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The Tacoma Stars season came to a close in the first-round of the Major Arena Soccer League Pacific Division playoffs in San Diego. Despite ample amounts of grit and guts, the Stars were unable to overcome one of the very best teams in the entire league. There was a reason that the San Diego Sockers finished the regular season with a 19-3 record, and they didn't get there by accident.
For their part, the Tacoma Stars certainly went down swinging.
As a matter of fact, for a couple of days, the Stars held the advantage in their three-game playoff series with the Sockers. Buoyed by a late-season run that earned them a playoff berth in the final week of the season, the Stars and their fans were looking to stun the Sockers in their first game of the series. Under the friendly roof at the Accesso ShoWare Center on Thursday, March 8, Tacoma put together the kind of performance that reminded their loyal fans why it is that they've grown to love the team so much.
Let's be real. When you're playing a team that just finished the regular season with an .864 winning percentage, and handled your squad in all four games this season, any victory is going to feel like you and your team just conquered the world.
That's how it felt at the ShoWare when the final buzzer sounded on the Stars' 5-2 victory over the Sockers in game one. A renewed sense of hope was in the air to go along with the dizzying euphoria that goes along with beating a franchise that has manhandled Tacoma dating back more than 30 years. Now, if they could just squeak out one more win over the next two games, Tacoma would be heading to a one-game MASL Western Conference championship showdown with the league-leading Flash from Monterrey.
Of course, it wasn't going to go down like that, but it was a fun possibility for a couple of days.
A total of five different Stars scored in their game-one victory. After both teams tested the waters for much of the first period, Tacoma made the first move on the scoreboard. Philip Lund, the "Danish Sensation," put the Stars on the board with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter. It would take Tacoma just 40 seconds to add a second goal when Chase Hanson found Nick Perera near the back-corner of the San Diego goal for a quick one-two combination. Tacoma would take their 2-0 lead into the first break.
San Diego would answer in the second quarter with two goals of their own. Felipe Gonzalez would score just over four minutes into the second stanza, with Kraig Chiles adding another goal less than three minutes later. The teams were knotted at 2-2 going into the locker rooms at halftime.
The third quarter was a nail-biter. Both squads were doing everything they could to break the stalemate, but neither able to hit pay dirt. The fourth quarter proved to be a rather physical affair, with both clubs getting hot underneath the collar with one another. There were two blue cards dished out in the period, as well as two red cards that were magically rescinded by the referee following an official's conference that seemed to go on forever.
Despite the physical play, the quarter belonged to the Stars. Taylor Walter Bond took a feed from former Wilson High School standout Joey Gjertsen and found the back of the net nearly four minutes into the final frame to give Tacoma a 3-2 lead. It would take just 90 seconds for Tacoma to add another goal as former Stadium High School stud Jamael Cox knocked in a solo blast to make it 4-2 Tacoma with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Jamael's brother, Raphael Cox, would get into the act late in the game for his own score off a feed from former Bellarmine Prep standout goalkeeper Danny Waltman. The final score of 5-2 would put the Sockers on notice that Tacoma wasn't just happy to have made it into the playoffs. They were in it to shock the entire league.
The Stars hung tight in game two on Saturday, March 10, in San Diego. Despite trailing 2-0 after one quarter, Tacoma was still within striking distance to even the score up. The second quarter began with another Sockers' goal and Tacoma now trailed 3-0 just 22 seconds into the period. Perera would close the gap just 90 seconds later off a feed from Evan McNeley to make the score 3-1 San Diego.
The Sockers were not in the mood to let Tacoma claw themselves back into the game. Goals by goalkeeper Chris Toth and Cesar Cerda made the score 5-1 and the Sockers looked as though they could run away with it. A Tacoma goal from Robert Palmer gave the Stars a little life late in the second stanza, and the 5-2 score held going into halftime.
Tacoma struck quickly in the opening moments of the third quarter as Jamael Cox notched a goal off a feed from Cory Keitz. The score was now 5-3 and things were beginning to get interesting in San Diego, as the score held all the way to the end of the quarter.
The fourth quarter would be all San Diego as the Sockers poured on four goals to finish off the Stars by a score of 9-3. With the series now tied at one game apiece, the teams would take a short intermission and then return to the field for one of the oddities of the MASL.
In case of a tie after two games, the MASL employs a 15-minute "mini game" to find their series' winner. From the opening whistle it was clear that San Diego planned on closing up shop on the Stars. Nine minutes into the mini game, San Diego was riding high with a 4-0 lead and two minutes later, added another to make it 5-0. Lund and Cox would net a couple of scores for Tacoma, but the damage had been done and San Diego would move on in the playoffs with a 6-2 victory.
Tacoma will return to MASL action in December. Stay tuned.


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No food. No shelter. Not even a knife. The one goal: stay alive.
With nothing more than ancient wisdom and the brains he was born with, Aussie science teacher Phil Breslin is on a quest to survive the traditional way in some of Australia and New Zealand's most hostile environments.
As an indigenous Australian, Phil is passionate about the natural world and capable of living off the land in his home state of Queensland. But he's got no idea how to do it in new, different surroundings.
After meeting with the local tribes for advice, he'll be relying on their ancient wisdom to endure everything from the scorching heat of the Australian Outback to the bitter cold of New Zealand's Rotorua region.
Cut off from civilisation, Phil will have to hunt local wildlife, search for bush tucker, navigate without maps, build fires and grapple with a terrifying assortment of dangerous creatures.
One wrong turn, bad decision, or lapse in concentration could be the last mistake he ever makes.
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subset: commoncrawl


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STATISTICA Data Miner Predictive Modelling Solutions for the Insurance Industry
Life, Disability, Automotive, Health, Property and Casualty, etc.
Companies in the insurance industry are using STATISTICA Data Minerto be more effective and competitive in the utilization of historical data, using the latest predictive modelling and data mining approaches to recognize patterns within terabytes of data. STATISTICA Data Miner allows companies to predict trends in customers' behaviours and responses, claims, and losses.
Major successes and savings have been achieved by companies using STATISTICA Data Miner for predictive modelling for rate making, fraud detection, and customer segmentation.
Areas of Application
Rate making
STATISTICA Data Miner identifies the most important root causes in the frequency and magnitude of historical losses. Predictive Models relating these primary factors to the frequency and magnitude of losses are then used to update rate tables accordingly, making the insurers more accurate and competitive in their policy rates when compared to more traditional rate making approaches. In the past, General Linear Models were the industry standard approach. Now, more effective prediction of losses is achieved through the use of predictive modelling techniques such as recursive partitioning (i.e., "tree methods").
Customer segmentation
STATISTICA Data Miner's Clustering module may be used for customer segmentation, by grouping the entire customer base into clusters, identified on the basis of various demographic and behavioural factors. These clusters can then be used for a variety of predictive modelling applications to determine the efficacy of the clusters in predicting outcomes of interest.
Fraud detection
Claims fraud is a significant and costly concern, costing insurance companies several billion dollars annually. Losses due to fraud have increased dramatically in the past ten years. Despite actions by insurance companies, a large amount of fraud remains undetected.
STATISTICA Data Miner helps the insurance company anticipate and quickly detect fraud and take immediate action to minimize costs. Through the use of sophisticated data mining tools, millions of claims can be searched to spot patterns and detect even subtle variations in billing practices, by analyzing above normal payoffs along different factors like geographical region, agent, and insured party.
Specifically for health insurance, STATISTICA Data Miner's Associations Rules may be used to analyze claim forms. Using the Associations Rule module, the payer will be able to find relationships among medical procedures performed together, patterns in diagnoses and procedures across providers, etc.
Insurance Fraud Detection Case Study
Claims analysis
STATISTICA Data Miner helps users understand subtle business trends in claims, which would have been otherwise difficult to spot.
STATISTICA Generalized Linear Models has the Tweedie distribution. This distribution is a flexible predictive modelling option. It can include exact zero and continuous data.
Predict which customers will buy new policies
STATISTICA Data Miner provides the insurance firm with reporting, tracking, and analysis tools to identify trends. Sequential pattern mining functions are powerful and can detect sets of customers associated with frequent buying patterns to inform future sales and marketing campaigns and tactics.
STATISTICA Data Miner in the Insurance Industry, White Paper
Posted on January 20, 2012, in Insurance and tagged Automotive, Disability, etc., Health, insurance, Life, Property and Casualty, south africa, statistica, statsoft. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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Greens Senator Richard Di Natale calls to decriminalise heroin and ice
A push to decriminalise hard drugs such as heroin and ice is being championed by Greens' Senator Richard Di Natale.
In an ABC Radio interview with Political Editor Alison Carabine, the former GP says drug addiction should be treated as a health problem rather than a criminal matter.
He says, resources are currently wasted prosecuting individuals for drug use and the resources could instead be used for rehabilitation and support services.
The issue will be on the agenda this week at a series of roundtable meetings leading up to a National Drugs Summit in Canberra next month.
Senator Di Natale wants Australia to consider adopting Portugal's successful drug policy where drug dealing remains a criminal offence but individual users are not prosecuted. The policy has helped many individuals to tackle their addictions by making support services more readily available.
In Australia, treatment accessibility to rehabilitation and support services is an issue to be discussed at the Australian and New Zealand Addiction Conference 2016, themed Alcohol – Other Drugs – Behavioural Addictions, Prevention, Treatment and Recovery. The Conference will be held on the Gold Coast from the 19 – 20 May 2016.
A priority aim of this Conference will also be to deepen our understanding around the interrelationship of addictive disorders between each other, as well as with mental health, family, community, and culture. To register for the Conference CLICK HERE.
The 2016 Conference promotes and encourages participation from all parts of the sector towards a shared appreciation of what medical, psycho-social and peer-based approaches can offer, through the experiences of service users, clinicians, and researchers alike.
To listen to the full ABC radio interview CLICK HERE.


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- Finding Family in Ecuador - November 14, 2017
- Gap Nicaragua: Sensory Tour - November 1, 2017
- Announcing the 2017 Photo and Video Contest Winners - October 26, 2017
2020 Summer Program suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Read an open letter from our President & CEO here.
Promote health, reforestation, and environmental protection by learning from local agencies taking care of the environment by creating nurseries, planting trees, and protecting local water sources. Explore the tropical scenery and the diverse geography of the Coclé region in Panama. You'll live in an area that is a hydrological reserve, which means that it's an important source of water for the country and there are many rivers that are popular for swimming. Live with a host family and collaborate with the Panamanian Ministry of Health on your community service project. With your AMIGOS partner(s), plan and lead fun activities for kids to teach them about taking care of the environment. When you're not working together with community members to improve the environment around you (earning 215 service hours), take a break by playing games with your host family, getting to know the area, or learning to cook sancocho de gallina, a traditional Panamanian dish.
*This is an example itinerary based on last year's project. Dates, topics, and activities may be subject to change.
Day 1
Volunteers arrive. Project staff meet them at the airport and the group travels together to Coclé Province.
First Week
Briefing. Project staff lead all volunteers in a country-specific orientation to AMIGOS and the Coclé Project. Briefing is held at the Centro de Desarrollo Sostenible Ambiental (CEDESAM). Meet all other students on your project and spend a few days getting to know each other, learning about Panama, and doing fun activities. After briefing, project staff bring volunteers to their host communities to meet their host families.
Week 2
Week 1 in community. Lead day camps on the topic of leadership.
Week 3
Week 2 in community. Lead day camps on the topic of reforestation.
Week 4
Week 3 in community. Lead day camps on the topic of water conservation.
Week 5
Week 4 in community. Lead day camps on the topic of physical health. Meet up with the rest of the volunteers on your project at Fiesta Ambiental, a celebration of the environment and culture with local youth. Then, you'll travel to Reserva Forestal El Montuoso, where you'll get to explore the nature reserve and get some hands-on experience with environmental service work.
Week 6
Week 5 in community. Lead day camps about disease prevention. Leave community and come together for debriefing. This is a chance to process, reflect, and prepare to return home, as well as see some cool spots in and around Panama City, like the Panama Canal and the neighborhood of Casco Viejo.
Final Day
Fly home!
|Local Chapter
|6 weeks
Find a chapter near you for a local training calendar!
2020 Program suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Read an open letter from our President & CEO.
$4,250 + group fundraising
|National Chapter
|6 weeks
2020 Program suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Read an open letter from our President & CEO.
Find a chapter near you for a local training calendar!
2020 Program suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Read an open letter from our President & CEO.
$4,250 + group fundraising
2020 Program suspended due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Read an open letter from our President & CEO.
Tropical, hot in the day time, but nights can be cooler.
aguacero = rainstorm
refrigerio = snack
que pretti = how cool
Rice, beans, lentils, plantains, chicken
Panama Canal: See the Panama Canal first-hand! You'll get to visit the museum and see how ships pass between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Casco Viejo: The old quarter of Panama City is not only a UNESCO historic site, it's also one of the city's hippest, most vibrant neighborhoods! Stroll amongst colonial buildings while you people watch and soak in the culture of the city.
Reserva Forestal El Montuoso: Off the beaten path, Reserva Forestal El Montuoso is home to some of the most beautiful untouched forests in Panama. You'll get to visit this protected area as a group, with the other volunteers on your project.
AMIGOS programs provide a unique opportunity to experience a new culture as a local, not a tourist. Volunteers report increased fluency in Spanish after going through our program. Activities go far beyond the classroom — you'll lead activities in Spanish, learn local slang, and increase your confidence with real-world practice. You will not believe how fast your Spanish improves when you use it in conversation everyday!
AMIGOS works with trusted local partner organizations to identify communities that are passionate and committed to working with our volunteers on community service projects. It has been our experience that a service project is sustainable only when the community owns it and participates in the effort. You will collaborate on a service project with volunteers your own age as well as community members, earning up to 270 service hours.
You'll get to do way more than just travel — you'll live with a host family, sharing in their day-to-day life. Become part of your host community, making friends with and working alongside community members. Share holidays, celebrations, and everyday life in a way you can only experience through authentic cultural immersion. AMIGOS volunteers and their host families build long-lasting relationships and often stay in touch after their project ends. All of our host families are vetted and trained before volunteers arrive.
Travel to must-see spots in your host country! You'll travel as a group to experience unique destinations your host country has to offer, like volcanoes, ancient ruins, national parks, and historical sites. You'll get to see these places from the distinct perspective of someone who has lived in that country and learned about the culture firsthand. Plus, you'll bond with their fellow volunteers and have fun!
AMIGOS is the industry leader in health and safety management. Our staff is prepared to help you with any situation that may arise. Each volunteer receives a personalized emergency plan, as well as support from local staff teams and a professional 24-hour On-Call Safety Team of travel specialists, doctors, and mental health specialists. AMIGOS also has an established network of vetted medical clinics and hospitals throughout the region.
Prepare for AMIGOS through guided training in topics like: multicultural understanding, health and safety, community development; travel safety, Spanish, leadership, and team building.
Upon arrival in the field, you'll start country-specific training with your group of fellow volunteers. During your time abroad, you'll meet regularly with an AMIGOS staff member who serves as your mentor. Finally, at the end of your service, come together again as a group to participate in debriefing — putting what you learned in context, preparing to go home, and going on fun excursions around the country.
MINSA is the Panamanian Ministry of Health. They provide primary health care services for citizens across the country. The system is organized into Centros de Salud, large clinics that provide pediatric, OB-GYN, mental health, nutrition, adolescent health, health education, and dental services at low costs. More remote areas are likely to have Puestos de Salud providing less comprehensive services.
AMIGOS has worked with MINSA in the region for ten years. MINSA selects host communities, provides transport, and hosts an event for local youth and AMIGOS volunteers. This summer, volunteers will support MINSA's ongoing projects and goals by leading educational activities for public health campaigns.
Volunteers get the opportunity to learn about environmental conservation from officials working on the ground.
You'll have ample time to take breaks and enjoy nature!
Zyro was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He has worked for an AMIGOS partner agency for many years, managing programs for youth and children aiming to empower them and help them develop new skills.
In 2016, he was a Project Supervisor with AMIGOS in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. It was there that he developed his love for AMIGOS Summer Programs.
In his free time, Zyro enjoys snowboarding (he developed his passion while living in New Zealand). Back at home in Uruguay, he likes to play volleyball, and of course drink mate and eat asado, as any good Uruguayan would.
He is excited about this summer and hopes we all enjoy this life-changing experience!
Throughout the whole experience I made life-long friends, learned about a new culture, and I got to make a real impact in some amazing peoples' lives. Although it was nothing compared to the impact they made on mine. I was in my community for about 6 weeks, but at the end of it I wanted to stay there for another 2 months because it had become like a second home, a second family.
—Claire, Volunteer, Panama
Proyecto de intercambio cultural, liderazgo juvenil y desarrollo comunitario de @amigos_americas en Coclé, Panama 🇵🇦☀
See more projects like this one!


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Tag Archives: Chile
2009 Emiliana – Adobe Reserva – D.O. Valle Central
Good-value from Chile It's once again time for some tasting notes that are not for an Italian wine! Today I have a red from Chile for you produced by biodynamic winery Emiliana. The wine has the unusual name Adobe. The wine has a cuvée of 85% Cabernet-Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Syrah. Adobe aged six
2009 Castello Banfi – Punta Nogal – D.O. Rapel Valley
An interesting wine from Chile: Punta Nogal So a few days ago I on my way to work I walked by a small Enoteca in the center of Munich. Since I was a bit early on time I decided to see what they have in stock. The Punta Nogal from Castello Banfi caught my attention


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Your entrepreneurial mission will take up a lot of your time. At the very least, you'll be working 30-40 hours and maybe even 60 or more.
The plus side is that you have a lot of energy when you're young, so you can afford to crank out the work you need to do. But on the other side of the coin, you may dedicate too much time to your business and end up overwhelmed.
A recent study found that about half of all U.S. entrepreneurs work at least 50 hours a week, and 20% work 60 or more. Nearly 80% of those surveyed said they feel like they work too much and would prefer to work 40 hours or less per week.
That's where the work/life balance comes into play. If you're not balancing your work and your lifestyle, you can start to wear down. Then, your lifestyle and business take an even bigger hit, because you don't have the energy you need for either one.
The solution is to develop a better work/life balance. And today, we'll give you some tips:
1. Outsource when possible.
Sometimes you feel like you have to do everything for your business. This is a common thread among entrepreneurs. But when you task yourself with doing everything, you end up spending too much time on mundane tasks that can easily be delegated to other people.
Instead, you should sit down and consider which tasks you can outsource. By outsourcing whenever possible, you'll free up your time and also make your business more efficient.
Whether it be bringing in a virtual receptionist to handle your calls, or hiring a rock star to push your business forward – you should be open to letting other people handle your business tasks (because after all, you shouldn't have to do everything)!
2. Have a side passion.
No, we're not talking about a side hustle! A side passion is simply an activity you enjoy doing and improving.
For example, outside of your work, perhaps you can take up salsa lessons, learn Ju-Jitsu, practice improv, or play for a recreational sports team.
The side passions will give you something to look forward to outside of your work, allow you to meet and build relationships with new people, and also help you to continue the theme of self-improvement in your life.
What's more, they'll make you a dynamic and interesting person.
So, figure out a side passion and fit it into your schedule at least one day a week.
3. Keep your health in mind.
When you're consumed with your work, it's easy to lose track of other important parts of your life, like your health.
For example, after a long day at the office, you may decide you'd rather have some fast food than cook a healthy dinner. As you resort to this option more and more, your energy starts to drain, you need more hours to complete the same amount of work, and the vicious cycle continues.
Instead, try to do the following:
· Schedule 2-3 hours of gym time where you lift weights and do cardio
· Vow to cook a healthy meal at least 3 nights a week (and there are plenty of healthy meals you can cook in 10 minutes or less)
· Create a morning routine with healthy habits that get you ready for the day (like meditation, reading, and eating a healthy breakfast)
4. Schedule your social time.
Do you neglect social outings with friends in order to get more work done? There's nothing wrong with doing this occasionally. But when it becomes a frequent thing, your friendships will start to deteriorate and you'll lose out on the benefits and fun of social interaction (after all, humans are very social creatures).
Schedule your time with friends and family as you would an important meeting. Don't cancel these outings unless you absolutely have to, and aim to schedule them at least a couple of times per week.
Your entrepreneurial mission is important – but so is your lifestyle and well-being. When you keep a good work/life balance, you maintain health and happiness while pushing your business forward.
What other tips do you have for young entrepreneurs to improve their work/life balance? Let us know in the comments below!
Parker Davis is the CEO of Answer 1, a leader in the virtual receptionist and technology enabled answering services industry. He believes that the application of data analytics, investment in technology, and fostering a positive company culture together create highly efficient and scalable growth companies. In 2016, Answer 1 will achieve record revenues while also being awarded the Top Companies to Work For in Arizona award. Parker is also the Managing Partner of Annison Capital Partners, LLC, a private investment partnership.


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Through photographs, conservation photographer Marcy Mendelson documents the work of cheetah ambassadors, wild animals trained to teach appreciation of the species by allowing people to approach and see up close the magnificence of the world's fastest land mammal.
By Marcy Mendelson
One hundred years ago, there were more than 100,000 wild cheetahs inhabiting 44 countries. Today, cheetahs exist in only two dozen of those countries with the total global population somewhere between 7,500 and 10,000, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The primary threat to the survival of cheetahs has been its loss of habitat due to agricultural expansion, poaching, and game hunting for hides and trophies. As human population continues to increase there is a higher demand for land rights. This affects the cheetah as increased agricultural pressures and subdivision of land with numerous fences means a decrease in available habitat for the cheetah and other wildlife species.
Photo courtesy of Marcy Mendelson
Cheetahs have been forced into smaller areas where they have to compete for food and ultimately onto farmlands seeking goats and livestock. Farmers have been known to see cheetahs as pests or varmints and routinely trap, shoot or poison them when they threaten their livestock.
Cheetah range map courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
In the mid-1950s there were an estimated 40,000 cheetahs in the world. By the mid-1970s, their population had dropped to half due to a spike in agricultural expansion. Farmers killed cheetahs by the thousands as pests or to sell their skins to the fur trade until 1975, when researchers began to realize the cheetah was in danger of becoming extinct.
In July of 1975, CITES (the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) placed the cheetah on Appendix I, making international trade in live cheetah or cheetah products illegal.
Today, the cheetah occupies only 24 percent of its historic range according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This is particularly concerning to conservationists who view cheetahs as an excellent indicator species due to their vast range. If there are cheetahs, there is a healthy ecosystem.
The IUCN Red List assesses the cheetah as Vulnerable–considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Day in the Life of an Ambassador Cat
Photo courtesy of Marcy Mendelson
Tango is a cheetah that hails from South Africa's Cheetah Outreach, and resides with his people at Project Survival's Cat Haven just outside Kings Canyon, California.
An ambassador for the species is an animal that, while not tame, is trained to make public appearances on behalf of educational outreach for conservation. Until one sees an animal in real life, all the factual information in the world isn't going to drive home the emotional and stunning impact of a live cheetah 10 feet away. It is an event that nobody forgets, and brings the issues surrounding the cheetah to another level for an audience that lives on the other side of the world.
The Landrover/Jaguar dealership in Corte Madera, California is located in a rather tony area of Marin County. An Aston Martin on display, and some rather serious looking salespeople give the impression this is a location where people do more than window shop. They've hosted a customer appreciation day, and welcomed Cat Haven as a featured guest.
Tango's presence helps raise funds and awareness for the Soysambu Cheetah Center in Kenya. According to Project Survival's website: "The Cheetah Center at Soysambu will work to educate people about the plight of the cheetah through education programs both at the Cheetah Center and also off-site programs. These programs will include cheetah encounters, school presentations and fundraising opportunities to aid the Soysambu Conservancy and Cheetah Conservation in Kenya."
Tango frequently looks to Wendy for comfort and direction as handler Jolien, a vital part of the Cat Haven team, assists.
Purring nearly the entire time, Tango started out his visit hopping up on a long table and settling in with his back to the audience in charming indifference. Conservationists Dale Anderson and Wendy Wichelman-Debbas gave a lecture about the species, their plight, and the aims of their organization. I observed there is no shortage of times people will want to know the basic facts about the cheetah's speed, and consistently gasp upon hearing: "68 mph, 26 feet at 3 strides per second." As a fundraising initiative, guests could donate $20 per person to have their photo taken in one of the dealerships floor models with Tango in the frame, just off to the side.
Photo courtesy of Marcy Mendelson
As surreal an event as it was, the looks on the faces of not only, predictably, the children in the room, but of the adults too was obvious. Despite having his back turned to most of them, they were enthralled. (Eventually he turned around, taking interest in the small crowd.)
Going on safari isn't a reality for many animal lovers, and traditional zoos with their bleak prisons break our hearts. The work of animals such as Tango, and he did purr loudly for the duration, is a vital piece in the puzzle of outreach and fundraising.
Right now, March, 2011, Wendy and Dale are in Kenya supervising the progress of the Soysambu Cheetah Center for Project Survival, giving out multi-vitamins for children in the nearby villages, and according to their Facebook updates, assisting in putting out arson brush fires in the region. Without the hard work of their fundraising these tangible conservation actions would not be possible.
Conservation can be grueling leg work, but teaching people, young and old, the nature of animals and the importance of sharing the land with them, is a vital aspect because saving an animal requires human energy.
Tango started life at the Ann van Dyke Cheetah Center in South Africa, and was raised from bottle age to eleven months with the conservationists at Cheetah Outreach, near Cape Town, who trained him to be the ambassador he is today. Cheetahs born in captivity cannot be returned to the wild, thus they become spokescats, if you will, for their wild cousins. Project Survival's Cat Haven takes the utmost care with the health and well-being of Tango, and his calm demeanor is reflection of the people who care for him, and the cause of protecting the future of the fastest animal on land.
Photo courtesy of Marcy Mendelson


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I'm realizing that I have "drinking buddies" that I almost always act out with. Simply put, when I am with my personal "rat pack," I'm in big trouble.In chapter 8 of his book, Intimacy Anorexia, Dr. Douglass Weiss explains it this way:
"Like an alcoholic having drinking buddies or the shopaholic having shopping buddies. Addicts, like most people, like to have support for their activities. Unlike other addictions where the addict's "buddies" are real people, the intimacy anorexic's buddies are quite different. The intimacy anorexic's buddies are internal buddies. These buddies are lodged deep in the intimacy anorexic's heart. For most intimacy anorexics, they are unaware of these buddies and the significant role they play in their lives, until they are pointed out.
Not all intimacy anorexics have each buddy, but most anorexics have more than they think. (Here are their names and identities):
The Victim: This is probably the most common friend of the anorexic. The victim tells the anorexic how they are the victim of their spouse. The victim turns almost any conflict or circumstance and spins it (amazingly quickly) on how they are the victim. This victim is almost a reflexive response so the speed of this buddy is lightening fast. I have actually seen the anorexic's spouse walk away thinking they really were the problem and accepted the blame repeatedly.
As a spouse, if you see the victim, understand that this is an emotional state, not a rational state. You cannot reason with the victim, you must stay in your reality to survive. As the intimacy anorexic, if you feel the victim emerging, you will usually have to slow down, call a support person and run your thoughts by them before you submit to the victim. This "buddy" will push your spouse away and you might begin acting in. Let me explain how this works from the anorexic's perspective.
The intimacy anorexic intentionally starves the spouse. The spouse is legitimately angry or critical of this neglect and pain, but the victim says, "you're being abused by your spouse; he or she disrespects you, and doesn't appreciate you." You see, now the anorexic, who is actually the perpetrator, gets to believe and behave as the victim.Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about the victim.
Holly (Spouse): As the anorexic, my husband blames me and plays the victim of neglect.
Ted (Anorexic): Mainly this is played out inside my head. I will tell myself that I am not understood, no one cares about me.Claire (Spouse): Everything is about how it affects my husband. He's always the victim and it's always about him. I have to say, "Wait a minute; we are talking about me right now, not you."
Abby (Anorexic): He works so hard and deserves to zone out on the computer or TV all night. He leaves me alone mentality.
Miriam (Spouse): He says, "'No one has ever understood me', 'Everyone expects too much of me', 'I didn't really tell a lie; I just didn't tell the truth' 'Why are you so upset?'"
Fantasy Person: This is a real trouble-making friend of the intimacy anorexic. This is the fantasy where almost any person other than the spouse will love, appreciate, and unconditionally accept them more than their spouse, while not asking for sex or intimacy. For the most part, this is a fantasy. Sometimes it takes the role of pornography or romantic novel characters.
There is a place for some anorexics where they will recruit real people. They will be nice to them, flirt with them, and have conversations that might be questionable but won't touch or kiss them.
This is what I call emotional pornography. The intimacy anorexic scans the person's imagined features then uses them to romanticize or sexualize what life would be like with them. This drives the spouse crazy because they can sense this energy between them. The intimacy anorexic will deny this because "they are good and haven't done anything wrong."
The fantasy person plays two roles of support for the addiction to withholding process. Firstly, it's the role of criticizing the spouse to justify ill treatment of them through withholding. Secondly, it gives the intimacy anorexic a way to be disconnected and less emotionally committed to the real spouse who has flaws as we all do.
Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about the fantasy person.Rachel (Spouse): He has an image in his head and he will not engage in a loving, caring relationship with me.
Claire (Spouse): This one is the hardest for me. We can be out to dinner, the movies, Wal-mart, or watching television and he seems to always be looking. When we are at dinner, I've seen him look in a specific direction a lot. I have actually turned around and looked and I can always spot the type he looks at, which is blonde hair for sure. He has to see what each blonde person looks like. He denies it; I know what I see. I've even said, "Is there someone you're looking for?"Stephanie (Spouse): His fantasy girl is NOT like the person he married. It is more of what he was married to before me e.g.,
tall, athletic, red headed, a little loose acting. I asked why he married me and he says, "…because I couldn't get a model to move to where we live." We live in the sticks of a very poor rural area. I thought it was love; what was I thinking?
Abby (Spouse): I tried to always be someone I wasn't…I tried to be his fantasy girl. I couldn't begin to try to win! I tried running, dieting, piercing, and lots of different things for attention.
Tamara (Spouse): My husband's fantasy girl is always sexually available to meet every desire he has. She never speaks or has any value as a human being. She worships him and his manhood.
Sam (Anorexic): This fantasy was all done in my mind as the perfect relationship of all physical and no emotional needs to meet.
Fear of Intimacy: Fear is a great friend. It paralyzes your resources and you can justify this because you're afraid. I mean, who can hold you guilty because you're afraid, right? That's the belief that the fear of intimacy gives the intimacy anorexic. It's okay to be afraid after all, "you have been hurt before by your spouse or others like them. You know it's only a matter of time until you will be hurt again, so stay inside yourself. You know it's not safe, so don't trust, be afraid and sit down." These are actual thoughts the friend of fear of intimacy will offer up to help justify the withholding or pushing away of the spouse to create distance. You see, now that there is distance, you don't need to be afraid. It's okay, your spouse is effectively pushed away. Fear is a great friend of the anorexic, especially when Fear also brings along the Victim, or some of the other friends of intimacy anorexia.
Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about fear of intimacy.
Rachel (Spouse): I know that he is terrified of this, I just don't know why and he will not tell me. It scares me because I know there must be something really bad that I don't already know and I know a lot of brutal stuff.Virginia (Spouse): My spouse doesn't share anything unless I ask him and then it feels like I am dragging molasses out of a jar.
Tanya (Anorexic): If someone knows my heart, I believed they have the ultimate weapon against me. I have always been punished for letting someone into my heart.
Alison (Spouse): We were having once a week dates and using discussion questions that dig rather deep. It went well for several weeks and then he began sabotaging the dates by saying mean things and blaming me, out of the blue, for things and then acting surprised if I got upset.
Miriam (Spouse): He says: "'I want to become sexually connected with you, just not today.' 'I'm working towards it; I just need more time.' 'If you'd just waited a few more hours/ days, I was going to initiate it.'" He has many, many excuses: headaches, backaches, always too tired, he's angry…
Safety: The intimacy anorexic has a high demand for safety. This friend, Safety, is one of the closest friends of intimacy anorexia. This friend supports the addiction to withholding by cheering it on with lines like: "I must be absolutely safe before I come out," "It must be a promise that you will never, ever hurt me, see a flaw or criticize me in any way," "I demand safety as a condition to relate." Well, of course, this friend is probably the most delusional of the lot. When you're drinking together sometimes you don't realize how crazy the person you're talking to really is.
In the real world, all relationships have pain, all spouses definitely give pain and those are the rules of real life. This friend encourages absolutely unrealistic expectations so the spouse is guaranteed to have repeated failure so the intimacy anorexic can justify withholding and creating pain for them. Safety is a strong and non rational friend, much like fear of intimacy. The level of emotion that is felt by the anorexic is so primitive it often cannot be rationalized with while it is in the first stage of the heart. This friend may be difficult to address, but when you do as the anorexic, you are able to risk, be hurt, feel pain and above all feel loved with your flaws.
As a spouse, Safety demands cannot be met; they are not supposed to be met. You, as the spouse, are set up to fail so the addiction to withholding can stay in a strengthened position. Really, until this friend is dismantled, you're in for some wild rides of irrational experiences and conversations.
Busyness: The friend of Busyness seems to be around the intimacy anorexic much like that cloud around Pig Pen in the Charlie Brown cartoons. There is always something to do: a home project, television, coach a team, exercise, obsess over golf or a sports team, church, PTA or just simply sit in front of the computer for hours.
Busyness often supports the good person box of the intimacy anorexic. You see, these things are productive, helpful, kind, spiritual and just a good thing to do. Busyness allows the anorexic to stay distracted and take a drink of withholding toward the spouse, intentionally, at the same time. It's like the best of both; I look good and get to withhold. Busyness really assists the intimacy anorexic in their rationalization of avoidance for years or decades at a time.
If you're the spouse of the intimacy anorexic you know when Busyness is around because your spouse isn't around. Even if they are home, it's as if they are not there. They're lost in a book, newspaper or a hundred other things, including all variations of technology, which leaves you with the "I'm alone again in my marriage feeling." Granted, it's nicer than blame, control, or criticism, it's just so lonely when Busyness and your spouse get together.
Entitlement: This friend is one of the kingpins, of this rat pack, that the anorexic is hanging out with. Entitlement is pure muscle with a tactic that says, "It's my way or the highway" on its 22 inch arm. This friend is the bouncer of the group. He or she is meaner than any other friend, after all, "I am entitled to push, criticize, yell, make you look stupid, control you because I am important and you have no value to me." These ugly beliefs are what this friend of entitlement is all about. "It's all about me, I'm superior, I won't be questioned, I won't be told what to do" are songs this friend sings to the easily influenced intimacy anorexic.
When this friend is coaching the intimacy anorexic, it becomes unclear who their spouse is. The good person mark is totally off and there is hell to pay. Any mean thing about you, your character, your past, your weakness is all fair game. This gets you back in your rightful place-submitted to the addiction of withholding.
This friend doesn't like to be exposed. If you're the anorexic, you're in for a fight to let this one go. If you're a spouse, don't even engage this one. Your energy makes it grow bigger so leave it alone. You are best to leave or have a plan in place when Entitlement shows up.
Control: This is the balance of the team, which supports the addiction to withholding, which starves the marriage. Control has to do the tight walk of keeping almost everyone believing the intimacy anorexic is wonderful and keeping a blind eye to the withholding behavior toward the spouse. The need for control is important to most addictions but it is the glue that keeps this addiction to withholding intact. Without control there would be flaws, authenticity, and vulnerability. Control, like a hard wax on a car, fills these cracks and all you have is the great shine everyone loves to love.
Control manifests differently for each intimacy anorexic. For some it's money, sex, time, withholding love or praise or just not connecting, but Control holds the fort down. If the anorexic feels his or her image is under attack, Control, along with the bully, anger, will come out and protect the image and secure the parameter.
If the anorexic has been married long or even a few years, the spouse can probably identify this friend, Control. It's this friend that stops the spouse cold in their tracks. It's unbelievably different when this friend finds a new home away from the intimacy anorexia
Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about Control.
Rachel (Spouse): He remains in control at all times. He stays silent until I can't take it anymore (the isolation) and I fall apart and go talk to him.
Pat (Spouse): My husband strives to keep all control. He hates there to be any control out of his hands. He liked me much better as a doormat.
Tanya (Anorexic): As long as I am in control, no one can hurt me. I cannot control a lot of things, but I can control who I let into who I really am deep down.Rose (Anorexic): I used control to keep myself in what I thought was a "safe" place, but really didn't allow myself to even dare to make the changes I needed to get more healthy.
Independence: This friend allows the intimacy anorexic to stay in the second stage of development. The first stage of development being dependence which is forced trust, the last stage of development is interdependence which is a choice to trust.
These friends say, "no it's better to just take care of themselves, don't trust others, you'll be in debt to them." This can be so severe that they won't' let others help them, not because they don't need the help, but because they don't want to feel indebted or owe that person anything.
Independence is the guy who gives consistent push back when things are getting too close. To trust the spouse is to feel a loss of independence, which can feel like a loss of self to some intimacy anorexics. Independence can also feel like adolescence and rear up with messages of, "don't tell me what to do, nobody tells me what to do. If I wanted another dad or mom I would have married one. Who do you think you are?"
If you're the spouse, independence is that bump in the road just when you thought you were getting along. You were looking forward to a night alone, a significant stretch of quality time and bump, "I'm going to go to X first" creating mild distance allowing the intimacy anorexic to regain their equilibrium of distance.
Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about Independence.
Rachel (Spouse): We have dated for four years and he has no intention of doing anything else. This lets his emotional needs be met without letting me get too much in his space.
Virginia (Spouse): My spouse comes and goes as he pleases to his men's meetings without regard for my schedule or our five kids.
Tanya (Anorexic): I don't need anyone to meet my needs. I can take care of myself.
Miriam (Spouse): From the beginning of the marriage, we agreed to join our assets. What I learned; however, is that what this really meant was MY money and assets are OURS but HIS are HIS. My salary goes into the family pool for bills; any income he generates is his to spend for whatever he wants, whenever he wants. We have joint checking/savings account, and he has his own separate, individual one.
Selfishness: There's not an addict alive that doesn't know selfishness. This friend of the addict is regularly looking out for number one, and in this case it is the intimacy anorexic. This friend makes it difficult to see the team picture and is capitalizing on situations to meet a hypothetical need at best or at worst looking for a way to help the addict withhold having a quick drink.
Selfishness is the jab to the spouse's weak spot, including glares, the rationalization of keeping every commitment, even the commitment to clean the pool but not the commitment to love, honor or cherish the spouse. Selfishness keeps the intimacy anorexic limited on empathy. Since they can't see others, it makes it hard at times to feel the pain of others.
The spouse is very aware of this selfish presence. It's those moments when you feel you have an extra child instead of another adult. It's when you hope the children really don't understand why your spouse is committed to do X, when you were earlier agreeing to do Y, and the only reason is because they don't want to.Below are some comments from anorexics and their spouses about selfishness.
Rachel (Spouse): When I talk to him about sexuality being a normal, healthy part of a relationship he just says that he doesn't think it is important. I tell him I do and if he doesn't want it we need to end the relationship so that I can be with someone else and so can he. He says he doesn't want to be with anyone else. I feel crazy.
Pat (Spouse): He will eat out or whatever else he wants, but he does not always care if our needs are attended to. He is perfectly fine with solo sex, ignoring all relational needs just as long as he gets what he wants.Virginia (Spouse): My spouse blew off our 21st anniversary (no card, no gift, and no dinner) because he is a teacher and had progress reports due that week. When I had our second miscarriage, my spouse left me crying at the OB's parking lot and went back to work. Then he didn't want to talk about it. Todd (Anorexic): There are certain foods that I buy that are just for me and I get angry when anyone touches them. I rarely share with others.
Tanya (Spouse): No one around him has any value or needs. He has needs that must be met or else. His needs are not only the most important, but they are the only needs.
Rose (Anorexic): I was very selfish because I couldn't see anyone else's point of view except my own. That is the only way I seemed to know how to survive.
The Wall: The Wall is probably the friend I often have to explain the most, but after I do, the intimacy anorexic goes "Oh yeah, I got that one too." The wall is like a thick glass that surrounds the intimacy anorexic. Originally it was designed to keep others out but over time it has grown to keep them in. Even when the intimacy anorexic wants to join, connect or even emote they feel stuck, frozen or unavailable. It's like they can see what's going on, and even have the right social queuing to know what would be expected, but they just can't seem to connect the dots. Stuck behind the glass wall they can see and be seen, it just seems that they can't touch or be touched.
The spouse experiences this as frozen moments. The best way to describe it is like a skip in a record. The songs playing, you know the melody and then there is a bump, and the moment is missed or not mutually shared.
The Backdoor: The Backdoor is a faceless friend to those addicted to withholding. It's this friend who just quietly but regularly lets the intimacy anorexic know "You're not really happy, you'd be happier with someone who is… Really, being alone might even be better. The kids and I would be better without him/ her. I don't really know why I stay."
It's this resignation that somehow the intimacy anorexic has resigned to for settling for less. This backdoor is insidious because it allows them, or should I say, gives them permission to not fully accept, fully engage or fully invest in their spouse.
The backdoor is that quiet but steady lack of enjoyment of the spouse. This friend makes sure that the intimacy anorexic keeps their spouse's flaws at the forefront of their mind.
The spouse experiences the backdoor as not ever feeling good enough, loved or really often feeling not wanted. It's like somehow you feel you won second or third place and the winner, well, is not available. The winner is the illusive fantasy which keeps the intimacy anorexic from being present and celebrating you.
These friends probably have felt eerily familiar at times. In recovery, stay aware of these friends so that when they knock at the door of your heart, you don't let them back in."
Reading about the descriptions of these "drinking buddies" was a huge eye opener for me. I believe that all of the characters but "Fantasy Person" and "Busyness" manifest themselves in all of my addictions. They are very adept at distracting me from living my recovery, staying sober, and doing my dailies. But I am grateful that I now know them because now I can watch out for their lies and deceit.
Elder Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once said, "The devil is a dirty fighter, and we must be aware of his tactics." (Ensign, Purity Precedes Power, November 1990).
This is my prayer today:Dear Father,
Please help me to be wise, to be awake and to be aware of the weapons in Satan's arsenal. I surrender my safety to Thy care and the care of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. Please come and abide with me. The battle is Thine not mine. Thy will be done, not mine. Light my candle and enlighten my darkness. Show me the path of life. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer:my God, my strength in whom I will trust;
my buckler, and the horn of my salvation,
and my high tower.I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised:
so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
Psalm 18: 1-3
Go forward in faith. God is in charge!


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Compiled by British Marine, the positive results are despite the uncertainty generated by the Brexit vote in June 2016, which had an immediate and sharp impact on marine businesses. In July 2016, marine businesses reported a negative outlook for the next six months, with a net rating score of -7%. But confidence has surged since then, with a positive confidence rating of +10% posted at the end of 2016.
"The industry remains robust: revenue is growing and we are taking on more employees," says Howard Pridding, CEO of British Marine. "Despite the post-referendum volatility impacting on business and consumer confidence, the industry remains bullish and keen to take advantage of the short and medium term opportunities that lie ahead, starting with the 2017 London Boat Show."
Boat manufacturers are particularly buoyant post-referendum with a net rating score of +50% (up from 0% in May 2016). Much of this confidence is driven by the superyacht sector, which according to the Superyacht UK annual survey released in September 2016 is worth £605 million to the national economy.
"Competing on a global market, the sector has just posted its fourth consecutive year of growth and only seems to be on the up with an impressive 11.5% rise in revenue in 2015/16 alone," adds Pridding.
But with the EU the primary supplier of raw materials and components for UK boat manufacturers, the British Marine survey points out that the depreciation of sterling against the euro has also meant the cost of manufacturing rose by 1.98% between Q2 and Q3 last year.
It is still believed that exporting manufacturers accrue a net benefit from the weak sterling, thanks to the increased purchasing power among foreign consumers that is driving demand for British products. As a result, confidence is high amongst those builders trading in international markets such as Princess Yachts, Sunseeker and Oyster.
Princess Yachts, for example, announced in October last year that it would create 100 new jobs and invest £55 million in new models (the builder has been in profit since June 2016, after turning around a £20.25 million pre-tax loss in 2015).
"Orders at Princess Yachts are now at their highest levels since the global financial crisis, with record sales achieved at the recent Cannes Yachting Festival and further huge interest at the London Boat Show this week," says Antony Sheriff, Executive Chairman of Princess Yachts.
Sunseeker initiated a similar restructuring and investment plan after returning to profit last year, partly thanks to the falling pound following the EU referendum, while Oyster Yachts confirmed the sale of the second hull in its 118 series at the start of 2017 and is in serious discussions for a third and fourth.
As with other market sectors, the major worry at the moment for these superyacht brands is the ongoing uncertainty regarding the Government's strategy – or lack thereof – for actually leaving the EU.
"Our members' greatest long term concern is uncertainty and we will continue to work closely with Government to ensure the sector is given as much backing as possible from Government, especially as the Brexit negotiations begin," says Pridding. "Access to the single market is, of course, important, but member companies are keen to minimise tariff and non-tariff barriers. Members are also keen to maintain access to skilled workers from across the EU and the government needs to do all it can to make sure that any future immigration policy with the EU supports marine businesses that are ambitious to grow and export."
Images courtesy of London Boat Show
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NationCoup d'etat profond: Mark Steyn
Can America Survive, Intact?: Ace
Levin nails Mitch McConnell in explosive "This is Your Life" episode: Chris Pandolfo
Civil War: Democratic Establishment vs. Progressives in Cali: Paul Crookston
House Democrat: 'No Way in Hell' Do We Win in 2018 With Pelosi: David Rutz
Tacoma Looks To Spend $440,000 A Year To Protect Trespassing Immigrants: RWN
Dina Habib Powell: McMaster's Huma Abedin: Daniel Greenfield
Former Mueller Deputy On Trump: 'Government Is Going To Kill This Guy': RWN
Anti-Google artwork pops up all over the streets of Los Angeles: The Duran
EconomyComparing the Ideological Bubbles of Google and the Elite University: John O. McGinnis
Anti-Israel Curricula Used in World History Courses Across the Country: Rachel Frommer
In Era of Trump, American Corporations See Best Earnings in 13 Years: Warner Todd Huston
Scandal CentralHave Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?: Jean M. Twenge
James Damore has an 'above decent' chance of winning his legal case against Google: Jim Edwards
Fired NSC Aide Reveals Political Warfare Operation Targeting Trump: Bill Gertz
MediaNYT: Nuclear Attack Schnuclear Attack, What Guam Really Needs to Fear is Climate Change: Ace
James Damore Was Right: The Inconvenient Truth Behind The Google Memo: John Hawkins
Bloodlust: CNN's firing of Jeffrey Lord brings out the worst in the left: Peter Barry Chowka
WorldLevin on N. Korea Nuking Up: Past Admins. 'Pretended' to Solve the Problem, 'Utterly Irresponsible': Gage Cohen
Donald Trump Wins Round One vs. North Korea: Joel B. Pollak
Israel Going Underground For Protection Against Hamas: LidBlog
North Korea Demands As Reasonable As Democrat Impeachment Demands: RWN
Tortured by 'Moderates': Kelly Jane Torrance
15 Teenagers Treated for Rabies After Engaging in Bestiality with Donkey: Morocco
Sci-Tech (courtesy BadBlue Tech News)Tech Review: Amazon Plans to Disrupt Payments Industry: DomainMondo
You've Been Warned: Keep Your Drones Away From Military Bases: Tim Wright
dExploring the Mysterious Life of One of Earth's First Giant Organisms: Annie Sneed
CornucopiaFirst Rap Song Recorded In... 1937?: Darrin Jackson
America Officially Has a New Most Beautiful, Most Courageous Woman Ever: Ace
Please Don't Feed the Alligators. It Just Encourages Them.: MOTUS
Sponsored by: My Beer Fund
Iceberg to Rebuild Titanic https://t.co/7PflTGmjsF— Razor (@hale_razor) August 12, 2017


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- Yield
- Serves 6 to 8
- 2 cups thinly sliced onion
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups milk
- 2 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (about 6 ounces)
- 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
- In a skillet cook the onion and 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is very soft. In a heavy saucepan melt 6 tablespoons of the remaining butter over moderately low heat, whisk in the flour, and cook the roux, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the milk, scalded, in a stream, whisking, and bring the sauce to a boil. Simmer the sauce, whisking, for 1 minute and add salt and pepper to taste. Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick. Spread about one third of the sauce in the bottom of a well-buttered 3-quart gratin dish at least 2 1/2 inches deep, cover it with a layer of potato slices, overlapping the slices slightly, and cover the potatoes with one third of the onions. Sprinkle the onions with one third of the Cheddar and continue to layer the remaining sauce, potatoes, onions, and Cheddar in the same manner. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, dot it with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits, and bake the mixture, covered with foil, in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake the potato mixture for 30 to 35 minutes more, or until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender.
Related Video
Nutritional Info
- Calories427
- Carbohydrates41 g(14%)
- Fat24 g(37%)
- Protein13 g(26%)
- Saturated Fat14 g(72%)
- Sodium227 mg(9%)
- Polyunsaturated Fat1 g
- Fiber4 g(16%)
- Monounsaturated Fat6 g
- Cholesterol66 mg(22%)


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Robert Gabriel Mugabe was born on 21 February 1924 in Kutama, Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) to Gabriel, a mission carpenter, and Bona Mugabe. Initially educated at missionary schools, Robert completed his secondary and early college studies through correspondence, qualifying as a secondary school teacher in 1941. He taught at a variety of mission schools before going to South Africa, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in english and history from Fort Hare University in 1951. Upon returning home in 1952, Mugabe taught at Highfield (Harare) and Mambo (Gwelo) government schools. In 1955, Mugabe moved to Northern Rhodesia to teach at Chalimbana Teacher Training College after obtaining a bachelor's degree in education by correspondence.
In 1957, Robert Mugabe went to Ghana to teach at St. Mary's College. It was there that he developed an interest in politics after being inspired by Ghanaian independence and charismatic leaders including Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah and Malawi's Hastings Kamuzu Banda. It was there that he met his first wife, Sally Hayfron (later deceased).
Upon Mugabe's return from Ghana in 1960, he entered the political arena by becoming the publicity secretary and youth organizer for the National Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP was banned on 9 December 1961, but Mugabe became deputy secretary general for the ZAPU. In 1962, authorities banned ZAPU and arrested Mugabe. He was placed under detention from 1964–74, when international pressures secured his release along with other nationalist leaders. From 1974–79, Mugabe commanded guerilla forces from Mozambique. He was elected ZANU president and the
commander in chief of the Zimbabwe National Liberation Army (ZANLA) in 1977 and ultimately led ZANU to the Lancaster House agreements in 1979.
On 16 August 1996, Mugabe married Grace Marufu, his former secretary. The wedding, dubbed "wedding of the century," was attended by 40,000 people. Mugabe's contribution to Zimbabwean and African development are widely recognized; he holds many honorary degrees and two awards for public service: Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger (1988) and the Jawaharlal Nehru Award (1989). He and his wife have a residence at Zvimba, a rural village 50 mi (80 km) west of Harare.


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Hundreds rail against U.S. Postal Service's plan to close Wallingford facility
WALLINGFORD — More than 400 people and some of the state's political heavyweights let officials with the U.S. Postal Service know that they think plans to close the Southern Connecticut Distribution and Processing Center in town ought to be marked "return to sender."
That's because the plan calls for 281 postal service employees to lose their jobs as work done at the Research Parkway facility in Wallingford is moved to Hartford and Springfield, Mass. USPS management says closing the Wallingford facility, combined with going to 2- to 3-day delivery for first class mail, would save $24 million annually, but that's a claim that neither the workers nor the politicians who packed the Villa Capri banquet facility for the hearing were buying.
The hearing attracted a standing room only crowd and forced police to turn away 50 people who wanted to attend. It marked the first public airing of the plan since USPS officials confirmed in early December that the Wallingford facility, which opened in June 1995, was one of 252 slated for closure as part of a nationwide effort to consolidate mail distribution facilities.
A final decision on the nationwide mail distribution center closures isn't due until mid-May.
"The way to save the U.S. Postal Service is not to hollow it out," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said as the crowd roared its approval. "This processing center was made for expansion. It's not just a tradition; it's part of our Constitution."
Blumenthal was joined by U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, and Chris Murphy, D-5, as well as state and local political leaders opposed to the closing
Kimberly Peters, Connecticut Valley district manager for the USPS, said the purpose of closing the Wallingford facility and one in Stamford is to make more effective use of the Hartford mail processing center. Because more people are using email and other technologies to communicate instead of sending letters, Peters said USPS revenues are declining.
"For every piece of first class mail we lose, we need to add three more to replace it and that's not going to happen," Peters said.
Murphy, who serves on a congressional committee that oversees the USPS, said executives at a national level are misleading the public about the impact the consolidation effort would have. Continued…
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"The notion that delivery has not been affected by the changes that have already been made in our processing and that delivery is not going to be affected moving forward is absolute fiction," he said.
DeLauro said Connecticut's economy can ill afford to lose more jobs at the hands of the Postal Service.
Instead, DeLauro said she is a co-sponsor of legislation that would remove the government mandate requiring the USPS to pre-fund health benefits for retirees and required it to pay that sum in 10 years. She said the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act that Congress passed in 2006 has required the USPS to pay between $5 billion and $6 billion per year for pre-funded benefits, which has made it unprofitable.
"It is wrong, it is unfair and it needs to be stopped," she said.
Elected representatives haven't been alone in criticizing the USPS consolidation plan. The Postal Regulatory Commission, an independent federal agency with regulatory oversight of the USPS, said late last month that the process used to assess which facilities should be closed is faulty.
"The Postal Service's plan did not and could not, because of lack of data and analysis, determine the facilities most likely to serve the greatest number, reduce the greatest costs, or enhance the potential for growth or stability in the system," said Ruth Goldway, chairwoman of the Postal Regulatory Commission.


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Twitter flips the script on Vine, bans pornographic uploads
Twitter updates Vine's Terms of Service, institutes an app wide ban on pornographic videos unless they are artistic or documentary in nature
As with anything on the internet, Porn always finds a way to infiltrate it, and Twitter is apparently fed up with pornographic material making its way onto its Vine video app. Today Twitter changed Vine's Terms of Service to explicitly ban the uploading of pornographic material or any nudity what-so-ever if it is not classified as artistic or as part of a documentary.
"As we've watched the community and your creativity grow and evolve, we've found that there's a very small percentage of videos that are not a good fit for our community. So we're making an update to our Rules and Terms of Service to prohibit explicit sexual content," the company said in a blog post. "For more than 99 percent of our users, this doesn't really change anything. For the rest: we don't have a problem with explicit sexual content on the Internet -- we just prefer not to be the source of it."
The new rules are inline with several popular apps and social media site's policies on nudity and pornography, but some industry analyst are suggesting that Twitter updated Vine's ToS to appease some of Apple's App Police from making a push to ban the app from the app store. It's still unclear weather or not this change will also effect Twitter itself as the social network has thousands of active accounts from the porn industry.
Last updated: Apr 7, 2020 at 11:43 am CDT
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AWS Mobile Blog
Category: Amazon CloudFront
Use a custom domain with AWS AppSync, Amazon CloudFront, and Amazon Route 53
Most of the time, AWS AppSync can use any domain name because a user doesn't type in the name of the GraphQL endpoint—it's embedded in an app. However, there are cases when a custom domain name is required: Your security policies require a specific Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate to be used. You need to […]Read More


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Posts Tagged 'Grant for Firewood North Idaho'
Free Grants for Firewood Helping Single Mothers, Widows and Elderly
As anyone that has been self-employed in their life knows that it comes with a blessing and a curse. The blessing being the possibility of having more money and more time to do other things. The curse of almost any business owner (especially in the beginning) is being a slave to your business and having…Read More


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Arizona emcee Richie Evans (otherwise known as Juice) makes his HNHH debut with "Big City." Featuring a guest verse from former Bad Boy signee and current Hasidic Jew Shyne, the single comes off of Richie's The Process EP, available now for purchase on iTunes. If you're feeling this one, be sure to support the artist and cop the rest of the EP .
For more on Richie, keep it locked to HNHH as we continue to follow this up-and-comer's movement. Meanwhile, be sure to follow the man himself on his official Twitter account for all of the most recent news and updates.
Quotable Lyrics:
Seen my homie Jinx sling crack to earn a million
Then I see them boys lock him in the cuffs
Still had to do time; I guess money ain't enough
Shit's a little different when you're dealing with reality
Pocket-watching niggas try to maximize your salary


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The idea-toons began as an experiment with visual content. Then I used them to illustrate my posts (mainly the ones on XX Factor). The strips each stand by themselves but in some cases, context is drawn from the post. Enjoy!
Update: Bitstrips are my new StripCreator! And the girl in the green dress is back, a little older but (I hope) just as whacky!
I want to kick the ass of the next person to demand 'kickass content'. Content is not a professional wrestler.
I grew up here. 'Nuff said. #AndheriGirl
The land of potholes, endless metro construction and Bollywood aspirants. #AndheriGirl
Bombay summer + traffic + construction = Andheri Heat #AndheriGirl
#AndheriGirl fights grime with hourly bath breaks.
It will probably be an Andheri citizen who discovers time travel. #AndheriGirl
I'm campaigning for a new timezone: Andheri Traffic Time. #AndheriGirl
Because I'm a through and through #AndheriGirl
(On getting my new Macbook Air)
The album can be seen at StripCreator.


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Indonesia's International Airport to Get Some Relief
By Linda Silaen
It's not just the roads in Indonesia that are overwhelmed with traffic. So is Jakarta's international airport.
So, to reduce some of the burden, Jakarta's much-smaller Halim Perdanakusuma Airport will welcome commercial flights by September, the state-owned operator announced Tuesday.
"We can fly 6,000 passengers from the Halim Perdanakusuma airport per day, including for the Hajj pilgrimage [to Mecca]," Salahuddin Rafi, the director of airport and technology development of airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, told reporters Tuesday on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Jakarta.


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A man reportedly shot and killed himself, showing off the 'safety' of his new gun to his friends.
Based on the article, I suspect more than one of The Four Rules wasn't adhered to.
Fortunately, none of the audience was injured.
link: Lagniappe's Lair
h/t Murphy's Law
In my earlier years working as a credit card fraud investigator, management seemed to not have a solid grasp of how they wanted things done. So, many things didn't have established protocols, they were developed on the fly. And, changed in the same fashion.
One of these policies was how restitution payments were handled. At first, just about any investigator would receive a payment from a suspect or convicted felon, and they'd jump through various hoops to get the payment posted, reflecting a lessening of the fraud balance.
This was determined to be confusing, so the boss singled out one of the young turks to handle all the restitution accounts, both receipt of funds and bookkeeping.
Time passed.
At some point management above the boss determined not all the funds had been accounted for. Embezzlement was suspected.
Ultimately, this young turk was found guilty of theft and embezzlement, spent a few months in jail, and ordered to make restitution, himself. My understanding was they were only able to prove about 20% of the missing funds were taken by him. Last I heard, he was still paying money back.
But, before his conviction, all of the pertinent facts were not public record. And, therefore, speaking of this suspect by name could lead to charges of slander, and a lawsuit against the company.
A large meeting of the TMCCC Security Department was called to address this issue. The boss was there, as well as a representative of human resources.
This meeting took just a few minutes. We were told we were not to speak of this crime, nor the suspect by name, nor discuss any details with anyone outside the company. OR, with each other.
Of course, as there had already been a 'gag order' in place, many of the suspect's co-workers didn't know of his arrest, or of what he was suspected. Clarity was NOT the name of the game.
In short, we were told to keep our mouths shut about (something we cannot mention) involving (someone we cannot name)! Right.
While all this nonsense was happening, one of the investigators was out for a couple weeks vacation. When she returned, of course no one spoke of the events she missed-we weren't supposed to.
A main telephone line rang, she answered it.
"Hey! Anybody seen (the guy who shall not be mentioned)?
Blank frightened stares.
Clayton Cramer's Blog posted a link (last night) to an Internet site wherein self-absorbed folk can complain about problems of the Modern World, e.g. My waitress didn't write down the order, and now I'm afraid she will screw it up. or The free car my dad gave me has leather seats, but I am a vegan.
Funny? Yes and no.
Here is said link: First World Problems
I was reminded of the Robert Bly story, wherein Bly was 17, and working cleaning
up a restaurant after hours.
The only other worker was the old bookkeeper.
And Bly kept whining about not being out with his friends, what a problem it was.
Eventually, the old bookkeeper confronted him, and said:
"Do you have a roof over your head? Food in your belly? If you don't,
these are problems,…everything else is just an inconvenience."
Then the old man showed Bly the numbers tattooed on his arm.
Point made.
h/t Clayton Cramer
Back in the old neighborhood (when I was married) there was a local pizzeria. My wife always encouraged patronizing local businesses, so one day we stopped in.
Sorrento Pizzeria.
The owners, Tony and Maria Dragonetti had moved from the Sorrento region in Italy, to New York, and eventually to Arizona. Then, they opened this tiny restaurant.
Tony knew enough English to get by, and run a business. Maria never really learned English. They both did the cooking and baking.
The entire restaurant was both funny and endearing. There were Italian and American Flags everywhere, and pictures of the Pope and the President on wall behind the counter.
And the food was inexpensive, plentiful and delicious.
And, even though I had never lived in an Italian neighborhood (this area is predominantly Latino and Korean) this place was just how I would have imagined it.
The three of us had our first meal there, a pepperoni pizza-Neapolitan style, and some sodas. The pizza was at least 16 inches wide, and incredible. I think the bill was under $9.00! (in 1986).
My daughter and I stopped by, one afternoon, just to say hello, and get sodas. Tony insisted she take a homemade cookie, or we couldn't leave.
And, we tried to come back every
two, three weeks at least once a month. We didn't have much money then.
One time, perhaps two months had elapsed, and we showed up. Tony yells at me, "Hey, where you been? Why haven't you come in?" I explained, reluctantly, that we didn't have much money. Tony says,"Come by anyway, we feed you!"
Saturday night's were always special. Here's this tiny restaurant, with maybe 10 tables, packed to the gills with Latinos, Koreans, Italians…all kind of folk. And food is pouring out of the kitchen, as fast as they can make it.
And there's an Italian guy in the back, playing an accordion and singing!
Sadly, Maria's mother in NY became ill, and the family felt it necessary to take her back to Sorrento. So, they sold the restaurant to a couple yuppies (with the secret recipes!).
But, it didn't fly, no more incredible pizza, no flags, no accordion.
I guess the yuppies forgot to add the other ingredients, personality and love.
I've been graced with many shooting buddies.
Some persons with whom I've shot were not buddies. If they drank, were drunk, or just unsafe, I opted not to shoot with them, again.
But others…
Many gunnies speak of their dads as shooting buddies. I wish that were so in my case. My Dad taught me how to hold a pistol one-handed and line up the sights. (At age 6). No eye or ear protection. Even .25s are loud! That was about it for him. His passion was fishing.
When I acquired my first gun, I acquired my first shooting buddy. You know him as Dave, the genius. (Not to be confused with Dave the artist).
Dave was a friend of one of my college roommates, and it turns out, technically skilled and mechanically inclined.
It was Dave and I who took the S&W Model 39-2 out for her first paces, sans hearing protection.
WHAT? That has changed. He eventually acquired his own collection of firearms, built his own AR, and keeps and has his CCW permit.
Dave is the guy who did the mechanical work on my car.
This in addition to his regular job of repairing Airbus A320 (and other) airplanes for a major carrier. Genius.
I did a separate post a while back about Chip. He and I were shooting buddies for a time, and, when he was a State Prison medic, he ran me through the Prison SWAT team qualifications. But, as it turned out, he was a sociopath, and we parted company.
A long-time friend was Bud. We met in high-school, sang on the choir together, and became friends. He was an avid hunter and shooter, and introduced me to the world of people like Jeff Cooper and Robert Heinlein. And libertarian politics. And we used to shoot together alot. I was Best Man at his wedding. Sadly, we've grown apart (something I'm 50% responsible for) and I don't see him anymore.
Another lost friend and shooting buddy is Steve. Steve, I always used to say, was the younger brother I never had. And, he copied me, rightly or wrongly in many ways. It was Steve who fired his Model 60 with the magna fireball boom-boom .357 pressure loads! Later he traded me the 60, and surprisingly, nothing was wrong with it. He was Best Man at my wedding. We, too, have had a parting of the ways.
Two good men. They're missed.
I purchased my first 1911 from Bob H. He is a long-time friend with whom I've worked as a PI, and at the gun store. I'd shoot with him anywhere, he's that good.
There were many shooters at The Major Credit Card Company. Some became buddies, some students, some both. Dan, Robert, Glenn, Gavin, Lee, Jim, Bob P., Tomi and a few more.
I met Mark at The Major Credit Card Company. He'd done some shooting, and wanted to learn more. So, we went shooting together, and he became a student. He further enhanced his collection and is now another gunnie. I couldn't be more proud.
Mark is the other guy who worked on my car with Dave, and helped me acquire the needed parts.
Let's not forget the women.
Usually women I dated. (I married one.) I figured if we were going to be together, they should be at least familiar with firearms and safety.
In no particular order: Ardith, Mary, Roberta, and Judy. (I'm leaving out the ones who didn't even try shooting- sadly, there were a few). Both Roberta and Judy acquired their own collections, and became a gunnies in their own right.
We always need more women shooters and gun owners. They usually haven't learned their mistakes from TV, so they're better students.
It's good to know I still have buddies with whom to shoot.
The gun store I've been known to frequent (and sometimes, in days of yore, worked part-time) is in a large strip mall. At one end of the mall is an Asian restaurant. At the other a liquor store. Run by an Iraqi-American who escaped Saddam's tyranny.
I always figured if there were a tobacconist, the BATFE could one-stop-shop.
The liquor store is sometimes visited by gun store employees. Not to buy beer, but rather soda, snacks and other flotsam and jetsam. (Hopefully not the pickled eggs.)
And the store's been robbed a couple times. Not very good situational awareness on the part of robbers, choosing a liquor store a few doors away from a gun store!
One time, some years back, two
misguided youths young armed robbers were robbing the liquor store. One of the gun sales guys walked in, assessed the situation, and shot them both.
Distant members of the miscreants' families (note: NOT the immediate families) staged a protest the following day. They said the killing of their 'family members' was racially motivated. I didn't know armed robbers were a race?
On another occasion, one of the gun shop guys was in the store when a couple armed robbers entered. Andy (I'll call him) was shot in the face with a .410, not having had time to respond. Fortunately, the shot hit the point of his chin, and dispersed along his jaw-bone. He's still picking shot from his skin, years later. He's fortunate they shot his jaw and not his eyes. And, he still works at the gun store.
And the armed robbers remain at large.
The point is, do you only buckle your seat belt when you expect an accident? Do you know HOW you would react in similar circumstances?
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You never know.
As my regular readers know, I was in a serious automobile accident in 1995.
The specifics have been elsewhere addressed.
I was in intensive care for 3 of the 6 weeks I was hospitalized. When I minimized this, a friend reminded me that (for comparison) Mickey Mantle, with his failing liver, was hospitalized 4 days in intensive care.
Once I was out of intensive care, and on a little less morphine/ativan drip, I remembered I had left two of the three firearms I owned in the care of a pawn shop.
And the pawn ticket expired today.
Fortunately, a daily visitor was a close friend (and gunnie). I explained the circumstances, and he went to find out what, if anything, could be done. There was no way I was able to leave at that time. Too many tubes and wires. And, that whole inability to walk thing.
Presently, he returned, and advised me the pawn shop would allow release of the guns to him, if I provided them with a notarized statement attesting this was permissible.
And, the hospital had a notary on staff!
As rapidly as I could (while heavily medicated), I composed a proper note, and contacted the hospital notary. She said she would attest to my signature and return the note, duly notarized, post haste.
No notary, nothing, zip, bupkis.
After some time and multiple unanswered telephone calls to her, my gunnie friend went in search.
This process took some time, also.
At length, he returned, having finally obtained the note, now notarized, and presented it to the pawnbrokers.
My firearms were now in safe hands! Whew!
It seemed the hospital notary, after examining my note, and knowing the circumstances surrounding the accident, assumed I was going to commit suicide, so she wasn't going to notarize the document, and, simply ignored my further requests for information.
Fortunately, my friend got everything sorted out.
Another bureaucracy foiled.
I won't say such thoughts hadn't entered my mind.
But, use a firearm. No Way! I respect them too much.
Nice of the hospital to make those decisions for me.
Again, thank God for my friends.
I always liked using military time and the phonetic alphabets.
Initially, probably because it sounded 'cool', but then later because it seemed more precise and accurate.
When I went to work for That Major Credit Card Company, I came in operating under the premise that everyone was an experienced investigator with a more-or-less common skill set.
Boy, was I wrong!
I overheard one of my female co-workers, who had been married to a cop, and around corporate security, on the telephone, spelling a name: "A like in apple, K like in kitty cat…". I had thought we were professionals. It sounded like Sesame Street.
Another friend and former coworker had been a police dispatcher. She advised me the ineptitude didn't start at that Major Credit Card Company.
They had a trained dispatcher who spelled, "Q as in cucumber."!
So I took it upon myself to find a number of the different phonetic alphabets, and brought them in for the bosses to share. It didn't help, much, because they really didn't care.
Many of my co-workers (except, of course, the former military and police folks) just didn't get military time.
We were all in a department meeting one time, and the big security boss (an ex-cop, himself) asked if there were any questions. One of the women asked, "I just don't understand military time? How do you figure it out? What time is it in Alabama, right now, for example? "
Some smart-ass in the back of the room (who could that have been?) yelled out: "1862!"
No, I didn't get fired, or even reprimanded.
In this environment, with management setting no standard, and not caring, I don't feel we sounded professional, either to the police agencies with whom we worked, or the customers.
Oh, well.
During my all-to-short tenure at John's Uniforms, I had the privilege of meeting two men of historic Phoenix stature. One was John T. (Senior).
John T. (Senior) was Johnny's (of John's Uniform fame) father. He had a machine that was used to manufacture custom shirts, first for Western wear, later for police uniforms.
The police uniforms were Class 'A', meaning they were in 100% wool. Absorbent, great-looking, and would wear like iron. They also sold the matching wool trouser, complete with a sap pocket.
John T. (Senior)'s claim to fame was not police uniform wear, however.
Before about 1940, if one watched a Western movie, or went to a rodeo, cowboys (both real and drugstore) wore Western shirts. They resembled the U.S. Cavalry shirt, with the double-buttoned bib-style front. Usually patterned, not just dark blue. But, they were a pain to launder, iron and maintain.
Enter John T. (Senior). He designed what we know today as the modern Western shirt. Snaps, single plaquet front. Yoke shoulder. Slanted pockets.
Easier to don and maintain.
Now Joe P. enters the picture. He opened a local chain of Western wear stores, and sold John T. (Senior)'s Western shirts. A match made in Heaven!
Rodeos and movies (and TV) were never the same.
They were both self-made men, although Joe P. did better, financially. It seems patterns for Western-style clothing are not copyright-able or patentable.
Joe P., long since retired, would come in to John's and hang-out. And he'd tell stories of Phoenix in the old days, as before WWII. And Johnny's manager at the time used to work for Joe. So, it was a pretty tight group.
Both John T.(Senior) and Joe P. are gone now. Joe P.s family broke off the Western wear stores into different entities. And, while John's Uniforms still exists, Johnny has retired, too.
They don't even sell Class 'A' local-machine made wool uniforms, anymore.
I went in for one a few years ago, and they were polyester. Sad.
In August 1968, my parents, step-brother and I traveled across the U.S. via camper truck. Being a teenager packed-in like sardines with your family is not a 'fun' experience. In August. (or I imagine any other time.)
I always wanted to be one of those people who could read minds, or experience Extra-Sensory Perception or other stuff. Alas, I never have.
Except once.
We were visiting family friends outside Washington, D.C.. The dad worked in Washington, so, he drove us into the city, and we caught a tour bus. Well, actually, a tour limousine. And we rapidly visited many of the historic sites in our Nation's Capital. It was wonderful.
After the rapid-fire tour was completed, we were dropped back directly by the White House. And I was told I was 'on my own', and could meet the others at an appointed time again, at that location, later.
So, here's young Guffaw, walking up Pennsylvania Avenue, taking in all the sites.
About a block down, across the street, a strange, foreboding feeling overcame me. I wasn't afraid, just sad and confused. And strangely chilled. You'd think I'd be happy divesting myself of the family for a while?
And, I had just stopped in front of a white building, and tried to assess what I was feeling. Maybe I was coming down with something?
Then I saw the historic marker. It commemorates White House Policeman Leslie Coffelt, who, while mortally wounded, returned fire and killed Puerto Rican
Nationalist terrorist Griselio Torresola, who had just pumped four bullets into him, in an attempt to assassinate President Truman. (November 1, 1950)
Truman was staying at Blair House while the White House was under renovation.
Torresola and his partner Oscar Collazo had tried to storm Blair House to kill the President. And Officer Coffelt died protecting him, killing one of the assailants.
Collazo was sentenced to death, but commuted to life by President Truman. President Jimmy Carter then further commuted his sentence to time served, in 1979.
And, I got serious chills, standing on that spot. It had never happened to me before, or since.
Makes my skin crawl, today, just thinking about it.


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Eating and exploring my way around the world. Starting in, out, and around Bloomington, Indiana.
Snapshots from Spain - How to Breakfast like a Spaniard
What's the most decadent breakfast you can imagine? Along with the English fry up and French chocolate filled croissants, the Spanish tradition of churros and chocolate must be right there at the top of the list. It's not just for tourists, I saw many a local happily dunking away. The trick is to have your churros in the morning, like a true Spaniard. If you aren't into sweets for breakfast, the somewhat more virtuous option is a tostada, aka, toast. Just take one crusty roll, add a drizzle of olive oil, a smear of crushed tomato, perhaps a slice of ham, and you've got breakfast. Over the course of my stay in Andalucia, I indulged in both breakfasts several times.
Unlike most churros you find in the states, the plain Spanish versions aren't covered in sugar or filled with cream. But they do come in several shapes and sizes, though they're always fried in a circle, then chopped into dunkable sticks. Churros range from a half inch to two inches thick with variations in texture and density. The ones in Sevilla and Granada have a smooth surface and chewy bouncy texture that can be ruined if they sit too long in their own oil. The fresher the better! The doughnuts' internal hole structure allows hot chocolate to seep right in when dunked.
My last stop in Spain was Madrid, where I sat down for more churros and chocolate at the famous Chocolatería San Ginés. Conveniently, the cafe was just steps from my hotel and they serve their specialty all day long. So I ignored my advice of morning churros only, and indulged in a late afternoon snack. Unlike the churros pictured in this post, San Ginés churros are denser, the dough extruded through a star tipped tube to create a narrow, ridged doughnut. Chocolate clings like a dream to the exterior ridges, making it the slightly superior dunking apparatus.
And what about the chocolate? All the mugs I tried were just barely sweetened and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. They weren't quite as creamy and thick as the decadent drinking chocolate I sampled at Cacao Sampaka in Barcelona, but they were all much richer than typical American hot chocolate. I had my first mug at La Centuria Cafe in Sevilla, beneath the shadow of Las Setas, where the chocolate was lighter and very drinkable, a little milkier than later versions. I accidentally ordered a full portion of six churros, far too many for one person. Make sure to ask for a half order if you're on your own.
The photos in this post come from Gran Cafe-Bib Rambla, in Granada. It's centrally located, just under the Cathedral. And like Chocolatería San Ginés, Bib Rambla is famous for their churros y chocolate. You'll see an order on almost every table. Their hot chocolate is dark and just a little sweet. My favorite spoonfuls were near the end, when the chocolate had begun to cool and firm up, resulting in pockets of semi-solid chocolate that melted so nicely on my tongue. I also ordered a fruit skewer, thinking it would help balance out the decadence of the rest of my order. Don't bother. The skewer contained four bites of barely ripe orange and melon and cost more than my cup of coffee.
And speaking of coffee, if you're not up for indulging in chocolate straight away in the morning, cafe con leche is the perfect alternative. Cafe con leche is steamed milk poured into a large shot of espresso and it's just as good as chocolate for dunking churros. It's usually served in a small mug, but you can also order the drink 'en vaso,' and it will arrive in a little glass cup. I noticed that women seemed more likely to order their coffee this way, though I haven't quite determined why. Like churros, Cafe con leche is typically consumed in the morning so don't be surprised if your waiter gives you a funny look if you order it past lunch time. Just make sure to enjoy the pour, it's awfully pretty, especially when performed by a handsome young Spanish waiter.
I was going to attempt to balance this post out with information on a more wholesome Spanish breakfast of tostada. But I've already written way more than I intended, so that will have to wait for another post. For now I'll end with a few photos of Granada, from the lovely San Cristobal Mirador in the Albaicin neighborhood. That's where I headed directly after finishing my churros y chocolate for some fresh air and plenty of hills and hiking.
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