text:
Following nearly a year of conversation between activism groups and state leaders, the Boston Police Department is closer to implementing a pilot program to test the use of body-worn cameras for officers.
"I've never said no … I just want to get it right so we're not wasting all kinds of money and we're not invading peoples' privacy," Boston Police Department Commissioner William Evans said in a Sept. 15 interview with Jim Braude on WGBH's news talk show Greater Boston.
Evans said he has been working with BPD's legal staff, unions and potential vendors to get the program started.
"I wish I could snap my fingers and it would happen tomorrow, but there's so many issues regarding privacy," Evans said. "There's so many issues on cost and hiring people. It's not an easy overnight fix."
Bonnie McGilpin, a spokesperson for Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, said the mayor shares Evans' sentiments about the use of body cameras.
"Mayor Walsh and Commissioner Evans agree that body cameras for Boston police officers could be a valuable investment in our police force," McGilpin said in a statement. "But they believe that body cameras are only one tool in police work, and do not address the fundamental problems of inequity in our communities."
Beyond body cameras, Walsh wants to focus on addressing inequality, strengthening community relations and building trust between residents and officers, McGilpin said.
Walsh first endorsed a body camera program for BPD last year, which came out of a national conversation about the deaths of several unarmed black men at the hands of police, The Daily Free Press reported on Dec. 11, 2014.
Segun Idowu, co-founder of the Boston Police Camera Action Team, said the group supports the pilot and appreciates Walsh and Evan's change of heart, but added that BPCAT members remain "cautiously optimistic."
"We again wanted to meet with them so we could offer our opinions on the fact that it should be a very extensive program where it should be up to a hundred officers that are wearing this or more, and they're not just in the black community," Idowu said, "because even though this is an issue that is spurring out of what was happening in Ferguson, [Missouri,] every community has to live with this."
Idowu said BPCAT worked on a general policy that can serve as a model for the rest of the nation, with ideas stemming from conversations with members of the community and law enforcement.
"The policy we produced is essentially something that responds to those concerns and we also feel is fair to the officer. We didn't want to create something just out of our emotional response to what we saw in Ferguson and Baltimore and Staten Island, [NewYork]."
Boston City Councilor Charles Yancey introduced the policy as an ordinance at an August City Council hearing, leaving it up for consideration and eventually a vote.
BPCAT also worked with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts to create a more specific body camera policy, which was released on Sept. 16.
Christopher Ott, a spokesman for the ACLUM, said working on policy and informing the community can play a role in whether a body camera pilot is finally put in place.
"In order for this program to work, it needs to have community support," Ott said. "Body cameras help promote accountability on both sides of the badge. Unfortunately we have seen incidents caught on camera, but [cameras] have helped bring people to justice and spread awareness. It goes both ways."
The Massachusetts State Police is also looking into body cameras, said spokesman Tom Ryan. A committee has been formed to consider their use, and the group will give their recommendation to MSP Superintendent Richard McKeon later in the fall, Ryan said.
Several residents said they look forward to a body camera pilot for BPD.
Yandara Botelho, 22, of Brighton, said body cameras can support both the police and whomever they are interacting with.
"It should be something natural or just an auxiliary thing," she said. "They should do their job the same way because for me the cameras are to help them do their jobs."
Carlen Lopez, 38, of the South End, said recorded interactions between the police and public can provide clarity.
"If you let it be known to the residents that police officers have body cameras, they will be aware that they're being recorded," she said. "It's not that it was a hidden camera or whether it was on. As long as you have awareness I don't see how it's invasion of privacy."
Lukas Posh, 20, of Brighton, drew parallels between the debates going on in Boston with those going on in his home country of Germany.
"I'm rather in favor of them," he said. "If the police behave correctly there's no consequences of behavior. The police stay anonymous as long as they haven't done anything wrong."


text:
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Peabody Energy (BTU) - Get Report, the world's largest coal producer, is positioned to benefit as China moves toward cleaner energy, through participation in the development of clean-burning technology. However, according to a report Thursday, that benefit is likely to feel considerable pressure, as China seems headed toward a sharp reduction in coal demand.
Up to $21 billion of investment in Chinese coal reserves each year is running a significant risk of being wasted, according to the report released by activist investor group Carbon Tracker. According to the report, regulatory pressure to limit carbon emissions, a rise in renewable energy sources and a slowdown in China's GDP and energy consumption could cause thermal coal demand in the country to peak between 2015 and 2020. Coal currently counts for 80% of the nation's energy, helping make it the largest coal consumer in the world.
An "early peaking" trajectory would dramatically reduce the countries coal needs, Carbon Tracker said.
By 2020, the difference between a business as usual path and an "early-peaking" trajectory from a combination of these factors is equal to: (i) 56% of China's thermal coal supply in 2012; and (ii) 437GW of coal-fired power capacity - 40% of total capacity in 2020 (Figure 2).
Local companies like China Shenhua Energy (CSUAY) have considerable capital investments in the development of coal reserves that are at risk of becoming "stranded assets," Carbon Tracker said. Peabody is among the U.S. companies that has an extensive presence in China through partnerships with companies like Shenhua and other mining and power operations.
Peabody also has an investment in the clean energy push that is undermining those coal assets. In response to the growing push in China for lower carbon emissions, Peabody is a participant in the nation's GreenGen initiative, constructing a showcase coal gasification power plant in Tianjin. According to the company's Web site, Peabody is also "a founding member of the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program, a public-private partnership to accelerate the commercialization of clean coal projects in China."
But beyond efforts to develop greener coal energy, Peabody also operates mines in China and is developing a trading business that will likely be directly affected by the slowdown in demand. According to Peabody's Web site:
In 2013, Peabody extended its physical trading and brokerage presence in Asia through a strategic joint venture with China's Shenhua Group. The company is focused on increasing trading activity in Asia following this recently signed joint venture agreement, which is intended to supply Shenhua's Chinese coal import demand with thermal coal. Peabody is also pursuing the development of a large open-cut mine in Xinjiang Province.
The joint venture is significant, as the company could ironically see its U.S. exports to China increased in the short-term as the country turns away from the lower quality coal coming out of Indonesia and Australia. Along with Peabody, Arch Coal (ACI) - Get Report and Cloud PeakEnergy (CPE) - Get Report could be among U.S. companies to profit from that shift.
However, while the greatest threat is to those domestic coal producers and international companies with impacted operations in the region, the trend toward clean energy could mean the nation becomes a "zero imports market" for coal in the near future, Carbon Tracker said.
Quoted in the Carbon Tracker press release, the report's lead author Luke Sussams noted, "If China becomes a zero imports market, which is possible, there is a noticeable lack of any viable alternative growth market for seaborne traded coal. Where will Australia's US$50 billion of thermal coal go instead?"
China's coal imports are already on the decline, dropping 2% year over year in February. However, Australian miner BHP Billiton (BHP) - Get Reporthas said it is relying on export growth in developing countries apart from China.
Perhaps more significantly for U.S. coal companies like Peabody, Arch and Cloud Peak, the world's thermal coal prices have dropped more than 42% since 2011 to $75 per tonne. Below is a chart of the five-year percent change in stock price for the four aforementioned companies. Given Carbon Tracker's predictions for an underestimated slowdown in coal demand in China and the possibility of losses on investments in coal reserves, that trend looks likely to continue for the near future pressuring U.S. coal stock prices further.
>>Read More:
Coal Mulls Threat From EPA Emissions Reductions
Carbon Tax Could Boost Economy in Global Warming Fight
-- Written by Carlton Wilkinson in New York

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cransley Sailing Club is pleased to announce that they have been awarded £6,500 from the
Mick George Community Fund for replacement of the veranda and two
staircases leading up to the veranda.
Funding is provided by Mick George Limited through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) this funding is for projects within five miles of the Mick George landfill site at Rushton.
The refurbishment of the veranda and stairs and the replacement of the railings will allow members to enjoy good views of the action on the water or relax after a days sailing in front of the picturesque reservoir.
Work is due to started on 2nd April and the new stairs, veranda and safety railing was completed on 11th April 2013 in time for the Grand Opening of the Club House on Saturday 20th April.
All at CSC would like to thank Mark Bettles of
Cornerhouse Building Contractors Ltd
for the excellent work and helping to design the new the changing rooms and training room The money for this work was provided by
Sports England Inspired Facilities and also for replacing the stairs and veranda money for this project was provided by the Mick George Community Fund.


text:
Clients tell me all the time that they operate at their best when they're under stress. "But I'm most productive when I've got insane deadlines to reach," they tell me time and again. They get a bit scared that meditation is going to make them less driven, all chill and unproductive.
Here's what I say about that. One: no one operates at their optimum functionality in stress mode. It's simply impossible because of the biochemical cocktail of stress hormones in the body. And it's ridiculously unsustainable. More about that in detail below. Two: meditation is not about doing less. It's about being able to do more. It's about releasing stress out of the nervous system, changing our body's biochemistry, providing deep rest and re-charging our mind and body, the same way that we re-charge our laptops and our phones, so that we can access all of that amazing capability and capacity. It's also about having the capability to respond to challenging situations, rather than having an automatic biochemical reaction to these situations.
Allow me to explain.
When we are in a situation and we are overwhelmed or challenged by it we experience a stress response. This is more than an emotion. It is a hard-wired physical response, left over from cave man times, that travels throughout our entire body, and alerts and prepares it for imminent danger.
If you're one of those people that thinks you work well and at your best when you are under stress, and there's a lot of you out there addicted to this way of operating, here's some important info for you. When activated too often or for too long, this primitive fight or flight response doesn't just change the brain, but it also damages many of the cells and organs throughout the body.
Here's what you need to know. The stress hormones norepinephrine, epinephrine, adrenaline and cortisol are produced by the adrenal glands. These travel through our bloodstream to our blood vessels and our heart. Adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster and raises blood pressure. This can lead to hypertension over time. Cortisol has also been found to cause the inner lining of the blood vessels not to function in their normal way. The latest scientific research is telling us that this is connected to cholesterol plague build up in the body's arteries. It's not surprising then that together these changes impact the chances of having a stroke or a heart attack.
And I've got more bad news for the heart. And the body in general. Ever craved comfort foods when you're super stressed? At a guess, I'm going to say that's a fairly unanimous YES! And have you started to put on weight? Yep?! Chronic stress affects your waistline. Big time. Chronic stress means the body runs more on cortisol more of the time. Cortisol increases your appetite. It tells the body to replenish energy stores with carbohydrates and other energy dense foods. This type of fat doesn't just make it harder to fit into your favourite pants. High levels of cortisol causes the body to put on extra calories as deep belly fat. Immune system chemicals and hormones called cytokines are released, increasing the risk of developing chronic diseases such as insulin resistance and heart disease.
Not only this but the body has a tough time digesting all that food that we're stress eating. As the brain begins to sense stress the autonomic nervous system is activated and it is communicated to the intestinal nervous system. This causes us to feel butterflies in our stomachs. The natural rhythmic contractions that move food through are disrupted, and this can lead to heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome and a change in our gut bacteria which can affect digestive and overall health.
Chronic stress also causes head aches; muscle tension; difficulty concentrating; fatigue and irritability. Really, I could go on. But you get the picture I'm painting, you're not someone operating at your optional capacity in this state.
So what's the answer?
It's really no surprise that the meditation teacher is going to scream MEDITATION. MEDITATION. MEDITATION.
Life will always send stressful situations our way. But what matters to your brain and your entire body is how you respond to that stress. If those situations are viewed as threats by the mind and the body we will go into fight or flight mode, and the body will produce stress hormones. This is helpful if we need to run and flee from a bear. Not so helpful if we need to meet deadlines, are stuck in traffic, or giving a presentation. Meditation is a time for the mind and body to rest, repair and recover and release the stress, tension and fatigue we put in each day, and chip away at that which has accumulated in our nervous system over the years.
What MRI imaging is showing us is that very quickly after someone adds daily, regular meditation into their lives, the part of the brain that is responsible for the flight or fight response, the amygdala, starts to shrink. The body produces less and less stress hormones: norepinephrine; epinephrine; adrenaline; and cortisol, and runs more on what we call 'stay and play' biochemistry, a cocktail of serotonin and dopamine, the blissful biochemistry that makes us feel happy, energised, less stressed, and more clear in our thinking.


text:
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet school term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It's assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney's ghoulish predictions seriously?
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was J.K. Rowling's first novel, followed by the subsequent six titles in the Harry Potter series, as well as three books written for charity: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages and The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The Harry Potter novels have now sold over 450 million copies worldwide and been translated into 78 languages.
More books by J. K. Rowling
Delivery Options
All delivery times quoted are the average, and cannot be guaranteed. These should be added to the availability message time, to determine when the goods will arrive. During checkout we will give you a cumulative estimated date for delivery.
** Includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Irish Republic, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Click and Collect is available for all our shops; collection times will vary depending on availability of items. Individual despatch times for each item will be given at checkout.
Delivery Help & FAQs
Delivery is free for the UK. Western Europe costs £60 for each 12 month subscription package purchased. For the Rest of the World the cost is £100 for each package purchased. All delivery costs are charged in advance at time of purchase. For more information please visit the A Year of Books page.
Returns Information
If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase*, you may return it to us in its original condition with in 30 days of receiving your delivery or collection notification email for a refund. Except for damaged items or delivery issues the cost of return postage is borne by the buyer. Your statutory rights are not affected.
* For Exclusions and terms on damaged or delivery issues see Returns Help & FAQs


text:
September 11, 2011: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity
First Reading: Sirach 27:30 -28:9
Psalm: 103
Second Reading: Romans 14:7-9
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church: Romans 14:7-8
"Jesus takes up the entire Old Testament tradition even with regard to economic goods, wealth and poverty and he gives them great clarity and fullness. Freed from evil and being placed once more in communion with God, man is able to continue the work of Jesus, with the help of his Spirit. In this man is called to render justice to the poor…actively seeking a new social order in which adequate solutions to material poverty are offered and in which the forces thwarting the attempts of the weakest to free themselves from conditions of misery and slavery are more effectively controlled."
paragraph 325
Forgiveness is not a selective process to choose only when the situation is easy and convenient. Forgiveness means evaporating one's ego and desist from living in a realm of power. Forgiveness takes time for reflection, to acknowledge hurt and resolve to start a new day in light, not darkness. Forgiveness emulates the Lord who is kind and merciful, slow to anger and rich in compassion. Forgiveness helps us to realize wrath and anger are hateful things that sinners hug tight. Forgiveness of another's injustice is rooted in prayer and knowing one's own sins will be forgiven. Forgiveness ceases to nourish anger and overlooks faults for healing. Forgiveness trusts not in bombs and guns, but God's love, Jesus who affirms non-violent, peace building and the gifts of the Holy Spirit for examples and strength to forgive. Forgiveness lives not for oneself, but for the Lord.
Individual Reflection: Sirach 27:30 – 28:9
Visit Pax Christi's website for resources on observing the anniversary of 9/11: http://www.paxchristiusa.org
Family Reflection: Psalm 103
Have each family member share a prayer for the grace to forgive someone with mercy and compassion.
The reflection may be used in parish bulletins, newsletters or for faith sharing groups without copyright concerns.


text:
Science & EU Risk Regulation: The Role of Experts in Decision-Making and Judicial Review
EUROPEAN RISK GOVERANANCE - ITS SCIENCE, ITS INCLUSIVENESS AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS, Connex Report Series No. 6, E. Vos, ed., February 2008
27 Pages Posted: 16 Aug 2007 Last revised: 19 Sep 2014
Date Written: May 1, 2007
This paper analyses the role that scientific experts and, more in general, scientific expertise play within European risk governance. While the first part of the paper looks at the way in which scientific expertise is integrated in the decision-making process, the second part examines how science and science-based measures are, or may be, judicially reviewed by European courts. This last part also ventures to suggest some ways to help the judge when reviewing science-based measures by looking into expert consultation systems and peer review mechanisms. In so doing, the paper will mainly refer to the area of food safety as it provides a privileged perspective from which to examine the development of an emerging European risk regulatory framework. Indeed, although confined to regulating food safety issues, the risk regulatory model which has been laid down by regulation 178/2002 in the aftermath of several 'food scandals' reflects the state of the art in the ongoing European reflection on risk governance.
Keywords: EU Law, Risk Regulation, Scientific expertise, Experts, Food Safety
JEL Classification: K33, K2
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation


text:
by style contributor, Julie
It's time for us to address an issue that we run into every time we début a new season's collection. Before the skinny spin gets cracked and the hot-off-the-press catalog ink has dried, the phones in our customer care center begin to ring off the hook…what's the voice on the other end uttering most? "Where can we get those SHOES?!?!"
We're ready to spill our stylist's secret and let you in to the wonderful world of what we put on our models' feet. The outfit may be the main course, but every ensemble needs a little BAM of seasoning à la Emeril Lagasse to "kick it up a notch" and feed the fashion sole…
This season we had the pleasure of pulling from brands like Marc Jacobs, Freebird, and L'Autre Chose just to name-drop a few. Here are 3 of our favorites – AND for the cherry on top, we've even provided you the perfect alternative shoe just in case you are curious about some not-so-funky footwear styling.
The Jeffrey Campbell:
This season we've channeled our inner super chic rock star. What better way to set off a pair of leather-like black jeans than with a pair of chunky heeled rocker boots with metal buckles! (Shopbop.com) http://goo.gl/oRcXzGBut if these bad girl boots are a little to 1980's Hair Band for you, then don't be afraid to trade in the chuck heel for a stiletto and knock off a buckle or two. Jeffrey Campbell Belair Boot (Neiman Marcus) http://goo.gl/rPokwa
The L'Autre Chose
We'll never leave our rustic roots, which is why we picked this buttery brown ankle- hitting bootie. They're the perfect wear-with-all pair, but the low riding ankle cut keeps them up-to-date. (yoox.com) http://goo.gl/IiVdMa
If you're digging something that's more of a tall drink of water, there's no way you can go wrong with a just-to-the-knee almost edible chocolate classic boot. Not only will they be the only pair of boots you need for the season, they'll make your legs look a country mile long! L'Autre Chose Tall Boot (stylebop.com) http://goo.gl/pDs1i8
The Freebird
Borrowing from the boys is never a bad idea. And the juxtaposition of a big bulky boot and a lovely lady says "Yeah, I raided your closet, and guess what, sir…I wear it better than you." (Nordstrom) http://goo.gl/bHOQZYOr if you're more of a buttoned-up beauty that prefers just a hint of him in your wardrobe, you might want to sub the super boot for something a little less biker boy. Freebird Saddle Boot (Steve Madden) http://goo.gl/fFP1HE
Now go forth my lovers of shoes and don't forget to ALWAYS let your soles shine!


text:
The most important thing for homeschool success is to mingle and socialize with other homeschooling families. Being a member of a support group allows you to share resources and information with them as well as to remind you that you are not alone in your home-teaching journey. Your county support groups can offer you families with common goals and interests to yours.
IMPORTANT:Note: Our information includes both Parent-led Homeschool Support Groups and Private School Satellite Programs (PSPs) formerly known as Independent Study Programs (ISPs).
What's the difference?
The difference is that typically, the Parent-led Homeschool Support Groups are created by families for families to get together for social activities, such as park days, P.E. activities, organized classes, field trips and other "group" types of endeavors. Some require a general membership fee, but most do not. You can usually show up at a park day and meet the parents and children to see how you like the group.
PSPs or ISPs are private schools, usually small in enrollment, but schools nonetheless. Homeschooling families may enroll and pay tuition, in order to receive the administrative support of a school. This includes record-keeping of attendance, grades, testing and transcripts preparation.
To separate them, we have placed the letters PSP or ISP in the title of such schools.
- Branson Academy – We are a private homeschool satellite program that serves all counties in California. High school, special needs, or brand new to homeschooling? We've got you covered. Enjoy experienced support through our K-12 program. We take care of school transfers, maintain your child's academic reports and transcripts, and help you homeschool successfully. Easy, affordable, flexible. Call Cynthia Simunovich at 831.726.3235 for personal guidance in exploring your home-based educational options.
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom – Free K-12 Teaching Resources
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom provides free K-12 teaching resources available for free downloading at LearnAboutAg.org (lesson plans, fact sheets, student newspapers and more). California educators can request print copies, shipped at no expense.
The Plant Science lesson plans (http://learnaboutag.org/resources/learn_plant.cfm) help students discover what plants need to grow through hands-on lessons and activities: Fun with the Plant Nutrient Team (K-3), What Do Plants Need to Grow? (2-4), Too Much? Too Little? (5-8), and Chemistry, Fertilizer, and the Environment (8-12). All resources are aligned to current California Standards. The organization also provides an annual teacher conference (July 14-15, 2017) and the Imagine this… Story Writing Contest for grades 3-8 (November 1 annual deadline). Learn more and request free resources at LearnAboutAg.org.
Field Trip Zoom – Live Streaming Brings the Field Trips To You
- Flexible schedule
• 300+ events
- Very affordable
- 2-program FREE trial
- Far-reaching topics and venues
All students love field trips. Nothing compares with real-world experience that is also educational.
Field Trip Zoom allows your family or support group to take a wide variety of field trips right in your home! They offer over 300 events throughout the academic year and with a season pass you have access to all events for one incredibly low price! The event providers include Museums of Art, Science, History and more — from all over the U.S., and the topics include American History, Anthropology, Arts, Botany, Chemistry, Coding, Environment, Geography, Government and many, many more!
Imagine, taking a trip to Spaceport America, President Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or the New York Museum of Science, right in your home for only $49.95 for a 12-month pass!
Field Trip Zoom schedules their offerings around various educational observances and all are accessible via desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. If you miss one, you needn't worry, most events can be streamed at a later time!
How does it work?
Using FieldTrip Zoom is simple to use and you can probably begin accessing the programs right away. All you need is a computer (compatible with Mac, PC, or iPad), an Internet connection, webcam and projector that will allow your child or support group to see the program at once.
FieldTripZoom offers a simple three-step setup process that is quick and easy, to ensure that every presentation you receive functions smoothly and accurately. They provide connection and quality checks at the time you sign up, as well as before each program you access, making sure that every student receives the information as intended. Field Trip Zoom also offers "workshop" packages that aid parents in using the services.
Field Trip Zoom offers a no risk, two-program free trial to everyone interested in finding out more about the services they offer. This means that you and your students can participate in two full-length educational presentations with no obligations attached, and then decide if you want to be a part of this fascinating experience. With this very unique and important service, and the no risk, two-program free trial, there is no reason why you shouldn't give Field Trip Zoom a chance to demonstrate to you and your students the added value it can provide as a supplement to your curriculum. MjL


text:
Answered By: Sheeji Kathuria Last Updated: Jul 25, 2014 Views: 187
The story of why the Grant Association Board of Directors made this decision is not available to the public since litigation was involved. We can say the papers coming to MSU resulted largely from the fact that MSU's Giles Distinguished Professor of History, Dr. John F. Marszalek, was named to replace Dr. John Y. Simon, who passed away in 2008, as Executive Director and Managing Editor of the Grant Papers project. The determination of the Dean of Libraries and the MSU Administration created conditions that made it possible for the papers to come to MSU. The Association's Board of Directors, led by Rhode Island Chief Justice (ret) Frank J. Williams, unanimously approved the transfer of the papers to MSU, which occurred in December 2008. The formal written agreement between the Association and MSU was signed on January 30, 2009.
Comments (0)
Related Topics
Contact Us
Chat hours:


text:
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2009.
Okonomiyaki. It's a mouthful. A delicious mouthful.
I'd never heard of okonomiyaki until I had it at a local Izakaya, a Japanese type of tapas bar. In fact, I didn't know the Japanese even had tapas, but once I tried some of these delectable treats it made the average sushi joint seem a little wanting.
Okonomiyaki is popular street food in Japan. Some describe it as "Japanese pizza" but it's more like a savory pancake filled with a variety of ingredients. Okonomi means "what you like" in Japanese and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked". Okonomiyaki is largely associated with the Kansai and Hiroshima areas in Japan, but is popular throughout the country. The toppings and batters vary from region to region. In Osaka, Okonomiyaki are often made from a batter of flour, grated yam, and cabbage, and cooked on special hotplates called teppan. They are then topped with a sauce similar to Worcestershire sauce but thicker, mayonnaise, seaweed flakes, and pickled ginger.
In Hiroshima, the ingredients are not mixed together but layered, consisting of items such as pork, squid and sometimes cheese. Noodles are also common, and topped with a fried egg. The amount of cabbage used in Hiroshima okonomiyaki is considerably larger than that used in Osaka.
It had been awhile since I had tasted this little pancake, and I was suddenly craving one like crazy. I decided that it was time to figure out how to make it myself; then I could have okonomiyaki anytime I wanted–and I wouldn't have to share.
I immediately decided that I wouldn't make them with cabbage, but with zucchini. I don't always do well with cabbage, and after all, okonomi does mean "what you like". I decided I liked zucchini.I was going to make them with a batter, and even had one mixed, when I decided to go with a similar method used by Heidi Swanson on her blog 101 Cookbooks and simply combined flour with the zucchini. I wanted my okonomiyaki to be mostly vegetables, without any dough-like flavor or texture. I grated the zucchini and squeezed out the excess water, added a couple of eggs, and some flour and panko breadcrumbs for binding. I also decided to add a lot of green onions (scallions) for what is often referred to as negiyaki, similar to Korean pah jeon or Chinese green onion pancakes. Finally, chopped shrimp was ultimately what gave these such depth of flavor. I don't know if a Japanese person would consider my concoction truly okonomiyaki, but they did the trick for me.
Now that I have okonomiyaki figured out, I can tell you that they're going to be a staple at my lunch table. Sprinkle them with bits of nori (Japanese seaweed) and don't forget to drizzle them with mayonnaise, which makes the more delicious.
Okonomiyaki – Savory Japanese Pancakes
Makes 6
3 cups grated zucchini
3-4 green onions, chopped thin
1 cup chopped shrimp or prawns
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons nori (seaweed flakes)
2 eggs
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
chopped nori, green onion, and mayo for garnish
1) Grate the zucchini and squeeze out extra water by the handful. In a large bowl, combine it with the rest of the items until a dough-like consistency is reached.
2) Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Scoop large spoonfulls of the mixture into the skillet and press down with a spatula until very thin. They should be as thin as possible without falling apart.
3) Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until deeply golden brown and carefully slide onto a plate. Garnish with mayonnaise, nori and onions, and serve immediately.
Baking, I'm starting to realize, is a lot like good looks. Either you have it or you don't. In fact, when it comes to baking, it's all about the pretty. Who amongst us hasn't whipped up a cake that tasted scrumptious but was a little lopsided? Or made a tart that shrank coyly away from its shell, leaving an uneven, unfillable mess. If you haven't, then you are a talent, indeed. But if I struggle with anything in the kitchen, it's baking.
Some people are naturals, others need a little extra help. There's a reason most French women would never dream of doing their own baking, besides the fact that in France the accessibility of excellent bakeries can make it seem pointless. The fact is, baking is hard.
Most of the time, my creations fall short of my vision for them. Yet sometimes a recipe comes along that is simple, requires no complicated techniques or ingredients, yet turns out beautifully enough to make you look like a baking rock star. I feel like that about these little chocolate cakes. Served up individually, there are no worries about lopsidedness. Topped with a rich chocolate glaze, there's no chance of crumbs marring the icing. If you have some little brioche tins kicking around to bake them in, even better–for they will look unbearably elegant just topped with a sprinkling of icing sugar and and a few raspberries on the side.
Does the applesauce in this seem strange? The fruit taste in this is so subtle; what the applesauce really does is give the cakes an easy slicing texture and a moisture that keeps them fresh for days. Adding applesauce can also be a great way to reduce sugar or fat in baked goods, if that's your thing.
This recipe is adapted from two recipes: Anna Olson's "Applesauce Coffee Cake" and "Chocolate Applesauce Cakes", both from her wonderful book Another Cup of Sugar.
Chocolate Applesauce Cakes
Serves Six
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1/3 cup (75 ml) light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup (250 ml) unsweetened applesauce
1 2/3 cup (400 ml) pastry flour
1/2 cup (125 ml) Dutch process cocoa
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking powder
3/4 teaspoon (4 ml) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) ground ginger
1) Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Grease 6 brioche tins or large muffin cups.
2) Whisk vegetable oil, both sugars, whole egg, egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in applesauce.
3) In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and ginger. Incorporate cocoa and stir gently into applesauce mixture.
4) Spoon batter into prepared tins and bake for 18-20 minutes, until cakes spring back when pressed. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
5) Just before serving, drizzle with chocolate glaze. Se
Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup (125 ml) whipping cream
6 ounces (175 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
1) Heat cream to just below a simmer and pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then stir to smooth out. Stir in butter to melt and thicken glaze. Pour over top of cakes and allow to drip down the sides.
It was my honor yesterday to receive this little award from one of my favorite bloggers, Deborah from Love and a Licked Spoon. If you haven't checked out her site, hurry over there right now. Deborah is a food writer and editor who writes beautifully and always comes up with something scrumptious to share with her readers. Her passion for food and life is infectious. Deborah started her food blog at around the same time that I started mine. She has always been very encouraging, commenting on all of my posts along the way. When you are just starting out in the blogging world, it is heart-warming to know that there are people out there that like what you're doing, that come visit your site more than once, and take the time to make kind comments. It gives one the fortitude to keep going on days you wonder what the hell you're doing this for.
When you receive the Kreativ Blogger Award, you are to nominate seven bloggers that you admire and pass the award on. Mine are:
Rachael at La Fuji Mama for her energy and enthusiasm in the kitchen. She is a busy mom to two beautiful little girls but still finds the time to blog on an almost daily basis and cook the most amazing, complicated feasts. I mean, this woman makes her own tofu!
Shari at Whisk: A Food Blog is an inspiration with her blog. She has put an astounding amount of energy into it, compiling an online cooking companion to Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Shari is cooking her way through the Cordon Bleu curriculum. Her recipes and photos are both delicious.
Hélène at La Cuisine d'Hélène for her beautiful photography and exquisite taste. Every time I read her blog I want to run to the kitchen and try my hand at whatever she has posted.
Julia at Mélanger because she is so inspiring with her baking. The sun came pouring out of the heavens on the day I discovered her blog. The photography on her blog is stunning.
Julie at Dinner with Julie because she continually amazes me. She works, manages a family, writes books, cooks up a storm, and blogs pretty much on a daily basis. I don't know where she finds all that energy. Lucky for us.
Adrienne at Gastroanthroplogy for all her interesting posts from her travels. She is a pastry chef who is currently working on her Master's in Food Policy. She knows everything there is to know about food and always posts the most delicious recipes.
Kamran at The Sophisticated Gourmet is an inspiration with his beautiful blog and wonderful photography, which are made all the more amazing because this guy is only seventeen! That in no way is meant to sound condescending. I think I'm doing fairly okay but I was the biggest twit when I was seventeen. We can only imagine what great things are in store for Kamran.
Once we have nominated whom we want to pass the award on to, we have to come up with seven interesting facts about ourselves:
1) I am a fiction writer. I started writing about food only a few months ago but I have been writing fiction all my life. I have a Master's degree in Creative Writing and have been working on the Great Canadian Novel for longer than I want to admit. One day I will finish it. I have written poetry, scripts and memoir as well.
2) My family is from the former Yugoslavia and I have visited there thirteen times. We were there when the war between Serbia and Croatia was breaking out and had to make our escape. Most of my fiction is based on my upbringing and the people and experiences there.
3) I studied Art History in Florence. In Italian. I spent a summer semester immersing myself in Italian language and culture; it still stands out as the best experience of my life. I was not able to keep up the Italian. I can barely speak a lick of it now, although at one time I actually knew it quite well.
4) I'm a book-a-holic. Sometimes I read one book a day. I always read at least a couple every week. I have gotten rid of thousands of books in my life but my shelves, furniture–even my floors–overflow with books. It seems like I never have enough time to do all the things I'm supposed to do, but I always have time to read.
5) My two worst fears are heights and enclosed spaces, made all the worse by being stuck in an elevator on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower for twenty minutes. The Eiffel Tower! Who gets stuck in the Eiffel Tower? Me, that's who. Yeah, that was a bad day.
6) My dream is to visit Egypt. I have had deep fascination for Egyptian history and architecture for as long as I can remember. I once promised myself to visit there by the time I was forty, but forty is fast approaching … maybe one day.
7) I'm not a big TV watcher but I have a habit of getting addicted to certain shows long after the fact. I missed the whole Twin Peaks craze only to become obsessed later. I am currently trying to catch up on all episodes of Lost before the final sixth season. The excitement of it all makes my heart pitter patter.
Thank you to everyone who has been reading my blog over the last few months, especially those of you who have taken the time to make comments. If you have received this award and would like to participate, please pass it on to seven other bloggers whose sites you love.
I am convinced that to be a true foodie, you have to be the obsessive sort. I don't remember a time when I wasn't aware of this–at least in the dim recesses of my mind. It's all because of Walter.
Walter was my Dad's best friend while I was growing up. He was a cabinet maker who ran his own business by day. After work, he would come home and make dinner for his wife and kids. He was a great cook, and he enjoyed cooking very much. Doubtlessly, he enjoyed eating even more. Walter knew everything there was to know about food and he knew all the best places to get it. Every Saturday he drove thirty kilometers into the city from his home in the suburbs and spent hours going from shop to shop, acquiring his favorite sausages and cuts of meats and raw milk cheeses from Quebec. He was a man after my own heart, that Walter.
I, too, am similarly obsessed. I have sat in gridlocked bridge traffic for a croissant from Thomas Haas, spent hours walking around Paris looking for Poliâne, the world famous boulangerie. Ask me specifics about the art and architecture of the great European cities I have visited, I may draw a blank. But I can recount in excruciating detail what I ate there.
So it's no surprise that since I have started cooking from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking that I have been cooking from it compulsively. Now, I had this cookbook before all this hullabaloo about the Julie and Julia movie. It was the first book I bought when I decided I wanted to become a food writer and get serious about cooking. The idea of cooking from it, however, was intimidating enough that it sat on my bookshelf, gathering dust, until I joined some food bloggers in a MtAoFC challenge. Everything I have made turned out better than I expected, and though I haven't made anything terribly complicated, what I have made has been absolutely delicious.
This Sauté de Boeuf à la Parisienne from MtAoFC Volume I is a fine choice if you need an impressive dish in a hurry. It calls for beef filet; the tenderloin butt and the tail of the beef are often used. It can be cooked in advance but requires care when reheating so as not to overcook the meat.
Sauté de Boeuf à la Parisienne
for 6 people
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon good cooking oil
3 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper
2 1/2 pounds filet of beef
2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon cooking oil, more if needed
1/4 cup Madeira or dry white vermouth
3/4 cup beef stock
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons cornstarch blended with 1 tablespoon of the cream
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons softened butter
parsley sprigs
1) Sauté the mushrooms in the first amount given of butter and oil for about five minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in the shallots and cook for a minute longer. Season the mushrooms and scrape them into a side dish.
2) Trim off the surrounding fat and filament from the beef and cut into 2-ounce pieces, about 2 inches across and 1/2-inch thick. Dry thoroughly on paper towels.
3) Place butter and oil in the skillet and set over moderately high heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, sauté the beef, a few pieces at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown the exterior but keep the interior rosy red. Set the beef on a side dish and discard the fat.
4) Pour the wine and stock into the skillet and boil it down rapidly, scraping up the coagulated cooking juices, until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup. Beat in the cream, then the cornstarch mixture. Simmer a minute. Add the mushrooms and simmer a minute more. The sauce should be lightly thickened. Correct seasonings.
5) Season the beef lightly with salt and pepper and return it to the skillet along with any juices which may have escaped. Baste the beef with the sauce and mushrooms, or transfer everything to a serving casserole.
6) When you are ready to serve, cover the skillet or casserole and heat to below the simmer for 3-4 minutes, being very careful not to overdo it or the pieces of filet will be well done rather than rare. Off heat and just before serving, tilt casserole, add butter to sauce a bit at a time while basting the meat until the butter has absorbed. Decorate with parsley and serve at once.
Recently I have taken up a perilous hobby, one that leaves my heart palpitating with fear, a constant sweat on my brow. My hobby requires consummate skill and know-how; one misstep can mean disaster. No, I'm not talking about race car driving or jumping out of planes with a parachute. My new hobby is bread making.
It all starts with yeast. For as long as I have been interested in the goings-on of the kitchen, I have been afraid of yeast. Okay, perhaps afraid is too strong a word, but certainly intimidated. Yeast is what causes breads to rise and makes delights such as pizza and brioche possible. But its fickle and mysterious powers can lead to disappointment if you don't know exactly what you are doing. It has led me to be the creator of more than a few leaden loaves of bread, of cinnamon rolls that resembled hockey pucks. I can tell you that for a long time, I gave up on yeast.
When it comes to bread, yeast is just the beginning. If you've ever tried to make your own, then you know that there are other crucial factors, such as the type of flour you use (protein is a big issue, I have discovered), the temperature of the room where you give rise, the ratio of the ingredients you use. Things can go wrong–and they often do–which is why I had once largely avoided bread making.
Yet every time I went to the bakery I was enraptured by the heavenly smell of bread baking in the oven. I wanted that smell in my own house. As much as I loved taking a fresh, crusty loaf home and eating it with my lunch, I wanted to pull my own bread out of the oven, to break off a chunk of it and slather it with sweet butter while it was still hot. What in life is as pure, as elemental?
On my crusade for the perfect loaf I consulted many books. Every one of them, I felt, made things more complicated than they had to be. I'm the type of person that wants to know why I'm doing something when I do it. Why do you have to punch dough down? Why do some breads need two, three risings and others just one? How do you really know when to stop kneading? Why knead at all? I wanted something simple, a dough I could quickly mix together and forget about until it was time to put it in the oven. At one point, I thought that the No knead bread published in the New York Times, the one that took the blogging world by storm a couple of years ago, was going to be the answer. The problem was that I didn't have a Dutch Oven and I wasn't about to go out and buy one. One-hundred-and-fifty dollars can get you a lot of bread.
So I did what I should have done a long time ago. I turned to Grandma.
My grandmother has been baking bread since she was old enough to see over the kitchen counter top. I have never known her to eat bread from a bag or buy a loaf from the bakery. Back in Serbia, where she spent the first half of her life, bread baking was a daily affair. I thought she might have some wisdom to impart to me. I was right.
This recipe is even simpler than I could have dreamed. You don't need a scale, you hardly have to knead the dough at all, and you can plunk it right into the pan for its second rise. The work is minimal, really. You just need to pick a day when you are home for a few hours. The result will be delicious and ultimately satisfying.
Now, it's not one of those really rustic loaves–the kind with the bubbly interior and a crust that saws into the roof of your mouth when you bite into it. We leave that to the baguette. This bread has a delicate yet chewy crust, with a soft and mealy interior, perfect for slathering with butter. It's the kind of bread you want to mop your plate with, hearty yet light, great for sandwiches and lovely as toast. Try this recipe; it just might make you into a bread baking convert.
Note: You will notice that I use live yeast in this recipe because I think it gives the best flavor, however you can use one package of regular dried yeast if you wish.
Grandma's Country Boule
2 ounces fresh yeast
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups all-purpose whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil
1) In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1 cup warm water. Add sugar. Mix together with a whisk.
2) Sift the white flour and add to the mixture. Add whole wheat flour, flax, and salt.
3) Mix in 1 cup of water with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Coat hands with a bit of oilve oil and mix, scraping the bowl. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle with additional flour.
4) Knead until combined, not too soft or tough. This will really only take a minute or so. Cover the bowl with a cushion and leave to rise for one hour. Preheat oven to 375F.
5) After one hour, oil hands again and punch the dough down. Knead on oiled board or countertop for a few seconds. Shape dough to a greased 9 or 10-inch springform pan. Allow to rise another three-quarters of an hour, covered with a tea towel.
6) Wet hands with cold water and smooth over the top of the dough. Make three slits or a checkerboard pattern on top with a sharp knife. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.
7) Allow to cool on a rack for five minutes, then brush the top with butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt or wheat bran, if desired.
"Er, where are we?" I ask my friend Paul as he pulls into the parking lot of a strip mall in what I call Little Vietnam. His girlfriend Rachel and I exchange glances. "I thought we were going to a French restaurant."
Paul has been talking about Les Faux Bourgeois for ages–one of Vancouver's hottest new eateries. We've waited for a Friday night reservation for three weeks. I look across Fraser Street to the woman standing on the corner. Is she a lady of the evening, I wonder? As we step into the little bistro with its dim lighting and worn wood floors, we are immediately transported to a Parisian neighborhood circa the Jazz Age. I breathe a sigh of relief. It's going to be alright.
The hostess greets us with a smile and leads us to a table by the window. I happily ease myself into a bench seat. This prime piece of restaurant real estate has already made the wait for a reservation worthwhile. As I take a closer look at the decor, I note that it actually has a retro appeal. The walls are covered in wood paneling and the lamps look much like those that hung in our living room in the seventies.
There is nothing kitschy about the menu, though–simply a lineup of the best classic French country cooking you'd find in a Parisian bistro: escargots de bourgogne, steak frites, chicken pot au feu. There's even a chalkboard listing the daily specials. Most of the entrees clock in at an average of sixteen dollars, which as surprisingly inexpensive for French food of the quality this promises to be.
I start with the Coquilles St. Jacques, the scallops in white wine sauce. I also can't resist ordering the frisée aux lardons, since it's the only frisée salad I've seen on a menu since my visit to France last year. The scallops arrive piping hot, served in the traditional shell and smothered in bubbling sauce. The sauce is smooth, rich with wine and butter and a perfect foil for the velvety scallops underneath. The portion is small but that's okay. I'm just getting started. The salad is fresh and crisp, tossed lightly with a traditional vinaigrette, and a nice light segue to my entree of choice, the cassoulet.
Cassoulet is a rustic casserole of beans, duck, and pork sausage. It actually looks simple but requires a myriad of ingredients and at least a day to prepare–if not two–which is why I never make it at home. I cannot resist ordering it whenever I go to a French restaurant, and the cassoulet at Les Faux Bourgeois does not disappoint. As I take my first bite the crunch of the golden breadcrumb topping gives way to a silky interior that is a melding of rich and complex flavors: tomato, garlic, pork, with notes of pepper and thyme. I decide right then and there that it's the best cassoulet that I've had in the city.
My friends have ordered the duck confit and the poisson du jour (fish of the day), which happens to be salmon. Everything looks so enticing that we offer to exchange bites for future reference. The duck is fall-off-the-bone tender, served on a bed of wilted greens with roast potatoes, finished with a large dollop of a sweet yet earthy sauce of veal.
The fish is seared perfectly; light and crispy on the inside, moist and fork tender on the inside. It's accompanied by spinach in a light yet flavorful cream sauce and a side of mashed potato and root vegetables.
As delicious as my cassoulet is, the portion is large enough for two people. I'm full before I eat a third of it. However, I always have room for dessert. I order the lemon cream tart, which has a sharp, bright citrus flavor with just the right amount of sweetness in a soft and flaky shell.
I take a bite of Paul's chocolate mousse, which is as light as spun sugar, not too sweet, with the slight edge of bitterness that comes with really good quality chocolate. These sweet treats are the perfect cap to an evening filled with wonderful food and friendly yet unobtrusive service.
Les Faux Bourgeois is located at 663 East 15th Avenue at Fraser Street in Vancouver. Reservations may be made by calling 604 873-9733. The hours are from 5:30 pm to midnight. The restaurant also serves as a cafe from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm, serving organic fair-trade coffee and specialty croissants from Thomas Haas bakery.
Today is an important day of sorts. A day that I–as well as thousands of foodies and food bloggers–have been awaiting anxiously for weeks now; the release of Julie & Julia featuring Meryl Streep as Julia Child.
It also marks the last day in a series of recipes from Mastering the Art of French Cooking that I have been attempting over the course of the last little while. Until Hélène from La Cuisine d'Hélène suggested a MtAoFC challenge a couple of weeks ago, my copy of Julia Child's magnum opus sat largely unused on my bookshelf. But later is always better than never, and I'm so glad that I got the nudge to cook from this classic cookbook. I've always been the type of person who uses cookbooks as a starting point. I rarely cook a recipe all the way through as printed. With Mastering, however, I decided that it would only be fair to Julia and the challenge to cook the dishes exactly as described.
I'm so glad I did. Everything I've made has come out much better than expected. I have started out with the simpler dishes but liked them so much that I've made some of them twice. Although this is my last MtAoFC challenge, it's surely not the last time I'm going to cook from Julia Child's wonderful book.
Soupe à L'oignon Gratinée – French Onion Soup
The key to French Onion soup is the slow cooking of the onions in butter and oil, followed by a long, slow simmering in stock. This helps them to develop the rich flavor this soup is known for.
6-8 servings
5 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 quarts beef stock, boiling
1/2 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons cognac
4-6 rounds of hard-toasted French bread
1-2 cups grated Swiss or Parmesan cheese
1) Cook the onions slowly in the butter and oil in a covered saucepan for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to medium and stir in the salt and sugar. The sugar will help the onions to brown. Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions have turned a deep golden brown.
2) Sprinkle in the flour and stir over heat for 3 minutes. Off heat, blend in the stock. Add the wine and season to taste. Simmer partially covered for another 30-40 minutes or more, skimming if needed. Correct seasonings.
3) Just before serving, stir in the cognac. Place rounds of bread in soup bowls or a tureen and pour soup on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and brown under a hot broiler until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Quiche Lorraine – Cream & Bacon Quiche
4-6 servings
3-4 ounces lean bacon
8-inch partially cooked pastry shell
3 eggs
1 1/2 – 2 cups cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons butter cut into pea-sized dots
1) Preheat oven to 375F. Brown bacon in a skillet. Drain on paper towels and press pieces into bottom of pastry shell.
2) Beat the eggs, cream, and seasonings in a mixing bowl until blended. Check seasonings. Pour into pastry shell and distribute butter pieces on top.
3) Set in upper third of preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the quiche has puffed and browned. Slide quiche on a hot platter and serve.
For more Mastering the Art of French Cooking recipes, take a look at La Fuji Mama, La Cuisine d'Hélène, or Whisk.
My idea of the perfect dessert involves custard in any shape or form. That a few simple, everyday ingredients can be applied to heat to produce such a rich and silky concoction is surely one of the great feats of civilization, right up there with the invention of stiletto heels and landing a man on the moon. Add a bit of caramel into the mix and I swoon like a nineteenth century maiden in an Edith Wharton novel.
Crème caramel, also known as flan in Spanish-speaking countries and in North America, is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top. It is similar to crème brûlée, which is custard with a hard caramel top. However, crème caramel is usually served unmolded, and because of this, it calls for more eggs and egg yolks than custards served directly from ramekins or other serving dishes.
Although crème caramel originated in Spain, it spread in popularity across Western Europe and much of the world. Packaged versions of this dessert are ubiquitous in Japan and are called "purin", which means custard pudding. It is also common in the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as South American countries like Argentina and Uruguay, where it is usually eaten with dulce de leche.
The recipe I submit to you today is Julia Child's crème renversée au caramel–unmolded caramel custard. It requires the additional caramel recipe on page 584 of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. You line your ramekins or molds with the caramel, fill it with custard, and then bake in a water bath to ensure slow and even cooking. It can seem a little complicated but crème caramel is actually quite simple to make and it never fails to impress.
Crème Renversée au Caramel
by Julia Child, from Mastering the Art of French Cooking
serves 4-6 people
for the caramel:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
Add sugar and water to a heavy stainless steel saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. When it starts to brown, swirl the saucepan around but do not stir. This will ensure that the sugar turns color evenly and will help wash any crystals off the side. When it is thick and a light, nutty brown, remove from heat and pour directly into molds; swirl each mold to coat evenly with the caramel.
for the custard:
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean
1) Bring the milk and vanilla bean (if you are using) to just below a simmer in a saucepan. Let the vanilla steep in the milk while you prepare the rest of the custard ingredients.
2) Gradually beat the sugar into the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until well mixed, light, and foamy. Continue beating while pouring in the hot milk in a thin stream of droplets. If you are using vanilla extract rather than a vanilla bean, add it now. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the caramel-lined molds.
3) To bake the molds, set them in a pan and pour enough boiling water around them to come halfway up the sides. Place in the bottom third of an oven preheated to 350F. After five minutes, turn down the heat to 325F. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard.
4) If you would like to serve the custards warm, set the molds in cold water for about ten minutes before unmolding; otherwise chill in the refrigerator. To unmold, run a knife between the custard and edges of the mold. Place a serving dish upside down over the mold and quickly reverse the two, and remove the mold from the custard.


text:
In the grand scheme of things, the NBA lockout is a relatively small problem that the country has to deal with. Is it putting thousands of Americans out of work? Yes. Would it be ideal for the players and owners to work out a new CBA as soon as possible? Of course. But, is the country going to go down the tubes thanks to a few cancelled pro basketball games? Eh, probably not.
But that doesn't mean we're not upset about it. And, according to a report, that doesn't mean President Obama isn't upset about it, too. At a fundraiser that he attended in Orlando with Magic star Dwight Howard recently, the Prez admitted that he's "a little heartbroken that the NBA season is getting delayed." He also revealed that he discussed the lockout with Howard backstage and said that he hopes to see NBA players back on the court "soon."
Hmmm...Any chance we can get you to give David Stern a call, Mr. President? Maybe that will do the trick and force everyone involved in this giant mess to get their acts together a little more quickly than they are right now. Just a thought. [via Pro Basketball Talk]
Also Watch


text:
Aug. 31, 2017
National leader in children's health and former state lawmaker to join Kansas Action for Children
TOPEKA, Kansas — John Wilson, a national leader in children's health and former Kansas State Representative will join Kansas Action for Children as the Vice President of Advocacy starting in September. Wilson served in the Kansas Legislature for five years, focusing his efforts on health policy and making the legislative process more collaborative and bipartisan. Over the past eleven years, Wilson helped build the Alliance for a Healthier Generation into the leading national non-profit focused on childhood obesity prevention.
"John is a passionate advocate and collaborative leader who will help advance KAC's vision to make Kansas the best state to raise a child," said Annie McKay, president and CEO of Kansas Action for Children.
Wilson will provide leadership for the organization's communications, research, and government relations strategies to build statewide support for policies that improve the lives of all Kansas kids.
Wilson is thrilled to be joining Kansas Action for Children at such a consequential time in the state, saying, "So many factors influence the health and well-being of kids. It's going to take all of us — lawmakers, schools, businesses, families, and communities — working together to make Kansas better, and KAC is uniquely positioned to facilitate that."
"John joins KAC at a critical time in our state's history," McKay said. "His experience and leadership will be necessary as we begin the hard work of restoring programs and services for children and families, and — equally important — as we restore the belief that Kansas is a place where all children and families can prosper."
Kansas Action for Children's mission is to shape health, education, and economic policy on behalf of Kansas children and families. Learn more at www.kac.org.


text:
Helping Veterans Achieve Housing Stability - The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Voucher Program
HACA is an enthusiastic participant in the national effort to end homelessness among veterans. As a landlord, you can play a vital role in that endeavor. Former First Lady Michelle Obama said to landlords, "You all have the power to open doors for Vets, and give them the stability they deserve, and help our country solve an issue that has been swept under the rug for far too long." Read more about the need and how you can partner with the VASH program to end Veteran homelessness.
Similar to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), The Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Voucher Program helps homeless veterans lease safe, affordable housing. VASH is a partnership between the Veterans Administration (VA) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Participating veterans receive case management and clinical services provided by the VA, to help them maintain healthy, productive lives.
HACA currently administers 290 VASH Vouchers.
In choosing to rent to Veterans exiting homelessness, landlords get a stable source of rent and the peace of mind that Veterans receive ongoing supportive services from local Department of Veterans Affairs staff or community organizations to help them through unexpected crises. If you would like to learn more about how the VASH program can help you find qualified tenants, contact the Veterans Administration at:
- Oakland Veterans Administration:
- Palo Alto Veterans Administration:
HACA VASH Payment Standards
City by city, HACA's VASH Payment Standards equal or exceed HACA's Payment Standards for the Section 8 HCVP.


text:
Are you looking for the best available method to deal with weed (bluegrass, moss etc.) or an oily upper layer? Do you want to preserve your sports pitch in excellent condition? The Vstrong is capable of doing all this.
We produce our Vstrong scarifying machine in the same innovative manner as our GKB Combinator, the predecessor of which we and the Council of Rotterdam developed at the end of the 1990's. The method employed of milling the upper turf layer is still in worldwide practice today.
With this machine, we not only improve on the already proven technology but also the operating speed (to 12 km/h) and the reliability of the machine is what a professional like you demands. If you are thinking of chemical-free weed management and minimization of waste flows, then you should think of the Vstrong.
Powerful scarifying
Only you know what your sports pitches need. With the Vstrong you are in possession of a robust and reliable scarifying machine. The CombiRotor® is the beating heart of the machine with its generically developed 3 mm carbide scarifying blades. The blades are rigidly attached to the rotor by means of the Quick-Lock® system and in this way you are able to easily attain an operating depth of 5 cm. In combination with the reversed rotation direction, it is guaranteed the Vstrong will never miss a single inch. If you prefer blades of 2 or 4 mm, you have that option. You can also alter the centre-to-centre distance of the scarifying blades.
After the scarified material has dried, you can load or remove the material. Why do we suggest you let the scarified material dry first? Primarily, since every machine that we develop is used by our own green contractor division, we find removing waste material is an expense, therefore, we want as little waste material as possible. Besides, it is a waste of nutrients for the turf if you immediately remove the scarified material.
Because of our patented roller pendulum system you are easily in control of the operating depth. As a unique bonus, we have provided the scarifying machine with a hydraulic adjustable slide. This is ideal when you are required to scarify near the edges and corners of a pitch. Consequently, swiping and cleaning of soiled advertising boards and pathways are history.


text:
You go outside, you run around, people throw dirt balls at you, you get your ass beat. But reading is socially accepted disassociation. You flip a switch and you're not there anymore. It's better than heroin. More effective and cheaper and legal.That's a random excerpt from an interview with Mary Karr in The Paris Review, which I found via Andrew Sullivan who excerpts a completely different section about why and how Karr prays.
People who didn't live pre-Internet can't grasp how devoid of ideas life in my hometown was. The only bookstores sold Bibles the size of coffee tables and dashboard Virgin Marys that glowed in the dark. I stopped in the middle of the SAT to memorize a poem, because I thought, This is a great work of art and I'll never see it again.
Is that SAT story true? I don't know. What a vivid detail! Today, you'd only have to remember a couple key words, and you'd be able to find the poem later by Googling. And it's interesting to think about the psychology of reading. You may think it's a shame that people — including you yourself — don't read whole books the way we used to. But many people were meeting psychological needs through book reading because there was no other option, and the internet works better for the purposes people really have.
And yet, we worry that the internet is degrading us. We don't read books. We don't memorize poems. But stop and think: Why were we doing those things in the past? Why, other than: there were no alternatives? If we've chosen this internet alternative, it could be that it's better — better for our true purposes.
It's not a better way to learn, say, Russian and Chinese history, but Mary Karr's mother's true purpose was not to learn Russian and Chinese history.
Do you wonder why you spend so many hours reading on the internet, when there are so many worthy books you could be reading? Do you tell yourself you should be reading books? Consider the likelihood that what you are doing is what you should be doing. Assume it is, and put into words why it is.
As for memorizing things that, these days, can be looked up: Is there ever good reason? I say yes. It's no longer out of fear of losing something forever, but there are other reasons. What is the last poem you memorized? (Don't tell me about song lyrics. You don't have to memorize them. They just get imprinted by some magical musical process.)
ADDED: I loved Mary Karr's memoir "Liars' Club." It transformed my thinking about what a memoir could be, and I toyed with the idea of writing a memoir for many years, mostly before starting this blog. There's some line between truth and fiction in these things. No one remembers all those quotes and details. How do you get into the imaginative zone to do this well and not get dragged down by the ethics of what you are saying about real people? I thought Karr's answer was: Don't flatter yourself. Be even harder on yourself than everyone else.


text:
Avika Gor Gorgeous Looking Photos at LRMI launch
Cute Young actress Avika Gor latest gorgeous looking photos in half saree at her 2nd Telugu movie Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki (LRMI) launch event. Avika gor glamorous half saree photo shoot. Anandi latest beautiful photos stills
Uyyala Jampala heroine Avika Gor New Photos Gallery
Avika Gor Beautiful Photos in Ethnic wear
Avika Gor Latest Glamorous photos
Avika Gor Photos at Lakshmi Raave Maa Intiki Event
Vimala Raman latest sizzling photos
Sanjjana new sizzling photo session
Ashmitha at OM Namo Venkatesaya press meet
Actress Shruti Reddy New photo shoot gallery
Shalu Chourasiya sizzling at Marriage Needs event
Srilekha Reddy at Marriage Needs Curtain Raiser


text:
7 - How the Justified Live [b]
How the Justified Live
Romans 1:10–17
Romans Lesson #007
January 27, 2011
Romans 1:10 NASB "always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you." One thing a lot more of us have to pay attention to is the consistency and the frequency of our prayer life. This is not something that is a suggestion in Scripture; this is a mandate. We are, as 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, to pray without ceasing. That means that this is to be a continual thing in our life, and prayer really does make a difference. James says, "we have not because we ask not." Too often we succumb to the strain of fatalism in our culture that things will just work out the way they are going to work out and God's will will be done, and so we justify it that way and move on. We just don't take the time for prayer. Paul talks about the fact that he always makes mention of the Romans in his prayers, he consistently prays for them. What he is emphasizing in this section from verse 10 down through verse 15 is his desire to come to Rome and to have a ministry among these believers.
Then he lists the first of three reasons for his coming to Rome. Romans 1:11 NASB "For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established." This is an odd way of stating this because Paul isn't using the phrase "spiritual gift" like he uses it in 1 Corinthians 12-14 or Romans 12, or in other passages where he is referring to those special enablements that God the Holy Spirit gives every believer at the instant of salvation. Once the apostles were off the scene there was no longer going to be special revelation because there was no longer a "quality control officer" in the church. Once they were gone there is no instruction in any of the epistles on how to verify or validate divine revelation. Those were leadership and spiritual communication spiritual gifts. Then there are other spiritual gifts related to leadership such as in administration and service, and this is usually found in those who serve as deacons and many others in the local church. There are gifts of helps and mercy and other gifts of service that can cover a wide variety of manifestations. But that is not what Paul is talking about here, even though he uses the same word, CHARISMA, which is from the Greek word CHARIS meaning grace. It is a gracious bestowal of something. That is the word for gift. The word for "spiritual" is the word PNEUMATIKOS which is the same word that is used for the spiritual man in 1 Corinthians 2:14 as opposed to the natural man; but as an adjective it is also used in passages like 1 Corinthians 12-14 to talk about the spiritual endowments. But that doesn't make sense here. Paul is not the one to impart spiritual gifts; it is the Holy Spirit who gives spiritual gifts at the instant of salvation. What Paul is talking about here is to impart to them something from his spiritual gift which will provide edification and spiritual blessing for those in Rome: that there will be the basis on which they will be able to grow. So it should be understood to means something like, "I long to see you that I may impart to you something from my spiritual gift so that you may be established." This is the best way to understand the use of this particular term.
Then the second reason he wants to come to Rome. Romans 1:12 NASB "that is, that I may be encouraged together with you {while} among you, each of us by the other's faith, both yours and mine." This is an important verse, one of those that people run right past but there is something important here. This is the apostle Paul who is saying that one of the reasons he wants to come to this congregation is not so that he can teach them but that they can encourage him. Within the body of Christ we have a mutual ministry, and this is part of the reason we have spiritual gifts. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 we are members of one another. There is a mutuality in ministry. There are all of these different challenges or exhortations to believers that we are to love one another, we are to encourage one another, we are to edify one another, we are to pray for one another; all of these different ministries that we are to do to one another. There is a back and forth ministry that takes place within the body of Christ. So Paul tells them that not only does he want to come and teach them from his spiritual gift of apostle but also that in watching and observing how they are growing and how God is working in their lives, how they are ministering to others within the body of Christ and taking the gospel to others outside of the body of Christ, but he will be encouraged by that. This is very similar to what we read in Hebrews 10:25 NASB "not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging {one another;} and all the more as you see the day [of judgment for the church] drawing near." The word "encouraging" here is PARAKALEO, which is the verb form of the noun that is used to describe the ministry of God the Holy Spirit as the paraclete. That doesn't mean that we are to function like the Holy Spirit in everybody else's Christian life, it has the idea of being an encouragement to one another. The word in Romans, SUMPARAKALEO, means to encourage together.
There are a lot of different ways we encourage each other. There are superficial ways in which Christians try to encourage one another, found in a certain number of churches, and then there are more substantive ways in which we encourage one another. One way we encourage one another is as we get to know other believers and we learn how God is working in their life. The encouragement comes by the mutual faith that is shared, and there it relates to the application of doctrine: what is believed and what is practiced on the basis of what is believed. It incorporates the totality of Christian belief and application.
Now Paul adds a new element. Romans 1:13 NASB "I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far)…" He had a desire to do something but God was not ready for him to do it. An interesting doctrine is the doctrine of our desire to do the right thing but God doesn't let us. On Paul's second missionary journey he wanted to take the gospel into the Roman province of Asia in western Turkey and the Holy Spirit said no—no ministry here at this time, but later on. It was a matter of timing and it is the same situation here. Paul had tried to go to Rome several times but there was always something that prevented him because the time wasn't right. God was providing the guidance. It wasn't that God came out of heaven and said, "Paul, don't go now." He just drew the arrangement of various circumstances and made it impossible for the apostle Paul to make the journey when he wanted to. That is how God works in divine guidance a lot.
"…so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles." This word "fruit" is an important word to understand because there are too many people who think that they have been hired by the Holy Spirit to be fruit inspectors, and to go around and try to determine who is saved and who is not. And if you don't have "fruit," by which they mean something observable and quantifiable in your life, then you probably weren't saved. There is a tremendous amount of people who have views related to that and the term that is used for this type of theology is called 'lordship salvation'. The reason it got that name is because in the early to mid-point of the 20th century there was an emphasis on the gospel not being just believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but you also had to make Him Lord of your life—by which they meant that you had to commit to his total authority over your life at the same time that you believed in Him or you weren't really saved. And the way to tell if you were really saved was to evaluate the fruit in your life, and of you didn't have the right kind of fruit then you weren't saved. Then they would always quote a verse out of context and say: See, "by their fruits you will know them"—you haven't led fifty people to the Lord in the last year, you haven't led fifty people to the Lord in the last ten years, you haven't led fifty people to the Lord in your whole life; you're not saved. So they set up these artificial standards to try to qualify and quantify fruit, impose that on people and say that is how you are going to tell if you are actually saved.
There is only one way to know if you are saved, and that is if you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and you are resting in Him alone, trusting in Him and Him alone for salvation; then you are saved. That is the promise of God. Our assurance is based on the promise of God and His character, not on your character. The promise with Lordship salvation is that it puts the focal point of your assurance on your character and not on the character of God and the work of Christ on the cross.
The first way in which spiritual fruit is used is in passages such as John 15:5 and Galatians 5:22-23. John 15:5 NASB "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit…" The interesting thing is that we live in a world today that is so divorced from agriculture. It takes a long time before a plant produces fruit. Fruit is not a term that is equivalent to spiritual growth, except in maybe a couple of passages. Generally fruit is something that is the product of a maturing plant. You take a seed and plant it in the soil and water it. When it germinates and there is life there that is equivalent to regeneration or being born again. But then you have to continue to fertilize it, which is like feeding it the Word of God and giving it water, like the Holy Spirit between the nutrients in the soil and the water, then that little bit of green that comes out of the seed begins to grow. If it is a tomato plant it takes 60-90 days before it can bear fruit. In some other cases, if it is an oak tree, it takes several years before it can produce acorns. So there is a lot of growth that has to take place before fruit is ever observed. It is only the maturing plant that ever produces fruit.
Fruit is also used to describe praise to God. Hebrews 13:15 NASB "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." This is actually describing what God has done and how He has done it.
In Matthew chapter seven we have the fruit of false teachers. It is not talking about their morality; it is talking about the content of what they are teaching. The context here is the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is challenging the Pharisaical interpretation of the Mosaic Law. Matthew 7:15 NASB "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." Immediately He is using a descriptive metaphor to indicate that on the outside they are going to look one way. They look good on the outside but behind the camouflage they are something else. So how do we discern if they are wolves or sheep? [16] "You will know them by their fruits…" A lot of people come along and say that must means their lifestyle, their morality. It doesn't mean that at all. "…Grapes are not gathered from thorn {bushes} nor figs from thistles, are they? [17] So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit." He is still talking about the analogy; He hasn't crossed the line into talking about the reality yet. [18] "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit." He has shifted from animals to trees. A bad tree is equivalent to a wolf in sheep's clothing; a good tree is a sheep. What is the fruit of a prophet? It is his message.
What is Jesus doing in context here? He is giving the divine interpretation of the Mosaic Law in contrast to the Pharisaical interpretation of the Mosaic Law. So what is He talking about? He's talking about the Mosaic Law. Where does it talk about false prophets in the Mosaic Law? There are two places where there is a test of a prophet: Deuteronomy 13 & 18. In Deuteronomy 13, if a healer, a miracle worker, a dreamer of dreams comes and performs a miracle and it actually occurs don't believe his message; don't believe that it came from God. That doesn't mean anything. What is important is not the miracle; what is important is the message. When he says 'Let us go after other gods', that message contradicts the Word of God on Mount Sinai; therefore he is a false prophet. You identify a false prophet by a false message. A false message is bad fruit. So Jesus is not talking about lifestyle here, He is talking about message. "By their fruits (message) you will know them." What Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20 is exactly the same as what Moses said in Deuteronomy 13. A prophet's message has to be consistent with everything else that has been accepted as the revealed Word of God.
Fruit is used in Romans 1:13, our passage, for general spiritual edification. Some of the passages to go to for character qualities that are developed over time in the life of the believer are Galatians 5:22, 23; Ephesians 5:8, 9; Philippians 1:10, 11; 4:16-18 (spiritual growth that has occurred).
Romans 1:14 NASB "I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. [15] So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. [16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it {the} righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'BUT THE RIGHTEOUS {man} SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.'"


text:
We had no idea what to expect but it was beyond our wildest dreams.
Peter's Mom
Peter always loved hearing his grandfather talk to him about where his family came from, so it was easy for Peter to decide that he wanted to visit Ireland.
He knew he wanted to see the Blarney Stone and explore the beautiful country after all his grandfather had told him and he wanted to share the experience with his parents, brothers and sister.
To start the trip, Peter and his family were picked up by a limousine to head to the airport. After a long flight, Peter and his family arrived in Ireland and were not off for a three hour car ride to their lodging location in Waterville! On the second day of the trip, Peter and his family went to see one of the most popular destinations in Ireland, the Ring of Kerry. After that, they went to the Ross Castle, which was made in the 1400's! The next day Peter was off for another adventure to Croagh Patrick, where he would hike the famous Saint Patrick's Mountain.
On the fourth day of his excursion, Peter and his family headed to Dublin, the capital of Ireland. He toured the Guinness Storehouse and ate dinner there with his family. The next day he went to the Dublin Zoo and continued to explore all that Dublin has to offer. On his last few days of the trip, Peter got to see the mighty Cliffs of Moher and the greatest treasure in Ireland: the Blarney Castle. At the Blarney Castle, Peter kissed the Blarney stone, which is a tradition where if you kiss it, you receive the gift of eloquence so he will never be at a loss for words ever again.
Peter's dream of visiting the country he loves had finally come true. He was lucky enough to share the experience with his family, so they could all see their heritage together.
Wish Granted
Written By Samantha Eisenberg
We had no idea what to expect but it was beyond our wildest dreams.
Share this quote
Peter's Mom
This story makes me feel
Donate your airline miles to help wishes take flight!
Join our email list!
Stay connected to Make-A-Wish Connecticut.


text:
A moving memoir in today's Observer by Ken Wiwa.
Ken Wiwa was one of the "stars" of last year's KL Literary festival arriving on these shores courtesy of the Canadian High Commission. Wiwa, of course, is the son of Nigerian writer Ken Saro Wiwa, who was imprisoned, tortured and executed ten years ago for leading protests on behalf of the Ogoni people who were being screwed by oil giant Shell in the Niger delta.
I'd expected Wiwa's book In the Shadow of a Saint it to be an extended song of praise for the great man his father undoubtedly was. It turned out to be an extremely moving and honest account of a sometimes very fraught father-son relationship, and a wider exploration of the legacy of the pain and confusion a political martyr can bequeath his children. (You can listen to an interview with Wiwa about the book and his father's life here.)
Felt very sad reading the Guardian piece that this is the first I've heard about plans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Saro Wiwa's execution with performance and readings around the world. Couldn't we also mark the anniversary here somehow?


text:
Security Systems
We can supply and design a security system based on your requirements.
Whether you need a hard-wired system or wireless system, we can advise you on the most appropriate system for your premises.
Using the latest technology we can incorporate your mobile phone in to the system so that you can monitor your premises remotely.
We can provide a Red Care monitored system as required by your insurance company.


text:
As days go by and the shock from the no-go Eurogroup session of May 22th are waning, the fact sinks in that there are only three weeks (or so) available of kicking the can down the road for the Greek issue to be confronted without some sort of shipwreck occuring. The Greek government is digesting the bitter taste of tactical failure: where Alexis Tsipras was confident (or was he not?) that wording about Greek debt relief would be forthcoming to provide him with political ammunition so as to face off (justified) attacks that he had surrendered to creditors' demands for tough fiscal measures to be legislated for after the duration of the current Adjustment Programme, he now has to live with either brinkmanship or total surrender. At opposition benches there is some kind of vengefulness; still, they too realise that were to be a wreck they would have o do far more than a salvage question.
The Dark Lord of Eurogroup - Wolfgang Schaeuble - has to cope with the reality that the IMF's presence he had woven into the texture of German participation to the Greek Programme is not fortcoming without credible undertakings of Greek debt relief; but such relief is anathema to W. Schaeuble - most importantly to his voters! The rest of the Europeans do as they have been taught to do for all of these years: they sit back muttering words of disapproval - and let the Germans do as they see it fit. (True enough, SPD worthies such as Sigmar Gabriel, and a large segment of the German Press - not just Sueddeutsche Zeitung or Tageszeitung, but also venerable Die Welt, mark their disapproval of Schauble tactics. To no avail).
What about the IMF? Well, the Fund avoided being present at the failed Eurogroup at a binding level - to wit: Christine Lagarde sent to Brussels expendable Poul Thomsen - and kept all options open to agree to some sort of compromise, provided its own principles as to Greek debt sustainability (or, at the very least "serviceability") being met.
Very much a Florentine situation! With three weeks to go - as of today, just a shade more than two! - neither a pleasant nor an easy one to deal with.


text:
"Michael Breed is a very talented instructor who has spent over 25 years studying the art of putting. His knowledge and presentation make The 3-Degree Putting Solution both informative and entertaining. A must read!" — Curt Byrum, PGA Tour Winner, Two-time Nationwide Tour Winner
"Michael is one of the most well respected instructors in golf. You will absolutely improve your putting by reading The 3-Degree Putting Solution and implementing his well researched information. If you really want to improve your game, this is the putting book for you." — Ron Whittaker, Winner of the 2007 Nationwide Tour Chattanooga Classic
"Michael Breed is truly a 'new breed' when it comes to teaching. He has studied the techniques of the great players of today and yesterday, and he can flat out play! His infectious attitude on "The Golf Fix" is what you get all the time, and you will want to listen to what he says." — Brad Faxon, eight-time PGA Tour Winner, two-time U.S. Ryder Cup player
"I love lessons with Michael. I always get better and have fun." — Darron Stiles, PGA Tour Pro
"Being a better player usually boils down to executing the basics better. Michael is a great help." — Doug LaBelle, Tour Pro


text:
Catering in Upstate, SC
CHEF360 Catering turns your events into experiences.
They Said What?!
We used CHEF360 Catering for our corporate Holiday Party and have nothing but wonderful things to say! Kimberly helped us every step of the way making planning our menu super easy! The food was amazing and the staff was even better! The shrimp and grits (and duck) were the talk of Monday morning! I recommend CHEF360 Catering for any event!
Chef Peter personalizes every event I do in such a way that you would think it was his personal event. The entire staff at CHEF360 make everything happen with professionalism and expertise. I recommend CHEF360 to cater any event without any hesitation.
I love, love, love CHEF360, Chef Peter, and the entire staff! I have enjoyed all the classes and events I have attended and learned a lot! I love that they offer experiences for the kids as well! Thank you for all you do CHEF360!
How could you not love Chef Peter and his CHEF360 staff!!? The cooking classes are so much fun...for adults and kids alike. The food I have had at events catered by CHEF360 has always been wonderful. Not only does he seem to have the big picture vision, but the details are always taken care of. You don't find that everywhere! I have recommended CHEF360 before and will continue to do so!
Have enjoyed many functions catered by CHEF360. Chef Peter and his staff are wonderful! They are very detail oriented and truly make every effort to make each event successful and memorable! The cooking classes, wine tastings and weddings I've attended catered by CHEF360 have been nothing short of amazing! I would recommend them...and have to many friends! From a simple menu to an extravagant menu, you are in good hands when you choose CHEF360!
Chef Peter and his team are awesome! The meals-in-a-jar class was a great idea and my family loved them as presents. The Tour of Europe with wine pairing dinner was a big hit with my hubby and delicious! They can cater any size event and the food is always fabulous. A recent wedding I attended downtown was catered by Chef Peter and his team and everybody raved how unique and tasty everything was! Check out their Dinner by Design option near the holidays to select tasty entrees, sides, etc for any size crowd that might be coming over.
What can't Chef Peter and his team do? I have worked with Chef Peter for over 6 years and I have not seen an event that he has not been able to pull off yet. Not only is CHEF360 a wonderful catering team but they also have the fantastic kitchen studio that can be used for all types of events from small intimate dinners to group team building events and cooking classes. I have also had Chef Peter come to my house and cook a private dinner for me and some of my close friends. It was one of the best nights and truly an experience we will never forget. Chef Peter has a personality like no other and combined with his creativity, culinary ability, and professional and knowledgeable staff, you cannot go wrong choosing him for your next event!