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The sorry story of the uttappam October 6, 2007Posted by C Y Gopinath in Food, Humor.
Tags: , dosa, Food, south indian cuisine
34 comments
The uttappam was feeling threatened by globalization — who am I? why does the pizza look like me? what should I do? C Y Gopinath counsels
It was a humid day, the sort that dampens all urges towards food.
I was sitting in my clinic, toying desultorily with some listless peanuts, when I sensed that someone was watching me. For a few years now — in fact, ever since parsley and iceberg lettuce began appearing in the local market — I have been running a small but successful practice counseling various culinary items who felt their identity threatened by the influx of Chinese, Italian, Lebanese, and Mughlai cuisines into India. My regular clients today include aloo chops wondering about the meaning of life after the MacAloo Tikkis; vermicelli upmas intimidated by chow mein; puri-bhaji that have been told that the railway platform now belongs to burgers; and others such paranoid entrées. I once had to make peace between some cloud-ear mushroom and a cabbage who feared displacement.
This particular evening, as the nation raced towards the millennium, I was certain I was being watched. I turned around, ostensibly to knock the ash out of my meerschaum, and casually glanced up. There it was. An unprepossessing uttappam about 10 inches across, it surface flecked with a few cowardly onion flakes.
"Ahem," it cleared its throat. "I was wondering if you could help me." I said nothing.
"It's about the pizza," it continued.
"What about the pizza?" I asked.
"Well, it's pretending to be an uttappam," replied the hapless dish. "But smarter. People think it's an imported uttappam, and they go for it in a big way."
I thought it was time to take this miserable little flip-flop in hand. "Listen," I said. "You are an ancient rice batter preparation with history on your side. The pizza is a bread with some ketchup, odds and ends baked with cheese on top. How could anyone confuse you with that?"
Trouble started, said the uttappam, when the Udipi restaurant owner began to sprinkle Amul cheese over the uttappam just before frying it. The cheese would not melt or brown over, but merely turn a little crisp. "We were humiliated," said the uttappam. "No one has done that to us before. And it's all because the pizzas are baked with Mozzarella."
In the meantime, atrocities were being committed upon the uttappam's cousin, the dosai. The Dosa Manchurian was invented in a small tattukada in Cochin, in which the dosai was made to hold its own weight in chow mein, instead of the usual warm spiced potato mash. Indeed, every conceivable filling and covering was being indiscriminately inflicted upon the dosa — from heron's egg omelettes to prawn malabari to chicken dopiaza to vegetable stew. The dosai was so crushed by these assaults that it surrendered its identity meekly.
Even Chinese cuisine, once Chinese, latterly Indian, and now victim of the Indian cook's attempt to please all and sundry, was being mauled. In a small eatery in Mumbai, I had myself tasted the Chow Mein Manchurian Mussallam, in which finally the mainland meets the hinterland in a clashing war of opposite tastes. All lose, only the cash register wins. I had beheld horrified the dawn of the Hakka Afghani, the Tandoori Croissant, the Amritsari Upma, with chunks of Reshmi Kebab in it.
I even understood why it was going on. This country could not stand globalisation. The Indian abroad hides behind papads and garam masala. The Indian at home carefully checks the 'imported' dishes coming in through Immigration, and then cleverly renders them insignificant by 'adapting' them. The adaptation process is simplicity itself — he must sprinkle garam masala over it, substitute ghee for olive oil, rev up the red spices a little and sprinkle the dish with coriander just before serving. The pizza thus vandalised could be fashionably re-named La Pizza Indiana, and be hailed as a triumph of thinking global but acting local.
My wretched uttappam was sniffling. "What shall I do?" he moaned. "I have lost my self-respect."
An idea struck me. "You have lost nothing," I said firmly. "You have only gained. Listen carefully: the pizza is undergoing deep changes. I expect that its base will soon be substituted by a thick dough of rice and lentils. Tomatoes may become optional. This is your chance: you must strengthen your foundation with a strong baking dough made from good baking flour. I want you to welcome all sorts of toppings, even non vegetarian ones. Don't flinch under bacon or tuna or ham or mince. And when they bake you, smile as though you love nothing more."
"But — but —" spluttered the uttappam. "I won't be an uttappam any more!!"
"You won't, perhaps," I said reasonably. "But the pizza will be the uttappam. The more it resembles the uttappam the bigger the market for it."
"And I? What will I be?" whined the uttappam.
"Why, you silly little pancake," I said, my patience snapping. "You'll be a pizza, of course. You'll be the king."


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Shakhtar reveal offices occupied by armed men
Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk have announced their club offices have been occupied by armed men.
Published3 September 2014
Conflict has raged in Ukraine for several months and pro-Russian rebels have previously stormed government buildings in Donetsk.
Shakhtar were rocked in July when six players refused to return to Ukraine amid safety concerns, while the club's Donbass Arena was damaged as a result of two explosions last month.
On Wednesday, Shakhtar confirmed their offices had been taken over, although it is not clear who is responsible.
A statement from the club's press office read: "FC Shakhtar's office at 86a Artema St in Donetsk was occupied by armed men.
"Circumstances of the incident are being investigated."

subset: commoncrawl


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Tomorrow night, August 18th is chat night at the Reed's home. We will be talking about how to find and use agencies outside of LDSFS. Bring any and all questions you have! Also, if you have adopted through another agency we'd love to have your input. Chat group will be at 7pm at the Reed's home.
If you have any questions please email Elizabeth at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Hope to see you there!


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Using Perfect Plum Classic Ink, stamp the floral image from Creative Elements (I had to stamp more flowers than I originally intended since some of the ink leaked through the Sticky Notes :-))
I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for the talent He has bestowed on all of us! I have been artistic all of my life and love experimenting with different mediums and techniques. This blog is my creative outlet to share my passion for cardmaking and papercrafting!
Monday, April 22, 2013
More "Straw" Cards :-) Two Different Cards for Two Different Challenges
Using Perfect Plum Classic Ink, stamp the floral image from Creative Elements (I had to stamp more flowers than I originally intended since some of the ink leaked through the Sticky Notes :-))
8 comments:
- Karren said...
Wow, wow, wow! Your French Foliage card has so much depth for a one-layer card. Fantastic!
- April 22, 2013 at 11:13 PM
- Jaydee said...
Julie, you really showcased that a one layer card can be even more interesting than a card with lots of layers. They are a great place to showcase techniques and you rocked this technique. So glad you joined the Paper Players and thanks for rocking my challenge
- April 23, 2013 at 12:27 AM
- Heidi Baks said...
The straw technique sounds interesting! I love your collage look. Thanks for joining the Friday Mashup this week.
- April 23, 2013 at 6:57 AM
- Carolyn Lindenmayer said...
The collage effect with this technique looks fantastic Julie, and I love the colours. Carolyn x
- April 23, 2013 at 11:18 PM
- Lili said...
Your cards are awesome. You created so much depth and interest in your one layer card with the straw technique that you rocked that technique. Great combination of colors. I love it! Thanks for playing along with us at the Friday Mashup this week!
- April 25, 2013 at 9:49 AM
- Amy O said...
This is a new technique to me! I had to giggle at your tip to avoid passing out -- who knew stamping could be so dangerous and strenuous? ;) Thanks for sharing this technique with us at the Paper Players. It's perfect for a one layer card.
- April 25, 2013 at 10:03 AM
- Nance Leedy said...
Wow, what a cool technique! I haven't seen that one before. Your one-layer cards still have the "Julie touch" to them and are just as gorgeous as your layered beauties! Thank you for joining us at The Paper Players!
- April 25, 2013 at 7:36 PM
- stampwithsandy said...
Wow, Julie! What amazing techniques you used for your one layer cards! Sorry you almost passed out while making them, LOL! Love them both but I think I like the foilage card the best, too. Thanks so much for sharing your creation(s) with us at The Paper Players!
- April 26, 2013 at 1:48 PM


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Para la mujer latina
About Me
Fun Facts about Van Walton
My Resources
My book, From the Pound to the Palace, is available for $10
from Proverbs 31 Ministries.
My book, Little Halos, is available for $5.99 from Proverbs
31 Ministries.
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Proverbs 31 Speakers
My husband had two job offers! Those times were not these times. God had blessed us and we had to make a decision.
Where to go? I struggled. I pondered. I prayed. I begged for an answer.
I know God sometimes- OK well almost always, waits before giving clear answers. Problem is – we didn't have the time to wait for His answer. Both offers wanted answers now!
Problem was – God was not telling us which location was his perfect plan for our family. I wanted to hear, "Move to New York. There I have wonderful and marvelous plans for you." I didn't hear that.
If not that answer, then how about this one: "I know the plans I have for you and they are for you to move to Wisconsin." I didn't hear that reply either.
I remember today exactly where I was that day – 18 years ago. Sitting at my dining room table in Naperville, Illinois I prayed with my Bible open before me.
I told God, in case He had forgotten, I needed an answer. Two corporations waited to hear from my husband. Did God realize if we didn't answer that we may be left jobless, IF He didn't answer – AND SOON!
"I will never leave you or forsake you. I am with you always." I know I heard Him say these words. As I mulled these two verses over and over in my mind, I realized God had answered.
"It doesn't matter where you go as long as I am with you and you are living an obedient life to love me and love your neighbor."
And so we moved and took God with us.
Ever since that day in my dining room in Naperville, I have remembered God's words whenever I've arrived at a crossroads. I realize as long as I take God with me and live within His will, it really doesn't matter what I do because I am focusing on Him and not me or my circumstances.
I never want to go anywhere without him. If there is a particular place He wants me to go, He will close and open doors. He is the good Shepherd and He knows how to get me from one place to another. I no longer fret. I follow.
8 comments:
- elaine @ peace for the journey said...
This is such a simple and powerful word! An abiding truth that is incredibly freeing. Even now, it resonates with me as I am continually seeking out God's will for my life. I think we spend too much time worrying about the particulars instead of simply moving with the Spirit!
Thanks for the comforting truth this morning.
- April 28, 2008 at 10:20 AM
- Shanda said...
Once again, the Lord used your moving experiences to set me straight in mine! I'm worrying too much about what I'm suppose to do instead of living in His presence and allowing Him to guide. Thanks so much for the encouragement!
- April 28, 2008 at 11:15 AM
- Celly B said...
What an awesome post. I get so frustrated when I have an important decision to make and don't feel a clear direction from the Spirit. I think you made a great post that sometimes it doesn't matter as long as God is our focus!
- April 28, 2008 at 3:37 PM
- Laura said...
Okay. I'm dying to know...New York or Wisconsin? I love Naperville, by the way, had some good friends who lived there for years and we visited a few times. So fun to head into Chicago or just stay in the burbs--which has anything you need too! Thank you for reminding me to turn to the Word when I am in turmoil over a decision, Van. Too many times I seek human wisdom instead of God's. I think the Israelites had it right when they wore scripture on their foreheads! Sometimes I think that is what I need to do!
- April 29, 2008 at 10:55 PM
- Micca said...
Van, I love this post. So many times we move and forget to take God with us. Then, we wonder where he is? Great word! Thanks!
love you, friend
- April 30, 2008 at 12:45 PM
- Kay Weathers said...
What insight, I have forwarded this to a friend who needs this.
- April 30, 2008 at 2:30 PM
- Mommyluann said...
Good word , Van. I love your thoughts.
- May 1, 2008 at 2:23 PM
- MrsProverbs31 said...
What an awesome post. I needed to hear that. Thanks.
- May 2, 2008 at 4:44 PM


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It's a sad day folks..Steven's Grandmother..Mrs. Veda Margaret Moore died last night (Saturday May 13, 2006).
I wish to express my deepest sympathies to Ed and Carol on the loss of their mother and Steven, Brian and the cousins on their grandmother.
Veda was a true southern matriarch. She was the leader of the Moore family...and everyone knew it..She was a great woman. I don't think I EVER heard of her turning her back on one of her family members in need. If you asked--you got it--no strings attached.
When I first met Veda, Steven had just moved me to Altus, Oklahoma to live with him..I'm not sure if we were engaged, married or what at that point but we were together. I was a little apprehensive because he told me how she didn't like Brian's wife (now ex) or his ex-girlfriend. I thought great she's going to hate me..bringing "baggage" into a marriage--baggage=Katherine. She was great.
As for Katherine, even though she wasn't one of her biological grandchildren she NEVER treated her any different than the rest. That is one great person.
Her hubby died about 2 or 3 years ago after a short bout with Alzheimers. She took care of him until the end. About a year or two ago she found out she had cancer in the brain. She did the surgery, chemo, radiation treatment. She held on longer than they expected...about a year. The last time we saw her was Christmas of this year and she looked wonderful. We went to see her a few times in the nursing home and she looked great then too. Her health started failing a couple of weeks ago. She got an infection and was in isolation. She died on Saturday night.
Veda I wasn't one of your true grandchildren and I didn't know you for a long time but from everything I knew and heard I know you were one in a million. I will never forget how you took Katherine on as your own. That there meant the world to me. I hope you have found the peace you deserve and I hope you have reunited with those you cherished.
Rest In Peace sweet lady.
**My family and I are making donations in her name to the American Cancer Society I urge everyone who has ever had this affect their lives in one way or another to do the same.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
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To help out the data that indicates that the older people get the more they talk about the weather , here's my weather report in pictures for the week.
The Rhododendrons are out in the lower elevations.
In spite of the wet spring they're getting the hay in.
Looks like it's going to be a good crop of poison ivy this year.
The water is still way up above normal levels for this time of year.
Until next time,


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Here's a photo of a guy robbing Pott's Hot Dog Shop. I'm pretty sure he's got a ticket punched straight to hell.
Yocco's was another favorite spot. They had a great jingle; 'Let's go get Yocco'd!' and had two locations that I remember Kim and I going to. They had a great deal on six packs of chili dogs. We liked the location on Liberty St., in downtown Allentown, amongst the row homes, it had character. It was a good 'joint', as Kimmy would like to say. Now, they have 5 locations, the hot dog business is good. And a regular dog is only $1.24. That's a steal.
And then there Shakey Betty's chili dogs. I don't remember the real name of this neighborhood bar, that was about a block from our high school. We renamed it. As loving, caring, high school kids will do. Betty was the lady who worked the counter, at this bar, that served chili dogs - she had two crock pots. One for dogs. One for chili. They did not serve anything else that I would consider food. They did have a big jar of pickled eggs - somehow, purple eggs never appealed to us - and a huge jar of dill pickles.
Looking back, I guess Betty probably suffered from Parkinson's disease. She was a suicidal smoker, too. Often had one hanging from her mouth, one in an ash tray and one ready to light up. And as she smoked, and the ash on the end of her cigarette grew, her shaking would inevitably dump the ashes in random places. When we'd order, we'd always say 'Hi Betty, we'll take two chili dogs, with mustard' and then cleverly add 'hold the ashes!'.
When we moved to Tucson, we discovered the Circle K dogs. And were immediately hooked on jalapenos! They certainly added a new dimension to the experience. We hit multiple Circle K's on our first trip to the Grand Canyon together. And, when we first moved here, the month of July used to be Circle K customer appreciation month - they'd give out free thirstbusters and hot dogs! Kim and I would hit a Circle K daily!!
Then there were the Sonoran hot dogs...wrapped in a thin slice of bacon, and is like a chili dog on steroids! It usually has beans, tomatoes, onions, mustard, mayo, ketchup, sometimes cheese and some sort of peppers. They are awesome! Our friend, Mario's sister's husband, Pepe was the master at making these delacies and at their family functions, he'd make dozens of them working hard to keep up with the demand - Kim thought Pepe's Sonoran dogs were the best - we tried several stands through out Tucson, always enjoyable, but not like Pepe's!
Sadly, by the time we heard about Pat's Hot Dogs, over on Grande, Kim had cut back her chili dog intake, so we never got to partake - but we heard they were tremendous.
Tonight, nostagically, Manny and Lupe made chili dogs and invited us over to partake. Lupe made homemade red chili, which, in itself, was incredible. They had cheese and jalapenos, in addition to mustard, mayo and ketchup. And nachos! We watched some Premeria Liga Mexican soccer (Cruz Azul winning a lopsided match 3-0) and I related Kim's love of a good chili dog to them. Monsi, Autumn and Antonio watched movies, built legos, screamed that a couch monster was after them and had a great time. We lost Cody to roller skating with his friend Wyatt around 6:30 and he will sleep over at Wyatt's tonight.
But, Lupe can cook! As I said, the chili alone would have been enough. We had a great time and I'm still trying to get these little chuckleheads in bed.
Autumn, Tonio and I went out back to say a quick goodnight to Kimmy - it is pretty cold - rained all day and only in the 40's. I'm sure the mountains got snow. Cody's track meet got canceled half way through and before he got a chance to showcase his dazzling speed! There were no stars out tonight, as we said good night just a blanket of clouds...


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Don't forget that answering the questions at the end of the post can win you a free paperback copy of My Kingdom for a Quest. Also, I'm holding a Blog Tour from February 14-21, and you can sign up your blog by clicking the appropriate tag at the top of the page.
Also, I have a goodread's group set up for fans of Bookania, and over there, I'm asking for questions for me and my characters to be answered here on my blog. (Though if you aren't on goodreads, you can email them to me, but it's not quite as fun. Honestly, I'm not sure why any book-loving body wouldn't be on goodreads. It's like Facebook, but with books instead of politics.)
Anyways, the commentary.
This one seems quite typical of a fairy tale. I wonder how this girl will be rewarded ...
Madeleine in the Forest
And now we have finally come to the chapter where Madeleine is, at long last, found! Or, something like that. Robin wakes up (I wonder how late in the morning) to see herself painted on the wall.
At least, it looks like her.
Climbing out of bed to investigate, Robin realizes that the painted girl has lighter hair than she does, and blue eyes besides. It's Madeleine, she quickly realizes. Madeleine had painted herself into the mural.
And, then out in the sitting room, she notices that the girl painting the optical illusion is also Madeleine. Intriguing, and this is clearly the reason why Doranna said they looked like Locksleys - she looks a lot like her long-lost aunt.
Books and Pants
Two more things I'd like to note before we move on to the library. First of all: Robin is given pants this morning. I'm not exactly sure how they had them on hand (perhaps they made them for her). I had a reason when I wrote this scene, but it never came out during the scenes where it would have been necessary, and it now conflicts with what I now know of the cast and world.
They're still very old fashioned.
And second: The books. Apparently, this Skewwood forest (if only they knew where to find it!) had been a hot spot for fairies.
In the Library
Robin eventually gets frustrated with the books, and wanders away to the library where she finds a lot of books about math and birds. And then she finds a collection of short stories and decides to try it.
As she sits down to read it, Doranna and Rosamond enter, declare it a good book, and ask her if she's had banana peels (breakfast). I also let Doranna call her Wren. This was supposed to be important later in the book ... but it didn't happen.
And so she's reading along while she waits for her banana peels to arrive, really enjoying the story, and then she comes to the end. And a thick black line.
Punch Line
I'm proud of this scene. You see, it was the first pun to make its way into the Bookania - even though the bag cat got screen time first. I'd already decided to change the title to Sew, It's a Quest, and with puns on my mind, I'd been folding laundry, and the idea popped into my head. It was so brilliant that I had to run and tell my mother at once.
My sister loved it, and wanted to steal it for one of her books (at the time she was attempting a story about a pair of siblings whose father was an inventor, and he managed to invent a time machine that sent them back to King Arthur ... she never finished it), but I put my foot down and told her it was mine, all mine, and she could go find her own great ideas.
And that, folks, is how puns got into Bookania.
And then they get invited on a ride through the forest.
First of all - Doranna's horse's name. I just love all of the names I gave the horses in this book, but Doranna's horse does hold a place in the mathematical part of my heart. (Just as Snow holds a place in the contrary part) Supplementary. I think you guys may be intrigued to note that the horse that Casperl rides in later chapters is named Complementary ... even though I never got around to stating it in the text.
(And in the next book, you learn that Eric's horse is named Champion, and Madeleine's is Splatter, and later in this book you meet a horse named Cocoa. Is it possible to name a horse in Bookania without it starting with a C or an S? I'm honestly not sure.)
Gills - I mean Gifts
Yes, I make fun of Doranna's speech whenever possible. One of the benefits of being the author and suffering from the same affliction.
Anyways, the conversation turns to gifts and fairies, and we learn some interesting things, such as:
1. The side affect of a gift is weaknesses in other areas.
2. That's why Doranna can't keep her words straight.
3. Rosamond has a terrible sense of direction as a result.
4. The fairy who gave Doranna math-smarts is named Malina.
5. There is a very sad story associated with Malina.
6. Doranna has invited them to a ball.
They Rode along the Path ...
This was a line that was edited out in the rewrite. You see, halfway through this conversation (though I don't remember exactly where), I hit a brick wall and couldn't figure out where I was going ... and so I just wrote that ... and stared at my blinking cursor for about an hour.
I knew where I wanted to go, I just didn't know how to go.
And I was doing NaNo. I had to keep up with my word goal!
So my mother had a brilliant suggestion. She told me to skip forward to where I was inspired. So that's what I did. I skipped over the rest of this chapter, over the whole ball scene (which was important for reasons I'll discus in my next commentary post, but I simply had no clue as to how to write) and to what is now chapter 13. I think I had a vague idea for another chapter in there, but it didn't happen.
This was my first experience with the leave a note and skip forward technique.
I did later come back and finish this chapter during NaNo when I hit a road block later on. However chapter twelve waited until after NaNo was finished to get written.
Madeleine's Signature
Once the whole ball and gift issue is sorted out, Robin steers the conversation back to Madeleine and asks why she pained herself in two of her murals - and learns that she was actually in all three!
It's her signature. An interesting one, to be certain.
Favorite Quotes


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Congratulation to Jeff and Dana Cheney for their 10 year membership in the Frisco Chamber of Commerce!
You get this awesome FriscoMortgageGuy.com t-shirt!!!!
I have been a Rotarian since 2004 as a member of Frisco Sunrise Rotary. My father is an active Rotarian in Lawrence, KS and my grandfather was also a Rotarian. My father-in-law and his father were also Rotarians.
Why? To be a Rotarian you need to attend your club's weekly meetings. Who has time for a commitment like that? An hour a week spent listening to area speakers and learning about what the club can do to better influence the lives of others—there is just no time for that!
Well, my Rotary meeting the other day was one of those meetings that reminded me of why I am proud to be a Rotarian! Mark Hundley from Journey of Hope Grief Support Center was our speaker and delivered a powerful message on an uncomfortable topic. Please visit their site here and learn more about this local resource whose mission is to assist all of us through difficult times. I came away with the goal to say better goodbyes to my family and friends – making sure to give them an extra hug and kiss, never knowing if it might be our last. Arms out…. I'm coming in for a hug! Be ready!
Please note that the location for the WEB (Women Enhancing Business) November Luncheon has changed. Join the great ladies of WEB on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Fieldhouse USA, located at 6155 Sports Village Boulevard in Frisco. Experience great networking at a terrific venue, while enjoying delicious food and wonderful door prizes.
General admission is $5.00 at the door (cash or check only). Entrance is free for our WEB members. Please register today so Fieldhouse USA can properly prepare.
The applications are ready for you to apply for Class 14 of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Leadership Frisco program. I am a graduate of class 10, the best class and this is a program I would encourage you to take a look at. The applications and more information will be added to the web site later today but I have them and can e-mail them over if you like. Applications due in by Friday June 18th


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Monday, January 27, 2014
Up Next for the Timberwolves
After some fantastic games across the country in Utah, California, Oregon, and Chicago, the Timberwolves are back in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a game against the New Orleans Pelicans. We can't wait to see our Minnesota Timberwolves back in action at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. The game is on this Wed, Jan 29 2014 at 7:00 PM. The Timberwolves need your fan support and you should get to the game to show it off!
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YES you read it right.......unless something drastic happens I will run another swap for Christmas 2008..........the Santa's have been so wonderful and kind and so appreciative of my organising the swap - that is enough motivation for me to go again (some of you will be very happy to hear that)
............all but 2 presents have been delivered (hopefully still in transpost) and only one bad person who didn't send - Maya. (I did say you would be named in the rules)
If you have been away and you missed the last 10 posts I did about the swap head back to between Christmas and New Year. There are only a couple of presents I didn't get pics of, so most of them are in the previous posts and here...............
USA Raesha was Santa for Netherlands Nicolette
USA San was Santa for Aus Gillian
USA Toni was Santa for UK Jo
Aus Gillian was Santa for Italy Teodo
Aus Kerry was Santa for USA Caryn
Aus Lynda H sent a extra special package to Canada CJ who was the poor Santa that was going to miss out...........I also posted a small parcel off to CJ......Thanks Lynda H
Aus Tatania was Santa for USA Jessica
Canada CJ was Santa for USA Tracey B
USA Carole P was Santa for UK Claudia
USA Linda R was Santa for AUS Carey
USA Linda R was Santa for Aus Dale
USA Meaghan was Santa for UK Anne
USA Jessica was Santa for Netherlands Judith
Thankyou Santa's for making this such a successful swap.........you made my job fun and a pleasure to do..........see you in SSCS 2008...............
------------take care----------
PS I forgot to mention some of the girls in the swap have made wonderful new blog friends and I have received some amazing stories in emails from swappers and I am so happy some girls have got so much more out of this swap...........world wide friendship..........


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Just a quick entry until I get more sleep/time. Went to Albuquerque this weekend (6 1/2 hour drive, 7 with stops) for a USDAA trial. I decided to go to maximize my chances of qualifying for Regionals which will be in Denver this summer and-yeeha!!!- both dogs qualified!!! Cody had a clean run which was good enough for third place! He had some wide loopy turns which cost of us a lot of time but we were clean and under course time. Lola had a 5 fault refusal at the weave poles (it was an easy entry but a straight shot after the chute and I think I failed to slow her enough so she ran right past) however I got her back in the poles and we just squeaked in under course time by fractions of a second. You're allowed up to 7 faults in the Grand Prix so she got her Q and we're all going to Regionals, wheeha! Dare we think about qualifying for Nationals?
Cody also finished up his Advanced snooker title with a beautiful 1st place run so we're on to the scary Masters ring.
Albuquerque was nice, didn't get to see too much but managed to squeeze in a small 2 mile hike in the hills and saw the tacky 'historic' old town. The Balloon Fiesta Park trial site was beautiful, green fields as far as the eye could see (Lo had fun chasing her tennis ball) and great weather though a little hot at times on Sunday. Got home at 11:00 p.m. last night, thank goodness for daylight savings time since it felt like only 10:00 pm. I'm paying the price today, tired and dizzy but a couple good nights sleep and I should be ready for another USDAA trial this weekend. Luckily it's only about an hour away this time, I'm fed up with driving for a good while.
My knee did great with all the running, walking, standing, driving. A wee bit sore Sat. night but I iced it and was fine on Sunday. I'm actually having worse problems with the groin muscles that were injured in the accident. Those soft tissue injuries are STILL plaguing me and have been kicking up with the exercises the p.t. has given me for my knee. Hopefully she'll have some words of wisdom about it tomorrow. It's been almost a year since the accident, seems I shouldn't be having pain still.
I've got some great pictures from the trial (won't get those until next week) and sightseeing, I'll post later. For now, must get caffeine I.V. bottle.


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"Baby, city sleeping there's nothing moving except you and me.
Silence, long caresses I'm tortured deep inside to the edge of ecstasy.
Slow tongue working your way down
Slow tongue working your way down
Frantic, racing heartbeats not a love fold left unexplored
Juicy, lubricating you bring me to the rim I can't take it anymore
Slow tongue working your way down
Slow tongue working your way down
And finally, you excite me you decide to let go
Together we explode
Slow tongue working your way down
Slow tongue working your way down"
This is a part of the lyrics to Millie Jackson's 1983 hit song Slow Tongue. Millie will always hold a place in my musical heart because she kept it so real on wax. While most people know her for If Loving You Is Wrong, I love her for songs like The Rap and Ugly Men. Whether it's explaining why ugly men fuck her better or not being able to fuck that married man on demand Millie just doesn't give a shit. What makes this more impressive is that she was born in 1944 and released twenty-seven albums between 1972-2001 with the majority in the 70s and 80s. This was hardly a time when sexual freedom by women was applauded or even tolerated.
Women rappers in my generation, who freely express sexuality in their lyrics, like Lil Kim, Trina and Nicki Minaj, aren't pioneers. Singers like Millie and Minnie Ripperton did it first and quite frankly did it better. This post isn't meant to be a history lesson in female sex positive music but a breakdown to the lyrics above. So let's get into it…
This song is plainly and simply about eating pussy.
It's as American as baseball and apple pie. Women love to have it done and we love doing it. If you get a chance listen to the end of the track and how she has an orgasm in the studio. You won't be disappointed.
…city sleeping there's nothing moving except you and me…
Stealing moments in time when I can imagine there's no one else that matters except her and the mission at hand.
Not a word needs to be said. The look in my eyes says it all.
… Slow tongue working your way down…
Never going to dive right in and eat the main course. I have to prepare for my meal. Good things come to those who wait. Pre dinner cocktails, an appetizer, salad. By the time the main course is served she's going to be bursting with anticipation.
…not a love fold left unexplored…
Labia minora and majora, clitoris, perineum and anus* meet the tip and broad of my tongue. I plan on being Magellan and letting my tongue circumnavigate your everything.
… Together we explode…
Was I so turned from turning you on that we both….
*Judge your mother.


text:
Interview with Barry Hoffman, author of Curse of the Shamra!11:45 AM
Hey everyone! Today I got a brand new interview with Barry Hoffman, the author of Curse of the Shamra. Lets get started!
1) How did you get the idea for the world that Curse of the Shamra is set in?
As a child I was fed a lot of misinformation regarding American Indians. All of the TV programs portrayed American Indians as uncivilized barbarians, committing atrocities against settlers because they were savages.As I got older I learned these stereotypes had no real basis in fact. I learned that most Indian tribes were run as "villages" where everyone was respected and no one was left to suffer because of age, infirmity or an inability to work.The elderly, who had provided for the tribe all their lives, were revered when they were too old to hunt or farm. Food and shelter was provided for them.They, in turn, watched over young children while their parents worked or hunted. The world of the Shamra is loosely based on this concept of "it takes a village." The health and welfare of the Shamra is the responsibility of all and no one is neglected. The other civilizations and creatures that Dara encountered on her journeys came from my imagination.
2) I love how strong Dara is as a young women. Did you base her on someone in your life?
Dara is a composite of many of the female students I taught while I was a teacher. For 30 years I taught 5th-8th grade and found the girls in my classes had diverse and unique personalities, while the boys were still lumps of clay not yet formed. A half-a-dozen or more girls would eat lunch in my class each day, gossiping and swapping stories. They trusted me (knew I wouldn't repeat to their parents what I heard). Some of their stories were humorous, other heart-wrenching. All of these girls possessed an inner-strength I greatly admired. Sadly, in 8th grade many of these girls would become more introspective and they allowed boys to become the leaders of the class. In some ways they seemed to lose their identity. I based Dara on those girls I so admired while I was teaching and hoped that through Dara's character teenage girls in general would be able to identify with her and stop fading into the background.
3) Did you use any elements of your life in the book?
I was a bit of an outcast as a teenager (as are I think many writers were). My family moved from the city to the suburbs when I was in sixth grade and I never made the close friends I had when I lived in Queens (New York). While I enjoyed sports I wasn't a jock. I got good grades but I wasn't into joining science clubs or debate teams. My friends were a diverse group of kids who didn't fit into any particular clique. So, in a way I could identify with Dara who also felt like an outsider among her own people.
4) When you began to write Curse of the Shamra, did you find that the ending changed a lot? Did it stay the same as you planned?
I don't write detailed outlines before I begin a book as I know the characters will force me to go in directions I never anticipated. My original ending for the book occurred about twenty or so pages prior to the actual ending. But, as I was finishing the book I knew I had to go further so, yes, the actual ending took a number of twists and turns that I hadn't planned when I began the book. I also left the new ending open-ended in case I wanted to write a sequel (I didn't initially plan to write a trilogy). The new ending provided the perfect segue to Shamra Divided, the second book in the series, though I didn't know it at the time.
5) Did you have a soundtrack for writing this novel? If so, could you name some of the songs?
Music is very important to me. In my adult novels, I mention songs throughout my novels. I'm very much into Rhythm and Blues (from Motown, Stax to the funk of War, The Isley Brothers and the R&B-influenced reggae of Third World). With The Shamra Chronicles coming up with a soundtrack was more difficult as I created a world that existed solely in my mind. However, I think that the soundtrack for the series would feature War's extended funk-soul-jazz musical interludes you hear on their albums as well as on the title song on the soundtrack for "Youngblood" with probably some Isaac Hayes (instrumentals from "Shaft") interspersed.
6) Which character was your favorite to write? Which was your least?
I would have to say it was a tie between Tyler and Atyra (one of Dara's ancestors who doesn't appear in the first book) for my favorites. Tyler wasn't in my first draft of Curse of the Shamra. After I'd finished the first draft I felt I needed to add some humor. Tyler, Dara's Bauble (a centipede-like creature who was Dara's constant companion), allowed me to add the humor I desired. I began writing the Tyler character just before the birth of my granddaughter … whose name was Tyler.The verbal interplay between Dara and Tyler is among my favorite. I enjoyed writing the Atyra character because she was so complex and heroic. She sacrificed more than any Shamra in the entire series and was the most heroic character in the series. Yet, because of the sacrifices she was forced to make, Atrya wasn't as revered as other Shamra who were far less heroic.
I can't say there was any character who was my "least" favorite to write. I think the adversaries that the heroes face are as important as the heroes themselves and I enjoy creating my adversaries. I might not like the characters I've created but I enjoy bringing them to life. And, interestingly enough, if there is a "villain" in the entire series it's not those most would suggest. To me the clerics who altered the history of the Shamra (removing all mention of the heroics of females) are the most heinous.
7) Anything else you would like to say about yourself or your books?
For those who read the entire series, there is a bonus novella that follows Chaos Unleashed. It features two other characters who are among my favorites, Dara's twin daughters Elise and Janae. In the novella I was able to write about honor killings, a heinous practice that is part of the culture of some Middle-Eastern countries and has even occurred in this country among some who have immigrated here. I feel very strongly about human rights and too often the news is filled with the oppression of women around the world. Honor killings are among the most vile of these human rights violations. Oddly, I was able to write about the subject in a YA book with Dara's twin daughters for the first time able to emerge from the shadow of their mother. And, if I decide to continue the series, I will be able to keep it fresh with the focus on Elise and Janae rather than Dara. I feel I've said all there is about Dara's growth as a person but I've only scratched the surface of her daughters.
Thanks so much to Barry Hoffman for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer my questions and also to Cara over at Wunderkind PR for making it possible!


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"Penny wise, pound foolish" is how I'd describe a lot of bicyclists and drivers, but it's more like penny foolish, pound foolish because, really, the way people think that they're going to beat the system through calculation and bravo and lawbreaking results in very little gain and, presumably, much frustration. I think I noticed it even more tonight since I was on a slower bike, and accordingly, biked slower. The weaving, the honking, the running lights, the searching for any kind of "advantage" vis-a-vis those around you- it's crazy. Your commute is only as stressful as you let it be. Life is about managing (your own) expectations. Life, the board game, is about I'm not totally sure what because I don't think I've played it for 20 years and even then my grasp on its subtleties was pretty tenuous. Life, the cereal, is relatively delicious. Life, the tv show, was short-lived and I never watched it.
"Read Dianetics. Ask Me" is not something that I'd want on a t-shirt. "Smith and Wesson" is not something I'd want on my bike frame . But the first guy was apparently a Scientologist and the second guy was definitely a bike police officer and both had chosen their personal brand and I didn't have much choice but to notice it. Perhaps they could collaborate on a "Read Dianetics or I'll shoot you" campaign, but thank goodness for the establishment clause or whatever. Establishment Claus is the guy who would bring presents at Christmas, but for fact that it's not allowed by the Constitution. Establishment claws would be what would happen if the framers were tigers.
Some people say that you should ride your bike as if you're driving a car but I think that you should ride your bike as if you're riding a bike. Bikes and cars are different.
This thing by the Capitol. I took a picture.
|It's a sign that looks like a person
In front (and by that, on mean on the east side) of the Capitol, there was a photoshoot for a woman wearing a sash that read District of Columbia. I don't know if she was Miss DC or Mrs. DC or Mr who looks like a Mrs. DC or Ms. [ethnic/religious/nationality group] DC, but I do know that I might be a blurry image in the back of her glamour shots, so I'm really sorry about that. Also, from the perspective of civic pride, I'm not totally sure that the Capitol, the symbol of our congressional overlords with whom we have no voting representation, is a proper one. I'll let you suggest the proper backdrop for the "nationalist" District of Columbia photoshoot.
Stopped along East Capitol to talk to Dave, who was out walking his dog. I love my neighborhood so freaking much. It's like a village. And much of its kisfalusiság (this is a made-up Hungarian word that connotes "small villagey-ness") is something I get to experience because I ride a bike and it's pretty easy to stop and talk to someone who want to stop and talk with.
On Massachusetts, I rode on the wrong side of the street to let a moving van pass me. I was turning left anyway, so it wasn't that big of a deal. It is, however, just a reminder of the order of things, in that I feel that it's my best interest to ride illegally and improperly just to let a driver drive without having to slow a little to accommodate me on my bike. Not a big deal, I guess. Live and let live, though it's more him that's letting me doing the living and not the other way around.
Haven't figured out how I'm getting to BikeFest tonight. I don't know whether I'm driving the Escalade or the Suburban. Either way, there better be free parking.


text:
These newly released aerial shots from 9/11 capture more than anything else I've seen how massive and devastating the fall of the towers was. Horrific and breathtaking.
You can see the entire set of photographs here: Newly Released 9/11 World Trade Center Aerials. Props to Quinn for posting on FB.
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Poetry of Destruction: Aerial Shots from 9/11
Posted by Thomas Sherman at 4:17 AM
Labels: New York, photography, The Poetry of Destruction
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text:
In conversation with John Bradshaw Christine Nicol about Bradshaw's recent acclaimed book, In Defence of Dogs at 6:30. Bradshaw stands up for dogdom: not the caricature of the wolf in a dog suit, ready to dominate its unsuspecting owner at the first sign of weakness, not the trophy animal that collects rosettes and kudos for its breeder, but the real dog, the pet that just wants to be one of the family and enjoy life.
This Festival of Ideas event is part of a regular series of live discussions with Julian Baggini recorded at Foyles for the microphilosophy podcast series. Full details here


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Computex 2015: EVGA Shows GTX 980 Ti Variants - Classified, Hybrid and Hydro
Subject: Graphics Cards | June 1, 2015 - 06:00 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: maxwell, hydro copper, GTX 980 Ti, gm200, evga, computex 2015, computex, classified, acx
With the release of the brand new GeForce GTX 980 Ti from NVIDIA stirring up the week just before Computex in Taipei, you can be sure that all of NVIDIA's partners are going to be out in force showing off their custom graphics card solutions.
EVGA has several lined up and they were able to share some information with us. First up is the standard but custom cooled GTX 980 Ti that uses the ACX 2.0+ cooler. This new version of the ACX 2.0 cooler includes a "memory MOSFET Cooling Plate (MMCP) reduces MOSFET temperatures up to 13%, and optimized Straight Heat Pipes (SHP) additionally reduce GPU temperature by 5C. ACX 2.0+ coolers also feature optimized swept fan blades, double ball bearings and an extreme low power motor, delivering more air flow with less power, unlocking additional power for the GPU." We're looking forward to some hands-on testing with this card when it shows up on Monday morning.
Also due for an update is the EVGA Classified line, often considered one of the best cards you can buy for overclockers and extreme enthusiasts. Though the card is also using the ACX 2.0+ cooler it will include additional power delivery improvements on the PCB that help stretch available performance headroom.
Following in the footsteps of the recently released Titan X Hybrid comes the GTX 980 Ti version. This card will use a standard blower cooler for the memory and power delivery while attaching a self-contained water cooler for the GPU itself. This should keep the GPU temperature down quite a bit though the benefit to real-world overclocking is debatable with the voltage lock that NVIDIA has kept in place. If only they were to change that...
Finally, for the water cooling fans among us we have the GTX 980 Ti Hydro Copper, using a water block from EK.
Interested in clock speeds?
- EVGA 980 Ti ACX 2.0
- Base: 1000 MHz
- Boost: 1076 MHz
- Memory: 7010 MHz
- EVGA 980 Ti Classified
- Base: 1152 MHz
- Boost: 1241 MHz
- Memory: 7010 MHz
- EVGA 980 Ti Hybrid
- Base: 1140 MHz
- Boost: 1228 MHz
- Memory: 7010 MHz
I am still waiting for pricing and availability information which we will pass on as soon as we get it!
Podcast #342 - FreeSync Launch, Dell XPS 13, Super Fast DDR4 and more!
Subject: General Tech | March 26, 2015 - 01:51 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: XPS 13, video, Vector 180, usb 3.1, supernova, Silverstone, quadro, podcast, ocz, nvidia, m6000, gsync, FT05, freesync, Fortress, evga, dell, ddr4-3400, ddr4, corsair, broadwell-u, amd
Join us this week as we discuss the launch of FreeSync, Dell XPS 13, Super Fast DDR4 and more!
You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.
The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!
- iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
- RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
- MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file
Hosts:Ryan Shrout, Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath, and Sebastian Peak
Program length: 1:29:50
Week in Review:
News item of interest:
1:03:40 NVIDIA Quadro M6000 Announced
Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
Ryan: EVGA GTX 980 Hybrid
Jeremy: littleBits, get 'em here
Josh: IPS G-SYNC at 144Hz!
Sebastian: Anker Quick Charge 2.0 USB Adapter
Subscribe to the PC Perspective YouTube Channel for more videos, reviews and podcasts!!
Watercooling your EVGA X99 with Bitspower
Subject: Cases and Cooling | March 24, 2015 - 02:12 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: evga, X99 Classified, X99 FTW, watercooling, Bitspower, THOR EIX99
Now that most of the features once present on motherboards have been moved to the CPU there is far less need to watercool your chipset. However for the extreme overclocker there are advantages to cooling the MOSFETs on the VRM and PCH as well as the CPU itself. Modders-Inc has just reviewed the Bitspower THOR EIX99, specifically designed for EVGA's X99 Classified and FTW motherboards. The acrylic housing for the waterblocks bring a unique look to your motherboard as well as offering improvements to heat management. By installing the cooler Modders-Inc hit 4.5 GHz on an i7 5960X, not too bad for a $160 investment. The installation was simple but if you invest the time to design a custom watercooling loop you can get even more performance out of this kit.
"Bitspower makes various options for water blocks that cover Gigabyte, ASRock, MSI, Asus and EVGA motherboards. Recently, we reviewed the EVGA X99 Classified and that motherboard is designed to push the CPU as high as possible if the cooling equipment allows. Bitspower's THOR EIX99 is specifically designed to cover the EVGA X99 Classified as well as the EVGA X99 FTW motherboard, cooling the critical motherboard components and providing the thermal headroom that the MOSFETs and other parts require for a stable overclock."
Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
- SilverStone Tundra TD03-E LCS, Water That CPU @ Bjorn3d
- NZXT S340 Steel Mid-Tower Case @ [H]ard|OCP
- Be Quiet! Silent Base 800 Review @ OCC
- SilverStone Kublai KL05B @ Benchmark Reviews
- SilverStone PS11B-Q Mid-Tower Case @ Benchmark Reviews
- In Win 707 Full-Tower @ eTeknix
- BitFenix Prodigy M @ techPowerUp
- Phanteks Enthoo Evolv ITX @ Kitguru
- SilverStone SG13 SFF Case @ HardwareHeaven
- Raidmax Atomic ITX-107WB @ Benchmark Reviews
Introduction and Features
EVGA has just announced the arrival of two new GS power supplies in their popular SuperNOVA line, the 550GS and 650GS. Both power supplies are 80 Plus Gold certified and feature all modular cables, high-quality Japanese brand capacitors, and a super quiet 120mm cooling fan (with the ability to operate in silent, fan-less mode at low power levels). The 550GS and 650GS are housed in a compact chassis (150mm deep) and are backed by a 5-year warranty. These new GS units are manufactured by Seasonic and will start selling for $89.99 (550GS) and $99.99 (650GS) this spring.
EVGA was founded in 1999 with headquarters in Brea, California. They continue to specialize in producing NVIDIA based graphics adapters and Intel based motherboards and keep expanding their PC power supply product line, which currently includes twenty-two models ranging from the high-end 1,600W SuperNOVA T2 to the budget minded EVGA 400W power supply.
In this review we will be taking a detailed look at both the EVGA SuperNOVA 550GS and 650GS power supplies. It's nice when we receive two slightly different units in the same product series to look for consistency during testing.
Here is what EVGA has to say about the new SuperNOVA GS Gold PSUs: "The EVGA GS power supply lineup has arrived. These power supplies offer superior performance, at extremely low noise levels making these the perfect power supplies for a low noise environment. These power supplies also feature ECO mode meaning that the fan will run only when necessary, further reducing noise level and power consumption.
The EVGA SuperNOVA 550GS/650GS power supply raises the bar with 550W/650W of continuous power delivery and 90% (115VAC) / 92% (220VAC-240VAC) efficiency. A fully modular design with compact dimensions reduces case clutter and 100% Japanese capacitors ensures that only the absolute best components are used. This gives you the best stability, reliability, overclockability and unparalleled control. The EVGA SuperNOVA 550GS/650GS is the ultimate tool to eliminate all system bottlenecks and achieve unrivaled performance."
EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GS and 650 GS Gold PSU Key Features:
• Fully modular cables to reduce clutter and improve airflow
• 80PLUS Gold certified, with up to 90% (115VAC) / 92% (240VAC) efficiency
• Tight voltage regulation (2%), stable power with low AC ripple and noise
• Highest quality Japanese brand capacitors ensure long-term reliability
• Quiet 120mm Teflon Nano-Steel bearing cooling fan
• ECO Intelligent Thermal Control allows silent, fan-less operation at low power
• NVIDIA SLI & AMD Crossfire Ready
• Compliance with ErP Lot 6 2013 Requirement
• Active Power Factor correction (0.99) with Universal AC input
• Complete Protections: OVP, UVP, OPP, and SCP
• Compact chassis only 150mm (5.9") deep
• 5-Year warranty
Please continue reading our review of the EVGA SuperNOVA 550/650 GS Gold PSUs!!!
EVGA would like to give you a GTX 960 SSC and a Z97 FTW motherboard
Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Graphics Cards, Motherboards | February 20, 2015 - 05:10 PM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: z97, gtx 960, giveaway, evga, contest
I know, the nerve of some people. Jacob from EVGA emails me this week, complaining about how he has this graphics card and motherboard just sitting in his cubicle taking up space and "why won't I just give it away already!?"
Fine. I'll do it. For science.
So let's make this simple shall we? EVGA wants to get rid of some kick-ass gaming hardware and you want to win it. Why muddle up a good thing?
The Prizes
- EVGA GeForce GTX 960 SSC
- The EVGA GeForce GTX 960 delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and gaming technologies that only NVIDIA Maxwell technology can offer. This is the perfect upgrade, offering 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency of previous-generation cards*. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution for 4K-quality gaming on 1080P displays.
- The new EVGA ACX 2.0+ cooler brings new features to the award winning EVGA ACX 2.0 cooling technology. A Memory MOSFET Cooling Plate (MMCP) reduces MOSFET temperatures up to 11°C, and optimized Straight Heat Pipes (SHP) reduce GPU temperature by an additional 5°C. ACX 2.0+ coolers also feature optimized Swept fan blades, double ball bearings and an extreme low power motor, delivering more air flow with less power, unlocking additional power for the GPU.
- The EVGA GeForce GTX 960 delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and gaming technologies that only NVIDIA Maxwell technology can offer. This is the perfect upgrade, offering 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency of previous-generation cards*. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution for 4K-quality gaming on 1080P displays.
- EVGA Z97 FTW Motherboard
- Welcome to a new class of high performance motherboards with the EVGA Z97 lineup. These platforms offer a return to greatness with a new GUI BIOS interface, reimagined power VRM that focuses on efficiency, and are loaded with features such as Intel® Gigabit LAN, Native SATA 6G/USB 3.0 and more.
- Engineered for the performance users with excellent overclocking features. Includes a GUI BIOS that is focused on functionality, new software interface for overclocking in the O.S., high quality components, M.2 storage option and more.
- Welcome to a new class of high performance motherboards with the EVGA Z97 lineup. These platforms offer a return to greatness with a new GUI BIOS interface, reimagined power VRM that focuses on efficiency, and are loaded with features such as Intel® Gigabit LAN, Native SATA 6G/USB 3.0 and more.
The Process (aka how do you win?)
So even though I'm doing all the work getting this hardware out of Jacob's busy hands and to our readers...you do have to do a couple of things to win the hardware as well.
- Fill out the questionnaire below.
- Enter the "secret phrase" from tonight's 337th episode of the PC Perspective Podcast. We'll be live streaming at 10pm ET / 7pm PT or you can wait for the downloadable version at http://www.pcper.com/podcast or the video version on our PC Perspective YouTube channel.
The contest will run for one week so you will have more than enough time to listen to or watch the podcast and get the super-secret answer. We'll ship to anywhere in the world and one person will win both fantastic prizes! Once the contest closes (Wednesday, February 25th at 12pm ET) we'll randomly draw a winner from the form below that got the correct answer!
A HUGE thanks goes to our friends at EVGA for supplying the hardware for our giveaway. Good luck!
A baker's dozen of GTX 960
Back on the launch day of the GeForce GTX 960, we hosted NVIDIA's Tom Petersen for a live stream. During the event, NVIDIA and its partners provided ten GTX 960 cards for our live viewers to win which we handed out through about an hour and a half. An interesting idea was proposed during the event - what would happen if we tried to overclock all of the product NVIDIA had brought along to see what the distribution of results looked like? After notifying all the winners of their prizes and asking for permission from each, we started the arduous process of testing and overclocking a total of 13 (10 prizes plus our 3 retail units already in the office) different GTX 960 cards.
Hopefully we will be able to provide a solid base of knowledge for buyers of the GTX 960 that we don't normally have the opportunity to offer: what is the range of overclocking you can expect and what is the average or median result. I think you will find the data interesting.
The 13 Contenders
Our collection of thirteen GTX 960 cards includes a handful from ASUS, EVGA and MSI. The ASUS models are all STRIX models, the EVGA cards are of the SSC variety, and the MSI cards include a single Gaming model and three 100ME. (The only difference between the Gaming and 100ME MSI cards is the color of the cooler.)
To be fair to the prize winners, I actually assigned each of them a specific graphics card before opening them up and testing them. I didn't want to be accused of favoritism by giving the best overclockers to the best readers!
Continue reading our overclocking testing of 13 GeForce GTX 960 cards!!
Can the EVGA SuperNOVA 1300 G2 break the trend?
Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 9, 2015 - 03:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: evga, supernova 1300, 80 Plus Gold, modular psu, kilowatt
[H]ard|OCP has not been impressed with EVGA's PSUs; they are not bad but do not tend to match the quality and pricing of the competition. The new EVGA Supernova 1300 G2 is available for $180 and could buck this trend, it has a 10 year warranty, an 80 Plus Gold efficiency rating and it looks good on paper. With the ability to provide a hair over 108 amps to its 12V line, eight 6 pin PCIe power connectors of which two can have the extra pair of plugs for 8 pin and solid performance it seems that EVGA has indeed produced a great power supply. [H]ard|OCP does not often award the Gold to PSUs but in this case thanks to the excellent build and power quality along with a very competitive price EVGA has produced a very good product for those who need serious power for their PC.
"EVGA has a bit of a rocky road with HardOCP when it comes to PSU reviews. Today we give EVGA the opportunity to redeem itself with its 1300 watt powerhouse touting "exceptional efficiency" and a fully modular design that is "silent and optimized for the enthusiast." All this with a 10 year warranty? It must be a badass."
Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
- EVGA SuperNOVA P2 1600 @ Kitguru
- Seasonic Snow Silent 1050W @ Kitguru
- Corsair CS850M Power Supply @ Kitguru
- Rosewill Capstone 750W @ [H]ard|OCP
CES 2015: EVGA Shows Two New GTX 980 Cards
Subject: Graphics Cards, Shows and Expos | January 8, 2015 - 12:46 AM | Ryan Shrout
Tagged: video, maxwell, Kingpin, hydro copper, GTX 980, GM204, evga, classified, ces 2015, CES
EVGA posted up in its normal location at CES this year and had its entire lineup of goodies on display. There were a pair of new graphics cards we spotted too including the GTX 980 Hydro Copper and the GTX 980 Classified Kingpin Edition.
Though we have seen EVGA water cooling on the GTX 980 already, the new GTX 980 Hydro Copper uses a self-contained water cooler, built by Asetek, rather than a complete GPU water block. The memory and power delivery is cooled by the rest of the original heatsink and blower fan but because of lowered GPU temperatures, the fan will nearly always spin at its lowest RPM.
Speaking of temperatures, EVGA is saying that GPU load temperatures will be in the 40-50C range, significantly lower than what you have with even the best air coolers on the GTX 980 today. As for users that already have GTX 980 cards, EVGA is planning to sell the water cooler individually so you can upgrade yourself. Pricing isn't set on this but it should be available sometime in February.
Fans of the EVGA Classified Kingpin series will be glad to know that the GTX 980 iteration is nearly ready, also available in February and also without an known MSRP.
EVGA has included an additional 6-pin power connector, rearranged the memory traces and layout for added memory frequency and includes a single-slot bracket for any users that eventually remove the impressive air cooler for a full-on water block.
PC Perspective's CES 2015 coverage is sponsored by Logitech.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
CES 2015: EVGA Teases New NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 with AIO Liquid Cooling
Subject: Graphics Cards | January 6, 2015 - 11:30 PM | Sebastian Peak
Tagged: nvidia, liquid cooler, GTX 980, gpu cooler, gpu, evga, ces 2015, CES, AIO
EVGA has posted a photo on Twitter of a new GTX 980 with an integrated AIO liquid cooler.
The pic is captioned "GTX 980 HC AIO", which indicates that it will join the EVGA GTX 980 Hydro Copper (which carries an MSRP as $799) as a liquid-cooled option in their lineup. The big advantage here, however, is that AIO setup dangling off the back of the card. One free (120mm?) fan opening is all you'd need to be up and running without any extra work.
Of course, you could always buy yourself a suitcase full of AIO liquid-cooled GTX 980's for a cool $2999 if you don't want to wait for this EVGA option.
Triple SLI + AIO liquid cooling = suitcase?
We'll post news of this (seemingly) upcoming EVGA product once details are revealed.
PC Perspective's CES 2015 coverage is sponsored by Logitech.
Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!
Big Power, Small Size
Though the mindset that a small PC is a slow PC is fading, there are still quite a few readers out there that believe the size of your components will indicate how well they perform. That couldn't be further from the case, and this week we decided to build a small, but not tiny, PC to showcase that small can be beautiful too!
Below you will find a complete list of parts and components used in our build - but let me say right off the bat, to help alleviate as much vitriol in the comments as possible, there are quite a few ways you could build this system to either get a lower price, or higher performance, or quieter design, etc. Our selections were based on a balance of both with a nod towards expansion in a few cases.
Take a look:
|MicroATX Gaming Build
|Intel Core i7-4790K - $334
Corsair Hydro Series H80i - $87
|Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5 - $127
|G.Skill Ripjaws X 8GB DDR3-2133 - $88
|Graphics Card
|EVGA GeForce GTX 970 FTW - $399
|Samsung 250GB 850 EVO - $139
Western Digital 2TB Green - $79
|Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 - $89
|Power Supply
|Seasonic Platinum 860 watt PSU - $174
|Windows 8.1 x64 - $92
|Total Price
|$1602 - Amazon Full Cart
The starting point for this system is the Intel Core i7-4790K, the top-end Haswell processor for the Z97 chipset. In fact, the Core i7-4790K is a Devil's Canyon part, created by Intel to appease the enthusiast looking for an overclockable and high clocked quad-core part. This CPU will only lag behind the likes of the Haswell-E LGA2011 processors, but at just $340 or so, is significantly less expensive. Cooling the 4790K is Corsair's Hydro Series H80i double-thickness self contained water cooler.
For the motherboard I selected the Gigabyte Z97MX-Gaming 5, a MicroATX motherboard that combines performance and features in a mATX form factor, perfect for our build. This board includes support for SLI and CrossFire, has audio OP-AMP support, USB ports dedicated for DACs, M.2 storage support, Killer networking and more.
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Enough cookies for now! Everytime I get the urge to bake, I decide to whip up some chocolate chip cookies. It's probably cause they're satisfying and you're done in no time!
A few days ago, I decided to make a list of things I want to make and bake. From macarons, to profiteroles, to ice cream... the list goes on and on, and I keep adding to it. I finally decided to stop at a full page and begin!
I have been meaning to make a pineapple upside-down cake for a while now. And really, I don't know why I waited so long! It doesn't take a lot of effort and time to make, and it's not messy to flip over as I had imagined.
This cake was too rich for my taste. I would remake this recipe but throw out the excess butter that settles at the bottom of the pan after buttering it.


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We are circulating the letter below in an attempt to give a clear voice to our concerns.
If you agree with the content of this letter, PLEASE SIGN WITH YOUR FIRST NAME in the comment section of this post.
Please also circulate this letter to as many interested parties as you can. Including FU members, the press, and the underwriters of FIC, (including the Rockefeller Foundation, the New York State Health Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the New York City Investment Fund, Prudential's Social Investments Program, and the Pioneer Portfolio of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.)
Wishing you all good health.
Upset FU members.
Dear Ms. Horowitz,
We, members of Freelancers Union, were seriously adversely affected by the recent changes in health care insurance offered by the Freelancers Union. We object to this move in the strongest terms.
We find the reasons offered to these changes to be vague and unsatisfactory. Unclear future benefits are promised in return for very real and immediate disadvantages.
We are further dismayed that no negotiation with Empire BC/BS has taken place to compare their terms with those of FIC side by side.
We find unacceptable the way new members, even those who signed on with Freelancers Union just a few days before the announcement, were not warned by FU reps that the plan they have joined is facing termination.
We object to the fact that there was no consultation with members regarding this move.
We doubt the ability of FIC to serve its members. Since the announcement, it has been almost impossible to get responses to specific questions about details of coverage, either by phone or by e-mail.
We are also offended by what we perceive as insincere talk about the "exciting, important, and meaningful effort," "solidarity" and the mention of "a survey" that had no mention in it of a new health insurance. Such talk diminishes the reservoir of good will that FU enjoys.
We would like to know why the underwriters of FU and FIC allowed this to go through.
We would like FU to quickly address the following:
- Whether you would be willing to negotiate now with Empire BC/BS for a benefit plan similar to the 2008 plan.
- And if you can't or won't, why not?
- If you can't re-negotiate now with Empire BC/BS, would you allow your team to help us, as a group, to find a plan similar to last year's Empire BC/BS, especially the Direct POS plan, outside of the umbrella of FU.
In Sara Horowitz's own words, we "believe in the radical notion of fairness: we should all have access to the social safety net, regardless of how we work."


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What a week! I've been on a weird emotional rollercoaster of good things happening and bad things I need to deal with, but I'm getting through it all.
Last Saturday I went to Caltech to see the Bellydance Superstars. It was a good show with a nice mix of styles and music. And the costumes were fantastic!
On Sunday I danced at the Coffee Haven in Long Beach and if you weren't there, you missed a great show. There were five acts and each one was different. The performances ranged from tribal to traditional Egyptian and bit of everything in between. Zaynah and I offered up five choreographies over two sets, but diverged from them here and there to have fun with the crowd. It was a friendly group and we made some tips, so it was a good night. I'd like to send a shout out to Carlos Lanza and his friend who came out to see us!
The rest of the week was devoted to dancing and writing. I interviewed subjects for a bunch of stage stories, including "The Bible Experience Live" at Azusa Pacific University, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" at Theatre 360 in Pasadena and "Mask" at the Pasadena Playhouse. Watch for my stories at http://www.sgvn.com/ next week. This week you can read about my experience sampling cuisine and beer at Gord Biersch in Pasadena and my chat with the East Village Opera Company, who will be at Caltech in Pasadena.
If you want to find me this weekend, here's where I'll be:
Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles: Route 66
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday
Join me for a guided bus tour of Route 66 packed with history, fun facts, trivia and more.
Tickets are $55 and can be ordered online until the morning of the tour. For last minute bookings, please feel free to call 310-995-4591 after 8am on tour day, and if there are seats available, you can reserve a spot and pay with cash at the bus. http://www.esotouric.com/
Atomic Raq-It!
Belly dancing to the hits of the '50s, '60s & '70s
2:30-6 p.m. Sunday
I'll be dancing at 2:45 p.m. with swords, shimmies and smiles. $5 adults and $3 children under 10. Masonic Lodge, 131 Cajon, Redlands. http://www.mecda.org/
Photos we got 'em: Here's two photos from the Faster Pussycat show last week taken by my friend, Valerie, a photo of my friend Scott ripping on his guitar, one of Scott's bandmate just hanging and the last taken by my brother Jason- the most adorable (and smartest) dog in the world-- Atticus.
In rotation this week: Sparger, Nicole Atkins, The Buccaneers, High On Fire, Kidneys, Secondhand Serenade, Josie Cotton, HorrorPops, Beautiful Creatures and Mary Lou Lord.
Thought of the week: Sometimes it's hard to do the right thing. I've been wrestling with a situation that I know I have to face and it's tough. It hurts me to do what I have to do, but I know it's for the best-- I have to part with one of my friends. He's been going through a lot and, even though his life is looking up again, he still has a lot of anger and takes it out on everyone around him (that means me too). It's stressful to be around him and I have to watch everything I say so I don't upset him. I've decided to let this negativity out of my life. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers, as I need to be strong and do this the right way.
Keep on rockin'


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Riba Foods Arriba! Bacon Salsa.
Roasted Tomato, Tomato, Water, Jalapeno Pepper, Textured Vegetable Protein (Soy Flour, Caramel Color, Red 3), Cilantro, Soybean Oil, Precooked Real Bacon Bits (Cured With: Water, Salt, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrate, May Contain Sugar, Brown Sugar, and/or Smoke Flavoring), Salt, Natural Flavor (Water, Hydrolyzed Yeast, Natural Flavor, Lactic Acid), Tomato Paste, Paprika Extract, Garlic (Dried), Onion (Dried), Artificial Flavoring (Hydrolyzed Corn-Soy-Wheat Protein, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean/Cottonseed Oils, Thiamine Hydrochloride, Dextrose, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Artificial Flavor), Caramel Color, Maple Syrup, Corn Syrup, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride, and Citric Acid
Shake well. Refrigerate after opening.
Always refer to the actual package for the most accurate information


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In 1976 Beryl joined the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP), Hanauer Camp.
She was proud of her ancestors and cherished her pioneer heritage.
It is evident from this well-used list of ancestors,
she turned here frequently to keep track of family members, and their names.
After Pete's retirement, they frequently vacationed with friends,
Harvey and Veda Danks (Harvey must have taken the picture).
In 1962 Richard, Beryl, Pete, with Ringo.
Beryl enjoyed playing the slot machines whenever they vacationed in Nevada,
and she liked to win!
In 1979 their children invited friends and family to celebrate
Pete and Beryl's fiftieth wedding anniversary.
Elizabeth is her youngest grandchild, and is shown here in 1984 near Beryl
with the family kitten on her lap.
Beryl was always the care giver. In the last few years of her life, Beryl's family had the opportunity to reverse roles with her. She lived in her daughter Marlene's home, until she passed away on December 22, 1986.
Pete passed away the following September 21, 1987.
After Beryl began receiving Social Security she had a little money to call her own. She did with it whatever she chose, and tithing was on the top of her list. She was a great one for stashing money in a "safe place," and sometimes had a difficult time remembering where it was.
A pile of books from Pete and Beryl's house was headed to "good will" following their passing and the sale of the home. Their son Richard rifled through the pile, retrieving a few he could use, a good dictionary in particular. Months, or a year or more, later one of her grandchildren picked up that dictionary to look up a word, and out fell a hundred-dollar-bill. Forever after they searched through anything that came from their grandparent's house—looking for one-hundred-dollar-bills.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Bonus picture here


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Thursday, September 6, 2012
Abrams Signs Up New Fox Drama
JJ Abrams' remains busy as he has has found a replacement show for Fringe with Fox. Abrams and his Fringe showrunner J.H. Wyman have signed a pilot agreement with the network for "an action-packed buddy cop show, set in the near future, when all LAPD officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids." Abrams will exec produce with Wyman set to run this new show if it gets an order.
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The Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con is underway in Rosemont and has something for just about everyone.
Comic book creators, stars from TV and the big screen and of course, passionate fans will fill the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center all weekend.
Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
5555 N. River Rd. Rosemont
Tonight til 8p
Fri 12-7p
Sat. 10a -8p
Sun. 11a-5p
Tickets start at $40
Info: wizardworld.com


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Another one of my favorites is the gloGloss. The colors are all so beautiful and provide you with a lasting shine. It uses ingredients like safflower oil and aloe to give your lips moisture. I love the way it doesn't feel sticky and that my lips stay hydrated. You can choose from 16 gorgeous shades!
I just recently discovered cream eyeliner and I don't know if I could ever use anything else. the gloCream eye liner comes in 5 different shades that are budgeproof. When you apply this eyeliner with a brush it gives you a very precise line and it glides into place. You can also smudge it to get that smoky eye stare. I usually put it on neatly in the morning and then smudge it for night. I like that glominerals has created cosmetics that are not only great beauty enhancers but are also good for your skin. You can find everything that you need for your beauty routine at their shop here and start glowing!


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Sunday, March 02, 2008
Oscar Winner Marion Cotillard
Denies she has any kind of "Anglo-Saxon ambition"
Oscar winner Marion Cotillard doesn't believe the Apollo Moon Landings occurred. She has also accused America of fabricating the 9/11 attacks:
Via William Katz.
Oscar winner Marion Cotillard doesn't believe the Apollo Moon Landings occurred. She has also accused America of fabricating the 9/11 attacks:
I think we're lied to about a number of things," Cotillard said, singling out the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center as an example of the US making up horror stories for political ends.I hope she's ridiculed for this and that it kills her career.
Referring to the two passenger jets being flown into the Twin Towers, Cotillard said:
"We see other towers of the same kind being hit by planes. Are they burned? They [sic] was a tower, I believe it was in Spain, which burnt for 24 hours. It never collapsed. None of these towers collapsed. And there [in New York], in a few minutes, the whole thing collapsed."
She added that the towers, planned in the early Sixties, were an outdated "money-sucker" that would have cost more to modernise than to rebuild altogether, which is why they were destroyed.
She said: "It was a money-sucker because they were finished, it seems to me, by 1973, and to re-cable all that, to bring up-to-date all the technology and everything, it was a lot more expensive, that work, than destroying them."
Via William Katz.
<< Home
<< Home


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A lot of the rotation talk will focus on the order of the rotation, and who deserves to go in which spot. The best way to tackle the rotation is to look at the match-ups of the opponents. Below are the OPS vs. LHP - OPS vs. RHP for each American League team in 2007.
Toronto 0.133
Tampa Bay 0.065
Oakland 0.049
Seattle 0.043
Cleveland 0.037
Detroit 0.034
Kansas City 0.028
Chicago 0.012
Texas 0.008
Baltimore 0.006
Los Angeles Angels -0.002
Boston -0.008
Minnesota -0.014
New York -0.055
If we assume the tendencies stay the same (an assumption that may not hold for overhauled lineups like Minnesota, Chicago, and Oakland), this table shows that you want your right-handed pitchers facing teams like Toronto and Tampa Bay, while saving the lefties for Boston, Minnesota, and New York.
Looking at the Tigers first 20 opponents, the starters would face the following teams:
Kansas City
Kansas City
Kansas City
Next I averaged the OPS differences for each opponent, putting Kenny Rogers between Jeremy Bonderman and Justin Verlander, and assigning remaining highest split to Dontrelle Willis, who has a bigger split for his career than Nate Robertson. The result was:
Kenny Rogers
Justin Verlander
Nate Robertson
Dontrelle Willis
Jeremy Bonderman
Can you imagine the outcry if Justin Verlander was not the opening day starter? Indeed, this seems to make the most sense. The opening day starter will appear to miss the right-handed heavy Blue Jays. It would be best if that pitcher is left handed. Surely, there must be a way to justify the decision to make Justin Verlander the Opening Day starting pitcher.
There is.
The above analysis ignores an all too common phenomenon that occurs in April: postponements. When looking through parks where the Tigers play outdoor games, I found roughly 10% of games April 20 or sooner are rained out. I made some quick assumptions to make the calculations a bit easier:
- Only the last game of a series getting rained out affects the rotation. I am assuming that games earlier in the series will be made up the next day.
- Only one game can be lost per series. This one is a bit precarious, especially after the blizzard in Cleveland last year. This cuts down scenarios significantly leaving only six games to worry about.
- The Tigers five starters will stay healthy and pitch their turn throughout the course of the first 20 games.
- Only one or two of these games will be postponed. Scenarios of three or more were deemed unlikely, and their probability was close to zero.
1. 0.160
2. 0.170
3. 0.158
4. 0.159
5. 0.140
According to this, the right-handed pitchers should go 1-2, with the lefties going 3-5. 1,3, and 4 are interchangeable. I am going to move one of the right-handers from 1 to 4 to split them up, and put Rogers in between. Bonderman has a higher platoon split than Verlander, so he will go in the #2 spot. Dontrelle Willis's platoon split will put him into the #5 spot, leaving the rotation as:
1. Nate Robertson
2. Jeremy Bonderman
3. Kenny Rogers
4. Justin Verlander
5. Dontrelle Willis
I don't think that rotation would be too popular, even if this study shows it to be the most effective. There were so many assumptions and shortcuts made here, that this rotation may not even be the best. Jim Leyland will still have to consider home/away splits, and other factors that come up. Still, while it is a nice reward for your ace, it is not always the best strategy to pitch your best pitcher on opening day.


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When I sit at my computer and surf the biking blogs, I get overwhelmed with messages of titanic effort, suffering, redemption, epicness.
Hundreds of miles of mountain biking in 36 hours! Raising thousands of dollars for an unimpeachable cause by exercising myself into the ground! Jumping off cliffs and flying! Drinking enough caffeine to power a small town for a week!
Bigger! Faster! Sronger! Richer! Go! GO! GO-O-O!!
Okay, America. Put your feet on the floor, relax, and take a dee-e-p breath. Hold it...........
Okay; let it out.
I still get suckered by the extreme side of my most beloved sport. I get lured by the esacpades of guys even older than my 47 years who pack survivalist essentials into a bike-frame bag every weekend and fly off to ride three days into the middle of the arctic tundra, without sleep, surviving on nothing but hand-ground artisan coffee and scavenged berries. I read about dudes who put in hundreds of austere miles toward their race-readiness, perfectly kitted and floating effortlessly past the 150-mile-mark.
And then I seriously feel I am missing out, or there is something flat-out wrong with me. Am I weak? Is my manhood in question here? Should I go see my doctor?
Where there is room for someone who just loves to ride a bike? Sometimes hard and fast, sometimes slow and pleasurably? Stopping to take a few pictures (heresy!), chatting with a local. Where are the folks who feel good if they get 20 miles in?
Where are the people who aren't looking to completely redefine themselves every time they swing their leg over a saddle?
We are outliers. Persona non grata.
When I first started riding again a few years ago, I took myself way too seriously, and aimed at becoming one of the Extremers. Over time, my body gave me a serires of very clear messages that this was not my fate.
Without a doubt, I am sad I can't ride hundreds of miles at a stretch -- it sounds like a blast. But I am learning, (very) slowly, to enjoy what I can do. And I am learning that there are everyday heroes right here in the anonymous middle of the continuum: people who get up before the sun on Saturdays so they can ride over both the hills they were contemplating the night before, and then go back and clean the house, shop for the food, play with the kids, and basically do a good life, contentedly below the radar.
If you're out there, send me a message in a bike bottle. Or better yet, start a blog. We need to remind each other that we're the 99% of the gene pool.


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Hephaestus Forges Love
I figure ol' Hephaestus for a typewriter man. In another time, he might have made a fine repairman of all things bent and broken, an artist in iron and steel. Why, there's no telling what kind of machines we'd be knocking on.
Maybe he needed a little anger management training. Maybe he wouldn't have been quite prepared for the women's movement. I'll bet he could fix fix a few of my typewriters, though. There's that.
And Aphrodite? She could hold her own.
15 comments → Hephaestus Forges Love
Aphrodite as sweater-girl tickles me, for some reason. Loved this one. Really.
This poem remains my favorite Monda creation.
I always felt kind of bad for Hephaestus. Here he is all ugly and lame, but kept around because he has a useful skill, then he gets THE girl, and she screws around on him with frickin' Ares.
CStanford said... August 27, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Well-forged poem!
Crazy People I said... August 27, 2009 at 1:11 PM
I absolutely LOVE the vintage look of your blog. Well done!
Re: Above post - my spazzy fingers hit the publish button before I was finished! Sorry!
Amazing artistry! I'm glad I stumbled upon this blog.
Indeed a great Monda creatiion
Monda said... August 27, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Thanks, y'all! And no, Mike, Hephaestus couldn't catch a break. There's a trophy-wife life lesson in this somewhere.
I'm not sure what "sad irons" are, but they made me think of the poor fella.
cool blog
Kathi said... August 29, 2009 at 4:08 PM
Monda, darlin', how have I missed reading one of your very own poems until now? I love this. Them ancient Greeks knew a thing or two about human nature, that's for sure.
Do you have some poetry collections published? I'm gonna mosey around your blogosphere & see if I find some more.
Monda said... August 30, 2009 at 7:47 AM
I used to be a poet, but misplaced my 'edge' somewhere in the 90s. If anyone finds it, please wrap it carefully and send it back to me. I'll pay postage.
Phoenix said... August 30, 2009 at 8:17 AM
What a creatively laid out blog!!
Kathi said... August 30, 2009 at 9:15 PM
Oh, lordy, Monda. Me, too. I wrote lots of poetry in my twenties. Delivered lots of heart-breakingly earnest public readings, those precursors to poetry slams, back in the 70's & 80's. O-2-B young. By the time one is "of a certain age," one is too tired to be edgy. Although, I will admit that hot flashes & sleep deprivation due to night sweats give one's attitude a certain "je-ne-sais-quoi." Perhaps you'll recherche your attitude when you hit menopause.
Something to look forward to...perhaps.
Oh, wow! I so love vintage! The poem is great but I just can't help but notice how you present your stuff here. So artistic, you are! Keep it up! :)
Monda said... September 1, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Thanks, ya'll! I don't know about the menopause thing, Kathy. You know I'm entirely too young.


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Notorious evader of weddings Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond (John Howard) is just about to go on his way to Switzerland with his fiancé Phyllis Clavering (Louise Campbell) in tow to marry there, when he stumbles into another wedding-postponing affair.
I don't know what the odds are that a suitcase containing a highly experimental and volatile explosive Drummond's old friend/foe Colonel/Inspector/Whatever Nielson (John Barrymore, in an act of cruelty first-billed despite not being the actual hero of the piece) is trying to keep out of the wrong hands will land directly in front of Drummond's feet, but it does.
Before our hero can do very much about it, the bad guys out to steal the explosive break into his home, drive his and his nit-wit buddy's Algy (Reginald Denny) respective better halves into wild screeching and fainting (there is - alas - a lot of fainting of women in the movie), and escape with the explosive again. This however, as lazy scripting will have it, is not at all the last our heroes see of the explosives nor the bad guys, for everyone will make their respective ways over the channel in the same train and on the same ferry. Drummond, Phyllis, Drummond's Butler Tennison (E.E. Clive), an Algy too easily distracted by villains to leave a train on time, and the exasperated Nielson soon play catch with the bad guys again, one of whom walks around in drag for reasons of being less conspicuous.
Louis King's Bulldog Drummond's Revenge is the first appearance of John Howard as the - in the movies - decidedly non-fascist adventurer Bulldog Drummond, a role he would go on to reprise many a time. In his first film, however, the actor is not as fun to watch as Colman or Ray Milland were in the role. Here - and I've seen Howard's other Drummond appearances in a past so distant I don't dare say anything about later films or I'd turn into one of these IMDB "reviewers" who talk about films they watched once thirty years ago pretending they still know what they're talking about - Howard's Drummond seems neither as silly and charming as Colman's, nor as mad as a hatter as Milland's, and lands at an uncomfortable place where he often just seems not quite as charming as he's supposed to be, as well as just a bit too serious for the film he's in.
How much of that impression is caused by the film's rather dubious script is anybody's guess. Now, I don't expect deep psychological insights or clever plotting from this sort of movie (this clearly was an actual B-movie in the true sense of the word, that is to say, a film meant as the shorter film of a double bill), but I do expect a film to not unnecessarily bank on happenstance to drive its plot further when it might more fruitfully let its protagonists actually do something smart or fun to get to the same point, as it is generally more entertaining when a film's heroes act instead of only ever reacting to things that happen for no good reason. I'm also not too enamoured with the way the film sets up its many "comic" episodes as scenes that seem completely disconnected from what's happening around them, especially since the humorous moments that are actually needed in the plot are the only ones that are in fact funny.
I had also to cope with a certain degree of disappointment when I realized that the film uses its female characters strictly to nag and faint and get threatened a bit, which stands in strange contrast to the other Drummond's I've seen where the women all were allowed some degree of independence (most of all Heather Angel in the Milland Drummond) despite being kidnap fodder and eye candy. I know, this was made in 1937, but Bulldog Drummond's Revenge isn't doing much else to distract me from its flaws, so I don't see why I should ignore them.


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Last week I had the pleasure of attending the opening of a dear friend. This month at Marni Muir Gallery is a delightful show called Folklore of the Senses.
It includes work from three artists of the same family:
Jessica Dodge
William Burney
Laurel Dodge
You can preview the exhibition here.
Pictured above is Jessica and behind her are works by her lovely artist daughter, Laurel.
Jessica paints reverse oil on glass which is just lovely. We met this summer while attending Artist Trust's EDGE program.
Works by Jessica's artist father, William Burney. Tons of bright colors and frolicking forms to brighten the downpour we had that night!


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27 February 2010
Doris H. Coles Passes Away
The Florida Genealogical Society extends its sincere condolences on the passing of Doris H. Coles, a member of our society. She passed away on February 18th after a brief illness. You may read her obituary at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sptimes/obituary.aspx?n=doris-coles&pid=139982094.
Posted by Florida Genealogical Society, Inc. at 4:39 PM
Labels: FGS Members


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Now the title for this blog could sound extremely rude and some might say, I will get loads of porn surfers looking up my blog now for food porn suggestions. However, as I am writing a blog about my new found wisdom in culinary skills and the course I am on is currently focusing on vegetables - I am surprised myself, with a carrot's versatility. Julienne, Jardinere, Paysanne, (types of cutting techniques). They are used in soups, stocks and as decoration. You roast them, boil them, grate them, puree them - I could go on. Well its interesting for me anyways.
So the course is one week in and I am delighted by the prospects of another 15 weeks. True a week on vegetables may sound boring but we have to have a grounding and build our way up. It was sauces today! - All the french words keep getting stuck in my throat and make me jittery about whether I will remember them all, but I will get there. Bechamel sauce, mornay, mushroom, some easy, some meant to drive you mad, but once you know the technique - its tre terrifique!
So I am bringing home all the food I cook, which means trying to get ellaborate with its uses. Todays mushroom sauce and mornay sauce has been used to make my diner tonight and lunches for the next two days - Just add a little fettucine to the sauces and with the mornay I added a little streaky bacon so carbonara tommorrow. Friday was theory day and we had a day at looking at how to run a kitchen and more importantly what to think about to ensure it makes money. So budgeting and menu planning - I suppose this is what its all really about. getting creative but making it financially viable. Sort of takes the romance out of it all. Sure I would love to order fresh truffles from France - flown over in a lear jet, for that perfect over the top dish that's gonna wow the patrons, but then I would need a patron willing to pay over $25,000 for a dish. I have several projects to work on over the next few months involving setting up a menu for a select group of people (different each project) but ensure I budget accordingly. I have $17.60 to cook a Mediteranean meal for two - that includes starter, main and desert. I pay over $10.00 just for a sandwich for lunch most days. Fuck me its gonna be hard! But enjoying the "wake up and smell the roses" nature of it all. Wish me luck and I will tell you all about my menu decisions.
Thanks dear reader. Speak again soon.
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I'm taking Lilla Rogers Bootcamp class and this month's assignment was bolt fabric with a Jello theme. I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing this project and submitting on time so that it can be viewed in the gallery. Below are my coordinating fabrics.
Click here to see the gallery of artists and their truly exciting work.