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Opinion: Could McLaren join forces with Alfa Romeo?
A divorce between McLaren and Honda could be close, judging by the team bosses' criticism of the Japanese engine. But what are McLaren's options if it parts company with Honda? Adam Cooper gives his take on the possibilities.
Rumours that McLaren was considering a future without Honda first surfaced several months ago, but the situation is now beyond that stage, and it's no secret that the management of the Woking team has been actively seeking an alternative partner.
It's widely assumed that there will be a reunion of McLaren and Mercedes in 2018, and in many ways that is the logical and very obvious route. However, it seems that things are not yet set in stone. How could they be with the Honda deal still officially in place?
So perhaps there's a chance that instead, there could be an unexpected revival of another long forgotten F1 partnership – one involving McLaren and Alfa Romeo.
Zak Brown and Eric Boullier have both made it crystal clear that McLaren's patience with Honda has run out, and given the tone of their comments, the odds of the two parties still being together next year look slim.
That appeared to be the case even before a mind-numbingly frustrating Canadian GP, where Fernando Alonso was robbed of what would have been the team's first point of the year. The fact that the loss of a 10th place was received so poorly shows just where the team is at right now.
As Brown told Motorsport.com after the race, "we can't go on like this."
When the iconic partnership was renewed, it was accepted that it might take a season or three to become fully competitive – as in, challenging for podiums and knocking on the door of race wins.
The first year with Honda was a disaster, the second saw some upward momentum and justified optimism, and in 2017 things have clearly taken a turn for the worse. McLaren cannot afford to waste any more time.
Nobody in the Woking camp, and certainly not the team's major shareholders, goes racing just to make up the numbers.
Financial dent
But it's not just about egos. In F1 points mean prizes, and the further down the order you drop, and the longer you stay there, the less money you earn from the FOM pot – and having been ninth and then sixth in the past two seasons, the team is currently in last place, on zero points.
At the same time, poor performance on track does not impress sponsors, and several have migrated to other teams in recent years.
That double whammy puts a big dent in the positive contribution to the numbers made by Honda, and thus walking away from a lucrative works deal and paying hard cash for a competitive engine starts to make more sense.
McLaren is a team that should be winning, and it's hard to believe that the last title came in 2008, and the most recent victory in 2012. Reuniting with Honda was supposed to address that, recapture some of the magic of a past era, and crucially give the team an exclusive relationship with a major manufacturer, with all the resources that it can bring to the party.
It hasn't worked and it doesn't look like it will work any time soon, so it's time to move on, and find a shortcut to improved performance.
A divorce looks set to be messy, because this was obviously a complex, long-term deal involving huge sums of money. Honda is already committed to Sauber, so in theory it won't be pulling out of the sport in the way it did at the end of 2008, leaving Ross Brawn scrambling to save the Brackley outfit.
There's a supreme irony in the fact that what became Brawn GP was saved because works Mercedes team McLaren agreed that the Stuttgart manufacturer could bail out Brawn and co, with an engine supply – after then president Luca di Montezemolo had made a similar offer on behalf of Ferrari.
This was a generous gesture intended to keep the Brackley staff (and indeed Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello) in gainful employment, but it backfired on McLaren when Brawn GP dominated the early part of the season, and Button won the world championship.
Liking what it saw, Mercedes decided to buy the team and make it its works outfit – at the ultimate expense of McLaren.
The major stumbling block at that time was the fact that McLaren was ramping up its road car ambitions, and there was an obvious clash with Mercedes, as it was becoming direct rival for those with a few hundred thousand to spend. Relations between Stuttgart and Ron Dennis became strained.
Against customer deal
McLaren eventually found itself downgraded to customer status, which is why Dennis began searching for a new partner – he was adamant that you cannot win in F1 as a customer team, despite Brawn having proven that it was possible, at least if you have an exceptional chassis.
By necessity, McLaren continued with Mercedes power after the Honda deal was signed, even into the first season of the new turbo V6 era. That inevitably increased tensions between the two, as Mercedes had obvious concerns about its IP.
At Suzuka in 2014, Dennis launched a tirade about the level of customer service from his long-time partner, focussing on a lack of access to "source code" that he felt would allow McLaren to enjoy the sort of advantage that the works team evidently had in qualifying trim.
Honda couldn't come soon enough.
"Even though you have the same brand of engine that does not mean you have the ability to optimise the engine," he said. "So you've got to start by putting yourself in a position where you have the best engine available.
"That's what we've done for the approaching years. We had a great partnership with Mercedes, but we intend to hit the ground running with Honda."
Mercedes reunion?
Less than three years later McLaren is in the bizarre scenario of trying to escape from Honda, and a return to Mercedes is its most obvious lifeline. The good news is that the two sides have a history together – the bad news is that history includes a lot of unhelpful baggage.
On the plus side, at engineering level the guys at Woking and Brixworth know each other well, and it's only been three years since the former built a car around the first version of the V6.
Mercedes has the capacity to supply a fourth team – it serviced Manor in 2016 – and next year the annual power unit allocation per driver drops to three per season, so that should mean that fewer resources are required per customer.
Marketing-wise, much could be made of a reunion between McLaren and Mercedes, if that suited both parties. However, that awkward clash of road car interests hasn't gone away, so perhaps there's an argument for a badging deal that also would give McLaren an extra package to sell to a sponsor.
But does Mercedes really want to have McLaren back on board? Not so long ago the top management refused to supply Red Bull, on the basis that having worked so hard to get into a winning position, why would it hand that advantage to a not very friendly rival?
McLaren could throw a spanner in the works for a team that already has its hands full fighting with Ferrari, and which enjoys smooth and healthy relationships with Williams and Force India.
One factor does work in McLaren's favour. There was a clash of personalities at the heart of the failed Red Bull/Mercedes deal, and it's probably fair to say that Christian Horner didn't have too many friends in Brackley or Stuttgart.
Crucially for McLaren, Dennis is now out of the picture, so much of the aforementioned baggage has been discarded. Brown, as he showed when he pulled off the Indy 500 deal, is a man people like to do business with, and who gets things done.
Nevertheless there are still some hurdles to overcome. You could argue that it might be better for McLaren to opt instead for Renault, and make a fresh start with a new partner.
Viry has a good reputation for providing parity, and for the moment at least, the works team is not a race winner, and thus that awkward element of competition doesn't come into the equation.
There's also the option to sell badging rights to the engine, as Red Bull has shown, which would help to pay the bills.
However, while Renault has made huge strides with its V6 over the past couple of years, it still lags behind its two main rivals.
The French engine is a much better bet than Honda – after all, Red Bull has won races with it – but can McLaren rely on promises that the gap will close further in 2018 and beyond?
Could Ferrari be an option?
There is a third option, one that it's easy to assume could never happen in a million years. McLaren and Ferrari, fierce rivals for over four decades, in bed together?
It sounds crazy, not least because in marketing terms, those names don't fit for very obvious reasons – they are chasing the same wealthy customers.
However, McLaren could badge the Ferrari engine, just as Sauber did with Petronas for many years. And it might not have to be a TAG Heuer-type sponsorship deal. Consider the logos on the back of the works SF70H. What if McLaren could agree to run the Maranello engine with the Alfa Romeo name?
Sergio Marchionne has said that he wants to properly push the brand in F1, and this could be a brilliantly unexpected way to do it.
It would be especially appealing to him if McLaren pays $25m or whatever the price would be for the privilege of promoting Alfa Romeo, especially if Fernando Alonso could be part of the story too.
Even if Alfa doesn't fit, there are other brand names that could be used – although Chrysler doesn't have quite the same ring to it...
Remember that Ferrari loses Sauber next year, leaving just Haas as a customer, so logistically there is capacity.
The Mercedes is the engine everyone has coveted for the past three seasons, but the Ferrari is now right there. Why wouldn't McLaren want it, for purely competitive reasons, if all the other stuff can somehow be dealt with?
The obvious counter argument is that Ferrari has never supplied a truly competitive rival, and just as Mercedes had no wish to give Red Bull a helping hand, Maranello will be reluctant to hand over its technology to McLaren.
And could McLaren ever be 100 percent sure that it was getting parity of equipment – or in the words of Dennis, access to the "source code"?
Clearly, the marketing and competition issues would present a few hurdles. However, there's also the bigger picture of politics.
A lot is going to happen in the sport over the next few years as Liberty addresses both the future technical rules and, more controversially, F1's financial arrangements.
A marriage of convenience between Ferrari and McLaren would be pretty powerful, and potentially give Maranello some extra clout as it fights its corner. And the Mercedes voice would be correspondingly weaker.
Remember too that while Brown and Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene would obviously be in the loop on any discussions, ultimately it would be agreed and sanctioned above their pay grades – between Marchionne on one side, and Mansour Ojjeh and the Bahraini royal family on the other.
That's pretty high-powered stuff, and if those guys are on the same page, anything is possible.
Think about what a great story it would be. A winning engine for McLaren puts a major player back in the game, and the sexy Alfa Romeo name makes a proper return to the sport – possibly with Fernando Alonso still in the picture.
Ross Brawn and Chase Carey would push like hell for it to happen. The FIA would also be keen for Ferrari to have three teams, rather than Mercedes (or Renault) expand to four.
There's even a little history for both sides to hang a positive story on. Back in 1970 Alfa Romeo sportscar driver Andrea de Adamich took a supply of the Italian marque's V8s to Bruce McLaren, who built a special M7D, and ran him as an extra works entry.
The package wasn't up to much, and even an upgrade to a newer M14D didn't help, and de Adamich didn't better an eighth place, achieved at Monza.
But the fact is that a McLaren-Alfa Romeo started four grands prix that year, and it remains a forgotten chapter in the history of both companies. Is there a chance that another may yet be written?
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We've known each other, with full of promises. We've built our bond, with full of hopes.But now I know.. Our bond, is far from His blessing..
I'm releasing this bond, our bond.. It's not only just for you. But.. It's for Allah, our true love..
If you're destined for me.. Then insha-Allah, Allah will make us together.
If not.. Believe in Him.. For Allah always knows what better for us…
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Posted by maryam siddiqah at 20:48
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subset: commoncrawl


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The Dion Family Student Center opens with a warm welcome.
A summer's exploration of the biological needs of browsers.
Physics professor John O'Meara is looking to the heavens through lenses as far away as Chile and as close as campus.
Chris Bernard drove nearly 7,000 miles to Alaska, only to discover an unexpected ancestral connection to the Last Frontier.
Two former Joyce Hall roommates live out their dreams in a 2500-square-foot greenhouse in North Yarmouth, Maine, brimming with tilapia and heads of lettuce.


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Well, what do you know? Yost benches Yuni and Francoeur for three straight against the Indians, and the Royals win all three games. Coincidence? Perhaps, but the previous thirty-some-odd days in which the Royals didn't win even two games in a row would indicate otherwise.
Last night's game was rather ugly, with KC building a big lead in the first only to piss it away, but rallying for a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th. It wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. Cleveland is unofficially done for the year after a strong start, and somehow, even after a sweep, the Royals are still last in the AL Central. Oh well. They got Derek Lowe shitcanned, so that's got to count for something.
We're obligated, of course, to do our traditional sweep post. We've done this with the Indians once before, but this time we've chosen American Indian cartoon character Chief Wahoo to be the swept one (sweepee?), instead of Indian American cartoon character Apu Nahasapeemapetilon.
Take that, you racist caricature!
Go Royals! You're the Best when you bench Yuni & Frenchy!


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13 October 2012
the power of heaven
5 comments:
- Jill said...
can't tell you how many times I have to lock my self in my room and beg for forgiveness... we just want to be perfect mothers.. and it's hard but with the Lord we can do all things.
- October 13, 2012 at 10:56 PM
- Law Rhen said...
yes yes and yes to all of what you've wrote. I've found that i've been very open about how hard it is to be a mom, and i feel like i've had backlash because of it and people think I'm a bad mother. so i love that you can write this and not be afraid because you know you are great. and you are. since i don't know you at all, and stuff. ;)
thank you for this. in the cheesiest way possible, i needed this post.
- October 14, 2012 at 12:11 AM
- Luke and Marin said...
I can't say thank you enough for this post. I SO needed this.
- October 18, 2012 at 11:51 AM
- Jana said...
Thank you, Jenna. This post meant so much to me today.
- October 23, 2012 at 11:42 PM
- jenn said...
i dont "know" you....
but ive been a follower of your blog since before goldie....
just so you know...
i love your blog! your 2 sweet smiling girls! and your honesty!
we all struggle with life, being a good mom, a good wife, a good person...we all strive to be "perfect"...but what IS perfect? and who can really be that?
- October 24, 2012 at 9:44 PM


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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|The Great St Louis Bank Robbery
Actors: Steve McQueen, Crahan Denton, David Clarke, James Dukas, Molly McCarthy
Directors: Charles Guggenheim, John Stix
Genres: Action & Adventure, Drama, Mystery & Suspense
NR 1999 1hr 29min
Larger Image
Movie Details
Similar Movies
Similarly Requested DVDs
Movie Reviews
Tony C. Pastorello | Carlsbad,New Mexico | 03/31/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"At 63, and a friend knowing I was from "Dago Hill" in St.Louis, we were chatting about how things had changed in our world. He being an avid Cardinals fan, as myself, we starting telling stories about Ole' St. Louis. When I told him about being an early teenager, my father owning the quick shop"Tom's Grill" and watching the making of the movie, meeting Steve McQueen,in person, seeing the behind the scenes operation, he was intrigued and asked me a lot about the story. As we sat talking my wife looked at me and suggested we go to Amazon.com, see if the movie was downloadable and watch it. Well, needless to say it brought back many memories, and since my father died in 1981, I got to see him, alive, young and in the movie in the restaurant scenes when Steve was timing things and had the argument with the girl.
My father obviously is "Tom", owner of the grill, I remember many of the actual police officers in the movie as well as those that were involved in the real robbery. In the scene where the police cars are coming out of the station to respond to the bank, they are coming out of the 2nd district police station on Hampton Ave. which was right behind my house. Since I used to go to the station, shoot my .22 rifle in the basement range, put the flag up on week-ends, I got to know many of the officers that also knew my dad. As well as sometimes sneaking a ride on the back of one of the police motorcycles from time to time.
Yes, it brought back many memories, the movie itself was of course low budget, black and white, a very young Steve and refreshingly not full of sex, and tons of profanity.
To Amazon, I can only say thank you, from my heart, I am now a semi-retired former police officer, on reserves, and a PhD meteorologist here in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
In missing old St.Louis, the movie actually reminded me of the times as a kid, crawdad fishing and bike riding in Tower Grove park, having sat under that very pagoda in the movie when the gang members met.
So, especially if your an old St. Louis resident or just want to see how it looked with the old 50's cars, cheap gas, and a nostalgic hamburger fast food shop, I highly recommend you watch this movie: "The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery"
Any comments or visitors you may e-mail me at: firstname.lastname@example.com
or feel free to visit my weather website: www.weatherwatchofnm.com ."
Worth watching mainly for McQueen
K. Swanson | Austin, TX United States | 07/13/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"A rather standard heist flick, maybe a bit above average. One of Steve the Loner's early roles as Steve the Loner, and he's the best thing about the film, though the other character actors are all decent, if not outstanding.
This may be a true story, etc, but it all looks like an episode of Dragnet in many ways. With all the great bank robbery films out there it's hard to say watch this one first; once you've run out of heist flicks, this one will do. It would have been perfect finding this black and white chestnut in 1977 on tv at 3 am, but in the dvd age we have endless options. Go for the classics of this genre first, unless you are a major McQueen fan.
And even then, he doesn't do much but mumble and look distracted. Tough, but distracted. Careers have been carved from less..."
Moviefan | 11/26/2009
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The DVD that I received was a big disappointment. The transfer to DVD
was very bad, so dark it was hard to determine what was going on. After
15 minutes I threw the thing in the trash."
A Foiled Robbery
Acute Observer | Jersey Shore USA | 04/27/2010
(1 out of 5 stars)
"The St. Louis Bank Robbery, 1959 film
The film begins with a man driving a car on a highway. Three cars park off the street, across from a bank. `This story is based on a true incident." Men of the St. Louis Police Department play their actual parts. The four men discuss the bank: no guards, never been touched, easy access. There is a schedule to plan the job. The talk tells about the characters. [Notice the words.] George Fowler is the wheelman, he will get the license plates to disguise the car. [How many people check their rear license plates?] "Do you come here often?" [The talk and story drag.] Will Ann trust George? [Better fill-in lighting needed.] Is Willie getting old? Gino has fears of going back. Time passes slowly. Ann saw Gino and George together, she is suspicious.
They gather together to collate their observations. The robbery must be over in two minutes. They rehearse the timing of the operation. [The talk and story drag.] Will they go to Mexico after the job? A man brings in a shoebox with merchandise. A warning on the bank window? [Bad luck?] "It wasn't my fault." "Do you want to get me killed?" Can they trust Ann? Egan doesn't think so. There is conflict over the driver. They begin the robbery. "This is a hold-up!" The alarm is given. The police arrive before they can get away; they're trapped! Gino won't go back. Egan's taking of a hostage doesn't work. George takes a hostage, he's scared. Shooting continues. Then the police go in to end the robbery.
This film tells a story but runs on too long. There are better low-budget films."


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WorldNetDaily Exclusive
It's LGBT month, declares Obama
President ties June tribute to 40th anniversary of riot
WASHINGTON – New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in Grennwich Village June 27, 1969, because of reports the establishment was selling liquor without a license.
As police began loading some unruly patrons into a paddy wagon, a crowd gathered outside. Bottles, beer cans and garbage cans were hurled at officers.
An uprooted parking meter was turned into a makeshift battering ram, blockading some police inside the notorious "gay bar." Then it was set on fire.
Reinforcements were called out to rescue the police officers trapped inside, but the rioting continued for two hours, with a total of 12 arrested. The disturbances at the Stonewall Inn continued for four successive nights.
Barack Obama yesterday commemorated the Stonewall riots as an event in which lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendereds "resisted police harassment that had become all too common," triggering the homosexual rights movement in America. Thus, Obama proclaimed June "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month" – just as Bill Clinton did 10 years earlier, marking the same street uprising.
"LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society," Obama said in his proclamation. "There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country's response to the HIV pandemic."
He applauded himself for bring the first president "to appoint openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an administration."
"My administration has partnered with the LGBT community to advance a wide range of initiatives," he reminded. "At the international level, I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexuality around the world. Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans. These measures include enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security. We must also commit ourselves to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic by both reducing the number of HIV infections and providing care and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS across the United States."


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Tropika Holiday House is situated in a fabulous location on the absolute beachfront at Mission Beach, only metres from the swimming enclosure yet just a short stroll to the quaint Mission Beach Shopping Village. Great selection of cafes and restaurants for those not wishing to cook at home.
The relaxed furnishings create a warm and inviting atmosphere. The open plan kitchen and living area extend onto the beachside pavilion. Open the bi -fold doors from the living area to the pavilion and enjoy the free flow feeling with spectacular views across the stunning Coral Sea to Dunk Island.
There are 2 queen bedrooms (one ensuited) both opening on to the beachside pavilion. The third bedroom offers 2 single beds. Enjoy the beauty of being lulled to sleep day or night by the sound of the waves as you enjoy your tropical escape. If air conditioning is your preference, it is there for you.
The protected private swimming pool is surrounded by lush tropical gardens. Lazing around the pool reading your favourite novel or just playing with the children will have all those daily stresses disappear in no time. The gardens around the pool are a treat as you are sure to see a Ulysses Butterfly or two and even the impressive Cairns Bird Wing Butterflies.
For those of you who enjoy starting your day in relaxed way use the Tropika yoga mat and bolster for a morning salute to the rising sun over Dunk Island. ....
Tropika offers the true beach holiday home feel. Simple with everything you need to feel as if you are on holidays as soon as you arrive.
This holiday home is 300 m to Mission Beach Shopping Village.
Getting to Mission Beach
Mission Beach is located on the Great Green Way, Tropical North Queensland coast in Australia between the northern cities of Cairns and Townsville. The drive to Mission Beach from either Cairns or Townsville takes you through the heart of the region and can be an adventure in itself. From the main highway and into Mission Beach proper you directly travel through World Heritage listed rainforest.
Mission Beach is approx. 2.5 to 3 hours drive from Townsville. Turn off at the Bruce Highway north of Tully and it is approx 26 km to Mission Beach. If you are wishing to hire a car in Townsville - Avis, Budget or Hertz are the only companies that you will be able to use.
From Cairns it is approx. 1.5 to 2 hours drive. Turn off at the Bruce Highway at El Arish (opposite El Arish Golf Course) and follow Cassowary Drive into Mission Beach approx. 16kms.
Sugarland Car Rentals has an office in Cairns and Mission Beach. They are happy to hire vehicles on a one way basis, i.e. from Cairns to Mission Beach.
Local Attractions
Local Attractions
The choices abound - Tandem Sky Dive onto Mission Beach, White Water Raft down the Tully River, Snorkel or Dive the Great Barrier Reef, Fish on the Great Barrier Reef, Kayak over to Dunk Island, enjoy an Island Cruise, End the Day doing a Sunset Sail, take a Walk on one of the many Rainforrest Walking Tracks and spot a Cassowary, Play a Round of Golf.
Take a drive to one of the many waterfalls or enjoy a day discovering The Atherton Tablelands.
If relaxation is more your style what could be better than sitting under the beachside pavillion at Tropika with a good book and a cool drink, followed by alfresco dining, enjoying the warm balmy night with the moon rising above the ocean in front of you, or sample the tasty menus at one of tour great restaurants.
Adventure or is up to you!


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Columbus -- Tom Zawistowski wasn't a Donald Trump supporter before Ohio's primary election earlier this year.
The head of the Portage County Tea Party backed Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Other Tea Party leaders around the state were behind retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson or Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
But Trump is the Republican nominee, and Zawistowski and others in the movement in Ohio made it clear Aug. 27 that he's their choice for the White House.
Trump, Zawistowski said, is surrounding himself with people who Tea Partiers support, and the billionaire businessman is on the same page on an array of issues.
"We want our constitution, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, Second Amendment rights, freedom of religion," Zawistowski said. "When you look at the candidates, it's very clear there's a difference between Trump and Hillary Clinton.
"Do I want Donald Trump as my next door neighbor? Probably not/ but the point is that he's surrounded himself with a lot of people that we do like. He's come out with Supreme Court justices -- that's obviously huge for us."
Zawistowski offered the comments Aug. 27 at a suburban Columbus church, where Tea Party groups and like-minded voters gathered to launch Ohio's Tea Party for Trump (online at TeaPartyForTrump.org).
Several hundred were on hand and vocal in support of Trump and opposition to Clinton. Their bottom-line message: It'll take a concerted effort to ensure Ohio backs Trump in November.
Bob Paduchik, the Ohio campaign director for Trump for President, who participated in the weekend event, said the Buckeye State could be decided by fewer than 100,000 votes.
He said the new website and Tea Party for Trump groups will come into the picture, providing a means for volunteers to sign up to work phone banks, knock on doors or do anything else that needs to be done as part of the election -- a campaign that Zawistowski called "a fight like no other fight."


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Some of Jon Gold's Co-Signers
Jon's been flogging his "Statement for 9-11 Justice" petition lately; these folks certainly know how to circulate petitions; submitting them somewhere effective, not so much. Anyway, the signers are pretty much the usual crackpots: Cindy Sheehan, Dahlia Wasfi, Ray McGovern, Daniel Sunjata, etc. But just for fun, I googled some of the names on page 11:
Andrew Coldrick. Andrew has a page on Causes.com of all the causes he's into. Aside from 9-11 Truth, he's opposed to chemtrails, Zionists, RFID chips and aspartame, supports Ron Paul, and believes that cannabis cures cancer. In short, he fits the Truther demo to a T.
James David Childers. Possibly this guy, who certainly has some interests in common with Manny Badillo.
Helen Harris-Scott. Sued Michael Jackson's estate for $50 million.
This isn't the woman's first legal battle with Jackson, either. Nor is it the first one she's likely to lose, or the first she probably concocted after a few too many drinks.
Helen Harris-Scott filed a lawsuit against Michael in 2006, claiming Jackson installed a tracking device in her car, wiretapped her phone and even had "organized criminals watching me inside my house in L.A. and reporting to him."


text: Oct 15 0 Controls By John | Controls, Sensors | No Comments A brewery wastewater system can be run manually. But, you will be a much happier brewer if you add controls to automate as much as possible. You want something that works all of the time so you don't need to… Read More


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Important Exam Information
Human Resources
Steven J. Rector, Commissioner
Promotion Examinations
Open only to employees of the specific agency/department indicated on the announcement. Promotion eligible lists are certified to fill vacancies in the agency/department before open competitive lists are certified.
Open Competitive
Open to the public.
Interdepartmental Promotion
Open only to employees of County departments. On interdepartmental promotion eligible lists, preference will be given to employees in the department where the vacancy exists before eligible employees in other departments are certified. Any current department promotion lists will be certified before an interdepartmental eligible list is certified.
Points shall be added to passing scores on promotion and interdepartmental promotion examinations. Seniority shall be computed from the date of original permanent appointment in the classified service. One point for each creditable five-year period up to a maximum of five points will be credited as follows.
Less than 1 year...................................... 0 points
1 year up to 6 years................................. 1 points
Over 6 years up to 11 years...................... 2 points
Over 11 years up to 16 years.................... 3 points
Over 16 years up to 21 years.................... 4 points
Over 21 years up to 26 years.................... 5 points
Transfer from service in other government units within New York State shall be included in computing seniority.


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And Breathe…
I am not a big one for New Year's resolutions, but I do feel reflective as one year ends and another one begins. 2011 has been an odd year for me and this is going to be quite a personal post.
Our trip to the UK (and a little bit) of Germany and France was an absolute highlight, but coming home from the much anticipated trip saw me land smack bang in a big puddle of 'the blues'. It wasn't much fun at the time, but now it seems to have been necessary to come to terms with the need for change and to eventually find the courage to start to make change.
Despite knowing the life should be in balance I had been oblivious to the fact that mine was completely out of balance. Despite telling myself that work wasn't the centre of my life it had become exactly that and it was consuming everything. Time with family, time in the garden, time to reflect and re-balance. I've always been someone who pursues work that is meaningful and have been fortunate to find it. But working in community services can exact a high price if you are not mindful of keeping things in balance.
The impact was to spend my time giving up what was dear to me for work. This spilled into always trying to fit in too many things in and to do things in a constant rush. No taking time. No mindfulness. No thinking things through. No time to enjoy. Just get it done and keep going.
I was becoming resentful of the intrusion but didn't think there was a way out. To change jobs would mean only a relative change of scene. I felt I could only do similar to what I was already doing and I'd still be there with me making the same mistakes. I lost my passion and work was becoming just the place to go and earn the mortgage payments.
Funny though, as the end of the year started to approach I started to catch my breath, just enough. Just enough to see that it was time to stop seeing life pass by in a blur. Time to stop watching the garden growing over and my daughter growing up without having time to appreciate any of it.
Then a little glimmering possibility caught my eye. A possible change of career, with a gentler change of pace. A return to study yes, but with a whole new career possibly spanning out in front of me. And one that would be interesting, but not overwhelming. There is no guarantee that the opportunity will be given to me, but it is worth a try and a bit of persistence if the first opportunity does not work out.
But along with possibility has come the realisation that if I can make this change it might also mean that the house (and of course the Gippy Garden) has to be sold. Up until now I haven't wanted to even contemplate that because to sell the Gippy Garden would be to sell my sanctuary. But I'm coming to realise that the Gippy Garden can, in essence, come with me even if I have only a small patch of dirt. While I've been miserable I've forgotten that this is still the lucky country in so many ways and even if I should have to move somewhere cheaper, it will still have a garden of sorts I can make my own and have some more time to enjoy it. It won't be the end of the world. And who knows, it might not even come to that.
So here's to a big leap into the unknown in 2012. I might fall flat on my face, but at least I feel alive again!
A very "Happy New Year" to you all and all the best with any leaps into the unknown for you in 2012!


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Bishop Blake: The Archer's Bow
Sometimes affliction in your life is like an archer's bow. The archer pulls the bow back; he pulls it further back, and further back. The archer seems as if he's about to break it, but just before it reaches its breaking point, the archer releases the arrow, and the arrow soars farther and higher than imagination can conceive because of the stress on the bow.
The reason God is stressing you, pulling you beyond your limit, and it seems He about to break you is because, after a while, the arrow of your destiny is going to be released, and God is going to take you higher than you've ever gone before.
When the devil strikes you, keep on praising Him.
When the way is rough, keep on praising Him.
When the burden is heavy, keep on praising Him.
Jesus the Son of God is our example. Because he humbled Himself, God took Him higher than He'd ever gone before.
Life might crush you down, but I see you coming up! Be a "Hallelujah anyhow" person when the Lord stresses you.
Just start praising God!
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES – Philippians 2:5-11, 4:13.
Adapted from the sermon, "Greater Blessings for Greater Afflictions" at West Angeles Church of God In Christ, 7/12/2015. The entire sermon is available HERE, at West Angeles Gospel on Demand.


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The work of Hans Zimmer
The San Francisco Chronicle recently did an article on one of film's most legendary soundtrack composers: Hans Zimmer. The story follows, with interesting tidbits in bold:
"You get onto very thin ice when you're dealing with people's faith," says film composer Hans Zimmer, talking about his score for "The Da Vinci Code." "I don't mind intellectually upsetting people, but I thought it would be a cheap shot to steal church music and represent it in a film like this. You don't want to hurt people."
At the same time, he says, "I thought there was nothing wrong with using the colors from that medieval period."
Zimmer's broad-ranging musical palette has served him well. His themes for "Gladiator," "Batman Begins," "The Last Samurai," "The Thin Red Line" and several dozen other pictures have earned him seven Oscar nominations (including one win, for "The Lion King") and made him one of Hollywood's highest-paid composers. But there's no question the German-born musician works hard for the money. A few hours after finishing "The Da Vinci Code" at 4 in the morning, he began writing the score for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest."
To make the deadlines more bearable, Zimmer has built for himself an exceptionally cozy recording complex in Santa Monica. There, half a dozen studios and editing suites staffed by apprentice composers form a moat-like labyrinth leading to Zimmer Central: an enormous windowless den, complete with crackling fire, wine-red velveteen wall paper and ornately carved oak columns. Weimar-period pencil sketches, thousands of CDs and books, vintage electric guitars, a half-dozen '70s-era synthesizers and a folio of Helmet Newton art photography provide a humanist counterpoint to obelisk-size speakers and floor-to-ceiling control panels dotted with blinking red lights.
Zimmer (who lives in Malibu with his wife and three children) clearly spends a lot of time here. "This is where the seconds of my life tick away, so why shouldn't I have a comfortable room that sounds really good?" he asks. "And having the walls in red keeps me slightly amped."
Sitting down at the keyboard where he works out "temp" scores, the wispy-haired maestro glances at the video monitor freeze-framed on "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp.
"This morning I'm in the shower and I suddenly realized that what I wrote yesterday for the opening of 'Pirates' is complete garbage," he says. "I have a much better idea, so I dived in here a few hours ago and got rid of all the notes and started redoing everything."
A self-described procrastinator, Zimmer, who started his career with one-hit wonders the Buggles ("Video Killed the Radio Star"), says he routinely discards one idea after another when searching for music that will convey a film's emotional through line. In the case of "The Da Vinci Code," he initially programmed his synthesizer to produce melodies based on the "Fibonacci Sequence" mentioned in Dan Brown's best-selling novel.
"The book talks about this sequence, and Debussy used it in his music, so that appealed to the cerebral part of me that plays chess and solves riddles and reads too many books and loves history," Zimmer says. "Then I realized I can't get away with a mathematical game because I'll be found out. So I stopped writing the superficial riddle stuff."
Digging deeper, Zimmer realized that "on the surface, 'Da Vinci Code' is a thriller -- no more no less -- yet the story seemed to resonate in a peculiar way with so many people. I wanted to search for this thing that nobody has been able to put into words. I had to explore my own relationship to spirituality or faith, and what does it mean to me, not on an intellectual level, but what does that feel like in my heart."
Inspired early on by "Andrei Rublev," Andrei Tarkovsky's 1969 film about an artistic 14th century monk, Zimmer later found himself unexpectedly moved by I.M. Pei's iconic Louvre pyramid in Paris, which appears in the film.
"Architecture and music is very linked in my brain," he says. "For the longest time I didn't know what to do until I saw that shot, which to me is completely magical in its setting and somehow goes beyond what we expect."
By the time Zimmer recorded the "Da Vinci" score in Beatles producer George Martin's AIR studio, a converted Victorian church in London, he'd figured out a theme for each character.
"My motif for Tom Hanks' Robert Langdon is long and convoluted and complicated because I was trying to make you hear synapses firing in a man's brain," he says. "Robert Langdon's adventure is simply him thinking, and I realized that could be as exciting a proposition as a car chase or a bullet going off."
With "Da Vinci Code" behind him, Zimmer turned his attention to "Dead Man's Chest," which brings him to the task at hand. Swiveling to face the video screen perched above his keyboard, Zimmer fast-forwards to a sequence that begins with an octopus-like appendage darting above the surface of the sea.
" 'Sea monster rising from the deep' has been done quite successfully by many people," he says, "the most successful being 'Jaws.' "
Trying to find a novel tack to the familiar scenario, Zimmer says, "I thought, 'Hang on: Sea monster is tied to Davy Jones, so let's have a look at him."
Zimmer checked out pictures of the villain, played by Bill Nighy.
"I took one look at him and thought: biker gang! Once that thought popped into my head, the music started to develop from this slightly different slant. That's the whole point; each time out you've got to reinvent the language a little bit or give it a twist."
"Dead Man's Chest" director Gore Verbinski, who previously used Zimmer on "The Ring" and "The Weather Man," says the film is all about "genre perversion."
"We need to celebrate the swashbuckling archetypes," he says, "but at the same time we want to warp and mutilate them."
Zimmer was happy to comply, spiking "Pirates" classic orchestrations with greasy synthesizer riffs."I rely on whatever makes the appropriate noise at the appropriate time. Yes, it's appropriate on a pirate movie to have a horn section swaggering about," he says, "but that doesn't mean that there isn't hidden away down here" -- Zimmer plunks his finger on a key to produce a deep-pitched growl evoking revved up Harleys -- "fuzz bass!"
Next up for Zimmer is Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates 3, The Simpsons Movie, and the theme for this year's August Rush.
-Sam Van Eerden


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Nutrition expert Katherine Brooking, MS, RD, reveals 10 surprising foods that may benefit your health in ways you never imagined.
Nutrition expert Katherine Brooking, MS, RD, reveals 10 surprising foods that may benefit your health in ways you never imagined.
Dark Chocolate-Dipped Anise Biscotti
Whispery Eggs with Crabmeat and Herbs
Mocha-Spiced Coffee
If you love the creamy, rich taste of avocados but worry about the fat and calorie content, we can put some of those fears to rest. While avocados are high in fat, most of it is "heart healthy" mono- and polyunsaturated fat. Concerned about calories? One-fifth of a medium-sized avocado has about 50 calories. Not bad considering these versatile fruits are nutrient-rich, containing nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. As long as you use moderation as your guide, avocados are a very nutritious―and tasty―addition to sandwiches, salads, and dips.
We've fingered restaurant baked potatoes as one of the foods that sound healthy (but aren't). But if you prepare them yourself, potatoes can be a nutritious, versatile, and inexpensive food that has a place in a healthy diet. One medium-sized potato (with skin) has just 160 calories and is one of the best sources of potassium and fiber in the produce section. Baked, mashed, or roasted, potatoes make a wonderful side or a base for a healthful meal (just make sure to go light on the toppings).
Smoked Salmon and Cheese Mini Twice-Baked Potatoes


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Reykjavik, Pure Energy: general information about activities and attractions in Reykjavik
Iceland Excursions: A variety of great excursions tours
Visitor's Guide: A comprehensive information guide for you trip to Iceland
Leif Eiriksson International Airport in Keflavik: information about flights and tax free shopping at the airport.
THE ICELANDIC METEOROLOGICAL OFFICE: weather forecasts and more
Reykjavik City: the official site of the city of Reykjavik (Icelandic)
Road System: general information regarding roads and travel conditions in Iceland.
Reykjavik Excursions: information about the Flybus from Leif Eiriksson International Airport and excursion tours.


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via Pinterest
When you've worn out The Purple Knif Show, do not cry. Just keep adjusting the dial until you tune in to Radio Cramps again.
In 1984, Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach were the guests on a BBC Radio 1 show that was apparently called Collectors' Choice and hosted by veteran DJ Kid Jensen. They brought a short stack of singles and the secret teachings of all ages. Unlike many broadcasts of this kind that turn up on the webs, this one includes all the records Lux and Ivy selected for the show, perhaps because safeguarding Marvin Rainwater's copyright is not the RIAA's most urgent concern.
The interview is an education. Lux makes the case (well, asserts) that Link Wray is the "first progressive rock guitarist" and Ivy explains why the names of some East L.A. bands start with "Thee."
Threatening to answer Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" with a single of their own called "Rockabilly Jean," they diagnose the problem with our modern American sounds:
Lux: I hope that somehow people will forget about this "No Elvis, Beatles or the Rolling Stones" and get back into the history of rock 'n' roll, and get back into the simplicity of it, and the stripped-down, rock 'n' roll, nuclear warfare, over-the-topness of what it was when it first started, because there's just something missing today. Everybody's either out for their career, or something, making pop music, or making really involved musical things, you know, and rock 'n' roll is just so simple and so direct, it doesn't seem like there are very many people who have a handle on understanding what that is.
Kid Jensen: Many people who would agree with you would regard rock 'n' roll as disposable, though. They would say it's there to be listened to, two-minute records, that's it. Throw it away.
Lux: Well, but they're disposable people, though, so it doesn't matter.
Kid Jensen: 'Cause you obviously cherish these old records.
Lux: Oh, yeah. These are magic items, these records.
The DJ set:
Cannibal & the Headhunters "Zulu King" (3:10)
Thee Midniters "Jump, Jive, and Harmonize" (9:24)
Andre Williams "Pass the Biscuits Please" (14:23)
Marvin Rainwater "Hot and Cold" (21:37)
Starlites "Valarie" (26:59)


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Hello, I'm new here so please don't fault me too much if I don't know proper etiquette.
I'm trying to figure out where ln(64) comes from when simplifying 12(3sqrt5/8 - ln(sqrt5/2 + 3/2)/2)-0
the simplified version yields 1/2(9sqrt5/2+ln(64)-6ln(3+sqrt5)). It yields the correct answer in my overall problem but I can't figure out where the ln(64) comes from when I'm simplifying


text: Share: Comments Print May 12, 2014 at 9:39 PM Seattle police officer assaulted by transient in International District Posted by Paige Cornwell A Seattle police officer sustained minor injuries after being assaulted by a transient in the International District this evening, according to the Seattle Police Department. The officer was investigating a collision at South Jackson Street and Fifth Avenue South when a transient male assaulted the officer. The transient male was arrested for investigation of assault, police said. Comments | More in The Blotter | Topics: International District, Seattle Police Department


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Celebration (short story read at Oct Bombay read Meet)
A SHORT STORY by abhigyan jha. copyright oct 2006
This is not a work of narrative non-fiction. Any resemblance to real life actors, characters (especially from Bombay literary circuit) living dead or as yet unborn is completely coincidental and of course unintentional. Ditto for any hurt or heartburn.
He prepared himself well whenever he decided to meet her here. She was not his girlfriend and gods forbid she wasn't his wife either. Though he saw the merit in meeting one's wife in a secret rendezvous. Adds spice. He liked spice. As opposed to spice girls. What rubbish we spawned in the dying years of the 20th. He poured himself a sherry as he stopped the thought about spice girls. It is not appropriate to be judgmental. He liked Christ. He was specific about this modern commandment. Who are we to judge? Who is ever going to cast the first stone?
He smiled as the warm sherry hit his having quit smoking a year ago throat. He really liked Christ. Not because he was into religion. god knew that wouldn't do. A modern writer of pretentious prose and hooked on religion? No sir. That simply wouldn't do. He was too cool to be that dumb. Christ himself was cool though. it helped that his publishers in NY were raised Christians. But the truth was he liked Christ independent of any ulterior motives. He loved him for he promised to forgive. God knew one needed forgiveness.
the world had moved past capitalism, communism, nonalignment and such intellectually challenging theorems to a simpler platform. A basic stratagem really. he had to admire the unspoken arrangement his world had arrived at.
Might is right. Only might was no longer to be confused with muscles, machine gun or even intelligence of the mind. The mind was involved but the power it wielded was not derived say from the intelligence that made Edison invent approximately 1000 patents. It was common. It was like the rule of thumb.
Smartness! Clever.
Common enough for everyone to feel comfortable with this new currency of power and vote for it eagerly for who didn't fancy outsmarting the rest in a free equal society? There lay the catch. He smiled. Fortunately the catch was there. Imagine the horror of living in a world which was truly equal. It would be unbearable. Almost as unbearable as a world which craved of genius. That would be too much inequality. Brazen. He wouldn't want to feel complexed.
This was where he belonged. The visible relaxed present. Where the explicit and implicit were as different as the dictionary promised. Here he was assured of a higher plane of existence, the cheapest wine he drank was 2 oceans, though seemingly he had no apparent genius that stood him out of the common and in a different era wouldn't have deserved a special treatment.
He was fashionably common yet very very smart. He was the kind of clever man who could sell a 914 page novel to an American publisher for a million dollars which had already been written as a 550 page bestseller by an ex convict only a few years earlier. And so he did.
Being clever is not a 9 to five job. It is 24x7. He was at least as good as the Gujju guy who sold Bombay in narrative nonfiction to an ill informed America and definitely a worthy successor to the lady who sold in celluloid the slumkids and streetfilth in salutation of his native byelanes. They both had maximized the city. And now it was his turn.
His book was out. A 10 city international tour was to begin tomorrow. And he was flying business class. But that wasn't the only reason he was out here at the secret hideout. His sister's new movie was premiering next Friday. He would miss that but there is always a way to make up for lost opportunities. He loved meeting his sister here. She was the only woman who had set foot here. Oh well except the prostitutes. But that was research. Good research. Some of them were so good; he was finally convinced of the fallacy of marriage. What couldn't be bought? Whatever it was, it would have to be boring or dumb or god forbid. Both! He chuckled. Sherry was good for his digestion.
It reminded him of the glib critic who had suggested his magnum opus was hard to digest. It wouldn't have done to have confronted him in a party. Too vile. Instead he had replied, he recalled with pleasure, try some sherry. It's good for digestion.
Very clever.
He wasn't gay. Just clever.
Too few left of his species if you asked his friend. A film-maker who his sister hated, one of their few disagreements, it was healthy to agree to disagree, but he simply loved the guy, if not his films, too kitschy!
This guy released his latest blockbuster as a coming of age film. No the film wasn't about coming of age; it was the maker who had finally come of age in this glittering movie resembling a glorious suiting advertisement of yore. The nation loved it. You had to dig it. The theatres were jammed. But that wasn't the end of it. He sighed, thinking of the masterstroke his friend had performed. His film was invited to the Toronto festival. Now he knew the talent scout of the Toronto film festival. A black man in search of Asian ghetto cinema. He had met him at the screening of a film one of his sister's friends had made. Awful dark, brooding, images with a deliberate attempt to make you think. But that hadn't bothered the black man from Canada. He found racial prejudice in the film! Why do you have a white cast in an Indian film? Why is the film in English? Why is Calcutta so beautiful? Where is the filth? This is too unreal!
Incredulous, he had asked the coming of age sultan of shit, how did you manage him? Your film is too plastic for his likes.
With a majesty he found irresistible, sultan confided: I always fancied sucking black cock. But I wasn't sure. God, he could have been straight!
Then there was the monologue loving modern Muslim novelist and his brother the avant-garde screenwriter, the twin savants of literature from Dongri. If Islamic terrorism didn't work, literary terrorism from these two would ensure civilization would fall, definitely.
Was he being too harsh? Perhaps it was alright to be politically incorrect in the privacy of one's own sherry? Still, he would be fair. You had to give it to them. They were playing by the same rules as him. Okay, they weren't too good with the moves but they were articulate enough to learn. Life was a learning curve.
If you were willing to practice and network, the craft was sure to be perfect someday. He burped with satisfaction, craft is an apt word. For what is achieved without a bit of craft?
Crafty is just another word for clever. Not as benign perhaps but who's to say it wouldn't be the 'in' word in 2029? After all smart wasn't the best adjective back in the 50's! Look how far we can come given the time!
That was one of his favorite lines from a poem he had written during his brief stint with the erstwhile poetry circle. He always used erstwhile for this bunch of esoteric beasts for though they hadn't become extinct like the soviet union they ran the society behind a curtain that had to be made of sterner stuff than ordinary iron. And darker. But more rusty. He took a sip of the sherry to rid him of the bitterness.
How he had loved looking down from the dais at one notorious member of the circle who was present for one of the launch vehicles for his new book.
He had seen the envy and the gloating in the man's eyes. Yes gloating - in his own self worth. The pompous pig gloated in his own failure to find an audience. True he was now published but it was difficult to tell where and who published the two volumes of unreadable gibberish. This man was born a Christian, where did he leave his bible lessons? He was ever ready to cast the first stone. At poetry circle meetings, our man would grab a copy of your poem and finish scribbling vociferous comments beside every line even as you read out the rest with a sinking heart.
But why think of such scum when he had 7 more zeroes in his HSBC account statement than the poor sod who wasn't even a successful journalist?
But he had been lucky! if the confused ex advertising man was not busy reinventing his mythological masterpiece, he would been the one with more zeroes in his bank, justifying the name his much flogged father bestowed on him carelessly.
There were those months when he thought he will never get the commission. After all the publishers wanted the grown up boy from Bombay central to write the definitive plagiarism of the ex-convicts story. With a dose of the Gujju's penchant for real life references. That a gujju can live in New York is the wonder. How can he know the taste of sausage on his Vaishnav tongue? So a man who can't even describe truthfully an American breakfast is now going to write a book about New York!
If only his last book hadn't been such a disappointment. Perhaps he would have had the chance. He had worried repeatedly when his book was due out. Cloaked in fiction his stuff mightn't rake up enough controversy! He had compared his city with the Gujju's and cursed long into the nights...but no point remembering old disappointments. Everyone has their timing. Their chance.
Take his sister for instance, she slept with a hedonistic autobiographical director when barely out of film school and never thought it would pay off so soon. Next month he announced his retirement and anointed her his protégé.
His sister was never late. She had taught him the value of turning up at the right time.
The doorbell rang.
His sister was here. He opened the door. She hadn't forgotten. She held the Dom Perignon poised at his nose. He waved it aside carefully and kissed her on the lips. He had heard once in a five-star men's room that his sister's mouth was too full. The idiot. He sucked on those lips for what seemed like ages.
This wasn't incest as you might know it. Not some ordinary fetish or obsession. The physical expression of it was only demonstrative. It had started in childhood as a way of sharing their deepest secret. They had no talent. Yet they had decided they will make it, 'together'. And tonight they were celebrating their success.
He felt the urgency build up. She pressed back, hard. They hadn't done it for ages. And it was good to find things hadn't changed. Panting, already, they separated. She smiled. He smiled back. Then almost together they exclaimed. Zindagi Rocks.


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Hey folks!
I've got a kickstarter going for my new album, "Beneath the Ice." It consists of pieces I've written (in the classical/art music vein) for computer-generated sound and one solo instrument.
I use things like recordings of my guitar, the Animoog ap, Max/MSP and a whole lot of other things for my sounds, put them into pro-tools and then sculpt a piece with an accompanying instrument in mind.
If you guys are interested, please do me a solid and check it out. There's a video below and the link to the kickstarter is here:


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Plan Now To Avoid Fodder Shortages Next Winter
Every farmer should put a good fodder and financial plan in place now to get through next winter. That was the main message from a Teagasc Fodder and Financial Planning Event held today, Tuesday, 28 May on the farm of Peter and Margaret Duggan at Killeenleigh, Kanturk, County Cork. At today's farm walk, which was organised by Teagasc Advisory Kanturk, in conjunction with the IFA and local co-ops, farmers were urged to think of the options to ensure that there is sufficient feed in yards for livestock next winter and to make the most efficient use of grass grown on the farm for the remainder of 2013. Farmers were also advised to plan for the inevitable cash flow issues created by large feed bills from the winter of 2012/2013.
James Fleming Teagasc Kanturk, adviser to the Duggans, outlined the farming system which consists of 160 cows being milked on the grazing platform of 58.5 hectares, which is also carrying all calves until August. There are also 17 hectares of this area closed for first silage. The outside farm carries the beef cattle and replacement heifers and 28 hectares of first cut silage. James Fleming said that while the farm has some dry ground it mainly consists of heavy clay soils typical of Duhallow, an area that received over 73 inches of rain in 2012.
Ger Courtney Teagasc Heavy Soils Project and Kerry Monitor Farms Co-ordinator, said that every effort must be made to grow additional grass over the next eight weeks and conserve it as silage. He pointed out that 1 tonne of CAN fertiliser could potentially yield up to 60 bales of silage (cost €340 for benefit of €1500 @ €25 per bale: response rate of 50 kg grass dry matter per kg N assumed).
Teagasc will be carrying out a national fodder audit at the start of July and again at the start of October. Siobhan Kavanagh, Teagasc Nutrition Specialist, said that it is absolutely critical for every farmer to complete a fodder audit in the coming weeks and to formulate strategies to deal with any impending feed deficits. She outlined the various options available to farmers who find themselves in a feed deficit situation.
Pat Barry Teagasc Kanturk spoke about the economics of feeding cattle over the summer months and urged the planned marketing of stock to maximise value. He also stated that this year it will be very important to match stock numbers to the quantities of silage available. There can be no room for passengers in the system for the coming winter.
Inevitably many farms have suffered damage to grazing paddocks both last summer and this spring, David Trant, Teagasc Listowel, discussed ways to restore and repair damaged grass swards.
Fergal O'Mahoney, Teagasc Midleton and Tadgh Buckley, AIB gave valuable advice to farmers who are counting the financial cost of the early winter and late spring. It's important to identify the problem and to make contact with the merchants and lending institutions as early as possible.
All the speakers concurred that every farmer should realise that they are not alone in the crisis which has unfolded and should seek advice and support from the organisations in the sector.


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Sometimes, discussions around the theme of Islam turn to who has and who hasn't read the Koran. It's as if your opinion doesn't count if you haven't read the Koran. Richard Dawkins for example has been criticized for his opinions on Islam because he hasn't read the Koran.
To me, it's really very simple, just listen to what the most influential group of Muslims are saying. And the most influential group is The Muslim Brotherhood. All terrorist organizations can trace back their origins to the ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood.


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Two weeks ago my espresso machine died – without warning. Not up to date regarding espresso machines I was confronted with an exhausting product comparison marathon. But – why not use Twitter? I wrote about my little social recommendation experiment here.
Now I want to to complete the description of this experiment with more qualitative results. First, this is how my new Saeco Aroma, the Gastroback coffee mill, the beans, milled at medium grade, and the final espresso look like:
The espresso itself has a nice crema – as you can see – it comes at a very good temperature, and with a beautiful taste.
Next thing to do is to compare different espresso beans in combination with different milling grades.


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1 Pound of Fresh Vegetables
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Truvia
1/2 Teaspoon Dill Weed
A few sprigs of Fresh Thyme (Or Other Windowbox Herb)
1 Pinch Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Rainbow Peppercorns
1 Clove Garlic, Peeled and Sliced
Makes 4 – 6 Servings, 20 or 10 calories each.
Everyone has nostalgic, childhood memories attached to certain foods. For some, it's the crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich that their mother used to pack in their lunchbox every school day. For others, it's the ginger snap cookies Grandma used to make for Christmas, perfectly arranged in a Kris Kringle holiday tin. Maybe you don't even like ginger snap cookies, but you like the fond family memories they conjure every time you taste those notes of cinnamon, molasses, and that subtle ginger heat.
For me, that's how I feel about pickles.
They were the first thing out on the table at every Sunday family brunch when I was growing up: a dish of quartered Kosher dills, straight from our hometown deli. When my Grandfather came to visit my cousin and I in New York the other day, he wanted to go to Katz's Delicatessen, where he used to go with his parents and grandparents as a child, and enjoy all-you-can-eat pickles at the table right when you sit down. The briny half sours, garlicky full sours, and pickled tomatoes reminded my Grandpa and I of our respective childhoods. And I enjoyed the mindless snacking you get with a bread basket, without any of the carbohydrate guilt.
Pickles satisfy many of the commandments of snacking. They're crunchy and salty, and if you're anything like me, they fill you with that nostalgic, childhood goodness others might get from a box of saltines or a handful of potato chips.
Recently, I noticed that pickles are also becoming trendy. I never would have guessed it, but they're popping up on menus all over the place as appetizers, side dishes, and bar snacks.
The best thing about a pickle is that anything can be a pickle. The weekend of my graduation, I enjoyed a mason jar full of pickled baby carrots, radish, cauliflower, bell pepper and, of course, cucumber . At happy hour the other day, my friend and I snacked on an assortment of pickles that included fennel and celery.
That's why this week, I decided to try my hand at a simple recipe for making fast, refrigerator pickles. Avoid the hassle of canning, and you still have a month to consume your healthy, savory snack.
If your fridge looks anything like mine, it's easy to simply open it up and break off a few florets of cauliflower, grab a handful of baby carrots, halve three grape tomatoes, quarter a Persian cucumber, slice up some leftover bell pepper and onion, and call it a day. That's the assortment I gathered for my first batch of homemade pickles. The sturdier the vegetable, the better it will hold up to the brine and the longer it will retain its crunch.
Radish, pepper, parsnip, beets, and other root vegetables make great pickles. But don't sweat it. If you're craving a basic pickle, slice up a cucumbers and go from there.
A Little Tip: The main rule of thumb is that if you wouldn't mind eating your vegetables raw, they don't require any additional work before pickling. If you're looking to preserve ten pounds of leftover summer squash, however, or another vegetable that requires a little heat before eating, try lightly roasting or curing the vegetable before pickling.
Start by filling your jar with the dry spices of your choosing. Eating Well writer Matthew Thompson wrote a great article on pickling that includes a helpful list of suggested herbs and spices, fresh and dry, to flavor your pickles. I went through my spice rack and pulled a few of my favorites based on his list, as well as cutting a few stems of Lemon Thyme from my window herb garden.
With this round of pickles, I added a whole clove of garlic, peppercorns, dill, and fresh thyme to the mason jar before tightly packing in the sliced. I always save leftover salsa, sauce, and jam jars, and this is the perfect occasion to make use of the decorative mason gathering dust on your kitchen windowsill. I used a 16-oz, 1 pound jar.
To make your pickling liquid, simply bring the water, cider vinegar, salt, and sugar to a boil. Allow mixture to simmer for approximately two minutes, or until the salt and sugar has dissolved completely.
Another Little Tip: For every pound of vegetables, you want about 16 ounces of brine. When in doubt, always aim for a 1:1 ratio. That's where the mason jars come in handy -it's not easy to eyeball how many pounds of vegetables you have sitting on your cutting board until you see how many 16 ounce mason jars they fill!
Once your brine is ready, pour the hot liquid over the vegetables, covering them completely but still leaving approximately 1/2 inch of room from the lip of the jar. Here, I added in a pinch of crushed red pepper for spice.
Seal your jar, and allow the liquid to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. After that, all you have to do is wait. I'd let your vegetables ferment for at least 24 hours, so the brine has time to impart its flavor and the vegetables begin to develop that unique, pickled texture.
Because we're not canning, make sure to keep your pickles refrigerated and try to consume within one month of making. Although, if you love pickles half as much as I do, the problem will be keeping them around.
Pickles make a great topping for any sandwich or salad, are a quick and easy appetizer to serve your guests, and can satisfy your snack attack without needing to consume anything deep fried or loaded with sugar.
Although deep fried pickles are pretty popular these days, too.
Until next time,


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30 January 2018
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A few weeks ago the spec was changed to make negative and positive flexibility behave differently. While positive flexibility just uses the flex ratio, negative flexibility takes each item's base size into account as well ("proportional shrinking"). 1. Why does it make sense to have such a difference between negative and positive flexibility? 2. Now that min-width and min-height have 'auto' as their inital value, is proportional shrinking really necessary? -- ---- Morten Stenshorne, developer, Opera Software ASA ---- ---- Office: +47 23692400 ------ Mobile: +47 93440112 ---- ------------------ http://www.opera.com/ -----------------Received on Monday, 25 June 2012 08:18:16 UTC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.3.1 : Monday, 2 May 2016 14:39:00 UTC


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"Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Peter replied to Jesus, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?"
Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first."
Monday, February 1, 2016
Conclusion of series on Orthodox Way of Life
2 comments:
- AnonymousFebruary 1, 2016 at 3:50 PM
Sadly, I have found that the priests that I have access to are not interested in being anybody's personal "spiritual father" and very few people that I interact with at church have one. I do not have access locally to any monks as I am not near any monasteries. I am not sure how to remedy this. I read repeatedly to find a "spiritual father" but perhaps I am in a pocket of the USA where this is just not possible--a desert, so to speak. My younger sister and I have been reading many texts and talking together about the information and that seems to be our way of trying to support each other. I have enjoyed this blog and find great wisdom here.ReplyDelete
These times with a lack of elders were prophesied by many. I've had the same difficulty. Do what you know so far: daily pray the morning prayers and read an akathist, break for prayer during the day. End day with compline. Frequent eucharist with confession first and prayers of preparation evening before and morning of. OBEY THE FASTS. pray about everything that troubles to our good Lord Jesus and our mother the Theotokos. The saints will help you. Remember your name saint and honor their day. St. Philaret of New York will help you. Read lives of the modern saints and their struggles with todays spiritual climate. We are never alone.ReplyDelete


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Alternative Visions - Trump in Davos: Is Global Inter-Capitalist Competition About to Intensify? -01.26.18
Jan 26th, 2018 by progressiveradionetwork
While 'Davos Men' at the World Economic Forum gathering celebrate a short term resurgence in global economic growth, more serious longer-run problems in the global economy remain and appear to be growing. Dr. Rasmus discusses how global trade growth in relation to GDP has been slowing dramatically, how global income and wealth inequality is accelerating (fueling populism and economic nationalism), debt levels are rising even faster everywhere (for households, business, and governments), productivity and wage incomes are stagnating (except for a small 5% top layer), and currency and trade wars are on the verge of erupting, as the US economic elite wing behind Trump continue to signal their intent to rearrange the global profits pie distribution once again more favorably to the US. Trump's 'America First', and recent salvos of tariffs and treaty renegotiations, and US Treasury Secretary, Steve Mnuchin's, declaration this past week of a US 'low dollar' policy have riled the global capitalist community at Davos. Rasmus argues the recent Trump tax act—which delivers more than $2 trillion in subsidization to US multinational corporations (and more than $4 trillion tax subsidy to US businesses and investors in general) should be understood as part of this global offensive by US business to garner more of the US and global economic pie for itself—at the expense of global competitors and the US middle class.


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The Sunnyvale American Cancer Society's Discovery Shop has reopened its doors nearly two months after a four-door sedan drove through it.
On Feb. 8, a car crashed through the front of the retail store in Loehmann's Plaza and came to a stop in the middle of the shop.
The driver, identified as a 62-year-old woman, was attempting to park in a stall in front of the shop and accelerated, sending the vehicle into the shop, Sunnyvale DPS Capt. Jeff Hunter told The Sun. The driver suffered minor injuries, and two other women, ages 58 and 67, who were in the shop also suffered minor injuries.
According to witnesses, one of the women was pinned underneath the car and some cabinets, but she was helped up and treated by paramedics.
While waiting for the repairs to be completed, the store continued to accept donations at the back of the store but was not able to sell any items.
"We had no sales for weeks, but now we're back and everybody's happy to see us again," said Carol Arnett, a Discovery Shop volunteer since 2000. "We've had a lot of people say they've missed us."
The Sunnyvale Discovery Shop has been at the 1659 Hollenbeck Ave. location since 1998.
The all-volunteer run shop officially reopened its doors on April 4 with a special grand reopening event. The store has new floors and paint and a reconfigured layout.
"It looks really fresh," Arnett added.
The Discovery Shop is a resale store that sells gently used donated items, with sales benefiting the American Cancer Society, according to the organization's website. There are more than 35 Discovery Shops all over California.
For more than 40 years, the American Cancer Society has owned and operated the speciality stores, which offer items such as clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, artwork, antiques, collectibles and other household items.
Nearby Discovery Shop locations include the Los Altos store at 243 Main St. and the Los Gatos shop at 39 E. Main St.
The Sunnyvale store will be having a special home decor sale May 16-17 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Items for sale include lamps, mirrors, vases, artwork and dishes.
For more information about the Discovery Shop in Sunnyvale, visit discoveryshop-sunnyvale.org.


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PHS NJROTC earns two awards at Caprock Meet
Twenty-two PHS Navy Junior ROTC cadets competed at the Marine Corp Junior ROTC meet at Caprock High School in Amarillo on April 11.
A total of 12 area schools participated in the competition.
The PHS cadets competed in male and female knockout drill, unarmed mixed drill, male physical fitness, male or mixed color guard, and female color guard.
They earned two third place awards.
Collin Key (junior) was awarded third place in the Male Knockout Drill competition.
In this competition, members from all teams fall-in to one formation and regulation commands are given. At first commands are given from a stationary position. Once enough cadets have been eliminated, marching commands are given. Cadets are dismissed for incorrect movements until one member is left standing.
Isaac Sanchez (senior), Brandy Arroyos (junior), Javier Garibay (junior) and Lily Garcia (sophomore) won a third place award in the Male or Mixed Color Guard.
During the color guard competition, each team executes a specified sequence of movements.
PHS NJROTC instructor Senior Naval LCDR Dave Sandahl (U.S. Coast Guard, retired) said it was a great last meet of the year for the cadets and in particular, graduating senior Isaac Sanchez.
"It was awesome that Isaac could earn a trophy in his last meet of an outstanding four-year career in PHS NJROTC."
Sandahl added that they are already looking forward to the next meet at Wichita Falls in October.
Naval Science instructor Eric Mears , SK1 (SW) USN (retired) is also an instructor for the PHS NJROTC.


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One of the arguments we heard over and over during Governor Romney's campaign was that his election would result in a confusion of the Gospel. Those putting forth this idea seemed to believe the theology of the President of the United States automatically becomes — by virtue of being professed by the occupant of the Oval Office — more acceptable to folks. Therefore, the argument goes, simply by virtue of there being an LDS commander-in-chief, people would think that Mormon theology is the same as orthodox (small "O") Christian theology — which it isn't, as both parties acknowledge.
Now, I'll confess that this idea still confuses me. It's not at all clear to me, for instance, that people look more favorably upon evangelical theology in light of President Bush's tenure. In fact, I'd bet you a jelly donut that more people than ever are suspicious of us and our theology these days. And if I were the Mormons, I think I'd be scared to have a conservative Republican president confessing my doctrine — if anything, that'd seem to buy my church four years of intense media scrutiny, not to mention unwarranted association with the particular sins of the president.
With all of this still percolating in my mind, I must confess I was quite interested to see an AP story entitled "Obama Defends His Christian Religion" greet me when I logged on to my computer just now. Here's what it says:
Democrat Barack Obama says he's tired of questions about his religion. The Democratic presidential candidate told a town hall meeting Sunday in Nelsonvile, Ohio, in the state's rural southeast, that he is a devout Christian who prays to Jesus every night. He told audience members they would feel right at home at his church in Chicago.
Obama said misinformation — including long-standing suggestions that he is a Muslim — is being spread by his opponents.
A voter questioned the Illinois senator about his religion as he and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton crossed paths heading into Tuesday's primaries in Ohio and Texas.
Now, I certainly don't contest that Senator Obama is a Christian. That's between him and the Lord. However, I do contest the particular theology of his church — whose own website characterizes it as "a church whose theological perspective starts from the vantage point of Black liberation theology."
Sorry, guys, but my theology starts with the Bible — God's vantage point, not that of any particular group. And if you're worried about a confused gospel, it doesn't get any more mixed up than thinking that true theology is about some racial, gender, national, or other subset.


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Multi Purpose Body Phantom
A cost effective tool designed to perform both dosimetric and non-dosimetric tests on radiotherapy systems, the Multi-Purpose Body Phantom incorporates a wide variety of test objects in a solid acrylic housing. This extended design retains all the non-dosimetric capabilities of the original Body Phantom with the addition of significant dose measurement capabilities.
The QUASAR Body Phantom and its partner the QUASAR Beam Geometry Phantom were developed by Jake Van Dyk at the London Regional Cancer Centre. These phantoms are designed to enable many of the non-dosimetric quality assurance tests recommended by TG 53.
Non-dosimetric features and functions that can be tested with the QUASAR Multi-Purpose Body Phantom include:
- Geometric accuracy of 2D images and 3D image reconstructions
- 2D and 3D measurement tools including volume calculation accuracy
- Automatic, semi-automatic and manual boundary identification tools
- Auto-margining tools
- Representation and manipulation of contoured patient anatomy
- Dose volume histograms
- Conversion of CT numbers to relative electron densities
- Comparison of display on CT sims, RTPS and other imaging work stations
- Image transfer, storage, retrieval, DICOM tools on all workstations
Dosimetric measurement capabilities include:
- Compatible with Ion Chambers from several major suppliers
- Ion chamber locations include on axis and multiple off axis locations for measurements in low and high gradient areas
- Blank acrylic inserts for homogeneous density tests
- Two lung equivalent inserts and a spine equivalent rod for a variety of inhomogeneous density tests with precisely determined, near anthropomorphic, geometry
- Light field alignment tests
The Multi-Purpose Body Phantom is ideal for IMRT and Tomotherapy installations.
Body Phantom MP Specifications:
- Main body component, acrylic, oval shape, 20 cm high, 30 cm wide,12 cm long
- Three openings for cylindrical inserts, each opening is 8 cm diameter by 12 cm long
- Electron density extension, 12 cm diameter with 5 openings at 2.5 cm diameter
- Laser and field alignment marks
- Materials: acrylic, delrin, polyethylene, epoxy resin (electron density rods), rubber
- Container for storage and handling, optional shipping case
- User's guide with quality assurance worksheets
Cylindrical inserts
- 27 cc acrylic cube within a 125 cc Delrin cube, within an 8 cm diameter acrylic cylinder, 12 cm long
- 20° air wedge (40 cc) within an 8 cm diameter acrylic cylinder including two Delrin cylinders: · 5 mm diameter by 5 cm long (.98 cc) · 10 mm diameter by 5 cm long (3.9 cc)
- 60° air wedge in 8 cm diameter acrylic including three Delrin spheres 40mm, 20mm and 10mm diameter.
- Two cedar inserts and two acrylic inserts
- One ion chamber insert holder
- One Bone equivalent rod 2.5cm dia - 12 cm long
- Electron Density rods, 2.5cm diameter by 18mm long; relative electron density (RED) / Lung (Inhale) RED = 0.190 / Polyethylene RED = 0.945 / Water Equivalent RED = 1.002 / Trabecular Bone RED = 1.117 / Dense Bone RED = 1.512


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Recent Blog Posts
Teaching Your Dog To SitSeptember 1, 2016Just as important as teaching your dog to come back to you, teaching your dog to sit is an essential skill for your dog to know. Here is how to teach your dog to sit: Training treats Make sure that before you start you have some small treats that your pooch really enjoys.
read more
Pet-proofing a Room for Small AnimalsAugust 1, 2016Your small pets such as ferrets, guinea pigs and hamsters like to stretch their legs every once and a while. However, before you let your little fuzzy buddy go, you need to make sure that the room is safe for him to roam around.
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I'm not shy to admit it, I do love a little reality tv – which means I've seen my fair share of surgical enhancements. I always find it interesting to view the evolution people go through when they become part of a reality show. In the first season, everyone is relatively au natural… welcome Season 2 and the foreheads are firm, the lips are large and the busts are even bigger.
|From top, left to right: Courtney Cox and Camille Grammer. Before and Afters of: Holly Madison, Megan Fox, Lindsay Lohan, Heidi Montag, Kris Jenner, Cindy Crawford, Alexis Bellino. (Source)
What are your thoughts, is plastic fantastic?
Is cosmetic enhancement something you've done or would potentially consider in the future?
If you've had something done, I'd love to know your thoughts on the experience!
Happy Monday everyone!! Don't forget, if you want to win a $1,000 shopping spree (um, is that even a question?!) you can enter here! But first… I'd love to hear your thoughts on plastic surgery!


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As you can see, curries are on my mind these days and i am literally combining them with anything in sight 😛 I have had my fair share of curries with naans, rice, bread, samosas, tikkis and what not…and now this time i am moving beyond the comforts of Indian cuisine and racing on to the world of pastas 🙂 Turns out.. if you choose a curry base wisely, you can convert humble pasta into a very innovative and totally decadent dish !! You don't believe me ?? Well, check one snazzy pairing right here – Thai Curry Pasta
We all love pasta right? Whatever our choice of sauce be, there is atleast one type which we stick to when it comes to looking for a comfort meal on a gloomy day. Well, in my case .. i really can't pick one (coz i love so many of them !) My only rule is – Make "the sauce", the star of the dish and let it shout out flavours. I love my pastas but it better be bold and skinny ! To me, there is nothing better than a sauce which tastes amazing and rich but does not come with a hefty package of calories. With every new recipe, i am trying to find ingredients which can do the job and make the food guilt free ! Now u would agree that guilt free food just feels better.. right 😛 Well this next recipe has all those pointers "checked" and aced !
I still remember the first time i tasted Thai curry and i have a very sweet memory attached with it 🙂 I had never tried Thai cuisine before marriage and it was our first outing after marriage. My husband wanted to surprise me with a new cuisine and decided to order Thai for the evening. I remember being skeptical before trying my first bite of Thai curry and then totally falling in love with it. My husband (who is a foodie himself) describes that dinner date as the "perfect date" 🙂
Something about the weather made me think of that dinner date this morning and i decided to recreate that magic today. I really wanted to keep it authentic and decided to make Thai curry from scratch. Went online, read a few recipes, saw some videos, hunted for a authentic recipe – the works ! Did u know that an authentic Red thai curry paste has shrimp paste in it? I somehow always assumed that thai curry paste was vegan 🙁 My take – always read the ingredient list to make sure, don't assume. Good thing is that i always read ingredients (i have had my share of products thrown in trash without even opening because of ingredients i don't consume). I prepared my version of red thai curry paste using this video.
I made a big batch and after keeping what i would need for today, froze the leftovers for another day. I wanted this Thai curry to be really innovative and decided to pair it up with Pasta. Sticking to the idea of innovation, i decided to go ahead with Modern Table Meal's lentil pasta. The result … well have a look !!
Thai Curry Lentil Pasta
Thai curry Lentil Pasta
- 1 10oz pack / 250 gms of dried Pasta of your choice (i used Modern Table Meal's Lentil Confetti)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 100 gms Tofu – cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/3 cup baby corn – cut lengthwise into thick sticks
- 1/3 cup peppers – cut lengthwise into thick sticks
- 50 ml light soya sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 200 ml coconut milk (low-fat)
- 10-12 mushrooms – halved
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves – finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger – grated
- 1 tsp fresh coriander – finely chopped
- roasted peanuts – roughly chopped for garnishing (optional)
Thai curry paste – 1 tablespoon
This will yield about 1 cup of paste which can be used for making the red thai curry again.
- 8-9 Whole dried red chillies
- 2 medium onions – chopped
- 2 tsp each of lemongrass & coriander
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp grated ginger (preferable to use galangal but i used ginger itself)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp lime juice
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tsp oil
Thai curry paste –
- Marinate the whole dried red chillies in 1/3 cup of hot water for about 1/2 hour and then remove from water and mix with other red curry paste ingredients.
- Grind all the ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Now in a pan, take oil and bring to medium hot. Add the curry paste and cook till the oil starts to separate (will take about 7-8 minutes on simmer). Remove from heat and keep aside. The paste can be refrigerated for about a month or frozen for 3-4 months.
For Pasta
- Use the instructions on the back of the package of the pasta and boil the pasta to al-dente. Once boiled, drain the extra water and reserve half cup of the pasta broth.
For Red Thai Curry
- Marinate the tofu cubes in 1 tsp soya sauce, lime juice and and sugar for about 10 minutes.
- Now, take a pan and add 2 tsp oil to it. To this, add the red curry paste, mushrooms and ginger and fry for about 2 minutes.
- Now, add in the coconut milk and 1/2 cup pasta broth water and bring to boil (the consistency should be soupy). To this, add all the vegetables and cook till the vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, drain the tofu cubes, pat dry and pan fry in 1 tsp oil till light golden.
- Now, add these tofu cubes, basil, sugar, soya sauce, lime juice, chillies and coriander and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Red Thai curry is ready.
Once the red thai curry is ready, toss in the cooked pasta and combine well. The sauce may look runny but let the pasta rest for about half an hour to soak the sauce up before serving.
So what do u think? Isn't that scrumptious ! The smooth coconut curry sauce works great with pasta. I have used a Lentil pasta for this dish, making it protein rich and really satisfying. This dish has it all – smooth, silky sauce, sweet-spicy curry notes and loads of veggies coming together to create a harmonious and totally addictive dish !! If you thought Thai curry only works well with rice, think again because this dish does justice to both, pasta and the curry ! The only thing to keep in mind is – BALANCE ! Do not use too much curry paste or else the pasta looses its own flavour.. what you need is that hint of curry in pasta.
Love the idea above ? Try these other pasta recipes as well :


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Dallas — Although it's written specifically for the youngest theatergoers (ages 2 and older), Balloonacy is a master class in acting in its purest form—no spoken words, no songs, no lavish production numbers or special effects—just body language, facial expressions and reactions. Oh, and one contrary co-star, a bright red balloon on a string.
Balloonacy, an award-winning play by Barry Kornhauser, an expert in developing theater for the very young, is Dallas Children's Theater's first production especially for preschoolers. It takes place in DCT's smaller, more intimate studio theater. DCT has made the theater even more kid-friendly by removing the chairs in the first three rows and inviting the little ones and their parents to sit on pillows and cushions instead, adding to the story-telling ambiance. The new seating arrangement proved to be popular with Friday night's full opening night audience.
Like the play itself, the action begins simply. An unassuming, shy and slightly skittish old man makes his way through the audience clutching a grocery bag, flowers and a baguette of bread. The audience joins him in his cozy Paris apartment overlooking the city, where he has planned a birthday party for one: himself. He's barely into his birthday meal of spaghetti when the scene-stealing red balloon appears. What transpires is a charming, funny and heart-warming tale of friendship.
Karl Schaeffer, now celebrating 31 years with DCT after becoming its first-ever employee, plays the old man. He is so charming and endearing that the audience can't help but fall in love with him right away. As he has demonstrated in numerous children's productions, Schaeffer is a master of physical theater, and in Balloonacy, he is aided by director Dick Monday, an accomplished clown well known in the Metroplex for his work with Lone Star Circus along with his sidekick and real-life wife, Slappy (Tiffany Riley). Before settling in Dallas-Fort Worth, Monday was director of the Barnum & Bailey Clown College and created and directed all of the clowning for the circus.
As audiences will see in Balloonacy, clowning isn't limited to big red noses and floppy shoes. It's another form of theatrical expression that brings the story of the old man and the balloon to life. Appropriate sound effects and underscoring add to the whimsy. There are several wonderfully magical touches that it would be a shame to spoil.
What's equally refreshing as seeing the play is experiencing the audience's reaction. At the beginning of the show, the audience is encouraged to react to what's happening on the stage by talking to the old man and pointing. It's a joy to watch the youngest audience members and their parents unleash their imaginations and buy into the story so enthusiastically and completely.
You'll want to float on over to Dallas Children's Theater soon though. This special engagement runs only one more weekend before it runs out of air.