text:
The sixth-ranked Hood River Valley Eagles softball team showed that it's well deserving of its high recognition as it continued its early season domination over nonleague teams with a 10-0 win over the Lake Oswego Lakers.
Sophomore pitcher Kayla Byers (four strikeouts, walk) hurled a one-hitter to help propel the Eagles (8-2) to an impressive five-inning 10-0 mercy rule home win over the Lakers Tuesday at Westside Elementary School.
"I would've liked the no-hitter a little better," said Byers, who has pitched two no-hitters this year. "I was hitting my spots and I felt like I was pitching very well today. I was just hoping that we would have a good game and play together as a team."
Junior Natalia Ames (2-for-2, two doubles, two runs scored) and senior Megan Winans (2-for-3, home run, double) combined for seven RBI to lead the explosive HRV offense, which is ranked first (10.55 runs per game) among all 36 Class 5A squads.
Playing their first game since suffering their first defeat of the season (5-1 loss to West Linn March 27), the Eagles bounced back in a big way. Winans helped provide the Eagles with the early momentum as she blasted a two-out, solo homer over the 200-foot left field fence for a 1-0 first inning lead.
"We always like to get an early lead and try to score more runs than our opponent in every inning, so it was nice to get one run in the first inning," said Winans, who has three homers this season. "I was a little surprised about the lopsided score, but we were expecting to get the win. I definitely feel like we can be a top contender in our league and I think we'll reach the state playoffs again this year."
HRV, led by second-year coach Eric Keller, advanced to the second round of state a year ago after a third-place tie with Pendleton with a 5-7 Columbia River Conference record and finishing 15-12 overall.
"It's going to be a battle among all four league teams," said Keller. "Two teams (The Dalles-Wahtonka, Pendleton) reached the semifinals last year and one (Pendleton) was state runner-up. Our league is tough and every team has lots of their top returning players back this year.
"If we're fortunate to be atop the standings at the end of the season, that sure would be very exciting. That's one of our goals, but we have lots of work to do and there's always something that we need to improve on."
All four CRC teams advanced to the state playoffs a year ago. Defending CRC champ TDW is considered a strong contender again and the Eagle-Indians are currently ranked No. 1.
The highly regarded No. 6-ranked Eagles displayed their powerful offense in the second, highlighted by RBI doubles by junior Hannah Williams and Ames and a Winans sacrifice fly RBI.
"We're doing a good job offensively, so I knew we would hit the ball hard and I felt confident that we would play very well today," said Keller. "Whenever we do that, we usually play tough defense, too. Kayla had a strong pitching performance, while throwing a solid fastball (62 mph) and she did a good job keeping their (Lake Oswego) batters off-balance."
HRV sophomore catcher Annie Veatch (2-for-2, two doubles) helped ignite the offensive surge when she belted a fly ball to center field for a leadoff double. After senior Logan Bailey (two walks, two runs) drew a walk, pinch runner Sydney McHale, a substituted base runner for Veatch, stole third and scored on a LO passed ball for a 2-0 edge.
Ames then connected with a long fly ball deep to center for an RBI double, scoring Bailey. Ames ran home on a Williams double, making it 4-0. A Winans fly to center scored Erika Enriquez, who earlier drew a walk, giving HRV a 5-0 advantage after two innings.
Winans and Ames again combined with key hits in the third as both smashed two-run doubles and Katie White added an RBI single to highlight a five-run third as HRV extended its lead to 10-0. The Lakers avoided a no-hitter with a single in the top of the third.
"I think we responded well after a tough loss in our last game and we all worked hard to get the win," said Ames. "I'm looking forward to having a good year and our goal is to win league and advance far into the playoffs. In order to do that, we'll have to just keep focusing on playing together as a team."
Following a scoreless fourth, the Lakers went down in order in the top of the fifth. Freshman substitute first baseman Breanna Weekly played solid defense to get the final putout of the game on an infield grounder to conclude the contest early in the shortest game of the season for HRV.
Lake Oswegp, of the Class 6A Three Rivers Conference, is winless with an 0-5 record. The Eagles played another TRC squad Thursday and lost 2-1 on the road to the Clackamas Cavaliers. Clackamas (6-2) is ranked seventh in 6A and was a second-round state playoff participant in 2011.
The Eagles were on the road Friday with a 4:30 p.m. contest against the Gresham Gophers (2-5). HRV was hoping to get its second win over Gresham after beating the Gophers 14-0 March 27.
HRV's next home game is Monday at 4:30 p.m. versus a Class 4A Molalla Indians (4-2) squad. HRV opens the 12-game CRC schedule on the road April 13 versus No. 5-ranked Pendleton.
Comments are subject to moderator review and may not appear immediately on the site. A user's first several comments must be manually approved by a moderator.
Please read our commenting policy before posting.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?)


text: Inflammation is the single greatest cause of health problems today and is responsible for over 70% of our country's health care costs. Not only is the number dramatically high at present (tens of billions of dollars), the costs are still rising. Dating back to our series on cholesterol, we have alluded to how inflammation contributes to numerous health conditions from heart disease, to cancer, to dementia, to autoimmune diseases, and digestive problems, and the list goes on. Inflammation is the one constant factor in all of these conditions. Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
More and more companies in most major industries are looking to build or partner in platforms. As they do, new and fast-emerging, cross-industry digital ecosystems are emerging around them. Such digital ecosystems all need financial services and will likely spur the next major stage of banking disruption.
Because ecosystems are inherently tied to industries and business models, traditional banks are particularly well placed to predict ecosystem movement and redirect their own strategic actions.
While there is no crystal ball that bankers can look into to know the future, they can adopt a few new strategies and adapt their organization to gain a proactive grasp on the upside of disruption.
To learn more:DOWNLOAD TREND 5 REPORT


text:
"Close Harrington Hall," Senator John Tassoni told more than 400 gathered yesterday at the Crowne Plaza for the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless 2012 awards luncheon.
The crowd responded with a round of applause and cheers.
"I implore every one of you to take a drive through the Pastore Complex," Tassoni continued. "It's horrific. You wouldn't even want your dogs to sleep there; and these are human beings. It's not right."
Harrington Hall, run by the House of Hope CDC, is the short-term, 88-bed, men's shelter in the John O. Pastore Complex in Cranston. Homeless advocates present at the luncheon don't want to close the shelter and see those who sleep there thrown out onto the streets; they want to relocate the men's shelter to the former Gloria McMahon women's facility.
Despite the fact that the short-term shelter only offers cots and bunkbeds for 88 men, Harrington Hall typically accommodates 130 men each night. The overflow are forced to sleep on the floor or seated with their heads resting on tables. The shelter doesn't have a kitchen and meals are delivered, but sometimes there isn't enough food to go around. There are also only two bathrooms in the building.
Katheryn Tavares, communications manager for the House of Hope, said the organization has been working very closely with Tassoni, and agrees that it should be overhauled.
Harrington Hall, formerly an auditorium, was meant to stay open for a single winter. That was seven years ago, and since then the hall has been a fully operational night shelter. House of Hope took over the shelter in 2009.
By moving the shelter to the Gloria McDonald building, Tavares says House of Hope can offer the men more privacy as well as the potential for things like GED classes.
"The men would have rooms, two to four people in a room," she said. "And we would love to use the [building's] library to do GED coursework and offer case management and de-tox on site."
Tavares said it would not only be a better building, but a better model for the shelter. As for right now, Tavares said the House of Hope is "doing the best we can."
In addition to pushing for shelter improvements, Tassoni who was recognized at the luncheon for his homelessness advocacy, has introduced legislation regarding Rhode Island's homeless.
He currently has a bill in the Senate that proposes a $75 million housing bond. Governor Lincoln Chafee has also proposed a bond for affordable housing in his budget, a gubernatorial first, but to the tune of $25 million.
"Governor, I'm at $75 million and you're at $25 million, let's settle at $50 million," Tassoni said to cheers.
Other bills of interest to the coalition include the Homeless Bill of Rights, which would ensure homeless people maintain the same rights as other citizens, like the right to vote and receive equal treatment by police, employers and medical personnel.
Another piece of legislation, the "Just Cause" bill, would prohibit tenants from being evicted from rental property that is foreclosed on. It aims to put less people out on the streets.
"Today the story is that you have to have more income to rent a home than to buy one," said Senator Jack Reed yesterday.
Advocates say more affordable housing is the solution, and are hoping for the aid of a dedicated funding stream or bond like Chafee's.
"People from communities found themselves homeless in each of the 39 cities and towns last year," said Jim Ryczek, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless. Ryczek said homelessness is not just an inner-city problem anymore.
Ryczek said it is imperative that those with the lowest levels of income have affordable housing available to them, a step he said will take "political will."
Ryzcek said Harrington Hall has morphed from a short-term place to sleep to a permanent place to call home for many.
"It was never meant to be that way," he said.
Jean Johnson, Executive Director of the House of Hope, told the story of Mr. Jones, a 77-year-old man that spent every night at Harrington Hall.
"He needed assistance," she said. "He needed an intervention."
But Jones never got the help he needed, and died two weeks ago after tripping getting off a RIPTA bus.
"He died homeless because he wasn't given the key for an opportunity," said Johnson.
Those who attended the luncheon received programs, some of which had keys taped inside. Ryczek asked those with a key in their program to stand.
"You represent the 40 percent that had an opportunity last year," said Ryczek.
The others without keys represented the 60-percent of Rhode Islanders who were not granted an opportunity to find housing, and remained homeless.
"I thought being homeless meant having nowhere to go," said Constance Vergowven, who spent time hopping from couch to couch at friend's houses and didn't consider herself homeless.
With the help of Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, Vergowven turned her life around, and now works for the Coalition as an administrative assistance and legal clinic coordinator.
Others joined Vergowven to tell their stories of success.
Ron Watts said that the coalition "showed me I was worth something, that I was important."
He reminded those present that they could make a difference in someone else's life.
"Anyone here can be the key for opening that door of hope for someone who might be going through what I went through," he said.
The Coalition has four staff and three board members that were formerly homeless.
"We appreciate that perspective," said Ryczek.
Those at the Coalition and other advocates present at the luncheon hope that changes will be made to end homelessness. They encourage people to contact their legislators and join them for their State House Soup Kitchens, which take place every Wednesday in the rotunda.
"We can do it," said Tassoni about ending homelessness. "We're small, enough, why not?"
Other award recipients recognized at the luncheon included Diana Burdett, who won the Carol McGovern Award; Jim Silva who won the Judy Soares and John Coen Award; Eden Sears who won the Homeless Legal Clinic Award; and the Beacon's own John Howell, who won the Media Award for Outstanding Coverage.


text:
Whether it's for extra cash or to have a fall back plan in case you get laid off, it's common for people to have a second job in the current labor market. According to a recent survey of 7,000 job seekers conducted by job Simply Hired, 43% said they plan to look for part-time employment around the holidays.
Continue Reading Below
Some people "just need the finances to make it work but also there's insecurity about job loss and changes in skill sets that are making people keep feet in two places," says Anna Sidana, vice president of marketing at the search engine firm.
For many, moonlighting provides financial comfort. But that reassurance can quickly turn to stress if it compromises your performance at your regular full-time job. Working two jobs is a delicate balancing act and to prevent your part-time gig from torpedoing your full-time career, follow these five tips.
Tip No.1: Test the Waters
It's not too late to obtain seasonal employment which will allow you to test the waters of the demand involved working two jobs. "You can give yourself a trial period to see if you have what it takes to balance a full-time and part-time job," says Mike Ward, a spokesman for job board website Snagajob. "If it works out, you may be fortunate enough to stay on and extend your seasonal employment." On the other hand, if working two jobs doesn't fit your schedule, you won't be leaving the seasonal employer in a bind since the work was always considered short term.
Tip No. 2: Set Priorities
It's hard enough to give 100% to your full-time job every day and adding the responsibilities of a second job can make your schedule even more hectic. Experts recommend setting priorities between both jobs and outside activities. According to Sidana, you need to decide which job comes first and which one you would be willing to give up if push comes to shove. "There can only be one No. 1," says Sidana. "You have to be clear in your head which one comes first."
Tip No.3: Take it Slow at the Start
If cash is the main driver of a second job, it's understandable that you will want to work as much as possible, but that is a surefire way to burnout fast, say career experts. If you are logging 50 hours a week at your full-time job, experts recommend working 20 hours or less hours a week at the second job. "You want some flexibility in your part-time schedule," says Ward. "Don't be overzealous in the beginning." It's better to start off conservatively and see if you can handle it before taking on more hours, he says.
Tip No.4: Choose a Job You'll Enjoy
Nothing's worse than going to a job you don't like; multiple that by two and it's a recipe for disaster. Whether it's your full-time job or your part-time job, it's important to enjoy your time at the office. After all, if you are working two jobs you won't have much downtime, so you'll want to be happy where you are spending most of your days and nights. "You have to really feel the passion for doing a good job at both of them otherwise it leads to burnout," says Sidana.
Tip No. 5: Schedule Me Time
Working two jobs won't afford you much time to do the things that make you happy, but it's important to get it on the schedule. Taking personal time like going to the gym, reading or meditating will help keep you refreshed and ready to work at both jobs.
"If you show up to your day job Monday morning looking like you worked a full week, people notice that," warns Ward. Giving yourself some time to blow off steam will enable you to balance the two jobs, he says.


text:
MINE THAT BIRD – Trainer Bennie "Chip" Woolley got behind the wheel of his Ford F-450 Lariat and drove through Gate 6 at Churchill Downs Tuesday shortly after 9 a.m. with a van carrying his Kentucky Derby winner in tow.
"I think he is ready," Woolley said. "If we make the trip up there good and he eats good, I couldn't ask for anything better."
"I have about 115 gallons and hauling the trailer I get about 8 ½ miles a gallon," said Woolley before hitting the road. "This will be about like our first day coming here when we went from El Paso to Lone Star Park (in suburban Dallas). We won't need to stop for gas. When we stop to eat, I'll open the top of the window and let him look out and take things in. He's a good shipper. Nothing bothers him."
Woolley, a New Mexico-based trainer who'll be making his first visit to Pimlico, is obviously enjoying his first Triple Crown experience.
"It's getting exciting; things are starting to build and I am eager to run again," Woolley said. "I came here as the underdog with no pressure. Things have changed slightly."
Calvin Borel, who gave Mine That Bird a thrilling rail-skimming ride to victory at 50-1 at Churchill Downs, has committed to ride Kentucky Oaks winner Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, leaving the mount aboard the Kentucky Derby winner to Mike Smith.
RACHEL ALEXANDRA – The Medaglia d'Oro filly, owned by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stable and Harold McCormick, returned to the track Tuesday morning and galloped once around Churchill Downs under exercise rider Dominic Terry. The Kentucky Oaks winner worked four furlongs in 48 2/5 seconds Sunday morning and walked the shedrow at trainer Steve Asmussen's barn Monday morning.
"She came out of her work in good shape," said Asmussen's assistant Scott Blasi.
Rachel Alexandra was purchased last week and transferred to Asmussen from trainer Hal Wiggins' barn. Blasi said the transition has been pretty easy.
"I think we're all getting used to each other, but it's been really smooth so far," he said. "We're just trying to keep her happy and she's responding to everything that we're doing."
Blasi and one of Wiggins' assistants, Brett McClellan, are very good friends and that connection has helped shorten the adjustment period.
"Mr. Hal and the whole team has been very cooperative," Blasi said. "They want nothing but the best for the filly and have been very supportive and helpful."
According to Blasi, Rachel Alexandra has reacted well to the barn change.
"It's like being around a great horse," he said. "She's just very classy and kind of takes in whatever you want to do with her."
And for a horse who clearly relishes getting out for her exercise, that includes accepting the standard day away from the track following a work.
"It was her walk day yesterday," Blasi said. "She felt good but she wasn't out of hand or anything. She walked, went in the house and went to sleep like she always does."
Rachel Alexandra, who will carry a five-race winning streak into the Preakness, is scheduled to stand in the starting gate and gallop Wednesday morning before being flown from Louisville, Ky. to Baltimore. She will be ridden in the Preakness by her regular jockey Calvin Borel.
BIG DRAMA – After working five furlongs in 1:02 3/5 at Pimlico the day before, Big Drama jogged a mile and galloped a mile Tuesday morning.
"He came out of the work great. He galloped really well," said trainer David Fawkes, whose wife, Celia, was aboard for the morning exercise.
Big Drama has blossomed since arriving at Pimlico last week, said Fawkes, an Illinois native who has been training in South Florida for 11 years.
"It does a lot for them. It helps to build their blood up. They get sharp and happy. They like that climate change. I've had a lot of luck shipping out of Calder," he said. "It's 90 (degrees) in Florida right now and 48 (degrees) here. You move a horse out of that into cool weather and it makes a huge difference."
Big Drama, who will be ridden for the first time by John Velazquez, has finished first in his last six starts but was disqualified and placed second after running a brilliant seven furlongs in 1:20.88 in the Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park last time out.
FLYING PRIVATE/LUV GOV – Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas said jockey Jamie Theriot will ride Luv Gov in the 134th Preakness Saturday at Pimlico. Theriot, who replaces Miguel Mena, has ridden the Ten Most Wanted colt three times. Flying Private and Luv Gov were loaded on a van at Churchill Downs early Tuesday morning for the trip to Pimlico. Lukas said they were scheduled to arrive at approximately 4 p.m.
FRIESAN FIRE – Showing no ill effects from his troubled journey in the Kentucky Derby, Friesan Fire fired a "bullet" at Pimlico Tuesday morning. The beaten favorite in the Run for the Roses prepped for the Preakness with a sensational five-furlong workout in 58 2/5 seconds under jockey Gabriel Saez.
"All went well. He warmed up really good for it; he broke off very relaxed as far as not trying to send him away from there; but anytime you put the blinkers on him, he gets focused and wants to start rolling; he finished up well," said trainer Larry Jones, whose colt worked shortly after the track reopened from the renovation break at 8 a.m.
Friesan Fire had turned in a blistering five-furlong workout in 57 4/5 seconds a few days before the Kentucky Derby.
"We really meant to work him well that day, and he did," said Jones, whose colt had a six-week layoff between the Louisiana Derby and the Derby. "This one here was just to let him stretch his legs and see if he came out of the Derby well. I know when I galloped him the last two days, he sure seemed like he was doing well. We're very happy, very pleased. He's cooling out good, so all's well. Right now we will push on and run Saturday."
Saez echoed Jones' satisfaction with the workout.
"I think this work was kind of better than the last time," he said. "The main thing is: the horse is sound and handled the track really well."
Friesan Fire had suffered cuts all over his legs, particularly in his left front foot, during his eventful run in the Derby, in which he was bumped around at the start and raced in heavy traffic before fading to 18th.
"We wound up having to walk him four days, but one of the days was a ship day. Then we went back and jogged a little bit. We couldn't do a lot with that foot; we had to keep a patch on him while we were training him to prevent him from irritating it," Jones said. "Today (Tuesday) is the first day we've been able to go and not have to put a patch on it, and he came back really well. I'm very pleased with the way it's healed up. You sure couldn't feel anything when I rode him the last couple days. If you didn't know he'd had an issue, you wouldn't know it."
When Jones had a chance to examine Friesan Fire following the Derby, he discovered strips of bandages lodged between the hoof and the shoe of the left front foot.
"When we first saw it, we thought it was part of his hoof that had peeled up in there," he said. "But when we got to checking it, we could see that it was some kind of material. So we took a couple nails out of his shoe where we could get it pried out, and it was a bandaging material."
The mystery of where the bandage came from was solved the next morning at the nearby Cracker Barrel, where he bumped into Bennie "Chip" Woolley, trainer of Derby winner Mine That Bird, and Bob Baffert, who saddled Pioneerof the Nile for a runner-up finish in the Run for the Roses. While they traded war stories of Derby 135, Baffert mentioned that one of Pioneer of the Nile's bandages had a round piece missing after the race.
"I asked him, 'You didn't have on black bandages, did you?' He said, 'Well, yes, I did.' I said, 'Well, I know where it is,'" Jones recalled. "So, apparently, we got close to Pioneerof the Nile someplace, sometime."
GENERAL QUARTERS – The one-horse stable of 75-year-old owner/trainer/groom/hot walker Tom McCarthy left the friendly confines of Churchill Downs around 5 a.m. Tuesday for the long van ride to Pimlico.
The son of Sky Mesa, who was claimed by McCarthy for $20,000 less than a year ago, worked four furlongs in 50 1/5 seconds on Monday before leaving Louisville Tuesday.
McCarthy was a long-time teacher and principal in the Louisville school system before retiring in 1990 to return to the horse business. A native of Connecticut, McCarthy spent several years around New England tracks before serving in the Army during the Korean War. He attended college in Kentucky and settled there after the war.
MUSKET MAN – The third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby worked a bullet four furlongs in 46 3/5 seconds Tuesday morning at Monmouth Park under exercise rider Daniel Centeno, one of the top jockeys at the current meeting at Oceanport, N.J. Eibar Coa, who was aboard for Musket Man's last two starts, will ride him in the Preakness.
"It went perfect, just what I wanted," said Ryan, who will ship his colt on race day. "I haven't run any horses at Pimlico in quite a while, but it's a similar track to Monmouth. I've won a couple stakes there.''
Musket Man went to Kentucky off back-to-back derby wins at Hawthorne and Tampa Bay Downs, but Ryan said he wasn't as sharp on the sloppy, sealed surface at Churchill Downs.
"All that rain and it never dried out," said Ryan, who will saddle his first Preakness runner. "He's got a good turn of foot, but on a sloppy track you don't have that turn of foot you would have on a dry track."
Still, Musket Man missed second money by only a nose.
The weather forecast for the Baltimore area is much more promising the rest of the week than it was Derby week in Louisville, with only a chance of scattered showers on race day.
Musket Man, overlooked at 19-1 in the Derby, has won three of his five starts as a 3-year-old. The son of Yonaguska was 2-for-2 at age 2.
PAPA CLEM – The fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby worked a leisurely five furlongs in 1:05 under exercise rider Emundo Cedeno shortly after 7 a.m. over a fast Pimlico main track Tuesday morning in his final breeze for the Preakness.
"I was hoping for a faster time, but I'm not worried about it,'' said affable trainer Gary Stute after watching the move from the clubhouse box area. "The track may have been a little slow if you look at the earlier works. All his workouts before the Derby were bad except for the last one. Coming back from the Derby in two weeks, I just mainly wanted him to get a feel for the track."
The Kentucky-bred colt's first quarter-mile was accomplished in 25 seconds with a half-mile in 51 4/5 seconds. He galloped out six furlongs in 1:22 3/5. The son of Smart Strike bred and owned by Bo Hirsch has only run once on a fast dirt surface when he upset Old Fashioned in the Arkansas Derby (G2) in his final Derby prep.
"I never really thought of him as Derby horse because he never really trained like one, but every time he's run, he's run a lot better than he trained," said Stute, who will walk the colt Wednesday and possibly get him a visit to the gate Thursday or Friday. "He's always kind of shocked me how good he ran off the way he worked."
Stute was here with his dad, Mel, 23 years ago to witness his Preakness victory with Snow Chief, when the beaten Kentucky Derby favorite took the measure of Ferdinand, Broad Brush, speedball Groovy and the favored D. Wayne Lukas entry of Badger Land and Clear Choice.
"I can remember about four jumps from the wire and he was about four (lengths) in front and I jumped on my dad and said, 'we did it,' " Stute recalled. "It was the maddest I've ever seen him, and I've done a lot of things to make him mad. He looked at me like we haven't crossed the finish line yet. Two seconds later he crossed the wire and it was all better. He's pretty superstitious.''
Stute said his father and mother will be coming to Baltimore to see if their son can match his father's feat of winning with his first Preakness starter.
"Originally, he was trying not to come, but I kind of insisted," Gary Stute said. "I thought I was going to win, but that was before the filly (Rachel Alexandra) entered. I still wanted him here just in case."
Stute said that he has mixed feelings about the new shooter on the Triple Crown scene.
"Personally, for me, I think it's a little disappointing, but for racing I think it's great," he said. "I figure it should bring 20-30,000 extra fans here on Saturday. And when the husbands are watching the race at home, the wives will be watching, too. It's going to be great for racing. Racing is in kind of a downward spiral right now, and this can only help it in the long run."
PIONEEROF THE NILE – Newly elected Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said that he was impressed with the appearance of Mine That Bird as the Kentucky Derby winner was loaded on the van Tuesday morning for the trip from Churchill Downs to Pimlico.
"He looked great," Baffert said. "He's going to be tough, that horse. He looks good. It looks like the Derby didn't take a lot out of him."
Baffert said the expected entry of the standout filly Rachel Alexandra adds to a deep Preakness field that is likely to have 13 starters.
"There is going to be a lot of excitement with that filly in there," Baffert said. "She's a wonderful filly. She's an incredible athlete. She's got the right style. She's going to be forwardly placed, so she'll be out of the way. She's got a beautiful fluid stride and a great turn of foot. She's dangerous.
"But Mine That Bird is a good horse. Big Drama is a good horse. Any time a horse has got a lot of ones in the win column, that's a good horse. Traffic is going to be a huge factor with 13 horses in there."
Big Drama has finished first in his last six starts.
Rachel Alexandra will be the first filly to start in the Preakness since the Baffert-trained Excellent Meeting competed in 1999. Rachel Alexandra won the Kentucky Oaks in her last start and will be facing males for the first time.
"If she's in there, she's in there," Baffert said. "I've done it. I've run fillies there before. She's a good filly. She's so popular, she'll probably go off as the favorite. She really brings a lot to the race. It's good for Pimlico."
Pioneerof the Nile walked the shedrow at Baffert's barn at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning. The Kentucky Derby runner-up, who breezed a half-mile in 47 3/5 seconds Monday, will be flown to Baltimore Wednesday. He will be ridden in the Preakness by Garrett Gomez.
TAKE THE POINTS – The Starlight Partners' colt will be trainer Todd Pletcher's fourth Preakness starter. Pletcher made his Preakness debut in 2000 with Impeachment, who finished third. In 2007, Pletcher saddled Circular Quay, who finished fifth, and King of the Roxy, the sixth-place horse. Take the Points, a son of Even the Score, remains at Pletcher's barn at Belmont Park. He brings a record of 2-2-0 from six starts into the Preakness, where he will compete in blinkers for the first time. In his last start, Take the Points finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby, 2 ¾ lengths behind the winner, Pioneerof the Nile.
TERRAIN – Trainer Al Stall Jr. sent Terrain to the track at Churchill Downs Tuesday morning, when the son of Sky Mesa jogged a half-mile and galloped a mile under exercise rider Jimmy Valdez. Stall is looking forward to running Terrain over the dirt track at Pimlico after watching him struggle over the Polytrack surface at Keeneland during his fourth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes. Terrain won his first two career starts on the dirt surfaces at Churchill Downs and Mountaineer Park last year and finished a solid third at Fair Grounds while coming off a long layoff in the Louisiana Derby. He ran respectably in his four synthetic-track appearances, but he runs far more aggressively on dirt.
"He gets into his races on dirt," Stall said. "He wants no part of 'Poly.' On 'Poly' he drops back under absolutely no resistance."
Terrain, who'll be ridden by Jeremy Rose Saturday, is scheduled to accompany likely favorite Rachel Alexandra and Pioneerof the Nile on a 1 p.m. Baltimore-bound flight from Louisville on Wednesday.
TONE IT DOWN – The lightly tested son of Medaglia d'Oro galloped 1 ½ miles at Laurel Park Tuesday for trainer Bill Komlo, who indicated he may give the colt a three-eighths breeze on Wednesday morning.
"He seems to be right on target," Komlo said. "We went pretty good today. We'll just see how he's feeling tomorrow."
Kent Desormeaux will be aboard the third-place finisher in the Federico Tesio for the first time, and he may not see the horse until Saturday when Komlo vans him in.
"He's an experienced rider," Komlo said. "I would certainly like to have him get on the horse, but it's going to be what it is. I can't do much about it."


text:
Rick Owens
Women's Silk Knitted Crew Neck Sweater in Navy
€415€189 (54%)
- Soft knitted sweater
- Crafted from a pure silk in a lightweight knit
- Long sleeved
- Straight-cut hem
- Relaxed fit
- Close knit crew neck
- Relaxed silhouette
- Minimal and luxurious construction
- Model wears size extra small
Establishing his namesake label in 1994, Californian Rick Owens has gathered an extraordinary cult following with his directional gothic aesthetic, pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion with his avant-garde creations. His glamourous grunge collections are centred on luxury leather pieces, interesting tailoring, severe shapes and a moody monochrome palette. Owens is renowned for directional dressing with an urban edge; mastering darkened elegance allows his collections a timeless sense of luxury.
Inspired by the Mayan-influenced architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House in California, the Rick Owens' AW15 'Sphinx' collection drew upon the designer's own Mexican roots with ornate gold detailing and metallic face masks. Geometric appliqués of gold sequins took Rick Owens' usual avant-garde minimalism somewhere new this season- an evolutionary offering of refined structured silhouettes, draped designs enveloped in asymmetrical folds and twisted elongated dresses in a subdued palette of stone greys and blacks. The transcendental collection played with proportions and pushed boundaries of the female form with blanket-like constructions and elongated tunics. Asymmetric skirt hems fell just above architectural leather clogs and wooden platform sandals true to Rick Owens' futuristic aesthetic.
We offer Standard and Express Shipping
All purchased items can be returned free of charge – including reduced items.
We are happy to refund any purchases* within 14 business days from receipt. All returns must be sent via registered mail in their original condition.
*Excludes underwear, fragrance and cosmetic items which are non-returnable.
All orders are shipped worldwide via our affiliate DHL.
As soon as we have shipped your order you will receive an email stating the tracking number. You can check the status of your order one to two hours after receiving the email via the link provided.
You can only specify a different delivery address from your billing address, if it is your place of work. Just fill in your office address details at the checkout when prompted. All orders placed before 12PM gmt will be dispatched the same working day.*
*Please allow 2-3 business days extra for orders placed during the busy sale period.
*BD=business days
Standard - EUR 15 - 2/4 BD
Express - EUR 25 - 1/2 BD
European Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Express - EUR 34 - 2/3 BD
Express - EUR 55 - 2/3 BD


text:
*note: Because of scheduling issues, this week's post actually contains a few weeks of emails between Scott and David. Enjoy.*
David: So, there hasn't been a lot of movement in the on-screen happenings in the WWE lately, but there seem to be some interesting things going on backstage. Over the weekend, CM Punk did a Q&A at a comic convention in Ohio. Around the 16:25 mark, someone asks Punk about his relationship with Colt Cabana. Punk briefly plugs the Art of Wrestling (which I'm always happy to plug), and talks about hanging out with Colt. He ends the question by saying "Cabana's a cool guy. Knock on wood. Everyone cross your fingers, we might have some potential good news in the near future."
I've seen some people saying they think this is a hint WWE is looking to sign Colt. But I ask you, as a fellow fan of The Art of Wrestling, do you take it that way? If WWE signs Colt Cabana, is it a good thing?
• • •
Scott: I will first take time to point out Colt Cabana and I are practically peers. His hometown is only a few miles south of mine — in fact, he went to the high school my mom graduated from. Not that we actually knew each other, but we did both attend at least one basketball game and for all I know could have bumped into each other at the mall. I've offered to buy him Subway next time he's in town, and you can see by this paragraph why he probably doesn't think that's a great idea.
That aside, your question is great because it can be looked at from so many perspectives. Is it a good thing for the WWE audience? If he's used right, certainly. Fresh faces are always welcome on my TV screen, especially given how stale the Punk-Cena stuff has become. I assume Cabana is featured prominently in Punk's new DVD (I am bummed I couldn't make it to the Portage Theater for the Chicago screening) and no doubt the production team could use that footage to quickly introduce Cabana to the mainstream audience.
But are we talking a one-off (say Brock Lesnar murders Colt as part of my Heyman trap theory) or a legitimate run (Cabana plays Owen Hart's role in the "What about me?" story)? These are the questions I would presume Colt is considering. At this stage in his career, he doesn't need one night on Raw. He couldn't just show up as a surprise Royal Rumble entrant. Everyone who knows him through his podcast and indy shows is already a supporter. Everyone who doesn't know him (probably the majority of the WWE audience) won't start caring about him because of one appearance.
However, if he is looking at an extended run, he has to give it serious consideration. It may mean putting Art of Wrestling on the shelf. It may mean an extended hiatus from the independent scene and the chance for another run as NWA Champion. But it also could pave the way to realizing a lifelong dream of being in the ring at WrestleMania. He's already had more success, financially and otherwise, than the great majority of those who sign up for one class at a wrestling school. But can he honestly say he's achieved every dream he had for himself?
When I decided to leave the newspaper business full time, one of the reasons was because I realized my one-time dream job — an office at Tribune Tower, writing columns and editorials for the World's Greatest Newspaper — would come at too great a price for me and my family. So what was I really working toward? Maybe Colt Cabana has adjusted his long-term goals, too. We're the same age, and though I'm a family man and he's a globetrotting bachelor, I can guarantee he's thinking beyond his next tour of Australia.
That's easy for me to say because my "dream job" was never within my grasp. If a Broadway producer called you tomorrow and offered you a role, I would imagine your wife and children would support your decision. But it would not be an easy choice.
You'll notice the one phrase I didn't use — selling out. I don't think that should begin to enter the conversation. But how do you see it?
• • •
David: If Colt Cabana goes to the WWE, I agree with you he will not be selling out. However, I won't be so quick to say the phrase "sell out" shouldn't be considered. Should it be considered by fans, bloggers, etc.? No, of course not. But Colt himself might want to consider the phrase. Right now Colt is in an interesting position. He's sort of like an underground band that doesn't get a ton of radio play, but gets name checked in prestigious music magazines by prestigious music writers. If that band keeps getting that kind of press, they may end up on the radio. When that band attains a certain level of success, there are always going to be people out there who will, wrongly, call them sellouts.
If Colt Cabana signs a WWE contract, there are going to be people out there who will call him a sellout, especially if it means the end of the Art of Wrestling as we know it. Those people are wrong for doing so, but they will be out there. Should he make the decision based on the ridiculous opinions of those people? Not in my estimation, but I think he does have to think about how it will affect him to hear that kind of noise, and to get the kind of stupid Twitter comments Punk and others with his level of celebrity have to deal with.
Leaving that particular side of the issue, I want to refer to something you said:
"It may mean an extended hiatus from the independent scene and the chance for another run as NWA Champion."
During the introduction to this week's episode of The Art of Wrestling (which featured a fantastic interview with Justin Roberts), Colt was talking about his Texas death match with Adam Pearce, and how it wasn't really about the NWA title, which, in his estimation doesn't mean very much anymore. When he said that, the wheels in my brain started turning. Is he trying to distance himself from the NWA title, because of the recent strife with Championship Wrestling from Hollywood? Or is there something else there, having to do with a possible WWE run?
There were some other interesting things said on that podcast. He did try to distance himself from Punk's comments, referring to them as rumors. He then said not to always "hear what you believe." I'm not one who typically looks for conspiracy theories, but I have to wonder if this was an accidental transposition of words or some sort of careful word play. I don't know what it would mean, but who knows, right?
Have you listened to the podcast yet?
• • •
Scott: I did listen to the podcast, and I'm more inclined to pass off the "hear what you believe" remark as a malaprop, especially given Cabana's reputation for not always pronouncing everything the right way. That doesn't mean there's no substance to this rumor. I have yet to see the CM Punk DVD, but as I referenced earlier, there's got to be a good deal of footage the creative team could use to re-introduce Cabana if desired.
That said, WWE still has the reputation of wanting to create its own characters. What's in it for them to bring the Art of Wrestling guy to the main stage — unless perhaps they think they can co-opt and brand his podcast popularity. (Side note: how does WWE not have even one official podcast, yet there's 87 YouTube shows? Is it because there's absolutely no money to be had in podcasting?)
I also think the "Cabana to WWE is a no-brainer" approach is a classic example of people who follow any form entertainment forgetting what it was like to follow along in their early days as a fan. We are not casual fans. We have been following wrestling on and off for almost 30 years now. We talk/tweet it about it regularly with people who by and large share our views. Yet the part of our fan-brain that accepts many people blindly love John Cena is not in concert with the part of the fan-brain that presumes Cabana would be an overnight sensation. In reality, he'd probably be met with a heavy dose of "Who's this effing guy?"
Again, it's not that I don't respect and admire Colt Cabana. Like I said earlier, we were practically neighbors as kids. But he may not be the right guy at the right time, despite all the creative possibilities.
• • •
David: Diverging from the topic of Colt Cabana a bit, we're gearing up for the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view this weekend, and I wonder what your thoughts are on the Ryback situation. Personally, I'm not a huge fan. I don't see much in the way of charisma and, frankly, don't get what all the fuss is about. However, I'm not even sure it matters. As it stands right now, John Cena has announced he has been medically cleared to return to the ring, but doesn't have a match for the PPV. I'm getting the feeling the scheduled Ryback/Punk encounter may be a moot point.
I know you are on record as believing or hoping CM Punk's involvement with Paul Heyman is leading to a feud with Brock Lesnar. Could we see seeds of that planted this weekend? What if Lesnar were to appear in Atlanta and incapacitate Ryback, leading to Cena having to step in for the Hell in a Cell match?
What do you think? Will Ryback actually get a shot at the WWE title? Is it his time?
• • •
Scott: Of the many Hell in a Cell suggestions, that's not one I've considered. In his recent Best and Worst of Raw recap, Brandon Stroud suggested Cena's involvement in the AJ resignation story serves as his departure from the championship picture for the time being, the same way his entanglement with first Miz and R-Truth, then Kane and Zack Ryder, gave him something to do between Hell in a Cell 2011 and WrestleMania XXVIII. Whatever the case, Cena's endorsement of Ryback before the contract signing, then in-ring stump speech for him this week on Raw, are fine examples of the creative staff admitting there is no real depth to the Cena character.
There were good reasons to not force Ryback to go through Cena to get to Punk. What was unclear, though, is why they couldn't just let Cena stay at home for a few weeks top nurse his injury. We saw the crowd reactions when Ryback came out at the end of the Punk-Vince McMahon match — none of that was due to Cena's blessing. So why retcon the story that way? Why not just let it be a matter of McMahon rewarding the guy who saved his butt with a title shot?
On this week's International Object podcast, Rich and KSP made great points about how the Ryback character is great because he isn't really a character. There's zero depth, and the crowd simply reacts as it chooses, or the way it's led to based entirely on his opponent. When Ryback came out to destroy Punk, the fans went wild because they'd just been booing Punk for three hours. But if Ryback came out in exactly the same manner to destroy someone like Randy Orton, then he'd be the one drawing the jeers.
Getting back to your main question, though, I agree — I'm not seeing the Ryback thing. David Shoemaker made some great points about this little run in his Grantland piece previewing the show, and maybe I'm not getting Ryback because I'm not the kind of fan the writers are trying to cater to. I can accept that. At the very least I'm interested to see if the two are allowed to have a long match and how well Ryback does being on TV for 10 minutes or longer. I loved Rich Thomas' theory of them destroying the cell, but I think the common prediction of Lesnar's involvement in some fashion is going to win out.
Of course, there's more than just one match on this show. What else are you looking forward to seeing Sunday?
• • •
David: There are two main things I'm looking forward to. The first is the tag team title match. I'm loving the Rhodes Scholars, and can't wait to see what they can do in a match with Daniel Bryan and Kane.
The second isn't even a match. I can't wait to see how Dolph Ziggler gets involved with the World Heavyweight Title match. He has vowed to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and I'm hoping Big Show wins the title in a brutal match, only to lose it to Ziggler in a short amount of time. That would be an interesting event, especially since last year's 45-second loss to Bryan has been mentioned on television recently.
Is there anything specific you're excited about or hoping to happen?
• • •
Scott: I am surprised Ziggler's briefcase has kind of faded into the background, and I agree there would be some nice symmetry to having him take the belt from Big Show the same way Show lost it in December. That could set up a great program with Ziggler and Big Show feuding over the belt, though I'm not sure the writers would be fond of pairing those two, especially since it would leave Sheamus arguably without a logical next step.
Along those lines, one of the things I would like to see more of, either at Hell in a Cell or subsequent television, is a bit more of the Big Show-Sheamus interaction we've seen recently wherein Big Show speaks what many fans have been saying: Sheamus is an overgrown child who would rather make bad jokes than be serious about being a champion. It's a weird comparison to make given these remarks are coming from an establishment superstar like Big Show, but to me it evokes what CM Punk said about John Cena in June and July 2011. When the so called "bad guys" speak the truth and try to make the fan favorites accountable for their questionable words or deeds, it gives the fans who consider the depth of the characters something to appreciate.
But looking at the show itself, the card is somewhat disappointing. The match outcomes may not be predictable, but I also don't especially care if Randy Orton beats Alberto Del Rio. I like to harp on how close together certain pay-per-view events are on the WWE schedule, but it's been about six weeks since Night of Champions, and the major stories have grown incredibly stale despite plenty of time to add depth. Only the tag team scene has flourished in the interim, but as long as fans have pined for that development, I'm loath to complain. Further, we've seen "The Main Event" on Ion become something of appointment television. If nothing else, it's a reminder WWE can present shows in more than one format, and that knowing the outcome of a match doesn't mean the presentation of said match will be boring. We all know "MacBeth" is rife with tragedy, but it still packs theaters worldwide so long as the performers are up to snuff.
I am curious on your thoughts about the Intercontinental title. Does Kofi Kingston retain? If so, why? If not, why not?
David: It's an interesting question, specifically because I think that Kofi divides the fans. If you read Brandon Stroud's "Best and Worst of Raw" column every week, he has given numerous reasons why he think Kofi Kingston is not a very good professional wrestler. The analytical fans, which is the group Mr. Stroud courts with his writing, see him as sloppy, and not very believable.
However, I think the casual fans, who don't put a microscope on the WWE's product, probably don't se Kofi the same way. They see him do flashy moves, and while the more analytical fans deride those moves and the "Boom Drop" for not makong sense psychologically, and not being performed very well, the casual fan gets a visceral thrill that probably defies the analysis.
In figuring who is going to win the match, it would seem to make sense to try to figure out which group the WWE cares more about. Signs point to Kofi retaining, in my estimation. Additionally, I feel like they've built him up in such a way over the past few weeks (with mic time, and the big title win on Main Event, which has indeed become appointment television) that his win seems to be a no-brainer. Of course, when it comes to the WWE, is anything really a no-brainer? I guess we'll find out at Hell in a Cell.
As always, thanks for reading — please feel free to contact us via Twitter or the comments section. Your feedback is appreciated!


text:
>> Back to Chocolate & Zucchini <<
Log in to check your private messages
Last posts feed
Log in
Ground Beef Safety?
Goto page
Chocolate & Zucchini Forum Index
Cooking & Eating
View previous topic
View next topic
Joined: 02 Nov 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Los Angeles
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:04 am
Post subject: Ground Beef Safety?
I just heard about another beef recall from an E.Coli death in the northeast. Is just doesn't seem safe to eat ground beef unless you are getting it from a local source. I first learned about this issue by watching Food, Inc. the movie and it just seems like the government is just not doing enough. Does anyone grind their own meat or offer any other solutions?
Back to top
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 236
Location: Madison, WI
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 2:36 am
Post subject:
I heard a radio interview with the New York Times reporter who wrote the story about the young dance teacher who became permanently paralyzed after eating ground beef. The sad thing is that the woman was apparently mostly vegetarian but ate meat when visiting her parents and at the houses of other people who like meat.
This reporter says that it is not even safe to grind your own beef unless you are really careful about its source and how it was processed. He claims that the outside of many cuts of meat gets fecal contamination. When the beef is ground, the problem is that bacteria from the surface gets driven into the whole piece of meat, and does not stay on the surface where it gets sterilized when the meat is browned. Disgusting, isn't it? He claims that grinding meat at home is probably safer than eating commercially processed ground beef, where meat from many different animals is mixed together, but it is not safe for things like hamburgers that don
't get cooked all the way through. Ground beef that is crumbled and cooked all the way through as in spaghetti sauce or chili may be better, as there are no undercooked parts. I have tried grinding meat in a food processor in the past. I have stopped doing it, because the food processor itself is not easy to sterilize. The whole interview weirded me out a LOT but I have reminded myself that probably millions of people eat hamburgers daily world-wide, and a lot of those hamburgers are consumed in places like MacDonalds and Burger King which are not picky about sourcing their meat. We do not eat a lot of hamburgers in my house. I am now even a bit more wary than I was before about cooking them.
P.S. Talk about weird! None of the dogs in my family (we are a dog-loving family) will eat meat that has been ground. They will eat any other meat. What are they smelling in it that we do not?
Back to top
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 1855
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:03 pm
Post subject:
Dory you have very odd dogs!!!! lol
I cannot recall anyone I've known getting ill from eating ground beef. I've read the articles of outbreaks of e. coli infected meat frequently, almost always sourced in the U.S. and tonnes of food is destroyed. I personally don't concern myself with the issue and consistently prefer my hamburgers pink and juicy. I'll take the risk. Truthfully though most of my beef is currently purchased from a farmwomen a few miles from my house, but that has not always been the case by any stretch. I guess I just resign myself to the idea that there isn't anything in life without a certain degree of risk, but I would have to consider the meat issue pretty darned low risk. I say Barbeque on!!!
Back to the dogs, mine love their morning snack of bits of bread tossed to them outside---but 2 of them refuse to eat white bread, it's gotta be grainy or they aren't interested!
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!
Back to top
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 236
Location: Madison, WI
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:02 am
Post subject:
At ages 7 and 18 I have at least one very old girl. It must be all of the hamburger she is not eating (lol)! Actually, though, I agree with you David. We are not a very hamburger eating household, perhaps because my husband is South American. However, I think that like the threat of kidnapping that seems to have all parents terrorized, the threat of food borne illness is, I think, exaggerated. I think we should be reasonably cautious, and buy our food--especially meat from careful sources, but at the same time we should not ruin our lives with panic. That said, the interview I heard on the radio about the meat packing industry was so gruesome that I will wait until the memory fades before serving hamburger to my family.
Back to top
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 552
Location: Central Kentucky
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:16 am
Post subject:
To address the original question, I always grind my own meat.
No, it's not through fear of contamination. On that issue I agree with Dory. Rather, I grind my own as a form of quality control. I mean, who knows what's going into that pre-ground stuff? What cuts (i.e., scraps)? What grade? And how long have they been sitting around, both before and after grinding?
Then there's the matter of not getting ground meats that I want. Ground lamb is all but impossible to find, around here. And when it is it is pre-frozen New Zealand lamb. Veal? I would never trust somebody else's ground veal. At what that stuff costs, I'm sure there aren't any real cuts used for it. Etc.
We do a lot of game here, as well. Who's going to grind my venison if I don't do it myself? On another thread we discussed my seafood lollipops. You think there's a commercial source of ground fish & seafood? Maybe the catfood factory, but nowheres I shop.
Given the relatively low cost of meat grinders, and the kind of control one gives me, there's just no other option IMO.
Back to top
Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 450
Location: a Dutchie in HongKong
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 9:09 am
Post subject:
wow, I'm impressed. Im I the only one who just happily buys the supermarkets (okay, an upmarket supermarket - and I have no good butcher here) or the supermarket's Butcher's ground beef and cook with it?
(here in HK it's american or australian and always prefrozen. Nothing to be done about that)
I never leave it pink though - I make pastasauces or meatballs or stirfry it, so it's allways well-done. And I do consider that safe. And it's tasty enough. Probably not the highest quality - but not bad at all!
or am I making a mistake here?
(well, no room or energy anyway to do the home grinding-thing, but oh - guys, I do admire you!)
Back to top
Joined: 17 Aug 2005
Posts: 307
Location: Far, far away
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:19 am
Post subject:
Never say never, but it's gotten to the point where I just don't buy meat very much anymore, and when I do, I generally will pay more at the farmers market.
This is especially the case when it comes to sausage and ground meats.
I live in an area (Mid-Atlantic USA) where there are lots of inexpensive sources for meat, i.e., stores catering to Asian, Latino/a and African populations and I've never heard of families getting sick or dying because of the inexpensive meats they buy there.
However, I am also swayed by arguments about the more humane ways small, independent local operations raise pasture-grazing animals that are destined for our stoves and our tables.
As for grinding your own meat, I've done it in a food processor and know it does improve the flavor when making a time-consuming ragu. (I saved some to make a hamburger, once, and it really was better, too, but I rarely eat burgers at home.)
I also find the ground bison I purchase from local farmers more flavorful than ground beef.
Back to top
Joined: 23 Jan 2006
Posts: 1324
Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:14 pm
Post subject:
I'm reminded of Alton Brown's "Burger of the Gods"--
8 ounces chuck, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
8 ounces sirloin, trimmed, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
In separate batches, pulse the chuck and the sirloin in a food processor 10 times. Combine the chuck, sirloin, and kosher salt in a large bowl. Form the meat into 5-ounce patties.
Back to top
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 552
Location: Central Kentucky
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 2:24 am
Post subject:
Hmmmmm? Typical Alton Brown. Divide 16 ounces into 5-ounce patties and you get 3 patties and an extra ounce. Uh, huh!
Most people would just divide that mixture (if they used it, as there are some problems with it) into four even parts and form the parts into patties.
BTW, I don't like grinding meat in a food processor, as even with pulsing there isn't complete control, and it's easy to liquify some of the meat while other parts of it remain in chunks.
Another tip, whether you use a food processor or meat grinder. Cut your meat into manageable sized pieces. Season the pieces with whatever herbs and spices you are using. Then grind the meat. This assure even distribution of the flavoring ingredients, whereas seasoning after grinding can result in little pockets of herbs and spices. Plus, if you wait until afterwards, there's always the danger of overworking the meat, particularly for burgers.
Back to top
Joined: 23 Jan 2006
Posts: 1324
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:13 pm
Post subject:
Sorry, 5
and one third ounce
should make up these burgers!
I'm almost sure I saw Alton somewhere actually hand chopping (like with 2 sharp knives) some beef too, but I can't locate any reference to it now.
Back to top
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 552
Location: Central Kentucky
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 9:13 pm
Post subject:
Ginger, 5 1/3 ounces is your interpretation. Here, from Alton's printed recipe, is exactly what he says:
[i]In separate batches, pulse the chuck and the sirloin in a food processor 10 times. Combine the chuck, sirloin, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
Form the meat into 5-ounce patties.[/
Basically what you originally wrote.
Please understand I was not criticizing you. Rather, this recipe demonstrates one of the many reasons why I'm less than enamoured with Mr. Brown. I don't care for his schtick---far as I'm concerned, while he thinks he's a wit I think he's about half right---he continually contradicts himself based on commercial considerations (just how much multi-tasking can you do with a deep fryer or a waffle iron?), and he often makes egregious errors of fact---particularly when it comes to food history.
Mostly what I don't like is his my-way-or-the-highway approach to cooking. The fact is there are numerous ways of achieving any cooking task, and the idea that Alton Brown has the one true word of God while others do not is just repugnant to me.
He always puts me in mind of my buddy Roger, who is an heirlooms tomato authority. Roger starts all his presentations the same way: "There is only one "right" way to grow tomatoes; that's the method that works for you." Cooking is the same, a lesson Alton Brown needs to learn.
I also resent it when he takes credit for things that are clearly not of his doing. If you need an example, take a look at the history of Thousand Island Dressing. Then look at "his" innovation, which makes it ever so much better.
Back to top
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 236
Location: Madison, WI
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:29 pm
Post subject:
I watch Alton Brown occasionally, and sometimes (but far from always) learn something. I learned from him that butter freezes well and was vindicated in my assertion that mushrooms do not absorb much water when washed or even soaked in water. I also do not like his assumption that he has the one best way to cook, and I often find his humor over the top.
I have the same issue with Cooks Illustrated magazine, although for some reason I can tolerate their TV show. By definition, cooking is a matter of taste, and we cook to please our own tastes and those of our loved ones-- not the statistical preferences of someone's readers.
I only occasionally eat meat, and prefer locally sourced meat. I also prefer bison to beef when eating red meat. However I am married to a Colombian, and most people with the exception of the very poor eat meat at every meal-- including breakfast-- and usually in very large quantities. I try to cut down on the quantities consumed, and also buy what I can from organic or local sources, but just can't afford it, so I end up going to places like super Target where I basically have no idea where the meat comes from except that it is probably not local. I may start grinding my own, but not in my food processor. It doesn't come out right, and it doesn't seem sanitary.
Back to top
Joined: 20 Oct 2009
Posts: 8
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:16 am
Post subject:
I mostly do mine in a food processor. Works fine. I had a meat grinder but it was corroded so tried it out in the processor one day and didn't look back.
Back to top
Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Posts: 552
Location: Central Kentucky
Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:50 pm
Post subject:
It doesn't come out right, and it doesn't seem sanitary.
As noted above, I agree with you about it not coming out right. There can be consistency problems using a food processor to grind meat. And a food processor can also overheat the meat while it's being worked---one of the reasons they recommend pulsing instead of running full bore.
But I'm confused about your last point.
Why would a food processor be any more or less sanitary than a meat grinder? In fact, because of the small holes in the grinding plates, it's probably more difficult to clean a meat grinder properly than to clean a food processor.
Back to top
Joined: 11 Nov 2007
Posts: 236
Location: Madison, WI
Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 7:35 pm
Post subject:
This is my issue with sanitation. I am careful, and squeamish about mixing tools that I use on raw meat and those that I use with other ingredients like vegetables. I don't worry about things like knives that are made out of impermeable materials, and can be easily and carefully sanitized. However, I use separate cutting boards and dish sponges (actually, I am VERY careful about keeping meat sponges clean) for meat and vegetables, and I carefully sanitize the meat cutting boards after each use. Obviously I do not worry about pots and pans, as they are heated to the point where cross contamination is not an issue, and I do not worry about cooked meat as long as it is not spoiled. I fearlessly slice pot roast on the vegetable curring board, for example. However, I don't like mixing raw meat and other ingredients in the food processor. Plastic is very porous.You can see that when you use plastic containers for tomatoes, for example, and my food processor is full of tiny scratches. Worse, for me, I live in a 90 year old house with an ancient kitchen that does not have tons of storage space, so we have chosen not to sacrifice storage for a dishwasher-- yet-- although I am coming close, and I am not sure hand washing sanitizes dishes as much as a dishwasher. I don't think I have OCD, but raw meat cross-contamination grosses me out. If I had a designated meat food processor and it worked well, I would use it, but for now, I like to keep meat and veggies separate when raw. I don't like, for example, making biscuits in the same food processor I have just used for grinding meat. Again, I think I am probably over the top on this issue. Food processors (and cutting boards) dry out between uses, and I doubt that many harmful bacteria actually survive on them.
Back to top
Display posts from previous:
All Posts
1 Day
7 Days
2 Weeks
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
Oldest First
Newest First
Chocolate & Zucchini Forum Index
Cooking & Eating
All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Goto page
Jump to:
Select a forum
Chocolate & Zucchini
C&Z Guidelines and Announcements
Suggestion box
Cooking & Eating
The Chocolate & Zucchini Cookbook
Recipe Box
Restaurants & Travel
Paris & France
Around the world on a zucchini
Other things
Other things
post new topics in this forum
reply to topics in this forum
edit your posts in this forum
delete your posts in this forum
vote in polls in this forum
Powered by
© 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


text:
This small, wheel-thrown spoon rest was made of white stoneware clay and fired to vitrification for strength and durability. It was fired to 2300 degrees with a long heat soak to allow the glazes time to produce colors that are varied and subtle. (See picture #4.) The raised spiral in the center helps prevent sauce spoons from sticking.
About 5 inches across and 1 1/4 inch high.
Food-safe. Okay in microwave and dishwasher.
If you buy more than one item the shipping may be more than it should be. If it is I will combine the shipping and refund the overcharge. If you want an estimate of the actual shipping before buying contact me.
I accept Paypal, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, etc.
Orders are very carefully packed and shipped the next business day. In the states I ship Priority Mail, Parcel Select, Priority Mail Express, or UPS.
I ship Internationally to many countries. I do not ship to some countries where I've had problems with delivery, customs, or insurance, or other retailers have reported problems with lost shipments (such as Italy, Russia, and Brazil). Internationally I ship Priority Mail International and Priority Mail Express International.
In order to pack pots to prevent the Post Office and UPS from damaging them, they have to be very carefully packed with a lot of packing material, so shipping is expensive, especially internationally.
If you buy multiple items the shipping charge may be considerably more than the actual cost. If it is I will send you a refund for the overcharge. If you are buying multiple items and think the shipping charge is too much, let me know, but keep in mind that shipping pottery is very expensive because of the weight of fired clay and its fragility.
The closer you live to Georgia, the cheaper the shipping.
Customer Satisfaction Guarantee: If, for any reason, you are not happy with your purchase, return the pottery (undamaged, carefully packed and insured) within 10 days of receipt for a full refund of the purchase price. Shipping is not refunded.
Shipping both ways is refunded if the problem is caused by a mistake on my part or a defect in the pottery. Again, it must be returned within 10 days of receipt (You have 10 days to ship it back. It may take 15 or so days for us to receive it.)
If the pottery arrives damaged due to shipping, put the pottery back in the box packed the way it was before you opened it and contact me so that I can file a claim with the USPS or UPS.
Please checkout my website at JimSandefur.com.


text:
Selecting your vehicle's make, model, and year allows us to display only parts and items specific to your car's model and year.
Part# KR02115
Be the First to Review
OPGI Price: $17.99
Part Type: (R) = Authentic reproduction of the original GM product
Years: 1970-1972
Sold As: EACH
2018 Monte Carlo Catalog Page: 75
These original style mounting brackets help keep the OE radio stable in the dash. Precision-manufactured to factory specs, these sturdy steel brackets feature the correctly tooled angles as well as mounting points. Requires one per vehicle.


text:
Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed in early 2010, there have been a lot of legal challenges that have come to the forefront of the healthcare reform debate, including the individual mandate, Medicaid expansion, and federal regulation of state commerce to name just a few. In an issue brief released by the Kaiser Family Foundation on December 9, 2013, the authors reviewed the most recent challenge taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court. In late November 2013, the Court accepted two separate cases to decide on the constitutionality of whether the contraceptive mandate, a requirement of the ACA, infringes on protections of religious freedom under the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA).
The brief outlines the two cases, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores and Conestoga Wood Specialties v. Sebelius, and discusses the potential ramifications if the Court does not uphold the mandate. Currently, nonprofit, religiously affiliated organizations (i.e., houses of worship) are exempted from the mandate that requires all new private insurance plans to provide access to all FDA approved contraceptive methods. However, "insurance companies are required to cover the cost of contraceptives for employees of religiously affiliated organizations that have requested… [a religious]… accommodation at no cost to the employees or the employers." To qualify for the accommodation the organization must have religious objections to providing some or all contraceptive coverage, file as a nonprofit, advertise as a religious organization in the public domain, and self-certify that they meet the first three criteria.
The Court's decision, expected by June 2014, will try to lay to rest whether for-profit, private businesses should be afforded the same protection of rights as individuals and religious organizations under the First Amendment and the RFRA, which could have broad reaching policy implications for both equality for women in the workplace and religious freedom.
To read the entire issue brief, click HERE


text:
Copyright Maximalism Never Rests: TPP Talks Continue In Singapore
from the unfortunate dept
What's most amazing is that the USTR doesn't seem to recognize that the playing field has changed since the last time they did this. The rejection of SOPA, followed by the widespread rejection of ACTA (even if the USTR is in total denial about this) shows that the public is not at all willing to accept backroom deals that fundamentally expand bad patent and copyright policies around the globe and (worse) lock us in to things that the public does not believe are legitimate.
The USTR's continued insistence on secrecy, combined with the few leaks of information showing just how extreme a position they're setting out for themselves on patents and copyrights, suggests an organization so totally out of touch that it is destroying its own credibility. Any reasonable organization would recognize that the old backroom negotiations method of creating these kinds of deals is no longer acceptable. That the USTR refuses to admit this only increases awareness of just how out of touch the organization and its leadership remain.


text:
Defying the Rules of War
In this issue, George A. Lopez argues that the war on terror has led us into a no man's land of Dirty Harry ethics. The argument for a no-holds-barred approach to terrorism runs: We are in a dirty war, so we have to fight dirty. If they are nasty, we have to be nastier. President George W. Bush has repeatedly defended Israel's war against Hezbollah as a war against terror. A report on Aug. 23 by Amnesty International charges, however, that in a glaring example of Dirty Harry ethics, Israel grossly flouted the humanitarian law of war. Both in Lebanon and Israel the overwhelming number of victims were civilians. According to Amnesty, many of the Israeli air attacks on Lebanonlike Hezbollah's rocket attacks against Israelwere indiscriminate, that is, aimed at civilians. In addition, the Israeli air campaign and artillery bombardments were disproportionate, that is, the collateral damage to civilians and civilian infrastructure far exceeded any reasonable military gain.
Israeli and American spokesmen argued that the destruction was necessary because Hezbollah hides among civilians. As in Vietnam, it seems, We had to destroy the village to save it. During World War II, 45 percent of casualties were civilian. At the time of Vietnam, the figure rose to 65 percent. In recent years, the numbers have exceeded 90 percent, as they did in this latest conflict.
It is high time to reaffirm the humanitarian law of war. Slaughtering civilians does not win hearts and minds; it does not win wars; and it erases the moral differences between terrorism and legitimate military operations. The fact that terrorists do it never justifies our side's doing itstill more lethally.
Declaring Victory
James Fallows, a former speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, has just penned a speech for President Bush to deliver. Fallows proposes the president declare victory in the war on terror. Here is why:
- The U.S. has suffered no quick follow-up attack after Sept. 11;
- Our military found those responsible for 9/11, killed them and captured others involved;
- We have turned the world's conscience against such barbarous acts.
Fallows hopes this speech, or one like it, might help the president consolidate our nation's gains, move our thinking (and our troops?) away from the war in Iraq and back to the broader project of coping with terrorism.
He realizes that terrorism will not stop just because we claim victory, but stopping our overreactions would keep us from handing the terrorists an easy advantage. Fallows also argues that by claiming to have reached one set of limited goals, we define an endpoint to the operation and get our wheels out of the mud so we can move on. The point is to cope with terrorism, not simply fear ita resilient attitude that would surprise and deflate the terrorists.
Fallows has come up with a new kind of containment theorycontaining not the physical reach of terrorism (our world is too small for that), but its malignant spread through our collective psyche. And whatever the full merits or demerits of his theory, he has his finger on something that the latest New York Times poll corroboratesthat the American people themselves have begun to separate the war in Iraq from the war on terror. (The Fallows piece appears in the September issue of The Atlantic.)
Into the Open
Last year, during his stay in the Aosta valley in northern Italy, Pope Benedict XVI met with the diocesan clergy and gave a lengthy and wide-ranging address. In response to words of welcome, he said, "The pope is not an oracle; he is infallible on the rarest of occasions, as we know." These words were an early hint of the courtesy and humility that have marked Benedict's papacy. Those characteristics were highlighted last month, when he sat down with four prominent newscasters from his native Germany in preparation for his second visit to his homeland.
Benedict responded to questions about world peace, ecumenism, moral issues, the church and Germany. He said that Catholicism is a positive option. "We have heard so much about what is not allowed; now it is time to say we have a positive idea to offer...the human person must always be respected as a human person. But all this is clearer if you say it first in a positive way."
He expressed pleasure that aspects of the German character that were not seen before are coming to light. "Germans are not just reserved, punctual and disciplined. They are also spontaneous, happy and hospitable."
When he was asked how he sees himself, he responded: "Let me say that my basic personality and even my basic vision have grown, but in everything that is essential I have remained identical. I am happy that certain aspects that were not noticed at first are now coming into the open."
Gute Reise, Heiliger Vater!


text:
Pic of the dayHere's my chosen picture of the day for this blog and I hope you enjoy it. It's presented as a fine art wrapped canvas. Click to see it from different angles and customize with your size.
»visit the HightonRidley store for more designs and products like this


text:
Sponsors & SupportersPlease support the businesses who support us.
J and J InteriorsHave been around for some 20 years working on commercial building sites. J and J interiors specialise in Dry Walls and Ceilings involved in multi story residential units and commercial fit outs. We pride ourselves in producing a high quality job with the client's best interest always our main priority.


text:
You have no items to compare.
You have no items in your shopping cart.
Bold & On-Trend. Uncompromisingly stylish. Apparel for wardrobes that are to be envied.
6 Item(s)
There are no products matching the selection.
Address:FancyPants Apparels LLP, 4th Floor, Pace House,NS Road Number 1, JVPD Scheme,Opp Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle W Mumbai - 400056
Phone: +91 9769012406
Working Hours:
Get all the latest information on Events,Sales and Offers. Sign up for newsletter today.
Enter your e-mail Address


text:
As ever, my glorious mincemeat was made by the CCM's (Caked Crusader's Ma) own fair hand using Delia Smith's recipe. To quote Bruce Forsyth, "didn't she do well?"
This year I have used mincemeat in three ways and although all three use shortcrust pastry and mincemeat, they all somehow taste different.
To start, here are star topped mince tarts. These are quite traditional but by having less pastry on top, they are lighter and allow the mincemeat to take a starring role.
Is it just me, or can anyone else see that the way the star drapes over the mincemeat looks just like Patrick Star (of Spongebob fame) lying on top of his rock? You have no idea how much time I spent surfing the net for a picture of Patrick on his rock to prove this but couldn't find one.
The reason I started thinking about Patrick was because the first star cutter I used looked more like a starfish. You can see it in this photo – it's the middle one in the far left column:
I find these pretty. I like the clean, unfussy lines of them:
The second way of using mincemeat came from one of my Swiss cookbooks and I've never seen the idea anywhere else – mincemeat rolls:
You roll shortcrust pastry out into a rectangle, completely cover it with mincemeat and then roll it up. After chilling (the mincement roll, not you!) it cuts beautifully into slices and you bake it.
Here they are raw ...ok, I realise they look like Vincent Van Gogh threw a wild party and everyone got carried away!
The third version is frangipane topped mince pies. This is a standard mince pie but instead of a pastry top, the tart is given an almond sponge layer.
For the shortcrust pastry (I found this amount makes approx 16 tarts but it depends on how thick you have the pastry and the size of your bun tin etc):
230g plain flour
160g unsalted butter
4 tablespoons icing sugar
2 egg yolk
- Add the icing sugar and stir in.
- Add the egg yolk and bring the dough together until it is smooth, glossy and soft.
- Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before you need to use it – this relaxes the dough and stops the cooked pastry from shrinking.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Do not eat yet – it's raw!
Star topped mince pies
Shortcrust pastry – recipe set out above. 1 quantity will yield approx 16 tarts
8-10 tablespoons mincemeat (approx half a tablespoon for each tart)
Splash of milk, for glazing
2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
How to make:
- Use the appropriate amount of the shortcrust pastry (recipe above) for how many tarts you wish to make.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- If you trust the non-stick of your patty tin there is no need to grease it as the pastry contains so much butter. If in doubt I'd say you're best off greasing it as it would be too heartbreaking to ruin your tarts getting them out of the tin.
- Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 0.5cm.
- Using a cutter cut out 16 pastry discs and line the patty tin. Re-roll the pastry as required – it's quite good natured and will take many re-rolls.
- Spoon the mincemeat into the pastry discs. The mincemeat bubbles when it cooks so to keep the pastry edge nice and clean don't put too much mincemeat in. I found half to three quarters of a tablespoon was ideal.
- Cut out stars and top each mince pie with one.
- Brush the stars with milk and then sprinkle over the golden caster sugar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden and looks cooked.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing the mince pies. This is because the pastry is fragile on coming out of the oven.
- Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely.
- These will keep for a week in an airtight tin.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.
Mincemeat rolls
Shortcrust pastry – recipe set out above. 1 quantity will yield 2 rolls from which you will get approx 20 slices)
1 jar of mincemeat (standard jam jar size)
- Use the appropriate amount of the shortcrust pastry (recipe above) for how many rolls you wish to make.
- Cut the pastry in two as it is more manageable to roll out a smaller amount.
- Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until it is about 0.5cm thick. Try to roll it so you end up with a neat rectangle.
- Spoon mincemeat all over the pastry leaving a gap on the long edge.
- Roll the pastry up using the paper to help you.
- Wrap tightly in clingfilm and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Repeat with the other piece of pastry.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Line two biscuit trays with baking paper.
- Remove the mincemeat roll from the fridge and cut into slices 1-1.5 cm thick. I found that a serrated bread knife gave the cleanest cut.
- Place the slices on the baking trays a little apart. They will expand on baking but not much.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked.
- Cool for 10 minutes on their trays before using a spatula to transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely.
- These will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.
Follow the ingredients and method for the star topped mince pies set out above but, before baking make the frangipane topping.
For the frangipane topping:
100g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
100g ground almonds
1 level tablespoon plain flour
1 teaspoon almond extract
For decoration: handful of flaked almonds
How to make:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
- Follow the recipe for the star topped mince pies until you have the pastry cases filled with mincemeat in the patty tin.
- Now make the frangipane topping. Place the butter and sugar in the food processor and blend until soft and creamy.
- Add the eggs and blitz some more until well combined.
- Add the ground almonds, flour and almond extract and blitz again.
- Spoon the frangipane onto the mincemeat and then, if desired, scatter some flaked almonds on top.
- Bake for approximately 2o minutes or until the pastry and frangipane look golden and cooked.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before turning out to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
- Eat.


text:
By Daniel J. Lasker
Daniel J. Lasker is Norbert Blechner Professor of Jewish Values at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, and is chair of the Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought. His landmark work Jewish Philosophical Polemics against Christianity in the Middle Ages, originally published in 1977, was recently republished with a new introduction in 2007.We Jews in Israel have been praying for rain since the seventh of Marheshvan (the night of Thursday, October 18), but, unfortunately, so far the prayers have generally not yet been answered (especially in Beer Sheva where I live). Next week, it will be the chance of Jews who live in the Diaspora to pray for rain, beginning in Maariv of the night of Wednesday, December 5 (the eve of December 6). As undoubtedly all readers of the Seforim blog know, the dates for asking for rain (adding the words ve-ten tal u-matar li-verakha to the ninth blessing of the Shemoneh Esreh, in the Ashkenazi and Nusah Sefarad rites; or changing the form of that blessing from Barkheinu to Bareikh Aleinu, in what is now usually known as the Edot ha-Mizrah rite) are different for the Land of Israel and for the Diaspora. Perhaps not all readers know 1) why there is a difference; 2) why most years one begins the prayer in Maariv of December 4 (the eve of December 5); and 3) why one begins on December 5 this year.
This is Professor Lasker's first post at the Seforim blog.
Mishnah Ta'anit 1:3 reads: "On the third of Marheshvan one is to begin praying for rain; Rabban Gamaliel says: 'On the seventh of that month, fifteen days after the feast of Tabernacles, so that even the tardiest Israelite may reach the Euphrates [on the return journey from the pilgrimage to Jerusalem].'" The Talmud (Ta'anit 10a) records Rabbi Eleazar as stating that the law follows Rabban Gamaliel. Despite the fact that the pilgrimage on Sukkot is no longer binding, and modern methods of transportation obviate the need to wait two weeks for the pilgrims to return home, the practice has remained constant: in the Land of Israel, she'elat geshamim (the prayer for rain) begins on the eve of the seventh of Marheshvan.
The same Talmudic passage records that, in the Golah, the practice was to wait "until the sixtieth [day] of the [autumnal] equinox (ad shishim ba-tequfah)" before beginning the prayer. No explanation is given for this difference between Israel and Babylonia, but there are good reasons to believe that it has to do with the meteorological and agricultural differences between the countries. Jews in Babylonia did not need, nor did they want, the winter rains to begin until two thirds of the autumn season had passed; therefore, they waited longer before beginning the prayer. Both communities, however, began "mentioning" rain (mashiv ha-ruah) on Shemini Atzeret, and they ceased mentioning rain and saying the special prayer for rain at Passover.[1]
What about Jews in other countries? Should Jews in these areas pray for rain according to the needs of their own country of residence, as did Jews in the Land of Israel and in Babylonia, or should they employ an already established schedule? Since Babylonian procedures were usually followed in the whole Diaspora, it became the practice of Jews almost everywhere outside the Land of Israel to offer their prayers for rain on the same dates as did their Babylonian coreligionists.[2]
This generalization did not go unchallenged, and the most noteworthy attempt to alter the practice was made by Rabbeinu Asher ben Yehiel (Rosh, c. 1250-1328). He tried to establish the principle that each Jewish community would pray for rain when they actually needed it in their country; this attempt was rebuffed by his contemporaries. The Rosh's failure to innovate a change in the practice, no matter how sensible it might have seemed, was a major reason why no one in the northern hemisphere ever again challenged the prevailing practice. Questions did arise, however, when Jews migrated to areas in the southern hemisphere, when the order of the seasons is reversed. Rabbinic opinion has usually held that the Babylonian pattern should be followed even when the local winter occurs during summer in Babylonia and vice versa. The result is that to this day, Jews throughout the Diaspora set their liturgical calendar in this regard according to the agricultural needs of Iraq, a country which is now almost devoid of Jews.[3]
But why December 4? The Talmud says "the sixtieth day of the autumnal equinox," and the autumnal equinox this year fell on September 23, 2007, at 5:51 AM, on the American eastern seaboard, making the sixtieth day on November 21.[4] The answer to this question is to be found in a miscalculation of the length of the year. Present-day astronomers calculate the mean solar year to be 365.2422 days (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds). This is slightly shorter than the 365.25 days (365 days, 6 hours) assumed by Samuel, the third century amora and astronomer, who gave the rules for calculating the equinoxes and solstices (Eruvin 56a). This is the same assumption which is at the basis of the Julian calendar as well.
The discrepancy between the assumed length of the year and actual length may not seem like much; it is only .0078 days (11 minutes, 14 seconds) a year. Yet, over a period of a thousand years, a difference of 7.8 days (1000 x .0078) exists between a system based on assumed length (the Julian calendar or Samuel's tequfot) and one based on actual length. It is this difference which led the Catholic Church under Pope Gregory XIII to correct the Julian calendar by dropping 10 days in 1582 (the day after Thursday, October 4 became Friday, October 15), thus creating the Gregorian calendar. To prevent further problems, three leap years were eliminated every 400 years, so that only century years divisible by 400 were leap years. This system, which eventually caught on in the whole world, is not perfect, since in 3300 years another one day discrepancy accumulates.
In Samuel's calculation, however, there are exactly 365 ¼ days in a year, and each tequfah (solstice or equinox) lasts exactly 91 days and 7 ½ hours (despite the disparate lengths of the various seasons). One autumnal equinox (tequfat tishrei) falls exactly 365 ¼ days after the previous one. Samuel's calculation has kept in step with the Julian calendar throughout the centuries, and, therefore, just as in Samuel's time tequfat tishrei fell on the Julian September 24, so, too, today it invariably falls on that date. In this century, however, the Julian September 24 is the Gregorian October 7. The sixtieth day after October 7 is December 5, and one generally begins saying tal u-matar in the Maariv before December 5, namely on December 4.
So why is this year different from all other years, or at least the last three years? This is a function of the exact hour when the equinox falls. Although it is always on October 7, in a four year cycle the tequfah will come at 03:00, 09:00, 15:00 and 21:00 (check your synagogue luah for the times). The fourth year is always a Hebrew year divisible by four (5768), or the year before a civil leap year (2008); in that year, tequfat tishrei is after dark (21:00) and, therefore, it is considered the next day (October 8). Fifty-nine days later is December 6 and tal u-matar begins in Maariv of December 5. Since the coming civil year adds an additional day, next year's calculated autumnal equinox will again fall on October 7 at 03:00, and tal u-matar will again begin in Maariv of December 4. In the nineteenth century, the prayer for rain began in Maariv of December 3 or 4; since 1900 was not a leap year, it jumped to December 4 or 5 in the twentieth century. 2100 will also not be a leap year, and in the twenty-second century, tal u-matar will begin in Maariv of December 5 or 6. Given enough time, and no calendrical reform, eventually Jews outside Israel will start praying for rain only on the eve of Passover, just in time to stop this prayer when Passover begins.[5]
A few observations can be added to this description of the beginning time of the prayer for rain in the Diaspora. First, the same miscalculation which causes the "sixtieth day of the autumnal equinox" to move forward vis-à-vis the sun is at the base of another Jewish ritual, the once in 28 years "Blessing of the Sun" (Birkat ha-Hammah), scheduled to occur again in one year and five months on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 (coincidentally, fourteenth of Nisan, the eve of Passover; the last time was on Wednesday, April 8, 1981). In the nineteenth century, the Blessing of the Sun occurred on Wednesday, April 7, every 28 years; in the twenty-second century it will be on Wednesday, April 9, every 28 years. Despite the fact that the Blessing commemorates the cyclical repetition of the first vernal equinox at creation, it now falls 18 days after the actual astronomical equinox.
Furthermore, it is clear from the sources that each Jewish community is actually praying for rain for its own needs, and not for rain in the Land of Israel. Nevertheless, many Jews, even relatively knowledgeable ones, think that adding tal u-matar to the prayers on December 5 marks the beginning of the rainy season in Israel, not realizing that she'elat geshamim had already begun in Israel on the seventh of Marheshvan. Perhaps one of the sources of this widespread misconception is the fact that the astronomical sixtieth day of the equinox has meaning only for Iraq, if even there, and the calculated sixtieth day has no meaning anywhere. Thus, when Jews in the Diaspora start praying for rain on December 4, they mistakenly think that they are doing so for the residents of the Land of Israel.
Perhaps their prayers are still valuable. From my experience, often November is a dry month in Israel, and the winds pick up and the rain starts falling only in the first week of December. The sages tell us that the reason Israel has distinct wet and dry seasons and is so dependent upon rainfall (as compared to Egypt; cf. Deut. 11:10-12) is that God delights in hearing the prayers of the righteous who turn to Him in supplication for rain. Perhaps, the beginning of serious rain in the Land of Israel at the beginning of December, just as the prayer for rain starts in the Diaspora, is a sign that God actually delights in the prayers of the ignoramuses, who believe that their supplications for rain at that time are directed for the good of the Jews in the Land of Israel, not realizing that their prayers should be intended to bring rain to their own countries of residence. Whatever the case, we wish along with the High Priest on Yom Kippur that this year in Israel will, indeed, be very wet and not too cold, and that the rain will be only for a blessing!
[1] For a discussion of the Babylonian custom, and the reasons behind it, see Arnold A. Lasker and Daniel J. Lasker, "The Jewish Prayer for Rain in Babylonia," Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period 15 (1984): 124-144.
[2] In the words of the commentary attributed to Rashi on Ta'anit 10a: "Thus we act since all our customs follow the Babylonians (kol minhageinu ahar benei bavel)."
[3] For a fuller description of the long process described in these few sentences, see Arnold A. Lasker and Daniel J. Lasker, "The Jewish Prayer for Rain in the Post-Talmudic Diaspora," AJS Review 9:2 (Fall 1984): 141-174.
[4] The equinoxes and solstices fall at the same instant all around the world, so in Israel, the autumnal equinox was at 12:51 PM; in Hawaii, at 12:51 AM; all times are daylight savings times.
[5] Details can be found in Arnold A. Lasker and Daniel J. Lasker, "The Strange Case of December 4: A Liturgical Problem," Conservative Judaism 38:1 (Fall 1985): 91-99.