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Introducing 'Harry Potter': How early critics explained magic to us Muggles
It's hard to believe, but Harry Potter wasn't always such a huge part of the world's cultural lexicon
It's hard to believe, but Harry Potter wasn't always such a huge part of the world's cultural lexicon
It's hard to believe, but Harry Potter wasn't always such a huge part of the world's cultural lexicon
We were all Muggles once - and didn't even know it.
Twenty years ago, nobody knew what Quidditch was. "Hogwarts" sounded like more like a disease than a magical place. And most of us probably didn't know how to spell - much less pronounce - the name Hermione.
Then, on June 26, 1997, Harry Potter entered the world.
The first book in J.K. Rowling's series of record-breaking bestsellers, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," was introduced in Britain first. It wasn't published in the United States (as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone") until 1998 - but by then, Harry Potter was a bona fide international hit.
Today, we know all about the Sorting Hat and Slytherin, Dumbledore and Dementors. But back then, the wizarding world needed some explanation. Here's a look at how early book reviewers tried to describe the richness of Rowling's imagined world. It's a glimpse back at the world before Harry:
Publishers Weekly, September 1998:
"... Harry is a legend in the witch world for having survived an attack by the evil sorcerer Voldemort, who killed his parents and left Harry with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead. And so the fun begins, with Harry going off to boarding school like a typical English kid - only his supplies include a message-carrying owl and a magic wand."
The New York Times, February 1999:
"This is a world where some people know from birth that they are wizards, and are raised by their sorcerer parents to attend fair old Hogwarts, while others, like Harry -- raised in human or what Rowling calls ''Muggle' families -- don't find out that they have special powers until they receive their acceptance letters.
Salon, March 1999:
"The world of wizards exists in comfortable parallel to the Muggle world, visible only to those with powers, happily invisible to everyone else. Thus, the train to Hogwarts leaves from a hidden platform at King's Cross, and the wizard business district is accessible only from a walled courtyard behind a pub."
Kirkus Reviews, September 1998:
"Hogwarts is a lot like English boarding school, except that instead of classes in math and grammar, the curriculum features courses in Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry becomes the star player of Quidditch, a sort of mid-air ball game."
USA Today, September 1998:
"At Hogwarts, Harry throws himself into the school experience, making friends, rooting for his "house," pulling pranks, avoiding studying at all cost. Given that he's a student wizard, he also hatches a dragon, evades the resident poltergeist and learns to ride a broom. He even becomes a star player at Quidditch, a popular game, sort of like soccer played high up in the air on broomsticks."
The Scotsman, June 1997:
"The scene in which he thwarts a bully's attempt to unseat him from his broomstick during an exacting game of Quidditch - a cross between lacrosse and hockey, played on land and in the air - will ring bells with the most level-headed of readers."
BookPage, October 1998:
"Brooms bear model names like the Nimbus Two Thousand; magic hats spew out the truth of a person's character as though gathered from the brain around which they sat; and giants bear strength enough to break down walls as well as hearts soft enough to harken after baby dragons."
The Guardian, August 1998:
"They inhabit a world that most ordinary humans, or 'muggles', cannot see and know nothing of. They can pass in and out of the 'muggle world', but take great care not to be spotted.
They have an enviable amount of freedom, flying around in enchanted cars. There is a notable absence of parents - Harry's were killed by the evil Lord Voldemort (aka He Who Must Not Be Named). Voldemort is equally intent on eliminating Harry."


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Welcome to Bud's Barbecue
At Bud's Barbecue, we use only the finest ingredients. We have served generations of satisfied customers. People come in for our famous barbecue, but come back for our delicious home-made chocolate dream cake, buttermilk pie, deluxe Texas pecan pie, and hummingbird cake.
Open daily
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subset: commoncrawl


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Did you know the United Kingdom is one of the top destinations in the world for students to pursue higher education? Check out this interactive map by UNESCO Institute for Statistics to find out about student mobility on a global level.
Are you surprised by the findings? Tell us in the comments.


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Our current DT are still rocking the crap until the end of February but as you all know, we like to keep things cool and stress free. So we give you loads of time to get your application in if you fancy becoming part of our fabulous Design Team.
Are you a hoarder? Do you surround yourself with pretty papers, chipboard, embellishments and continue to add to your stash rather than use it?
We will contact the successful applicants no later than February 15th 2012.


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An electronic mail distribution list for UTAH volleyball enthusiasts. Anyone with access to Internet e-mail can be on the list. The purpose of this list is to publish announcements about UTAH:
Use of this distribution list for discussions about rules, equipment, techniques, etc. is discouraged.
Please tell other volleyball players you know in UTAH about this distribution list.
If you have any questions about the list, you can send them to the list administrator at email@example.com


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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Phil Mickelson drew the loudest cheers from the biggest crowd in golf history Saturday at the Phoenix Open.
Mickelson nearly aced the par-3 16th, hitting a 9-iron to a foot to set up a birdie on the rowdy stadium hole packed with nearly 20,000 screaming fans.
"What's funny about that is 172 yards is a very tough 9-iron for me to get there, but I immediately take 5 yards off and in my head I had 167," Mickelson said. "The reason is you always have a little bit of adrenaline here, and the ball goes a little bit longer on 16.
"I played for a 167-yard shot and tried to hit just a comfortable or stock 9-iron, and the ball ended up flying that far and released to the hole. Having played this course and that hole over the years and knowing what your body does and how to adjust to it has helped me, and certainly it did today."
Estimated at 179,022, the third-round crowd broke the record of 173,210 set last year, also on a Saturday at fan-friendly TPC Scottsdale. The event has drawn 467,030 fans for the week and is in position to break the mark of 538,356 set in 2008.
Mickelson birdied the final four holes and five of the last six for a 7-under 64 and a six-stroke lead over Brandt Snedeker, who shot a 65.
"I know how good Snedeker is and how hot he can get with a putter," Mickelson said. "He can make birdie from just about anywhere. He's going to make a run tomorrow. I, hopefully, will be able to keep pace."
The 42-year-old former Arizona State star has led after each round, opening with a 60 and shooting a 65 on Friday. He fell a stroke short of the tour record for the first 54 holes, and matched the tournament mark set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001.
Making his 24th appearance in the event that he won in 1996 and 2005, Mickelson is trying to complete his third wire-to-wire victory and first since the 2006 BellSouth Classic — a 13-stroke blowout the week before the second of his three Masters victories.
"To me, the wire-to-wire isn't that important except for now I'm three rounds and the fourth one is kind of the more important one," Mickelson said.
"It would be an important thing because it's meant so much to me over my career having won this tournament, coming back as a past champion, and winning here in the town that has meant so much to me, to [wife] Amy and I, where we met, had our first two kids, went to college. It's a special place."
He in position to match the tournament record of three victories set by Arnold Palmer and matched by Gene Littler and Calcavecchia. Mickelson won the last of his 40 PGA Tour titles 51 weeks ago at Pebble Beach.
The left-hander played the first 12 holes in 2 under, making a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 first and a 25-footer on the par-4 fifth. He got up and down from greenside bunkers for birdies on the par-5 13th and 15th holes, followed with the tap-in on 16, then chipped to two feet on the 337-yard 17th.
"My short game is what gave me that momentum," Mickelson said. "The bunker shots I hit on 13 and 15 were really good as well as the chip on 17."
A day after making a double-bogey 6 on the 18th when he hit a 3-wood drive into the water on the left, Mickelson blasted driver over the water and hit close to the grandstand. He got a free drop, hit to 15 feet and holed the putt.
"I took a little different strategy after yesterday," Mickelson said.
Snedeker had a 65 to reach 18 under. He tied for second Monday at Torrey Pines, four strokes behind Tiger Woods in the fog-delayed event.
"Phil is playing pretty unbelievable," Snedeker said. "I will have to go at some pins and make some putts early and be more aggressive than I probably normally would be."
Padraig Harrington and Ryan Moore were tied for third at 16 under. Harrington, making his first appearance in the event, shot a 63, and Moore had a 65.
Gallacher leads in Dubai
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Stephen Gallacher of Scotland shot a 10-under 62 to take a three-shot lead at the Dubai Desert Classic and break by a shot a three-round scoring record set by Tiger Woods 12 years ago.
Overnight leader Richard Sterne (66) tried to keep pace. He made long birdie putts on the eighth and 11th holes and a 45-footer from the fri* ge on No. 15. Thorbjorn Olesen (67) finished five shots back in third place, producing two bogeys on the back nine — his first of the tournamen.
Lee Westwood had a 66 to move into sole possession of ninth. Sergio Garcia shot a 71 to fall into a tie for 19th.


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Catherine L. Lynch, board of directors, The Inland Group, Inc.
Catherine L. Lynch, 54, was appointed to the board of directors of The Inland Group Inc., parent company of one of the nation's largest commercial real estate and financial organizations. She will also retain her duties as the chief financial officer and due diligence director of Inland Real Estate Investment Corp., a subsidiary of The Inland Group Inc. Lynch joined Inland Real Estate Investment Corporation in 1989 after spending nine years with KPMG Peat Marwick LLP. During her career with the Inland organization, she has served as treasurer and secretary of Inland Real Estate Investment Corporation, as a director and treasurer of Inland Investment Advisors Inc., as treasurer and secretary of Inland Securities Corp., as treasurer of Inland Institutional Capital Partners Inc. and as treasurer of Inland Capital Markets Group Inc. She is a certified public accountant and holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Illinois State University.
Copyright © 2019, Chicago Tribune


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Technical Problem With This Chapter?
Author: MagnoliaMama
Story: Leave-taking
Part: Leave-taking
Rating: Teens
Setting: Pre-HBP
Status: Completed
Reviews: 9
Words: 4,622
Updated: May 18, 2004, 7:10pm
Note: This story is an outtake from my sixth-year WIP, "Seo Gerecednis," which is archived on Schnoogle. You do not need to have read it in order to understand what is happening here, but if you wish to it can be found at
Ron found her curled up at the base of a chestnut tree, her bushy brown hair pulled loosely off her neck, a book open in her lap. In truth, she hadn't been hard to find; she was a creature of habit, a quality he found equally maddening and endearing. Although he was not prepared to admit, even to himself, how closely he'd been watching her, he knew she'd chosen this place as a refuge—from him, he thought with a pang—soon after the letter from Dumbledore had arrived, offering her the opportunity to study at a wizarding school in Calcutta for a year.
As far as he was concerned, that invitation, and her enthusiastic acceptance, represented the absolute lowest point in his entire life. How could Hermione do this to him? How could she leave her family, her friends, him, and go off to India? What could possibly be so important?
Once they were alone, he'd begged her not to go. He'd tried to make her see reason, to make her understand why she shouldn't go, why she couldn't go. He'd played the Harry card, though it make him feel sick doing so. It had been a mistake, he'd realized almost immediately. She'd got angry, her normally soft brown eyes turning cold and hard. Then the shouting started.
They'd shouted at each other before, perhaps most famously that horrible night during fourth year. But this time...this time had been much worse. He'd said things he regretted the instant he said them. Coward And the things she'd said to him hurt so deeply he felt as though he'd been stabbed in the gut. Small-minded, petty, parochial Then, when he told her she could go to hell for all he cared, she'd slapped him.
He'd held his hand to his stinging cheek and watched her, dazed, as she stormed out of the room. She wasn't crying. Hermione always cried when she got emotional, because that was the way she was. Not this time, though. She didn't cry this time. That's when he knew he'd really bollixed things up. That realization hit him even harder than her hand had.
Not a word had passed between them in the week since. They only stayed in the same room together at meals, and only then at opposite ends of the table. His sole consolation was that she hadn't left the Burrow and returned to her parents, until he remembered that she'd probably only stayed because of Ginny. She didn't even seem to mind spending more time with Luna, a realization that only made him feel that much worse.
Tomorrow she'd be leaving. Tomorrow morning Tonks would come and escort Hermione back to her parents' house in London. Three days after that, she'd leave for India, and then he wouldn't see her again until next summer. His gut clenched at the mere thought of it. Ten months without seeing her every day. He didn't know how he'd last.
He'd come out here to tell her that. He'd swallowed his pride, nearly choking on it in the process, and come here to beg her one last time not to go. He'd followed her to her place of refuge, risking yet another explosion, but he'd had to. He sat down, far enough away that his presence, if she detected it, wouldn't drive her away, yet close enough that he could watch her, and folded his arms across his bent knees.
He lost track of time as he watched her turn page after page in that bloody book. Probably Hogwarts, a History, he thought darkly. It was a wonder she hadn't memorized it yet. Finally, she closed the book with a satisfied thwap and stretched her arms over her head revealing, as she did so, the faint curves and outlines of her changing body. He'd been observing those changes for well over a year now, but this summer they seemed to have become more pronounced, a realization forced upon him by his own capriciously changing body.
As Hermione stretched and twisted the kinks out of her shoulders Ron watched, unmoving, waiting for her to notice him sitting there...if she chose to. At long last she got to her feet, brushed off the back of her skirt, and turned around.
He held his breath. He'd taken the first step just by coming here; it now rested in her hands to choose to accept his peace offering. He didn't want her to go, but, more importantly, he didn't want her to go thinking ill of him. He didn't want her to go thinking he didn't care. If she was so determined to go he wouldn't stand in her way, but he'd stop at nothing to win her affection back before she left.
He watched in anxious silence as Hermione's eyes, her soft, golden brown eyes that he could never grow tired of looking into, widened and her hand clenched around the book she held. When she didn't turn on her heel and stalk off, her voluminous hair bouncing along in her angry wake, he relaxed slightly, allowing his breath to escape through his nostrils. On the other hand, she didn't come any closer.
"How long have you been there?" she finally asked.
He shrugged. "Dunno. A while, I guess."
"Why didn't you say something?" He shrugged again. She sighed. "Do you intend to say something, or are you just going to sit there and stare at me?"
He lifted his chin and hugged his knees tighter to his chest. "What do you want me to say?"
She shook her head. "Ron, it's not what I want that matters here. You obviously followed me out here for a reason."
"You know what I want."
"No, I don't. I'm not a mind reader. You're going to have to tell me." They studied each other in silence for a long time, before she bent over and picked up the book she'd dropped. "Fine. Have it your way." She turned around to move away from him.
"Don't go!" he called out at last. He forced himself to stand up, ignoring the ache in his knees from having sat in one position for so long. "Don't leave me."
She made a half-turn back toward him and looked at him as though he'd just sprouted leaves. "I'm just going back to the house."
"That's not what I mean, and you know it." He hastened down the hill toward her, but stopped about ten feet away. "Don't go."
She rubbed at her temple. "Ron, please."
He took another step toward her. "Hermione—" he pleaded.
"Can we please not do this again?" Her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Can't we at least be...pleasant with each other this last day before I go?"
"I'm trying to be pleasant. I don't want to fight with you."
"Then don't."
"I'm not." He struggled to keep his voice even. "But I don't want you to go."
"Why not, Ron?" she cried, turning on him. "Why can't I go to India and do some good for a change? Why can't I go someplace where I can be useful?"
Panic gnawed at his insides and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish on dry land. "But-But you're doing good right here! You are useful!"
She gave him a sad smile. "Letting you and Harry copy off my History of Magic notes is not being useful."
"What about S.P.E.W. then, hm? Look at all the progress you've made there!"
"What about it? If I can't even convince you that house-elves have rights, what chance have I got with anyone else?" She sighed. "Besides, what good will it do Harry if I succeed in liberating house-elves?"
He took another step closer, holding his arms out in supplication. "What good will it do him if you're thousands of miles away?"
"I can help win other witches and wizards to our cause, that's what! Do you honestly believe Voldemort will be content with just Britain under his thumb? You know he won't stop until he's taken over the entire world. If we're to have any chance of defeating him, we have to stay one step ahead. That's why Dumbledore arranged this exchange, and that's why I have to go!"
He was now just inches away from her, so close he could see the dusting of freckles across her nose. "But why you, Hermione? Why can't someone else go?"
"Because Dumbledore knows he can trust me. Because he knows how much I support Harry." She lifted her chin to look up at him. "Don't you trust me, Ron?"
"Of course I trust you. But what if—"
"What if what?" Her voice, which had grown more shrill as the momentum and tension between them increased, suddenly got soft.
"What if something happens to you?"
She tilted her head to one side to look up at him. "What if it does?"
"I-I won't be able to help."
"I'm not helpless! I can take care of myself."
"Like you did in the Department of Mysteries?" He knew he was treading in dangerous waters now.
She pressed her lips together in an angry line. "What happened to me in June won't happen again. I know how to learn from my mistakes."
Though he doubted she'd meant it to do so, her retort hurt him deeply, and his hands clenched where he'd jammed them inside his pockets. "And I don't?"
"I didn't say that."
"No, but you thought it."
"What?" She made a sound of exasperation. "I give up. This is utterly pointless." She turned and walked away from him again.
Desperate to keep her there and talking to him, he called out to her retreating back, "Are you still writing to Krum?"
Deep grooves had appeared across her brow when she turned back to face him. "Viktor?" Ron nodded. "What does he have to do with anything?"
"Are you?"
"Why does it matter?"
"Answer the question."
She pulled herself up to her fullest height—which, granted, wasn't much compared to his own, but he knew all too well he was perilously close to crossing the line with her. "I will not. Who I write to is no concern of yours."
"It is so my concern!"
"On what grounds?"
"On the grounds of—I don't want you writing to him!"
She glared at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "I see. So now not only am I not allowed to go to India and do my part to help win the war against Voldemort, but I'm not even allowed to have my own friends without your approval?" Blooms of color had risen in her cheeks. "Why don't I just lock myself up in a convent and stay there until the war is over? Will that make you happy?"
Ron slumped against a tree and closed his eyes in defeat. No matter how hard he tried, he always managed to say the wrong thing. Clearly nothing he did or said was going to keep her from leaving; clearly she still fancied that Bulgarian wanker. Why did he even bother trying? He slid down to the ground and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Bugger," he groaned to himself.
He squeezed his eyelids tight when he heard twigs snapping underfoot, resigned to his failure. Misery overwhelmed him. All he'd wanted to do was to make things right with her, to show her how much he wanted her to stay, but he'd only succeeded at bollixing things up even more than before. He should have seen it coming, but he just couldn't stop pushing, until he'd pushed too far. Tomorrow she'd go, despising him, and she'd probably keep writing to Krum and not write to him at all, and she'd completely forget he even existed while she was away, and he'd ruined the last chance he'd ever get to show her how much she meant to him. "Bugger," he said again, pressing against his eyelids until he saw stars. "You bloody stupid git."
Something soft and warm pressed against his arm, and a soft, warm voice said, "Ron?"
Astonished beyond all imagining, he lifted his head to see Hermione sitting before him, her mouth pursed in a moue of concern. "Her-Hermione?" he croaked. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear the fog from his vision. "I thought you'd left."
"Ron, why are you crying?" she asked in a tremulous voice.
He swiped angrily at his face. "I'm not crying."
When she looked away from him, he saw the barriers start to fall back into place, and grabbed at her hand. "Hermione, please."
"I don't understand what it is you want from me," she murmured, looking down at their joined hands.
He laced his fingers through hers and tugged gently, urging her to look at him again. "I don't want you going to India," he said.
She closed her eyes. "Why not?"
"Because-Because...I don't know why," he finally admitted. "I just don't. I'm afraid." He took a deep breath. "I'm afraid you'll go, and I won't ever see you again. I'm afraid you'll go, and you'll forget about me. I'm afraid...I'm afraid of losing you." He swallowed a hard lump in his throat.
Her eyes were brimming with tears when she opened them and looked up at him. "Oh, Ron," she sighed, giving him a wan, teary smile. Then, to his great surprise and joy, she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck. Helpless to resist, he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I'll never, ever forget about you," she breathed damply into his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. "You mean too much to me."
It was more than he could ever have hoped to hear. At that moment, he felt as if he could've single-handedly Stupefied a dozen Death Eaters, if she'd asked him to. But he had to be sure she was really saying what he hoped she was saying. He ran his hands up her back to her shoulders, then down her arms to her elbows, and gently pulled her arms from around his neck. When she sat back on her heels to look at him her face was blotchy and her eyes swollen, but to his mind she'd never looked more beautiful.
"Er...Hermione...er..." he stammered, his voice growing weaker and more raspy by the second. He felt the lump rise again in his throat as she studied him, her lips slightly parted.
Quickly, before his courage failed him, he leaned forward to kiss her.
Unfortunately, she ducked her head down at the last moment to wipe her nose on the hem of her skirt and he ended up jamming his lower lip into the edge of her eyebrow.
"Ow!" he cried, drawing back with his fingers pressed to his bruised mouth.
"Ow!" she cried, drawing back with her fingers pressed to her bruised brow.
Ron and Hermione stared at each other in shocked, wide-eyed silence for what seemed to last a lifetime. Then, as though they'd each read what was running through the other's mind, they leaned forward, closed their eyes, and with a single sigh of pure, unadulterated bliss, made contact.
Kissing Hermione was more wonderful than anything he could have imagined. Sweeter than a Chocolate Frog, more satisfying than blocking a Quaffle. Over the years he'd listened to his brothers and, more recently, the other boys in his dormitory, talk about the joys and wonders of kissing girls, but none of it had prepared him for the real thing.
It should not have surprised him, then, that it wouldn't take him long to find a way to spoil everything.
When they'd leaned toward each other he'd had one hand in his lap and the other pressed against the ground, for balance. As the kiss lengthened, however, tiny pebbles embedded in the ground had begun to dig into the tender flesh of his palm, distracting him from the pleasurable sensation of Hermione's lips against his own. He wanted to move his hand, but where to?
Then he remembered the feeling of Hermione's soft, warm hand on his arm, and knew exactly where he wanted his hand to be. He carefully lifted it from the ground, adjusting his position just enough to regain his balance without disturbing Hermione, and raised his hand to her shoulder.
The tiny squeak that erupted from Hermione's throat when he made contact with her inflamed him, and he brought his other hand around to her waist. When he felt her hands come to rest on his upper arms he squeezed gently, pulling her closer to him and deepening the kiss.
Or so he tried, at least, until Hermione wrenched her mouth from his with a wet smacking sound. "What do you think you're doing?" she said.
He couldn't take his eyes off her moist, pink, swollen lips. He'd like some more of that, please. "I-I'm kissing you," he said, still staring at her mouth and wondering if the inside was just as nice. "Aren't I?"
"Your hand," she hissed.
Baffled, he tore his gaze away from her mouth to look at his hands. One rested against her waist, just above her hip. The other was on her...not on her shoulder. Bloody hell. No wonder...never mind. He snatched it away as though he'd just touched a hot stove. Which, in many respects, he had.
"What kind of girl do you take me for?"
"Wha—?" he murmured, his gaze now fixated on where his hand had just been, remembering how perfectly she had filled it.
"Do you always grope at girls like that the first time you kiss them?"
"Wha—?" he repeated, licking his lips. Then, suddenly, awareness came flooding back, and he realized just how furious with him Hermione was. "No!" he cried.
Hermione leaped to her feet with more agility than he would have given her credit for having. "Oh, so it's just me then, hm? I'm a Muggle-born, so I must be a tart, is that it?" Her face was red as she fought in vain to rein in her temper.
Ron stared up at her, dumbfounded. "Wha—?" But she had already fled, leaving him—and her book—behind.
He didn't see Hermione the rest of the day. She didn't even come to the supper table; Ginny gave him a withering glare as she took a plate their mum had prepared for Hermione upstairs and accidentally-on purpose knocked him in the back of his head with her elbow. Bill just looked at him as if he'd broken wind. If Luna had any opinion on the matter, she kept it to herself, instead humming "Weasley Is Our King" under her breath as she ate her roast pork and potatoes. Feeling miserable and sorry for himself, Ron excused himself from the table before his mum had had a chance to serve pudding and locked himself in his room. He wanted to write to Harry, but he didn't know what to say. "Dear Harry, Today I snogged Hermione for the first time. Now she thinks I'm a tosser because I also accidentally grabbed her tit. Don't let the Muggles get you down. Wish you were here! Your friend, Ron." He didn't reckon even Harry would appreciate receiving a letter like that.
"Bloody hell!" he groaned, yanking his pillow out from under his head and pressing it over his face. Of all the rotten luck! Even Harry's first kiss had gone better than his. None of his brothers would've done something so stupid or clumsy either, he'd wager. Just him. Foolish, bumbling ickle Ronnikins, who can't seem to do anything right.
Ron was awakened several hours later by a soft scratching sound. At first he thought Pig was asking to be let in through his bedroom window, until he realized that Pig was already in his cage and watching him unblinkingly with his round amber eyes.
He sat up, shaking the fog of sleep from his head and rubbing his hands across his face. He could feel the first faint signs of stubble just below his jawline; for two years now Fred and George had teased him about the peach fuzz on his cheeks, but he knew it wouldn't be long before he'd be shaving with the rest of them. Harry, on the other hand.... He grinned at the thought of Harry. At the rate he was going, Harry'd be well into his twenties before he started shaving. Hazards of spending a decade in a broom closet, Ron supposed. It brought him some comfort to know that Harry hadn't had any better luck with girls than he had, though not much.
He ran his fingers through his hair and yawned, thinking he might as well change into his pajamas and go to bed properly. Judging from position of the moon in the sky, and the silence of the house around him, it was nearly midnight. Even the ghoul in the attic had retired for the night.
Then he heard it. The scratching sound that had awakened him before. It was too loud to have been made by a mouse, and the direction it came from suggested that whatever was making the sound was just on the other side of his bedroom door. Scratching his belly and yawning again, he crossed his room to the door and opened it.
Hermione stood before him in a flowered dressing gown, her hair a riotous mane around her pale face, her illuminated wand in her hand. His hand froze in mid-scratch, although he at least had the presence of mind to close his mouth. "Hermione?" he said stupidly.
"Ron? Did I wake you?"
He could see that she was trembling, though for the life of him he couldn't understand why; the night was warm and humid, without even a breeze to move the stagnant air. "Er, no," he said, moving aside. "D'you-D'you want to come in?"
"Thanks, she said, stepping gingerly over the threshold. He remained rooted by the door and watched her sit at the foot of his bed. She looked as though she might take flight any moment. "Could you-would you close the door please?" she asked. "I don't want to wake anyone up."
"Oh!" he said. "Sure." He closed the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. He had no idea what had brought her to his room at this time of night, and after what had taken place earlier that day, he wasn't about to presume anything and risk screwing up again. Hermione wasn't one to fudge and mudge, for which he was grateful; she'd tell him what was on her mind directly.
She stared at her hands as they lay in her lap. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier," she said.
His heart leaped up into his throat. Had he heard correctly? "S-Sorry?"
"This-This afternoon," she whispered. "When-When we were...kissing."
He could see the flush in her cheeks in the pale light cast by her wand. "You-Y'mean...when I-when I—" She nodded. He tried to swallow, but his mouth had just gone very dry. "I-I-I didn't mean to-I mean, I'm really—"
"It's okay," she said, saving him from his fumbling tongue. "I realized later, after I'd had a chance to think about it, that you didn't mean to-to do what you did. I just-it just-I was just surprised, is all. I was scared."
"Oh," was all he could think of to say.
"I just-I never—" She paused to take a deep, shaky breath before plunging in again. "I'd never imagined things would turn out this way. I'd never r-really believed you f-felt that way. A-About m-me."
Ron didn't know what to say, but he couldn't ignore the tremor in her voice, so he sat down on the edge of the bed beside her and did the first thing he could think of: he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him until he could feel her tears soak through his shirt. He held her there for the longest time, eventually slipping his other arm around her waist and mentally kicking himself for all the times he'd hurt her over the years. He'd been such a fool....
Eventually her sobs subsided, and although Ron hated to see her cry, he hated even more the realization that she'd soon pull away from him. He wanted to keep her there forever. When he felt her hands push against his chest, however, he relaxed his embrace and let her pull back.
"I must look a fright," she sniffed, wiping at her face.
"Not at all," he said. Not entirely conscious of what he was doing, he reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. When she looked up at him from beneath her glistening lashes, he knew that things between them would never be the same. Which, in the end, was all he'd ever really wanted.
The kiss they shared this time was still chaste, still tentative, but carried with it promises of so much more. He ached to touch her as he had before, and thought she might even welcome it this time, but held himself back, afraid he might not be able to later if he didn't. He was so scared he couldn't even wrap his mind around it. Scared of the intensity of the feelings he had for her; scared he might frighten her off if he revealed them; scared of the fragile hope she might actually return his feelings; and, above all, scared he might never see her again.
Some time later Ron found himself lying on his back with Hermione stretched out beside him, her hand on his chest, her head pillowed on his arm. He felt happier than he had in a long time. A bit frustrated, to be sure, but his memories of tonight and his imagination could take care of that later. For now, he was awash in contentment, despite the numbness in his arm.
He felt her stirring beside him and groaned, knowing the end was rapidly approaching. If only she still had that bloody Time-Turner, he thought.
"Ron?" she murmured.
"Ron, you know I have to go."
"I know," he sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Your mum will be up soon. You don't want her catching us together like this."
Neither of them moved. Then, a few minutes later, "Ron?"
"Dumbledore recommended I take Muggle transport to India." His insides roiled. He'd been trying to forget about India all night. "I'm taking an airplane. My flight leaves from Heathrow Airport in London at 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. I'd like it if you could be there to see me off. It would mean a lot to me."
He shifted so he could see her gazing up at him. "Really?" She nodded. "Er, okay." He had no idea how he'd get to Heathrow Airport, whatever that was, but he'd find out. Maybe Bill could take him on his motorcycle.
She sat up then and looked down at him with a smile. He reached over and took her hand in his, twining their fingers together. "I'll miss you," she said.
"I'll miss you, too." His voice was scratchy and hoarse. "I wish you wouldn't go."
"I know. But I have to."
"I know."
His heart swelled in his chest when she leaned down to kiss him one last time, and then she was gone.
The End
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text: On Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 06:10:43PM +0200, Jonathan Aquilina wrote: > someone brought this up in another post and instead of hyjacking that post i > started a new one. what are the advantages of having processors that defy > the normal development and progressions of cores. > > 2 4 8 etc like intel follows but amd seems to have done 2 3 4 6 ? Intel has done 6 core processors in the recent past, and there are currently 3 memory controllers on Nehalem cpus. The point of a 6 core processor is that's all that fits, plus there isn't enough memory bandwidth to support 8 cores with many workloads. The point of 3 core processors was selling at a lower price point, and being able to sell defective chips as good. -- greg


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With the appearance of amusing media, it can assume that the canicule of blind out with your friends, spending contiguous time calm is a affair of the past. Not so. Getting calm with your besties for a night out on the boondocks continues to be a abundant way to affix with others and accept some claimed down time. There is annihilation absolutely like an black of fun and amusement with your buddies to rejuvenate you. But while you're out accepting a acceptable time, don't overlook to put a top antecedence on your claimed safety.
Never go it alone. The point of traveling out is to be calm with your friends. Encourage your girlfriends to go out calm and go home together. In added words, abash any of your accompany from abrogation with the beautiful guy they just met at the bar. If you can accede to this as a accumulation afore you go out, you can abbreviate a lot of ball and abeyant assurance issues.
Follow basal assurance tips. While its accept to let your hair down, you should never let your bouncer down. Assurance your instincts. If something doesn't feel appropriate it apparently isn't. If a accurate being makes you feel uncomfortable, let your accompany apperceive and abolish yourself from that situation. If one of your accompany tells you she feel uncomfortable, assurance her. Even if she is wrong, it is bigger to err on the ancillary of safety. Be acquainted of your surroundings. Don't get so bent up in the fun that you abort to see what's traveling on about you. Carry a alert claimed cocky aegis artefact such a lipstick pepper aerosol or a mini amaze gun and accumulate it area you can readily admission it.
Drink in moderation. Booze lowers inhibitions, authoritative it easier to accept fun in a amusing setting. However, it aswell impairs judgement, authoritative it difficult to aces up on admonishing signs, abnormally the added attenuate ones. In a lot of cases of appear date rapes, either the victim, the perpetrator, or both were beneath the access of drugs and / or alcohol. Apperceive your absolute and stick to it. A little can be good. Added is not better. Acceptable accompany should advice accumulate anniversary added from debauchery it.
Whether the accumulation you're out on the boondocks with is fabricated up of your top academy besties, your abode sisters, your co-workers, your bible abstraction accumulation or your adolescent adjacency moms, accept fun but break safe!


text:
LONDON – Claressa Shields ducked one punch, deftly leaned away from another, and stuck her tongue out at her Russian opponent. Just an American teenager having a little fun.
After all, Nadezda Torlopova is nearly twice Shields' age and about half her speed. And Shields had to laugh at any boxer trying to get between her and a historic Olympic gold medal.
The 17-year-old middleweight from Flint, Mich., beat Torlopova 19-12 on Thursday, capping her rapid ascent through women's boxing with a title in its Olympic debut.
"This was something I wanted for a long time, even when boxing wasn't going all right, even when my life wasn't going all right," said Shields, who found sanctuary in a boxing gym during a rough childhood.
"All I wanted was a gold medal, and I kept working towards it, even when people were saying I couldn't do it. I'm too young. I couldn't do it. There were girls who were going to beat me because of better experience, more experience. I proved them all wrong."
Shields did it in style — shuffle-stepping, brawling and even winning over a crowd that showed up to cheer Irish lightweight Katie Taylor and British flyweight Nicola Adams, who also won gold medals.
Shields had her hand over her heart on the medal podium when she abruptly burst into laughter, her head snapping back almost as if she had just been punched in the face.
That's a feeling her opponents in the first Olympic women's boxing tournament know quite well.
Only they're not laughing.
"I'm surprised I didn't cry," Shields said. "I was sweating, though."
Shields, Taylor and Adams triumphed in rapid succession on the final day of the London Games' landmark tournament, claiming the first Olympic titles in a growing sport that was banned in Britain until 1996.
The five-day event was one of London's biggest hits. And even amid the sea of Irish fans cheering Taylor's every move, Shields was one of the breakout stars of the games. An ugly Olympics for the U.S. team ended with a performance worthy of Cassius Clay, Joe Frazier, Oscar De La Hoya and every American Olympic champion that came before Shields.
Shields capped her rise through the amateur ranks in the past two years with three strong performances in the London ring, providing USA Boxing with a much-needed boost. Shields won the 12-member American team's only gold medal in London, and flyweight Marlen Esparza took a bronze, but the winningest nation in Olympic boxing history got no medals from its men's team for the first time.
"I don't think anybody would feel bad about me representing them," Shields said. "I think I did a pretty good job."


text:
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text:
Time for another Daring Bakers' challenge. This month's challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They came up with an amalgamation of recipes for a tiramisu. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post (newspaper), Cordon Bleu at Home (cookbook) and Baking Obsession (blog).
Tiramisu is typically custardy mascarpone cream layered with ladyfingers/savoiardi biscuits soaked in espresso. A little bit of booze like marsala or rum is usually present too. We were required to make the mascarpone cheese and ladyfingers from scratch. We were also required to make the zabaglione and pastry cream for the custardy cream layers.
I've never thought about making mascarpone from scratch since I can buy an 8 ounce tub for about $3 around here. The recipe looked fairly straightforward. Who knew it was just heated heavy cream and lemon juice? I used a really nice 36% butterfat organic cream. Unfortunately, even though I heated the cream for 30 minutes in a stainless steel bowl in a skillet of simmering water, my cream never got any hotter than 170F. The instructions said it would get to 190F in about 15 minutes. So I forged ahead anyway and added the lemon juice and waited for the curds to form. That never happened either. So after another 10 minutes I just poured my "cheese" into my cheesecloth lined strainer. After the overnight refrigeration I expected that some whey would have drained out. Nope, my "cheese" looked no different than it had when I first pour it into the cheesecloth and it looked nothing like creamy mascarpone.
Then I tried to remove my mascarpone from the cheesecloth. It was stuck on pretty tightly. So tight that when I forcefully scraped it off the cloth, all I got was a block of "cheese" covered in lint. I thought cheesecloth was supposed to be lint free? Maybe I got the wrong kind of cheesecloth? (I used a 100% unbleached cotton cheesecloth.) So I scraped off the linty side of the mascarpone and saved the unlinty part to use in my tiramisu. Thank goodness we only needed 1/3 cup for the tiramisu.
I love ladyfingers. When I was a little girl, sometimes my dad would take me with him while he went to Ahren's Bakery on Van Ness Avenue to pick up some pastries for the restaurant. The bakery workers were always so nice to me. While I waited for them to fill my dad's very large order, they always handed me a giant cookie from the bakery case. I felt so special. But the best part of our trips to Ahren's was the bag of soft ladyfingers that we would bring home. Sets of five ladyfingers were lined up next to each other waiting to be pulled apart. I can still recall that soft, airy interior with that wonderful crispy, sugary crust. I wonder if Ahren's was still around today and I ate one of their ladyfingers would I still love it as much as I did as a child? I'd love to say yes, but the truth is probably not. The most flavorful ingredient is nostalgia.
I loved this ladyfinger recipe. They remind me of those from my childhood. I couldn't help but sneak a few bites everyday. Well, maybe I had more than a few bites. By the time I was ready to assemble my tiramisu three days later, I only had enough ladyfingers for two layers instead of three. I plan to make these ladyfingers again and again.
In the past I've only made tiramisu recipes that had a zabaglione with mascarpone. But this recipe had the unusual addition of a pastry cream. It was also a bit strange that it only called for a teeny tiny amount of mascarpone cheese. Typically mascarpone makes up a large portion of the cream layers. The zabaglione was easy to make. The method for the pastry cream was a bit different than I am used to since the cold milk was combined with the egg then cooked. I am used to warming the milk, adding it to the eggs and then cooking it until thick. I think the cold milk method took longer to thicken than the warm milk method, but the resulting pastry cream was just fine.
We were allowed to assemble our tiramisu any way we liked. I decided to use an 8-inch round springform. If I knew ahead of time that I was going to use a round cake pan for assembly, I would have piped my ladyfinger batter into 8 -inch disks instead of individual fingers. It would've made for a nicer presentation.
Overall the tiramisu was delicious. But what's not to like about whipped cream, custard and coffee soaked ladyfingers? Even though I found the whole recipe to be a bit overly complicated and fussy for a tiramisu and I would probably never make this exact version of tiramisu ever again, I'm so happy that I have gotten such a great ladyfinger recipe out of this DB challenge. Okay, I'm off to have another slice now.
The fine print:
The February 2010 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.
February 2010 Daring Bakers' Challenge:
Mascarpone Cheese – Vera's Recipe (Baking Obsession) for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese.
Savoiardi/ Ladyfinger Biscuits – Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home
Tiramisu – Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007
Notes/Tips from Aparna and Deeba:
1. If you cannot find Marsala, port wine is considered a good substitute.
2. If you would rather not use alcohol in your tiramisu due to diet restrictions or because you want to serve it to children, you may replace the Marsala with an equal amount of espresso or coffee.
3. Many people, especially those who are not excessively fond of coffee, might find brewed espresso very strong. In this case, please feel free to dilute the espresso or coffee to the desired strength.
4. It is generally suggested that cream with 25% fat is best for making mascarpone, but 36% works just as well.
5. We both used lime juice. Deeba has a recipe for mascarpone posted on her blog here.
6. The mascarpone recipe below is for approximately 340gms of mascarpone. The tiramisu recipe requires only 1/3 cup/75gms so you may scale down the recipe to requirement or put the extra mascarpone cheese to other equally good use. (100gms cream will yield approximately 75gms mascarpone)
7. While using the double boiler to make the mascarpone as well as the zabaglione, always ensure that the bottom of the bowl on top doesn't touch the bottom of the lower one.
8. Ladyfinger batter is very fragile so fold in the flour and yolks very carefully into the meringue so that the whites don't lose their volume.
9. It might be a good idea to decide the size of the dish in which you intend to set the dessert, and make the fingers to a size which would fit that dish. This makes it easier when assembling the tiramisu later. Do remember that ladyfingers/ savioardi puff up a little while baking.
10. Ladyfinger biscuits may be stored up to a week in an airtight container. We both made the savoiardi fingers 4-5 days in advance, and stored them in an airtight box in a cool place (or the refrigerator).
11. We both made the zabaglione & pastry cream the previous day, and assembled the tiramisu the next morning. I (Aparna) then froze my tiramisu for 7 days before decorating and serving it.
12. Placing the bowl (in which cream is to be whipped) and the beaters of the hand held electric mixer in the fridge for about 1/2 to 1 hour before hand makes the cream whip up very well.
13. Do not dip the ladyfinger/ savoiardi into the coffee solution for more than ONE second, or they might become very fragile & disintegrate. Extra soaking is likely to spoil the end product, making it soggy. I (Aparna) dipped my biscuits only on one side and found they soaked up more than enough coffee solution.
14. If you would like to de-mould your tiramisu from your dish (cutting can be easier and neater this way, you can line your dish with plastic wrap (leaving a little extra on the sides of the dish) and then start assembling your tiramisu. Once the tiramisu sets in the refrigerator, you can use the overhang to pull the tiramisu out of the dish.
The recipes for this challenge are presented in the following order:
A. Tiramisu (includes zabaglione & vanilla pastry cream)
B. Mascarpone Cheese
C. Ladyfinger/ Savoiardi Biscuits
Tiramisu is usually made in square dishes and cut into squares to serve. If you want to be different, please feel free to give full rein to your creativity as to how you want to present, decorate and serve your tiramisu. Make it square, round, as individual servings, or whatever! However, your version of Tiramisu must contain the mascarpone cheese and the savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits you made.
Tiramisu is made up of several components which can be made separately and ahead of time and put together the day before serving.
Making tiramisu from scratch requires about 2 to 3 days (including refrigeration) from when you start making the mascarpone to the time the tiramisu is served. So this challenge requires some prior planning.
Please read the instructions as you need to begin making the mascarpone at least a day in advance.
The zabaglione & pastry cream also need 4 hours to an overnight for chilling, as does the main dessert. The flavours mature after an overnight rest, and the dessert can be kept refrigerated for 2-3 days.
Once assembled, the tiramisu can be frozen till you need to serve it, in case you are not serving it immediately.
• A double boiler (a stainless steel bowl that fits inside a large saucepan/ pot without touching the bottom will do)
• Two or three large mixing bowls
• Whisk
• A medium sized heavy bottomed pan
• Fine meshed strainer (to remove lumps from pastry cream, if any)
• Electric mixer, hand held
• Serving dish (or dishes) of choice (8" by 8" should be fine)
• Spatula for folding and spoons as required
• Plastic wrap/ clingfilm
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or nonstick liners
• Pastry bag (can be disposable)
• Plain 3/4" pastry bag tip or cut the end of pastry bag to this size (If you don't have a pastry bag and/or tips, you can use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off)
• Oven
• Cooling rack
• Thin-bladed spatula for removing ladyfinger biscuits from the baking sheets
• Instant-read thermometer (optional)
• Strainer
• Cheesecloth or cotton napkin for draining mascarpone
• Fine-mesh strainer for shaking cocoa powder on tiramisu
(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk
For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
To assemble the tiramisu:
2 cups/470ml brewed espresso, warmed
1 teaspoon/5ml rum extract (optional)
1/2 cup/110gms sugar
1/3 cup/75gms mascarpone cheese
36 savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
2 tablespoons/30gms unsweetened cocoa powder
For the zabaglione:
Heat water in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
For the pastry cream:
Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don't worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
For the whipped cream:
Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.
To assemble the tiramisu:
Have ready a rectangular serving dish (about 8" by 8" should do) or one of your choice.
Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.
Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
Workings quickly, dip 12 of the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
Repeat to create 2 more layers, using 12 ladyfingers and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.
(Source: Vera's Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir.
Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
[Vera's notes: The first time I made mascarpone I had all doubts if it'd been cooked enough, because of its custard-like texture. Have no fear, it will firm up beautifully in the fridge, and will yet remain lusciously creamy.]
Keep mascarpone refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2" to 3" long) ladyfingers.
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5" long and 3/4" wide strips leaving about 1" space in between the strips.
Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.


text:
Dempsey's people
A folio of British street portraits 1824–1844
Previous exhibition, 2017
Dempsey's people: a folio of British street portraits 1824–1844 is the first exhibition to showcase the compelling watercolour images of English street people made by the itinerant English painter John Dempsey throughout the first half of the nineteenth century.
Collection display galleries
Open every day
The collection display includes a wide selection of portraits that tell extraordinary stories of encounter, exploration, independence, individuality and achievement in Australia. Visitors to the Gallery can follow the development of portraiture from oil painting to digital media.Entry is free.


text:
Holy Bhagavad Gita is a sacred text of Hinduism.
This is the english translation in Mobipocket Reader PRC format.
Mobipocket Reader is available for free download at mobipocket.com.
Steps for installing:
» Download Mobipocket reader.
» Install Mobipocket reader on your device.
» Copy the PRC file of the sacred text to your device.
Steps for reading the text:
» Start Mobipocket reader on your device.
» Open the PRC file in Mobipocket reader on your device.
Bhagavad Gita (literally: Song of the Lord), composed between the fifth and second centuries BCE, is part of the epic poem of Mahabharata, located in the Bhisma-Parva, chapters 23?40, and is revered in Hinduism. It is not limited to followers of the Vaishnava stream, since it is a core text for most yogic and tantric Hindu philosophies.
The Gita is considered by most Hindus to be the single most representative sacred text of the faith, and it is the acknowledged source book of Yoga philosophy
Intro taken from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita
Holy Bhagavad Gita is a sacred text of Hinduism.


text:
02/10/2018, 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Monthly on the 2nd Saturday
Location:Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary map
Monthly Bird Walks at the Heard The Heard Museum and Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society (PTAS) offer guided bird walks on the Heard Sanctuary. Walks begin promptly at 8 AM and last 1.5 hours (with optional extended time if some participants are interested). If you come a few minutes late the group may have already started their walk so it is important to be on time. Walks are included in regular admission. These bird walks are intended to help beginning and intermediate birders with bird spotting and identification techniques. There will also be plenty of opportunity for questions. Prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats are included in these walks.
Click here to learn more about birding at the Heard
This event is included in general admission and free for Heard Museum Members.
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text: Greg Lindahl wrote: > On Thu, Sep 25, 2008 at 10:19:26AM -0400, Joe Landman wrote: > >> BLAST uses mmap'ed IO. This has some interesting ... interactions ... >> with parallel file systems. > > The PathScale compilers use mmap on their temporary files. This led to > some interesting bugs being reported... fortunately, we were able to > pinpoint the parallel filesystems as being the guilty parties without > too much work. It looks like people use mmap files to explicitly avoid seeks, replacing semantics of file IO with memory access semantics. We have a customer who uses mmap for some large files (multiple GB). Sadly, mmap on linux uses the paging mechanism which is pretty much stuck at 4kB pages for most distributions. I think the SiCortex folks and a few others are working with 64 kB page kernels. I am sure there are good reasons for using mmap. I just don't know what they are, and in what contexts. I would rather have direct/explicit control over the IO if possible. -- Joseph Landman, Ph.D Founder and CEO Scalable Informatics LLC, email: landman at scalableinformatics.com web : http://www.scalableinformatics.com http://jackrabbit.scalableinformatics.com phone: +1 734 786 8423 x121 fax : +1 866 888 3112 cell : +1 734 612 4615


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During his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, President Barack Obama mentioned his goal of creating an educated workforce. This is something that trucking knows all about. From not enough drivers to a shortage of skilled technicians, the industry is in a constant state of trying to find that next generation of employees.
This is not a new problem, of course. My colleague Sean Kilcarr has written on the subject a number of times. Late last year, Sean reported on consulting firm Accenture's 2013 Skills and Employment Trends Survey: Perspectives on Training survey of 400 executives at large U.S. companies.
That survey showed a significant skills gap in the workforce of today. According to the survey, 46% of businesses are concerned they won't be able to find employees with the skills necessary within the next two years. Of those firms, 51% expect to increase investments in training while 35% say they haven't invested enough in training.
(You can read more about the report here)
"It's clear that U.S. businesses are looking to take a more active role in solving the skills challenge, and that failing to do so can result in significant business consequences," said David Smith, senior managing director of Accenture's talent and organization practice. "Developing more effective and targeted training programs is a critical element in improving the skills of the workforce."
In the trucking industry, many firms have reached out to technical schools to develop programs that can train the technicians of tomorrow.
Mack has partnered with WyoTech to offer advanced training for trucking technicians. Students enrolled in the program are trained specifically to work on Mack Trucks, including its engines, electrical and electronics, emissions, powertrain and chassis components. Volvo Trucks has a similar program with WyoTech.
Both companies award scholarships to help students pay for the education.
Peterbilt has teamed with Universal Technical Institute (UTI) to create the Peterbilt Technician Institute program. The program is exclusive curriculum focused on comprehensive service technician training, the company said. The program provides students with classroom and hands-on instruction of total vehicle diagnostics, maintenance and repairs, as well as essential education in customer service, dealership shop operations and laws and regulations.
These are just a few examples. Plenty of companies donate time, expertise, and money to help train the next generation of technicians.
That's why Obama's proposal in the State of the Union to boost the investment in training the workers of tomorrow should be pleasant music to the ears of fleet executives. Obama touted the success of a manufacturing firm in Detroit.
"Two years ago, as the auto industry came roaring back, Andra Rush opened up a manufacturing firm in Detroit. She knew that Ford needed parts for the best-selling truck in America, and she knew how to make them. She just needed the workforce. So she dialed up what we call an American Job Center – places where folks can walk in to get the help or training they need to find a new job, or better job. She was flooded with new workers. And today, Detroit Manufacturing Systems has more than 700 employees," he said.
Obama has put vice president Joe Biden in charge of reform efforts on the nation's training programs to ensure they are training students with the skills American companies need.
"That means more on-the-job training, and more apprenticeships that set a young worker on an upward trajectory for life," Obama said. "It means connecting companies to community colleges that can help design training to fill their specific needs. And if Congress wants to help, you can concentrate funding on proven programs that connect more ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs."
Trucking is proving that such programs can and do work. And given the important role that trucks play in the nation's economy, ensuring technicians have the proper skills to keep these ever-increasingly more complicated vehicles running should be at the top of the list.
There are plenty of jobs available if Congress wishes to toss some funding for training trucking's way.


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'most robust BlackBerry smartphone'
'Display is extremely bright and highly detailed, with accurate colors.'
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Good physical keyboard
Fast web browser, HD screen
Feels like a solid, well-made phone
Cheap BlackBerry 10 phone with keyboard is a mixed bag
Latest BlackBerry OS (version 10.1), smooth performance
Good physical QWERTY keyboard
Unparalleled hardware keyboard, Excellent messaging
Full physical keyboard, Impressive web speeds
Lack of apps, Slow, dated interface, Small display
Outdated OS, Unattractive design, Overpriced
Good-old QWERTY keypad, Offers both touchscreen and trackpad
Poor quality display
'exceptionally sleek and feature-rich smartphone package'
'impressive 1.2GHz processor'
'full QWERTY keyboard'
'The display is bright and vibrant, and boasts superb viewing angles and clarity.'
'The phone oozes class, and though it still sports a mix of faux-leather plastics and soft touch paint with that now-signature chrome band, the BlackBerry Bold 9700 now feels understated and slight in the hand. '
'very good phone'
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La Pinta
Our Yacht La Pinta accommodating 48 guests, with ample social areas, an observation deck towards the bow, wrap-around windows, Jacuzzi, cardio-gym, kayaks, glass-bottom boat, sun deck, sun loungers… ideal for travellers looking for a sophisticated, upscale experience of the islands.
Her exciting itineraries promise a complete immersion in this exceptional environment, with expert naturalist guides enriching wildlife encounters like few others on the planet. Faultless service, delicious cuisine and stylish design complement the experience on the islands. Our staff embraces a spirit of adventure, while ensuring safety and comfort at all times.
8 Days Cruise
48 passengers
Day 1 - BALTRA / NORTH SEYMOUR
Friday: Baltra Island/North Seymour Island
Our adventure begins with a morning flight to Baltra Island and immediate transfer to the dock to board Yacht La Pinta. There's a welcome introductory briefing, boat drill, cabin assignment and then lunch.
North Seymour Island Following an afternoon disembarkation, we enjoy a walk along the coast and the interior of the beautiful flat island, observing numerous bird colonies as well as sea lions and land iguanas. There are opportunities for coastal exploration by dinghy. Evening briefing, welcome cocktail and dinner.
Day 2 - ISABELA / FERNANDINA
Saturday: Punta Vicente Roca (Isabela Island)/Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island)
Since there is no landing site at this location, the coastal exploration is by dinghy, while the naturalist guide explains the dramatic geology of the area, with remains of lava flows and tuff stone layers. There is abundant wildlife and, depending on the conditions of the ocean, we'll be able to snorkel along the cliffs, hopefully in the company of green sea turtles.
Punta Espinoza (Fernandina Island) In the afternoon, we visit the youngest and most pristine island of the archipelago, Fernandina, one of many people's all-time favourites. Punta Espinoza has an amazing combination of barrenness and abundant wildlife. Highlights include hawks, penguins, the flightless cormorant and astounding views of the surrounding volcanic landscapes.
Day 3 - ISABELA
Sunday: Urbina Bay/Tagus Cove (Isabela Island)
After breakfast, we disembark at Urbina Bay, on the western side of Isabela Island, the result of an uplifting of the ocean floor. Here you can find corals, shells, and large and very colourful Galápagos land iguanas, giant tortoises (occasionally). Navigating the Bolívar Channel, there are good chances of spotting species of whales.
Tagus Cove (Isabela Island) On the northwest of Isabela, secluded Tagus Cove provided a favourite anchorage for pirates and whalers over the centuries, and today makes a great visitor site. An uphill hike takes us to the back of Darwin Crater, filled with salt water. We can snorkel or ride kayaks amid the dramatic landscape before our hike.
Day 4 - RABIDA / SANTA CRUZ
Monday: Rábida Island /Cerro Dragón-Dragon Hill (Santa Cruz Island)
In the morning, we disembark at Rábida Island's red-coloured beach. A stroll along the beach allows us to observe marine iguanas, mockingbirds, yellow warblers and several species of Darwin's finches. This is a great place to snorkel from the beach. For those non-snorkelers, we can ride our glass-bottom boat for a submarine exploration.
Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill) (Santa Cruz Island) The north shore of Santa Cruz hosts the fascinating landscapes of Cerro Dragón (Dragon Hill). Our walk includes circling a brackish water lagoon frequented by lagoon birds, while further inland, the trail offers a beautiful view of the bay and the western islands of the archipelago, as well as the chance of observing land iguanas.
Day 5 - SANTA CRUZ
Tuesday: Puerto Ayora & Charles Darwin Research Station/Highlands of Santa Cruz Island
The morning visit heads to the Charles Darwin Research Station and the giant tortoise pens within an impressive giant prickly-pear cactus forest. These are the headquarters of scientific investigation, conservation and the National Park administration. A delicious lunch is served at the poolside of the Finch Bay Eco Hotel.
Highlands of Santa Cruz Island After lunch, we wind up to the highlands of Santa Cruz Island by vehicle. This is a great place to look for the brilliant Vermilion Flycatcher and the endemic Scalesia trees. From December to mid-April and July to December a visit to observe giant tortoises in the wild may be included, if weather conditions are good.
Day 6 - FLOREANA
Wednesday: Post Office Bay/Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island)
After breakfast, we land at Post Office Bay to visit the historic barrel that has served as a post office in the archipelago for over two centuries. Panga rides along the maze of channels on Floreana's north shore can also be enjoyed. There's great snorkelling from the beach as well.
Champion Islet & Punta Cormorant (Floreana Island) Before disembarking at Punta Cormorant we can snorkel or ride our glass-bottom boat along the coast of an extinct cone called "Champion Islet".
Our visit to Punta Cormorant takes in an olivine-crystal beach for an easy walk by a brackish water lagoon where bird species like greater flamingos may be observed. On the other side of the island, we come to a white-sand beach where sea turtles come out at night to nest.
Day 7 - SANTA FE / SOUTH PLAZA
Thursday: Santa Fe Island/South Plaza Island
We take the dinghy over to this idyllic sandy-white beach populated by colonies of sea lions. Galápagos hawks are often easily observed, perched atop salt bushes. The endemic land iguana, unique to this island, may be spotted during the walk. Following the walk, we can snorkel and swim along a natural wave barrier.
South Plaza Island The turquoise waters of the channel here contrast brilliantly with the white sand and black lava of the shoreline, while a carpet of scarlet sesuvium succulents serves as groundcover for a grove of luminescent green prickly-pear cactus beyond, populated by yellow-gray land iguanas. Along the coastline one finds sea lion colonies, while sea birds play with the thermals that form along the cliffs of this small but amazing island.
Day 8 - SAN CRISTOBAL
Friday: Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal Island)
After breakfast, we depart for the port and airport for our flight back to the mainland.
Contact infoEqt.travel
Av. Oswaldo Guayasamín E4-145 y Siena.
La Primavera, Cumbayá - Quito - Ecuador
Telephone: +593-2-604-4000
Mobile: +593-99-642-2612
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Additional Contacts
Andrés Karolys (General Manager)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Telephone: 593 9 99333698
Skype: andres.equatortrekking


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The game that lets you try your own hand at landing the next Mars rover may not be as cool as advertised, but the real event probably will be. And the real event is coming up this weekend, with Curiosity scheduled to land on the Martian surface late Sunday night (or early Monday morning, depending on your time zone).
Xbox 360 owners can stream the high-tension landing live from the "Mars Rover" sections of their console dashboards. NASA TV will be broadcasting the full event, which to the scientists is as much of a nail-biter as anything can be, with
seven minutes of terror" during which Curiosity will descend from orbit to the planet's surface.
Science fiction is awesome, but real space exploration is even better. Here's hoping Curiosity's landing isn't terrifying at all.
Watch the Mars Rover landing on your Xbox 360 [Major Nelson]
(Top photo: NASA)


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The Baltimore sports scene is blessed with a bunch of talented bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. Each week, I hope to chat with one of them in a regular feature called Blogger on Blogger. This week, I exchanged emails with Jason Butt, who covers the Ravens for Baltimore Beat Down.
MV: Give me three players who have impressed you the most during training camp.
JB: Without citing the obvious ones, the three that have stood out are Deonte Thompson, Chykie Brown and Brandon Williams. Thompson has looked like a No. 2 at times, able to catch the deep ball as well as break off routes underneath. Baltimore's top three corners are a tough group, but Brown has shown he's a quality backup that can step in if needed. He's a strong corner that jams receivers off their routes and has done a good job of that so far. Williams looks every bit like the nose tackle of Baltimore's future. He's quick off the snap and possesses a lot of power. He'll certainly be a factor in the defensive line's rotation this season.
MV: Are there any notable players whom you feel have been underwhelming so far?
JB: Terrence Cody needs a strong preseason to prove he still belongs in Baltimore's rotation. Perhaps the hip injury is still bothering him some as he's yet to show any improvement from how the 2012 season played out. Cody had a solid 2011 campaign but regressed a year ago, despite spending a lot of time working out during last year's offseason. The offseason surgery has only stunted his development. Another, to a much lesser extent, is rookie lineman Ricky Wagner. He'll have time to develop in Baltimore's system but has been a little slow off the snap. He has a lot of upside but will need to continue to fine tune his game for the NFL level.
MV: How big of a loss is Dennis Pitta, and how will that injury change their offense?
JB: It's a huge loss, no matter how anyone spins it. Pitta's presence in the middle keeps safeties honest and frees up the wideouts down the field. Having Pitta and Ed Dickson in the game at the same time creates mismatches against smaller nickel corners and slower linebackers. Without Pitta, the offense is now without two of Joe Flacco's preferred targets from 2012 (the other being Anquan Boldin). It wouldn't be a surprise to see the Ravens compensate by running Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce more than they did a year ago. Then again, Flacco, and offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell, enjoy the freedom the up-tempo style of offense provides. There's still some time to figure out what kind of identity this Ravens team will become by Sept. 5.
MV: What are your thoughts on the return of Vonta Leach? And do you think that is an acknowledgement that rookie fullback Kyle Juszczyk isn't ready to be a lead blocker in the NFL?
JB: The Ravens needed Leach to ensure they'll still be able to run the ball in the AFC North. Juszczyk is a versatile fullback/H-back but needs time working on the fundamentals of lead blocking. He's had a hard time setting a base and holding his own ground against Baltimore's first-team defense. It's something that will come with time, though it's apparent he's not ready yet. Bringing Leach in solves that problem and allows the Ravens to add a wrinkle in their offense with Juszczyk. Often times a year ago, the Ravens would line Pitta up in the backfield in a shotgun formation with two backs. Based on his skill set, the Ravens could utilize Juszczyk in that role now that Pitta is out for the season.
MV: How productive do you think Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil can be?
JB: Suggs has by far looked the best of any defender in practice. He looks quicker than he did after returning from his Achilles injury and has been playing with a lot of energy. Suggs has been able to beat both Michael Oher and Bryant McKinnie frequently. In addition, Dumervil is living up to his reputation as he transitions from a defensive end to outside linebacker. The two will be aided tremendously by what looks to be one of the best defensive line rotations in the NFL. Haloti Ngata should see a little less attention now that Chris Canty's in the mix, and Arthur Jones has looked explosive at times. It all starts with the defensive front, and as long as the front is occupying blockers and generating a push, Suggs and Dumervil should have opportunities to flourish.
If you are a blogger who is interested in participating in this feature, email me at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Maya + Python + Arduino + Servo (Part 1) from Dan Thompson on Vimeo.
Maya + Python + Arduino + Servo (Part 2) from Dan Thompson on Vimeo.
I spend my days using a 3D animation package called Maya, and my nights building projects with Arduinos. Daniel Thompson is a visual effects artist who has combined Maya and an Arduino to drive a servomotor. My worlds just collided!
This post covers the scripts he used to do it. He has since built a Maya Python plug-in that is more accurate and can be keyframed. This is the really useful part, as it goes from being a very expensive 3D virtual knob to being a fully animateable animatronic system.
I'd love to see if he can get it working bi-directionally, so that the servo can act as a go-motion controller for Maya.


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LYO FOOD Cream of Leek and Onion Soup
LYO Food Cream of Leek and Onion Soup.
- potatoes 40%
- onion 29%
- leek 14%
- chives 4%
- sour cream
- basil
- oregano
- natural food seasoning
- potato flour
- canola oil
- salt
- pepper
- calories: 515 kJ / 123 kcal
- protein: 3.1g
- carbohydrate: 16g
- fat: 3.8g
100% natural ingredients
For our meals we only use 100% natural and fresh ingredients. We do not add any preservatives, artificial food-additives, colorants or flavour enhancers. We even grow most of the herbs on our own fields to make the taste of LYO meals so exceptional.
Real taste of a homemade dish
We pay attention not only to the freeze-drying process but also to the way of preparing our meals. We only choose high quality ingredients and always cook every meal before freeze-drying it. This ensures the real, fresh taste that makes LYO EXPEDITION meals so exceptional. Other providers of freeze-dried meals mix the ingredients after they have been cooked separately. We don't.
Fast and easy to prepare:
1. Tear off at the notch above the zip lock. 2. Remove oxygen absorber from the pouch. 3. Add the amount of hot water described on the package. 4. Stir thoroughly. 5. Close the zip lock and leave for 5 minutes. 6. Tear off at the notch below the zip lock and stir again.


text: My wife and I are the very proud owners 1990 Jamestowner HB. We bought it two weeks ago and have loved every minute we have spent on it. The issue we have is that my wife loves to cook and the boat currently has a Magic Chef propane range/oven that does not suit her needs. We would like to upgrade the stove and convert to electric. I don't really know where to start. Please help inform us so we can make a good decision.