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Much of the time, my regular daily meals are thrown together, simple concoctions that I wouldn't even consider sharing on Poppy's Patisserie because, well, I think it would be quite the insult. Beans on toast, cereal and almond milk, pasta and salad or houmous with toasted bread. Suffice to say there is no room for them on a recipe blog!
Sometimes, however, a concoction just happens to be so good that I have to share it. It wasn't prepared with the blog in mind, but tasted too good not to share. This is one of those recipes. I had two slices of toast this morning spread with Cocugar (anyone tried this yet? It really tastes like honey on toast – amazing!) then was out at the garden centre, pet shop and supermarket and when I got home at 4 p.m, having missed lunch, I was rapacious. Instead of turning to the biscuit tin, I made a quick late lunch/early dinner. No forward planning, I just threw in what seemed a good idea and what needed to be used first and it turned out delicious and colourful and gave my body the nourishment it so desired.
Apologies for the mid-eating photos!
Don't skip the miso here, it really brings everything together with it's savoury, smoky notes and I used tricolor pasta to aid in the funfetti effect but of course use any pasta you like, the vegetables give a funfetti effect alone.
Ingredients: Serves 2
- 150g tricolor fusilli (or plain, wholewheat, gluten free)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 medium onion or small bunch of spring onions, chopped
- 1 medium courgette, diced
- 1 medium cooked beetroot, diced
- 200g fresh spinach
- 100g plain, unsweetened soya yoghurt
- 1 tsp miso paste
- 1 small bunch (about two handfuls) of basil
- 2 tomatoes
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water with sliced garlic clove until al dente.
- Meanwhile heat a cast iron skillet or non stick pan and add the chopped onion and diced courgette. Saute over a high heat until starting to colour then add the diced beetroot. Stir through the spinach and allow to wilt and the excess water to evaporate.
- Drain the pasta and garlic, stir through the yoghurt and miso then the chopped basil. Add the vegetables and mix well, taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with a scattering of the chopped, fresh tomatoes and more black pepper.


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Anne Hathaway and James Franco are off to their Oscar parties and sleeping in tomorrow. So what did you think of Franco and Hathaway's hosting performance at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards?
Were you watching the Oscars this year? More importantly, did you follow along on Twitter? This year, the balance of the micro-blogging was about hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway…and much of it wasn't kind. Oh, there was no Ricky Gervais-style bashing to hate on. They were perfectly lovely to their fellow actors. Anne practically squeaked when she introduced Sandra Bullock. But did they really grab the "younger generation" as they mentioned more than once?
Yes…and no. They started off well with the montage of best picture films that they inserted themselves into. I'm not sure there is a way to make these things watchable unless you have hosts that are just so damn cute and adorable that you're distracted by the desire to pinch their cheeks. Well, it worked.
For the most part, Hathaway remained cute and adorable. Franco? Well, he slid from cuddly to clumsy. I'm not going to accuse him of doing what everyone on Twitter said he was doing (something that would involve heavy eating at the after parties) and I'll kindly say that he probably got nervous as we got closer to his award category. His jokes fell flat, including the disastrous piece about dirty movie titles. He stopped smiling and making eye contact. Franco's eyes glazed over. By the time former Oscar host Billy Crystal took the stage, Twitter was begging him to take Franco's place.
Hathaway gave us the prerequisite musical number, singing On My Own from Les Miserables and mocking Hugh Jackman for not doing a duet with her. She changed dresses a shocking number of times. I think she wore a blue cellophane dress (or a fruit roll up as my buddies on Twitter said). She giggled as she was hit on by Kirk Douglas. She danced in a brown duck dress. She seemed to get goofier as the night went on.
But here's the thing. She was entertaining. She may have sounded like a whooping crane a few times, but she didn't fall asleep like Franco did. My votes for next year? Hathaway and Sandra Bullock, who was hysterical and far more calm. Or pair her up with Kevin Pollak. I could watch him all day long.
So what did you think of this year's hosts? Who are your favorites of all time? Let us know below. And of course, give us your take on the winners and losers. And the Academy leaving Corey Haim off the "In Memoriam" list.

subset: commoncrawl


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For Immediate Release
ACLU of Florida Responds to DOJ Findings of Miami Police's Excessive Use of Force
Federal investigation began in 2011 following series of fatal police shootings killing 7 black suspects over 8-month period
MIAMI - Today, the United States Department of Justice released the findings of an investigation into the City of Miami Police Department concluding that the department has engaged in a pattern of excessive use of force, including the use of deadly force, in a series of fatal police shootings.
The following statement may be attributed to Howard Simon, Executive Director, ACLU of Florida:
The findings of the investigation mean that the weight of the United States government now backs the allegations that groups like the ACLU have been saying about the Miami Police Department. We are not surprised that the Department of Justice found that there is a pattern of excessive use of force. But as significant as these findings are, ultimately, someone needs to be held responsible for the deaths and the violation of constitutional rights.
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We need to recognize the limited role of this investigation: it was a civil investigation, not criminal; it investigated the pattern and practices of the Police Department, not the conduct of any named police officers. People's rights have been violated and lives have been unjustly taken. Now that the groundwork has been laid by the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, we expect a follow-up investigation into the conduct of Miami Police Department officers who were responsible. Finding out whether there are officers who can be held responsible is necessary if the people's trust in the police who are sworn to protect them is going to be restored.
The following statement may be attributed to Jeanne Baker, Chair of the Police Practices Committee of the Greater Miami Chapter of the ACLU of Florida:
The findings of this investigation are a crucial step in restoring the community's trust in its police department, but it is far from the final step. Credit goes to Mayor Tomas Regalado who, along with Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and other community groups like the ACLU, called for an investigation into his own city's police department. The Justice Department was able to arrive at conclusions that the city's internal mechanisms – including the Civilian Investigative Panel - have proven inadequate to find: that the City of Miami Police Department has been violating the Constitutional rights of its citizens. The U.S. Department of Justice did what our own Civilian Investigative Panel could have and should have done – investigate the policies and practices of the police department that led to the fatal shootings of Miami citizens.
This is the world we live in. This is the world we cover.
Because of people like you, another world is possible. There are many battles to be won, but we will battle them together—all of us. Common Dreams is not your normal news site. We don't survive on clicks. We don't want advertising dollars. We want the world to be a better place. But we can't do it alone. It doesn't work that way. We need you. If you can help today—because every gift of every size matters—please do. Without Your Support We Won't Exist.
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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) conserves America's original civic values working in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in the United States by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.


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Enduring the death of a loved
one is a difficult and traumatic time. Having an attorney handle the more
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Our attorneys at Jackson Law have helped many clients in the Orlando area.
Our highest priority is the best interests and well-being of our clients.
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My wife and I returned from a trip to AZ this past week. We attended two performances of Northern Arizona University's Shrine of the Ages Choir, Edith Copley, Conductor. It was tremendous.
The choir brilliantly premiered "Your Hand in Mine". The piece was a collaboration between myself and Brian Newhouse (MSP poet and voice of Minnesota Classical Public Radio). The text is derived from the Seven Last Words of Christ, specifically the Latin text, "In Manus Tuas" (Into your hands I commend my spirit).
Brian and I are working on setting all seven movements from the Seven Last Words. The idea is that we weave together the sacred and the secular through responsorial poetry written by Brian. In short, I wanted to find the larger truths of something that is very specifically liturgical. I interpret the bible and scripture as myth. For me, that has always been the way to connect to the poetry. I know this is not true for many. In speaking with Brian, who is Unitarian and attends a Unitarian church in Minneapolis, I found that he and I are very similar in the way that we view religious practice and liturgy. For him, spiritual pursuits are often devoted to finding holiness in all things. This could mean incorporating global religious practices into his spiritual life or looking for similarities between art of all kinds and spirituality. I seriously identify with this. If you have ever read Joseph Campbell, you'd know that his views on Christian worship are all rooted in myth. So much so that his hero's journey is the basis for all stories ever told over the course of forever. Similarly, Brian and I like to consider the bible as a gateway to larger truths of the human condition, rather than a historical account.
Why the Seven Last Words?
I found that something so specifically liturgical can be universally relevant, far beyond Christan worship. Brian and I look for the themes present in these beautiful texts that might apply to all people. Sure enough, there are many, perhaps too many. I am really looking forward to diving into these texts as Brian completes them and we hope to find an ensemble that would take on the project as a whole. For now, let this movement of the larger work, tentatively titled, "Last Words" give you some perspective on our efforts to coopt the Seven Last Words.


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FDIC Law, Regulations, Related Acts
[Table of Contents] [Previous Page] [Next Page] [Search]
4000 - Advisory Opinions
Applicability of FDIC Restrictions on Affiliate Engaged in Securities Activities Permissible Under the Glass-Steagall Act
April 21, 1986
Pamela E. F. LeCren, Senior Attorney
In response to your April 2, 1986 inquiry, please be advised that the restrictions of sections 337.4(c) and 337.4(e) of FDIC's regulations (12 C.F.R. 337.4(c), (e)) do not apply in the case of an affiliate of an insured nonmember bank that engages solely in securities activities that are permissible under the Glass-Steagall Act directly to a bank.
With respect to your question regarding any FDIC restrictions on dual employment relationships between insured nonmember banks and securities companies, the "rule" you reference is in reality an informal policy which until it was recently rescinded was enforced on a case-by-case basis through the FDIC regional offices. The policy applied in instances in which an individual sought to become an officer, director or employee of both an insured nonmember bank and registered representative of a securities dealer. If, in the judgment of the regional director, the dual employment was expected to give rise to a substantial conflict of interest, the regional office could request that the bank's board of directors enter into a resolution indicating that the bank would not: (1) Enter into or engage in any transaction involving the purchase, sale or transfer of any stocks, bonds or other securities through that particular securities dealer, or with the individual in his capacity as a registered representative or in his individual capacity; (2) Allow the officer, director or employee in question to use the bank premises for the conduct of his securities business nor allow the individual, while acting as an official of the bank, to solicit business from the bank's customers or others; or (3) Make any loan to any person or persons directly or indirectly for the purpose of providing funds with which the borrower may acquire securities from or through the officer, director or employee or his representative. If the dual employment was discovered in the context of the applications process, restrictive covenants to the same effect were often incorporated in final orders approving the application.
The adoption of section 337.4 supplanted this policy insofar as affiliates or subsidiaries of insured nonmember banks were concerned. Pursuant to an April 8, 1986 directive from the FDIC's Director of the Division of Bank Supervision to all regional directors, the informal policy was rescinded "in favor of a supervisory approach that addresses specific abuses or unsound practices on a case-by-case basis."
Finally, in response to your last question, the FDIC does not impose any restrictions on margin transactions by a bank's subsidiary or affiliate. The FDIC does check, however, for compliance with Federal Reserve Board Regulation U (12 C.F.R. 221).


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Vienna is a Mix of traditional shaker styling and oak tops with the modern ever popular Brushed steel handles. Finished in porcelain ash and French oak finished tops.


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The Foundation is deeply saddened by the recent sudden passing of Jaime Levy, world renowned conservationist and indigenous rights advocate. Jaime was director and co-founder of Altropico, a long-time partner of the Overbrook Foundation. Since the 1980's, Jaime worked directly with highly isolated indigenous groups in Ecuador to gain legal recognition of their territories, advocate for their human rights, and provide tools and training for the sustainable use of their native rainforests. More recently, Jaime served on the International Board of Directors of the Forest Stewardship Council and the IUCN Specialist Group on Mountain Connectivity, Protected Areas, and Mountainous Transboundary Landscapes.
Jaime was an honorary member of the Indigenous Community Conservation Area consortium and was essential to the establishment of the Permanent Indigenous Peoples' Committee. He was an irreplaceable advocate for the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Foundation offers its deepest condolences to Jaime's family and friends.


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If you're a design dork like me, you'll probably already have noticed the trend toward black walls in the home. It was widely praised on the last episode of HGTV's Design Star, was linked to today on Apartmenttherapy (see images above and below) and has been showing up in some of my favorite magazines.
Living in small apartments in New York City for the past 10 years, it's always seemed that I want to keep my walls light and bright to open up the space. But as I'm seeing more and more dark spaces done so beautifully, I'm starting to understand how this look can bring a certain amount of drama and warmth to a room as well.
If you're thinking of trying to incorporate this trend into your own house, I would recommend some beautiful metallic accessories to offset the deep color. (You really need a little shimmer with such a dark palette.) Here are some suggestions:
Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Candlestick Set. The chic octagonal design will go with nearly any decor style.
Lalique Crystal painted Roger lidded box. The perfect place to stash your keys in an entryway or hold odds and ends on a coffee table.
Louis Comfort Tiffany iridescent Goblets. The opalescent glass will bring the perfect gold shimmer to a black background.
Images via Apartmenttherapy.com


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Yeah! It's Friday! The sun is shining and I'm looking forward to a run on the beach, and maybe a hot yoga class later on. If you're local, I'd love for you to join me for yoga on the beach - thinking of starting it up this week. Stay tuned on facebook for more details.
I made this short yoga video for better sleep this morning. Give it a try if you find yourself struggling with quality sleep. The sequence moves slowly, and releases tension in the hips, hamstrings, feet, and back. Hope it helps!
Please feel free to comment below or on facebook or tweet me if you've got a yoga question, or video suggestion. Have a wonderful weekend!


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The MLB regular season is less than a week from its conclusion and the races for the various awards are even closer than than that of the final playoff spots. With such a close competition between these top players, a strong last few games from any of them could put them ahead in the final stretch. Here's a look at how the awards might pan out.
AL MVP: Mike Trout
The decision between Trout and Miguel Cabrera is the toughest one on this list. Cabrera is a currently a home run away from the Triple Crown and has bigger numbers in the power categories. Yet Trout's all-around impact on the game, from his hitting to his base stealing to his incredible robbed home runs give him the edge here. And for a leadoff hitter, 29 homers and 78 RBI are pretty darn impressive power numbers.
NL MVP: Buster Posey
This race was close for a while, with Ryan Braun and Andrew McCutchen in the mix, but Posey has pulled away over the last month. Braun still has had an impressive season, leading the NL in home runs and RBI, yet the Brewers are unlikely to make the playoffs, which hurts Braun's chances. Posey, meanwhile, is leading the majors in batting average (excluding Melky Cabrera of course) and on base percentage, and is also in the top three in slugging percentage and on base percentage. And he's done all this while playing the most grueling position in the game.
AL Cy Young: Justin Verlander
As boring as it is to have a repeat winner, there's no way around the fact that Verlander is the best pitcher in baseball right now. He had another great season, leading the league in strikeouts and being among the leaders in WHIP and ERA while also pitching the most innings.
NL Cy Young: R.A. Dickey
At age 37, Dickey's success this season is fairly amazing. He's pitched the best year of his career, mastering the art of the knuckleball while leading the league in strikeouts (as of now) and amongst the leaders in ERA, WHIP, and wins. Clayton Kershaw, Gio Gonzalez and Matt Cain could all give Dickey some competition in this award.
AL Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout
This is far and away the easiest decision of the bunch. Mike Trout's rookie season has been one of the best in history. His arrival in the league was overshadowed by that of Bryce Harper, but all that attention has shifted to him since then. Yoenis Cespedes also had a nice year, but for a player touted for his power, Trout out-homered him.
NL Rookie of the Year: Todd Frazier
Frazier played in 41 games last year, but in his first full season this year he was a major reason for Cincinnati's success. While Harper had more hype and attention throughout the season, Frazier simply did more, putting up bigger numbers than Harper and doing so in less at bats.
AL Manager of the Year: Buck Showalter
Looking at Baltimore's lineup, it comes as a bit of a shock how successful they have been. After finishing with the fourth worst record in the MLB a year ago, the Orioles now hold the seventh best. Despite their shortcomings as a team, Showalter has shown them how to win and they've learned well.
NL Manager of the Year: Ozzie Guillen
Just kidding. Dusty Baker gets the nod here. Baker did another great job with the Reds this year. Cincinnati clinched an NL Central division with two worthy competitors in the Brewers and Cardinals and currently have a 10 game lead in the division. And to do this while missing key players Joey Votto, Scott Rolen and Ryan Ludwick missing significant time with injuries.
AL Comeback Player of the Year: Adam Dunn
Dunn was arguably the worst player in the league last year, hitting an abysmal .159 and just 11 home runs. He's marginally better in batting average this year (up to .207), but his power numbers are back. He's blasted 41 home runs, driven in 94 runs and his ability to take walks (he leads the AL with 104) has given him a respectable OBP which is pretty impressive given how terrible his batting average is.
NL Comeback Player of the Year: Buster Posey
Another obvious choice. Posey's injury last season looked like it could be career threatening, or at the very least put his ability to play catcher in jeopardy. Instead, Posey returned better than ever, catching one of the league's best pitching staffs while also handling the brunt of the offensive workload for the Giants. An incredible season for Posey.


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Tartisan is a local company that uses all natural, sustainable
ingredients to create a fresh artisanal take on traditional sweet and
savory pastries. Ingredients are sourced at Local Farmer's Markets, to prepare everything from scratch and by hand.
At Tartisan we are passionate about providing our
customers with the finest quality products.
Chef Jacqui Wou cooks from the heart which is evident in every bite of her menu for Salon Olivier. Her passion for her work shows in the exhausting recipe development process. Chef Jacqui draws from her diverse background in the the arts, Architecture, Design, Ceramics and Glass which all lead to complex layered flavor profiles delivered in something deceptively simple like a Tartisan Sandwich or her signature creation Tartisans. Based on the English pasty, these buttery, flaky crusted hand pies will become addictive. Which is why we are lucky that Chef Jacqui will happily create take away versions of anything on our menu.
Chef Jacqui tends to be booked well in advance for Weddings and Private events, but should you be looking for a rising star in the food industry to cater your next celebration or even dinner when you have no time, be sure to contact Chef Jacqui to see if she is available.
Now go ahead and move straight to the menu on our website. It is what you really wanted to see, right?
Tartisan Dishes Up Some Tasty Sweets and Savories
The Independant
By Aly Comingore
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
If you've lunched at The Blue Owl's Canon Perdido location — or stumbled in late at
night — chances are you've already sampled your way around the Tartisan menu.
Dreamed up by Santa Barbaran Jacqui Wou, and facilitated by Wou's longtime cooking
buddy — and Blue Owl owner — Cindy Black, Tartisan's pies have been popping up on
the Blue Owl menu since June. Still, it wasn't until last month's epicure.sb celebration
that Black and Wou finally decided to make it official. For the Owl's last "Secret Sunday"
supper, Black turned her kitchen over to Wou's tasty pastry creations and served up a $15
prix fixe menu featuring 13 goodness-stuffed, flaky-crusted — and yes, completely
adorable — handheld pies. There were sweet treats like candied squash and pumpkin,
brandy pecan, and chocolate peanut butter (all mouthwatering, I might add), but the
majority of the menu was weighted toward the savory: classics like chicken and osso
bucco, as well as punch-packing wild cards like roasted eggplant in coconut curry, lamb
tagine, and pork belly. And oh, the pork belly; it's braised in beer, fat-filled, totally flavorful,
and balanced by a mix of shiitakes, hard-boiled egg, scallions, and cilantro.
Currently, Black is offering two sweet and two savory pies (one vegetarian, one carnivore
friendly) as part of the Blue Owl's daily menu. And Wou, who is currently splitting her
time between pie baking, private cheffing, and working in the pastry kitchen at Metropulos
Fine Foods, could not be happier.
"I didn't get into pastry until I went to SBCC, but I always loved cooking savory foods,
so I really liked the option of being able to do both," says Wou, who's using a medley of
organic, local ingredients for filling fodder.
For pie-ficionados, though, the true test is all in the crust, and Tartisan doesn't skimp on
the good stuff. "There's lots of butter," laughs Wou, who whips up both sweet and savory
styles, depending on the filling. And as for the secret, she says it's just practice, practice,
"My crust recipe is really simple, but I definitely had to make it a lot to perfect it," she
explains. "Cindy makes bread, and she told me that with crust you kind of have to treat it
like a baby's bottom; you have to
be super gentle with it."
And with the biggest pie day of the year fast approaching, Tartisan is cranking things into high gear
— and taking orders for everything on the menu. Those looking to elevate their T-Day table can
choose between 15 pie flavors in sizes ranging from bite-size, minis, and handhelds to tartlets
and to 9-inch rounds.
To place an order, call (310) 351-3232. It is, quite literally, easy as pie.


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Lee's Tires first opened for business in 1961. We have been located at 1864 Lomita Blvd. in Lomita, CA since 1981, where we provide honest and thorough automotive repairs and tire sales to customers from Lomita, CA, Torrance, CA, Palos Verdes, CA, and other surrounding areas. The pride of Lee's Tires is our incredible customer service and our experienced staff of automotive professionals who are capable of performing quality auto repairs. As a tire dealer, we carry some of the most respected tire brands in the industry, including tires from Yokohama, Cooper, and Hankook. Open Monday through Friday from 7:15 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday from 7:15 AM – 2:00 PM, we look forward to providing extensive auto repairs, tire sales, and exceptional customer service to all of our customers. We sell service at Lee's Tires.


text: According to several media sources, Ford announced today that production of the C-MAX and Focus will move from the Wayne Michigan Assembly Plant in 2018 to another location. UAW Officials understand it will be outside the U.S. The C-MAX is also made in Germany. The Focus is built in several other countries. Although the plant only makes C-MAX and Focus vehicles, Ford said the plant would not be closed. Does this mean anything about the future of the C-MAX Hybrid and Energi? I don't know. It wasn't that long ago that the plant was retooled for the Focus and C-MAX after being closed in the 2008 recession. Focus production at the plant started December 2010 and C-MAX in 2012.


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The weather has dominated the news lately. The good news is that all this rain that I am so tired of is filling up Fern Ridge. The US Army Corps of Engineers plans every year to have it filled on April 15, which is Saturday this week. And while many years they are unable to do this, there is little doubt they will have it full this year and on time. Storms can be good. The water level can be followed here.
But storms can be bad, too. Last Friday a front went through and the wind hammered EYC. We had high winds for many hours on Friday but the max we saw was 60 mph at 3:04am. Some of that was from the southeast giving those waves that long fetch to build up which made the docks dance. So the damage report is that there are a couple of the concrete sections on D Dock in bad shape, and there is a broken hinge on E Dock. The section of concrete docks at the end of D went on a tour and landed on the beach at Richardson. The wood docks that we park the club's powerboats at broke up and a section wandered over to the west side of Richardson. One finger broke away but was retrieved before it found a new home. Three of the Zumas blew off their docks and sailed themselves quickly over to the Richardson beach. And one Thistle blew off its trailer.
Much thanks to the people who showed up to help put things back. Especially John Mahoney, Dean Mitchell, Terry and Leta Sellers, Paul Stephens, Gordon Mattatall, Ken Martinson, Ted Walkup, Glen Hughes, Russ Petersen, and Marty Parisien. We have plans to quickly repair D and E Docks. The powerboat dock may never be useful again. The Zumas will get buffed out. And hopefully everything will be good to go in a few weeks.
We have been dealing with one of these storms every year it seems. Because of that, the Board put together a committee led by Lee Kersh to look at contracting a commercial wave attenuator or even a breakwater. They have had a bunch of meetings with an engineering firm that specializes in these things. It's now time to talk money—and it is a lot of money. We are talking well into six figures. I think the Commodore plans to spend some time at the next few monthly General Membership Meetings talking about this. So please, everyone, come and participate. This question has a huge bearing on what our club becomes in the next few years.
I would like to take a moment to welcome Bob Pritchard to the Board as Second Trustee. He is a cruiser and Catalina sailor. I hope you all get a chance to meet him soon.
I would also like to welcome Dan Merritt as the new Club Host. The search committee had some good options and Dan won out. We think he is going to be great.
Skippers and Mates was fun. Much thanks to Sonia Merriman for planning the party and John and Terri Ward for remembering to take a camera to Greece and bring back lots of photos. A dream cruise! The real excitement was that the club's electricity went out Friday afternoon leaving us wondering if we could do Skippers and Mates. Sonia counted her candles and said we would be fine. But the photo show would have been missed. Fortunately EPUD got the electricity back on about 4:30 Saturday morning. Best costume went to Mike Merrifield who fashioned an old Lido 14 jib into a toga (see event photos here). This was also the first event at which we took credit cards and it worked.
Skippers and Mates was also a fundraiser for Food for Lane County. A little known fact is that the President of Food for Lane County is none other than our Vice Commodore Gary Powell. A big barrel is in the clubhouse and you can add cans of food to it at any time.
And Spring Series has started. Seventeen racing boats put their bows on the line last week. Our Media Manager put up a short video on the Facebook page and on Youtube. Check it out.
There is talk of a high school sailing team at South Eugene and maybe some other area schools. Let me know if this interests you.
In other news, the new gas tank is in place. We are hopeful that the old one goes away soon. The carpet in the clubhouse has been cleaned. The race marks are now in (thanks Glen and TYC). Insurance has been renewed. Permits issued. Fire extinguishers inspected. And we plan to have a new rack for kayaks and standup paddleboards soon. f you are interested in a spot on that, contact the Port Captain Gordon Mattatall and bring a bribe.
The coin-op washer and dryers are not working particularly well. And we have been unable to find repair people. If you have any ideas, please contact me.
The new website is looking great. Check it out. We also have Facebook and Twitter and Instagram accounts going and there will be postings more often now that the water is up and people are out on it. Go for a sail (or paddle or row or ride) and we will make you an internet sensation!


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Insects as weapons of terror?
Have you ever felt like insects were terrorizing you?
The fear that insects invoke, not to mention the disease they can transmit, has led some to consider their use as weapons -- including Jeffrey Lockwood, professor of entomology at Wyoming University and author of Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War.
From a book review on nature.com:
"Six-Legged Soldiers describes many potential or actual uses of insects as offensive weapons during the past 100,000 years, with an emphasis on the past 300 years. Entomologist Jeffrey Lockwood describes how stinging and highly toxic insects and other arthropods have been used to cause pain and suffering to foes — from the use of bees and hornets by early humans to attack enemies, to the assassin bugs used by an Uzbek emir for torture in the early 1800s."
In this article from the UK Telegraph, Lockwood warns that today's terrorists could find it "relatively easy" to launch an attack using swarms of insects.
Lockwood's book discusses the possibility of an insect-borne plague unleashed offensively, but insects have long been a threat to the military by their naturally-occurring presence where the wars are fought.
The U.S. Army has a Medical Entomology division, which got its start when Maj. Walter Reed discovered that mosquitoes transmitted yellow fever -- which, along with other diseases degraded the military's ability to fight. In World War II, the Army recognized the importance of controlling vector-borne diseases and began commissioning entomologists. (For more on the history of entomology and the U.S. military, visit this link.)
And speaking of the military, our company actually has a role in the pest management efforts of the U.S. military, with our current research into a personal mosquito repellent device under a Department of Defense grant.
January 6, 2009 in Bugs in the news, Entomology | Permalink
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Let's talk money! When African farmers analyse their own economic benefits…
In this article, Tom Van Mourik, an ICRISAT scientist in West Africa, describes how farmers use a new approach in the battle against Striga, a parasitic weed. This new approach is
based on a combination of technologies, such as new ways to apply and combine different types of organic and mineral fertilizer, and intercropping sorghum or pearl millet with cowpea or groundnut at high densities.
But the ICRISAT-HOPE project takes an extra step: we also teach farmers how they can analyse the economic benefits themselves. After all, if farmers see the profit in it, they will be a lot more motivated to adopt the new techniques to grow sorghum and pearl millet…
Farmer field schools in West Africa: key to adopt new techniques
For about 5 years, ICRISAT and partners have conducted farmer field schools that aim at development of practical and affordable integrated Striga and soil fertility management (ISSFM) for farmers in Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
Early stages of the farmer field schools comprise of village meetings where men and women farmers, technicians and scientists get to know each other and exchange about the local agricultural situation, the main rain fed crops and cropping systems and the main constraints to crop production.
If Striga and soil fertility are main issues, which very often is the case, some more in-depth discussions are necessary. Focus groups then try to quantify or map the occurrence of these constraints in the village territory and possible reasons for this. Further exchanges take place in order to determine local knowledge about Striga and soil fertility and what farmers do to deal with these problems.
There now is a common understanding which forms the basis for any further activities. If farmers are interested, further planning will be done to install a farmer field school around the topic of Striga and soil fertility.
Taking the "planning" onto the "fields"
During further preparatory meetings, the participants of the farmer field schools are chosen by the village, an experimental field is identified and rules and responsibilities of the partners are determined. With the participants, a cropping calendar and protocol is developed for the dominant "Farmer Practice" for sorghum or pearl millet cultivation.
Then, after having discussed local options for Striga control and increasing soil fertility and having amended these with any relevant options from research, the group develops an ISSFM practice.
During the season "Farmer Practice" is tested against ISSFM on large plots and farmers observe the crops, Striga, their environment and other biotic constraints such as insects, weeds and diseases. They also learn more about crop development, soil fertility and fertilizers and Striga biology and control through interventions by specialists: technicians, scientists and sometimes, other farmers.
The ISSFM practice developed in Mali mainly consists of intercropping the cereal crop with a legume, application of organic and mineral fertilizers, crop management practices such as ridging or hand pulling Striga at flowering and, if available, and known a variety of the cereal crop that is resistant to Striga.
After having completed the trial, harvesting the plots and threshing and weighing of the yields we mostly find interesting results. It is obvious from the results that this approach can reduce the Striga population significantly, improve crop productivity and improve soil fertility on the long term, but an important question that farmers posed was:
Can we make money while applying this ISSFM practice?
This question is important and has become an essential part of the comparison of "Farmer Practice" to ISSFM. At the end of the season, farmers participate in calculating the costs, revenues and profits of the two practices tested during the season. The economical analysis that we do is a simplified version of what economists call a "partial budget analysis". It consists of some simple phases that are, however, not always easy to follow for the farmers.
The first phase is to compare the yields of the "Farmer Practice" and ISSFM plots by weighing grains and by counting the number of bundles of stalks or haulms harvested.
The second phase consists of listing the different activities for "Farmer Practice" and ISSFM, and to sum up labor requirement (in man days) for different operations for farmer practice and ISSFM. The additional labor time required for ISSFM (in comparison to "Farmer Practice") will be taken into account later as a cost for the ISSFM practice.
The third phase consists of calculating the costs, revenues and profits for "Farmer Practice" and ISSFM. Costs (units of inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, multiplied by their market price at sowing, and additional labor costs of the ISSFM practice) are deducted from the revenues (units of harvests multiplied by their current market price per unit) to calculate the profit for both practices.
Once the costs, revenues and profits have been calculated a well informed comparison can be made between the two practices by the farmers and this always leads to lively discussions!
The final stage then consists of citing the advantages and disadvantages of individual component technologies used in the ISSFM practice, followed by preference ranking of these technologies.
Our trials' lessons learnt:
- ISSFM requires more investment in terms of money and labor, but almost always leads to higher profits
- The return to investment of ISSFM is often not higher than that of "Farmer Practice" and this is a constraint for farmers to adopt the ISSFM practice as tested in the farmer field schools.
- After having done the economical analysis, farmers now have the right information and capacity to
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choose which technologies to adopt in their own field according to their situation
- If one changes from a pearl millet or sorghum pure crop to an intercrop with legumes (cowpea or groundnut), the profit almost always increases significantly because cowpea and groundnut haulms yield very high prices on the market for animal feed
- A sufficient quantity and quality of organic fertilizer is hard to find and one needs animals, equipment and labor to produce, transport and apply organic fertilizer
- Mineral fertilizer requires a cash investment at a time when little money is available, therefore credit for buying fertilizer is essential
- Farmers in the north of Mali growing mainly pearl millet tend to prefer technologies that do not necessarily require cash investment (such as application of organic fertilizer, intercropping cereals with legumes and hand pulling Striga at flowering) to mineral fertilizer that requires cash investment.
- For farmers in the south of Mali growing more sorghum, resistant varieties exist and labor availability is more of a constraint and so, varietal résistance is preferred, while especially hand
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pulling Striga at flowering ranks lower as a control option.
Article and pictures courtesy Tom Van Mourik.


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These cute pencil pouches are a breeze to sew up and students will be proud to show them off on the first day of school.
Back to School Homemade Pencil Pouch
By Emma Jeffery
Difficulty level
Tools used
- Ideal for cutting multiple layers and all-purpose cutting through thick fabrics like leather, upholstery, vinyl, burlap, suede, flannel and much more
- Amplify® technology senses blade separation when cutting thick fabrics and forces the blades back together for crisp, clean cuts every time — the floating blade tang transfers energy to the torsion bar which adjusts the blade to its optimal angle
- RazorEdge™ Shears feature ultra-sharp, premium-grade stainless-steel blades with a precisely honed edge that glides through fabric for clean cuts all the way to the tip
- Exceptional comfort and control provided by thumb and finger loops with ergonomic sculpting to fit the shape and natural movement of the hand
- Softgrip® touchpoints enhance comfort and control
- Protective sheath keeps the blades safe and protected
- Length: 8"
- Lifetime warranty
- Amplify® RazorEdge™ Fabric Cutting Scissors (8")
Designed to cut thick and heavy fabrics, these premium fabric shears feature ultra-sharp blades ideal for all-purpose cutting tasks
Supply list
Fat quarter canvas fabric (pencil pouch outer fabric)
Scrap canvas fabric for patches
Fat quarter cotton lining fabric (pencil pouch lining fabric)
Lightweight two-sided Fusible Web
9" All purpose zipper
Iron and Ironing board
Sewing machine and thread
Zipper machine foot
Regular zipper machine foot
1. Use the 8" Amplify Fabric Shears to accurately and cleanly trim both the canvas and cotton print fabric to 9 ½" squares. The Amplify Shears cut through multiple layers of fabric, making this task quick and easy. You will need one square of canvas and one square of cotton print.
2. Trim two pieces of contrasting scrap canvas fabric to 5"x 5" squares. Round off the corners with the Amplify Shears. Using a blanket stitch on your machine, sew the two small squares to the right side of the 9 ½" canvas square.
3. Trim a piece of lightweight two-sided fusible web to a 9 1/2" square and apply to the back of the canvas fabric. Follow manufacturer's directions to apply the cotton print fabric square to the other side of the fusible web.
4. You should now have one piece of fabric – with canvas on one side and cotton print on the other side.
5. Lay the fabric on your work surface with the canvas side facing up. Lay the 9" all-purpose zipper along the top edge of the canvas. The zipper should be facing down. Align the edge of the zipper tape with the raw edge of the canvas and pin in place. Pin through both layers of the fabric.
6. Put the zipper foot on your sewing machine and stitch the zipper to the fabric along the zipper tape.
7. Turn the fabric over and finger press the zipper to the right side, creating a fold in the top of the fabric. To topstitch this seam, sew along the fabric, approximately 1/4" away from the fold.
8. To sew the zipper to the other side of the fabric, pin the zipper face down onto the canvas and stitch in place.
9. Topstitch this seam by folding the canvas away from the zipper and stitching about 1/4" away from the fold, as far as you can.
10. Open up the zipper halfway.
11. Fold the fabric so that the zipper runs horizontally through the center of the pouch. Align the short ends and pin the ends of the zipper tape in place. Alternatively, you can use clips to hold the ends in place.
12. Remove the zipper foot and place the regular sewing foot on your machine. Sew both short ends of the fabric, avoiding sewing over the metal top and bottom stops of the zipper as this will likely damage your needle.
13. Use the Amplify Shears to trim the seam at the short ends of the fabric. Do not trim the extra length of zipper tape as it will weaken the zipper seam.
14. Reach inside the pouch and pull open the zipper the remainder of the way. Turn the pencil pouch to the right side and give it a final pressing with an iron.
These simple DIY pouches are sure to be a hit with students of any age. They can be customized to any color or design, making them stand out in a classroom full of supplies.
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