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Routine work‐process, lack of self‐management, and long work‐hours have traditionally been the main topics of discussion within the occupational stress literature, constituting the primary factors that make people breakdown and burn out. But within the last couple of years, this discussion has expanded its focus from issues concerning the disciplinary work‐space. Increasing attention is now being placed on the problems related to the burgeoning interest in employee empowerment and self‐management in contemporary work‐life. In short, how stress relates to self‐management. These working conditions, which put a great deal of emphasis on the subjectivity of the employee and the ability of the employee to self‐manage in a pursuit of an organization's goals, are thus no longer regarded as something that decreases stress, but rather as something that evokes it. However, as this thesis argues, one can regard stress as more than a crisis we are faced with in our work‐life. It is also an element that co‐produces what it is to be a efficient employee‐subject within this work‐life. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari's ontology of flows and machines, this sketches out how stress among self‐managing employees, and in particular the manner in which stress is reduced to a matter of individual coping, can be viewed as an organising process that separates, joins and codes the ontological fabric of our lives. In this regard, certain modes of existence centred on stress issues and the coping strategies of individuals are themselves produced as an individual responsibility for maximizing one's own productivity as a self‐managing and committed employee. As I will argue, the production of this mode of existence of the employee‐subject revolves around the assumption of an employee subject that is able to tune its feelings, desires and thoughts in to a life of productivity without breaking‐down their body and soul. In fact, the potential break‐down of stress should act as an internal limit for personal productivity, as a way of rebooting to an ever more efficient self‐management. All in all, we can therefore talk of a production‐process revolving around the presumption of an always fitter, happier, more productive employee. The questions raised in the investigation of this particular form of production of subjectivity are: what notions of subjectivity as a productive resource are we presented with when not only self‐management but also the management of the stress this self‐management might entail becomes an underlying foundation for a flexible and efficient organization? What can an employee think, do and hope for under such circumstances? What are the dynamics that drive such a notion of subjectivity? And with what necessity does this notion set itself forth? All in all, the claim made in the thesis is that for this fitter, happier, and more productive employee, dealing with oneself and stress are primarily matters of individual responsibility and personal development. But by turning stress into matters of individual responsibility, happiness and productivity, one thereby misses some of the underlying ontological processes working within selfmanagement theories and practices. These processes are pre‐personal or preindividual in the sense that they outline ways we can be produced as individual subjects. These not only produce stress as a possibility for any particular individual to assume, they also convert stress‐issues amongst employees into matters of being unable to adequately contribute towards the organization, leading in turn towards an understanding of these issues as something best handled if employees can improve their own coping abilities. If they can better their own self. We can hence talk of a commitment machine that produces a zone of indiscernability between the subjectivity of the employee and the efficiency of the organization connecting up with a coping machine that frames problems within this zone as a matter of personal problems regarding one's subjectivity. The coping machine serves to reinforce the production of the self‐managing employee by making the employees themselves each responsible for learning to take control of their own passion for working in the organization. The employee has to be passionate and committed, of course; but they now also have to distance themselves from this passion and commitment in order to perform well at their tasks. These passions are simultaneously considered both essential and problematic: the employee is both part of an ideal state and a pathological condition. The coping machine makes this pathological condition into a problem of personal commitment rather than making it a task for questioning how the production of the pre‐individual zone of indiscernability between the work and the employees' subjectivity is itself set up by the commitment machine. In other words, the coping machine produces a mode of existence wherein stress results from an overemphasis, on the part of the employees, upon the commitment towards their work and from a failure to deploy the most appropriate selfmanagement technologies. The thesis can thus be said to be guided by three ambitions in its unfolding of this tune in, break‐down and reboot motion. First of all, to give an account of the inherent modes of existence produced within the contemporary organizational ideal of the committed self‐managing employee. This is done through a reading of various discussions about the management of employee subjectivity ranging from the self‐leadership literature focusing on self‐management as intrinsically motivating and enjoyable through to discussions of incitements to self‐manage and commit as a subtle ways to encroach and exploit the employee's personal subjectivity to contemporary discussions of the new nature of capitalism and its focus on the active living forms of knowledge as the key to value‐production. The second ambition is to address a prevalent paradigm within the occupational stress and stress‐management literature, namely that of coping, as a reinforcement of this demand for a committed and self managing employee. This is done through a reading of some of the most influential scholars within stress and coping and best‐sellers on stress‐management. The third and final ambition is to describe this movement of reinforcement, or tune in, break‐down and reboot movement, through the Deleuzian notion of machines that in various dynamic ways produce and regulate ways of being or modes of existence. Consequently, it will be suggested that the nuts and bolts making up the relation between self‐management and stress is part of a mode of existence that sets up certain expectations about the problem of stress and the enterprise of dealing with stress as an individual productivity and enjoyment issue: being fitter, happier, and more productive rather than being regarded as part of the pre‐individual collective endeavor that constitutes us as these very subjects. Today in self‐management these machines of commitment and coping might produce us as a fitter, happier, and more productive subject. But this very machinic production that unleashes and confines our subjectivity as employees depends on an extremely unstable pre‐individual force. Tapping into this force always means that the foundation of these machines are themselves vulnerable and fragile, or as Deleuze might put it: we do not know yet what we are capable of as this fitter, happier, more productive employee, we do not know were the preindividual forces that animates the machines of commitment and coping might bring us, so we must tune in, breakdown, and reboot to find out. Besides a short introduction and a first chapter that highlight some of the most important notions in the thesis, such as self‐management, stress, subjectivity, modes of existence, pre‐individual forces and social machines, the thesis consists of three parts. The first part running from chapter two through five, is called Machines and Maps. Here I discuss the concept of machines as it is developed by Deleuze and Guattari. Of particular interest is their notion of a social machine. Also crucial is what a machinic approach in general implies when analyzing an object of research and how this approach is utilized to understand the production of subjectivity in contemporary work‐life. The second part Self‐management and the Commitment‐machine runs from chapter six to eleven. Here I outline two machinic indices of a self‐management, namely the 'subjectivity' and 'commitment' and the machinery that drives them; the commitment machine. In the third and last part Stress and the Coping‐machine, which runs from chapter twelve to fifteen, I shift my focus towards the two machinic indices of stress: 'the somatic subject' and 'the coping processes'. I end up with a description of the coping machinery that drives these indices and how this machinery connects up with the commitment machine resulting in the production of the stress‐fit self‐managing employee.
|Copenhagen Business School [Phd]
|Antal sider
|ISBN (Trykt)
|Udgivet - 2009
|PhD series
- Ph.d.-afhandlinger
- Stress-arbejde
- Arbejde-privatliv
- Arbejdsliv
- Medbestemmelse


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Gov. Bill Haslam's $32.8 billion budget has cleared the Tennessee General Assembly.
The Senate unanimously approved the spending plan on Wednesday afternoon, and the House later followed suit on an 83-14 vote.
On Thursday, the Senate unanimously agreed with minor changes the House made and sent the proposal to the governor.
The budget includes $77.4 million for a 1.5 percent pay raise for state employees, $22.2 million to reduce the sales tax on food by a quarter of a cent, and $18.7 million to continue the elimination of the state's inheritance tax.
The measure also has $100 million to shore up the state's rainy day fund, which is currently $356 million.
The latest and final part of the South Main Design Challenge, a competition among 35 teams of planners and architects, goes public Friday, April 26, at 431 S. Main St.
The presentation will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. during the monthly Friday Art Trolley Tour.
The 15 teams remaining in the competition will unveil their concepts for three more parts of the South Main streetscape: Army and Navy Parks, the one-story brick storefront that now has a plywood mural of buffaloes, and the fenced lot south of the Arcade restaurant that has a set of red banners with lyrics from songs that mention Memphis.
The Downtown Memphis Commission and the Memphis chapter of the American Institute of Architects present the competition.
Raymond James Financial Inc. has undertaken a round of job cuts it says is "unprecedented in the firm's history."
And it's attributing the cuts to remaining employee overlap from the April 2012 acquisition of Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc.
Raymond James acknowledged it's trimming its employee headcount by a little more than 3 percent at its St. Petersburg, Fla., home office.
The roughly 115 job cuts there leave the home office staff level at approximately 3,200.
Meanwhile, about 45 other positions are being cut at other Raymond James locations around the country, including 18 positions in Memphis.
Raymond James says it maintained "elevated staff levels" since its purchase of Morgan Keegan to "ensure a consistent service experience for clients and to assist with the consolidation of the two firms."
The integration was completed in February.
"We are grateful for the dedicated service of associates impacted by these changes, and affected individuals were offered severance and career transition assistance," reads a statement from the company. "These were not easy decisions, and we made every effort to be thoughtful and deliberate in our approach to achieving our staffing goals.
"While an adjustment of this size is unprecedented in the firm's history, it is the consequence of an equally unprecedented acquisition. We do not expect additional sizeable employment-related changes."
An effort to revive a failed bill to boost the amount of money political groups can give to candidates and to do away with reporting requirements for donations by corporations faces a high hurdle in the House.
The bill sponsored by House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin on Wednesday received only 48 votes on the House floor – two short of the constitutional minimum to clear the chamber.
While Casada tells The Associated Press he found enough votes to pass the bill in the House, the clerk's office confirms that he would need to gain a two-thirds vote in the committee that sets floor calendars.
That panel includes House Speaker Beth Harwell and several chairmen who either abstained or voted against the bill on Wednesday.
Memphis-based Triumph Bank is in the top spot on a recently released list by the U.S. Small Business Administration of lender rankings by loan dollar amounts in Tennessee.
The list covers Oct. 1 through Feb. 28. Triumph was ranked as the No. 1 SBA lender in the state, with a total of $5.8 million in SBA loans. Also, Triumph's loan volume was focused mostly on Shelby County, underscoring its local emphasis.
According to the SBA list, Triumph Bank outperformed more than 40 lenders.
Triumph president Will Chase said SBA lending has been a major factor in the bank's growth. Triumph was founded in 2006 and has grown its assets to more than $400 million.
The most recent tax sale by the Shelby County Chancery Court Clerk's office of tax delinquent properties brought in more than $350,000, according to Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir.
The Trustee's office provides management support for the property sales at auction.
A total of 10 properties were sold Monday, April 8, at the auction that featured 36 properties.
There were 58 registered bidders in the process.
For all 10 properties, the total bid price was $357,473.11.
The amount is $195,000 above the total minimum bid amount for the 10 properties combined. The minimum bid amount on each property is based on the taxes and penalties due.
Some of the properties were much higher than the minimum bid.
A Lakeland property at 10123 Gillespie Oak Drive drew a high bid of $180,000 after starting at a minimum bid of $21,599.
Shelby County bought 24 of the properties for a total minimum bid of $121,755 and will eventually turn them over to the Shelby County Land Bank.
The land bank will market those 24 to recoup the cost and return them to the tax rolls.
The chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority has expressed confidence in the organization following a proposal in the 2014 Obama budget last week that suggested a possible sale of the public utility.
At a Thursday, April 18, TVA board meeting, Bill Sansom said the board welcomes a proposed strategic review of the agency and any suggestions for ways to better serve the people in its seven-state region.
Sansom said he believes TVA is a good model and the review will also be good.
But Sansom also said some areas need improvement and he suggested that making those improvements could help TVA in the upcoming review.
The board also approved creating an advisory council on energy resources.
Among other things, the council would advise staff on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
A measure of the U.S. economy's future health declined slightly in March, signaling that growth could slow this spring.
The Conference Board says its index of leading indicators dipped 0.1 percent last month to 94.7. That's the first decline after three months of gains. The gauge is designed to anticipate economic conditions three to six months out.
Declines in consumer confidence, housing permits and new orders for manufactured goods pushed down the index.
Higher stock prices and a larger spread between long-term and short-term interest rates offset the decline.
The index is derived from data that for the most part have already been reported individually.
"Data for March reflect an economy that has lost some steam," said Ken Goldstein, an economist at the Conference Board.
Across-the-board government spending cuts that kicked in March 1 are likely weighing on growth, Goldstein said. Economists forecast the cuts will shave a half-percentage point from growth this year.
The private sector is also struggling, Goldstein added. "The biggest challenge remains weak demand, due to nervous consumer sentiment and slow income growth," he said.
But overall, "the leading indicator still points to a continuing but slow growth environment," Ataman Ozyildirim, also an economist at the Conference Board, said. The board is a research group with a mostly business membership.
The Leading Indicator index has increased 1.6 percent in the past six months, much faster than the 0.1 percent gain in the previous six months.
Most economists forecast growth accelerated to an annual rate of roughly 3 percent in the January-March quarter, up from a 0.4 percent rate in the fourth quarter.
But many analysts expect growth is slowing in the April-June quarter, mostly because of the spending cuts. Some economists are forecasting a growth rate of 1.5 percent for the second quarter.
An Arkansas legislative panel has advanced an effort to outlaw most lobbyist gifts to elected officials, ban corporate campaign contributions and loosen term limits for state lawmakers.
The Joint Committee on Constitutional Amendments on Thursday approved a proposal to let voters decide on adding a package of ethics and campaign finance rules to the state's constitution.
A previous version of the proposal cleared the House earlier this month, but was rejected earlier this week when the backers sought to make several minor changes to the bill.
The panel also endorsed another proposed amendment that would have made it harder for people to get their proposals on the Arkansas ballot.
Both measures now head the House and Senate. If approved, they would appear on the 2014 ballot.
The Memphis office of CBIZ MHM is hosting a CFO/Controller Conference next month at the Fogelman Executive Center on the University of Memphis campus.
The event on May 14 will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Presentations will focus on providing CFOs and controllers with direction on addressing current challenges within their respective organizations.
Topics will include the current business lending environment, data breach and security standards, hiring practices, and the Affordable Care Act.
Attendees can register for the conference online (http://cfocontrollerconfmay2013.eventbrite.com) for a fee of $50, which includes the cost of breakfast and lunch.
For more information about CBIZ Memphis and the CFO/Controller Conference Series, visit www.cbizmemphis.com.
The Family Safety Center, an organization that provides services to victims of family violence, said it recently added Adoption Counseling Services Inc., Friends for Life Corp., and Memphis Shelby Crime Commission to its list of partner organizations.
The Memphis Shelby Crime Commission played a key role in the formation of the Family Safety Center, but only recently became an official partner. Adoption Counseling Services provides counseling and child placement services for expectant parents, while Friends for Life assists people affected by and living with HIV and AIDS.
Olliette Murry-Drobot, executive director of the Family Safety Center, says each of the organization's partners offers specific services that can address the varied needs of family violence victims.
The state Department of Children's Services must turn over to the media records from the case files of 50 children who died or nearly died after the agency became involved with them.
Davidson County Chancellor Carol McCoy on Wednesday also ordered that the state must bear the cost of redacting identifying information from the records. The media organizations will pay the cost of making copies.
The group of plaintiffs is led by The Tennessean newspaper and includes The Associated Press.
In September, The Tennessean requested the records of all the children involved with DCS who had died or nearly died between 2009 and mid-2012. The state produced only bare-bones summaries and later acknowledged it did not know how many children had died during that period.
Memphis City Council members approved Tuesday, April 16, a severance package for city workers at auto inspection stations as talks continue among the city, county and state governments about who will operate the emissions testing at those stations.
Council members voted last year to end all city funding of the stations and the testing effective June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.
The resolution by council member Lee Harris provides for two and a half years of pay and continuing health insurance coverage for two and a half years in what amounts to a $400,000 expense Harris proposed to pay from city reserve funds.
If the city continues to fund the emissions testing after June 30, the resolution would be void.
The council also approved on third and final reading a set of amendments to the Unified Development Code that were approved Monday by the Shelby County Commission.
In other action, the council approved the appointment of Pace Cooper as the newest member of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Board.
The council also approved a planned development at Greenlaw and North Fifth Street that is a parking lot and possible expansion area for Memphis College Preparatory Elementary School.
The council voted down a resolution appropriating $99,213 for sewer repairs to the Cedar Creek Sewer extension in an area in the Memphis annexation reserve area but not in the city of Memphis.
Council members questioned the 50-50 split with a developer the administration could not identify at a time when the city is not moving to annex any areas.
More signs of weak demand for fuel in the U.S. sank the price of oil by nearly 3 percent.
The Energy Department said Wednesday that demand for gasoline over the four weeks ended April 12 was 3.3 percent less than a year earlier, averaging 8.4 million barrels a day. The weekly report indicated that use of distillates like heating oil and diesel was light as well.
The Energy Department said gasoline supplies fell last week by 600,000 barrels, only half the amount expected by analysts. At 221.7 million barrels, the nation's supply of gasoline is 3.6 percent above year-ago levels. Wholesale gasoline futures dropped 7 cents to $2.71 a gallon.
In addition, supplies of distillate fuel posted a surprise increase of 2.4 million barrels. Analysts expected a decline of 850,000 barrels.
The drop in demand follows some weak U.S. economic data, starting two weeks ago with a disappointing employment report.
Oil has fallen sharply in the past week, part of a broad sell-off in commodities that included gold recording its biggest one-day drop in 30 years, due mainly to lower-than-expected growth in China during the first quarter of the year. Oil is now down about $8 a barrel, or nearly 9 percent, since last Wednesday.
On Tuesday the International Monetary Fund lowered its outlook for world economic growth this year to 3.3 percent from its January forecast of 3.5 percent. It expects U.S. economic growth of 1.9 percent this year, down from a January estimate of 2.1 percent, while the IMF sees the combined economy of the 17 eurozone countries shrinking 0.3 percent in 2013.
Shelby County Commissioners approved Monday, April 15, the sale of the old Tall Trees Juvenile Detention facility at 3335 Old Getwell Road.
The 9.78 acres of land was sold for $125,000 to Errick Farmer who plans to use the site for the group Young Builders of America.
Tall Trees closed in 2004 and was declared surplus county property for sale soon after. It sold at an earlier auction for $285,00 but the buyer never closed on the purchase.
The commission also approved a set of amendments to the Unified Development Code on third and final reading Monday. The changes are part of a continual process of adjusting the code adopted by Memphis city and Shelby County governments in 2012.
Arkansas is set to provide a new steel company with $125 million in financing and a package of tax breaks to build a mill in the northeast part of the state after the Legislature gave final approval to the plan on Tuesday.
By an 81-9 vote, House lawmakers passed a Senate-approved budget bill to fund Gov. Mike Beebe's proposal to provide Big River Steel with a loan and pay some construction costs of a $1.1 billion steel mill the company wants to build in Osceola.
In exchange, the company promises to create at least 525 permanent jobs with an average annual wage of at least $75,000 – twice the state's average.
Big River Steel has said it wants to close the deal in the third quarter of this year. The plant will make steel for auto, oil and gas and electrical energy industries.
Some conservatives had lobbied against Beebe's proposal, arguing that the government shouldn't be subsidizing the startup costs for a private business.
Nucor Steel, which operates two facilities in the region, also urged lawmakers to reject the plan and said the competition could force it to scale back its Arkansas workforce.
Arkansas voters in 2004 gave legislators authority to borrow money for economic development after narrowly missing out on a Toyota truck plant that was eventually built in San Antonio.
Arkansas was also an also-ran in 2007, when Toyota opted to build a Highlander SUV plant in Tupelo, Miss.
This is the first time Arkansas has issued bonds since the amendment passed.
Bank On Memphis, a campaign that provides financial literacy and financial access through public, private and nonprofit collaborations, is celebrating National Financial Literacy Month in April.
The celebration will include a series of financial literacy workshops culminating with an April 26 event at Court Square.
Several Bank On Memphis partner financial institutions and credit counseling services will be available to discuss savings and checking account options, as well as tips for credit repair.
Preceding the event, Bank On Memphis representatives will conduct free financial literacy classes on personal finance and budgeting. For a complete list of those events, visit the event calendar at www.shelbycountytrustee.com.
Magna Bank has named Frazer Gieselmann as senior vice president and manager of construction lending.
As manager of construction lending, he will lead the bank in providing construction loans to individuals and builders.
Gieselmann joins Magna from Cadence Bank, where he was a senior vice president in the construction lending and bank-owned real estate departments.
Magna also has hired new employees in its commercial real estate, retail banking and mortgage departments.
Wendy Boles has been hired as a senior loan analyst in commercial real estate to support Magna's commercial and multifamily real estate division. Previously, she was a loan administrator at Financial Federal Bank.
Christine Cormack will lead new business development at Magna's Oak Court branch. She previously worked at several Wells Fargo branches and as a branch manager at SunTrust.
And Kathy Wash has joined Magna Bank as a service and compliance analyst in the bank's mortgage servicing unit. She previously worked as a real estate owned property manager.
A proposal to redraw Tennessee's judicial districts for the first time since 1984 has passed the Senate.
The plan from Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville was approved 27-4 on Tuesday.
The measure would affect 22 counties in eight districts. The number of judicial districts have been reduced from 31 to 29.
The proposal would create separate judicial districts for Rutherford and Williamson counties because of population growth in the Nashville suburbs.
Two judicial districts in northwestern Tennessee made up of Lake, Dyer, Obion and Weakley counties would be merged into a single district. Coffee County would be folded into one with Cannon, Warren and Van Buren counties.
Tennessee Finance and Administration Commissioner Mark Emkes is leaving the administration of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam at the end of May, Haslam announced Monday, April 15.
Emkes, the former CEO and president of Bridgestone Americas, is leaving to be with his wife in Spain.
Emkes was Haslam's pick for the critical posting before he took office as governor in 2011. Haslam said Monday he has begun a replacement search.
As Department of Finance and Administration commissioner, the 60-year-old Emkes has been responsible for budget matters and managing the state's day-to-day finances.
Emkes' retirement comes following Haslam's decision to forgo – at least for the time being – $1.4 billion in federal money in the upcoming budget year for Medicaid expansion while pursuing a special arrangement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a bill to require public notices to be published on newspaper websites.
The measure maintains a requirement for public notices to be published in the print editions of newspapers. It would also create a statewide online clearinghouse for all notices.
Sponsors say the Tennessee Press Association called for the changes in the interest of enhanced transparency.
"The public notice law is a positive step forward for government transparency," said Kent Flanagan, director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government.
"It actually ensures that public notices will be posted on third party independent websites."
The measure was sponsored by Republican Sen. Ken Yager of Harriman and Rep. Ryan Haynes, R-Knoxville.
The House approved the legislation 94-1, and it passed the Senate 31-1.
Scot Lenoir, Evolve Bank & Trust chairman, has been appointed to the board of The Regional Medical Center at Memphis.
The MED President and CEO Dr. Reginald Coopwood said Lenoir's extensive financial background makes him a strong fit for the board.
Memphis-based Evolve currently operate five full-service branches in Arkansas and Tennessee with 35 mortgage production offices around the country.
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by The Daily News Publishing Co. Inc. - All Rights Reserved

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Peanut Butter Fudge
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful recipe to have on hand when you've promised to contribute something to a bake sale and are running short of time. The recipe was developed by Alton Brown and it's a winner on several level, the most important being taste. The fudge is delicious. It is also extremely easy to make and can be prepared with peanut butter or Nutella. When things are this simple, there is one thing you should keep in mind. If you love to experiment, this is not the recipe for you. Measurements, especially the one for confectioners' sugar, needs be exact and you'll have a tragedy on your hands if you venture too far from the weights and measures listed in the ingredients list. It really is necessary to weigh the sugar or buy a pre-measured 1-pound box. In either case, the sugar should be sifted to eliminate lumps. The recipe is misleading in some respects. It uses words like pour, when scrape and pat are more appropriate and it neglects to tell you the paper used to line the pan must be buttered. The mixture is very hard to work with a spoon. I found there is a point at which it becomes easier to mix with immaculately clean, ringless hands and keep that your little secret. I certainly promise not to tell. This has proved to be an extremely popular recipe at the Food Network. Hundreds of people have made the fudge and you can read their comments here. Some of the responders have used soft margarine to achieve a candy with a softer fudge texture. The basic recipe produces 1-inch squares of fudge-like candy. I've found that the candy has enough body to be formed into balls which can then be rolled in chopped salted peanuts. The batch I made today was heading to a bake sale, so I stuck with the classic cube shape. I obviously prefer the peanut butter fudge balls. I hope you'll check the comments regarding this treat over at the Food Network. Here's the recipe.
Peanut Butter Fudge...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Alton Brown
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar
Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week. Yield: 64 1-inch pieces.
You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chocolate Nut Butter No Bake Fudge - Lisa's Kitchen
Rocky Road Fudge Candy - Baking and Boys
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Fudge Candy - Deep South Dish
Peanut Butter Fudge - Brown Eyed Baker
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge - A Bitchin' Kitchen
Easy Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge - At Home in Alaska
Butter Pecan Fudge - Sweetnicks
White Sweetheart Fudge - Get Cooking
Espresso Fudge - Our Kitchen
Dad's Favorite Fudge - Simply Recipes
Eggnog Fudge - The Recipe Girl
Fine Cooking Fudge - Cookie Madness
69 comments :
- Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce said...
Oh what a wonderful treat! Where was this bake sale?! I want some! Although I am intrigued by you saying it's easy to make!
- March 18, 2011 at 10:38 PM
- JG said...
Peanut Butter Fudge! I was thinking about it today and now I have your recipe. :) Yummy!
- March 18, 2011 at 11:02 PM
- The Words Crafter said...
Oh my gosh, my mom used to make this all the time!!!! I don't like peanut butter cookies, but I could eat the fudge until I exploded, lol.
Since I don't have a copy of her recipe, I'm thrilled to have this one, thanks :)
Have a great weekend!
- March 18, 2011 at 11:09 PM
This looks really delicious! When Fannie May candy stores were more prevalent in Chicago, I would always get a piece of maple nut fudge. I may have to tweak this recipe to get my fix! Great post!
- March 18, 2011 at 11:19 PM
- Meg Johnston said...
That sounds so good and so easy! I bet it'd be great dipped in chocolate!
- March 18, 2011 at 11:38 PM
- Ginny Hartzler said...
This looks wonderful, and is a double treat!! I just gave my granddaughter a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich for lunch!
- March 18, 2011 at 11:42 PM
- Reshmi Mahesh said...
Wow...The fudge looks yummy...I liked the write up too...you have clearly mentioned all the dos and donts...Thanks for sharing...
- March 19, 2011 at 12:06 AM
- Jeannie said...
Very sinful treat...looks wonderful, bet it'll be a sold out item at the bake sale:)
- March 19, 2011 at 1:46 AM
- Red Nomad OZ said...
Oh dear. 3 of my favourite words in one title ... !! Who needs a waistline, anyway!!!
- March 19, 2011 at 2:27 AM
- alison said...
i will try your fudge recipe soond,i love it!:)
- March 19, 2011 at 2:29 AM
- Chele said...
I'm pretty sure that if I made this fudge for my Husband he would ask me to marry him all over again!! Super star of a recipe.
- March 19, 2011 at 2:48 AM
- Katarina said...
I love fudge :) Thanks for sharing the recipe and for the useful tips. Have a great day!
- March 19, 2011 at 3:09 AM
- Laura (TLN) said...
Oh my...PB fudge dipped in chocolate (hooray Meg hehe)...heaven. :)
- March 19, 2011 at 3:40 AM
- CaThY said...
Wow, this is simply yummy! Easy to prepare too. Though sinful, but I heart! Hehehe ;)
- March 19, 2011 at 3:59 AM
- Three-Cookies said...
Recipes so simple can be very dangerous if we cannot control our wilpower:)
- March 19, 2011 at 4:27 AM
- Unknown said...
Amazing little cuties of peanut butter fudge...:)
- March 19, 2011 at 4:51 AM
- Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...
My wife and daughter adore peanut butter! This looks delicious :)
- March 19, 2011 at 5:40 AM
- Alessandra said...
One day I will try to make peanut butter fudge... and maybe add a little nutella :-)
Have a good week-end
- March 19, 2011 at 6:25 AM
- Alessandra said...
One day I will try to make peanut butter fudge... and maybe add a little nutella :-)
Have a good week-end
- March 19, 2011 at 6:25 AM
I told myself at Christmas to make fudge year round not just during the holidays. I may have to try this soon!
- March 19, 2011 at 7:00 AM
- Love2cook Malaysia said...
OMG, I just feel like grabbing some over! :D
- March 19, 2011 at 7:08 AM
- From the Kitchen said...
I'm happy to be back online in time for this. Is it o.k. to make it if there's no bake sale involved?
- March 19, 2011 at 7:49 AM
- nanny said...
Sounds easy and looks great!
I made my first peanut butter balls recently and they were pretty tasty.
- March 19, 2011 at 8:02 AM
- Carol @ There's Always Thyme to Cook said...
This sounds like I could actually make this! It looks so good!
- March 19, 2011 at 8:56 AM
- Jersey Girl Cooks said...
Nice treat. Next time my kids have a bake sale, I think I will make some fudge.
- March 19, 2011 at 9:22 AM
- Tanna said...
Where is that bake sale? hee hee Hope you have a wonderful Satureday, Mary! Blessings ~ Tanna
- March 19, 2011 at 9:28 AM
- Kim said...
I love this recipe Mary. Sounds and looks delicious. Have a good day!
- March 19, 2011 at 9:44 AM
- Mostly Food and Crafts said...
I cant wait to try this!
- March 19, 2011 at 10:22 AM
- Rita said...
My grandson's favourite fudge; thank you for sharing this Easy recipe.
- March 19, 2011 at 10:33 AM
- Big Dude said...
In my youth, this may have been my favorite sweet treat.
- March 19, 2011 at 10:57 AM
- Pondside said...
I have never had much luck in making fudge, so I am always a good bake sale customer, hunting for the butterscotch fudge on the tables. I will try this if I can find a one pound bag of sugar.....or I'll have to get a scale.(but perhaps it's about time!)
- March 19, 2011 at 10:57 AM
- Suman Singh said...
What a easy and delicious recipe..looks YUM!
- March 19, 2011 at 11:01 AM
- What's next said...
This may be our weekend treat! Thanks.
- March 19, 2011 at 11:02 AM
- Barbara said...
I haven't made fudge since the kids were little. Although my dad loved it...his favorite was penuche. My kids would love the peanut butter!
- March 19, 2011 at 11:11 AM
- Ana Rita Marreiros said...
OMG Mary!!
I just loved today's recipe...
So easy to make and so yummmyyyyy....
I 'll give it a try as soon as i buy peannut butter, that run out.
Kisses and have a lovelly weekend,
- March 19, 2011 at 11:18 AM
- Clint said...
Looks absolutely fantastic. The problem I have with fudge is that I can't stop eating it once I start. Thanks, Mary!
- March 19, 2011 at 11:30 AM
- lena said...
i didnt know that such simple steps to make these fantastic looking fudge! thanks for the recipe!
- March 19, 2011 at 12:02 PM
- Unknown said...
Ooohhh.. I have made this same recipe before..it's sooooo good! Creamy and delicious! Yours looks wonderful, Mary!
- March 19, 2011 at 12:10 PM
- sally said...
I love that this recipe combines to of my favorite things--peanut butter and fudge!
- March 19, 2011 at 12:25 PM
- Jocie's Mom said...
My Gramma used to make peanut butter fudge for me and for my entire childhood it was my candy of choice. She also liked to ball it and coat it in chocolate. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. Although, I'm sure it will never taste as good as Gramma P's. :)
By the way I've given you an award over at Deep Dish today. Thanks for being an awesome blog.
- March 19, 2011 at 1:01 PM
- Catherine said...
Dear Mary, I love peanut butter...turn it into fudge and I love peanut butter fudge...Have a wonderful weekend...Blessings, Catherine
- March 19, 2011 at 1:03 PM
- Khadija El Mary said...
Peanut Butter Fudge, never tried this before! It sounds so delicious and thanks for the recipe. Lovely post!
Have a great evening Mary!
- March 19, 2011 at 1:31 PM
- Tasha said...
This would be such a great recipe to hang on for the holidays. For my cookie/sweets trays, I always love to include something with peanut butter and like to have at least one or two recipes that come together quickly. This would be a perfect additon!
- March 19, 2011 at 1:39 PM
- Chiara said...
This looks really delicious
Mary!It'a lovely treat, thanks for sharing, a hug....
- March 19, 2011 at 2:04 PM
- Joanne said...
I have a bake sale I need to make something for and this is the perfect recipe!
- March 19, 2011 at 2:05 PM
- Kath said...
Question....can you use natural peanut butter, like Adams, or do you need to use something like Jif or Skippy? I know it makes a difference in some recipes.
Your fudge looks delicious! Thanks for all of the helpful hints in the introduction, too.
- March 19, 2011 at 2:05 PM
- Priya Suresh said...
Prefect fudge for my sweet tooth..yumm!
- March 19, 2011 at 2:55 PM
- Rachel Cotterill said...
I could devour a piece of that right now! Though you've seen straight through me, I'm one of life's natural experiementers... ;)
- March 19, 2011 at 3:14 PM
- GLENDA CHILDERS said...
I am wondering if anyone has ever tried 1/2 peanut butter and 1/2 nutella. Thanks for the heads up on the exact measuring. I am kind of a through things in cook.
- March 19, 2011 at 3:30 PM
- Katie said...
I looove peanut butter. This looks incredible...but a bit dangerous, too!
- March 19, 2011 at 3:32 PM
I made this after I read your post. It is a terrific recipe. Mister loves it and I also took some to the in laws to help me not eat ALL of it!
I think this would make an excellent filling for chocolate covered Easter eggs.
Thank you!
- March 19, 2011 at 4:07 PM
- Claudia said...
Fudge has never been a strong point of mine and I love it (and really love the idea of the Nutella fudge. I will be checking out the comments and see if I can get a grip on this (although your advice is so sound - I probably could just take it from here.)
- March 19, 2011 at 4:09 PM
- pigpigscorner said...
YUM! I've tried quite a few Alton's recipe and they were all delicious.<3 him!
- March 19, 2011 at 4:45 PM
- Unknown said...
This is my kind of baking! This fudge looks wonderful! I like peanut butter everything - good to know NOT to stray from the recipe - Alton IS a scientist/chemist after all - he knows his measurments!!!
- March 19, 2011 at 4:49 PM
- That Girl said...
Alton Brown is my go-to guy for a lot of recipes.
- March 19, 2011 at 5:53 PM
- Miri Leigh said...
This fudge looks DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing!
- March 19, 2011 at 7:44 PM
- Buttercup said...
I'm glad I'm seeing this virtually...definitely could add some pounds. Would like to try this with Nutella. Looks yummy!
- March 19, 2011 at 7:45 PM
- Wendy Irene said...
Anything with peanut butter in it is a winner to me! I love how this recipe is simple and does not require many ingredients. This is one I need to keep in mind in the future when I am looking to whip up a fast treat. I hope you are having a beautiful Saturday!
- March 19, 2011 at 8:10 PM
- Maria said...
Even the name of this dish sounds too delicious and I bet it was exactly that! Looks fantastic Mary!
- March 19, 2011 at 8:10 PM
- Elaine said...
As much as I love peanut butter, I don't think I have ever had peanut butter fudge. Looks good and perfect for a bake sale.
- March 19, 2011 at 9:11 PM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
Peanut butter fudge would be fantastic Mary, but what stood out for me is that you can use Nutella which to me would be outstanding!
- March 19, 2011 at 9:24 PM
- The Newlywed Chefs said...
Mary- your comment on our blog made our hearts melt! What sweet words. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by. Your blog is awesome, and this peanut butter fudge recipe looks amazing! Take care, friend!
- March 19, 2011 at 10:26 PM
- Lyndas recipe box said...
I love peanut butter fudge, and this recipe does sound easy. My fudge has to be cooked, so I don't make it often. So
I'm bookmarking it for my next craving!
Have a wonderful weekend Mary.
- March 19, 2011 at 11:47 PM
- Monet said...
What a simple yet decadent recipe. I want a piece! Thankfully, this is easy enough that I can whip up a batch tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your creativity with me! I hope you have a blessed Sunday. You make me smile :-)
- March 20, 2011 at 12:15 AM
- Emma said...
Oh yum, I love fudge especially pb flavoured. I can't be trusted around it as I generally eat it until I feel sick tbh!
- March 20, 2011 at 5:07 PM
- dawn said...
i have been looking for a peanut butter fudge recipe. thanks for posting this!
- March 20, 2011 at 10:58 PM
- A Bitchin' Kitchen said...
Thanks for linking to our recipe! This version looks delicious too, and even more peanut-buttery! :)
- Maggie
- March 21, 2011 at 1:35 AM
- Bossy Chef said...
I LOOOOOVE peanut butter fudge... what a great quick recipe. I will have to try this out this week. Thank you.
- March 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM
- Laural (bhealthier) said...
ok - I have ALL of these ingredients so this is a definite on me attempting BUT I'm traveling all week for work so I won't be in town to cook!
can't wait to try it, need to bookmark this!
- March 21, 2011 at 3:52 PM


text:
10/July - 2015. - Death Valley, California, USA - 2015. - We left our hotel at 07:30 am in Las Vegas, Nevada this morning heading for Death Valley, California.. Stopping off at Pahrump, Nevada at Mom's Diner, a fantastic place to eat, we had a great breakfast at this beautiful little diner.
USA - 2015. - Driving around another 30 miles from there into Death Valley, California. This is an awesome place to be, that landscape holds its own beauty. Stopping off along the way taken photos of the beautiful landscapes. We stopped of at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, there are some fantastic views of Death Valley from here. The landscapes here in Death Valley, from the time we entered this National Park. were awesome.
"You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet Until Your In Death Valley, California".At one point in Death Valley, at Badwater Basin, you will find yourself (Like I Did) at 282 feet below sea level. - Death Valley, California is "HOT & AWESOME".
In middle of miles of treacherous salt flats, Badwater Basin is actually some distance from the pool that gives it its name. You walk along a wooden pier that lets you get onto the salt flats. Walking out onto these salt flats is hot, it is an amazing sight to see, miles of salt flats, in the middle of this amazing national park. People Queue Up For A Photo @ A Sign That Denotes The Actual Spot That Is 282 Feet Below Sea Level. "Death Valley Record Of The Highest Temperature" as on July 10th - 1913 it was 134 deg. "On Average Death Valley Is The Hottest Place On Earth"
We stayed the overnight at Furnace Creek Ranch, at around 4:45pm, as we went for something to eat, the temperature was showing at 117 deg. We had a couple of ice cold quenches, the end to a very hot day.


text:
The Warner Bros. prequel earned $30 million, bringing the domestic gross to $190.3 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday.
Disney's animated adventure, "Frozen," took the No. 2 position, earning $28.9 million over the weekend and $248.4 million domestically after six weeks at the multiplex.
"'Frozen' probably had the best release date of the year because they positioned themselves to completely dominate the family film marketplace over the holidays," said box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian of Rentrak. "To be No. 2 in its sixth week is a total reflection of that."
Reigning box-office champion "Hobbit," ''really contributed to this record box office that we have at the end of the year," he added. "With 'Hobbit' and 'Frozen,' we are talking $450 million at the box office between those two films alone. They are absolutely killing it here at the end of the year."
This year is poised to be a banner one at the box office, and it is projected to surpass 2012's $10.8 billion by nearly 1 percent, making this the highest annual take ever.
Paramount held two slots in the top five over the weekend, with the comedies "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," starring Will Farrell, and "The Wolf of Wall Street," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio. Sequel "Anchorman 2" came in at No. 3 with $20.2 million, and Martin Scorsese's dark comedy, "The Wolf of Wall Street," took the No. 5 spot, earning $19 million after opening at No. 2 on Christmas Day with $9.15 million.
"Some people are calling the performance of 'Anchorman' a bit of a disappointment, but it will be a $100 million gross at the end of the day," Dergarabedian said. "All of the marketing certainly raised its profile. It will have a good showing."
"Anchorman" met studio expectations over the Christmas holiday.
"We are thrilled and we feel the movie will play well in theaters for a while," said Don Harris, president of distribution at Paramount. "The first film brought in $84 million, and this one will be well north of that."
At nearly three hours long, "Wolf" does not have as many showings in a day as the rest of the pictures currently in theaters, yet it's holding its own at the multiplex. "The movie is very much out there in terms of content, and that's a good thing," added Harris. "It's different than anything else in the marketplace. I think people are surprised that it's a lot of fun."
At No. 4, Sony Pictures corruption saga, "American Hustle," made $19.6 million. David O. Russell's entertaining take on the Abscam investigation of the 1970s, starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, has grossed $60 million domestically and gained seven Golden Globe nominations.
Oscar hopeful "Saving Mr. Banks," Disney's making of "Mary Poppins" story, starring Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, came in at No. 6, making $14.3 million.
Fox's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," Ben Stiller's dramatic turn, which he also directed, took seventh place, earning $13 million. "'Mitty' is a feel-good film and with the combination of our excellent exit polls and audience friendly rating at PG-13, I think we are going to play well into the New Year," said Chris Aronson, president of distribution at Twentieth Century Fox. "This has been an incredibly fragmented and healthy marketplace as we're expected to finish with a record year."
And despite lackluster reviews, Keanu Reeves' martial-arts film "47 Ronin" managed to slide into the top 10 at No. 9 with $9.9 million in its opening weekend.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday:
1."The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," $30 million ($98.3 million international).
2."Frozen," $28.9 million ($50.5 million international).
3."Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues," $20.2 million ($8 million international).
4."American Hustle," $19.6 million ($1.7 million international).
5."The Wolf of Wall Street," $19 million ($6.5 million international).
6."Saving Mr. Banks," $14.3 million ($300,000 international).
7."The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," $13 million ($27.2 million international).
8."The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," $10.2 million ($9 million international).
9."47 Ronin," $9.9 million ($13.8 million international).
10."Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas," $7.4 million.
Estimated weekend ticket sales Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada) for films distributed overseas by Hollywood studios, according to Rentrak:
1."The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," $98.3 million.
2."Frozen," $50.5 million.
3."The Secret Life of Mitty," $27.2 million.
4."Police Story 2013," $18 million.
5."47 Ronin," $13.8 million.
6."The Physician," $13 million.
7."Personal Tailor," $12.5 million.
8."Walking With Dinosaurs," $12.3 million.
9."The Attorney," $12 million.
10."The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," $9 million.
Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.


text:
public final class IntField extends Field
Field that indexes
int values
for efficient range filtering and sorting. Here's an example usage:
document.add(new IntField(name, 6, Field.Store.NO));For optimal performance, re-use the
IntField and
Document instance for more than one document:
IntField field = new IntField(name, 6, Field.Store.NO); Document document = new Document(); document.add(field); for(all documents) { ... field.setIntValue(value) writer.addDocument(document); ... }See also
To perform range querying or filtering against a
IntField, use
To sort according to a
IntField, use the normal numeric sort types, eg
values can also be loaded directly from
You may add the same field name as an
IntField to
the same document more than once. Range querying and
filtering will be the logical OR of all values; so a range query
will hit all documents that have at least one value in
the range. However sort behavior is not defined. If you need to sort,
you should separately index a single-valued
IntField will consume somewhat more disk space
in the index than an ordinary single-valued field.
However, for a typical index that includes substantial
textual content per document, this increase will likely
be in the noise.
Within Lucene, each numeric value is indexed as a
trie structure, where each term is logically
assigned to larger and larger pre-defined brackets (which
are simply lower-precision representations of the value).
The step size between each successive bracket is called the
precisionStep, measured in bits. Smaller
precisionStep values result in larger number
of brackets, which consumes more disk space in the index
but may result in faster range search performance. The
default value, 8, was selected for a reasonable tradeoff
of disk space consumption versus performance. You can
create a custom
FieldType and invoke the
FieldType.setNumericPrecisionStep(int) method if you'd
like to change the value. Note that you must also
specify a congruent value when creating
For low cardinality fields larger precision steps are good.
If the cardinality is < 100, it is fair
to use
Integer.MAX_VALUE, which produces one
term per value.
For more information on the internals of numeric trie
indexing, including the
configuration, see
NumericRangeQuery. The format of
indexed values is described in
If you only need to sort by numeric value, and never
run range querying/filtering, you can index using a
precisionStep of
This will minimize disk space consumed.
More advanced users can instead use
NumericTokenStream directly, when indexing numbers. This
class is a wrapper around this token stream type for
easier, more intuitive usage.
Field.Index, Field.Store, Field.TermVector
|Modifier and Type
|Field and Description
static FieldType
Type for an IntField that is not stored: normalization factors, frequencies, and positions are omitted.
static FieldType
Type for a stored IntField: normalization factors, frequencies, and positions are omitted.
boost, fieldsData, name, tokenStream, type
|Constructor and Description
IntField(String name,
int value,
Field.Store stored)
Creates a stored or un-stored IntField with the provided value and default
NumericUtils.PRECISION_STEP_DEFAULT_32 (8).
IntField(String name,
int value,
FieldType type)
Expert: allows you to customize the
binaryValue, boost, fieldType, name, numericValue, readerValue, setBoost, setBytesValue, setBytesValue, setByteValue, setDoubleValue, setFloatValue, setIntValue, setLongValue, setReaderValue, setShortValue, setStringValue, setTokenStream, stringValue, tokenStream, tokenStreamValue, toString, translateFieldType
public static final FieldType TYPE_NOT_STORED
public static final FieldType TYPE_STORED
public IntField(String name, int value, Field.Store stored)
NumericUtils.PRECISION_STEP_DEFAULT_32 (8).
name - field name
value - 32-bit integer value
stored - Store.YES if the content should also be stored
IllegalArgumentException - if the field name is null.
public IntField(String name, int value, FieldType type)
name - field name
value - 32-bit integer value
type - customized field type: must have
IllegalArgumentException - if the field name or type is null, or
if the field type does not have a INT numericType()
Copyright © 2000-2017 Apache Software Foundation. All Rights Reserved.


text:
RALEIGH, N.C. — Singer-songwriter Clay Aiken doesn't have a problem with name recognition. But that doesn't mean voters in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District will send the "American Idol" star to Washington to represent them in Congress.
Republican Rep. Renee Ellmers has represented the district for two terms and would like to make it three. The tea party favorite has a good shot at doing so.
The GOP-controlled state legislature gave Republicans the advantage when they redrew congressional districts in 2011. A veteran House Democrat who barely survived in 2012 opted to retire at the end of his term, while others in President Barack Obama's party face an uphill battle — even a well-known personality like Aiken.
North Carolina offers clues as to why Democrats have little chance to retake control of the House from Republicans in the 2014 elections. An unpopular president in his sixth year in office combined with a divisive health care law are a drag on Democrats and energize core Republican voters in what are traditionally low-turnout midterm elections.
Ellmers, a 50-year-old nurse first elected in the tea party wave of 2010, captured 56 percent of the 2012 GOP primary and the general election vote in her district. That year, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won nearly 6 in 10 votes in the district and narrowly defeated Obama statewide.
So precisely drawn were the state's new congressional districts, and so unpopular is Obama in the state that Rep. Mike McIntyre in December dropped his re-election plans. McIntyre represented North Carolina's 7th Congressional District for nine terms and is the only Democrat in Congress who has never voted for the Affordable Care Act, Obama's health care law.
But North Carolina's rightward shift hasn't stopped Aiken and two other Democrats from competing ahead of the May 6 primary for the right to challenge Ellmers in November. National Democrats and their supporters are expected to pour money into the top-of-the-ticket race to defend the seat held by Sen. Kay Hagan and the party's six-seat Senate majority.
Also running in the 2nd District's Democratic primary are textile entrepreneur Keith Crisco and Tony Morris, a licensed family counselor. Crisco and Aiken are touting their credentials as centrists.
"I don't care what party they're in," Aiken says of voters in the central North Carolina district, "I'll talk to whoever."
Aiken believes he can tap into voters' dissatisfaction with Congress. And he said reporters are the only people asking whether being a gay man could impede his campaign to represent such a conservative district.


text:
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text:
If you think about it, the name "meatballs" is a little icky. I guess it's no worse than "meatloaf." My little brother refuses to eat meatloaf, yet he loves meatballs, which is interesting because they're basically the same thing. Perhaps it's all in the name. Or shape.
Or perhaps he's just odd.
This post, a respite from all the Christmas cookies and sweets, features two varieties of those ubiquitous balls o' meat. The first batch is from the ever-popular recipe entitled "Manhattan Meatballs." (Anybody know if they actually originated in Manhattan? Just curious.) I chose to make these for our office's winter holiday party over all others for a very significant reason--I had apricot preserves festering in the fridge.
The sweet, fruity, and slightly spicy sauce was wonderful! I suspect it may have had
something everything to do with the barbecue sauce I used--'twas a honey-chipotle blend. My co-workers had some nice comments about the meatballs and actually made the effort to say them to me, and I have to agree--the balls were delicious.
The only other kind of meatball I've ever really tried is made according to a recipe that my grandmother has used for longer than I've been alive. I think it's safe to say that it's a winner. The balls are nowhere near as sweet, but still extremely tasty.
So...which type tickles your fancy?
Sweet & Sour Meatballs
(time-tested by my grandmother)
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup oats
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Combine the first six ingredients and shape into balls. Place in a large baking dish. Mix up the sauce and pour it over the balls. Cover the dish and bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until heated through.
Sweet & Sweet Meatballs
(from Kraft, among others)
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 cups bread crumbs
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
10 oz. apricot preserves
1 cup barbecue sauce of choice
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix the meat, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, parsley, and salt. Go ahead, use your paws. Shape into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Place in 2-qt. casserole dish. Mix the preserves and barbecue sauce and evenly pour over the meatballs; mix lightly. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
I think this'll probably be my last post until the Christmas excitement fades away. I hope ya'll have a safe and happy holiday!
December 22, 2008
balls o' meatYum
If you think about it, the name "meatballs" is a little icky. I guess it's no worse than "meatloaf." My little brother refuses to eat meatloaf, yet he loves meatballs, which is interesting because they're basically the same thing. Perhaps it's all in the name. Or shape.
Labels: beef
66 comments:
- Robin Sue said...
Grace both recipes look yummy! Meatballs is a funny word just like nuts. I did a post today on Candied Nuts, no other way to put it... or maybe the fruits or seeds of the pecan tree? Naw too long. Have a great day!
- December 22, 2008 at 6:37 AM
- Leslie said...
They both look delish. I like my balls in meatsauce!
- December 22, 2008 at 8:26 AM
- LyB said...
Meatballs are one of the only kind of food I make that I'm sure all three of my kids will eat. So, Grace, I want to thank you profusely for adding two delicious looking recipes to my list! Thank you!!! :D
- December 22, 2008 at 8:53 AM
- LyB said...
Oh, and Happy Holidays! :)
- December 22, 2008 at 8:54 AM
- kat said...
They sounds so yummy. I'm looking forward to our Christmas Swedish Meatballs. Have a great holiday!
- December 22, 2008 at 10:11 AM
- Sharon said...
Happy Holidays as well! These balls o' meat sound quite tasty. Have you ever had them cooked with grape jelly? Sounds gross but it's delicious.
- December 22, 2008 at 10:36 AM
- Pam said...
They both look great. I have never made sweet and sour meatballs before - my kids would love them.
- December 22, 2008 at 10:37 AM
- vanillasugarblog said...
Ummm I prefer your brother!
- December 22, 2008 at 10:56 AM
- Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...
If your brother would dish me up a plate of these meatballs (of course if I were 20 years younger)..then again I do have a daughter who is 21....dang she is taken....Seriously though I love sweet and sour meatballs.
- December 22, 2008 at 11:04 AM
- Amber said...
I made your peppermint fudge, added butter, of course, for a plate of sweets for my neighbor including marshmallows and bark. It was way too easy to make and oh so good. I should have a post tonight or tomorrow on it. Thanks for the recipe. Also, how old is your little brother, because he is quite cute and I have two daughters. Hmm.
Have a very blessed Christmas.
Evidently there is a little competition for your brother. But Bellini Valli has one daughter and I have two!
- December 22, 2008 at 11:48 AM
- Marjie said...
I make sweet & sour meatballs for superbowl sunday every year. I've never used jelly, however!
- December 22, 2008 at 12:03 PM
- Anonymous said...
My family LOVES meatballs.
When you have a min, come check out the award show on our blog - you are a recipient as nominated by Jodycakes from our blog :-D
- December 22, 2008 at 12:26 PM
- Maris said...
My mother makes great sweet & sour meatballs. I prefer the regular old Italian-with-tomato sauce way, but to each their own! :)
These look so juicy...the best part about meatballs is that they make a great entree OR appetizer!
- December 22, 2008 at 12:44 PM
- emily said...
I love a good sweet and tangy meatball. I think the idea of adding barbeque sauce was genius! And I do love apricot preserves...mmm...
- December 22, 2008 at 12:56 PM
- Jessica@Foodmayhem said...
I live in Manhattan and yet I've never heard of Manhattan meatballs...but meatballs, meatloaf, meat whatever...ground meat is delicious!
- December 22, 2008 at 2:11 PM
- Culinary Wannabe said...
As long as the little cocktail meatballs have been around, everyone still seems to love them. I like the idea of jazzing them up a bit with the apricot preserves.
- December 22, 2008 at 2:51 PM
- Lori said...
I love the apricot preserves idea! ANd I will have a meatball anyway you make it. These recipes sound heavenly. I did one recently with currant sauce. Oh it was amazing. Something about fruit and meat.
It's funny meat loaf never sounds nearly as good. But it really depends on who made it adn whats in it. My Mom makes awesome meatloaf. Myhusband told me when we got married that he didnt like meatloaf. Ah, yah, he changed his mind!
Merry Christmas Grace to you and your family!
- December 22, 2008 at 3:14 PM
- Lisa said...
NIce post about a holiday party favorite! My family has never done much with meatballs though we like to eat them well enough. Our party standby is Little Smokies in a catsup/bourbon/onion sauce. If I had to choose, I think I would probably prefer your grandmother's recipe for the meatballs.
- December 22, 2008 at 3:25 PM
- Melanie said...
Ok, so I'm in the category with your brother - love meatballs but not so much a meatloaf fan. Can't explain it. Your meatballs look fabulous - I'm definitely a sweet and sour meatball fan. Yum!
- December 22, 2008 at 3:32 PM
- Heather said...
yum! my coworker made these for our holiday party! they were so good. i think she used grape jelly, instead though. they look super tasty :)
- December 22, 2008 at 5:12 PM
- Aleta said...
Hmmm, Greg has some frozen meatballs that he bought at the store the other day - that sauce sounds really yummy to go with it! Thanks a bunch!
- December 22, 2008 at 5:30 PM
- The Blonde Duck said...
Meatballs, meatloaf, logs of meat--I'll eat it all.
- December 22, 2008 at 5:52 PM
- Sandy said...
that sauce looks perfect grace!
- December 22, 2008 at 5:57 PM
- Y said...
Hilarious photo! The sauce sounds yummy, but then again, I'm a fan of meatballs already!
- December 22, 2008 at 6:42 PM
- Bunny said...
I can't pick one over the other Grace, they both look good! I hope you'll be with your family on Christmas, Have a great holiday!!!
- December 22, 2008 at 8:57 PM
- pam said...
I used to make Swedish meatballs all the time in college.
- December 22, 2008 at 9:34 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hehe, you're right, meatballs is kinda a funny name. You could always call them "albondigas", which is the Spanish word for meat balls and sounds much better. :)
- December 22, 2008 at 11:04 PM
- Paula said...
Mmmm, love balls of meat. Eww, that didn't come out right. What I mean to say is that I love these meatballs! I can see why they were a hit at your office ... love those sauces, too!
- December 22, 2008 at 11:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
Hehe at the pic of your brother! I adore meatballs (and yes weird word when you think of it) and I am intrigued by the idea of sweet and sour ones!
Have a Merry Christmas-I hope it's full of lovely juicy meatballs :)
- December 23, 2008 at 7:21 AM
- Prudy said...
I loved this post. I've had to go back and catch up. I've missed you in all this Christmas craziness. Thanks so much for this recipe. I'm definitely making it New Year's for our appetizer party. They sound amazing and if you were able to squeak out some compliments from your cryptic co workers that is testament enough.
- December 23, 2008 at 7:33 AM
- Anonymous said...
Yummy....I do love balls o' meat for cocktail parties! There is something very retro about them! I think the sweet and spicy look sooo.... good. I think I will bring them to a New Years bash we are atending (along with a jug o' wine)! Thanks for the recipe and have a fantastic holiday :-)
- December 23, 2008 at 7:43 AM
- Albany Jane said...
I love putting balls in my mouth!!
Haha, ok, sorry, my inner 13 year old popped out.
But for serious - I love meatballs. I think it's because you can just pop little meaty balls and there's so much going on. These look absolutely splendid.
- December 23, 2008 at 8:44 AM
- Maria said...
I am sure these are a hit at holiday parties!!
- December 23, 2008 at 9:04 AM
- Anonymous said...
Meatballs were really "in" this year! meetaballza! haha
- December 23, 2008 at 9:52 AM
- giz said...
People are wierd aren't they? Psychgrad gags if she sees meatloaf but loves the sweet 'sour meatballs too. I don't get it but trust me - I won't be drawing the analogy of meatloaf/meatball anytime soon.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
- December 23, 2008 at 10:07 AM
- Ingrid_3Bs said...
LOL! It's one of those words that make you chuckle as it brings to mind "other" things! LOL! Sorry, I'm getting looks from the co-worker!
If your brother is odd than so am I! I DO NOT like meatloaf but like meatballs! Not odd I say!
Thanks for a good laugh but now they know I'm not working! :-)
- December 23, 2008 at 10:39 AM
- Unknown said...
yum!!! happy holidays!!! :)
- December 24, 2008 at 12:23 AM
- OhioMom said...
My son does not like meatloaf, but likes meatballs ... must be a guy thing ? LOL
I like them both!
- December 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM
- Peter M said...
Were they so good that you smacked grandma?
Grace, Merry Christmas!
- December 24, 2008 at 11:53 AM
- Amber said...
Thanks Grace, I am making a second double round today because everyone at work wants them too.
Santa comes tonight. Yay!
- December 24, 2008 at 12:04 PM
- Robin Sue said...
Merry Christmas Grace, may it be peaceful and restful!
- December 24, 2008 at 2:15 PM
- Peabody said...
I always look for sweet and sour meatballs at a party...so good. That and those little smokies.
Merry Christmas.
- December 24, 2008 at 6:17 PM
- Anonymous said...
Merry Christmas Grace! hope you have a wonderful day!
- December 25, 2008 at 8:53 AM
- Anonymous said...
Merry Christmas, Grace! Hope you've had a great time celebrating with your friends and family :)
- December 25, 2008 at 11:29 AM
- La Cuisine d'Helene said...
Great picture.
Merry Christmas!
- December 25, 2008 at 1:23 PM
- Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...
well, as you say ..what's in the name ..the thing that we call meat will taste as sweet.....
I would also like to wish you Merry Christmas and wonderful ushering into new year 2009.
- December 25, 2008 at 3:44 PM
- Vera said...
Merry Christmas and the wonderful holidays, Grace!
Your meatballs look mouthwatering!
- December 25, 2008 at 11:02 PM
- KJ said...
Either will do me. I hope you had a merry christmas.
- December 25, 2008 at 11:32 PM
- Anonymous said...
I love meatballs...I love spearing them with a frilly toothpick...i just love em'.
- December 26, 2008 at 12:45 PM
- Emily said...
These look delicious! Merry Christmas to you.
- December 26, 2008 at 5:11 PM
- Sophie said...
Awesome, awesome...awesome! I love meatballs and meatloaf...and now balls o' meat too haha! I've never tried anything like this (I know, it's like I live in a foodie bubble). If these were an appetizer at a party, I'd easily turn them into a meal...just gimme a slice of gluten free bread and I'm set to have the best meatball sandwich evaaa!! :)
Hope you had a great Christmas, Grace :)!
- December 26, 2008 at 5:37 PM
- Nic said...
Merry Christmas Grace!! Hope you had a super holiday!
- December 26, 2008 at 6:50 PM
- Sarah said...
Funny, I ordered a meatball pasta dish at a restaurant a few days ago, thinking that I'd a couple little meatballs with it (wouldn't you?). Instead, what arrived was a small nest of pasta topped with a meatloaf. Yes, a meatloaf. A gigantic, square loaf. It broke the boundaries between the meatball and the meatloaf as distinct food items. However, it was awesome (if excessive) and it taught me to reconsider my prejudices against meatloaf.
- December 27, 2008 at 8:39 AM
- Amber said...
No, because I leave the lights on my tree too and just put it away in the extra bedroom, or as my ex used to say, "the mystery room". If I left the ornaments on it there would be no telling what devil cat (see the post on pets) would do to it. December is a month spent dragging her out of the tree and putting back everything that she has pulled down onto the floor. Sort of her own Disneyland.
And it is really only at my house that there has to be some semblance in decorating. I love what everyone else does and just keep thinking, God I need therapy.
I hope your Christmas was wonderful. Since I plan to marry Santa let me know what you want for next year.
- December 27, 2008 at 8:00 PM
- Tabitha Blue said...
True... the name is a little disturbing... I've always thought that about meatloaf as well. And although my husband will eat it, we usually can't call it meatloaf. Both look like winning recipes!!!!
- December 28, 2008 at 10:52 AM
- MaryBeth said...
I think both recipes look great, and a very good use of the festering jam. Good Job Grace!!
- December 28, 2008 at 3:40 PM
- La Bella Cooks said...
I can't seem to take my eyes off that sauce!
- December 28, 2008 at 10:57 PM
- jesse said...
Hmm, I've never had a problem with the name meatball, probably because I grew up eating all sorts of meatballs? Those made of fish, beef, chicken etc etc... but yours look SO COMFORTING. And that sauce!! YUM!
- December 28, 2008 at 11:21 PM
- Anonymous said...
your brother and me are quite similar except that i would never eat meatballs- i'd only eat meatloaf. whenever i'd go out to eat with my grandpa, i'd always give him the meatballs in my wedding soup because i just couldn't look at them. haha
i think people are just weird and i'm including myself on that one.
- December 29, 2008 at 11:05 AM
- Jaime said...
mmm i love sweet and sour meatballs! i make my sauce w/grape jelly and heinz chili sauce :) it's on my blog if you want to take a peek...
- December 29, 2008 at 9:14 PM
- Gloria Baker said...
Is absolutely nice and yummy Grace, Love it!!! I whish you a very Happy New Year!!!! xxGloria
- December 31, 2008 at 8:29 AM
- test it comm said...
What tasty looking meatballs!
- December 31, 2008 at 8:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
Happy new year! :)
- January 1, 2009 at 11:52 AM
- Anonymous said...
I like the idea of using the apricot preserves on the meatballs- it sounds like a winning combination.
My favorite meatballs are my dad's bourbon meatballs. They are so popular that family and friends alike insist that he make them every year for our holiday party!
- January 4, 2009 at 4:27 PM
- Jeanne said...
I would never have thought of using apricot preserves in meatballs - fascinated now. Love the saucy ones and how can you go wrong with honey-chipotle??
- January 7, 2009 at 7:16 AM
- Anonymous said...
Well I SWEAR I saw these droolworthy nuggests of savoriness over the holidays, but I guess I didn't take the time to tell you I stopped by. What a complete slacker I am. I have several different kinds of jam "festering" in my fridgy along with a few unmentionables. I should put them out of their misery with these. My menfolk would swear they'd died and gone to heaven since there would be no party. They think balls are the ultimate party food. Along with cocktail weenies, of course.
- January 7, 2009 at 1:19 PM


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London (June 21) In Europe, France's Stock Index CAC 40 was up 0.2 percent at 5,385 as investors remained hopeful that the centrist presidential candidate would win in Sunday's election. Germany's DAX was down 0.1 percent at 12,633 and Britain's FTSE 100 was up almost 0.1 percent at 7,249. Wall Street was poised to open slightly higher. Dow and S&P 500 futures were both up 0.1 percent after being lower earlier.
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Japanese Bobtail
Japanese Bobtail History
Believed to originate in the Far East, specifically China, about 1,000 years ago.
In the 7
Century, the Emperor of China presented the Emperor of Japan with Japanese Bobtails as gifts.
The Japanese revered this breed until the early 1600s when rodents were destroying silkworms and the country's lucrative silk industry. So, all Japanese Bobtails were booted out of the castles and into the streets to deal with the rodent problem.
he first three Japanese Bobtails to reach American soil were imported by Elizabeth Freret from Japan in 1968.
The shorthaired Japanese Bobtail earned championship status by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1976 and the longhaired version achieved this status in 1993.
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Natural athletes and strong-willed, they need to play daily and unleash their energy to keep out of trouble. They know how to open doors and steal food off plates or counters.
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On Wednesday (Sept. 19) I posted about how disappointing award-winning Washington Post reporter Dana Priest's recent nuclear-modernization series (parts 1 and 2) was. I had thought she was poised to investigate the need for it, as well as for nuclear weapons themselves. After all, that's what she had done in the past with the U.S. intelligence and classified activity system, as well as CIA detention sites overseas.
Turns out that, for whatever reason, Ms. Priest felt compelled to sound the alarm about what she calls "the decrepit, neglected state of the aging nuclear weapons complex," apparently in order to drum up funds for it, like, yesterday! She writes that federal officials and many outside analysts maintain:
Failing to act before the end of next year … is likely to mean that there won't be enough time to design and build the new systems that would be required if the old arsenal is no longer safe or reliable.
Tuesday, September 18, brought another, comparable disappointment. Historian Dan Plesch is the Director of the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at University of London's School of Oriental and Africa Studies. You can tell where he's stood on issues by the titles of some of the pieces, alone or with others, he's written for publications like the Guardian and the New Statesman: What a mess our military has made, Making the Middle East nuclear-free, and Occupy London is reviving St Paul's history of free speech. And, in May of this year: Disarmament is more practical than we are conditioned to think.
Tuesday's piece, written with Martin Butcher and Ian Shields, is posted at esteemed British progressive site Open Democracy and is titled Reconsidering war with Iran. I only just realized that the title is a play on the title of a lengthy paper he wrote with Martin Butcher which was published exactly five years ago (September 2007): Considering a war with Iran (emphasis added).
One who had read neither piece and only knew Plesch's reputation from his other work would naturally be puzzled. What's being reconsidered? Previous counsel to attack? To refrain from attacking? Neither seems comprehensible in light of Plesch's reputation as a nonproliferation and disarmament advocate. Hold that thought for the moment.
The authors concluded the earlier piece thusly:
If the attack is "successful" and the US reasserts its global military dominance and reduces Iran to the status of an oil-rich failed state, then the risks to humanity in general and to the states of the Middle East are grave indeed.
The two world wars of 1914-18 and 1939-1945, the creation of nuclear weapons, and the advent of global warming have created successive lessons that humanity and states cannot prosper or survive long unless they hold their security in common — sharing sovereignty and power to ensure both survival and prosperity.
A "successful" US attack, without UN authorisation, would return the world to the state that existed in the period before the war of 1914-18, but with nuclear weapons.
The self-styled realists argue that this is an inevitable and manageable world, the naivety of imagining a nuclear armed world without nuclear war is utopian in the extreme.
Obviously, in 2007 Plesch and Butcher were opposed to attacking Iran. Let's now turn to the recent Open Democracy piece, which, at first, I thought was seemed simply to be presenting a scenario:
This article (drawing on open source material) will challenge the notion that America will not attack first, and demonstrate that the US has the wherewithal to destroy the Iranian military capability.
They write:
Conventional wisdom is that the US is unable to, or unwilling to risk, a pre-emptive attack and that Tehran is calling all the shots.
The US military, and likely political, readiness for a war using minimum ground forces indicates that the current seeming inaction surrounding Iran is misleading. The United States retains the ability – despite commitments to Afghanistan – to undertake no notice major military operations against Iran that could remove Iran's ability to retaliate and remove the regime's ability to function at all.
The enthusiasm with which Plesch and Butcher made their case was somewhat disconcerting. But, after all, this was Open Democracy. Certainly they weren't suggesting an attack was advisable. Let's jump ahead to the authors' conclusion (emphasis added).
America certainly has the firepower to undertake such a mission, and could do so with little or no warning or additional build-up: this would be Shock and Awe on a new scale, while the advantages of a successful campaign – which we believe to be very highly likely – outweigh the potential disadvantages of either doing nothing or prevaricating.
… The US military machine, particularly for high-technology, full-spectrum conflict – as epitomised by air power – offers a President the option of an overwhelming advantage through the use of military force: this remains a viable option that should not be disregarded.
Where, you may be asking, is the disarmament and nonproliferation advocate Dan Plesch in this picture? In fact, his views may be a symptom of his commitment to nonproliferation, if not disarmament in this case. Just as liberal hawks supported invading Iraq both to divest it of supposed WMD and to free its people from a tyrant, Plesch is countenancing an attack on Iran to abort another — thus far imaginary, like Iraq's –nuclear-weapons program.
But nonproliferation was never intended to be used as a pretext to attack another state. It only convinces the state that's attacked, as well as its neighbors, that their security depends on acquiring arms commensurate with the attacking state. It's disturbing to see someone whose previous work has been on behalf of peace sign on to such a project.
On September 26, Dan Plesch wrote us:
The authors oppose an attack on Iran, this piece is written to demonstrate that from within the US government the perception is that war is a far more viable option than is usually recognised and the article is written to explain that perspective". Plesch commented that anyone familiar with his work would recognise this and that he has had several Iranians commend him for putting in the public domain an all too real scenario. Plesch added that people should note that the US and UK publics re-elected Bush and Blair despite the war in Iraq, so that the precedent is that even a disaster on the scale of Iraq need not have electoral consequences. Wiser counsel must prevail to stop war but wishful thinking over ill thought through disaster scenarios is worse than useless.