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Dinky has lost responsibility for 2 of the pheasant eggs as Babi stole them off her during the night and has claimed them as her own. They are both nestled in the same nest so it doesn't make much of a difference.
Christmas is being planned... every meal has been written down between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Whether the plans will remain the same is yet to be seen. I envisage many changes before then. Probably on the day actually.
The weather has packed in and doesn't look as though it's going to clear any time soon so we have holed up indoors and I think tree decorating is on the cards for this afternoon... if we can find the decorations. We have a freshly cut tree from the garden though which is nice. I love the smell of pine wafting through the house. I just hope the dog doesn't pull it over. He tipped all the water out of his bowl yesterday so he could bring it into the living room. Silly dog.
And on a side note, I was looking through some classifieds the other night and found, to my amusement, 2 ads, one wanting terracotta garden boots and the other wanting a rotary hue. I found it very amusing. Maybe my amusement was emphasised by wine?
Anyway, Renata and Brian are up tomorrow for a few days so hopefully the weather clears up.
Chau :)


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We decided a long time ago not to endorse candidates in the primary. That means we don't un-endorse, either. The Tea Party, being totally decentralized, represents a lot of ideas and opinions. We love that. We love that so many passionate conservatives have gotten involved in the process.This quote is nothing more than a flowery and misleading attempt to change the subject away from the St. Louis Tea Party's pandering to Roy Blunt. Hennessy claims that they don't "un-endorse." But that has nothing to do with the letter. The original letter doesn't say "We un-endorse Roy Blunt." It says:
The following list of Tea Party organizations, from across the state of Missouri, have NOT endorsed Roy Blunt in his campaign for the U.S. Senate seat.Since the St. Louis tea party did not formally endorse Roy Blunt, they obviously could have signed the letter, but they didn't because they didn't want to give the impression that they were criticizing Blunt.

subset: commoncrawl


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Panels from Alpha Flight (1983 series) #3 (October 1983); script, pencils, and inks by John Byrne; colors by Andy Yanchus; letters by Tom Orzechowski
Oh man, John Byrne forgot which comic he was writing. Again.
"Two of you? No matter... You shall both fail in any attempt to thwart my plans, or my name isn't Vandal Sav-- um, er, uh, The Master of the World!"


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Hello everyone, its been crazy in my life right now, trying to train for a Marathon, my son is graduating in 6 days, sub sections for his golf team is this week and my daughters sub sections start today for … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: May 2014
Most Awesome 20 miler Ever :))
Hello everyone, I hope you all had a great weekend!! Hope all you Mother's out there had a great Mother's Day. I am starting my Monday Morning out with some Bullet Proof coffee and coconut oil, one of my favorite … Continue reading
My 4th Lacrosse Half Marathon In a row Recap and Training on tired legs ~
Hello everyone, I hope you are having a wonderful spring so far!! It has finally warmed up here in Minnesota. This morning was my first run in the early the morning with a Tanktop and a Skirt and I was dripping wet after a 4 mile run. It felt so great!! So free from all my Compression!! Loved every minute of it!! :))
So back to last weekend!! It was a very tiring week and lots to do to get ready for graduation, but I am staying positive and not going to be myself down, Just keep getting my miles in the best I can and that helps with the stress of everything!! Training during the week went really good, I got my miles in a little different, but got them all in!! I was able to pick my Race packet up on Friday since my daughter had a game close to Lacrosse, could not have been more perfect! I got to bed a lot earlier for this race, so that felt great!! I got up early and headed to Lacrosse, I could tell the day was going to be perfect for a Race. I knew I had put on one too many layers, so I did shed a layer when I got there!! I loaded the bus to Take my to the top of Grand Dads Bluff . I sat with a really nice gal from Caledonia and we chatted the whole way!! It was sunny and beautiful, I was smiling from ear to ear thinking This was my 4th year in a row running this Marathon!! This Half Marathon has a very special place in my heart. It was my first Half marathon 4 years ago!! They changed the route up last year. The first 2 miles or so are all straight down hill from the top of the Bluff. I got to the start line! I was feeling warm already even though I had taken off a layer. We were off. I was feeling great right away. I just had a feeling again this was going to be a great race!! I was cruising down the hill at one point I saw my Garmin in the 6:50 pace I thought that can't be right! So I made it down safe and into mile 6, I could feel my legs were getting heavy. I kept pushing away Up a few big hills again, it was pretty windy too, but temps were 48 degrees, I was roasting. I wanted to run it in 02:10 and I pushed hard the last mile to get it and I did!! I ran it in 02:10:55 . Here is me in all my races at Lacrosse!! This was a tough winter for training, so i finally feel like my training is working. These last 2 weeks of races have been so great for my training, I push harder than I do on my own long runs, so so glad I did them!! I walked back t my and just at and smiled and thought I Keep going back for more. One foot in front of the other, that is the hard part!! This week at the beginning of the week was tough day after the race I woke and ran a few miles, I wasn't too bad, by that night, I was so sore & I was more sore the 2nd and 3rd day after. I don't think I have ever in all 24 Half marathon, been that sore. So then after a few days my legs felt pretty good to run a Half, I have got all my runs in this week and a bonus Virtual Half, that felt awesome on the Trail! Sure glad they are back to normal!!!We had a very blessed weekend with my family for my daughter Confirmation, it was a great day with friends and family, so blessed. In 2 weeks my son will be graduating from High School, so that is exciting!! I better get used to Hills I guess, Utah Valley Marathon is in 36 days and I can't wait, everything has been feeling great. I have trained right and I could not be more excited to run another Half. I know that is hard for some people to understand!! You already know though, how truly much I Love to run!! I have a 20 miler in store to do this weekend. One of my last longer runs and I'll do a 16 miler yet as well!! I am excited for these long runs too, just wish I had Julia here to run them with me! Me and the Highway I guess!! Gearing up for my Next Half Marathon Minneapolis Half, super excited for that race as well!! :)) So with that, mile after mile, one foot in front of the other, just keep pushing forward no matter what!!


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I just got off the phone with my FIL who told me great news!!! Royd is officially on his way home! Right now he's waiting to catch the first of three planes over the next few days. I expect that if things go well, he should be here on Monday. Now, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the weather cooperates and that I can make the drive to pick him up from the airport. If not, he'll be catching a train.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Posted by Erica at 1:53 PM |
Monday, January 22, 2007
A Little Something
Sometimes you just need a quick, yet highly satifsfying project. Hence my latest FO.
Posted by Erica at 10:02 AM |
Friday, January 19, 2007
I'm a packrat although I hate being one. Clutter drives me nuts, yet cannot get rid of things. Recently I started going through stuff and just dumping it. It felt great! Everything I've gotten rid of hasn't caused me to look back once. I even went through the yarn have been trying to sell what I will probably never use.
Posted by Erica at 1:13 PM |
Thursday, January 18, 2007
A Bit of This and That
Thank you for your suggestions! It was quite interesting to see what everyone had to say.
Being that it seemed such an easy knit, I kinda made alot of errors. Inability to follow directions, unhappiness with the selvedge stitches, dropped stitches, and casting on for the wrong size. Now, we're doing good.
In the past month I haven't touched the spinning wheel at all. It's a shame since I keep ordering more fiber. I used to have lots of time in the evenings to sit down and get lost in the rhythm. Then a little baby I know has decided that he doesn't need any sleep and it's often after 9:30 before I get anytime to myself. Since I am usually knocked out by 10:30, it just never seems like much sense to bring the wheel out into the living room. Instead, I pick the knitting up and try to squeeze a few rows in while watching the news.
Last week I received some gorgeous fiber in the mail. I just happened to be at the Yarn Wench site looking at colorways when I noticed that she was in the middle of updating. Yeehaw! Everytime I get an update notice, everything I like is always gone. Man, it was hard not to buy a bunch of it up. I was good and settled on one. (Sadly I can't get pictures today since my camera battery died and it'll be a few hours until I can try again. Boys are sleeping, so now's my chance to post.)
Yesterday I took advantage of naptime and managed to finish plying up what was on the wheel.
It's two ounces and 150 yards of Crown Mountain Farms' Heat Wave, Navajo plied. I'm still debating whether I like it or not and if I should finish spinning it up. You'd think that the brand new roving would have landed on the wheel next but it didn't. I just can't decide what to do with it, so to satisfy the spinning urge I'm working on some Optim, from this post. (No pictures of that either. Sorry!)
Well, my time is limited, so I must make the most of this precious time. I'll leave you with a picture of what I have to deal with when someone is awake.
Obviously, I'm not spending that much time on the computer lately!
Posted by Erica at 1:51 PM |
Sunday, January 14, 2007
I Got Nothin'
So, who wants to bet that y,all thought I'd have either a pair of mittens or a sweater to show today?
Posted by Erica at 6:20 PM |
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
First Socks
I finished up the first pair of socks for the new year just a few minutes ago.
Pattern: Latvian Socks from Folk Socks
Yarn: Superwash Sunshine Yarn in NSS Olive
Can I just tell you how glad I am to have these off the needles??? If you remember, these were suppose to be a Christmas gift, but due to some yarn snapping issues I didn't. I ripped back the foot of the first one and redid it for my size and then finished up the second to match. They're beautiful, but I sure am worried about them wearing out very quickly. I guess I won't be wearing them around the house without slippers.
With these finished, there are only one pair left on the needles. They're basic ribbed socks in cotton and I'm not really in a hurry to get them done. With the new year, I'd like to step back from the socks a little bit. Not completely, just enough to allow time to work on other things.
Speaking of other things...
(the colors are nowhere true, but trust me, they look great together)
Look what I started!!! After a few days of ignoring them, a lightbulb kinda popped on and I sat down to tackle that cast on once and for all. I found that the particular type of tubular cast on made a huge difference. I tried about five different once before settling on the Italian method, as described here. It took me a bit to get this one down, but it was well worth it. The edge is now stretchy and will fit over my hand.
Then there's my progress on Arwen. I finished up the left side yesterday morning and plan on casting on for the right this evening. I've called a popcorn and movie night after dinner, so as long as Marc is cooperative, I should be able to get a bit done.
Here's to hoping!
Posted by Erica at 2:53 PM |


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The Perfect Burger
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef chuck (80 percent lean)
- Vegetable oil, for grates
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 4 hamburger buns, split and lightly grilled, or toasted
- Lettuce, tomato, or other toppings, as desired
- Evenly divide meat into 4 portions. With a light touch, gently form each one into a ball, then shape into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. With thumb, make a 1/4-inch-deep indentation in the center of each (this prevents burgers from getting rounded tops during grilling). Transfer to a plate; cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 1 day.
- Heat grill to high (it should be difficult to hold your hand above the grates). Moisten a folded paper towel with vegetable oil; grasp with tongs, and quickly wipe over the grates.
- Generously season patties on both sides with salt and pepper. Place patties on grill; cover, and cook to desired doneness, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Serve burgers on buns with desired toppings.
Texas Red Chili
I do not know if I, personally, would want to sit thru an entire football game, in the stands, after eating this spicy chili. I guess I would have to take plenty of Zantac for the heart burn. It does sound very yummie for when the weather gets chilly....maybe around late DECEMBER for a Cowboys home game. LOL. This would also be a great dish to serve durring half time for a football watching party at home. I think I would need to cut out a few of the spicy ingredience, I wonder if that would hurt the outcome? Maybe my delicate system (I used to could take the heat .... man, I am getting old!!!!) would be better off opeing a can of Wolf Brand...LOL.
- 8 whole dried chiles (5 ancho and 3 guajillo or all ancho; about 3 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons safflower oil, plus more as needed
- 3 pounds trimmed beef chuck, cut into small pieces (1/2 inch or smaller)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 large onions, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
- 7 to 8 garlic cloves, minced (5 tablespoons)
- 2 jalapeno or serrano chiles, seeded if desired, minced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, pureed with their juice (3 1/2 cups)
- 4 cups water, plus more if needed and for soaking
- 2 to 3 teaspoons white vinegar, to taste
- Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and blistered, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove stem and seeds; discard. Transfer chiles to a large measuring cup or bowl, and cover with hot water. Keep chiles submerged with a small bowl, and let soak for 30 minutes. Remove from water, and puree in a blender with 1/2 cup soaking liquid.
- Heat a large heavy pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Season beef with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Brown beef in batches, adding more oil as needed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining tablespoon oil, the onions, garlic, and minced chiles to pot, and cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the pan gets too dark, add a little water, and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze.) Add cumin and oregano, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Stir in browned beef and chile puree. Add tomato puree, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer gently, partially covered, until meat is very tender and juices are thick, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. (Check pot once an hour for excessive evaporation; if chili seems dry, add a little water.) Season chili with salt, and stir in vinegar. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months; reheat in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally).
There are many more great recipes on Martha Stewarts website. Hop on over there to find one that will please your Super Fans.


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I am generally pro-law enforcement. We need the rule of law in this country, and laws are useless unless there is someone with the authority, the guts, and the know-how to enforce it.
But I also grew up in Jacksonville, Texas.
Where? Oh, just the town that brought you Larry Pugh.
That's the guy the Jacksonville PD kept on despite 35 complaints of sexual assault. They kept him on when he tasered a pregnant woman, knocked her husband to the ground, and kicked his teeth in--even when they were forced to settle that case out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.
They continued turning a blind eye to his criminality even when a woman reported that he, while in uniform and driving his police cruiser, took her to an abandoned house and raped her at gunpoint.
It wasn't until later, when he attacked that woman again--this time choking her with a belt--that a federal investigation finally brought him down.
Note: not an internal investigation. No, the "good ol' boy" network in Jacksonville is too iron-clad for that. It took an outside, FEDERAL investigation.
And that's not all. Two women slated to testify against him have turned up missing. One of their remains was found later on. Both women disappeared while Pugh was out on bond from federal court.
On a more personal level, I've had a Jacksonville police officer look me in the eye and draw down on me more than once--but never while I was involved in any sort of crime.
Two examples:
1) Sitting outside my own house shortly after dark, talking to three friends. The police came by and asked if we'd seen anyone suspicious; we listed everyone we'd seen go by, but the officer was getting steadily more agitated and saying to everyone we listed, "That's not who we're looking for." Eventually, he left. My friends and I continued to sit and talk. Suddenly, police cruisers blocked off both ends of the street and even drove over people's yards to block us in completely. They jumped out of their cars, guns drawn and leveled at us. They were blinding us with their headlights and with spotlights, and one man was yelling, "Get your hands up!"
They searched us, harassed us, and eventually moved on. A friend who had a police scanner said there had been a murder several blocks away, and the cops were looking for several older, bearded men. My friends and I were nothing like the description, and to this day, I have no idea why they felt the need to harass us like that.
2) My husband and I were walking our dogs at about ten at night. Yes, it was late, but I worked late, and the dogs needed to stretch their legs. We walked for quite a way, and on the way back, we took a shortcut through an unfenced school playground.
Suddenly, two men were running up behind us, shining flashlights in our faces. They didn't say a word, and were closing ground fast. The dogs turned and began to bark and growl. My husband handed me both leashes and reached for a small vial of pepper spray he was carrying in his pocket. He's 6'8", and the dogs were huge, and I'm sure we looked quite ready for a fight.
Only then, with us ready to brawl and them less than ten feet away, did the men stop and announce themselves as police officers. They moved their light from out of our eyes so that we could see their uniforms. We immediately went to being apologetic and polite--as I said, I'm generally pro-law enforcement. But then the police began to harass us--about our reactions, about the dogs, about the pepper spray, the time, everything... and to suggest that we were there to rob the school. They asked us to follow them to their police car, but when I pointed out that we had two large, angry dogs with us, they reconsidered and said they would follow us home, just to make sure we were at home and not on the street.
'Cause, yanno, being on the street is illegal, I guess.
Anyway, this is the Jacksonville PD. You might think they're just overzealous--I mean, at one point they drew a gun on my husband while responding to a noise complaint. He was pushing my son on a swing, and my son was laughing and screaming, "Push me higher...faster!"
Overzealous, right?
My parents run a small business in Jacksonville. The first time it was broken into, the police hardly seemed interested. When mom asked, "Aren't you going to dust for prints?" the officer suggested she'd been watching too much CSI.
The next time was no better.
And last night, their shop was broken into again.
This time, the police admitted that they had responded when her burglar alarm had gone off in the middle of the night. They went to her pet store, and they saw the broken window.
But they didn't call mom. Or file a report. Or even take a closer look. No, the officer told my mom that they thought the window was just "like that"...meaning broken, in the winter, in a pet shop containing animals that have to be kept warm. I wonder if they thought the alarm was going off for the fun of it.
The criminals ransacked and vandalized the store. There were animals loose, animals missing, predators put in with prey, soap left in fishtanks. They dumped all Mom's records on the floor, destroyed her belongings. My dad's side of the store is a computer repair shop; they stole expensive laptops belonging to my father's customers. Now my parents plan to find some way, some how, to pay their customers back...but their store is their ONLY source of revenue, and they were already behind.
Reporting this does no good in Jacksonville.
The police don't care.
The police chief doesn't care.
The judge doesn't care.
The Jacksonville police department says they aren't CSI. In my opinion, they aren't even Reno 9-1-1. These are the sort of cops that give good cops a bad name.
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Tuesday Comic Strip Day.
Last Saturday I showed a large run of Gus Magers Hawkshaw the Detetive from the forties. Today I have a couple of selfscanned sampled of the earlier version from 1913. I have added the one I showed Saturday (seeing how much work they are to put together). More to come, after all the stiching is done.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Posted by Ger Apeldoorn at 4:57 AM
Labels: Gus Mager, Hawkshaw the Detective, Sherlocko
No comments:
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text:
Discussion in 'Web Hosting' started by Bruut, Nov 15, 2012.
1 year for 20$ + domain ^^
Watch out for rebills. Fatcow is not to good.
Is it true? Anyone else with the same experience?
fatcow is a shitty service wrap up in shit
stay away from them.
used them , crappy hosting go for hostgator instead....
Separate names with a comma.


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Scarborough, Ontario M1S3T9
Tel: 1-416-299-1969
Fax: 1-416-299-4890
Updates on upcoming events / special programs for local Mosques / Masjids across Toronto. Humble attempt to map all the Masjids / Mosques in Toronto and the GTA (Ontario). Prayer times for: Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, & Ottawa and auto-city detection. Latest Islamic iPhone, BlackBerry & Android Apps. Site includes Islamic calendar, videos and Qiblah compass / direction. GPS files for updating driving directions / map files with locations of Mosques / Masjids for your GPS systems.
Muslims in Markham, Ontario, Canada have acquired a two acre lot of land to build a Mosque. The land was already zoned for a place of worship and recently the Mosque project received approval from the City of Markham towards the site plan - this is the first step towards starting construction of the Mosque.
A group of residents from the adjoining neighborhood surrounding the Mosque have expressed discontent and near-hatred towards the idea of a Mosque being built and have started an organized campaign and a petition to reverse the decision of the City of Markham by citing that the Mosque is "against the cultural heritage" of the area, plus traffic and parking issues. This groups goal is to have the Mosque re-located or stopped all together!
This group have started a petition which they will present to the Mayor and the Councilors in an effort to reverse their decision on the Council's unanimous approval towards the site plan for the Mosque and there is a serious threat that they may be able to derail the project or delay it.
A counter-petition has been started to show OUR support as Muslims and Canadians who believe in tolerance and acceptance and believe in our fundamental right as protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms within the Constitution in our right to express our religion as Muslims.
Please sign the counter-petition and forward to all your friends and families, and also please post within any other social media websites that you can to spread the word that we as Canadian Muslims support the right of the community to build a MOSQUE.
The group opposing the Mosque project have started a petition and have already gotten over 3500 signatures and are presenting this to the City every week. They are spending their time, money and effort to oppose this project.
Let us SHOW our support by signing the petition. If you are a MUSLIM - please support this MOSQUE, if you a non-Muslim, please support this MOSQUE to show your support in the ideals of ACCEPTANCE & TOLERANCE.
It is up to US to be counted among those that have done all that it takes to support this Mosque project during this critical time. Please sign and forward this to others.
Eid 1432/ 2011 Moon Sighting Information
New Crescent was Not Sighted. Eid ul Fitr 1432 will be on Wednesday 31st August, 2011
Hilal Committee of Metropolitan Toronto & Vicinity
Ramadan Mubarak - New Moon Was Sighted. 1st of Ramadan is on 1st of August 2011.
There have been confirmed sightings of the new crescent in the parameters of the Hilal Committee on the eve of Sunday July 31st, 2011 (29th Shabaan 1432), therefore the Hilal Committee of the GTA officialy declares Ramadan to start on Monday 1st of August, 2011.
New crescent was seen in Guyana and Trinidad.
First Taraweeh will be tonight on Sunday 31st July, 2011
First day of Fasting is on Monday 1st August, 2011 .
|2011 Hajj
$6,500 (all inclusive)
Price includes the following:
1- Stay in Mecca and Medina in hotels that are very close to haram with 2 open Buffet
2- Stay in mina in air condition tents.
3- All transportations in air condition coaches.(from Mecca to Medina by Saudi airline if available)
4- Zabiha(Qurbani) and Saudia draft are included
5- We will be visiting Historical places in Medina
4- $1,000 Deposit
Iftar Sponsorship
If you wish to sponsor an Iftar on a weekday or a weekend,
(You can sponsor a whole Iftar or contribute in an existing one),
The Masjid Darul Iman 2011 / 1432 Ramadan timetable / calendar is now available for download click here
Alhamdulilah, with the blessings of Allah (SWT) Darul Iman will be holding Taraweeh salat at the new unit - 9833 Highway 48 - Unit # 9.
Sisters' arrangements for Taraweeh salat will also be available.
Throughout the month of Ramadan, InshaAllah, after every Asr salat, a number of programs will be held to benefit the community including reading of the 40 Durood Shareef, daily fiqha misail, spiritual talks and a number of visiting scholars will also come to the Mussallah as well.
InshaAllah, the month of August will also be the holy month of Ramadan, we are inviting families to once again sponsor the Iftar - the cost of sponsoring one iftar is $300.
Please contact Br. Maqsood - 905-999-2000 or Br. Shafique 905-898-2632 to confirm your iftar sponsorship.
|How Can We Prepare for Ramadaan?
| We should avoid everything that could undermine our commitment to the Shahaadatayn. This means keeping away from bid'ah (innovations) and things that have been introduced into the religion. We should follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions and adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way of the Rightly-Guided Khulafa' who came after him. We should love the Sunnah and love those who adhere to it and defend it, in whatever country they are and whatever colour or nationality they are.
After that we should take stock of ourselves and recognize our shortcomings in doing acts of worship such as praying in congregation, remembering Allaah (dhikr), paying attention to the rights of neighbours, relatives and the Muslims, spreading the greeting of salaam, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, urging one another to follow the truth and be patient and steadfast in doing so, being patient in avoiding evil actions and in doing good deeds, and accepting the decree of Allaah with patience.
Then we should take stock of ourselves and our sins and our following whims and desires. We should stop ourselves from persisting in that, whether the sin is great or small, whether it is a sin of the eye, by looking at that which Allaah has forbidden; or by listening to music; or by walking to things of which Allaah does not approve; or by using one's hands to srike in a manner with which Allaah is not pleased; or by consuming things that Allaah has forbidden such as riba (usury) and bribes, or any other means of consuming people's wealth unlawfully.
We should never forget that Allaah stretches forth His hand during the day to accept the repentance of those who sinned at night, and He stretches forth His hand at night to accept the repentance of those who sinned during the day. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).
Those who spend (in Allaah's Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allaah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the good?doers).
And those who, when they have committed Faahishah (illegal sexual intercourse) or wronged themselves with evil, remember Allaah and ask forgiveness for their sins; — and none can forgive sins but Allaah — and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.
For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath (Paradise), wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allaah's Orders)" [Aal 'Imraan 3:133-136]
"Say: "O 'Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft?Forgiving, Most Merciful" [al-Zumar 39:53]
"And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allaah's forgiveness, he will find Allaah Oft?Forgiving, Most Merciful" [al-Nisa' 4:110]
By taking stock, repenting and seeking forgiveness, this is how we should welcome Ramadaan.
"The smart person is the one who takes stock of himself/herself and strives to do that which will benefit him/her after death, and the helpless one is the one who follows his/her own whims and desires and engages in wishful thinking, (assuming that Allaah will forgive him/her regardless of what he/she does and that he/she does not need to strive to good deeds)."
Day & Date
|01 To 12
|Monday Aug 1 to Friday Aug 12
|13 To 30
|Saturday Aug 13 to Tuesday Aug 30
Alhamdulillah, Masjid al-Farooq would like to extend you and your family a very blessed Ramadan Kareem !!
Click here to get your copy of the Ramadan Timetable.
Iftars will be held on Saturdays, and Sundays InshaAllah. The 1st iftar will on Saturday Aug 6 InshaAllah.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala accept our fasting and Ebaadah. May He forgive our sins, have Mercy upon us and enter us all into al-Jannah
Alhamdulillah, Dr. Munir El-Kassem will be joining us from London, Ontario to delivery another excellent lecture at Masjid al-Farooq on Saturday August 6, 2011. The lecture will begin immediately after Salah al-Asr (6:00pm) inshaAllah.
|Ramadan 2011
Masjid al-Farooq has many activities lined up for Ramadan including Taraweeh, Ramadan Lecture Series, weekend international food iftars, qiyam al-Lail, and I'tikaf.
Click here for Ramadan Activities
Alhamdulillah, we have invited guest speakers and sheikhs from out of town to come to Masjid Al-Farooq inshaAllah. The sheikhs will be leaving their families and communities to come and share their knowledge with us during this blessed month of Ramadan. The programs will be for the entire family. Powerful lectures and reminders will be delivered every Saturdays in Ramadan. Iftar and dinner will be served after the program inshaAllah.
Alhamdulillah, Masjid Al-Farooq did it again! A large tent will be installed outside for more space inshaAllah.
Click here to see the tent
As Muslims we are taught to be kind and to be aware of our neighbours needs. Please read this important handout for a reminder inshaAllah.
Click here for Respect Our Neighbours and the Masjid handout
Sunday June 26, 2011
8:00 am to 9:00 am
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Tarbiyah Quest Session (Registration Required)
12:15 pm to 1:15 pm
Sisters' Session (Sisters Only Exclusive Session) – Solace In Sisterhood & Female Participation & Empowerment
1:15pm to 1:45 pm
1:45 pm to 2:00 pm
Dhuhr Adhaan and Salaah
2:00 pm to 2:10 pm
Introduction and Qir'atul Qur'an
2:10 pm to 3:00 pm
Discourse 9: After A Storm Comes A Calm: Procuring Solace After Tribulations
3:00 pm to 3:10 pm
3:10 pm to 3:50 pm
Discourse 10: Benefits of Tribulations and Overcoming Them
3:50 pm to 4:30 pm
Questions / Answers
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Discourse 11: Misconceptions of Islam Amongst the Unrest
5:30 pm to 6:15 pm
Discourse 13: Death Journey of the Sinful Soul
6:15 pm to 6:50 pm
Dinner Break
6:50 pm to 7:10 pm
'Asr Adhaan and Salaah
7:10 pm to 7:30 pm
7:30 pm to 7:45 pm
Concluding Remarks & Vote of Thanks
7:45 pm to 9:00 pm
Discourse 14: Solace in Courage To Tame the Lustful Soul
9:00 pm to 9:20 pm
Maghrib Adhaan and Salaah
After Maghrib
Closing Du'a
End of Youth Tarbiyah Conference 2011


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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
ABC Wednesday--K is for...
Monday, March 30, 2009
In Training for the 3-Day
Okay, so the better prepared you are for the walk the more likely you will be able to finish and to finish happily and healthily. Training is crucial. The 3-Day has a suggested 20-week and 16-week training schedule which includes building up to longer and longer walks. Training does not have to only be walking. In fact, cross-training (doing something else) is encouraged. But it needs to include lots and lots of walking.
Training gets your body ready to be an endurance athlete. Ha! I have become an endurance athlete after the age of 60. It also helps you get used to your equipment. These are the essential things I remembered when I went walking this evening. Of course, I wore my walking shoes and some good absorbent socks. I had a bottle of water and that new pedometer.
Well, right in the middle of that display of things to remember is my camera. The camera is not an essential for walking--it is just an essential for ME.
Which brings me to some things I didn't remember this evening. Actually, the moleskin and blister bandages are something I almost needed tonight. But the Body Glide could have prevented the problems. It is a skin protection product that you use in places that could rub or chafe. Like YOUR WHOLE FOOT!!!! It really works to prevent blisters. Try it. If you don't find it in your local drugstore (I didn't) try a shoe store like Foot Locker or a sports or outdoor store like REI or Big 5.
So what is odd about this picture?
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday's Psalm--Fifth Sunday of Lent
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
A clean heart create for me, O god,
subalpine meadow, Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington
Friday, March 27, 2009
PhotoHunt--Theme: Hands
Big hands.
Little hands.
And all the hands brought me memories and sweet thoughts of all the little ones and big ones in my life.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Are those the same clouds?
Could be.
These photos were taken within fifteen minutes of each other. during our visit to Olympia last week.
A Bouquet for Michele
This bouquet of purple flowers is especially dedicated to Michele, Rocky Mountain Girl, who does so much to try to educate us about epilepsy through her own experiences with the disease.
...and look at the tenacity with which these Harebells cling to the cliff--that reminds me of Michele's determination.
Okay, so I've run out of analogies, though I know Michele would love hiking and fishing in our Cascades as she does in her Rockies. So here is where I am going to start adding some links you can follow to find out more about epilepsy.
Neuroscience for Kids
We love you, Michele. I hope you've enjoyed your bouquet of purple flowers.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
ABC Wednesday--J is for...
A couple of years ago, I looked across the Gastineau Channel to see the cruise ships docked at the city's port.
From another viewpoint you could see more of the capital.
One of the most interesting locations in the Juneau area is the Mendenhall Glacier.


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I've got a big hump day eyeroll for Governor Mike Beebe today, who made history last night by being the first Arkie Guv to address a gay rights group. While he claimed to have "evolved" on gay issues, now supporting gay couples' right to foster children, the address sounds like him reiterating support for anti-gay policy.
Not only did he take a hard-line stance against same-sex marriage and civil unions ("But that's the law. That's the constitution and that's the way it is."), he also defended one Little Rock newspaper's decision to not list a gay man's partner in his free obituary.
Via Igor Volsky at ThinkProgress:
"Q: Speaking in terms of strictly of government, do you think LGBT people are discriminated against in Arkansas?
"BEEBE: Well, if you measure that by whether or not you believe there should be a law that permits marriage, to other than between a man and a woman, then you've answered your own question. I don't think that's discrimination because I think that's appropriate societal judgment. I think that's appropriate societal…"
Um, really? Why did he even show up, if it was just to show that he's not gonna be giving the gays any love?
His missteps took an even bigger turn for the worse, as he incorrectly stated that it was illegal to fire someone in Arkansas for being gay, then was loudly corrected by his audience. Dumb!


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Time for another hop with the {ippity} gang! I created a spiral pop-up card using {ippity} Music of my Heart and Just Wanted To Say.
My large butterfly came from a butterfly die.
Now that is actually brown in colour, although it does look purplish! I used a journaling block from Just Wanted To Say and added the sentiment. Instructions from the inside of the card can be found on the SCS resource site.
I stamped the musical notes from Music From My Heart set at the back of the spiral.
Quite a fun card to make. Thanks for dropping by and have a great week ahead!


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In France Christmas does not have quite the commercial build up as the UK. A few shops may increase their toy aisles in mid November but there is little else until early December and even then is is quite subtle. By December 15th things were getting a bit more Christmassy and we had 2 events we wanted to go to, both on the same day! The first was Ben's school Christmas Market and the second was a Christmas light show and fireworks in Flers. However it looked like we could manage both, just, as well as nipping home in between to feed animals .... well it would have been OK had the magician not been REALLY late arriving. But I am jumping ahead, first the Market.
|School Christmas market
It was after the market thought that things went a bit downhill due the non-arrival of the magician. In the end our friend Etienne came to the rescue playing his violin and a game with some now rather bored children. Father Christmas then came early to give presents to all the children but there was still no sign of the magician. All the time we were clock watching and thinking we would miss the event at Flers. The magician finally turned up at 5pm but we decided having seen his not overly brilliant magic at the summer fête we would give him a miss and head to Flers instead.
|Christmas light show at Flers
|The gite, ready for Christmas
Did Christmas sneak up on you or were you all organised and ready before we had started? And what are your plans for New Year's Eve? Do let us know.


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Hobo Chef – Double Sad Death
Brand new series from Scrapple TV!!! Join the Hobo Chef as he shows us some real horror –the Double Sad Death– a West Philly staple if you are really really poor…+++plus we discover where our knowledge isn't! Let's all take ourselves our the edge. Food Network loves the Hobo Chef!


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Another head shaker in the brutal world of music and plagiarism. This time, it's the legendary Cat Stevens asserting that the lollipops from Coldplay stole some of his shit, specifically the melody to Foreigner Suite.
I'm the last guy in the room who would ever...
1) listen to Coldplay
2) defend those cheeseball hipsters
However, since Cat Stevens is a couple of cans short of a six-pack, who the hell knows. Then again, Joe Satriani also accused Coldplay of shenanigans.
To call Coldplay "Radiohead-lite" is an insult to Thom Yorke and the citizens of whatever planet he's from. Bottom line, Coldplay is just a really bad and cheap knock-off of Radiohead. Sort of like going down to Chinatown and buying a fake iPod called an iPud.


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Have a big box of tissues handy
Posted October 19, 2011on:
Affinity by Sarah Waters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
For a long time I believed that all English novels ought to be written in long, difficult sentences with complicated clauses and words that no-one ever uses in conversation. Narrators ought to be effete and educated. Plots should be convoluted. Coincidences should stretch credulity. And there should be romance and sometimes even heartbreak.
It was with reluctance and some sorrow that I learned that novels survived the onslaught of James Joyce, Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner. They not only survived, they thrived. They became cleaner, leaner and healthier (notwithstanding Pynchon, Burroughs and Barth).
They became too easy to read, too exciting and too funny. Yes, too popular, Ray Bradbury, Mr. Salinger, Joseph Heller, Nevil Shute, Stephen King, Jackie Collins!!!
So it was with great relief and nostalgia that I immersed myself in this sentimental thriller set in Victorian England. It's best read in bed over two days with a heavy cold and absolutely no visitors.
It's sublimely self-indulgent. Treat yourself to a gin and tonic while you're reading it and have a big box of tissues handy.
Vanessa Wu is the author of Love Has No Limits
4 Responses to "Have a big box of tissues handy"
Vanessa I have not read it yet but I am wondering why 4 stars not 4.5 or 5 as you loved it so much. Is this because you are working in realistic terms as a reviewer and "critic" and not giving in to the commercialization of book selling on amazon etc. For those sites an author feels they must have 5 stars to sell. I will set some time aside to read it. Thanks


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D-II Sidebar: Sonoma Making A Statement
May 14, 2010
By Tom Carkeek
Special to NCAA.com
MESA, Ariz. - On a leaderboard dotted with familiar powerhouses like
Nova Southeastern, Rollins, Florida Southern and Tarleton State,
Sonoma State might look strangely out of place.
But don't tell that to Val Verhunce, in his second as season as coach
of the school in Rohnert Park, Calif.
The Seawolves are in the NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships
for the first time, and they're acquitting themselves admirably.
Through three rounds, they sit in fifth place, but they're just nine
strokes out of second.
"It's real satisfying to have done what we've done," Verhunce said.
"We have a special group of women. They're not winning so much on
talent as much as on mental toughness.
"They're very driven and supportive of one another off the course as
well as on it. That chemistry allows them to play well as a unit."
The Seawolves are led by freshman Spencer Heller, who is 13 over and
tied for seventh in the individual standings after her 2-over-par 73
"As a freshman, Spencer has had an outstanding year," Verhunce said.
"She has done real well as a leader of the team. She's been our anchor
all season."
No matter where Sonoma State ends up, Verhunce is planning to enjoy it.
"Our success is not measurable by how we score but by going out and
playing our best and having no regrets," he said. "We've proved to
ourselves and others what we can do."
DOUBLE SHOT: Among the 72 players in the tournament, 60 compete as
members of teams, and 12 qualified as individuals.
That dozen represents 11 schools. The only institution with two
qualifiers is renowned golf titan Upper Iowa.
Say what?
Actually, it's true. This is the fifth year the Peacocks, from
Fayette, Iowa, have had individuals or a team in the Division II
nationals. They finished eighth as a team last season.
"We're very fortunate to have kids who can play so well," coach Chad
Markuson said. "We transitioned from Division III in 2004, and the
administration placed an emphasis on golf and committed to all
Upper Iowa has junior Jill Preeshl and sophomore McKenzie Holthaus competing.
Both are back in the pack, with Holthaus tied for 33rd and Central
super regional medalist Preeshl tied for 48th.
Both young women attended high school in the small town of Onalaska,
Wis., about 100 miles northeast of Upper Iowa. Yet remarkably, they
went to different schools. Preeshl graduated from Holmen and Holthaus
from Onalaska.
"They were family friends as kids," Markuson said. "They competed
against each other a lot in high school."
The Arizona desert is a major change for golfers from Iowa.
"It's a very different environment for us," Markuson said. "It's all
about the greens and getting it to stop. That's what has caused us
most of our problems."
DUAL THREAT: Sandra Changkija of Nova Southeastern (Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Fla.) has a chance to come away with two championships.
She's the leader of the Sharks, who have virtually clinched the team
title. And she's second in the individual race to Maria Luz Besio of
Newberry (S.C.).
Changkija is 1-under for the tournament and four strokes behind
Besio. She looked like she might fall out of the race, going 3-over
through her first six holes Friday. But she rallied nicely with
birdies on three par-4s - at Nos. 8, 13 and 14 - to end the day at
even par.
A FAST FINISH: Defending champion Lyndsay McBride of Indianapolis just
hasn't been able to get much going, though she did improve from a tie
for 26th to a tie for 16th after three rounds.
And she didn't make it easy on herself.
McBride was struggling at 9-over-par through 13 holes, but she
rallied splendidly with four birdies over her last four holes to shoot
a 76.
She's 19-over for the tournament.
WHITEWASHED: For the first time all week, a round passed with no
golfer recording an eagle Friday.


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UFO enthousiast or dangerous terrorist?
I guess you've all read the latest news about the "NASA hacker": he gets extradited to the US. He is seen as a dangerous criminal:
Mark Summers, an official representing U.S. interests in the proceedings against McKinnon, said in British court that McKinnon's actions were "intentional and calculated to influence and affect the U.S. government by intimidation and coercion."
McKinnon himself sees things differently:
On every system he hacked, he left messages. 'It was frightening because they had little or no security,' he said. 'I was always leaving messages on the desktop saying, "your security is really crap".'
Which raises an important question: when you leave the door to your house unlocked, or even open, is someone who walks in breaking and entering or visiting?


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January 29, 2009
A recipe that works for YOU
You know how sometimes you find an interesting recipe but, oh man, I wonder if we have any red curry paste in the house? Maybe we should just get pizza instead. Or, hmmm I don't have time to pick up parsley and I really can't make this without parsley...
How about a recipe that works WITH you. It works FOR you. You tell it what to be, what it's going to include. Forget takeout, forget packaged food. You DO have all the ingredients. Readers, I give to you...
World's Most Flexible Chili Recipe
Step one is to mostly ignore this recipe. If you don't have something, leave it out or substitute something else. Be creative. The more ingredients you have, the more it will taste like, well, regular chili. But the more you substitute the more likely you are to discover a really awesome chili-type thing.
The major players:
(Use any combination major player ingredients, but about this much)
2 15 oz. cans of beans (kidney, black, pinto, whatever)
4 cups chopped vegetables
1 lb. ground meat
The flavors:
2 Tbl. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 onions, chopped
salt & pepper
2 Tbl. red chili powder
2 Tbl. cumin
1/2 cup vegetable or any stock
1/2 cup dark beer
1/2 cup tomato paste
15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
1. Heat oil over low to medium heat, saute garlic and onions for 5 minutes.
2. If using meat, add now and cook until no pink remains (7-10 min). If using uncooked vegetables that will need time to cook fully, add now (like squash, eggplant, mushrooms). Otherwise skip to next step.
3. Add the rest of the "flavor" ingredients and mix. Eyeball measurements.
4. Bring to a simmer, turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
5. Add beans and any pre-cooked or quick-cook veggies (like frozen corn, leafy greens). Keep on heat for another 15 minutes.
Serve with sour cream, Tofutti, grated cheese, olives, you name it! Feeds 4-6.
Here are two variations I just made recently:
Manly Yet Healthy Chili (pictured above)
Use 1 lb. 100% grass fed ground beef, 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans. Include about 4 cups total of chopped kale, mushrooms, green peppers and corn. Use all "flavor" ingredients as listed. In step 5, add 2 Tbl. instant espresso.
Pumpkin White Chili
Use 5 cups pumpkin, chopped into 1" pieces (keep skin on). Use with pinto and kidney beans. Leave out tomatoes and tomato paste. Add 1 extra jalepeno pepper. In step 5, mix in 2 Tbl. creamy peanut butter.
What are some of your favorite chili variations? Next time I'm going to include seaweed somewhere in there...
By the way this recipe is part of The Nourishing Gourmet's Soups and Stews Carnival. Thanks Kimi!
9 comments:
- Culinarywannabe said...
I love it - a recipe that "works with you!" I was just telling my husband yesterday that I'm putting our ordering-in on hold and we are going to force ourselves to eat what's already in the house. This looks delicious and perfect for our new goal!
- January 31, 2009 at 11:07 AM
- Lori said...
I tried roasted pumpkin in my chili this year and love that addition. I love peanut butter in my chili too. So glad others out there like that. I thought maybe I was a bit odd. :)
- February 1, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Sounds about like what I do. But, being from Texas, I insist on no beans in my chili (and more beer). :) The picture looks delightful, though, and makes me want to go whip together a batch of chili right now.
- February 2, 2009 at 3:15 PM
- Kimi Harris said...
Hi! I got your comment on my site, and would love to add you in to the carnival (when I switched to wordpress, for some reason a few people stopped getting my updates, sory about that!). If you could just add a link to the carnival that would be great. :-)
- February 2, 2009 at 7:11 PM
- Kimi Harris said...
(And the chili looks great, by the way!)
- February 2, 2009 at 7:11 PM
- amandalouden said...
btw, I tagged you for the Honest scrap award
- February 2, 2009 at 11:58 PM
- Michelle said...
Culinary--let us know what you cooked up! It's a great thing to do, eating your pantry clean :-)
Lori--And I thought I thunk up the pumpkin/peanut butter idea all by myself! Maybe it's more common that I thought.
foodrenegade--no beans in chili?? really? is it go beef or go home?
kimi--i'm so happy to find that your blog is alive and well despite the feed mixup! thanks for adding me to your carnival!
amanda--the honest scrap award? i have no idea what that is, but thank you! even without a clue about it, it sounds...about right.
- February 3, 2009 at 10:14 AM
- VeggieGirl said...
Sensational recipe and concept!!
- February 3, 2009 at 10:48 AM
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
Mmmm.... I love every version here. That's one of chili's greatest features: its versatility.
- March 6, 2009 at 6:24 PM


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Here' the task : I have a drop down list , a simple 'yes' or 'no' . If yes fill in the the input box.
At first I thought this would need a simple Ajax form call but in fact its even easier than that. We can use the 'States' and 'visible' values of the Form API [https://api.drupal.org/api/examples/form_example%21form_example_states.inc/function/form_example_states_form/7]
Here's my code that solved this issue
$form['addtoportfolio'] = array(
'#type' => 'select',
'#prefix' => "Your score was $score%; the pass rate is $pass_rate% ",
'#title' => t('Would you like to add this to your portfolio ?'),
'#required' => TRUE,
'#options' => array(
'n' => t('No'),
'y' => t('Yes'),
'#default_value' => t('No'),
$form['timetaken'] = array(
'#type' => 'textfield',
'#title' => t('Time Taken ?'),
'#required' => FALSE,
'#description' => "Please enter the time in minutes that it took you to do this quiz.",
'#size' => 4,
'#maxlength' => 10,
'#states' => array(
'visible' => array(
':input[name="addtoportfolio"]' => array('value' => 'y'),


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I've been meaning to ask you, (you don't have to answer if yu don't want to i comlpetely understand that you have bettr stuff to do than answer strangers' questions) perhaps this is a silly question ... but I've gone from no cone's to cones because I like the idea of a protecting "film" over the hairstrand so I started using Sunsilks leave in balm, but now I'm sort of struggling with my own thoughts.
Here goes: The protecting film of silicone also protetcs from good stuff ie oil etc so in your experience, is there any way of getting the silicone film off of the hairstrand using CO or WO so I can "feed" the hair some oil on ends once or twice a week?
I hope it's ok that I asked
Thursday, 19 January 2012
4 comments:
- Anonymous20 January 2012 at 04:19
cool :P i personally use soluble cones. i learned from ktani that cones do not completly seal the hair, anything that has the power to penetrate will regardless. just be sure to control build up (of any kind, not just cones)ReplyDelete
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question, I realize that my assumptions about the properties of different types of silicone were wrong and I will read up on the subject.ReplyDelete
After revisisting the articles I can find on the subject and generally poking about on forums and blogs now taking into account information on the different properties of different types of silicone. Looking at the sunsilk leave in I know we both use it contains both dimethicone and amodimethicone. Now amodimethicone is in itself not water soluble but together with trideceth-12 it is and since sunsilk contains trideceth-12 it should be removed just fine (according to the sources I used). However, dimethicone which is also in the sunsilk leave-in balm isn't water soluble. I notice other people write about clarifying in order to remove dimethicone build-up but you've never mentioned clarifying your hair, yet you don't seem to experience problems from build-up, how do you solve the build-up issue, and how often do you have to deal with it?ReplyDeleteReplies
- Anonymous31 January 2012 at 20:09
Neither silicone nor mineral oil seals the hair. However, not anything than can penetrate hair will penetrate hair through all coatings, or mixed with products that contain coatings. Not all coatings are equal or allow penetration of the hair shaft by substances.Delete
Then there is the issue of residue or build-up.
Had difficulty posting ID here, lol.


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Hello F.O.T.E.'s!
I bet you thought I'd forget, didn't you? heh heh heh ....Well, here I am with this week's Try It Tuesday. I'll share the recipe from last week, plus its reviews from The Flock, as well as today's Try It Tuesday recipe. Please join me in trying the recipe--we'll try it tonight, you try it whenever you please this week--and sharing your reviews. I'm trying to be more spontaneous (ha!) this year...or at least more interesting, LOL. Trying new recipes is a fun way to do that, for me, anyway. :-)
Ok...Old Business:
Chili Tots
1 lb ground beef
2 (15 oz) cans chili without beans
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies
2 C (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 (32 oz) pkg frozen tater tots
Cook ground beef until no longer pink; drain. Stir in chili, tomato sauce and chilies. Transfer to a 9X13 pan sprayed with no-stick spray. Sprinkle with cheese and top with tater tots. Cover and bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes.
Review: I doubled this, as I usually do. Last week, only the kids tried the dish, as Reid and I went out that night. So, below are their opinions:
Adam (6): 12 ! out of 10 ! (read, "12 yays out of 10 yays")..."I like the tater tots. I like the spices. It's as good as Sonic's." (high praise, no? LOL)
Hannah (4): [no yays recorded] "I liked 'em. They tasted like chili...with tater tots. It should be crunchier."
Claire (10): [no yays recorded] "I liked 'em because they tasted like chili. It's chunky, like Mama's chili, which I love, but the tater tots were a little on the soft side. Other than that, they were good. I recommend it."
Meg (13): 7! out of 10! "It would have been better with Mama's chili. I thought it was a little too spicy and there was too much liquid. It also needed more cheese, but overall, pretty good."
Annie (16): 5! out of 10! "It's ok, but not great. The chili to tot ratio was too high and the tots were too soggy, even after baking at a higher temp without the foil for an extra 20 minutes. I think if the tots had been baked before putting them with the chili and the cheese it would have been better. It doesn't quite stand up to Sonic's, but not too far."
Ok, so not sure that one is going to make it into our Family Recipe Book. Could try Annie's suggestion or baking it the whole time without the foil. Plus, in the week between when I tried this recipe and now, I have read the book _In Defense of Food_ and decided to try a (modified) return to our family roots and move back toward a whole foods diet. So, with that said...
This week's Try It:
Pork Chops and Brown Rice
1 C uncooked brown rice
2 1/2 C boiling water
4 pork chops
1/2 C chopped green bell pepper
1/4 C chopped onion
1/4 t. thyme
1 t. garlic salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
Soak rice in boiling water for 30 minutes. Brown pork chops on both sides in skillet; set aside. Add remaining ingredients to skillet. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour rice mixture into greased 9X9 inch baking dish. Arrange pork chops over rice. Bake, covered, at 350* for 1 hour.
I will be doubling this--the yield is only 4 servings. I will record everyone's comments about the dish, and report them to you next week. Please do try it yourself, if you please, and share your comments, too. (I realize that not all folks eat pork, so if you don't, hang around...I do a *lot* of chicken!)
Ok, I'll see you back here next Tuesday!
Y'all keep your wool dry!
The Ewe


text:
In my old apartment, this hot mess was located in my living room. Though the location has changed, the problem remains the same - it's a hot mess.
Cleaning it out in June was such an ordeal that I made a movie of it.
Although cleaning and organizing is not fun, I always feel better when it's over. Plus, I'm in there twice a day to feed the dog. Opening the door to a clean and organized closet is so much nicer than opening the door to a messy, unorganized closet.
Bonus - Charlie can easily get to the pieces of kibble that I drop every time I feed her, instead of having to lay in the closet whining and waiting for me. That alone makes it all worth it.


text:
Monday, July 6, 2009
"A Woman and Her Doctor"
Sadly, this is not the beginning of a dirty joke. (Actually, it depends on how you look at it).
Instead, it's the refrain from kinda-pro-choice folks when they're kinda standing up for a woman's right to abortion. You've heard it before. Barack Obama has said it. Hillary Clinton has said it. God, every Democrat ever to run for office with a semi-pro-choice record has said it. Here's how it usually comes up:
Interviewer: Do you believe in abortion rights?
Pol: As you know, Lou (it's always Lou or Leslie or Bob or Steve or something appropriately Midwestern), this is a very divisive issue. There are passionate people on both sides of the abortion debate - people who care deeply about their country and their God and protecting freedom-
Interviewer: But do you believe in a woman's right to abortion?
Pol: [after much hemming and hawing]I believe that this decision - the most difficult decision a woman will ever make in her life - ought to be left to the woman and her doctor.
And there it is! The phrase that has twisted up my insides like six sheets in the spin cycle. And I think to understand why, we need to break it down a little.
Let's take "Doctor." What's the first image that springs to your mind? For many people, I'd guess it's a kindly, greying man wearing a white lab coat. Look at popular representations of physicians: they're nearly always male. Listen to the voiceover on any pharmaceutical commercial: "Ask your doctor if he thinks Deherpesol is right for you." Dude again. So I'd argue that when politicians and their ilk say "doctor," they think - they mean to say - man.
In a 2007 primary debate, Barack Obama said, "I think that most Americans recognize that this is a profoundly difficult issue for the women and families who make these decisions. They don't make them casually. And I trust women to make these decisions in conjunction with their doctors and their families and their clergy." Yep, he took it even a step further. He took the doctor and raised it a family and a clergy.
First of all, why is abortion a decision that requires a doctor's consultation (i.e., approval) in a way that other procedures don't? Of course it's a medical procedure, and you need a doctor to perform it. But we rarely hear about the need for women to consult with their doctors before getting pregnant, a condition which puts significantly more strain on a woman's body than an abortion. We never hear women being warned to run it by Mom and Dad and Aunt Mary and her Rabbi before she pops a Benadryl. And there is virtually no discussion about men having a heart-to-heart with Doc - or Father O'Pederast - before having a minor, elective surgery. It's clear that need for professional, male consent to a woman's medical decision is due entirely to the fact that women's capacity to make decisions about their own bodies is not recognized or valued.
While suggesting that a woman flip through her Rolodex to make sure that everyone in her life is on board with her personal medical decision, another thing that everyone, including Obama in the quote above, loves to say about deciding to have an abortion is that it's never casual, that it's always hard, gut-wrenching, a decision that changes a woman's life. Except, of course, that sometimes it isn't. No one likes to talk about the uncomfortable reality that many women have abortions and then do no spend their remaining years castigating themselves or lighting birthday candles on their due date. That's not to say that many women don't struggle with the decision or spend years questioning whether they did the right thing. But the doubt and uncertainty doesn't make that woman better than the woman who doesn't have either.
I'd say it's time for politicians to stop saying they're comfortable with the decisions "women and their doctors" make, or that women need to take a poll and a swig of Holy Water before making a medical choice, or demanding that women have a super, really, no-joke hard time choosing abortion. In fact, I think it's time they shut up altogether, except when they're voting "Aye" to protect women's reproductive freedom.
Next up: How I feel about "Pro-Child, Pro-Family, Pro-Choice"
Here's a hint: It pisses me off.
4 comments:
- Allyson said...
if i had more time i'd write more...but all i have to say right now is, buddy, i love you!!
- July 10, 2009 at 5:47 PM
- Becky said...
I can say for sure my first inclination was not to run to my doctor for an opinion...absured.......my priest, even if i had one..not a chance. Can you picture it "Ummm.."father" (an old man, who i'm guessing has never been pregnant and belongs to an establishment whom considers it to be true that men are closer to God and therefore are the only gender permitted to relay his message) what should i do"........seriously? And to touch on a more recent subject on your facebook page...getting permission from "the actual father" ...unacceptable!! Completely insane .... under that law, i would have had to keep a baby that i knew i couldn't handle, love, care for or support the way I do now ...he was certainly in nooo way prepared for that either- "the father" was begging me to follow through with that pregnancy...not for the child..for him...he wanted to keep me right where he wanted me......what kind of life do they think they are "saving"??? Gov't has NO place even remotly close to this subject...
- July 21, 2009 at 7:32 PM
- Becky said...
oh... by the way...thanks for being so feministy <3
- July 21, 2009 at 7:35 PM
- Feministy said...
Thanks, ladies!
Becky, I know - this kind of stuff fills me with rage. And, as you said better than I could, no legilator or priest or any other dude can understand women's choices and the way their lives demand certain choices. And really, it's none of their fucking business. I can't believe that nearly 40 years after Roe, we're still having this discussion
- July 22, 2009 at 7:06 AM


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Sheila Bright talks to the dead including the ghost of her mother who wants to move to California. Kira Graves can produce money out of thin air. The two of them, Shape Shifters, Pookas, Lost Boys and more all inhabit the Crossroads, where good and evil collide.
When Kira's family and everyone else in their carnival are murdered by unearthly creatures called Grigs, Kira and her constant companion, Jen, flee toward a half-mythical place of safety called Graves Island, but they fail to reach it when Kira is drawn through the looking glass to another world. The planet of the Creators is swiftly deteriorating from a world of dreams into one of nightmares, and the only way to stop the Empty-Eyed Man from turning the entire universe into chaos is for Kira to destroy the tool he most desires, but what she must sacrifice to do so may be worth more to her than the prize.
Crossroads by Chandler McGrew
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is an intriguing and thrilling story. I loved it!
Kira Graves is a wonderful character. She is a young girl living with her family in a carnival. She has a special ability - she can make money by just thinking about it (I wish I had that ability!). I really liked her spirit and courage when faced with imminent danger. She is one plucky kid! She has a best friend called Jen, and they are as close as sisters. However, Jen is a Pooka, a magical being that can only be seen by a few people. When danger threatens the carnival, Kira and Jen embark on a journey that will take them to a magical realm where evil lurks and danger is ever present.
Sheila Bright is another fantastic character. She is a psychic, who doesn't want to be. I liked her very much.
This is an extremely dark, but exciting read. I struggled to get into the story at first, but as I continued to read, and the action hotted up, I was hooked! The story had a feeling of foreboding and suspense that flowed throughout, and the Grigs scared me to death; I shudder even now thinking about them! The Empty-Eyed man is a chilling and scary character, and he made my skin crawl!
This story has several points of view by different characters; I found this extremely exciting, because it gave depth to the characters and made them come alive. The story has several twists and turns, which kept me on the edge of my seat! I loved the ending, and now look forward to reading more books by this author.
Chandler McGrew has written a fast paced tale that thrilled and chilled me! I loved the mix of horror, suspense and fantasy that the author used to create this story. He has found a fan in me!
I recommend this book if you love horror, thrillers, suspense, paranormal or fantasy genres. - Lynn Worton
View all my reviews


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Everyone's heard the story of Harry Potter's birth -- the train ride, the cafe, all that jazz. Right? By now, it's morphed into something of a legend. And sometimes you have to be careful with legends, becayse it's easy to lose the moral of the story in them.
I mean, I'm not a huge fan of morals in stories -- not obvious ones, anyway. All too often, they ruin the story, and we can't have that. Still, J.K.'s lesson has a pretty important point in it:
Always have something with you to write on, and always write your ideas down, no matter how stupid or inconsequential those ideas might seem.
It doesn't matter if you're writing on paper, a McDonald's sack, your hand (or arm, for those massive, detailed ideas), or typing it out on a cell phone. (For the record, if you don't have a pen or notepad app, I learned a couple of years ago that you can text yourself. This also means explaining to others why you have yourself saved in your contacts, but whatever.) Anywho. Most writers always have portable means to write with; I don't really need to say much about that part.
Back to that "no matter how stupid or inconsequential" bit I mentioned earlier. You know those tiny thoughts that sometimes flit through your subconscious -- the ones that don't make much sense, or seem incredibly random, or not even slightly important? Like "Taj Mahal" or "death by elevator shaft" or "what if..."? Probably a good idea to write those down, too. You never know when one of those thoughts could connect with something else, some bigger, and turn into your next Big Idea.
There's nothing worse than having some almost-memory tickle the edges of your brain, only to realize you've forgotten what that oh-so-wizard idea was.
So what about you? What's the oddest string of words you've ever written down as an idea trigger? Have you ever had one of those random thoughts merge with a bigger-scale idea?


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Munster bid to retain their unbeaten start to the season when they travel to Murrayfield to take on Edinburgh, in the RaboDirect Pro12 series this Friday night, 7.30pm kick off.
The Irish side, unbeaten in their last 14 games, have looked very impressive in the opening rounds to date and currently sit top of the table ahead of the Ospreys and they will be fancied to maintain their current form against Michael Bradley's Scottish side who have won only once to date, at home to another Irish side, Connacht.
Despite the absence of a number of big name players, Tony Gahan has seen his young Munster side beat all that has been put in front of them to date with Ian Keatley in particular one of those that has stepped up to the mark and has been outstanding for the team.
His goal kicking has been a feature of the competition to date, and he was impressive against Cardiff last weekend kicking six from six as Munster won 18-14.
Edinburgh will be well aware that they need to maintain their discipline this Friday if they are to prevent Keatley from punishing their mistakes.
Former Connacht head coach Bradley has had a difficult start to his new job and is already feeling the pressure. The Scottish side were defeated by Cardiff and the Ospreys in their opening two matches and while they recovered to beat Bradley's former charges in Murrayfield the 25-19 defeat away to Aironi last weekend did little to lift the cloud over Murrayfield.
Munster should win this game comfortably and retain their unbeaten record in the competition. Edinburgh will be hoping to make it a real fight and if they can keep their visitors in sight up until halftime, then it could make for an interesting second period.
Team news:
BJ Botha, Marcus Horan, Ian Nagle who missed the clash with Cardiff last weekend all return to the squad and they are joined in the match day 29 by Simon Zebo, Paddy Butler and Dave O'Callaghan.
James Coughlan and skipper Peter O'Mahony, who both went off injured in the course of the Cardiff game, are also included in the squad.
Munster Squad (29) v Edinburgh: J Murphy, S Deasy, S Zebo, T Gleeson, D Barnes, L Mafi, D Hurley, D Howlett, P Stringer, D Williams, I Keatley, M Horan, J Hayes, W du Preez, J Ryan, S Archer, BJ Botha, D Fogarty, M Sherry, B Holland, M O'Driscoll, I Nagle, D Foley, D O'Callaghan, P O'Mahony, N Ronan, T O'Donnell, P Butler, J Coughlan


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Hi everyone! I am soon to decommission this blog in favor of our new web site! I will out updates on the web site, main page where you can follow what is happening locally and in Uganda. Thank you all for your continued support!
Check it out: The Giving Circle
The Giving Circle Africa: Koi Koi Projects
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Koi Koi Christmas Party
Moses said it best:
Hi all,It was last Sunday when we enjoyed the Koikoi kids Christmas celebrations, it was a colorful event as the attached pix and videos can tell it all.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Kagoma Gate Holiday Celebrations
Everyone, please find below some of the photos of the kagoma gate friendship school and community celebrations.
Message from Moses: "The community is very grateful and thankful for all that we do. They couldn't wait to appreciate the upcoming clinic,speaker after speaker!"
Message from Moses: "The community is very grateful and thankful for all that we do. They couldn't wait to appreciate the upcoming clinic,speaker after speaker!"
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Meet Mwesogwa Denis....
When we first meet Denis this MOST amazing child we love so much, he was 9, A 9 year old with a "very old soul". A very sickly very small boy, in part to with his HIV/AIDS. A shy most kind and loving boy with the most amazing smile. Living in a tiny shack in the Bugembe slums with his brothers and mum, dad dead from HIV/AIDS.
The first picture is when we first meet him, as Kelly, Frank and I talked on the porch of Orphanage that would be come our Giving Circle Koi Koi House Denis walked over sat on my lap and feel asleep.
Denis is one of the children in our sponsorship program. Thanks to this program and his sponsor Denis's health has been so much better and he, very stable. He has had far better nutrition and done what he loves so much, gone to school.
Last year the long walk to school was taking its toll on him, the meds he takes for his AIDS makes him ( and all our sick children) weak at times and hard to wake up. Denis was often late for school. So we got him his pride and joy, a bike. This paid for by teen member Will Mann . In the pictures below you can see the smile on Denis face of pure joy thanks to this bike.
But the story gets better.
Because of what we do Denis finished school including high school. His dream was a long shot a very long shot, he wanted to be a nurse.
This week, this most special little boy was accepted into nursing school and he will attend!
Here the circle of Giving becomes even more clear, why we do what we do.
Denis is the brother of Andrew, for you who know Kelly and I have worked for 4 years to gain guardianship of Andrew ( which we have done) to bring him to the US for better medical care and live out his last days with us in less pain and great happiness.
Andrew is a late stage sickle cell anemia child also paralyzed from a stroke.
After a long struggle due to his age and immigration laws we will not be able to bring him to the US.
We are doing our best to care for him with his mom in Uganda, when he dies we may not be there, but who will be is his most beloved brother Denis, who will be a nurse who will be caring for him.
When we first made the decision to seek to bring Andrew here, I called Moses in Uganda. I asked Moses to ask Denis ( standing next to him at the time) was it okay we took Andrew to the US to live to care for him. Keep in mind Denis is full blown HIV/AIDS, this most special boy responded in tears , not "what about me" but rather " I am so happy you will care for my brother Andrew".
This is the " The Giving Circle" the circle of giving, this is why we do what we do.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
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I have done a half moon manicure before and it was reasonably ok. I tried again and it is a massive fail. I liked the way Sammy over at The Nailasaurus did hers and thought I would give it a go with a different colour combination. Massive fail!!! The gradient was ok but my half moons did not look like half moons at all.
So in the morning I tried to freehand rectify the half moons, did not look any better. Much practice needed, but overall I was happy with the colours if nothing else. Oh well.......
Nail Envy
Seche Vite Top Coat
China Glaze - Oh How Street It Is - Orange
Nails Inc - Walton Street - Pink/purple middle gradient


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Stephen Kosslyn:
These days, it seems obvious that the mind arises from the b rain (not the heart, liver, or some other organ). In fact, I personally have gone so far as to claim that "the mind is what the brain does." But this notion does not preclude an unconventional idea: Your mind may arise not simply from your own brain, but in part from the brains of other people.He goes on to describe the notion of "Social Prosthetic Systems," which operate on principles similar to those captured by the concept of extended mind that I've posted on before.
Steven Pinker:
In 1974, Marvin Minsky wrote that "there is room in the anatomy and genetics of the brain for much more mechanism than anyone today is prepared to propose." Today, many advocates of evolutionary and domain-specific psychology are in fact willing to propose the richness of mechanism that Minsky called for thirty years ago. For example, I believe that the mind is organized into cognitive systems specialized for reasoning about object, space, numbers, living things, and other minds; that we are equipped with emotions triggered by other people (sympathy, guilt, anger, gratitude) and by the physical world (fear, disgust, awe); that we have different ways for thinking and feeling about people in different kinds of relationships to us (parents, siblings, other kin, friends, spouses, lovers, allies, rivals, enemies); and several peripheral drivers for communicating with others (language, gesture, facial expression).I, for one, am glad that Pinker realizes he can't prove these beliefs, because, well, they're wrong (see here), but that's what you get for thinking about cognition from an evolutionary perspective.
Alison Gopnik:
I believe, but cannot prove, that babies and young children are actually more conscious, more vividly aware of their external world and internal life, than adults are. I believe this because there is strong evidence for a functional trade-off with development. Young children are much better than adults at learning new things and flexibly changing what they think about the world. On the other hand, they are much worse at using their knowledge to act in a swift, efficient and automatic way. They can learn three languages at once but they can't tie their shoelaces.This is an interesting idea, and one that I'm not completely averse to. It certainly fits with the way automaticity develops (see here), but it does conflict with some research, and many peoples' intuitions, about the role of language in conscious thought.
Susan Blackmore:
It is possible to live happily and morally without believing in free will. As Samuel Johnson said "All theory is against the freedom of the will; all experience is for it." With recent developments in neuroscience and theories of consciousness, theory is even more against it than it was in his time, more than 200 years ago. So I long ago set about systematically changing the experience. I now have no feeling of acting with free will, although the feeling took many years to ebb away.All I have to say is, she wrote a book about memes. Eww... enough said.
Elizabeth Spelke:
I believe, first, that all people have the same fundamental concepts, values, concerns, and commitments, despite our diverse languages, religions, social practices, and expressed beliefs.Spelke's belief is based on some research, showing that humans do tend to classify things similarly, or at least represent them fairly similarly, across a wide variety of domains (particularly natural kind concepts). However, there is also a lot of research demonstrating significant culturally and linguistically-derived differences in the way we represent and reason about the world. Even without these differences, however, I'm not sure that cognitive science research on the similarity of ethical and conceptual intuitions will lead to the social revolution that Spelke implies. It would be nice if it did, though.
Second, one of our shared core systems centers on a notion that is false: the notion that members of different human groups differ profoundly in their concepts and values. This notion leads us to interpret the superficial differences between people as signs of deeper differences.
Third, the most striking feature of human cognition stems not from our core knowledge systems but from our capacity to rise above them. Humans are capable of discovering that our core conceptions are false, and of replacing them with truer ones.
Together, my three beliefs suggest a fourth. If the cognitive sciences are given sufficient time, the truth of the claim of a common human nature eventually will be supported by evidence as strong and convincing as the evidence that the earth is round. As humans are bathed in this evidence, we will overcome our misconceptions of human differences. Ethnic and religious rivalries and conflicts will come to seem as pointless as debates over the turtles that our pancake earth sits upon, and our common need for a stable, sustainable environment for all people will be recognized.
Scott Atran (yes, that Scott Atran):
There is no God that has existence apart from people's thoughts of God. There is certainly no Being that can simply suspend the (nomological) laws of the universe in order to satisfy our personal or collective yearnings and whims—like a stage director called on to change and improve a play. But there is a mental (cognitive and emotional) process common to science and religion of suspending belief in what you see and take for obvious fact. Humans have a mental compulsion—perhaps a by-product of the evolution of a hyper-sensitive reasoning device to serve our passions—to situate and understand the present state of mundane affairs within an indefinitely extendable and overarching system of relations between hitherto unconnected elements. In any event, what drives humanity forward in history is this quest for non-apparent truth.No need to click the link. That's Atran's answer in its entirety. Sort of sheds some light on his research, doesn't it? I hope that he doesn't use his research, and theory, to support his atheism. Nothing in the cognitive literature supports that inference. I agree with him, of course, but not because I've gained a deeper understanding of the cognitive and emotional mechanisms involved in religious belief and practice.
David Buss (aka Rudyard Kipling):
I've spent two decades of my professional life studying human mating. In that time, I've documented phenomena ranging from what men and women desire in a mate to the most diabolical forms of sexual treachery. I've discovered the astonishingly creative ways in which men and women deceive and manipulate each other. I've studied mate poachers, obsessed stalkers, sexual predators, and spouse murderers. But throughout this exploration of the dark dimensions of human mating, I've remained unwavering in my belief in true love.Considering the source, an evolutionary psychologist, and one of the most perniciously Kiplingesque of that breed (I'll consider writing a post on some of his research, but I don't know if anyone wants to see me being that mean), I'm inclined to cease believing in true love right now. Of course, my belief in true love is more of a self-conscious fantasy that just makes the world seem like a better place, and which doesn't do any harm, so I've never had a reason to get rid of it. This might be one.
Philip Zimbardo:
believe that the prison guards at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq, who worked the night shift in Tier 1A, where prisoners were physically and psychologically abused, had surrendered their free will and personal responsibility during these episodes of mayhem.Who would have expected a comment on Abu Ghraib from the author of the Stanford Prison Experiment? He's probably right, but still, couldn't he have come up with something that everyone (including Zimbardo himself) and his brother hadn't written about last year?
But I could not prove it in a court of law. These eight army reservists were trapped in a unique situation in which the behavioral context came to dominate individual dispositions, values, and morality to such an extent that they were transformed into mindless actors alienated from their normal sense of personal accountability for their actions—at that time and place.
Paul Bloom:
John MacNamara once proposed that children come to learn about right and wrong, good and evil, in much the same way that they learn about geometry and mathematics. Moral development is not merely cultural learning, and it does not arise from innate principles that have evolved through natural selection. It is not like the development of language or sexual preference or taste in food.This is Bloom's entire answer as well, and I like it. He's sort of the anti-Pinker, wouldn't you say? I've always liked Bloom's work, though, so it's not surprising that I would agree with him. While it does appear that certain precursors (e.g., reciprocity or reciprocal altruism) may be innate, most research seems to indicate that specific moral content is learned, while the emotional and cognitive foundations of morality are at least partially innate, just as in the research on mathematical reasoning.
Instead, moral development involves the construction of a intricate formal system that makes contact with the external world in a significant way. This cannot be entirely right. We know that gut-feelings, such as reactions of empathy or disgust, have a major influence on how children and adults reason about morality. And no serious theory of moral development can ignore the role of natural selection in shaping our moral intuitions. But what I like about Macnamara's proposal is that it allows for moral realism. It allows for the existence of moral truths that people come to discover, just as we come to discover truths of mathematics. We can reject the nihilistic position (help by many researchers) that our moral intuitions are nothing more than accidents of biology or culture.
And so I believe (though I cannot prove it) that the development of moral reasoning is the same sort of process as the development of mathematical reasoning.
Ned Block:
I believe that the "Hard Problem of Consciousness" will be solved by conceptual advances made in connection with cognitive neuroscience. Let me explain. No one has a clue (at the moment) how to answer the question of why the neural basis of the phenomenal feel of my experience of red is the neural basis of that phenomenal feel rather than a different one or none at all. There is an "explanatory gap" here which no one has a clue how to close.Alva Noë might take offense at the suggestion that "no one has a clue" how to answer the hard problem (see his papers here and here), and I'd venture to say that some people do have a clue, even if it's only that. People like Antonio Damasio are doing very interesting research on this problem.
This problem is conceptually and explanatorily prior to the issue of what the nature of the self is, as can be seen in part by noting that the problem would persist even for experiences that are not organized into selves. No doubt closing the explanatory gap will require ideas that we cannot now anticipate. The mind-body problem is so singular that no appeal to the closing of past explanatory gaps really justifies optimism, but I am optimistic nonetheless.
Daniel Dennett (official philosopher of Harley Davidson... follow the link and you'll see what I mean):
I believe, but cannot yet prove, that acquiring a human language (an oral or sign language) is a necessary precondition for consciousness–in the strong sense of there being a subject, an I, a 'something it is like something to be.' It would follow that non-human animals and pre-linguistic children, although they can be sensitive, alert, responsive to pain and suffering, and cognitively competent in many remarkable ways–including ways that exceed normal adult human competence–are not really conscious (in this strong sense): there is no organized subject (yet) to be the enjoyer or sufferer, no owner of the experiences as contrasted with a mere cerebral locus of effects.I'd like to see Dennett and Gopnik debate this issue. I'm never really sure what Dennett means by consciousness, as a.) he tends to deny the existence or importance of many of the properties that most of us would attribute to conscious experience and b.) he seems to gloss over the distinctions, now almost unviversal among neuroscientists, and common among philosophers (e.g., Block), between different levels or types of consciousness. One might argue that for autobiographical consciousness, or whatever you want to call it, you need language, but do we really need language for all the levels of consciousness? I don't think so. Dennett's tendency to gloss over important distinctions makes it dificult to evaluate his positions. One also wonders whether he's read any research (particularly on attention and consciousness, and on cognitive development) from the last 10 years.
Daniel Gilbert:
In the not too distant future, we will be able to construct artificial systems that give every appearance of consciousness—systems that act like us in every way. These systems will talk, walk, wink, lie, and appear distressed by close elections. They will swear up and down that they are conscious and they will demand their civil rights. But we will have no wayI wonder if these systems will have language? Will they be as conscious as babies? Anyway, we have trouble developing robots that can competently navigate their ways around computer science departments, and there are some (e.g., Rod Brooks) who are essentially "starting over" where AI is concerned, though he now has some very sophisticated but nowhere near conscious robots, so this might be a stretch for the foreseeable future. But hey, I'm all for optimism.
to know whether their behavior is more than a clever trick—more than the pecking of a pigeon that has been trained to type "I am, I am!"
Joseph Ledoux:
For me, this is an easy question. I believe that animals have feelings and other states of consciousness, but neither I, nor anyone else, has been able to prove it. We can't even prove that other people are conscious, much less other animals. In the case of other people, though, we at least can have a little confidence since all people have brains with the same basic configurations. But as soon as we turn to other species and start asking questions about feelings, and consciousness in general, we are in risky territory because the hardware is different.Anyone who knows Ledoux's work saw something like this coming. I think it's an interesting position, and it implies (as much of Ledoux's work does) that someone has a clue about the hard problem (e.g., the role of feelings in consciousness, Ledoux's primary area of research).
Marc Hauser:
What makes humans uniquely smart?Thank you, Noam Chomsky... I mean Marc Hauser (remember this paper?). This is interesting, but probably one of the grossest oversimplifications of all time. And I wonder if this capacity really is unique to humans. It certainly seems to be unique to human language, though bees and parrots might have something to say about that (pun intended), but is it unique to humans in all other areas of cognition? I wish I could think of some research that might answer that question, but since the point is so damn broad, it's hard to know where to look.
Here's my best guess: we alone evolved a simple computational trick with far reaching implications for every aspect of our life, from language and mathematics to art, music and morality. The trick: the capacity to take as input any set of discrete entities and recombine them into an infinite variety of meaningful expressions.
Thus, we take meaningless phonemes and combine them into words, words into phrases, and phrases into Shakespeare. We take meaningless strokes of paint and combine them into shapes, shapes into flowers, and flowers into Matisse's water lilies. And we take meaningless actions and combine them into action sequences, sequences into events, and events into homicide and heroic rescues.
I'll go one step further: I bet that when we discover life on other planets, that although the materials may be different for running the computation, that they will create open ended systems of expression by means of the same trick, thereby giving birth to the process of universal computation.


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Shakespeare Undead
We are all familiar with William Shakespeare or you have at least heard of him. Though, do you really know the man behind the image? Like, where did William get his ideas and what type of company did he keep in his presence?
William Shakespeare did not become famous on his own. No, he had some help. First, Will was a vampire and hung out with zombies. Well, this is not exactly true about the zombies. William could be seen with zombies but this is only because he is trying to find out who is raising the dead.
Second Will became enthralled with the beautiful and lovely Katherine Dymond. Katherine was known as the "Dark Lady of the Sonnets" Katherine also is a zombie hunter. Yep….you guessed it…Katherine made some heads roll for William.
Mash ups of classic novels or story are becoming quite popular. Author, Lori Handeland is taking her turn with her latest novel, Shakespeare Undead. I have to say that I have read a few mash up novels now and this is the first one that I really liked. Mrs. Handeland brought a fun and new twist to an old, classic story about the famous William Shakespeare. This book was dark in all the right ways. I knew Shakespeare was portrayed as a vampire in this book but I did not expect the twist about him also having another ability. Don't want to give anything away. This other ability make Shakespeare unique and stand out from all the other vampires currently out in the reading world.
My only issue I had with this book was that it was told through first person. Usually, I don't have a problem with this but I did ad first with this book. It started with a grown Will but then the story would flash back to when it seemed Will was a little boy. It took my till about a third of the way into the book to get everything straight. Once I did, I was able to sit back and enjoy. Shakespeare Undead will have you come alive for more!


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She requested this and she likes it to be "fun" so her fingernails switch back & forth between a bright pink and a purple and her toes are the same bright pink and a peach color. Now the great thing about this nail polish is that it is water based and has NO odor. The no odor is fantastic! It is also very long-lasting as well. This nail polish is made by Honeybee Gardens and I bought it from MotherNature.com.
Looking for ideas to save some money while saving a little bit of the Earth for future generations? Then let this crafty mom of two help you become a little bit greener!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Earth Week - Day 4
Well, today we finally got to the egg carton crafts I had planned earlier in the week. Hopefully you saw those posts. We did walk to the park & had a picnic there, more outdoor play (which means less tv time - yea!) and we made the pinecone birdfeeder, which was a bonus. The other fun activity we did was paint my daughter's nails.
Posted by Lame Shrill Owl at 8:02 PM
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