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Camping In The High Sierras © 1997 -
Camping In The High Sierras © 1997 -
This year the Mountain Sabbatical went up over Piute Pass and remained in the Humphrys basin. Read on . . . .
Conditions were very dry, with conspicious abscence of low-lying snowpack and totally dry incidental streams. The previous years of drought had resulted in serious conditions of bare rock all up and down the Sierra crest. A major fire was 70% contained within King's Canyon National Park. The wildland fire had been burning for weeks over 85,894 acres (09/03/15) since a lightning strike on July 21 with over 3,000 firecrew fighting to contain it so as to save several border communities. Skies south of the Glacial Divide remained hazy and hikers crossing Kearsarge Pass complained of severely bad air quality. In addition to the Hot Shot teams and CalFire, local packing companies helped with supply runs for the crews.
Residents of Wilsonia were evacuated from their homes. Additional evacuation orders went out to residents north of Highway 180, stretching from Hopewell Road to the west, to the Armenian Church Western Diocese Summer Camp.
Highway 180 closed east of Dunlap Road, as well as the following access roads: Highway 245 in Pinehurst, Millwood Road between Dunlap and Highway 180, and Highway 198 at Red Fir into Kings Canyon National Road.
Grant Grove was not opened by the NPS -- with some limitations -- until September 17. Other parts of the Park remained closed until September 21. Not until October 20 did the NPS lift fire restrictions for both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
This time the plans remained unambitious due to a number of factors. The 2012 nearly-fatal expedition had scaled back our usual klettering aspirations, the Rough Fire in Kings Canyon precluded crossing the Glacial Divide, and threat of El Nino onset indicated prudence with multiple bail-out plans in the pocket.
So, after a half-night sojourn at Tuolome Meadows on Sunday/Monday (arriving after One AM and departing before Seven) it was a light and fancy ramble to Bishop to get the permit. Parked at North Lake at usual and shouldered a pack made much lighter by attention to detail -- and unfortunate omission of some items, which we will discuss anon.
The route up from North Lake at 9800 feet elevation passes along the road for a quarter mile to the campground and through it until diverges within 100 yards from the trail to Lamarck Lakes among the tall pines and a sandy trail sprinkled with some rock. The view from the parkinglot entices with semi-occluded views of alpine delights to come.
From there the trail begins a gentle incline, passing along the stream that drains from Piute Canyon. After about 15 minutes of moderate hiking we come to the log bridge, beyond which lies the John Muir Wilderness.
Temperature was about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. No bugs this time of year. Notice the greenery - Sierra Fall is only a few days away.
Early camp in the canyon at the middle lake. Checking things out and noting what had been forgotten. Still close enough to run down and fetch stuff if necessary.
The views are to die for. But old-timers will note the lake of snowpack on the slopes. Here a hiker passes at the end of the day past the famous Lunch Stop Tree, as seen through my bedroom window. He has only an hour of sunlight in the canyon, but will gain another three when he tops the pass only 3/4 mile away.
Once the sun passes behind the ridge, temperatures drop immediately about 20 degrees.
"Don't the shiny moon look pretty, baby," goes the old blues song. It was waxing throughout the trip and at ten o'clock you did not need a flashlight to roam around.
The next day involves a pleasant ramble between terraces, each about 100 feet in elevation. Old timers will note the height of the trees has increased dramatically at this elevation in recent years due to the warmer temperatures and the extended summers.
One of the advantages of taking things slower, instead of marching through the wilderness at top speed, you get to pause and reflect and notice things. Here is a sheltered spot for a water break before doing the final ascent.
The approach to the pass is not anything more complicated that climbing a series of stone steps. There are a few outlier pools about 400 down from it, but the drought has eliminated the stream from which people used to get their water before going over. There is no water on the other side, save for motionless, algae breeding Summit Lake. All the incidental outflows that used to cross the trail were black and dry. There was not even an hint of snow at the pass. No snowbank, no nothing.
Path down from the Pass looking west at Summit Lake and the Humphrey's Basin.
From left to right, part of Mount Lamarck, Muriel, and the imposing bulk of Mount Goethe. Further back the ridge that holds the Matthes Glaciers.
Zoom of Mount Goethe and an Erratic block in the foreground.
The Humphry's Basin is a gently rolling high Alpine plateau between the Glacial Divide to the south, Mount Humphry bordering the east side, and Mounts Julius Ceasar and Hilgard and Seven Gables to the north. During the Ice Age it was an immense sheet of ice, which formed an inland sea upon melting.
This is all that remains of Desolation Lake during the drought. All incidental streams that used to make descending from the Pass a wet slog were bone dry.
It was quite a scramble to get down to the lake shore.
Camp between the upper and Lower Desolation lakes looking south at the Glacial Divide. Muriel is the seemingly small rounded hump of decaying rock to the left which is dwarfed by the bulk of Mount Goethe and the Matthes glaciers.
High camp at 11,400 feet elevation.
Nice view from camp of the Matthes glacier ridge and Pavilion Dome. The glaciers were named for François E. Matthes, who was a geologist and an expert in topographic mapping, glaciers, and climate change. He mapped remote areas of the American West for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). His maps coincided with the development of those areas into national parks. John Muir used his work to bolster support for his theory about glacial formation of such places as Yosemite.
Mount Humphrys foregrounded by Humphreys Basin, liberally sprinkled with erratics left behind by the melting ice sheet that once covered the area. There is another Humphreys Peak in Arizona, which is lower and with a more accessible summit by trail. During the brief Sierra Spring, this entire area is carpeted with vibrant wildflowers.
16.35 - 66°
Between the 2 Desolation Lakes. c. 11,400 feet elevation. Concerned about cold tonight with the wonky sleeping bag.
Could not find any of my old camps. The lakes have retreated so much there is no frame of reference to the shore any more. All the incidental streams were dry, so no point pursuing to Marmot lakes as originally planned. Lakes themselves might be dry.
Hare time finding a camp, so just plotzed behind a boulder. Turned out to have no room for tent floor so i pitched in open a few feet away.
17:50 - Dinner: black beans, taco seasoning, Knorr Spanish
This time it did not work. Way too salty. Couldn't finish it and drank flavored tea to get rid of the taste. Taco seasoning overdone for sure. No fish activity in Lower Desolation Lake. It looks no bigger than a pond.
18:49 - 53° - sun just went behind the ridge. Orange alpenglow on Mt. Humphries. Four Gables to the north. the imposing mass of Julious Ceasar to the N.W. To the south the Matthes glaciers hidden somewhere.
19.10 Watching the swelling moon over the Glacial Divide. Hare with big white ears and feet just passed by about 10 feet from the tent.
The long bulk of Lamarck extends behind Muriel and Goethe.
Not much snow. but now I can see remnants of the Matthes glaciers.
Golden Trout Lake seen from a quarter mile away after a fine and fancy ramble across the Basin. Missed the trail entirely so bushwacked down.
Lower Golden Trout Lake looks way down from previous years. And yes, the lake does have trout.
Exploring for a camp that would be somewhat away from the many use trails.
Settled on this one scant yards from the main use trail and went looking for something better. Use trails are unmaintained trails that form from the trod of many feed over the sensitive terrain.
View from this temporary camp of the Lake and Goethe.
Found prepared sites on the east side between the two lakes. This one much more better.
9/23 - Weds- 6:43 - 37° in tent.
Outside of tent stiff with ice. Saw my mocs glittering with frost when I went to pee in the early hours. Opalescent dawn. Mountain peaks topped with orange flame. H2O bottle filled with ice chunks. Empty and packed with solitude up here in the Basin away from the PCT.
7:30 Sun over the ridge warming things up. Ice slivers falling from the sides of the tent inside. Things that faced the tent walls had frost on them and everything is wet from melting. Will wait a while before going out there.
8:50 - 93°!!
Found gloves and camp towl in socks/underweart bag. Go figure. Oatmeal for breakfast in memory of Paul. Still yuck.
Bear can has broken lid due to sitting on it. Need to make list of broken stuff.
11:15 Golden Trout Lake (GTL). Found idyllic spot, but too close to the trail. I hear people.
13:30 Moved uphill after scouting other sides on the west side. Everything is way too exposed.
Sound of wind but no water sounds. eerie.
14:10 - 83° in sun. In shade it's 64°. Went down to lake to wash feet , thinking of swimming but feet in water started to go numb from cold.
14:30 Altitude is 10,800. feel lassitude. Every action takes effort. Not fully accimated yet. S.B warmer than last night.
15:30 Took a short walk to the east side and found such far superior sites that I moved 50 yards. This location vastly superior in every way with scrunty pines for privacy. No exposure and away from the unofficial trail. closer to H2O.
16:40 magpies making a racket. and I can hear a burbling brook somewhere.
18:10 Dinner was quite the collection of snafus. Nature burger and potato flackes with gravy. Was missing a spatula as well as a good fry pan. The titanium pan i have been using as a lid decided to drop half of the cooking burger into the dirt. Managed to muddle through ok and ate everything. What got saved was tasty enough with the gravy.
19:00 - 68° on wrist. Light out still. 3/4 moon over Lamarck. Noting tears in equip. due to age. Tear in H2O sack. Nylon shell jacket has failed zipper.
20:20 - 55° Baro 20.40. Face feels hot - probably sunburn. Hands are warm. Saw trout feeding at far side of lake but no luck fishing.
This is the sources of the brook sound. It is the outflow from Upper Golden Trout Lake
Views while fishing.
Looking back at camp.
Golden Trout lake narrows to its outflow.
All of this is underwater during wet years.
Mount Humphrys and Golden Trout Lake.
Returning to camp after a long dayhike.
Rather obvious duks on the use path.
A more subtle duk indicating campsite is nearby.
Here is my attempt at an art shot.
Sunset in the mountains.
17:30 - 72°
DINNER: Veggie sloppy joe. 1/2 pkg of that and 1/2 pkg of Knorr Spanish Rice plus cheese. Perfect portions. Delicious. Added 4 tomato catsup packets to sloppy joes instead of tomato paste. Tea good with dinner instead of later. Everything now fits in bear can.
18:00 sun above the ridge in haze. H2O bottles filled for
night and dishes cleaned.
Food stowed and all tidy. Everything fits in the bear can.
Sun behind the ridge. 57°
19:55 - 57°f in tent.
Sky still a skein of wisps. Moon bright and big. Hot choco and teeth brushed and now I am in save for a last gander at the stars.
Packed and ready to go. The alpenstock is a janitor's broom handle that used to be 6 feet long. It is a bit shorter now. I tip the ends with furniture casters. The red tape buffers the wood against all the rock abuse.
Start of the day's ramble toward Packsaddle Lake. A use trail takes you right up to the drainage for Golden Trout Lakes. It is faint and vanishes at times, but it is hard to lose your way.
This is where the trail ends. In wet years, we bet this crossing cannot be done dryshod.
From this place I elected to skirt a fenny sort of place and hump over a ridge, steadily climbing to get clear line of site with the lake. A 12 minute topo map does help. Here is the view from near the top of the ridge looking back.
When the lake came into view, I realized that I was over 800 feet in elevation above it. Not the usual approach I guess. There were no duks or trails. (Duk is not the usual spelling for what they call "cairns" in the East. I just didn't want to say, "See that duck" and have someone say, "I don't see no damn waterfowl . . . ".
Descending, descending. Getting closer . . .
Looking back at the ridge I crossed, passing at the point right where the dome meets treeline. The Dome is 12,000 in elevation.
Beneath the Matthes glaciers -- or what is left of them.
Exploring the lake boundaries before locating a camp. There is a lake off to the left involving a scramble up some talus to 11,400 feet or so.
An outlier pond with Pilot Knob in the distant background.
The view from the camp you choose is very important . . .
There IS some organization to this welter, believe it or not. . .
The trip diary says about this: 14:52- 68°F -
Went to the little freshet that drains the lake and soaked my feet - exquisite heaven! Resting now after fetching H2O. This place is wild. Few useage trails. Some duks that just look meaningless and go nowhere.
Looking across from my perch to the outflow that forms a pond.
Back at the lake, scoping the fishing opportunities. From the TRIP DIARY:
16:40 Tried fishing, but no more hare's ear lures and no more big bobbers. Managed to lose all big bobbers @ GT Lake. Tried using 2 small and busted the line right away. Saw no feeding in the big lake but later the smaller drop-off pond was teeming. Oh well. Sometimes it aint meant to happen.
17:35 - Sun behind the ridge already.
DINNER: Potato flakes and curry lentils. Coot and eat and clean very fast. Meal was left over from last year. Bad instructions but tasty. another one that could have used pepper. Brown gravy helped add missing fluid. Too bad curry lentils no longer available in bulk; tyranny of the Buyer.
One feature of Packsaddle Lake is this islet near the two prongs that give the lake its distinctive shape.
An outlier pond.
Almost full . . .
Return trip with one last look back at the Matthes glaciers.
I elected to bushwack through the pines down lower instead of going high, if only to see something different on the return. Again, no trail, but I figured I could always go high or down to the stream if I got momentarily bewildered.
This duk simple says "I been here". It is not really necessary save to bolster confidence this is the right way. Don't see it?
Here it is. I know some hikers who angrily knock these things down as impositions upon the Wilderness.
After coming to a stream and crossing that I climbed up to see this time I had descended too low. This is the main outflow from the Golden Trout Lakes. Nothing for it but to cinch up the hip belt and climb.
If you take this route it is not especially difficult to scramble up the left side past several minor waterfalls.
Running water is a good place to restock your bottle. No matter how clear it looks, always filter or treat the water. You can see the rough nature of the terrain has broken the cap of this one.
An outlier pond near Golden Trout Lake.
After a boost up to about 11,200 feet -- this time on trail -- we look back at Golden Trout Lake and the Matthes glaciers.
A look towards Piute Pass and the first of three terraces to negociate. That long ridge back there is part of Mount Lamarck which in wet years features a number of snowbanks.
At the summit of the Pass, 11,400 elevation. Picture was taken by a person whom I met on the trail. Said person turned out to be my college room-mate from over 35 years ago. We did not even recognize one another until we started trading contact information.
Last camp in the wilderness. This is at Upper Piute Lake.
15:40 Piute Lake
17:55 - 57° - Mild breeze
18:15 - DINNER - Knorr Stroganoff + TVP. Pretty good. Ate entire package. NB: milk does not dissolve in hot water. Amazed I ate the whole thing. Heard coughing so someone has camped nearby.
19:15 Into tent. Dark but light sky. finches chirping. no mockingbirds here.
20:25 - 57° - Baro 20:15 rising.
All the rituals dones for the night. Warm in the tent. On the homeward trek. Today was eventful. Many things to think about.
Breakfast for the last day.
09/27 - Sonntag - 6:31 - 46° Baro 20.15 steady
First a twittering. Then a gradual grey light. Then raucous
cawing of mockingbirds and other birds. sound of water and occasional gusts
of wind.
Morning in the mountains. Last day at elevation. The mockingbirds wack at the pine cones and there is an intermittent rain of thudding as the cones fall with fluttering wings.
7:40 - 46°F - Sun over the ridge. Cleaned the H2O filter again. Time to get ready to go. O Lente, lente, currite solus equi . . .
9:50 - 64°F in shade. All packed and ready to roll.
The neighbor last night camped there because of a troup of boyscouts down below. Name was Rich and he works in Reno managing a casino 6 months of the year. the rest he hikes and backpacks. He looked old and wirey. Hiked from Kearsarge pas yesterday - about 12 miles.
This place is so peaceful right now. O, but now I hear the
packtrain and mule skinners shouting, echoes in the canyon.
Down, down, down we go.
A rare flat portion of the trail.
Just above Loch Leven where a group of Boy Scouts were trying their luck at fishing. Just past the outflow ran into two tzadiks who were discussing errors and omissions in Holy Writings. The talk turned to climate changes, John Muir's input into the then controversial theory regarding glacial formation of Yosemite, and then the topic turned to politics. One was a Liberal and the other a Libertarian. Those two had been arguing for at least 100 miles or more.
Something happened in the week since I had been up there. This is the road from North Lake. Something called Fall.
Not much hubris here.


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The Hindu Current Affairs for the last week of Feb 2016. As the exam of Railway NTPC is approaching very fast, try to cover the entire portion and increase your strength. SSC CPO is the next exam to be held. So take a sharp look on the current affairs.
ICHR- Integrated Child Health Record
SLSWCA- State Level Single Window Clearance Authority
CAGR- Compound Annual Growth Rate
ZEST- ZIKA Experimental Science Team
OCI- Overseas Citizen of India
Governor of Madhya Pradesh- Shri Ram Naresh Yadav
Attorney General of India- Shri Mukul Rohatgi
Solicitor General of India- Shri Ranjit Kumar
President of Bolivian- Evo Morales
Chairman of Indian Railway Board- Shri A.K.Mittal
Governor of Bihar- Shri Ram Nath Kovind
Governor of Orissa- S.C.Jamir
Finance Minister of Madhya Pradesh- Jayant Mallaiya
Finance Minister of West Bengal- Amit Mitra
President of National Development Bank (BRICS Bank)- K.V.Kamath
Scott Kelly- An NASA Astronaut
New Appointments
New Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court- Justice Dinesh Maheshwari
New Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court- Justice Vineet Saran
New Director General of Coast Guard- Shri Rajendra Songh
Book, Artist & Author
"Good Morning, Mr. Madela" written by- Zelda la Grange
"Napoleon: A Life" written by- Andrew Roberts
"The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales" written by- Oliver Sacks
"Untranquil Recollections: The Years of Fulfilment" written by- Rehman Sobhan
29th Federation Cup Volleyball Championship- Men's Winner- Uttarakhand
Women's Winner- Indian Railways
Ranji Trophy 2016 winner- Mumbai (41st Time)
Runner-up- Saurashtra
National & International Days
Central Excise Day- 24th February
National Science Day- 28th February
Sahitya Bharati Samman 2015- Dr. Prativa Ray
Business & Economy
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu Presented his Second Railway Budget.
Total Capital of Railway Budget 2016-2017- Rs.1.21 Lakh Crore
National Affairs
Actor Sanjay Dutt released from Prison.
Name of The Magazine introduced in Railway Budget 2016-17 for Travelers-"Rail Bandhu"
International Affairs
The First Parliament to run on Solar Power Completely- Pakistan
B.C.Garudachar- Cricketer
Rajesh Pillai- Director
All The Best.

subset: commoncrawl


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Chris Bird, Author of Surviving A Mass Killer Rampage: When Seconds Count The Police Are Still Minutes Away & Thank God I Had A Gun.
Chris has been a journalist for 35 years and a handgun shooter for more than 50. He was born in England and his interest in shooting has steered him through the bureaucratic red tape of owning handguns in England, Canada, Australia and the United States. As a commissioned officer in the Royal Military Police of the British Army in the 1960s, Bird was stationed in Berlin, West Germany, and Belgium, serving as company weapon-training officer and winning awards for shooting in competition. After leaving the military, Chris became a journalist and worked as a crime and investigative reporter in both Vancouver & Texas…and with that kind of background and experience he has a unique voice when it comes to our topic today and the fears we face as news of jihad being waged in Paris and San Bernardino. We met Chris at the 2015 Second Amendment Foundation Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC).
Chuck Holton is an American war correspondent for the Christian Broadcasting Network, and a published author, and motivational speaker. Holton is the former host of "Frontlines" an NRA TV Series. Chuck is also the host of The Hot Zone Podcast.
Holton has been a freelance cameraman for Fox news, following Ret. Lt. Col. Oliver North on his travels as host of War Stories with Oliver North on the Fox News Channel.
Holton was born in 1969 in Carson City, Nevada. At age 17 Holton joined the United States Army, shipping off to basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Holton is a graduate of both Airborne School and Ranger School, graduating Ranger class 3-89. Holton went on to attend Jumpmaster School, Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare School and Assault Climber school, and was later an instructor at the United States Military Academy at Camp Buckner. Holton was deployed to Panama for Operation Just Cause, where he served as a team leader. He served four years with the 75th Ranger Regiment.
After four years of active duty, Holton joined the Wisconsin Army National guard, where he received training as a helicopter mechanic and eventually became trained as an Aeroscout Observer, flying the Bell OH-58 Kiowa Helicopter. His awards and decorations include the Army Service Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Senior Parachutist Badge, Ranger tab, Expert Infantryman Badge, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
Holton is the author of seven books:
He has also collaborated with Oliver North on two books:
David Cole is a former US Army officer, police officer and SWAT officer and contributor to Kenn Blanchard's Black Man With A Gun website.
Says Dave, "I am a former US Army officer and former police SWAT officer and firearms instructor. I have trained with several instructors including Dave Spaulding and the late Louis Awerbuck, and at Gunsite Academy and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). I am a competitive pistol shooter, participating in both USPSA and local steel plate matches. I have been a student of the Japanese martial art of aikido for 17 years, with a 2nd degree black belt; I teach and train at Aikido of Cincinnati. I currently work in corporate security at a major financial services company, as well as own and operate Aegis Solutions LLC where I teach firearms and personal safety with certification in several NRA Instructor disciplines. I am a contributor at Black Man With A Gun, with emphasis on gun rights opinion."
The Black Man With A Gun Show and Blog was created to fulfill a need to stay in contact with the gun community Kenn Blanchard has met as a rights activist along his journey since 1991. You'll hear defensive gun use, firearms training tips for the new shooter and reminders for the advanced. The goal of Black Man With A Gun is to protect the rights of gun owners, and provide little known or forgotten facts about American history. We share news you can use, interviews with interesting people that you don't always hear about, with entertaining pieces from all over the place. And we are trying to leave you with some positive encouragement. That is what the Black Man With A Gun blog and podcast is all about.
Amanda Collins is the founding director of T.E.A.R.S. Speak (Teaching/ Empowering Assault & Rape Survivors), where she encourages survivors and advocates for victims' rights and women's rights to self-defense.
Amanda became a Second Amendment activist after surviving a brutal attack as a college student, only feet away from the campus police office. She has worked tirelessly to ensure women across the United States are given the ability to choose how to protect themselves, particularly on college campuses.
This activism has lead Amanda to also encourage other survivors and give hope for living a full life after surviving trauma. Amanda is a loving wife and mother of three beautiful young daughters and considers her family to be her greatest accomplishment.
Kelli is an osteopathic physician and politician who has served as the Chair of the Arizona Republican Party since 2019.
She also served in the Arizona State Senate from 2012 to 2015.
Republican Dr. Kelli Ward of Lake Havasu City is a former Arizona state senator who, during her two terms in the state legislature, established a proven track record of passing legislation that supported small businesses, preserved the Second Amendment, decreased the size of government, addressed the opioid crisis, protected vulnerable Arizona students, and fought Common Core. She was one the most effective leaders in the Arizona State Senate during her final year in office, getting 19 separate bills through the legislature and to the governor's desk to be signed into law.
Dr. Ward is running in 2018 to fill the open U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Sen. Jeff Flake. She is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and a true advocate for the America First agenda.
Dr. Ward earned her BS in psychology from Duke University, her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, and her master's degree in public health from A.T. Still University. She lives in Lake Havasu City with her husband and fellow doctor, Mike Ward, along with their three children –Cameron, Katie, and Nick, plus little dog, Rosie.
As an Arizona State Senator, Dr. Ward, was one of the most committed Conservatives in the legislature and introduced the Arizona Fourth Amendment Protection Act, which would "ban the state from engaging in activities which help the NSA carry out their warrantless data-collection programs, or even make use of the information on a local level." Respected Conservative website Breitbart.com calls her "a rising star."
Dr. Ward is smart, determined, energetic, personable and dedicated to service to the citizens of Arizona. She is exactly what Arizonans need in these difficult times —someone fresh, bold and exciting and honest to the core.
Tim Miller is the Founder & President Lionheart International Services Group
Tim Miller is a 30-year law enforcement and military professional. As a Secret Service Special Agent assigned to the Washington Field Office, Tim coordinated all aspects of security for the President, Vice-President, and foreign heads of state on a regular basis. Tim is currently the Director of Security at Christ Fellowship in South Florida, a church of 35,000 with 7 campuses.
The LionHeart Security Group is an elite team of security experts with a passion to provide the best possible security support and training available. Highly trained to handle any security mission anywhere, our team has a passion to provide the very best security assistance and training in the nation they have all faithfully served for many years.
Our team is comprised of Government and Private Industry experts with operational experience from the United States Secret Service, the United States Marine Corps, the Unites States Air Force, the United States Customs Service, Private Industry, as well as local police officers with specialized and SWAT expertise with major Police Departments in the metro Washington D.C. area.
Our focus areas include: Security Consulting, Security Training, Security Facilitation, and Executive Protection all focused on the unique challenges of the Government and Law Enforcement Community. LionHeart also has a focused desire to bring the best possible security consulting and training to churches and non-profits to ensure their safety in the days ahead.
Tim's Bio:
Tim Miller is a 30-year law enforcement and military professional. After college Tim entered the United States Marine Corps as an officer where he commanded combat ready forces in Okinawa, Japan.
Upon returning to the United States he commanded a special Marine Security force protecting nuclear weapons and was directly responsible for all tactical and administrative training to 100 Marines. After leaving active duty Tim remained in the Marine Corps reserve as a Counter-Intelligence Officer where he deployed regularly throughout the world focusing on identifying and mitigating security issues directed against U.S. forces. Tim retired from the Marines in 2011 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After leaving active duty Tim remained in the Marine Corps reserve as a Counter-Intelligence Officer where he deployed regularly throughout the world focusing on identifying and mitigating security issues directed against U.S. forces. Tim retired from the Marines in 2011 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Tim's law enforcement career started in 1986 as a police officer with Fairfax County Police in Fairfax Virginia.
Tim became a federal agent in 1989 and served as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service. As a Secret Service Special Agent assigned to the Washington Field Office, Tim coordinated all aspects of security for the President, Vice-President, and foreign heads of state on a regular basis. Regularly assigned to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Protective details, Tim was directly responsible for all aspects of security both domestically and internationally.
Tim later became a Special Agent with the United States Customs Service where he worked drug interdiction/narcotics smuggling with a joint DEA Task Force. After being promoted to Custom's Headquarters Tim was assigned to the Secretary of Homeland Security where he assisted in the standup of the Department of Homeland Security serving as the Senior DHS representative to the FBI.
Tim concluded his career as a Special Agent at the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations where he oversaw all training for Special Agents. Tim developed a passion for dynamic training while working with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Tim is certified as a Secret Service Firearms Instructor, a FLETC Use of Force Instructor, a FLETC Reactive Shooting Instructor, and an NRA Firearms Instructor, along with many other military training school certifications.
Tim is currently the Director of Security at Christ Fellowship in South Florida, a church of 30,000 with 7 campuses in South Florida.
Hour #1 Guests:
– David Cole – writer with Black Man With A Gun, discussing his latest article titled "The Question." The question he is referring to is one laced with accusation that insinuates that guns or their owners are somehow responsible for the actions of murderers, like the madman in Las Vegas.
– Chris Bird – author of Surviving a Mass Killer Rampage: When Seconds Count, Police Are Still Minutes Away.
– Chuck Holton – author of Bulletproof: The Making of an Invincible Mind , host of "Frontlines" an NRA TV Series, and a freelance cameraman for Fox news, for War Stories with Oliver North on the Fox News Channel. We wanted to ask Chuck about all the places he has been to where gun-control has made for a safer world. Spoiler alert…we are pretty sure the answer is "nowhere."
Hour #2 Guests:
– Amanda Collins – Amanda Collins is the founding director of T.E.A.R.S. Speak (Teaching/ Empowering Assault & Rape Survivors), where she encourages survivors and advocates for victims' rights and women's rights to self-defense. A survivor herself, who recently participated in Nancy Pelosi's televised Town Hall Meeting, Amanda is here to talk to us about the dangers of restricting people's rights, as her were, the night she was robbed of her human right to have protected herself, if she hadn't been in a gun-free zone.
– Tim Miller –Founder & President Lionheart International Services Group, and a 30-year law enforcement and military professional. As a Secret Service Special Agent assigned to the Washington Field Office, Tim coordinated all aspects of security for the President, Vice-President, and foreign heads of state on a regular basis. Tim is currently the Director of Security at Christ Fellowship in South Florida, a church of 35,000 with 7 campuses.
– Dr Kelli Ward, Candidate to the US Senate – Dr. Ward just had a huge campaign Kick-Off Event last night and she has some powerful names in attendance and backing her campaign. She will be here to talk about what lies ahead.


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Cradle cap is the common name for seborrheic dermatitis in infants. Today, we'll break down everything parents need to know about identifying, managing and treating cradle cap.
What is cradle cap?
Cradle cap is the common name for seborrheic dermatitis when it affects babies. (In older children and adults, mild seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp is usually known as dandruff.)
Cradle cap causes thick, scaly yellow patches of rash to develop on a baby's scalp. It usually first appears between baby's second and sixth week of life, but then usually clears up on its own before baby reaches one year of age. (However, it can emerge anytime in baby's first year, and sometimes lasts into baby's second year.)
According to some research estimates, cradle cap affects around 10% of infants less than one month old, 70% of infants ages 3 months, and then lower and lower percentages as babies get older. The prevalence of cradle cap then drops to as low as 7% in toddlers 1-2 years of age. This means that cradle cap is relatively common, but is outgrown relatively quickly.
Cradle cap is not contagious. Its exact cause is unknown, but some researchers think that hormones from baby's mother may play a part. These hormones may cause the oil glands in baby's skin to over-produce oil, causing dead skin cells to stick to the scalp and form the crusty yellow patches.
Cradle cap is not caused by insufficient hygiene, and it is not connected with allergies.
Learn more about cradle cap from Board Certified Pediatric Dermatologist, Dr. Latanya Benjamin:
What does cradle cap look like?
How can you tell if baby has cradle cap? Here's what cradle cap looks like:
- Crusty yellow, white, or brown patches on the scalp
- Scaly yellow, white, or brown patches on the scalp
- Patches could show up in these colors on babies with all colors of skin
- Very thick and flaky
- May look like bad dandruff
- May look like dried and hardened milk
- May look oily or waxy
- Patches could be greasy and could be dry
- Could show up as red patches with yellow flakes on top
- Could cause redness or swollen-looking areas, including near the yellow patches
- Scales often fall off after a few days
- Usually not itchy
- Usually doesn't cause discomfort
- Could develop behind the ears as well
- Baby's skin usually looks normal underneath the cradle cap patches
A similar-looking rash can also appear on, or spread to, other parts of baby's body, including the:
- Nose
- Eyelids/around the eyes
- Armpits
- Backs of knees
- Diaper area
But when a rash like this appears somewhere other than the scalp area in babies, it's just called seborrheic dermatitis and not cradle cap.
Cradle Cap: When To Call The Doctor
Usually, cradle cap isn't serious, but watch out for these symptoms. If any of the below symptoms appear, contact your doctor.
- Baby's skin weeps fluid or feels hot in the cradle cap areas (these could be signs of infection)
- Baby is 1 month old or less and develops water blisters (another common sign of infection)
- Cradle cap that started on the scalp spreads to other areas of the body
- Areas cracked or bleeding (due to more severe cradle cap) appear infected
- Baby develops a persistent diaper rash
- Cradle cap becomes significantly red and irritated
- Cradle cap appears to be itchy, or appears to cause discomfort for baby
- Baby develops thrush or a fungal ear infection (this could promote the growth of bacteria)
- After you treat it, the cradle cap gets worse instead of better
- Baby's cradle cap lasts longer than a year
Cradle Cap Vs. Atopic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap) is a type of eczema. However, it's different from atopic dermatitis (the skin condition most people refer to when they say "eczema").
Unlike atopic dermatitis, cradle cap is not closely related to food allergies. Cradle cap is not part of the atopic march, so it doesn't put your baby at a higher risk for food allergies like atopic dermatitis does.
Cradle cap will show up as a yellow scaly rash on the scalp. Meanwhile, atopic dermatitis causes dry, itchy and inflamed skin patches that are usually red or dark brown. Atopic dermatitis rash may also be scaly, but it's usually found on the face, arm and leg joints, elbows and knees.
And while atopic dermatitis is always itchy, cradle cap often doesn't cause an itch.
How To Treat Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is harmless. It usually doesn't cause discomfort in babies, unless it is severe. Plus, it usually goes away on its own between 6 and 12 months of age.
But if you'd like to treat or remove cradle cap on the scalp (especially if your little one is uncomfortable), try these safe remedies and tips:
1. Gently brush it out
Specialized brushes are available to gently brush out the cradle cap scales. But you could also use a new toothbrush with soft bristles. Follow these steps and tips if you decide to brush out cradle cap:
- Wet baby's hair if you wish ( but you can also brush out cradle cap when baby's hair is dry).
- Gently and slowly move the brush over the cradle cap areas. This will loosen the flakes.
- Don't pick or scrape at the flakes, as this could make things worse.
- Only brush in one direction so you don't scrape at the flakes.
- Gently brush through baby's hair to remove any flakes on the hair.
- You can brush out the cradle cap as frequently as once per day.
- If brushing appears to irritate baby's scalp, brush less frequently or try another method
2. Wash baby's hair
Washing baby's hair may be enough to remove most of baby's cradle cap. Like the brushing, it's a temporary treatment, but it's effective when used as part of a routine.
Stick with mild baby shampoo, though, to keep baby safe.
Dandruff shampoo may contain ingredients that are unsafe for baby when absorbed through their skin, including salicylic acid. So it's best to stay away from dandruff shampoo. (Only use dandruff shampoo if a doctor explicitly recommends a certain kind.)
Here's how to use a mild baby shampoo routine to combat cradle cap:
- Wet baby's hair and scalp as normal.
- Gently massage the baby shampoo all over the scalp.
- Rub the cradle cap areas gently with a baby towel, so these areas lather up. This should safely loosen the scales.
- If you wish, use a cradle cap brush or toothbrush to loosen cradle cap flakes while baby has shampoo on their scalp.
- Rinse baby's hair and scalp thoroughly.
- Gently pat baby's hair and scalp dry.
- Repeat this shampoo routine as often as your pediatrician recommends. (You don't want to shampoo too much, as this may dry baby's scalp out and worsen the cradle cap).
3. Use the oil and shampoo method
Applying a natural oil to baby's scalp before shampooing may be helpful to remove heavier buildup of cradle cap.
Follow these steps to safely use this method. It can be used up to once per day:
- Apply pure plant oil (either 100% coconut oil, olive oil, or jojoba oil) to baby's scalp 1-2 hours before you plan to wash their scalp and hair.
- You could also use baby oil or mineral oil for this step.
- Test a small amount of oil on the scalp first to make sure it doesn't irritate their skin.
- Once you know it's ok to use, then apply a thin layer of the oil to baby's scalp, paying special attention to the scaly areas.
- Massage in the oil for about a minute.
- Be gentle, and take extra care around the soft spot of baby's scalp if they still have one.
- Let the oil soak in for at least 15 minutes.
- Wash baby's hair with baby shampoo, following the routine in the "wash baby's hair" section.
- Make sure to wash off all the oil!
- If you wish, brush baby's hair during the shampoo part of this process (as suggested above).
4. Ask your doctor about a prescription
If your baby's cradle cap is severe, and the three routines above don't help much with treatment, they may recommend that you apply a prescription cream (usually a hydrocortisone cream, antifungal cream, or zinc cream.) They might also prescribe a topical steroid or oral antifungal medicine, to help calm down severe inflammation.
Feel free to ask your doctor about a prescription treatment if you think your baby could benefit from one.
Be prepared when you visit the doctor with concerns about cradle cap. They will probably ask:
- How long the cradle cap has lasted
- Whether it seems like the cradle cap is uncomfortable for baby
- How, and how often, you usually wash baby's hair
- What other cradle cap treatments you've tried
There are also non-prescription cradle cap creams and oils available, but you should still ask your doctor before starting to use any cradle cap treatment. It's also best to choose a cream or oil recommended by the National Eczema Association. These types are fragrance-free and designed to be gentle on baby's skin.
Wrapping Up
It may be frustrating when you discover that your baby has cradle cap, but remember that it usually clears up on its own within baby's first year. In most cases, it also isn't uncomfortable for baby. If you're concerned about cradle cap, talk to your doctor and try one of the four treatment methods we've outlined above.
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All health-related content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your own pediatrician in connection with any questions regarding your baby's health.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If your infant has severe eczema, check with your infant's healthcare provider before feeding foods containing ground peanuts.


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Reparations or Liberty?
Among many telltale signs of the tectonic fissures dividing the nation, perhaps the most telling is the near universal call by prominent Democrats and others for reparations. This refers to a compensatory payment made to the descendants of African slaves brought to America through the Atlantic Slave Trade. It is unworkable, but it speaks loudly of the state of our politics and culture.
Proponents of reparations argue passionately of the stain of slavery, the long, dark shadow cast by this cruel institution across the American soul. This great evil, the original sin of slavery, has cursed the nation at its inception, at the founding, and in our founding documents. The country is thus irredeemably marred and defective, and the blot of that dark inheritance is fixed in our moral DNA. This insidious legacy lives on in America, in the systemic racism that pervades the nation, and the disparate outcomes of blacks and whites in all sectors of society today.
But there are counter-arguments. We begin with the obvious: slavery ended in America 150 years ago by something known as the Civil War; roughly 750,000 soldiers died in that cataclysm, a great and bloody cleansing of the nation over that mortal sin. Furthermore, no one alive today in America is a slave or slaveholder, and sons and daughters are not responsible for the sins of their parents, let alone of distant ancestors from more than a century ago.
Many of the Founders and newly formed states deeply opposed slavery. But some southern states demanded that the slave trade be protected. To obtain broad support to ratify the Constitution, the framers made concessions to pro-slavery factions. Had they attempted to eliminate slavery at the time, a political impossibility, there would have been no nation or Constitution. The Founders were painfully aware that the existence of slavery clashed with the belief that "all men are created equal," and they also understood that they could not resolve the terrible inconsistency at the time. But they had planted the seeds for ending slavery in the founding documents and the principles of the American Revolution; they established states and a central government robust enough to ultimately eradicate the institution in a later generation.
There are other complexities. American blacks earn 20–50 times more than compatriots in Africa (David Horowitz). Blacks in America taken as a whole would represent the fifteenth richest nation in the world. The lives of American blacks today is incomparably better than it would have been had they remained in Africa.
There were also 3,000 "free black" slaveholders who owned some 20,000 slaves. American Indians were also slaveholders and held them well after the end of the Civil War. Most Americans, even in the antebellum South, did not own slaves (only one in five did). There were also white slaves in America. Black Africans and Arab Muslims were also responsible for enslaving the ancestors of black Americans.
Most Americans today, including blacks who came later, have no relationship with slavery (in America), as they or their ancestors came after the Civil War (with the two great waves of immigration in 1880 and 1970). It would be improper to link them to slavery in this country.
There is also no evidence that individuals living today are disadvantaged by a slave system that ended 150 years ago. There are many successful blacks in America today (including black millionaires, a black billionaire, and a black president, among many black success stories), even as there are many whites who are struggling. The black middle class is prosperous and growing.
Furthermore, poverty, unemployment, and incarceration rates for blacks were shrinking in the decades preceding the expansion of the liberal welfare state in the '60s, in some cases bettering their white counterparts (Thomas Sowell). Blacks were coming out of poverty and entering the middles class despite actual institutionalized racism at the time. Most black children then were raised in two-parent families.
That earlier progress halted and retreated dramatically after the onset of the federal welfare system and its associated social and cultural pathologies. These policies and behavioral factors explain racial disparities today far more than "systemic racism" or the "legacy of slavery."
Many Americans are mixed-race, with complex ancestries that would be challenging to sort out for reparations claims. Interpreting practices of centuries ago through a modern, 21st-century perspective is also problematic.
The Civil Rights Act and Great Society Programs that began in 1965 already represent trillions of dollars in wealth transfers to blacks through welfare payments, subsidies, and preferential treatment based on race (affirmative action).
Slavery, furthermore, was not unique to the United States. Bondage in North America was a small percentage of slavery in the Americas. Brazil, for example, had 4 million African slaves compared with 400,000 in America. Cuba had 800,000 (Henry Louis Gates). In total, about 12 million African slaves were brought to the Americas, through the Atlantic Slave Trade, 95% of which went to South and Central America and the Caribbean, while only 5% went to America.
Then there was the Muslim slave trade, which had existed since the 8th century, when it began enslaving Africans. It persists to this day. It enslaved as many as 17 million people from the coast of the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and North Africa. Muslim slave-traders between 1500 and 1900 transported approximately 5 million African slaves. Arab Muslims also enslaved more than 1 million Europeans (whites or "Slavs," hence the word "slave") between the 16th and 19th centuries, more than double the number of black Africans brought to America.
Western (white Christian) nations ended slavery, a universal phenomenon that dates back more than 5,000 years to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and beyond. Britain and the U.S. outlawed the slave trade in 1807. Britain abolished slavery in all its territories in 1833. France ended slavery in its colonies in 1848, Portugal in 1858, Holland in 1861. The U.S. ended slavery with the 13th Amendment in 1865. Brazil abolished slavery in 1888, the last nation in the New World, thus ending the Atlantic Slave Trade.
But slavery persisted in other parts of the world, particularly the Muslim world. Indeed, only a handful of Muslim nations have officially ended slavery, and then not until the late 20th century.
Further, there are some 40 million slaves worldwide today (antislavery.org) including nearly 10 million in Africa (Chad, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sudan, Congo, Eritrea, Burundi, and others), many of them black Christians enslaved by Muslims. There are millions of slaves in the Middle East and Asia (Arantxa Underwood). Yet those clamoring for reparations, so concerned with American slavery that ended 150 years ago, have little to say about slavery today.
No, reparations are not likely to bind the nation's racial wounds. Rather, the endeavor will rip them apart — but perhaps that is the point. Peddling "race" has been a major growth industry in America, and many who traffic in "racism" have benefited from it. But they have also done great damage to American blacks, race relations, and the nation as a whole.
Apart from its divisive nature, impracticality, and cost, perhaps the greatest indictment of the reparations push is that it continues to treat blacks as victims unable to advance without government assistance, a disabling ideology that is destructive of blacks. Reparations serves to further infantilize blacks and will perpetuate the same damaging incentives and moral chaos created by the "Great Society." It will increase dependency, steal ambition, and build resentment; it will expand the black underclass; it will ensure that the pattern of family breakdown, illegitimacy, educational failure, criminality, incarceration, and economic and social dysfunction that plagues many blacks continues.
It would better serve blacks to appreciate their good fortune to live in America; to participate in the American enterprise, as many already do; and to embrace the blessings of liberty and opportunity that this nation uniquely provides. It would benefit blacks to realize that the nation that ended the slave system more than a century ago has also helped them achieve the highest standard of living of blacks anywhere in the world. Blacks would profit by championing the American project, despite its history and flaws, while rejecting the toxic gruel of the Democratic Party, the intersectional Marxist Left, and the various race hucksters who emphasize victimhood, a debilitating message that will only hinder them in their lives, diminish their prospects, and make it impossible to engage in the American story.
It is far better to regard blacks, and all Americans, not as members of a racial group or as victims, but as individuals, endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights among which include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, to judge them not based on skin color, but on character, talent, and achievement. Therein lies salvation for blacks, whites, and the entire nation. This is the American creed that will set us all free.
Dr. Moss is a practicing ear, nose, and throat surgeon; author; and columnist, residing in Jasper, Ind. He has written A Surgeon's Odyssey and Matilda's Triumph, available on Amazon.com. Find more of his essays at richardmossmd.com. Visit Richard Moss, M.D. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


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Meal prepping is a style of home cooking that puts emphasis on planning and efficiency. Many people simply don't have time every day to cook, let alone multiple times a day. Meal prep cookbooks help give recipes that use similar ingredients and have a cadence that can help mitigate the difficulties of eating at home most days. Meal prep cookbooks also offer tips and suggestions on how to store, shop, and reheat the recipes they offer.
Meal prepping isn't specific to any one diet. People who eat extremely healthy can meal prep, while so can people who indulge every once in a while. Meal prepping in general can be a healthy way of living, due to the fact that there will be less eating out. With that in mind, it is important to know the thrust of a cookbook before purchasing.
Editor's Choice
Healthy Meal Prep: Time-saving plans to prep and portion your weekly meals
- Reheating instructions. One of the difficult things about cooking from home is figuring out how to get lasting enjoyment from a big batch of gastronomic effort. This book gives great advice on how to best store and then reheat the dishes that are produced.
- Wide range of foods. This book has something for everyone. From low-carb fare to a meatless section, there are plenty of healthy meals for different dietary needs. There are also fun recipes that replicate comfort foods, perfect for those hoping to indulge a bit.
- Week at a glance. This text has inserts that give previews for the week ahead. These are basic summaries of the prep planning for that week, great for those trying to get their heads around the prep lifestyle.
- Lots of fish. Though this may delight some readers, the book is a little heavy on recipes suggesting fish. Some readers may look for substitutes.
- Doesn't fit with every diet. This book has lots of different recipes but some readers may find the fat content too high or the carb content too low. It is a diverse text that may cause readers to have to discern which recipes work for them.
Healthy Meal Prep by Stephanie Tornatore and Adam Bannon is a cookbook that offers lots of recipes in different categories, healthy and somewhat indulgent. With a nice layout and organization of information, this is an extremely user-friendly book.
The Contender
The Complete Meal Prep Cookbook For Beginners: Your Essential Guide To Losing Weight And Saving Time
- Chapters on getting started. This cookbook includes five chapters on the basics; how to get started; tips and tricks; and an explanation of what the lifestyle entails. What is great is that it has suggestions for how to ease into meal prepping gradually as something that is done every once in a while, and how to dive right in.
- Plain spoken. This book is not written by someone who seems to have an agenda beyond having personally benefited from this lifestyle. The author talks to the reader as someone who understands the temptations, hurdles, and questions a novice might encounter.
- Container tips. Every recipe in this cookbook has a suggested storage method. Some new containers may inevitably be needed, not only does this make planning each meal easier, it can help give a sense of general food storage needs.
- Inconsistent serving amounts. Rather than have the same output per recipe cooked, this book has various serving amounts per recipe. This can make the weekly routine of cooking a bit variable.
- Food longevity info. This book is lacking much information on how long certain dishes will last in the fridge or if they can be frozen. This information must be gleaned from other general sources.
The Complete Meal Prep Cookbook For Beginners by Lynda Rhodes is a book geared towards beginners, with easy-to-follow recipes, personal anecdotes from someone who was once a beginner herself, and a hefty portion of the book dedicated to the process and methodology of the lifestyle.
Best Bargain
The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go
- Shopping list. Many cookbooks will dictate a list of ingredients needed for one recipe, but often times shoppers are then left with a surplus of certain products that they have no other use for. This cookbook does an excellent job of making shopping lists that can streamline the meal prepping process for multiple dishes.
- Storage tips. A critical aspect of meal preparation is the best way to store not only meals that are pre-prepared, but how do you store the surplus food items after completing cooking. This text does an exemplary job of providing storage tips for all types of foods.
- Reasonably priced. This is one of the most affordable paperbacks, let alone cookbooks, one will be able to find from any online or brick-and-mortar store. This book should only cost a few dollars.
- Not many photos. While there are some photos, not all of the recipes by any means have their own accompanying photo. This makes it difficult to gauge if meals were cooked properly.
- Print is small. While this won't be a problem for all readers, the tape face is rather small when compared to other cookbooks. This can make the cooking process a bit difficult when needing to reference the book while in the kitchen.
This affordable cookbook by Toby Amidor caters to those who simply don't have the time or energy to cook every night. By focusing on dishes that can last for a week or more and by including tips on how to shop for and store them, this book aims to help readers build healthier eating habits by preparing nutritious meals and avoiding last minute audibles.
Best for Gluten-Free Diets
Cook Once, Eat All Week: 26 Weeks of Gluten-Free, Affordable Meal Prep to Preserve Your Time & Sanity
- Gluten-free meal prep. This cookbook subscribes to the practice of meal prepping to help sustain a gluten-free diet. This technique is a great way to course out a healthy routine by limiting processed snacks and the reliance on impromptu unhealthy choices by having food available in the kitchen.
- Budget-friendly meals. One of the things that this cookbook does very well is not only provide user-friendly recipes, but it also makes sure to have dishes that can be cooked on a budget. Many cookbooks disregard the price of certain ingredients and due to the complexity of some of the recipes end up costing more than it would cost to eat out at a restaurant.
- Chapter on quick meals. There is a section in this cookbook dedicated to meals that can be cooked in 20 minutes or less. As many meal-prep recipes can take hours, this can be a go-to section for those days when there is less time to spend on cooking.
- Cost. This cookbook is not the most affordable one you could find. For a paperback book it can be priced at a rather high cost.
- Some meals too small. Though many of the recipes will have enough to be filling for most, there are some recipes that fall short in terms of serving sizes. When feeding a family, it is recommended to plan ahead as more food may need to be added to some recipes.
Cook Once, Eat All Week is a cookbook by nutritionist and blogger Cassy Joy Garcia. In it, she shares meal-prepping tips and recipes for gluten-free meals. Each recipe focuses on a starch, a protein, and a vegetable.
How We Picked
Meal prepping is a popular way to create a diet that can fit busy schedules. Typically consisting of a dedicated time every week to prepare meals, meal prepping can allow home chefs to try out new recipes, explore new nutritional lifestyles, and more easily satisfy the needs of a family. Meal prep cookbooks are a great gateway to all of the former. However, different diets, varying home situations, and the level of adeptness in the kitchen can all play a part in which cookbook might be the right one to use. Considering all of the possible factors, here are the ones we weighed heaviest when evaluating the texts:
While all of the cookbooks reviewed feature meal-prepping advice as the main function of the text, there are usually differences in philosophies and focus regarding the actual food items. Some books focus on a certain type of lifestyle or dietary restriction. These might be of great benefit to someone who has problems finding enough recipes to meet their needs. Gluten-free options, for example, can be hard to find in many cookbooks.
The focus of the cookbooks can be more generalized or keyed in on one type of recipe style. Generalized cookbooks tend to have a wide range of recipes that can cater to people of different tastes and dietary needs. Further, some people may not have strict needs or tastes, and a generalized book offers the variety and range they may be looking for. Several books are more focused on the aegis of health and will have their recipes follow that direction.
Storage tips
Crucial to the process of meal prepping is being able to store the food properly after preparing and cooking each recipe. Preparing large amounts of food to last for days involves not only making enough food with the right rations of each ingredient, but making sure there is room in the refrigerator and proper storage containers to keep the food fresh.
Several cookbooks have storage tips that make meal-prepping life that much easier. The books that have specific storage tips per recipe provide the most hands-on guidance. Sometimes the storage tips only come in the form of help for freezing food, while other cookbooks suggest storage containers and give timelines on how long certain foods will last. While some people may not need as explicit of guidance when storing food, those who are new to meal prepping or inexperienced at home cooking might need this help.
Perspective of author
The authors of cookbooks tend to have much different experiences to draw upon when crafting their books. Many of the most compelling meal prepping cookbooks are the work of people who have actually undergone a dramatic, life-altering change through the process of meal prepping itself. Those who have lost weight, rediscovered the joy of cooking, or found balance in their schedules often times are the ones who write the most empathetic or emotional texts.
Authors can also have a more scientific or fitness-related background. Many nutritionists try their hand at writing cookbooks, as they can utilize their knowledge and experience in nutrition and apply it in the kitchen. These books often have more detailed chapters on specific health benefits and increased dietary information with each recipe.
Not sure which meal-prep cookbook is right for you? Take a look at the below tips to help make the best decision for your needs:
- Are you cooking for yourself or for others as well?
- Meal prepping can be a great way to cook in advance for yourself and perhaps a partner. It may take longer than cooking a single meal, but you will create a few days' worth of food and be able to worry less about what you eat every day.
- Those cooking for a family may have some trouble with some meal prep recipes. The amount of food needed for a family over the course of a week may be more than the authors have considered necessary. Scaling up a recipe may not always work; look for cookbooks that have bigger serving sizes and servings per recipe to be safe.
- Do you have particular dietary needs?
- Cookbooks for meal prepping can span a wide range of dietary restrictions and needs. Those who need low-carb meals, low-fat meals, or plant-based meals can usually find a cookbook that has at least a hefty section, if not the whole text dedicated to those types of diets.
- Generally, meal prepping can be a great way to spearhead healthy living. By eschewing eating out and having prepared meals on hand, it is easy to avoid spontaneous decisions that may not fit into the lifestyle the reader is hoping to follow.


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"There have always been technical walls between players of different platforms," says Gary Gattis, CEO of Spacetime Studios. "Now, people are free to play on the device they choose with anyone, anywhere, anytime, whether they are at home or on-the-go."
Pocket Legends and Star Legends are Powered by Spacetime, technology built to support a global player-base on different devices and platforms interacting together within the same server-set. Spacetime Studios integrated Google Chrome Native Client technology with the Spacetime Engine to create the desktop clients for Pocket Legends and Star Legends.
Pocket Legends and Star Legends: The Blackstar Chronicles are the world's largest mobile MMOs with more than seven million downloads and a million play sessions weekly. Currently, Pocket Legends and Star Legends are playable on most Apple and Android mobile devices as well as Windows, Mac, and Linux computers.
You can download the chrome version of Pocket Legends from here, and the Chrome version of Star Legends from here. Have fun and let us know what you think about playing with your friends over the magic of the internet on two totally separate types of device!


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An Extensive Look at Media and Youth
The Kaiser Family Foundation undertook a comprehensive study on the use of media among American youth, entitled, "Generation M2, Media in the lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds".The study was done on a sample of over 2,000 young people, from ages eight to eighteen, and was published in 2010. It covered a whole array of media such as TV, computers, video games, music, print, cell phones and movies. We extracted some of their frightening findings:[i]
- For purposes of comparison, young people were grouped into categories of heavy, moderate and light media users. Heavy users are those who consume more than 16 hours of media content in a typical day (21% of children from eight to eighteen); moderate users are those who consume from 3–16 hours of content (63%); light users are those who consume less than three hours of media in a typical day (17%).
- Nearly half (47%) of all heavy media users say they usually get fair or poor grades (mostly C's or lower), compared to 23% of light media users. Heavy media users are also more likely to say they get into trouble a lot, are often sad or unhappy, and say they are bored. Moreover, the relationships between media exposure and grades, and between media exposure and personal contentment, withstood controls for other possibly relevant factors such as age, gender, race, parent education, and single vs. two-parent households. This study could not establish whether there is a cause and effect relationship between media use and grades, or between media use and personal contentment. If there are such relationships, they could well run in both directions simultaneously.
- Children who live in homes that limit media opportunities spend less time with media. For example, children whose parents do not put a TV in their bedroom, do not leave the TV on during meals or in the background when no one is watching, and do impose media-related rules spend substantially less time with media than do those who are not limited in the choices they make about screen time.
- Over the past five years, young people have increased the amount of time they spend consuming media by an hour and seventeen minutes daily, from an already worrying six hours and twenty-one minutes to a staggering seven hours and thirty-eight minutes! Considering that young people use media seven days a week instead of five, this means that they are spending 54 hours a week on media, more time than most adults spend at work!
- Just under half (45%) of all eight to eighteen-year-olds say they live in a home where the TV is left on most of the time, whether anyone is watching or not, and 64% say the TV is usually on in their household during meals. The percentage of young people reporting a TV on most of the time and a TV usually on during meals has remained relatively constant over the last decade.
- In a typical day, 46% of eight to eighteen-year-olds report sending text messages on a cell phone. Those who do text estimate that they send an average of 118 messages in a typical day. On average, 7th–12th graders report spending about an hour and a half engaged in sending and receiving texts.
- The gender difference in computer time only begins to appear in the teenage years. Boys and girls start out spending equal amounts of time on a computer, but a disparity develops over time. Among fifteen to eighteen-year-olds, there is a gap of about 40 minutes between the genders (two hours for boys, and roughly an hour and twenty minutes for girls). One clear reason for the disparity in this age group is that girls lose interest in computer games as they enter their teenage years, while boys do not. Girls go from an average of 12 minutes a day playing computer games when they are in the eight to ten-year-old group, to just three minutes a day by the time they are fifteen to eighteen years old; there is no such decrease among boys.
- Only a relatively small proportion of eight to eighteen-year-olds say they have any rules about music listening: 26% say they have rules about what types of music they are allowed to listen to, and 10% say they have rules about how much time they can spend listening to music. The proportion with rules about which music they can listen to decreases substantially by age, going from nearly half (47%) of all eight to ten-year-olds to 27% of eleven to fourteen-year-olds to just 12% of all fifteen to eighteen-year-olds.
Another noteworthy study was conducted in Singapore, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (2009), which found the strongest factor associated with early teenage sexual intercourse for male adolescents was viewing pornography between 14 and 19 years of age. This finding agreed with another study conducted in Sweden with boys between 17-21 years of age. In addition, of the boys who viewed pornography, 59% used computers, 19% used videos, and 14% made use of mobile phones.[ii]
Dangers of Excessive Media Exposure
From a number of national (US-based) surveys, we found the following:
Parent Further, a search institute resource for families, warns of excessive computer and other media exposure.[iii]
According to one study, nearly 1 in 10 young gamers displayed behavior patterns similar to addiction.[iv]
According to A.C. Nielsen, the average American watches more than four hours of TV each day (or 28 hours per week, or two months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent nine years glued to the tube.[v]
Below are some statistics compiled by TV-Free America:
- The number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000
- The number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000
- The percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79%
In his book, Take Back Your Kids, William Doherty wrote:
During the 7-8pm time slot (once defined as family hour), 80% of television shows use four letter words, and 60% refer to sex.[vi]
During all the prime time slots, 74% of all TV shows contain sexual content.[vii]
Children are exposed to an estimated 10,000 food advertisements per year, mostly on TV.[viii]
Media Awareness Network, has this to say about the effects of Media on children:[ix]
Rowell Huesmann reviewed studies conducted in Australia, Finland, Poland, Israel, Netherlands and the United States. He reports, "The child most likely to be aggressive would be the one who (a) watches violent television programs most of the time, (b) believes that these shows portray life just as it is, [and] (c) identifies strongly with the aggressive characters in the shows."[x]
A study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2003 found that nearly half (47%) of parents with children between the ages of four and six report that their children have imitated aggressive behaviors from TV. However, it is interesting to note that children are more likely to mimic positive behaviors—87% of kids do so.[xi]
Recent research is exploring the effect of new media on children's behavior. Craig Anderson and Brad Bushman of Iowa State University reviewed dozens of studies of video gamers. In 2001, they reported that children and young people who play violent video games, even for short periods, are more likely to behave aggressively in the real world; and that both aggressive and non-aggressive children are negatively affected by playing.[xii]
In 2003, two Iowa State University researchers teamed up with the Texas Department of Human Services and reported that violent music lyrics increased aggressive thoughts and hostile feelings among 500 college students. They concluded, "There are now good theoretical and empirical reasons to expect effects of music lyrics on aggressive behavior to be similar to the well-studied effects of exposure to TV and movie violence and the more recent research efforts on violent video games."[xiii]
Columbia University professor Jeffrey Johnson has found that the effect is not limited to children who grew up watching violent shows. Johnson tracked 707 families in upstate New York for 17 years, starting in 1975. In 2002, he reported that children who watched one to three hours of any kind of television each day when they were 14 to 16 years old were 60% more likely to be involved in assaults and fights as adults than those who watched less TV.[xiv]
Researchers have also pursued the link between media violence and real life aggression by examining communities before and after the introduction of television. In the mid-1970s, University of British Columbia professor Tannis McBeth Williams studied a remote village in British Columbia both before and after television was introduced. She found that two years after TV arrived, violent incidents had increased by 160%.[xv]
University of Washington Professor Brandon Centerwall noted that the sharp increase in the murder rate in North America in 1955 occurred eight years after television sets began to enter North American homes. To test his hypothesis that the two were related, he examined the murder rate in South Africa where, prior to 1975, television was banned by the government. He found that twelve years after the ban was lifted, murder rates skyrocketed.
In 1998, Professors Singer, Slovak, Frierson and York surveyed 2,000 Ohio students in grades three through eight. They report that the incidences of psychological trauma (including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress) increased in proportion to the number of hours of television watched each day.[xvi]
A number of studies in the 1970's showed that people who are repeatedly exposed to media violence tend to be less disturbed when they witness real world violence, and have less sympathy for its victims. For example, Professors V.B. Cline, R.G. Croft, and S. Courrier studied young boys over a two-year period. In 1973, they reported that boys who watch more than 25 hours of television per week are significantly less likely to be aroused by real world violence than those boys who watch four hours or less per week.[xvii]
The late George Gerbner conducted the longest running study of television violence that we know of. His seminal research found that frequent TV viewers tend to perceive the world in ways that are consistent with the images on TV. As viewers' perceptions of the world come to conform with the depictions they see on TV, they become more passive, more anxious, and more fearful. Gerbner calls this the "Mean World Syndrome." Gerbner's research, published in 1994, found that those who watch greater amounts of television are more likely to overestimate their risk of being victimized by crime; believe their neighborhoods are unsafe; believe "fear of crime is a very serious personal problem"; and assume the crime rate is increasing, even when it is not.[xviii]
[i] Rideout, V. J., Foehr, U. G., & Roberts, D. F. (2010). Generation M2: Media in the lives of 8- to 18-year olds—A Kaiser Family Foundation study. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, California.
[ii] Wong, M. L., Chan, K. W., Koh, D., Tan, H. H., Lim, F. S., Emmanuel, S., & Bishop, G. (2009). Premarital sexual intercourse among adolescents in an Asian country: Multilevel ecological factors. Pediatrics; Haggstrom-Nordin, E., Hanson, U., & Tyden, T. (2005). Associations between pornography consumption and sexual practices among adolescents in Sweden. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 16(2), 102-107.
[iii] ParentFurther. (n.d.). (Search Institute) Retrieved April 23, 2012, from ParentFurther: A Search Institute resource for families: http://www.parentfurther.com
[iv] Douglas, G. (2009). Pathological video game use among youth 8 – 18: A national study. Psychological Science, 20(5), 594-602.
[v] Television & Health. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2012, from California State University Northridge: http://www.csun.edu/science/health/docs/tv&health.html
[vi] Doherty, W. J. (2000). Take back your kids: Confident parenting in turbulent times. Notre Dame, Indiana: Sorin Books. 138-142.
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] Research on effects of Media Violence (n.d.). Media Awareness Network: http://www.media-awareness.ca
[x] Huesmann, L. R. (1982). Television violence and aggressive behavior. In: D. Perl, L. Bouthilet, & J. Lazar (Eds.), Television and behavior: Ten years of programs and implications for the 80's (pp. 126-137). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
[xi] Rideout, V. J., Vandewater, E. A., & Wartella, E. A. (2003). Zero to six: Electronic media in the lives of infants, toddlers and preschoolers—A Kaiser Family Foundation report. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, California.
[xii] Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive recognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: A meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 12, 353-359.
[xiii] Anderson, C. A., Carnagey, N. L., & Eubanks, J. (2003). Exposure to violent media: The effect of songs with violent lyrics on aggressive thoughts and feelings. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(5), 960-971.
[xiv] Johnson, J. G., Cohen, P., Smailes, E. M., Kasen, S., & Brook, J. S. (2002). Television viewing and aggressive behavior during adolescence and adulthod. Science, 295(5564), 2468-2471.
[xv] Williams, T. M. (Ed.). (1986). The impact of television: A natural experiment in three communities. New York: Praeger.
[xvi] Singer, M. I., Slovak, K., Frierson, T., & York, P. (1998). Viewing preferences, symptoms of psychological trauma, and violent behaviors among children who watch television. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37, 1041-1048.
[xvii] Cline, V. B., Croft, R. G., & Courrier, S. (1973). Desensitization of children to television violence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 27(3), 360-365.
[xviii] Gerbner, G. (2004). TV violence and the art of asking the wrong question. In The World & I; A Chronicle of Our Changing Era, July, 1994, pp.385-397. Retrieved September 14, 2012, from Center for Media Literacy: http://www.medialit.org/reading-room/tv-violence-and-art-asking-wrong-question


text:
By Maya Rosenberg
For Mitzpeh
It had all the elements of a drag show: flashing lights, a skintight catsuit, thumping pop music and most importantly, a queer, Jewish drag queen.
Hamsa, this university's Jewish LGBTQ and Allies student organization, hosted a drag show at Hillel. While Hamsa has hosted ice cream socials and karaoke nights in the past, presenting a drag show was new for the group and for Hillel.
"I think that the drag show brings something new, something people have never been to before," Avi Alpert, a senior computer science major and president of Hamsa, said. "I think there's no explicit educational value, but intrinsically, the drag show itself will expose a lot of students to elements of queer culture that they haven't been exposed to before."
Alpert was the star of the show, performing as "Aveira," his drag queen persona. Aveira lip synced to mashups of popular Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande songs, infused with comical soundbites from Aveira herself, poking fun at the food at Hillel's "Fried Fridays."
"There are a lot of queer Jews who are sort of uncomfortable at Hillel," Mo Goldberger, a sophomore computer science major and unofficial MC of the event, said. "I hope this event shows that Hillel is a place for Jewish queer people to come."
There were almost no empty seats at the drag show, which Goldberger said was a "first" for Hillel.
"Drag shows are really funny because straight people in gay settings are always so uncomfortable," Goldberger said. "I'm like 'Oh we have to make an extra effort to make straight people feel comfortable here, and it's like I feel uncomfortable in your space all the time."
The audience, which took up almost every seat, was comprised of both Hamsa members and allies there to support Aveira.
"First and foremorst, Avi, or Aveira, is a close friend of mine, and I want to be here to support him and just support the queer Jewish community in general," senior government and politics and psychology major Tamara Soleymani said. "I want to show them that as someone like me who is Orthodox, I still love them and accept them. I want them to feel welcomed by the straight community and by our community in general."
The show, which lasted for about 30 minutes, blended drag and Jewish culture together through Aveira's music, stand up and even her name; Aveira translates to "sin or transgression against G-d" in Hebrew.
"I mean, it's a very sacrilegious name. I guess you might say drag is a little sacrilegious so it works kind of [nicely]," Goldberger said during the show. "That's why I say this is a straight up Aveira performance."
Aveira's costumes, which ranged from a black catsuit paired with sparkly heels to a nun costume complete with a cross and veil, matched the comedic and sarcastic theme of the show. Alpert said that Hamsa events usually have an explicit educational component to them, but the drag show was purposely more "comedic and fun."
"This event is more social and fun time," Alpert said. "But I hope it'll teach people the significance of drag or just LGBT community building and gatherings in general."


text:
Charlie & The Bhoys: Gallagher at 80
Part 1 – Early days
The calendar year 1940 would prove significant in the evolving history of the Celtic Football Club. The new decade opened with a 1-1 draw at Ibrox, a late Malcolm MacDonald equaliser rescuing a point after Willie Waddell's opener for the hosts but insufficient to move Celts off the bottom of the 16-club wartime West Regional League. Manager Willie Maley announced his intention to retire, and he would do so on 1 February, just short of his 72nd birthday. Sadly, it was a less than amicable parting. Having given his life to the club he had committed to as a teenager back in 1887, he would not set foot in Celtic Park again for 13 long years. His replacement would be the current Alloa Athletic manager, Jimmy McStay, his former captain.
It was also a year in which no fewer than five of the men who would conquer Europe wearing the Hoops more than two decades later would be born. First up was Billy McNeill, in Bellshill on Saturday, 2 March 1940, as new manager McStay's Celtic were throwing away a 4-2 first-leg lead by going down by 3-0 to Raith Rovers at Stark Park and thus exiting the new Scottish Emergency Cup at the first hurdle. Young Robert Auld celebrated his second birthday in Panmure Street, Maryhill a few weeks later.
On 23 June 1940, Willie Wallace was born in Kirkintilloch, whilst Joe McBride would also have turned two earlier that month. Govan Bhoy Joe actually shares his birthday with Celtic's Empire Exhibition Cup Final win a mile or so along the road at Ibrox, Saturday, 10 June 1938!
The new season saw another Lisbon Lion enter the world. Friday, 16 August 1940 is the birth date of John Fallon, the new-born no doubt gurgling his dissatisfaction at Celtic's 2-0 defeat at Cappielow 24 hours later, in the second Southern League Division match of the campaign.
The last week of the year would see Thomas Stephen Chalmers celebrate his fifth birthday on Boxing Day in James Nisbet Street in Glasgow's Garngad before Willie O'Neill took his bow on Monday, 30 December 1940. It seems strange to think that by then, 'Faither' Ronnie Simpson was closer to his debut as a senior footballer than his birth, the future goalkeeper having turned 10-years-old on Friday, 11 October 1940. A fortnight earlier, Jimmy McStay had secured his first trophy as Celtic manager, following a 1-0 win over Rangers at Ibrox in the Glasgow Cup Final. And just a few weeks later, Sunday, 3 November 1940, a baby boy named Charles was born in the Gorbals, a second child for Donegal couple, Dan and Annie Gallagher.
Charlie would blossom into a talented schoolboy footballer at the local Holyrood Secondary, where the teachers included future Scotsport presenter, Bob Crampsey, and John Murphy, the matchday announcer at Celtic Park. The young Charlie would enjoy a role as a ballboy at the home of his boyhood favourites, in that period between the Coronation Cup triumph and Hampden in the Sun. He would later live the dream, playing alongside some of those heroes.
In one of those strange quirks of fate so adored by football writers, the teenage Charlie found himself under the watchful eye of the goalscorers from that Ibrox match back on New Year's Day 1940, Willie Waddell and Malcolm MacDonald. The former playing adversaries were by now the management team at Rugby Park, Charlie turning out for Kilmarnock Amateurs. Despite enjoying the excellent training regime in Ayrshire and the fact that Killie rather than Celtic were the more dominant team in Scotland at that time, Gallagher would follow his heart to sign for the Bhoys.
On Saturday, 12 April 1958, as Hearts clinched the Scottish title at Love Street, with a record number of goals scored and a three-figure goal difference, and a Bobby Collins strike gave Celtic victory at Firhill, Parkhead reserve coach Jock Stein travelled to Stair Park, Stranraer to watch the Scottish Youth International side take on their Irish counterparts. The home side included future national team manager Craig Brown at wing-half, Rangers full-back Davie Provan and two forwards who would end up with Jock at Celtic Park within five months, Charlie Gallagher and Ian Lochhead. Charlie signed provisional forms at Parkhead on Saturday, 20 September 1958, having joined junior outfit Yoker Athletic the previous month. He would play at junior level for the remainder of that season, whilst signing a full professional contract with Jimmy McGrory's Celtic in March 1959.
Charlie's early days as a Celtic player would see him witness one of the most bizarre occasions in Hoops folklore, the final day of the 1958/59 League season. Celtic entertained defending champions Hearts, whilst Rangers hosted Aberdeen, the Ibrox club two points clear of the Gorgie men and with an identical goal average. Defeat for Rangers and a win for Hearts would see the flag remain in Edinburgh, and Aberdeen did their bit with a 2-1 victory in Govan, which removed the possibility of the cup-finalists being relegated.
At Celtic Park, a Hearts side featuring Gordon Marshall senior in goals led 1-0 at the interval, and were 45 minutes from retaining the title, before second-half goals from Bertie Auld and Eric Smith won the match for Celtic, thus directly handing the Scottish League Championship to bitter rivals, Rangers!
The Celtic side which commenced season 1959/60 was one very much in transition. Charlie Tully, Sammy Wilson and Dick Beattie had been the most recent of the 7-1 team to depart, leaving Bobby Evans, Bertie Peacock and Neil Mochan as the last members of that record-breaking eleven to command a first-team slot, less than two years later.
Amongst the Kelly Kids who were being gradually introduced as their replacements, there was a familiar face for Charlie in the shape of Pat Crerand. Pat's father had been killed in the Clydebank blitz of March 1941, his mother later marrying into the Gallagher family to make the two future Celts cousins by marriage. He had made his Parkhead debut in the absence of Bertie Peacock in a 3-1 win over Queen of the South in October 1958, just after Charlie had signed for Celtic.
Fellow youngsters Frank Haffey, Billy McNeill and Dunky MacKay were also building reputations in the Celtic defence, playing with and learning from the remaining legends. There was a horrendous start to the campaign, with four straight defeats. Raith Rovers, Partick Thistle and Airdrieonians all coming out on top in the opening League Cup-ties, before Rangers won by the odd goal in three to knock Celts out of the Glasgow Cup on their own turf.
Celts would finally get points on the board at the fifth time of asking, a 2-0 midweek victory over a Kilmarnock side featuring Joe McBride kicking off the 1959/60 League season on a high note at Parkhead. On the flip side, several of the players had sustained injuries in the process, forcing Jimmy McGrory into four changes for the home League Cup return with Raith Rovers on Saturday, 22 August 1959. Back came Bertie Auld – the volatile winger in disgrace following his sending-off in Amsterdam whilst playing for Scotland – Matt McVittie and Jim Kennedy, whilst there was a debut at inside-left for Charlie Gallagher.
The Hoops line-up which would attempt to end the Kirkcaldy club's perfect start to the League Cup was as follows:
Frank Haffey;
Billy McNeill & Jim Kennedy;
Dunky MacKay, Bobby Evans & Bertie Peacock;
Matt McVittie, Dan O'Hara, Jim Conway, Charlie Gallagher & Bertie Auld.
The only goal of the game came 10 minutes before the interval, Rovers' left-back MacFarlane beating his own keeper under pressure from Dan O'Hara – making just his second appearance in the Hoops – to get Celtic off the mark in the group. Despite rave reviews in the media for his performance, Mike Jackson returned for the midweek visit to Firhill and Charlie would not see first-team football again until the following April. Such was life at Celtic under Bob Kelly.
Much had happened in those intervening eight months, debuts for John Fallon and John Clark, the installation of state-of-the-art floodlights – with many suggesting the sale of Bobby Collins and Willie Fernie had paid for those – then crucially the departure of Jock Stein to take up the manager's post at struggling Dunfermline Athletic in March 1960. Stein's first game in charge of the Pars a few days later was, of course, against Celtic at East End Park, the new manager inspiring his charges to a 3-2 win, their opening goal coming within 15 seconds of kick-off. It would not be the last time Jock Stein would inflict defeat on Celtic as Dunfermline manager.
April brought a Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Rangers, the first match finishing 1-1 and the replay tied at the same score at the interval, before a second-half collapse saw the Hoops sink to a 4-1 defeat. The silver lining in the cloud for Charlie Gallagher was an opportunity to taste first-team action, replacing Mike Jackson for the visit of Partick Thistle on Tuesday, 12 April 1960. He probably wished he hadn't, as the so-called Maryhill Magyars for once lived up to that star billing by taking a 4-0 lead in front of just 5,000 disillusioned Hoops fans, visiting striker George Smith joining the select band of players who have netted a hat-trick against Celtic at Parkhead, after future Hoops assistant manager Davie McParland had opened the scoring. Stevie Chalmers added a sliver of respectability to the scoreline by netting a double in the closing stages, allowing the records to reflect a 4-2 victory for Thistle. Grim times.
Charlie retained his place on the left wing for the weekend trip to Dens Park, Dundee, which saw the deterioration in performance and results continue. A Dark Blues side building up to what would be a Championship-winning season two years later comfortably disposed of Celtic by two goals to nil, strikes from Alan Gilzean and Hugh Robertson finishing the contest before the interval. The Hoops season of woe was best reflected by the sight of fit-again international goalkeeper Frank Haffey being stretchered off, following a collision with his own teammate, Dunky MacKay.
Bobby Evans pulled on the unfortunate Haffey's jersey for the remainder of the match as the 10-man Celts lost again, on the day that Hearts secured the 1959/60 League Championship flag, their second in three seasons, with a point against St Mirren. It should be noted that only Celtic's unlikely last-day victory in April 1959 had prevented the Tynecastle men from winning three successive League titles, a feat only Celtic and Rangers had achieved.
Cousins Charlie Gallagher and Pat Crerand played together in the Hoops for the first time two days later, as the Bhoys made the short journey to Airdrie for an Easter Monday afternoon clash at Broomfield. For once, the Celts showed some real fighting spirit, rising from the jaws of defeat to snatch a win thanks to a first senior hat-trick from Stevie Chalmers. Despite taking the lead through an early Welsh own goal, Celtic trailed 2-1 going into the final quarter of the match. Neil Mochan then drew the visitors level from Crerand's pass, before Chalmers hit three goals in 10 minutes to seal an impressive, if unexpected, 5-2 victory.
The final Saturday of the League season took place on the last day of April 1960, St Mirren the visitors to a sparsely populated Celtic Park, only 10,00 diehards bothering to pay their way in. Billy McNeill back in for Pat Crerand at right-half was the only change made by Parkhead boss, Jimmy McGrory, as Charlie Gallagher's belated run on the left wing continued.
Having scored three times late on to salvage the points in their previous outing, Celtic's real issue of inconsistency was once again highlighted as they contrived to lose a three-goal lead with just 12 minutes remaining. An early Neil Mochan finish was complemented by two more goals for the impressive Chalmers before the break, taking his total to 15 in 19 games. Gemmell pulled one back for Saints on 78 minutes, and within a further five they were level, strikes from Baker and Miller bringing the curtain down on a truly disappointing Celtic campaign.
To be continued later today only on The Celtic Star…
Hail Hail,
Matt Corr
Thanks, as always, to the folk behind the Celtic Wiki, a wonderful source of information, and to David Potter, author of Charlie's biography, Charlie Gallagher? What a Player!
Follow Matt on Twitter @Boola_vogue