for Belarus.
(e) DENIAL OF ENTRY INTO UNITED STATES OF CERTAIN BELARUS OFFICIALS.–
(1) DENIAL OF ENTRY.–It is the sense of Congress that, in addition to the sanctions provided for in subsections (c) and (d), the President should use the authority under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)) to deny the entry into the United States of any alien who–
(A) holds a position in the senior leadership of the Government of Belarus; or
(B) is a spouse, minor child, or agent of a person described in subparagraph (A).
(2) SENIOR LEADERSHIP OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BELARUS DEFINED.–In this subsection, the term "senior leadership of the Government of Belarus" includes–
(A) the President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, government ministers, Chairmen of State Committees, and members of the Presidential Administration of Belarus;
(B) any official of the Government of Belarus who is personally and substantially involved in the suppression of freedom in Belarus, including judges and prosecutors; and
(C) any other individual determined by the Secretary of State (or the Secretary's designee) to be personally and substantially involved in the formulation or execution of the policies of the Lukashenka regime in Belarus that are in contradiction of internationally recognized human rights standards.
(f) MULTILATERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.–It is the sense of Congress that, in addition to the sanctions provided for in subsections (c) and (d), the Secretary of the Treasury should instruct the United States Executive Director of each international financial institution to which the United States is a member to use the voice and vote of the United States to oppose any extension by those institutions of any financial assistance (including any technical assistance or grant) of any kind to the Government of Belarus, except for loans and assistance that serve humanitarian needs.
(g) WAIVER.–The President may waive the application of any sanction described in this section with respect to Belarus if the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that it is important to the national interests of the United States to do so.
It is the sense of Congress that the President should continue to seek to coordinate with other countries, particularly European countries, a comprehensive, multilateral strategy to further the purposes of this Act, including, as appropriate, encouraging other countries to take measures with respect to the Republic of Belarus that are similar to measures provided for in this Act.
(a) REPORTS.–Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every year thereafter, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes, with respect to the preceding 12-month period, the following:
(1) The sale or delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from the Republic of Belarus to any country, the government of which the Secretary of State has determined, for purposes of section 6(j)(1) of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2405(j)(1)), has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.
(2) An identification of each country described in paragraph (1) and a detailed description of the weapons or weapons-related technologies involved in the sale.
(3) An identification of the goods, services, credits, or other consideration received by Belarus in exchange for the weapons or weapons-related technologies.
(4) The personal assets and wealth of Aleksandr Lukashenka and other senior leadership of the Government of Belarus.
(b) FORM.–A report transmitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall be in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex.
Congress hereby–
(1) expresses its support to those in the Republic of Belarus seeking–
(A) to promote democracy, human rights, and the rule of law and to consolidate the independence and sovereignty of Belarus; and
(B) to promote the integration of Belarus into the European community of democracies;
(2) expresses its grave concern about the disappearances of Victor Gonchar, Anatoly Krasovsky, Yuri Zakharenka, and Dmitry Zavadsky;
(3) calls upon the Lukashenka regime in Belarus to cease its persecution of political opponents or independent journalists and to release those individuals who have been imprisoned for opposing his regime or for exercising their right to freedom of speech;
(4) calls upon the Lukashenka regime to end the pattern of clear, gross, and uncorrected violations of relevant human dimension commitments of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and to respect the basic freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association, language, culture, and religion or belief;
(5) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to use its influence to encourage democratic development in Belarus so that Belarus can become a democratic, prosperous, sovereign, and independent state that is integrated into Europe;
(6) calls upon the Government of Belarus to resolve the continuing constitutional and political crisis in Belarus through–
(A) free, fair, and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections in Belarus, as called for by the OSCE;
(B) respect for human rights in Belarus;
(C) an end to the current climate of fear in Belarus;
(D) meaningful access by the opposition to state media in Belarus;
(E) modification of the electoral code of Belarus in keeping with OSCE commitments;
(F) engagement in genuine talks with the opposition in Belarus; and
(G) modifications of the constitution of Belarus to allow for genuine authority for the parliament; and
(7) commends the democratic opposition in Belarus for their commitment to freedom, their courage in the face of the repression of the Lukashenka regime, and the emergence of a pluralist civil society in Belarus–the foundation for the development of democratic political structures.
In this Act, the term "appropriate congressional committees" means–
(1) the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.


text:
2235 Blackwater Road 51, London
The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange (IDX) program of the London and St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®. The information herein is believed to be accurate and timely, but no warranty as such is expressed or implied.
The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identity the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
The information provided herein must only be used by consumers that have a bona fide interest in the purchase, sale, or lease of real estate and may not be used for any commercial purpose or any other purpose.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
No one ever said economic forecasting was easy:
On the last day of February 2007, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress that "the fundamentals are very strong" for the U.S. economy.
And about those problems starting to show up in the housing market? "We don't see it as being a broad financial concern or a major factor in assessing the course of the economy," he said back then.
Within weeks, New Century Financial Corp. filed for bankruptcy, marking the first of many mortgage company collapses. The Great Recession officially began in December 2007 and lasted 18 months. The housing market still hasn't recovered.
Today, on this last day of February 2012, Bernanke again spoke to Congress. He said higher gasoline prices could push up inflation "temporarily." But Americans shouldn't worry: "Inflation will remain subdued," he predicted.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text: = Customizing the Trac Interface = [[TracGuideToc]] == Introduction == This page is meant to give users suggestions on how they can customize the look of Trac. Topics on this page cover editing the HTML templates and CSS files, but not the program code itself. The topics are intended to show users how they can modify the look of Trac to meet their specific needs. Suggestions for changes to Trac's interface applicable to all users should be filed as tickets, not listed on this page. == Project Logo and Icon == The easiest parts of the Trac interface to customize are the logo and the site icon. Both of these can be configured with settings in [wiki:TracIni trac.ini]. The logo or icon image should be put in a folder named "htdocs" in your project's environment folder. ("Note: in projects created with a Trac version prior to 0.9 you will need to create this folder") "Note: you can actually put the logo and icon anywhere on your server (as long as it's accessible through the web server), and use their absolute or server-relative URLs in the configuration." Now configure the appropriate section of your [wiki:TracIni trac.ini]: === Logo === Change the `src` setting to `site/` followed by the name of your image file. The `width` and `height` settings should be modified to match your image's dimensions (the Trac chrome handler uses "`site/`" for files within the project directory `htdocs` and "`common/`" for the common ones). {{{ [header_logo] src = site/my_logo.gif alt = My Project width = 300 height = 100 }}} === Icon === Icons should be a 16×16 image in `.gif` or `.ico` format. Change the `icon` setting to `site/` followed by the name of your icon file. Icons will typically be displayed by your web browser next to the site's URL and in the `Bookmarks` menu. {{{ [project] icon = site/my_icon.ico }}} Note though that this icon is ignored by Internet Explorer, which only accepts a file named "favicon.ico" at the root of the host. To make the project icon work in both IE and other browsers, you can store the icon in the document root of the host, and reference it from "trac.ini" as follows: {{{ [project] icon = /favicon.ico }}} == Custom Navigation Entries == The new [mainnav] and [metanav] can now be used to customize the text and link used for the navigation items, or even to disable them (but not for adding new ones). In the following example, we rename the link to the Wiki start "Home", and hide the "Help/Guide". We also make the "View Tickets" entry link to a specific report . {{{ [mainnav] wiki.label = Home tickets.href = /report/24 [metanav] help = disabled }}} See also TracNavigation for a more detailed explanation of the mainnav and metanav terms. == Site Appearance == Trac is using [http://genshi.edgewall.org Genshi] as the templating engine. Documentation is yet to be written, in the meantime the following tip should work. Say you want to add a link to a custom stylesheet, and then your own header and footer. Create a file {{{/path/to/env/templates/site.html}}} or {{{/path/to/inherit/option/templates_dir/site.html}}}, with contents like this: {{{ #!xml


text:
The White House provided its first assessment of what would happen if Congress fails to act and allows about $100 billion worth of automatic budget cuts to take effect on Jan. 2.
In its estimation (pdf), the White House's Office Of Management and Budget says this so-called "sequestration" would have a "devastating impact" on government programs including defense.
Here's how Bloomberg summarizes the lengthy report issued today:
"The White House Office of Management and Budget said in the report to Congress today that it would have to chop $109 billion from government programs in fiscal 2013, split evenly with $54.7 billion coming from defense and $54.7 billion from programs outside defense, including an $11 billion reduction, or 2 percent, from Medicare.Spending cuts would undermine economic investment, and 'cause severe harm' because of fewer food-safety inspections, less air traffic controllers, smaller classrooms and lead to less research in curing cancer or childhood diseases, the report said. It also would force the Pentagon to juggle accounts to maintain current war-fighting capabilities and delay repairing or buying new equipment."
Now, let's back up a little bit: This sequestration was passed into law as part of the debt ceiling compromise both parties agreed to in the summer of 2011. That deal called for a $1.1 trillion cut from federal spending during the next ten years and then called for a "super committee" made up of leaders from both parties to shave another $1.2 trillion off the budget. They failed, so the law mandates that $1.2 trillion be cut equally from domestic programs and the defense budget.
"As the administration has made clear, no amount of planning can mitigate the effect of these cuts," the report reads. "Sequestration is a blunt and indiscriminate instrument. It is not the responsible way for our nation to achieve deficit reduction."
Essentially, this is the same argument Congress has been grappling with for years: Democrats don't want to tackle the deficit using cuts alone and Republicans have refused any tax increases to offset some of those cuts.
The New York Times says that this report was ordered by Congress. What the White House produced was a line-by-line report detailing how far and wide the cuts would extend. The Times reports:
"Pointedly, the first items on the ledger are cuts to the legislative branch. Inquiries and investigations — a mainstay of the Republican House — would lose $11 million. Salaries and expenses in the House of Representatives would drop by $101 million. ..."Politically, the pain would be spread to all parts of the spectrum. The National Institutes of Health would lose $2.5 billion. Rental assistance for the poor would fall by $2.3 billion; food stamps would lose $543 million."Republican domestic priorities would also take a hit. The Federal Bureau of Investigations would lose $735 million for salaries and expenses. The Customs and Border Patrol budget would fall by $823 million, and the budget for the border fence — virtual and physical — would drop $33 million."Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.


text:
What comes to mind when you think of American cuisine? Is there even such a thing as an American food culture? Be honest now, how many of you thought instantly of hamburgers, s'mores, doughnuts or corn dogs? Or did you laugh scornfully and think microwave dinners and fast food?
I've always wondered why the thought of American food raises so many eyebrows and why it seems to have such a bad reputation around the world.
America is a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities and customs and the food in this vast country is as varied as the people living in it. The food is a synthesis of the various nationalities that over the years have settled down in the different regions of America. From European, native American, Asian, Caribbean, and African, the impulses came from all over the world. New immigrants brought their customs and local specialties, adapting them to indigenous ingredients and flavors they found in the new country.
The immigrants tended to settle according to nationality, forming compact urban and rural communities with strong threads of languages and cuisines. Soon however, these regional dishes expanded to include new and exciting foods and dishes taking the "Old World" cuisines and combining them with regional ingredients and traditions to create dishes uniquely American.
From the New England clam chowder in the East, to a sausage and shrimp jambalaya in the South, to wild Alaskan salmon in the Northwest, to Navajo fried bread in the Southwest, the melting pot is a concoction of intriguing and distinct flavors.
Tex-Mex refers to one such regional American cuisine, which today is celebrated and enjoyed all over the world. A culinary creation of early pioneers and settlers into Texas influenced by the Mexican cuisine, the Tex-Mex cuisine quickly spread from Texas to the rest of the country.
Food historians claim that the first printed evidence of "TexMex" in reference to food was in 1945. TexMex restaurants slowly began surfacing outside the Southwest U.S. in cities with substantial Hispanic populations. In the 1970s, Mexican culinary expert Diana Kennedy is credited for taking this simple fare and making it trendy and a new "gourmet" cuisine for a younger generation.
Served at dinner tables across Texas, this cuisine has changed little from its earliest origins and is still heavily influenced by the cuisine in the neighboring northern state of Mexico. TexMex incorporates ingredients common to Mexican cuisine and sometimes some ingredients unknown in Mexico are often also added. This cuisine is characterized by its heavy use of meat, in particular beef, beans and spices, in addition to Mexican-style tortillas. Nachos, crispy tacos, crispy chalupas, chili con queso, chili con carne, chili gravy and fajitas are all TexMex inventions.
A warm, soothing and spicy bowl of chili on a blustery and cool Autumn day, is one of the things I find truly satisfying. We love our chili. My passion for TexMex food I have carried since my childhood years when I spent a few years in Houston. I have not been back for a long time. My uncle and his family, who have lived there for as long as I can remember, keep taunting me to visit, his promises to take me to back to San Antonio for that bowl of spicy black bean chili I can still taste every time I think of chili, makes me fire up my stove top to create my own chili.
What I remember distinctly was the amazing smoky flavor the chili had with a slight heat to it. It was not fiery but packed with fragrant aromas. In my chili I add a sprinkling of chipotle chili to achieve both - the smoky flavor and the heat. Now do not go raising any eyebrows at the crumbling of feta on this. It's optional - I like the the way the salty cheese offsets the other flavors in the chili. You can use a generous grating of Monterey Jack if you prefer. I serve the chili with cumin roasted potatoes but this would work fantastically on tortillas or dolloped over a crispy taco.
Printable version of recipe here
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pimenton (or substitute a mild paprika powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili
- 3 teaspoon ground cumin
- 500g ground beef
- 800g tomatoes, chopped
- 2 x 400g cans black beans , rinsed and drained
- 1 lime, juiced
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 100g fresh cilantro, chopped
- 70g feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- Salt and freshly cracked pepper
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic and onions for 5 minutes until almost softened. Add the pimenton, chipotle chili and cumin, cook for a few minutes. Add the beef, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until it loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown and soften, about 3 min. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the black beans and chopped tomatoes and simmer for 20 min., stirring frequently. Add the lime juice, half of the cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. If the chili is thicker than you like, it may be thinned with water.
- Scatter the chili with the remaining cilantro, spring onion and crumbled feta (if using) and serve with slow roasted potatoes, scattered with cumin seeds.
Yes my chili is sacred to me and I am passing on my passion for the TexMex cuisine to Soeren who loves fajitas, quesadillas and co. When our friends come over, they are often spoilt with stacks of cheesy quesadillas, spicy beef fajitas or this chili and I love the way my German friends dig in. Yes - some of them are the ones who scorn at American cuisine.
This is my entry to this session of the Monthly Mingle being hosted at Jenn Cuisine, who has chosen the fantastic theme "Americana". I am really looking forward to the variety of dishes you have submitted. If you would like to join us the deadline is 30 September 2012.
Dubai Food Photography and Styling Workshop Update
I am thrilled to to announce that the vibrant Dima Sharif of the very successful "I COOK, Specialized Culinary Courses" will be teaming up with us at the workshop to offer an amazing course training our lucky participants in preparing and cooking a sublime Arabic menu. Dima will share some of her authentic dishes to a divine menu that we have just put together. She will guide participants in a hands-on session giving tips, talking about the authentic presentation and the history of the dishes.
We will then style and shoot some of the dishes and last but not least enjoy this tantalizing meal together in a relaxed atmosphere. Dima is one of the leading cookery instructors and food writers in the UAE region.
Now if we have tempted you to join us in this exceptional 2-day food photography and styling course (we have more surprises coming up) you'll have to hurry as we only have a few places left on the workshop. Interested? Register here!
About Dima Sharif
"Dima Sharif, is a Food Artisan and Cookery Instructor living and working in Dubai. She had been working in the food industry for over 7 years through which her brand - "Dima Sharif" Bringing food to life - was born. Her experience in the food industry is diversified and touches on catering, gourmet food production, cooking and baking training, recipe development, live cooking demonstrations as well as food writing. She is currently a dedicated cookery instructor and food writer. She conducts a variety of cookery courses some of which are specialized courses and others are casual classes and sessions. Dima also writes a food blog entitled "Dima Sharif" that is dedicated to explaining to her readers how food and cookery work. Known for developing scrumptious, very well balanced recipes as well as exploring various concoctions both savoury and sweet from different cuisines in great depth - often in step-by-step tutorials - had her reach out and connect with lots of food enthusiasts, home cooks as well as industry figures.
During the last five years Dima's reputation as a Food Artisan, writer and cookery instructor has grown considerably in stature particularly amongst her fans and other industry figures. She has developed an enthusiastic following and fan base on various social networks, her blog had gained considerable readership and continues to grow and she is determined to continue bringing food to life through all her current and upcoming projects.
For more information about Dima and her courses please visit www.dimasharif.com "
You might like these ideas from WFLH:
Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas | Jamaican Jerk Chicken | Black Bean Chili with Saffron Rice & Papaya Guacamole |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2012 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


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U.S. shoppers spent cautiously this holiday season, a disappointment for retailers who slashed prices to lure people into stores and now must hope for a post-Christmas burst of spending.
Sales of electronics, clothing, jewelry and home goods in the two months before Christmas increased 0.7 percent compared with last year, according to the MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse report.
That was below the healthy 3 to 4 percent growth that analysts had expected — and it was the worst year-over-year performance since 2008, when spending shrank sharply during the Great Recession. In 2011, retail sales climbed 4 to 5 percent during November and December, according to ShopperTrak.
This year's shopping season was marred by bad weather and rising uncertainty about the economy in the face of possible tax hikes and spending cuts early next year. Some analysts say the massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn., earlier this month may also have chipped away at shoppers' enthusiasm.
Retailers still have time to make up lost ground. The final week of December accounts for about 15 percent of the month's sales, said Michael McNamara, vice president for research and analysis at MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse.
Still, this season's weak sales could have repercussions for 2013, McNamara said. Retailers will make fewer orders to restock their shelves, and discounts will hurt their profitability. Wholesalers will buy fewer goods and orders to factories will likely drop in the coming months.
Steep discounts weren't enough to get people into stores, said Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at the market research firm NPD Inc.
"A lot of the Christmas spirit was left behind way back in Black Friday weekend," Cohen said, referring to the traditional retail rush the day after Thanksgiving. "We had one reason after another for consumers to say, 'I'm going to stick to my list and not go beyond it.'"
Holiday sales are a crucial indicator of the economy's strength. November and December account for up to 40 percent of annual sales for many retailers. If those sales don't materialize, stores are forced to offer steeper discounts. That's a boon for shoppers, but it cuts into stores' profits.
Spending by consumers accounts for 70 percent of overall economic activity, so the eight-week period encompassed by the SpendingPulse data is seen as a critical time not just for retailers but for manufacturers, wholesalers and companies at every other point along the supply chain.
The SpendingPulse data released Tuesday, which captures sales from Oct. 28 through Dec. 24 across all payment methods, is the first major snapshot of holiday retail sales. A clearer picture will emerge next week as retailers like Macy's and Target report revenue from stores open for at least a year. That sales measure is widely watched in the retail industry because it excludes revenue from stores that recently opened or closed, which can be volatile.
In the run-up to Christmas, analysts blamed bad weather for putting a damper on shopping. In late October, Superstorm Sandy battered the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, which account for 24 percent of U.S. retail sales.
Shopping picked up in the second half of November, but then the threat of the country falling off a "fiscal cliff" gained strength, throwing consumers off track once again.
Lawmakers have yet to reach a deal that would prevent tax increases and government spending cuts set to take effect at the beginning of 2013. If the cuts and tax hikes kick in and stay in place for months, the Congressional Budget Office says the nation could fall back into recession.
Shopping over the past two months was weakest in areas affected by Sandy and a more recent winter storm in the Midwest. Sales declined by 3.9 percent in the mid-Atlantic and 1.4 percent in the Northeast compared with last year. They rose 0.9 percent in the north central part of the country.
The West and South posted gains of between 2 percent and 3 percent, still weaker than the 3 percent to 4 percent increases expected by many retail analysts.
Online sales, typically a bright spot, grew only 8.4 percent from Oct. 28 through Saturday, according to SpendingPulse. That's a dramatic slowdown from the online sales growth of 15 to 17 percent seen in the prior 18-month period, according to the data service.
Online sales did enjoy a modest boost after the recent snowstorm that hit the Midwest, McNamara said. Online sales make up about 10 percent of total holiday business.
Daniel Wagner can be reached at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press


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TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — More than a thousand inmates escaped a prison Saturday in Libya as protesters stormed political party offices across the country, signs of the simmering unrest gripping a nation overrun by militias and awash in weaponry.
It wasn't immediately clear if the jailbreak at al-Kweifiya prison came as part of the demonstrations. Protesters had massed across Libya over the killing of an activist critical of the country's Muslim Brotherhood group.
Inmates started a riot and set fires after security forces opened fire on three detainees who tried to escape the facility outside of Benghazi, a security official at al-Kweifiya prison said. Gunmen quickly arrived to the prison after news of the riot spread, opening fire with rifles outside in a bid to free their imprisoned relatives, a Benghazi-based security official said.
Those who escaped either face or were convicted of serious charges, the prison official said.
The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.
Special forces later arrested 18 of the escapees, while some returned on their own, said Mohammed Hejazi, a government security official in Benghazi. The three inmates wounded in the initial escape attempt were taken to a local hospital, he said.
There was confusion, however, about how many prisoners exactly broke out, with numbers of escapees ranging as high as 1,200.
At a news conference, Prime Minister Ali Zidan blamed the jailbreak on those living around the prison.
"The prison was (attacked) by the citizens who live nearby because they don't want a prison in their region" he said. "Special forces were present and could have got the situation under control by using their arms but they had received orders not (use) their weapons on citizens … so the citizens opened the doors to the prisoners."
Zidan said an alert would be sent to border posts about the jailbreak and officers would receive a list of the escapees' names.
Benghazi's security is among the most precarious in post-revolution Libya. Last year, U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission in the city.
Meanwhile Saturday, hundreds gathered in the capital Tripoli after dawn prayers, denouncing the Friday shooting death of Abdul-Salam Al-Musmari. They set fire to tires in the street and demanded the dissolution of Islamist parties.
The two incidents highlighted Libya's deteriorating security situation and the challenges the North African country faces as it tries to restore calm nearly two years after the ouster and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
In Tripoli, protesters appeared to be inspired by events in neighboring Egypt, where millions took to the streets Friday to answer a call from the army chief, who said he wanted a mandate to stop "potential terrorism" by supporters of the country's ousted president, Mohammed Morsi, who hails from the Brotherhood.
"We don't want the Brotherhood, we want the army and the police," Libyan protesters chanted, repeating a slogan also used in Egypt. Libya's nascent security forces are struggling to control the country's militias, most of whom have roots in the rebel groups that overthrew Gadhafi in 2011.
The activist Al-Musmari, who used to publicly criticize the Brotherhood, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Benghazi.
Some protesters stormed the headquarters of a Brotherhood-affiliated political party and another Islamist-allied party in the capital, destroying furniture. Witnesses say demonstrators also stormed a Brotherhood party in Benghazi.
Protesters angry with the Libya's weak central government also targeted the liberal National Forces Alliance, ransacking its headquarters. The party came on top in Libya's first free parliamentary elections last year.
Security forces in Libya have been unable to impose their authority on the country since Gadhafi's ouster. Militias, many made up of former rebels who fought in the civil war that toppled Gadhafi, have grown in the strength and in many areas rival the security forces in their firepower and reach. The armed forces also rely on militias for help securing the country in some cases.
On Saturday, a colonel was killed by gunmen in Benghazi. Another three security members were killed a day earlier when gunmen opened fire on them. Security members are frequently targets in the country.
Zidan, the prime minister, said that an investigation was launched into the circumstances around al-Musmari's slaying. He said a foreign criminal investigation team will join Libyan investigators in Tripoli and Benghazi on Monday. He did not offer further details.
New York-based Human Rights Watch urged the Libyan government to "conduct a prompt and thorough investigation" of al-Musmari's death, believed to be the first targeted killing of a political activist.
"Libya's fragile transition is at stake if political killings go unpunished," said Nadim Houry, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "This makes investigating al-Musmari's murder all the more urgent."


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I'm happy to report that they are better anything I've ever had out of a factory-sealed package. They have a much better texture with more crunch, and way more real, cheesy flavor. The only thing they have less of is ingredients; like by 45 to 5.
By the way, these cheesy crackers are based on a recipe I found on my friend, Joy the Baker's blog. If you're not familiar with her fine work, I encourage you to go check her out. She's one of my favorites!
Okay, I feel better. I hope you give these delicious homemade cheese crackers a try soon. Enjoy!


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Television show: Peppa Pig, children's cartoon, UK, 2004 - current
What it Means to Me:
Peppa Pig is a short cartoon about a family of pigs. It is a favourite TV shows of Sylvia (aged 4). It is one I am quite happy for her to watch. The characters are quite believable, the drawing is charmingly naïve and the humour appeals to both children and adults. I like how positive each story is. I also find it interesting that we never see them eat meat. Even when Kev Kangaroo visits and fires up the barbie, he cooks corn on the cob. I guess if they ate meat, they would be eating the animals that are their friends.
We have a few DVDs that have been watched frequently and when it comes on the telly, Sylvia likes me to sit next to her and watch.
Making the cake. Note postcard from my parents in Russia in the top left photo. They returned from their trip over 2 months ago. |
It was hard to pick one food moment. Daddy Pig flipping a pancake onto the ceiling, George Pig calling spaghetti 'peeghetti', ice cream served by Daddy Pig on Miss Rabbit's day off, the blackberry and apple crumble Grandma Pig makes after Mummy Pig gets stuck in the brambles. I could go on and on. I chose chocolate cake.
In Peppa Pig, they always make a chocolate cake for a birthday or celebration. I love the way that the icing is so easily spread over the cake, and when it gets smeared over their mouths and they lick it off in one deft movement (especially when eager to play with Polly Parrot). If only life was as easy as it seems in cartoon land.
My original recipe notes. I have noted half quantities in the right hand column. |
I chose a simple chocolate cake recipe that I was given many years ago when I was a volunteer at the university food co-op. This cake was a regular feature on the menu. In my recipe notebook I have listed it as Food Co-Op Moist Chocolate Cake. Needless to say I loved it. At the time, the idea of a vegan cake was bizarre. I loved it.
It is a recipe that I see online quite regularly. I have seen it called Wacky Cake or Magic Cake because it is an easy egg free dairy free cake that uses regular kitchen ingredients and (some recipes say) can be mixed and baked in the same cake tin.
The cake is good enough to eat uniced. |
I picked up Sylvia from child care and told her we would be having chocolate cake tonight. She immediately explained that it was Dolly's birthday cake. It is always Dolly's birthday. She keeps getting older and older despite spending today in a shoebox cradle with a scarf for a mattress and handkerchiefs for blankets.
I had planned to make the cake a bit fancy for We Should Cocoa, a blog event founded by Choclette (and Chele of The Chocolate Teapot who sadly has retired from blogging). The event is celebrating it's 3rd year and the theme is chocolate showstopper cake.
Now I don't really do showstopper cakes. I do have a cake stand for a small cake. I was out of icing sugar but I had leftover buttercream from Oreos so I just mixed in some melted chocolate. And I have more sprinkles than I care to admit. I wasn't quite sure how to decorate the cake. Fortunately I have Sylvia, the Sprinkles Queen. She just put a bit of every sprinkles into the bowl and we covered the icing with them. I also sandwiched the cake together with more chocolate buttercream and some raspberry and rhubarb jam. Sort of like a chocolate vegan Victoria Sponge Cake.
After dinner I cleared the table and took a photo photos before cutting us a piece of cake. Sylvia helped me with food props. We made a deal that she would help keep the background from crashing onto the cake and she could take some photos after me. The background still came crashing down.
Once photos were over, I lit a sparkler and Sylvia made us all stand back. Then she insisted on cutting (butchering) the cake with a plastic knife. It is amazing what you can get away with when you are cute enough to warm that it is unhealthy for witches to eat children and believe that warriors are people who worry a lot. Sylvia went to bed a wee bit late but we had fun.
Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: Alphabakes: Creamy pasties with peas or pumpkin
Two years ago: Baked beans - that recipe seems very familiar
Three years ago: Isabella's Cafe - lighthouse gourmet
Four years ago: Superhero Cake – Kapow!
Five years ago: In Search of the Green Smoothie
Vegan chocolate cake
1 and 1/3 cup flour (I used half white, half wholemeal)
1 cup sugar (I used half coconut sugar, half raw sugar)
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp bicarb soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (I used wattleseed)
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil (I used rice bran oil)
1 tsp vinegar
Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease and line a cake tin. I used a 6 inch cake tin but if I didn't plan to do it as a layer cake I would probably use a 20cm round tin. (I halved the original recipe which suggested using a 13 x 9 inch lamington tin.) Mix dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Ice if desired but it is great without icing.
On the Stereo:
Magazine... (where the power is)
This post is part of Vegan Month of Food September 2013. This year for Vegan MoFo I am cooking recipes inspired by some favourite tv shows - and veering off topic occasionally. Go to my Vegan MoFo list for more of my Vegan MoFo posts.


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4″ x 6″ Clear Stamp Set
Our crystal clear YNS stamps are made in the USA of High Quality Photopolymer. They have a microscopically porous surface which gives superior ink transfer with all types of ink! We know you will love our crystal clear stamps just as much as we do!


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A familiar budget plan to sharply cut safety-net programs for the poor and clamp down on domestic agencies performing the nuts-and-bolts programs of the government is cruising to passage in the tea party-flavored House.
The Republican measure is advancing to the finish line in the House as the Senate starts a lengthy slog toward passage of a rival budget measure. It takes a sharply different view, restoring automatic cuts to agency budgets and increasing taxes by $1 trillion over the coming decade.
The dueling budget plans are anchored on opposite ends of the ideological spectrum in Washington, appealing to core partisans in the warring parties gridlocked over persistent budget deficits. President Barack Obama is exploring the chances of forging a middle path that blends new taxes and modest curbs to government benefits programs.
The sharp contrast over the 2014 budget and beyond came as the House is positioned to clear unfinished budget business — a sweeping, government-wide funding bill to keep Cabinet agencies running through the 2013 budget year, which ends Sept. 30.
The Senate passed the bipartisan 2013 measure by a sweeping 73-26 vote Wednesday after easing cuts that threatened intermittent closures of meat packing plants starting this summer and reviving college tuition grants for active-duty members of the military. The cuts were mandated by automatic spending cuts that took effect at the beginning of the month.
Looking to the future, Democrats and Republicans staked out divergent positions over what to do about spiraling federal health care costs and whether to raise taxes to rein in still-steep government deficits.
The long-term GOP budget plan, authored by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., offers slashing cuts to domestic agencies, the Medicaid health care plan for the poor and "Obamacare" subsidies while exempting the Pentagon and Social Security beneficiaries. The measure proposes shifting programs like Medicaid to the states but is sometimes scant on details about the very cuts it promises.
The Ryan measure revives a controversial plan to turn the Medicare programs for the elderly into a voucher-like system — for future beneficiaries born in 1959 or later — into a program in which the government subsidizes the purchase of health insurance instead of directly paying hospital and doctor bills. Critics say the idea would mean ever-spiraling out-of-pocket costs for care, but Ryan insists the plan would inject competition into a broken system.
The cuts to domestic agencies like the FBI, Border Patrol and National Institutes of Health could approach 20 percent when compared with levels agreed to as part of a hard-fought budget deal from the summer of 2011. That could run the already troubled appropriations process — it features 12 spending bills that are supposed to be passed by Congress each year — into the ground.
Fresh from passing the 2013 wrap-up measure, the Senate was turning to a plan by new Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash., that would add nearly $1 trillion in new taxes over the coming decade in an attempt to stabilize the $16 trillion-plus national debt. But Murray's plan would actually increase government spending after the $1.2 trillion cost of repealing the automatic cuts, called a sequester in Washington-speak. That means the net cuts to the deficit would amount to just a few hundred billion dollars in a federal budget estimated at $46 trillion or so over the coming decade.
"We need to tackle our deficit and debt fairly and responsibly," Murray said. "We need to keep the promises we've made as a nation to our seniors, our families and our communities."
At issue is the arcane process by which Congress approves a budget. It involves special legislation, called a budget resolution, that sets nonbinding targets for taxes and spending but relies on follow-up legislation to go into effect.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2013 Capitol Hill Blue


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Voz Veis
The Voz Veis lyrics are brought to you by Lyrics-Keeper. Some pages have mp3 music video and biography. We tried to make lyrics as correct as possible, however if you have any corrections, please feel free to submit them to us. If you want to free download mp3's of this artist you can visit one of our music sponsors.


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Wrestling, which was bounced from the Olympics' permanent roster of sports earlier this year, has been given a reprieve: It will be part of the 2020 and 2024 Olympics. In a vote held Sunday, the International Olympic Committee chose it over squash and a combined bid from baseball and softball.
Wrestling was cut from the list of 25 core Summer Olympic sports in February. As NPR's Mike Pesca reported, the cut came as a shock.
"There was never an inkling that all styles of men's and women's wrestling could be dropped too," Mike said in February. "But at a closed-door meeting in Switzerland, the members of the IOC's executive board decided to eliminate the sport, which has been held at every summer games except Paris in 1900."
Sunday's vote means that wrestling will continue its presence at the Olympics uninterrupted through at least 2024. The sport had already been on the slate of events at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.
As we reported Saturday, the 2020 Games will be hosted by Tokyo, which was chosen by the International Olympic Committee over rival bids from Istanbul and Madrid.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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'Argo' named best film at Britain's Oscars
LONDON - Agence France-Presse
US film director/actor Ben Affleck poses in the Press Room after winning Best director and Best film for 'Argo' during the EE BAFTA's, British Academy Film Awards, in London, Britain, 10 February 2013. EPA/ANDY RAIN
Iran-hostage drama "Argo" continued its journey from awards-season outsider to favorite Sunday, winning three prizes, including best-picture, at the British Academy Film Awards.Ben Affleck was named best director for the based-on-reality story of a longshot plan to rescue a group of American diplomats from Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, and the film also took the editing trophy.
Affleck, who has made a remarkable journey from little-regarded actor to award-winning director, dedicated his directing prize to "anyone out there who's trying to get their second act."
George Clooney, a producer of "Argo," quipped: "I don't know what you're going to do for a third act."
Daniel Day-Lewis won his universally expected best-actor trophy for "Lincoln" - the only prize out of 10 nominations for Steven Spielberg's historical biopic.
Day-Lewis - a famously intense actor who reportedly stayed in character as the 16th U.S. President throughout the "Lincoln" shoot - cracked a joke as he was given his prize.
He said that in anticipation of having to make an acceptance speech, "I've actually stayed in character as myself for the last 55 years."
Emmanuelle Riva, the 85-year-old French film legend, was named best actress for Michael Haneke's poignant old-age portrait "Amour." It also was named best foreign-language film.
Made-in-Britain French revolutionary musical "Les Miserables" won four prizes, including best supporting actress for Anne Hathaway. James Bond adventure "Skyfall" spied some elusive awards recognition, winning trophies for music and best British film.
The British awards, known as BAFTAs, are increasingly glamorous - despite a well-earned reputation for dismal weather - and ever-more scrutinized as an indicator of likely success at the Hollywood Oscars. In recent years they have prefigured Academy Awards triumph for word-of-mouth hits such as "Slumdog Millionaire," "The King's Speech" and "The Artist."
This year they spread their honors widely, with multiple trophies for "Life of Pi," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Amour" and "Django Unchained," as well as "Argo."
Kathryn Bigelow's Osama bin Laden thriller "Zero Dark Thirty" was shut out of the prizes, despite five nominations.
This season's movie with momentum is crowd-pleaser "Argo," which has been building steam with big prizes at ceremonies such as the Golden Globes, the Producers Guild and the Directors Guild of America Awards.
It is now considered a front-runner for the best picture award at the Oscars on Feb. 24, even though Affleck was not nominated for best director there.
"Argo" marks a change for Affleck, whose first two features as director - "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town" - were set in his native Boston. In "Argo" he stars as Tony Mendez, a CIA agent who poses as a sci-fi filmmaker in a risky plot to rescue Americans in Tehran.
"I wanted to get as far away from Boston as I could," Affleck said. "I ended up in Iran."
"Skyfall," the highest-grossing film in the Bond series' 50-year history, was named best British film - rare awards-season recognition for an action movie. Thomas Newman's score also won the best-music prize.
Director Sam Mendes said he was accepting the trophy on behalf of the "1,292 people" who worked on "Skyfall."
"We all had high expectations for this film and it's fair to say all of them have been exceeded," Mendes said. "Here's to the next 50 years."
Quentin Tarantino picked up the original screenplay award for "Django Unchained," and Christoph Waltz was named best supporting actor for playing a loquacious bounty hunter in Tarantino's slave-revenge thriller.
Waltz said his victory was entirely due to Tarantino - "you silver-penned devil, you."
Tarantino also revealed that he plans another film that sets out to right an historical wrong, after anti-Nazi saga "Inglourious Basterds" and "Django Unchained."
"I think there is something about this that begs a trilogy," he said. "I don't know what the third one's going to be yet."
Hathaway said she was "overjoyed" at being named best supporting actress for her brief but powerhouse performance in "Les Miserables." She said she was so taken aback that "I almost walked past George Clooney without hugging him."
She also expressed sympathy for co-star Eddie Redmayne, who had been due to present an award but - co-presenter Sally Field informed the audience - was vomiting backstage.
"Feel better," Hathaway said. "I mean I'd be holding your hair back, but, you know..."
Writer-director David O. Russell won the adapted screenplay prize for "Silver Linings Playbook," a comedy about characters confronting mental illness.
"Les Mis" also took trophies for production design, sound and makeup/hair, and "Life of Pi" received honors for cinematography and visual effects.
Before the ceremony, stars including Clooney, Affleck, Hugh Jackman, Samuel L. Jackson, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper braved a chilly rain that turned to snow outside the Royal Opera House.
For once it was hair, even more than frocks, that drew attention - many stars opted for dark colors, though Marion Cotillard defied the dull weather in a canary-yellow gown. Beards were de rigeur among male stars including Clooney, Affleck and Cooper, while Helen Mirren turned heads with a pink 'do, sported in honor of breast cancer awareness.
Sunday's ceremony also saw director Alan Parker receive a BAFTA Fellowship, the academy's highest honor, for a career that includes "Midnight Express," "Fame" and "Mississippi Burning."


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Schools must provide sports for disabled, US says
January 25, 2013
WASHINGTON (AP) – Students with disabilities must be given a fair shot to play on a traditional sports team or have their own leagues, the Education Department says.
Disabled students who want to play for their school could join traditional teams if officials can make "reasonable modifications" to accommodate them. If those adjustments would fundamentally alter a sport or give the student an advantage, the department is directing the school to create parallel athletic programs that have comparable standing to traditional programs.
"Sports can provide invaluable lessons in discipline, selflessness, passion and courage, and this guidance will help schools ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to benefit from the life lessons they can learn on the playing field or on the court," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement announcing the new guidance Friday.
The groundbreaking order is reminiscent of the Title IX expansion of athletic opportunities for girls and women four decades ago and could bring sweeping changes to school budgets and locker rooms for years to come.
Activists cheered the changes.
"This is a landmark moment for students with disabilities. This will do for students with disabilities what Title IX did for women," said Terri Lakowski, who for a decade led a coalition pushing for the changes. "This is a huge victory."
It's not clear whether the new guidelines will spark a sudden uptick in sports participation. There was a big increase in female participation in sports after Title IX guidance instructed schools to treat female athletics on par with male teams. That led many schools to cut some men's teams, arguing that it was necessary to be able to pay for women's teams.
Education Department officials emphasized they did not intend to change sports traditions dramatically or guarantee students with disabilities a spot on competitive teams. Instead, they insisted schools may not exclude students based on their disabilities if they can keep up with their classmates.
Federal laws, including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, require states to provide a free public education to all students and prohibit schools that receive federal money from discriminating against students with disabilities. Going further, the new directive from the Education Department's civil rights division explicitly tells schools and colleges that access to interscholastic, intramural and intercollegiate athletics is a right.
The department suggests minor accommodations to incorporate students with disabilities onto sports teams. For instance, track and field officials could use a visual cue for a deaf runner to begin a race.
Some states already offer such programs. Maryland, for instance, passed a law in 2008 that required schools to create equal opportunities for students with disabilities to participate in physical education programs and play on traditional athletic teams. And Minnesota awards state titles for disabled student athletes in six sports.
Increasingly, those with disabilities are finding spots on their schools' teams.
"I heard about some of the other people who joined their track teams in other states. I wanted to try to do that," said Casey Followay, 15, of Wooster, Ohio, who competes on his high school track team in a racing wheelchair.
Current rules require Followay to race on his own, without competitors running alongside him. He said he hopes the Education Department guidance will change that and he can compete against runners.
"It's going to give me the chance to compete against kids at my level," he said.
Some cautioned that progress would come in fits and starts initially.
"Is it easy? No," said Brad Hedrick, director of disability services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and himself a hall-of-famer in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. "In most places, you're beginning from an inertial moment. But it is feasible and possible that a meaningful and viable programming can be created."


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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tomato Coconut Rice
Flooded Rice Paddy
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Years ago, Bob and I spent several weeks traveling through the American South. We were, of course, charmed by the people and the compelling history of the region. I loved the whole of the Natchez Trace and I wasn't sure that Bob, having found Savannah, would ever leave her. Savannah, save for its famed red rice, spoke to his sensibilities. Now in fairness to him, I must tell you that Spanish rice was a dinner staple when we were children and I think he simply had had his fill of anything that resembled it. Even Savannah Red Rice couldn't tempt him. I wanted to try some Southern meals this week, so I spent some time looking for side dishes that would work nicely with our main courses. I can happily report that I found one that is so delicious that even Bob will eat it. It comes from Joyce White's cookbook "Soul Food." It is very loosely based on the red rice that is served across the South, but there are decided Asian overtones as well. The secret ingredient is the coconut milk and that's decidedly unsouthern unless you find yourself in Thailand or South Vietnam. The rice bakes in the oven and uses every day ingredients to produce a unique accompaniment to grilled meat or poultry. The recipe can be doubled and brown basmati rice can also be used to prepare it. If you opt to use brown rice you should add an additional 20 minutes to the baking time that's stated in the recipe. I really think you'll love this. I know I did. Here's the recipe.
Tomato Coconut Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Joyce White
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley
1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 cup basmati rice rice
2 cups finely chopped plum tomatoes or well-drained petite diced tomatoes
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart ovenproof baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a medium skillet. Stir in onion, herb and bell pepper and sauté 4 or 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in rice and sauté 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring. Remove pan from heat.
3) Spoon rice mixture into baking dish. Stir in tomatoes, coconut milk, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Mix well. Cover baking dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.
4) Place dish on the lower oven rack and bake for about 40 minutes, or until he rice is tender, and all liquid is absorbed, stirring a couple times. Cook for another 20 minutes if using brown rice. Serve hot as a side dish to baked fish, roast chicken or meat dishes. Yield: 6 servings.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Yangzhou Fried Rice - One Perfect Bite
Wild Rice, Celery and Walnut Salad - One Perfect Bite
Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One Perfect Bite
53 comments :
- Debbi Does Dinner Healthy said...
This sounds so delicious! I love the idea of using coconut milk and it's so pretty with the tomatoes! Thanks!
- May 12, 2010 at 12:05 AM
- PranisKitchen said...
looks so delicious .i used to prepare the coconut rice the addition of tomato is really a good idea.and never prepared by baking the rice..sure will give a try.thanks for sharing.did u use the basmatirice for this preparation - May 12, 2010 at 12:14 AM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Pranis, I did use basmati rice to make this.
- May 12, 2010 at 12:49 AM
- Angie's Recipes said...
What a great idea of using coconut milk to cook the rice dish! I bet it's full of flavours.
- May 12, 2010 at 1:24 AM
- Federica Simoni said...
ciao!! un piatto unico buonissimo!! complimenti!! ciao!
- May 12, 2010 at 1:54 AM
- MaryMoh said...
We eat coconut rice quite a lot. It's a very popular dish in Malaysia to go with peanuts, fried anchovies, spicy sambal, cucumber and curry. We call it nasi lemak. Thanks for sharing yours.
- May 12, 2010 at 2:01 AM
- Rue said...
I love coconut milk with rice! I've never baked rice though - this should be fun to try!
- May 12, 2010 at 2:03 AM
- Tuty @Scentofspice said...
Nice combination, Mary. We have tomato rice and coconut rice but not the combo :)
- May 12, 2010 at 2:07 AM
- Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...
Mary, I cook coconut too, but mine is coconut jam,hehehe.Coconut rice always my favourite, your tomato coconut rice sound good and yummy.
- May 12, 2010 at 2:14 AM
- Mary | Deep South Dish said...
That really is an interesting combination. I've had a southern red rice in the queue for posting - meant to get it up last week, but oh well.. never enough time!! This version sounds delicious.
- May 12, 2010 at 2:47 AM
- Sushma Mallya said...
wow i just loved the recipe and the click, beautiful...would love to try your version...simple and nice one mary
- May 12, 2010 at 3:42 AM
- Katy ~ said...
Mary, this is bookmarked! thank you so much for sharing so that we might enjoy it as well.
- May 12, 2010 at 5:03 AM
- Jamie said...
You always find a way to turn something so basic and everyday - like rice - into something special! This sounds so delicious and would go so well with anything grilled!
- May 12, 2010 at 5:17 AM
- Unknown said...
I love coconut rice. I'm definitelty gonna try this recipe Mary. And thank you for the rabbit foot. I'll keep you up-to-date :)
Have a great day. Michael - May 12, 2010 at 6:15 AM
- Allie and Pattie said...
Mary, I can tell just by looking at the recipe that this is something I'll love! Thank you!
xoxo Pattie - May 12, 2010 at 6:36 AM
- GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...
The coconut makes this dish sound so interesting! I enjoy most rice dishes and this one does sound good! I Like the photo of the flooded rice paddy.
- May 12, 2010 at 7:06 AM
- Diane said...
This sounds wonderful, we both love rice anyway so this will be a bonus. Thanks.
- May 12, 2010 at 7:06 AM
- giorno26 ¸¸.•*¨*•. said...
Hi Mary
queta è una ricetta veramente deliziosa estiva....
Da provare ! - May 12, 2010 at 7:19 AM
- My Little Space said...
I love coconut milk rice! Just so tempting...just imagine the aroma coming from the oven. hmmm... yummm.... Have a wonderful day!
Cheers, Kristy - May 12, 2010 at 7:43 AM
- Martha said...
Looks delicous as always -- when I saw the title, I thought it was another Asian dish -- was surprised to find it Southern!
- May 12, 2010 at 7:59 AM
- Rachana said...
This looks so delicious! I love the idea of using coconut milk... Thanks!
- May 12, 2010 at 8:00 AM
- Becky said...
Mary, what an interesting twist on an old southern dish. I will give it a try. How do you think this would go with Ina's Asian Grilled Salmon?
- May 12, 2010 at 8:45 AM
- Susi's Kochen und Backen said...
I've had coconut rice before but never with the addition of red bell pepper or tomatoes, which seems to be taken this to a whole new level. It sounds delicious!
- May 12, 2010 at 9:35 AM
- Gloria Baker said...
Mary, this sounds absolutely delicious! I love coconut rice,but never try with tomato, nice recipe! gloria
- May 12, 2010 at 9:49 AM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Katy, have you turned off comments on your blog? I tried to leave a comment but was unable to do so. Blessings...Mary
- May 12, 2010 at 10:02 AM
- Unknown said...
Hi Mary, that looks wonderful...definitely something I would like to try. Thanks for sharing and have a great day. :o)
- May 12, 2010 at 10:16 AM
- Little Inbox said...
A new cooking method to me, :)
- May 12, 2010 at 11:00 AM
- Jaynie said...
I'm always looking for new ways to cook rice. This looks very interesting and tasty. I'll definitely be trying this.
- May 12, 2010 at 11:01 AM
- San said...
We would call it as tomato biryani.Looks so flavorful n aromatic.Kudos to u for baking it n wonderful recipe.
- May 12, 2010 at 11:11 AM
- Unknown said...
LOved the snaps.....the rice looks very tasty and temptng too....
- May 12, 2010 at 11:19 AM
- Unknown said...
Fantastic recipe! My family loves rice. We will have to try this.
- May 12, 2010 at 11:29 AM
- Lori said...
This sounds delicious Mary. We eat a lot of rice, most of the time I prefer it over potatoes. I have never had red rice. There is some pecan rice in my pantry that I am looking forward to making.
- May 12, 2010 at 12:47 PM
- Magdalena said...
Your rice must be delicious! So far, I have tried rice cooked in coconut milk, but not baked. Definitely I will try this recipe, as it is easy to do, too. Have a good day!
- May 12, 2010 at 1:02 PM
- T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...
I love how you collect "recipe memories" throughout your travels!
- May 12, 2010 at 1:04 PM
- From the Kitchen said...
Even though I was born in the south (Virginia), we only ate rice occasionally and it was in the form of rice pudding. It wasn't until I was married and moved to Charleston that rice really entered our meals. I was amazed to find 50 pound bags of rice in the Piggly Wiggly! What on earth, I wondered, would anyone do with that much rice? I soon found out. I'm with Bob in finding Savannah mesmerizing!
Bonnie - May 12, 2010 at 1:10 PM
- DailyChef said...
This looks amazing! What a great idea with the coconut milk. And wonderful pictures, once again.
- May 12, 2010 at 1:11 PM
- The Blonde Duck said...
I love the name Savannah.
- May 12, 2010 at 2:04 PM
- Melissa said...
Thanks for visiting my blog. I must say, your blog is amazing. And, this rice reminds me of something my college room mate used to make! Yum!
- May 12, 2010 at 2:33 PM
- pigpigscorner said...
I can smell the coconut from here!
- May 12, 2010 at 3:59 PM
- Babette said...
This sounds fabulous--flavors I love together...in fact, I'd probably make dinner out of just this, that is how much I like rice, tomatoes AND coconut..Lovley pic, too, mary.
- May 12, 2010 at 4:14 PM
- Jen_from_NJ said...
I love the idea of this rice - such different flavors. I have been cooking with coconut milk quite often lately. Your rice looks and sounds perfect! I'm sure that we will love it.
- May 12, 2010 at 4:50 PM
- Chats the Comfy Cook said...
What a wonderful recipe, perfect for my husband who can't eat gluten. I have to get coconut milk or I would make it as a side, tonight.
- May 12, 2010 at 6:14 PM
- Karen said...
I really like that this is a baked dish. Sounds delish!
- May 12, 2010 at 7:19 PM
- ~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...
Oh Mary, I love coming here to visit and I leave with the most wonderful recipes. What kind of rice did you use in your picture? The spoon bread is also one I will try. Thank you friend!
Opps, I see you have answered my question.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~ - May 12, 2010 at 7:38 PM
- Roxan said...
Mary, thank you for such kind words! You're more than welcome (invited, even!) to come over any time you like ;)
- May 12, 2010 at 9:17 PM
- teresa said...
this is gorgeous! what a perfect side dish, i love it!
- May 12, 2010 at 10:35 PM
- Kim said...
Savannah is one of the most beautiful cities and I love going there.
The rice looks and sounds wonderful. - May 12, 2010 at 11:02 PM
- We Are Not Martha said...
I love coconut rice and this flavor combination sounds perfectly lovely!!
Sues - May 13, 2010 at 12:13 AM
- sweetlife said...
coconut milk with rice, I bet it adds just the perfect flavor and tomatoes....great recipe...
sweetlife - May 13, 2010 at 12:20 AM
- Unknown said...
GREAT!!! rice dish. Basmati rice is AWESOME!!! and I like the flavor it has and with the combination of coconut milk sounds WONDERFUL!!!
Geri - May 13, 2010 at 1:00 AM
- Sutapa said...
Its simple yet elegant. Excellent combo of coconut milk and tomatoes! - May 13, 2010 at 2:31 AM
- Louis la Vache said...
The coconut milk in this is what really "makes" this dish. Delicious!
- May 13, 2010 at 8:05 AM
- Andreas said...
Look, two Peking Ducks in their natural habitat. :)
Baking rice with coconut milk sounds terrific. - May 13, 2010 at 3:15 PM


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