THESE pups will be your best friends even if you're allergic to dogs.
For Whitey and Blacky are from a new breed created specially for pet allergy sufferers.
Breeder Gordon Smith produces Jackadoodles - crosses of Jack Russells and toy poodles. The dogs have fluffy coats which don't trigger allergic reactions.
Gordon, 39, who lives near Montrose, Angus, bred .-his first Jackadioodle for an allergic aunt.
Yesterday, he said: "They have a 100 per cent success rate, and they're brilliant companions."
1/31/2006
Mutts! Mutts! Mutts!
MUMTAJ BEGUM sniffs out the more illustrious dog stars who have made it to the silver screen.
MOVIES have gone to the dogs. Really. Most recently there was the romantic comedy starring Diane Lane and John Cusack titled Must Love Dogs. Although the huge black canine sitting between the actors on the movie poster had very little to do with the plot, the Labrador was cute enough to distract viewers from noticing how insipid the film was. Over the years, animals have been used as a means to add poignancy, or raise the “cute” factor, or just help move the story along. And more often than not, that animal is man’s best friend. Why dogs? Well, they are cuddly and cute.
On a more practical note, dogs are not crucial to a story unlike babies and children where there must be an extra layer to the plot to explain their presence. Secondly, they are obedient animals that can be trained to do whatever a director requires of them. None of the “diva” attitudes that one would expect from say, a cat, known to have a mind of its own. You may also find cows in movies – standing in the way of moving cars and twisters or caught in a flood – but we digress.
Romantic comedies are a popular genre for doggie appearances. In two of Jennifer Lopez’s films – Maid in Manhattan and Monster-in-Law – her character takes a couple of dogs for a walk only to meet the man of her dreams. Maybe someone should warn the dogs that her movies kind of stink.
Britain’s child actor Jonathan Mason with Lassie in the film Lassie.Want to know The Truth About Cats and Dogs? We ended up learning more about humans watching the film starring Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman and Ben Chaplin. Trust the Farrelly Brothers to “torture” a dog for laughs – but hey, it worked and the only thing funnier than that dog in a full body cast in that movie was Cameron Diaz’s fringe. In Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp’s character has a knack for shearing locks off the French poodles in the neighbourhood.
Dogs also sometimes are used to make monkeys out of their human co-stars. In Crimson Tide Captain Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) had his Jack Russell terrier on board a submarine and it did its business wherever it liked which just irritated the heck out of Lt Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington). And thus the power struggle between the two hot heads must have begun.
Both Agents Kay and Jay had to kiss Frank the Pug’s furry little butt before learning the truth about the importance of a little pendant worn by a cat in Men in Black. The smart-mouth pug helped the agents again when they had to clear a new kind scum from planet Earth in the sequel. This time round, Frank even delivered a rendition of I Will Survive.
If it is strange you are looking for, then get Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! in which there’s a head swapping Chihuahua. Maybe the dog walker with the long-dead bulldog is a bit hard to swallow – but this is down south we are talking about in The Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Dogs are also excellent animals to use when it comes to scaring an audience. For instance, in The Hulk, a couple of vicious dogs kept by Dr David Banner are injected with some virus and wham! the dogs are now very angry dogs. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) turns into a green angry man and they go at it like a bunch of mindless brutes.
Frank the Pug in Men in Black II.John Carpenter twisted a beautiful husky into a demented creature when a shape-shifting alien took its form in The Thing. Apparently, the Norwegian dog named Jed in the film was half wolf and half husky breed and an excellent animal actor that never looked at the camera or the crew. And just for your info, the yucky tentacles seen in the dog cage are actually whips manoeuvred by a technician.
Here’s some advice. If you ever see a black dog standing guard near a boy/man named Damien just stay clear of both of them. Or you will end up dying a horrible and untimely death as did all the other victims in The Omen movies. While Saint Bernard dogs are known for saving people, Cujo is a giant that kills and kills and kills. However in Cujo, based on a book by Stephen King, the canine’s victims are not very nice people to begin with.
With Jim Carrey acting very, very silly in movies like Ace Ventura and The Mask, we turn to the animals for the voice of sanity. Another movie featuring very “human” dogs is Babe. In it a pretty Border Collie adopts Babe the pig and teaches it to herd the sheep.
Dogs have their days too. Many have been leads in their own films – Beethoven, Beethoven’s 2nd, 101 Dalmatians, 102 Dalmatians, Air Bud, The Amazing Dobermans, Benji, Turner and Hooch, Snow Dogs and Cats and Dogs to name a few. Last year too, we also got to see a touching tale about a seeing eye Labrador in the Japanese film Quill. An upcoming film about dogs is Eight Below starring Paul Walker based on a National Geographic article. Eight Below is the story of two Antarctic explorers forced to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for their survival in the brutal cold.
Some may remember the heart-warming tale of a yellow dog in the film Old Yeller.
This fictional mixed-breed dog was first introduced in a book written by Frederick Benjamin Gipson. A year after the book came out, Disney made a film based on the book which quickly became a classic
MOVIES have gone to the dogs. Really. Most recently there was the romantic comedy starring Diane Lane and John Cusack titled Must Love Dogs. Although the huge black canine sitting between the actors on the movie poster had very little to do with the plot, the Labrador was cute enough to distract viewers from noticing how insipid the film was. Over the years, animals have been used as a means to add poignancy, or raise the “cute” factor, or just help move the story along. And more often than not, that animal is man’s best friend. Why dogs? Well, they are cuddly and cute.
On a more practical note, dogs are not crucial to a story unlike babies and children where there must be an extra layer to the plot to explain their presence. Secondly, they are obedient animals that can be trained to do whatever a director requires of them. None of the “diva” attitudes that one would expect from say, a cat, known to have a mind of its own. You may also find cows in movies – standing in the way of moving cars and twisters or caught in a flood – but we digress.
Romantic comedies are a popular genre for doggie appearances. In two of Jennifer Lopez’s films – Maid in Manhattan and Monster-in-Law – her character takes a couple of dogs for a walk only to meet the man of her dreams. Maybe someone should warn the dogs that her movies kind of stink.
Britain’s child actor Jonathan Mason with Lassie in the film Lassie.Want to know The Truth About Cats and Dogs? We ended up learning more about humans watching the film starring Janeane Garofalo, Uma Thurman and Ben Chaplin. Trust the Farrelly Brothers to “torture” a dog for laughs – but hey, it worked and the only thing funnier than that dog in a full body cast in that movie was Cameron Diaz’s fringe. In Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp’s character has a knack for shearing locks off the French poodles in the neighbourhood.
Dogs also sometimes are used to make monkeys out of their human co-stars. In Crimson Tide Captain Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) had his Jack Russell terrier on board a submarine and it did its business wherever it liked which just irritated the heck out of Lt Commander Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington). And thus the power struggle between the two hot heads must have begun.
Both Agents Kay and Jay had to kiss Frank the Pug’s furry little butt before learning the truth about the importance of a little pendant worn by a cat in Men in Black. The smart-mouth pug helped the agents again when they had to clear a new kind scum from planet Earth in the sequel. This time round, Frank even delivered a rendition of I Will Survive.
If it is strange you are looking for, then get Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! in which there’s a head swapping Chihuahua. Maybe the dog walker with the long-dead bulldog is a bit hard to swallow – but this is down south we are talking about in The Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Dogs are also excellent animals to use when it comes to scaring an audience. For instance, in The Hulk, a couple of vicious dogs kept by Dr David Banner are injected with some virus and wham! the dogs are now very angry dogs. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) turns into a green angry man and they go at it like a bunch of mindless brutes.
Frank the Pug in Men in Black II.John Carpenter twisted a beautiful husky into a demented creature when a shape-shifting alien took its form in The Thing. Apparently, the Norwegian dog named Jed in the film was half wolf and half husky breed and an excellent animal actor that never looked at the camera or the crew. And just for your info, the yucky tentacles seen in the dog cage are actually whips manoeuvred by a technician.
Here’s some advice. If you ever see a black dog standing guard near a boy/man named Damien just stay clear of both of them. Or you will end up dying a horrible and untimely death as did all the other victims in The Omen movies. While Saint Bernard dogs are known for saving people, Cujo is a giant that kills and kills and kills. However in Cujo, based on a book by Stephen King, the canine’s victims are not very nice people to begin with.
With Jim Carrey acting very, very silly in movies like Ace Ventura and The Mask, we turn to the animals for the voice of sanity. Another movie featuring very “human” dogs is Babe. In it a pretty Border Collie adopts Babe the pig and teaches it to herd the sheep.
Dogs have their days too. Many have been leads in their own films – Beethoven, Beethoven’s 2nd, 101 Dalmatians, 102 Dalmatians, Air Bud, The Amazing Dobermans, Benji, Turner and Hooch, Snow Dogs and Cats and Dogs to name a few. Last year too, we also got to see a touching tale about a seeing eye Labrador in the Japanese film Quill. An upcoming film about dogs is Eight Below starring Paul Walker based on a National Geographic article. Eight Below is the story of two Antarctic explorers forced to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for their survival in the brutal cold.
Some may remember the heart-warming tale of a yellow dog in the film Old Yeller.
This fictional mixed-breed dog was first introduced in a book written by Frederick Benjamin Gipson. A year after the book came out, Disney made a film based on the book which quickly became a classic
GREEK SALAD Recipe at Epicurious.com
A terrific accompaniment for kebabs.
3/4 pound tomatoes, seeded, diced (about 2 cups)2 cups diced seeded peeled cucumber (from about 1 large)1 cup diced red bell pepper (from about 1 large)1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, halved 1/4 cup diced red onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
Toss first 9 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Gently mix in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)Makes about 4 1/2 cups.Bon Appétit
3/4 pound tomatoes, seeded, diced (about 2 cups)2 cups diced seeded peeled cucumber (from about 1 large)1 cup diced red bell pepper (from about 1 large)1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, halved 1/4 cup diced red onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
Toss first 9 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Gently mix in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)Makes about 4 1/2 cups.Bon Appétit
Acquitted in Bondage Death - Yahoo! News
DEDHAM, Mass. - A dominatrix was acquitted of manslaughter Monday in the death of a man who prosecutors say suffered a heart attack while strapped to a replica of a medieval rack.
Barbara Asher, a 56-year-old woman who called herself Mistress Lauren M, was also cleared of dismemberment.
Prosecutors said that 53-year-old Michael Lord suffered a heart attack in 2000 during a bondage session in a "dungeon" in Asher's condominium and that Asher did nothing to help him for five minutes for fear authorities would find out about her business.
Asher had her boyfriend chop up the body of the 275-pound retired telephone company worker, and they dumped it behind a restaurant in Maine, prosecutors said. His remains have never been found.
Prosecutors said Asher confessed to police, but the alleged confession was not taped, and investigators testified they did not save their notes.
Asher's lawyer, Stephanie Page, said there was nothing to prove Lord was even dead — no body, no blood, no DNA.
During his closing argument to the jury, prosecutor Robert Nelson put on a black leather mask with a zippered mouth opening and re-enacted the bondage session. With both hands, he reached back and clutched the top of a blackboard as if strapped to the rack. Then he hung his head as if dead.
Asher's lawyer objected, and the judge agreed.
"That's enough Mr. Nelson," Judge Charles Grabau said. "Thank you for your demonstration."
.......GRISLYY ...No?
Barbara Asher, a 56-year-old woman who called herself Mistress Lauren M, was also cleared of dismemberment.
Prosecutors said that 53-year-old Michael Lord suffered a heart attack in 2000 during a bondage session in a "dungeon" in Asher's condominium and that Asher did nothing to help him for five minutes for fear authorities would find out about her business.
Asher had her boyfriend chop up the body of the 275-pound retired telephone company worker, and they dumped it behind a restaurant in Maine, prosecutors said. His remains have never been found.
Prosecutors said Asher confessed to police, but the alleged confession was not taped, and investigators testified they did not save their notes.
Asher's lawyer, Stephanie Page, said there was nothing to prove Lord was even dead — no body, no blood, no DNA.
During his closing argument to the jury, prosecutor Robert Nelson put on a black leather mask with a zippered mouth opening and re-enacted the bondage session. With both hands, he reached back and clutched the top of a blackboard as if strapped to the rack. Then he hung his head as if dead.
Asher's lawyer objected, and the judge agreed.
"That's enough Mr. Nelson," Judge Charles Grabau said. "Thank you for your demonstration."
.......GRISLYY ...No?
Move Over, Rover: Robotic Pet Can Be Best Friend - Yahoo! News
Bill Christensen
Technovelgy.com
Mon Jan 30, 3:00 PM ET
In his excellent 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (the basis of the film "Bladerunner"), science fiction author Philip K. Dick writes about a world with virtually no real, living animals. Robotic animals are "kept" by their owners, and given the same feelings and affection associated with real animals:
He ascended ... to the covered pasture whereon his electric sheep "grazed." Whereon it, sophisticated piece of hardware that it was, chomped away in simulated contentment, bamboozling the other tenants of the building. (Read more about Philip K. Dick's electric sheep)
ADVERTISEMENT
It turns out that several studies show that robotic pets really do invoke the same feelings and reactions as real pets.
In a recent study at the University of Missouri, levels of cortisol dropped among adults who petted AIBO, Sony's dog-shaped robot. Cortisol is a hormone that indicates stress. AIBO has some convincing dog-like behaviors; it responds when stroked, chases a ball and perks up when it hears a familiar voice.
Purdue psychologist Gail Melson gave AIBO to children ages 7 to 15 for a few play periods; 70 percent felt the robot could be a good companion, like a pet. When AIBOs were provided to elderly residents in independent living facilities for six weeks, residents reported being less depressed and lonely.
In Japan, a robotic baby seal named Paro is being used in Nanto City, which has an elderly population that numbers 26 percent of all residents. Paro was developed at a cost of $10 million by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
Dr. Takanori Shibata, the creator of Paro, has found that interaction with cute, cuddly robots lowered stress, elevated moods and decreased depression. Paro also encouraged communication and social behavior among subjects. Shibata found that brain activity increased 50 percent in patients with dementia after just twenty minutes with Paro.
New robots like Paro are typical of today's helpful robots. The TMSUK robot helpfully carries your bags in the mall, soothing autonomous fish-bots swim gracefully in acquariums and iRobot's new Scooba keeps you from household drudgery.
Read more about how Robotic pets offer health benefits or Japan's robotic companions. See also the Paro mental commit robot for psychological enrichment website.
(This Science Fiction in the News story used with permission from Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction.)
Technovelgy.com
Mon Jan 30, 3:00 PM ET
In his excellent 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (the basis of the film "Bladerunner"), science fiction author Philip K. Dick writes about a world with virtually no real, living animals. Robotic animals are "kept" by their owners, and given the same feelings and affection associated with real animals:
He ascended ... to the covered pasture whereon his electric sheep "grazed." Whereon it, sophisticated piece of hardware that it was, chomped away in simulated contentment, bamboozling the other tenants of the building. (Read more about Philip K. Dick's electric sheep)
ADVERTISEMENT
It turns out that several studies show that robotic pets really do invoke the same feelings and reactions as real pets.
In a recent study at the University of Missouri, levels of cortisol dropped among adults who petted AIBO, Sony's dog-shaped robot. Cortisol is a hormone that indicates stress. AIBO has some convincing dog-like behaviors; it responds when stroked, chases a ball and perks up when it hears a familiar voice.
Purdue psychologist Gail Melson gave AIBO to children ages 7 to 15 for a few play periods; 70 percent felt the robot could be a good companion, like a pet. When AIBOs were provided to elderly residents in independent living facilities for six weeks, residents reported being less depressed and lonely.
In Japan, a robotic baby seal named Paro is being used in Nanto City, which has an elderly population that numbers 26 percent of all residents. Paro was developed at a cost of $10 million by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
Dr. Takanori Shibata, the creator of Paro, has found that interaction with cute, cuddly robots lowered stress, elevated moods and decreased depression. Paro also encouraged communication and social behavior among subjects. Shibata found that brain activity increased 50 percent in patients with dementia after just twenty minutes with Paro.
New robots like Paro are typical of today's helpful robots. The TMSUK robot helpfully carries your bags in the mall, soothing autonomous fish-bots swim gracefully in acquariums and iRobot's new Scooba keeps you from household drudgery.
Read more about how Robotic pets offer health benefits or Japan's robotic companions. See also the Paro mental commit robot for psychological enrichment website.
(This Science Fiction in the News story used with permission from Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction.)
Pet snacks :)
Welcome To Miss Daisy's Delights...
Miss Daisy is a true biscuit connoisseur. She personally tests all snacks and selects only the finest for her fur-legged friends. Our products are made of ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS and are PRESERVATIVE FREE.
Your pet deserves a healthy snack and we have them!
Miss Daisy is a true biscuit connoisseur. She personally tests all snacks and selects only the finest for her fur-legged friends. Our products are made of ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS and are PRESERVATIVE FREE.
Your pet deserves a healthy snack and we have them!
Alison Day's Tarot Card Interpretation
"how you feel about yourself now (The Emperor)
You feel that success and achievement are on their way to you. A man of significance will provide his support, perhaps your father, husband/partner or boss - whoever it is, he will give you steady support. You feel confident and able to influence people and events, as you have a great sense of your own authority. Expect promotion at work or achieving greater status in life. If you have been a victim of ill will be assured that you will win in the end.
what you most want at this moment (The Sun)
The cards suggest Bluewolfess, that what you most want at this time is some joy and pleasure in your life, perhaps a long needed holiday in the sun to re-charge your batteries. You may have been through a period of challenges or a time of limbo and inactivity. The Sun heralds an ending to difficulties and a time to celebrate with friends and loved ones, a time of pleasure and good news around children or the conception or birth of a longed-for baby.
your fears (The Fool)
You are afraid of making the wrong decisions. There is a warning here that fool-hardy, impetuous actions could lead to major problems. Perhaps you feel that you don�t have control over a situation, either personal or professional. You may feel unable to complete a task or stay in a current relationship and fear the consequences of your decisions. Perhaps you know deep down that what you want isn�t really such a good thing.
what is going for you (The High Priestess)
All lines are open in your telephone exchange with your intuition, and there is no better guide than your intuition. Listen, listen carefully and the secret you want revealed will be shared with you.
what is going against you (The World)
As always, fear holds us back and so often leads to missed opportunities. Do not give up or change direction this late in the game just because you have experienced delays - stick with it, have faith and trust the universe, and you will reach the successful conclusion you are wanting.
outcome (Justice)
Justice will be done. Decisions will go in your favour, particularly regarding partnerships or legal matters. A time for some good luck and reward for your good deeds in the past.
"
You feel that success and achievement are on their way to you. A man of significance will provide his support, perhaps your father, husband/partner or boss - whoever it is, he will give you steady support. You feel confident and able to influence people and events, as you have a great sense of your own authority. Expect promotion at work or achieving greater status in life. If you have been a victim of ill will be assured that you will win in the end.
what you most want at this moment (The Sun)
The cards suggest Bluewolfess, that what you most want at this time is some joy and pleasure in your life, perhaps a long needed holiday in the sun to re-charge your batteries. You may have been through a period of challenges or a time of limbo and inactivity. The Sun heralds an ending to difficulties and a time to celebrate with friends and loved ones, a time of pleasure and good news around children or the conception or birth of a longed-for baby.
your fears (The Fool)
You are afraid of making the wrong decisions. There is a warning here that fool-hardy, impetuous actions could lead to major problems. Perhaps you feel that you don�t have control over a situation, either personal or professional. You may feel unable to complete a task or stay in a current relationship and fear the consequences of your decisions. Perhaps you know deep down that what you want isn�t really such a good thing.
what is going for you (The High Priestess)
All lines are open in your telephone exchange with your intuition, and there is no better guide than your intuition. Listen, listen carefully and the secret you want revealed will be shared with you.
what is going against you (The World)
As always, fear holds us back and so often leads to missed opportunities. Do not give up or change direction this late in the game just because you have experienced delays - stick with it, have faith and trust the universe, and you will reach the successful conclusion you are wanting.
outcome (Justice)
Justice will be done. Decisions will go in your favour, particularly regarding partnerships or legal matters. A time for some good luck and reward for your good deeds in the past.
"
CHOCOLATE-GLAZED HAZELNUT MOUSSE CAKE Recipe at Epicurious.com
For shortbread base
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
For mousse
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope)
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread such as Nutella (5 oz)
1/2 cup mascarpone (1/4 lb)
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
For ganache
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 1/2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
Special equipment: an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan; parchment paper
Make shortbread base:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide shortbread base off bottom), then lock on side of pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
Pulse hazelnuts with sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add flour, butter, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until a dough forms.
Press dough evenly onto bottom of springform pan with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork, then bake until just dry to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer base in pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and carefully slide out parchment from under shortbread, then reattach side of pan around shortbread base.
Make mousse while shortbread cools:
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in chocolate hazelnut spread until combined and remove from heat.
Whisk together mascarpone and chocolate hazelnut mixture in a large bowl. Beat together cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until cream just holds soft peaks. Whisk one third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream until well combined. Spoon filling onto shortbread base in pan, gently smoothing top, then chill, covered, at least 3 hours.
Make ganache and glaze cake:
Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Add chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until completely melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
Run a warm thin knife around inside of springform pan, then remove side. Slide cake off bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Pour ganache onto top of cake and spread, allowing excess ganache to drip down sides.
Cooks' notes:
• Cake, without glaze, can be chilled up to 2 days.
• Cake can be glazed 6 hours ahead and chilled, uncovered.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Gourmet
February 2006
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
For mousse
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope)
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread such as Nutella (5 oz)
1/2 cup mascarpone (1/4 lb)
1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sugar
For ganache
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
3 1/2 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
Special equipment: an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan; parchment paper
Make shortbread base:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide shortbread base off bottom), then lock on side of pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper.
Pulse hazelnuts with sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add flour, butter, cocoa, and salt and pulse just until a dough forms.
Press dough evenly onto bottom of springform pan with your fingers. Prick all over with a fork, then bake until just dry to the touch, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer base in pan to a rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove side of pan and carefully slide out parchment from under shortbread, then reattach side of pan around shortbread base.
Make mousse while shortbread cools:
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat, stirring, just until gelatin is melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk in chocolate hazelnut spread until combined and remove from heat.
Whisk together mascarpone and chocolate hazelnut mixture in a large bowl. Beat together cream, cocoa powder, and sugar in another large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until just combined, then increase speed to high and beat until cream just holds soft peaks. Whisk one third of whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whipped cream until well combined. Spoon filling onto shortbread base in pan, gently smoothing top, then chill, covered, at least 3 hours.
Make ganache and glaze cake:
Bring cream to a simmer in a small heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Add chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then gently whisk until completely melted and smooth. Transfer ganache to a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
Run a warm thin knife around inside of springform pan, then remove side. Slide cake off bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Pour ganache onto top of cake and spread, allowing excess ganache to drip down sides.
Cooks' notes:
• Cake, without glaze, can be chilled up to 2 days.
• Cake can be glazed 6 hours ahead and chilled, uncovered.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Gourmet
February 2006
1/30/2006
Oddness from Beth :)
In the 1400's a law was set forth that a
man was not allowed to
> beat his wife with a stick no thicker
than his thumb. Hence we have
>"the
> rule of thumb".
>
> Many years ago in Scotland, a new game
was invented. It was ruled
> "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and
thus the word GOLF
> entered into the English language.
>
> The first couple to be shown in bed
together on prime time TV was
> Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
>
> Every day more money is printed for
Monopoly than the US Treasury.
>
> Men can read smaller print than women
can; women can hear better.
>
> Coca-Cola was originally green.
>
> It is impossible to lick your elbow.
>
> The average number of people airborne
over the US any given hour:
> 61,000
>
> Intelligent people have more zinc and
copper in their hair.
>
> The first novel ever written on a
typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
>
> Each king in a deck of playing cards
represents a great king in
> history:
> Spades - King David
> Hearts - Charlemagne
> Clubs -Alexander, the Great
> Diamonds - Julius Caesar
>
> 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 =
12,345,678,987,654,321
>
> If a statue in the park of a person on a
horse has both front legs
> in the air, the person died in battle. If
the horse has one front
>leg
> in the air the person died as a result of
wounds received in battle.
> If the horse has all four legs on the
ground, the person died of
>natural
> causes.
>
> Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how
far would you have to go
> until you would find the letter "A"?
> A. One thousand
>
> Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire
escapes, windshield wipers, and
> laser printers all have in common?
> A. All invented by women.
>
> Q. What is the only food that doesn't
spoil?
> A. Honey
>
> In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were
secured on bed frames by
> ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the
mattress tightened, making
> the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the
phrase......... "goodnight,
>sleep
> tight."
>
> It was the accepted practice in Babylon
4,000 years ago that for a
> month after the wedding, the bride's
father would supply his
>son-in-law
> with all the mead he could drink. Mead is
a honey beer and because
>their
> calendar was lunar based, this period was
called the honey month,
> which we know today as the honeymoon.
>
> In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints
and quarts... So in old
> England, when customers got unruly, the
bartender would yell at
> them "Mind your pints and quarts, and
settle down." It's where we
>get
> the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
>
> Many years ago in England, pub
frequenters had a whistle baked into
> the rim, or handle, of their ceramic
cups. When they needed a
>refill,
> they used the whistle to get some
service. "Wet your whistle" is the
> phrase inspired by this practice.
>
> Don't delete this just because it looks
weird. Believe it or not,
> you can read it.
>
> I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd waht I was
>rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the
hmuan
>
> mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy,
>
> it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod
>
> are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the
frist and
>
> lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The
rset can be a
>
>
> taotl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit a porbelm.
>
> Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not
raed ervey
>
>
> lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a
wlohe.
>
> Amzanig huh?
>
> AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
> At least 75% of people who read this will
try to lick their elbow
>
man was not allowed to
> beat his wife with a stick no thicker
than his thumb. Hence we have
>"the
> rule of thumb".
>
> Many years ago in Scotland, a new game
was invented. It was ruled
> "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and
thus the word GOLF
> entered into the English language.
>
> The first couple to be shown in bed
together on prime time TV was
> Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
>
> Every day more money is printed for
Monopoly than the US Treasury.
>
> Men can read smaller print than women
can; women can hear better.
>
> Coca-Cola was originally green.
>
> It is impossible to lick your elbow.
>
> The average number of people airborne
over the US any given hour:
> 61,000
>
> Intelligent people have more zinc and
copper in their hair.
>
> The first novel ever written on a
typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
>
> Each king in a deck of playing cards
represents a great king in
> history:
> Spades - King David
> Hearts - Charlemagne
> Clubs -Alexander, the Great
> Diamonds - Julius Caesar
>
> 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 =
12,345,678,987,654,321
>
> If a statue in the park of a person on a
horse has both front legs
> in the air, the person died in battle. If
the horse has one front
>leg
> in the air the person died as a result of
wounds received in battle.
> If the horse has all four legs on the
ground, the person died of
>natural
> causes.
>
> Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how
far would you have to go
> until you would find the letter "A"?
> A. One thousand
>
> Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire
escapes, windshield wipers, and
> laser printers all have in common?
> A. All invented by women.
>
> Q. What is the only food that doesn't
spoil?
> A. Honey
>
> In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were
secured on bed frames by
> ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the
mattress tightened, making
> the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the
phrase......... "goodnight,
>sleep
> tight."
>
> It was the accepted practice in Babylon
4,000 years ago that for a
> month after the wedding, the bride's
father would supply his
>son-in-law
> with all the mead he could drink. Mead is
a honey beer and because
>their
> calendar was lunar based, this period was
called the honey month,
> which we know today as the honeymoon.
>
> In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints
and quarts... So in old
> England, when customers got unruly, the
bartender would yell at
> them "Mind your pints and quarts, and
settle down." It's where we
>get
> the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
>
> Many years ago in England, pub
frequenters had a whistle baked into
> the rim, or handle, of their ceramic
cups. When they needed a
>refill,
> they used the whistle to get some
service. "Wet your whistle" is the
> phrase inspired by this practice.
>
> Don't delete this just because it looks
weird. Believe it or not,
> you can read it.
>
> I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd waht I was
>rdgnieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the
hmuan
>
> mnid aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde
Uinervtisy,
>
> it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the
ltteers in a wrod
>
> are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the
frist and
>
> lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The
rset can be a
>
>
> taotl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit a porbelm.
>
> Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not
raed ervey
>
>
> lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a
wlohe.
>
> Amzanig huh?
>
> AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
> At least 75% of people who read this will
try to lick their elbow
>
'Brokeback' Sparks Interest in Wyo. - Yahoo! News
ayup...well ....hum...don't rightly know what to say about this....those califonia types are strange , always spooking the cattle...
Mixed-Breed Rescued Dog Wins Online Show - Yahoo! News
Atta Girl Tillie, here have a cookie...:pats Head:: Good Girl....
Al-Zawahri Mocks Bush Over Terrorism War - Yahoo! News
Some one bust a cap in his ass please!
::Disclaimer::Bluewolfess does not condone the use of violence or weapons(of mass destruction)against anyone, living or dead, or of any religion , or gender....
::Disclaimer::Bluewolfess does not condone the use of violence or weapons(of mass destruction)against anyone, living or dead, or of any religion , or gender....
| You scored as Cruella De Ville. Your alter ego is Cruella De Ville! You hurt little puppies and have bad hair... shame on you! |
Which Disney Character is your Alter Ego?
created with QuizFarm.com
I scored at 100%, Now GET Those PUPPIES!!!!!!!
Recipes - Home-Style Meat Loaf Recipe at Cooking.com
An iron-rich food like meat loaf can help keep you warm on these last winter nights. When researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture deprived a group of women of iron, they became chilled more quickly when exposed to lower temperatures.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Cooking spray
RECIPE METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving size: 1 slice
Recipe reprinted by permission of Cooking Light magazine. All rights reserved.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds ground round
Cooking spray
RECIPE METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, oats, and next 6 ingredients (oats through egg whites) in a large bowl. Add meat; stir just until blended. Shape meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush 1/4 cup ketchup over meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Serving size: 1 slice
Recipe reprinted by permission of Cooking Light magazine. All rights reserved.
1/29/2006
Blogger Gains Following With Iraq Reports - Yahoo! News
By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer
Sun Jan 29, 6:33 AM ET
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - He didn't have to go, it wasn't his job and nobody paid him to do it. But Michael Yon says he went to Iraq because he wanted to see for himself what was going on.
The 41-year-old former Army Green Beret, self-published author and world traveler didn't know exactly what he was going to do when he got to the war zone last year, nor did he have any particular plans to report what he saw to the world at-large.
But that's what he did.
After getting himself embedded as a freelance journalist with troops last year, he used his Internet blog to report on the car bombs, firefights and dead soldiers. But he also wrote descriptively about acts of compassion and heroism, small triumphs in the country's crawl toward democracy and the gritty inner workings of the military machine.
Yon's dispatches have been extolled by loyal readers as gutsy and honest reporting by a guy who's not afraid to get his hands dirty. He has been interviewed and his blog quoted by major newspapers and TV news networks, and he has drawn comparisons to Ernie Pyle, the renowned World War II correspondent who shared the trenches with fighting soldiers.
Actor Bruce Willis is a fan and has said he wants to make a movie about the exploits of the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment — aka the "Deuce Four" — which Yon followed through battles against insurgents in Mosul.
"Deuce Four is an overwhelmingly aggressive and effective unit, and they believe the best defense is a dead enemy," Yon wrote in one dispatch. "They are constantly thinking up innovative, unique and effective ways to kill or capture the enemy; proactive not reactive."
In May, a poignant photo he shot of a soldier cradling a dying Iraqi girl after an explosion in Mosul was printed in major U.S. newspapers and brought even more attention to his unpaid mission. A subsequent appeal for donations on the Web site brought in thousands of dollars.
And at one point he crossed the line from observer to participant.
In August, during a fierce firefight in downtown Mosul, Yon and witnesses say he picked up an M4 rifle, reloaded and fired three times at insurgents inside a shop as two of the battalion leaders lay wounded nearby. That's a no-no for embedded journalists, and it brought a stern reprimand from the Army.
"As soon I saw the rifle, I just grabbed it," he says. "It was just a reflex."
The slant of Yon's blog is unflinchingly pro-military, but he has frequently criticized Army public affairs officers in print over how news out of Iraq is managed. He hasn't shied away from describing the horrors of war, and he once wrote about an Iraqi taxi driver killed by U.S. troops during a fire fight.
"They know I don't follow the party line," says the soft-spoken Yon, whose broad, solid physique makes him seem taller than his 5 feet and 6 inches. "Like when our guys get killed, I'll write about it and I'll write about it the way it really happened, which sometimes is pretty graphic."
Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla, the Deuce Four commander who was wounded in the downtown Mosul battle, says Yon was effective because he stayed with the unit longer than most embedded reporters.
"Mike, by spending five months with us, understood the unit, the idiosyncrasies, the good and the bad, and how we made decisions," Kurilla says. "You don't get that from coming in for 48 or 72 hours."
A native of Winter Haven in central Florida, Yon is a professional adventurer of sorts. His tales range from establishing a vending business in Poland to tracking cannibals in India, all after serving five years in the Army in the 1980s. In 2000 he self-published a memoir called "Danger Close," which includes details of the 19-year-old Yon killing a man in a bar fight, a case later determined to be self-defense.
At the urging of friends connected the military, Yon went to Iraq a year ago, began blogging a few weeks later and within a few months had a good Internet following. It really took off when he started writing about the Deuce Four in Mosul, and in the last four months of 2005 the site logged around 1.5 million hits.
"I think Michael set out to chronicle what it was like for regular rank-and-file soldiers who went out outside the wire every day in a city that has been a very dangerous place," says Richard A. Oppel Jr., a New York Times reporter who was in Iraq with Yon.
Not being a journalist by trade, Yon says he initially had trouble being an objective observer when the explosions and gunfire started.
"In the beginning I would just help people, and I wouldn't get any photos," he says. "I realized that I could do a lot more with my camera and my pen than I could with my hands, and so I disciplined myself to just stay out of the way and photograph, unless somebody really, really needs me."
He felt that was the case in the downtown Mosul battle in August when he got involved in the battle. But before picking up the rifle, he shot a stunning sequence of photos of Kurilla crumpling to the ground as an insurgent's bullets pierced both his legs and an arm.
Kurilla and the rest of the Deuce Four are home now, with dozens of Purple Hearts among them. Lately Yon has been traveling in the United States and interviewing them for a book about the unit and the Battle for Mosul.
He recently bought new body armor and, if all goes as planned, he'll return to Iraq later this year.
"It's a very complicated world and you can't learn about it by sitting back and reading about it," Yon says. "Not the way I wanted to learn about it anyway."
___
On the Net:
Michael Yon: Online Magazine
Sun Jan 29, 6:33 AM ET
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - He didn't have to go, it wasn't his job and nobody paid him to do it. But Michael Yon says he went to Iraq because he wanted to see for himself what was going on.
The 41-year-old former Army Green Beret, self-published author and world traveler didn't know exactly what he was going to do when he got to the war zone last year, nor did he have any particular plans to report what he saw to the world at-large.
But that's what he did.
After getting himself embedded as a freelance journalist with troops last year, he used his Internet blog to report on the car bombs, firefights and dead soldiers. But he also wrote descriptively about acts of compassion and heroism, small triumphs in the country's crawl toward democracy and the gritty inner workings of the military machine.
Yon's dispatches have been extolled by loyal readers as gutsy and honest reporting by a guy who's not afraid to get his hands dirty. He has been interviewed and his blog quoted by major newspapers and TV news networks, and he has drawn comparisons to Ernie Pyle, the renowned World War II correspondent who shared the trenches with fighting soldiers.
Actor Bruce Willis is a fan and has said he wants to make a movie about the exploits of the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment — aka the "Deuce Four" — which Yon followed through battles against insurgents in Mosul.
"Deuce Four is an overwhelmingly aggressive and effective unit, and they believe the best defense is a dead enemy," Yon wrote in one dispatch. "They are constantly thinking up innovative, unique and effective ways to kill or capture the enemy; proactive not reactive."
In May, a poignant photo he shot of a soldier cradling a dying Iraqi girl after an explosion in Mosul was printed in major U.S. newspapers and brought even more attention to his unpaid mission. A subsequent appeal for donations on the Web site brought in thousands of dollars.
And at one point he crossed the line from observer to participant.
In August, during a fierce firefight in downtown Mosul, Yon and witnesses say he picked up an M4 rifle, reloaded and fired three times at insurgents inside a shop as two of the battalion leaders lay wounded nearby. That's a no-no for embedded journalists, and it brought a stern reprimand from the Army.
"As soon I saw the rifle, I just grabbed it," he says. "It was just a reflex."
The slant of Yon's blog is unflinchingly pro-military, but he has frequently criticized Army public affairs officers in print over how news out of Iraq is managed. He hasn't shied away from describing the horrors of war, and he once wrote about an Iraqi taxi driver killed by U.S. troops during a fire fight.
"They know I don't follow the party line," says the soft-spoken Yon, whose broad, solid physique makes him seem taller than his 5 feet and 6 inches. "Like when our guys get killed, I'll write about it and I'll write about it the way it really happened, which sometimes is pretty graphic."
Lt. Col. Erik Kurilla, the Deuce Four commander who was wounded in the downtown Mosul battle, says Yon was effective because he stayed with the unit longer than most embedded reporters.
"Mike, by spending five months with us, understood the unit, the idiosyncrasies, the good and the bad, and how we made decisions," Kurilla says. "You don't get that from coming in for 48 or 72 hours."
A native of Winter Haven in central Florida, Yon is a professional adventurer of sorts. His tales range from establishing a vending business in Poland to tracking cannibals in India, all after serving five years in the Army in the 1980s. In 2000 he self-published a memoir called "Danger Close," which includes details of the 19-year-old Yon killing a man in a bar fight, a case later determined to be self-defense.
At the urging of friends connected the military, Yon went to Iraq a year ago, began blogging a few weeks later and within a few months had a good Internet following. It really took off when he started writing about the Deuce Four in Mosul, and in the last four months of 2005 the site logged around 1.5 million hits.
"I think Michael set out to chronicle what it was like for regular rank-and-file soldiers who went out outside the wire every day in a city that has been a very dangerous place," says Richard A. Oppel Jr., a New York Times reporter who was in Iraq with Yon.
Not being a journalist by trade, Yon says he initially had trouble being an objective observer when the explosions and gunfire started.
"In the beginning I would just help people, and I wouldn't get any photos," he says. "I realized that I could do a lot more with my camera and my pen than I could with my hands, and so I disciplined myself to just stay out of the way and photograph, unless somebody really, really needs me."
He felt that was the case in the downtown Mosul battle in August when he got involved in the battle. But before picking up the rifle, he shot a stunning sequence of photos of Kurilla crumpling to the ground as an insurgent's bullets pierced both his legs and an arm.
Kurilla and the rest of the Deuce Four are home now, with dozens of Purple Hearts among them. Lately Yon has been traveling in the United States and interviewing them for a book about the unit and the Battle for Mosul.
He recently bought new body armor and, if all goes as planned, he'll return to Iraq later this year.
"It's a very complicated world and you can't learn about it by sitting back and reading about it," Yon says. "Not the way I wanted to learn about it anyway."
___
On the Net:
Michael Yon: Online Magazine
Belly dancers sashay onto American stages - Yahoo! News
ok , go get your zils !!!!
and pick out your best gwazi to wear!:)
and pick out your best gwazi to wear!:)
| You Are The Wheel of Fortune |
 You represent the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. You embrace change, the the ups and downs of life. Fate is something you accept, even when you could possibly change things. Big things tend to happen to you more than other people. Your fortune: Something huge is about to happen in your life, and you have little control over it. You must accept your destiny, but luckily it is good fortune that has come your way. Big things and big changes are about to come your way. And while things will be intense for a while, they will be followed by a period of rest. |
1/28/2006
Japanese Noodles at Epicurious.com
Very interesting read, check it out , looks fun , and makes some yummy noodles:)
BACON-WRAPPED SALMON WITH WILTED SPINACH Recipe at Epicurious.com
Wrapped with bacon, these delicious fillets self-baste during broiling, eliminating the need for a sauce.
click photo to enlarge
4 (5- to 6-oz) center-cut pieces skinless salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons whole-grain or coarse-grain mustard
4 bacon slices
2/3 cup sliced shallots (2 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 oz baby spinach (16 cups packed), rinsed but not dried
Special equipment: 4 (10- to 12-inch) metal skewers
Preheat broiler and put broiler pan under broiler so that its rack is about 4 inches from heat.
Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread curved sides with mustard. Lay 1 bacon slice lengthwise along top of each fillet, tucking ends of bacon under fillet (ends will not meet). Thread 1 skewer through length of each fillet, entering and exiting fish through bacon to secure it.
Arrange fish, bacon sides down, on preheated rack of broiler pan and broil 3 minutes, then turn over and broil until fish is just cooked through and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more.
While salmon broils, cook shallots in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve salmon with spinach.
Makes 4 servings.
Gourmet
Quick Kitchen
February 2006
click photo to enlarge
4 (5- to 6-oz) center-cut pieces skinless salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons whole-grain or coarse-grain mustard
4 bacon slices
2/3 cup sliced shallots (2 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 oz baby spinach (16 cups packed), rinsed but not dried
Special equipment: 4 (10- to 12-inch) metal skewers
Preheat broiler and put broiler pan under broiler so that its rack is about 4 inches from heat.
Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread curved sides with mustard. Lay 1 bacon slice lengthwise along top of each fillet, tucking ends of bacon under fillet (ends will not meet). Thread 1 skewer through length of each fillet, entering and exiting fish through bacon to secure it.
Arrange fish, bacon sides down, on preheated rack of broiler pan and broil 3 minutes, then turn over and broil until fish is just cooked through and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more.
While salmon broils, cook shallots in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve salmon with spinach.
Makes 4 servings.
Gourmet
Quick Kitchen
February 2006
DigHoles.com - Dig A Hole Through The Center Of The Earth
go dig for the truth.....walking through the valley of death....
1/26/2006
Operatic sheep really do grow golden fleece - Yahoo! News
CANBERRA (Reuters) - Pampered Australian merino sheep who listen to opera have again produced a bale of the world's finest wool, matching the record set by the flock last year.
Italian designer Loro Piana said the 93 kg (205 lb) bale measured 11.8 microns, compared with the average Australian merino wool which measures 20-21 microns. Superfine wool is defined as 19.5 microns or finer per strand. A micron measures one millionth of a meter.
Loro Piana said it bought the bale from the Highlander Partnership, a fine-wool project in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales state, for A$232,500 ($174,800) or A$2,500 a kilogram -- 357 times the normal market price for wool.
"The achievement is truly exceptional insofar as the average fineness of an Australian bale (of which 5 million are sold every year) is generally 20-21 microns, and only 5 percent go below 17 microns," the Italian company said in a statement.
In 2004, the Highlander Partnership flock produced a 91 kg bale of wool measuring 11.8 microns. Loro Piana uses the wool to make suits that sell for up to A$15,000.
The special flock is kept mostly indoors in small groups and listens to music, including Italian opera and recordings of Italian singer Andrea Bocelli.
Each sheep is shorn once a year and the flock is fed a secret diet of grains and specially grown hay, based on advice from a sheep nutritionist.
Italian designer Loro Piana said the 93 kg (205 lb) bale measured 11.8 microns, compared with the average Australian merino wool which measures 20-21 microns. Superfine wool is defined as 19.5 microns or finer per strand. A micron measures one millionth of a meter.
Loro Piana said it bought the bale from the Highlander Partnership, a fine-wool project in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales state, for A$232,500 ($174,800) or A$2,500 a kilogram -- 357 times the normal market price for wool.
"The achievement is truly exceptional insofar as the average fineness of an Australian bale (of which 5 million are sold every year) is generally 20-21 microns, and only 5 percent go below 17 microns," the Italian company said in a statement.
In 2004, the Highlander Partnership flock produced a 91 kg bale of wool measuring 11.8 microns. Loro Piana uses the wool to make suits that sell for up to A$15,000.
The special flock is kept mostly indoors in small groups and listens to music, including Italian opera and recordings of Italian singer Andrea Bocelli.
Each sheep is shorn once a year and the flock is fed a secret diet of grains and specially grown hay, based on advice from a sheep nutritionist.
ThinkGeek :: Giant Plush Microbes::: Funny, and educational too...
Infectuously Cute Plush Microbes!
Most folks never realize how cute microbes can be when expanded 1,000,000 times and then fashioned into cuddly plush. Until now, that is. Keep one on your desktop to remind yourself that there is an "invisible" universe out there filled with very small things that can do incredible damage to much bigger things. Then go and wash your hands. Lather, rinse, repeat.
____________________________
Mad Cow Disease(Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
When bovine prions stampede the wrong way, everyone says Moo! (Each doll has its own unique pattern.)
E. Coli(Escherichia coli)
Everyone's welcome at a barbecue. Or are they?
Head Lice(Pediculus capitis)
Having a lousy day? We've got a solution. Scratch your head, and try guess what it is!
Sleeping Sickness(Trypanosoma brucei)
Are you tired? Working too hard? Feeling a bit cranky? Do you think you might have sleeping sickness? This little fellow will sing you a lullaby you'll never forget.
Acne/Pimple (Propionibacterium acnes)
Got a blemish? Give our little fellow a big squeeze, and you're sure to feel better!
The Pox/Syphillis (Treponema pallidum)
Don't let a pox end up on your house -- or anyone else's house. The more you know, the better for everyone's real estate.
The Clap/Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae)
One of the most common venereal diseases, Gonorrhea can be easily cured -- or avoided. Know the risks.
Flesh Eating Disease (Steptococcus pyogenes)
Caused by the same microbe responsible for strep-throats, Flesh Eating can put you on a diet -- fast.
Bad Breath - Halitosis (Porphorymonas gingivalis)
Oral malodor is no laughing matter. But don't give spicy foods all the credit. Microbes deserve their share of the glory, too. Make someone smile (as long as they've brushed first.)
Common Cold (Rhinovirus)
Billions of people a year catch the cold. Now you can get one too -- without getting sick! Learn all about the Common Cold with this cuddly companion.
Flu (Orthomyoxvirus)
This guy may not look too tough, but don't let his cute looks fool you! Once he and his friends show up you're in for a pretty lousy time. Learn about his weaknesses so you can avoid unwanted encounters.
H.I.V.(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Not cute in any sense, This plush microbe seeks to educate those about the deadly virus that destroys CD4 or T-helper cells.
Mono - Kissing Disease (Epstein-Barr Virus)
A kiss is just a kiss -- unless she's around! 95% of the population has encountered this sweetie pie. Just think of all the fun you can have giving Mono to somebody without all the medical complications!
Sore Throat (Streptococcus)
No one likes having a sore throat, unless it's a Giantmicrobe! Find out what makes Streptococcus bacteria more than just your average sore throat virus.
Stomach Ache(Shigella)
Having a stomach ache can be loads of fun ... if it's a Giantmicrobe, of course! (And this one will tell you how to keep his friends away.)
Ulcer(Helicobater pylori)
Guess what? Stress doesn't cause ulcers -- microbes do! But we guarantee that this little guy will give your most stressed out pal a laugh.
Beer Yeast(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
Come and get it! This microbe is a baker, and a brewer -- and a scientist to boot. Pretty amazing! Learn about the secrets to its success.
Ebola(Ebola Virus)
Since its discovery in 1976, Ebola has become the T. Rex of microbes. Share the love!
BookWorm(Anobium punctatum)
Do you have a favorite bookworm? We do! And our book-lover is sure to interest just about any bibliophile.
Martian Microbe(ALH 84001)
Are we alone? Maybe not! Mars Rock ALH 84001 produced rampant speculation after bacteria-like shapes were discovered inside. And if life does exist on other planets in the solar system, it probably looks like this!
Each 5-7 inch plush microbe comes with a instructional card that includes an actual picture of the microbe along with information about the microbe in its natural environment.
Most folks never realize how cute microbes can be when expanded 1,000,000 times and then fashioned into cuddly plush. Until now, that is. Keep one on your desktop to remind yourself that there is an "invisible" universe out there filled with very small things that can do incredible damage to much bigger things. Then go and wash your hands. Lather, rinse, repeat.
____________________________
Mad Cow Disease(Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)
When bovine prions stampede the wrong way, everyone says Moo! (Each doll has its own unique pattern.)
E. Coli(Escherichia coli)
Everyone's welcome at a barbecue. Or are they?
Head Lice(Pediculus capitis)
Having a lousy day? We've got a solution. Scratch your head, and try guess what it is!
Sleeping Sickness(Trypanosoma brucei)
Are you tired? Working too hard? Feeling a bit cranky? Do you think you might have sleeping sickness? This little fellow will sing you a lullaby you'll never forget.
Acne/Pimple (Propionibacterium acnes)
Got a blemish? Give our little fellow a big squeeze, and you're sure to feel better!
The Pox/Syphillis (Treponema pallidum)
Don't let a pox end up on your house -- or anyone else's house. The more you know, the better for everyone's real estate.
The Clap/Gonorrhea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae)
One of the most common venereal diseases, Gonorrhea can be easily cured -- or avoided. Know the risks.
Flesh Eating Disease (Steptococcus pyogenes)
Caused by the same microbe responsible for strep-throats, Flesh Eating can put you on a diet -- fast.
Bad Breath - Halitosis (Porphorymonas gingivalis)
Oral malodor is no laughing matter. But don't give spicy foods all the credit. Microbes deserve their share of the glory, too. Make someone smile (as long as they've brushed first.)
Common Cold (Rhinovirus)
Billions of people a year catch the cold. Now you can get one too -- without getting sick! Learn all about the Common Cold with this cuddly companion.
Flu (Orthomyoxvirus)
This guy may not look too tough, but don't let his cute looks fool you! Once he and his friends show up you're in for a pretty lousy time. Learn about his weaknesses so you can avoid unwanted encounters.
H.I.V.(Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
Not cute in any sense, This plush microbe seeks to educate those about the deadly virus that destroys CD4 or T-helper cells.
Mono - Kissing Disease (Epstein-Barr Virus)
A kiss is just a kiss -- unless she's around! 95% of the population has encountered this sweetie pie. Just think of all the fun you can have giving Mono to somebody without all the medical complications!
Sore Throat (Streptococcus)
No one likes having a sore throat, unless it's a Giantmicrobe! Find out what makes Streptococcus bacteria more than just your average sore throat virus.
Stomach Ache(Shigella)
Having a stomach ache can be loads of fun ... if it's a Giantmicrobe, of course! (And this one will tell you how to keep his friends away.)
Ulcer(Helicobater pylori)
Guess what? Stress doesn't cause ulcers -- microbes do! But we guarantee that this little guy will give your most stressed out pal a laugh.
Beer Yeast(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
Come and get it! This microbe is a baker, and a brewer -- and a scientist to boot. Pretty amazing! Learn about the secrets to its success.
Ebola(Ebola Virus)
Since its discovery in 1976, Ebola has become the T. Rex of microbes. Share the love!
BookWorm(Anobium punctatum)
Do you have a favorite bookworm? We do! And our book-lover is sure to interest just about any bibliophile.
Martian Microbe(ALH 84001)
Are we alone? Maybe not! Mars Rock ALH 84001 produced rampant speculation after bacteria-like shapes were discovered inside. And if life does exist on other planets in the solar system, it probably looks like this!
Each 5-7 inch plush microbe comes with a instructional card that includes an actual picture of the microbe along with information about the microbe in its natural environment.
1/25/2006
from my New "Aunt" Deena, a fwd
THE DONKEY
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well.
The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.
Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway;
it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him.
They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.
At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.
Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well.
He was astonished at what he saw.
With each shovel of dirt that hit his back,the donkey was doing something amazing.
He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal,
he would shake it off and take a step up.
Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well
and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt.
The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up.
Each of our troubles is a steppingstone.
We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up!
Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.
3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less
NOW --------
Enough of that crap . . .
The donkey later came back, and bit the shit out of the farmer who had tried to bury him.
The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.
MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:
When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass,
it always comes back to bite you.
Simple and Delicious
"Skinny Cheesecake
Creamy baked cheesecake made with fat free cottage cheese and nonfat cream cheese
Cooking Method: Bake
Prep Time: 10
Cooking Time: Over one hour
Makes: 9 servings (1/9 of cheesecake each)
Ingredients
PAM� Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1-1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) Egg Beaters� Egg Product
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces (1/2 of 8-ounce package) fat free cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
assorted fresh fruit, (optional)
Directions "
Preheat oven 325°F. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle graham crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of baking dish.
Place cottage cheese and Egg Beaters in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth. Add sugar, cream cheese, lemon peel and juice; cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake 50 minutes, or until center is set and top is lightly browned. Cool in dish on wire rack; cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Cut into 9 squares to serve. Garnish with fruit, if desired.
Creamy baked cheesecake made with fat free cottage cheese and nonfat cream cheese
Cooking Method: Bake
Prep Time: 10
Cooking Time: Over one hour
Makes: 9 servings (1/9 of cheesecake each)
Ingredients
PAM� Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1-1/2 cups nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) Egg Beaters� Egg Product
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces (1/2 of 8-ounce package) fat free cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
assorted fresh fruit, (optional)
Directions "
Preheat oven 325°F. Spray bottom and sides of 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle graham crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of baking dish.
Place cottage cheese and Egg Beaters in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth. Add sugar, cream cheese, lemon peel and juice; cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish.
Bake 50 minutes, or until center is set and top is lightly browned. Cool in dish on wire rack; cover. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until chilled. Cut into 9 squares to serve. Garnish with fruit, if desired.
well isn't that special...not.
| You Are a Rainbow |
 Breathtaking and rare You are totally enchanting and intriguing But you usually don't stick around long! You are best known for: your beauty Your dominant state: seducing |
| What Your Face Says |
 At first glance, people see you as down to earth and reliable. Overall, your true self is passionate and physical. With friends, you seem logical, detached, and a bit manipulative. In love, you seem intelligent and a bit intimidating. In stressful situations, you seem sad and helpless. |
Size Does Matter in Bats' Evolution - Yahoo! News
By WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jan 24, 8:06 PM ET
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - For some male bats, sexual prowess comes with a price — smaller brains. A research team led by Syracuse University biologist Scott Pitnick found that in bat species where the females are promiscuous, the males boasting the largest testicles also had the smallest brains. Conversely, where the females were faithful, the males had smaller testes and larger brains.
Tue Jan 24, 8:06 PM ET
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - For some male bats, sexual prowess comes with a price — smaller brains. A research team led by Syracuse University biologist Scott Pitnick found that in bat species where the females are promiscuous, the males boasting the largest testicles also had the smallest brains. Conversely, where the females were faithful, the males had smaller testes and larger brains.
Egg joy for parents of stolen penguin - Yahoo! News
ahhh, poor things at least they are getting a new baby....
RECIPES
Alota Appetizers
Stuffed Mushrooms - Greek Style
Courtesy of Fran Chiodo
1 large pkg whole white mushrooms (around 25 count)
2 pkg (10oz.) chopped frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1 can or jar (about 5oz) Greek black olives (chopped)
3-4 chopped onions
1 pkg (3.5oz) feta cheese (crumbled)
Wash mushrooms thoroughly. Remove stems & chop...set aside. Dry mushroom caps
Saute onions in olive oil. Add spinach & mushroom stems. Cook a few minutes. Mix in olives & feta cheese.
Stuff mushrooms & set on oiled baking dish. Set oven to 325 degrees & bake until mushrooms are tender. Cool & serve
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Herbed Seafood on Toast
Courtesy of Steve Argott
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil
1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
8-ounces peeled, deveined, and cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped
6-ounces crabmeat, flaked, and cartilage removed
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 8-ounce loaf baguette-style French bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh basil or chives (optional)
Stir together the 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, chives, basil, mint, and garlic in a mixing bowl. Add shrimp, crab, tomatoes, and onion; toss to coat.
Cut the bread into 48 thin slices; brush one side of each slice with some of the 2 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with pepper.
Arrange bread slices, brushed side up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until toasted. Arrange on a serving platter with oiled sides up. If desired, spoon seafood mixture on each slice. Garnish with fresh basil or chives, if desired. Serve the appetizers at once.
Makes 48 appetizers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bacon and Mushroom Bite-Size Quiche
Courtesy of Florrie Engels
8 slices bacon
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup chopped green onion
1-2/3 cups shredded Swiss cheese
Pastry for double-crust pie (homemade or purchased)
5 eggs
1-2/3 cups sour cream
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry dough 1/ 16-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 42 circles; re-roll scraps as needed. Fit circles into bottoms and slightly up sides of lightly greased 2 1/2-inch muffin pans.
Meanwhile, fry bacon slices until crisp, drain; crumble or chop. Chop mushrooms, saute in butter until limp and liquid evaporates. Combine bacon, mushrooms, green onion and cheese. Divide filling equally among muffin cups.
In large bowl, beat together eggs, add sour cream and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon into each muffin cup.
Bake until puffed and light brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes; lift out.
Serve warm or let cool on wire racks.
If made ahead, wrap cooled quiches airtight, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat, uncovered, in a 350 degrees F. oven for about 10 minutes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chili Cheese Squares
Courtesy of Kim Slatterly
6 Eggs
1 pound Longhorn cheese, grated
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 small can Evaporated milk
2 small cans Chopped chilis
Combine all ingredients except chilis. Spread chilis in bottom of loaf pan (9x9). Pour mixture on top and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Cool and cut into small squares to serve.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marinated Mushrooms
Courtesy of Beverly Rossman
As many mushrooms as you wish
2 Green peppers-sliced into large chunks
2 Sweet red peppers-sliced into large chunks
2 Spanish onions-sliced
2 Bay leaves
10 Peppercorns
Pinch of garlic salt
1 Large bottle of Seven Seas Italian Dressing
Par-boil mushrooms for 5 min., drain & cool. Add cool mushrooms to a large glass (not plastic!) jar. Add rest of ingredients & marianate, in refrigerator, overnight. (Mushrooms will shrink, after being in marianate overnight.)
Keep refrigerated when not serving. Save marianate sauce, to add more newly boiled mushrooms to it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Texas Caviar
Courtesy of Dorren Donovan
3 15 ounce cans blackeyed peas/with jalapenos, drained
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1/4 cup onion, chopped fine
2 ounces pimentos, drained
1/2 cup picante sauce
Cracked black pepper to taste
Mix all together and let set in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with round tortilla chips.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thai Ribbons
Courtesy of Sam Penner
1-1/2 pounds flank steak
1 cup teriyaki sauce
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/3 cup garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
24 wooden skewers
Cut beef diagonally, across the grain, into 1/4-inch thick slices.
Thread each slice onto a bamboo skewer.
Prepare marinade by mixing teriyaki sauce, vegetable oil, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper.
Pour marinade over beef in shallow pan, reserving 1/4-cup for basting.
Marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.
Broil or grill 3 minutes per side to desired doneness, basting once or twice and turning occasionally.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Avocado Fingers
Courtesy of Alice C.
1 ripe avocado
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon lemon juice
24 Toast strips
Bacon strips
Mash avocado; add salt, paprika, and lemon juice. Spread on 1- x 3-inch toast strips. Place narrow strips of bacon over avocado. Broil until bacon crisps.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hot Crabmeat Appetizer
Courtesy of Shandra Washington
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups flaked crabmeat
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon cream-style horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Combine softened cream cheese, crabmeat, onion, milk, horseradish and seasoning, mixing until well blended. Spoon into 9-inch pie plate; sprinkle with almonds.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve warm with crackers or raw veggies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomato-and-Feta Crostini
Courtesy of Jason Athol
24 slices french bread baguette, sliced 1/2" thick
1 tablespoon italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
Place tomatoes and rosemary in a 1-quart casserole; add water to cover. Cover with casserole lid, and microwave at HIGH 5 to 7 minutes or until water boils. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Drain well. Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add tomatoes and rosemary, and process 10 seconds or until chunky. Brush oil evenly on bread slices; sprinkle with onion powder. Spread tomato mixture evenly over bread slices; top each slice with about 1 teaspoon feta cheese. Place on a baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
This is for G-man, and our Friends..:)
A woman bought a new Lexus LS430, and returned the next day, complaining that she couldn't figure out how the radio worked.
The salesman explained that the radio was voice activated.
Watch this! He said.."Nelson!"
The radio replied, "Ricky or Willie?"
"Willie!" he continued....and "On The Road Again" came from the speakers.
The woman drove away happy, and for the next few days, every time she'd say, "Beethoven", she'd get beautiful classical music. And if she said, "Beatles!" she'd get one of their awesome songs.
One day, a couple ran a red light and nearly creamed her new car, but she swerved in time to avoid them. "FREAKIN' JERKS!" she yelled....
The French National Anthem began to play, sung by Jane Fonda and Michael Moore, backed up by John Kerry on guitar, Al Gore on drums and Bill Clinton on sax.
1/24/2006
| You Are 60% Abnormal |
 You are at low risk for being a psychopath. It is unlikely that you have no soul. You are at medium risk for having a borderline personality. It is somewhat likely that you are a chaotic mess. You are at high risk for having a narcissistic personality. It is very likely that you are in love with your own reflection. You are at high risk for having a social phobia. It is very likely that you feel most comfortable in your mom's basement. You are at medium risk for obsessive compulsive disorder. It is somewhat likely that you are addicted to hand sanitizer. |
Subject: You must be over 40
>
> My Mom used to cut chicken, chop eggs and
spread mayo on the same
> cutting
> board with the same knife and no bleach, but we
didn't seem to get
> food
> poisoning.
>
>
> My Mom used to defrost hamburger on the counter
AND I used to eat
> it raw
> sometimes, too. Our school sandwiches were
wrapped in wax paper in a
> brown paper bag, not in icepack coolers, but I
can't remember getting
> e.coli.
>
>
> Almost all of us would have rather gone
swimming in the lake
> instead of a
> pristine pool (talk about boring), no beach
closures then.
>
>
> The term cell phone would have conjured up a
phone in a jail cell,
> and a
> pager was the school PA system.
>
>
> We all took gym, not PE... and risked permanent
injury with a pair of
> high top Ked's (only worn in gym) instead of
having cross-training
> athletic shoes with air cushion soles and built
in light reflectors. I
> can't recall any injuries but they must have
happened because they
> tell
> us how much safer we are now..
>
>
> Flunking gym was not an option... even for
stupid kids! I guess PE
> must
> be much harder than gym.
>
>
> Speaking of school, we all said prayers and
sang the national
> anthem, and
> staying in detention after school caught all
sorts of negative
> attention.
> We must have had horribly damaged psyches.
>
>
> What an archaic health system we had then.
Remember school nurses?
> Ours
> wore a hat and everything.
>
>
> I thought that I was supposed to accomplish
something before I was
> allowed to be proud of myself.
>
>
> I just can't recall how bored we were without
computers, Play Station,
> Nintendo, X-box or 270 digital TV cable
stations.
>
>
> Oh yeah... and where was the Benadryl and
sterilization kit when I got
> that bee sting? I could have been killed!
>
>
> We played 'king of the hill' on piles of gravel
left on vacant
> construction sites, and when we got hurt, Mom
pulled out the 48-cent
> bottle of Mercurochrome (kids liked it better
because it didn't sting
> like iodine did) and then we got our butt
spanked.
> Now it's a trip to the emergency room, followed
by a 10-day dose of
> a $49
> bottle of antibiotics, and then Mom calls the
attorney to sue the
> contractor for leaving a horribly vicious pile
of gravel where it was
> such
> a threat.
>
>
> We didn't act up at the neighbor's house either
because if we did,
> we got
> our butt spanked there and then we got butt
spanked again when we got
> home.
>
>
> I recall Donny Reynolds from next door coming
over and doing his
> tricks
> on the front stoop, just before he fell off.
Little did his Mom
> know that
> she could have owned our house. Instead, she
picked him up and swatted
> him for being such a goof. It was a
neighborhood run amok.
>
>
> To top it off, not a single person I knew had
ever been told that they
> were from a dysfunctional family. How could we
possibly have known
> that?
>
>
> We needed to get into group therapy and anger
management classes?
> We were
> obviously so duped by so many societal ills,
that we didn't even
> notice
> that the entire country wasn't taking Prozac!
How did we ever survive?
>
>
> LOVE TO ALL OF US WHO SHARED THIS ERA, AND TO
ALL WHO DIDN'T- SORRY
> FOR
> WHAT YOU MISSED. I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR
ANYTHING
Bataan Memorial Death March
A personal friend of mine is doing this march...good for you TnT, you go girl....
The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.
–Calvin Trillin
I’ve decided what the DMV needs is an arts and crafts section. If I’m going to throw away my whole day there, I might as well come out with a new pot holder. And if they had a game of musical chairs set up, I think people would pay extra tax dollars for that.
–Jeremy Beth Michaels
I like those new cell phones with a camera. You can take a picture of the wreck you just caused by talking on your cell phone while you were driving.
–Jay Leno
The relationship between mothers and children never changes and that’s because no matter how rich or powerful you are your mother still remembers when you were three and put noodles up your nose.
–Dennis Miller
Unexplained Mysteries :: The last remnant of the soul
Imagine that a drug was invented that induced permanent, general anesthesia -- the total loss of consciousness -- even though people who took it somehow continued to get up in the morning and go to sleep at night just as before, completely unchanged in the eyes of those around them. Taking the drug, then, would amount to dying. It would have all the attractions of death for the depressed and suffering, and all of its horrors for those who love life. For when we are not conscious, not only do we cease to exist in the sense that matters to us, but the world itself blinks out for us.Consciousness, therefore, is the ultimate gift, the starting point which makes life and the world a reality for us. And yet consciousness is invisible to science, just as it is invisible to me or you. How then does Jay Ingram, the man who translates the wonders of science for the common Canadian, propose, as his subtitle promises, to "raise the curtain on consciousness"? For consciousness is not like stars or stags or quirks or quarks. It is the last remnant of what, since the days of the ancients, has been called the soul.Behold the great mystery of our era, the world-knot that lies behind the curtain at the core of our culture: consciousness. The mind has employed science to solve the mysteries of the universe, but now is boggled by the riddle of itself. Consciousness does not permeate you like an electric field. It does not appear with the aid of microscopes, x-rays or magnetic resonance imaging. It cannot be seen in the skull, which is instead stuffed with neurons.
Ingram knows this. Why, then, write this book?Galileo and Newton, the forefathers of modern science, proclaimed the soul non-physical, hence forever beyond the grasp of science. For centuries their view prevailed, dividing the universe into two realms, the physical, which is the kingdom of science, and the spiritual, which is the kingdom of religion. Even psychology, the "science" of the mind that stumbled into existence scarcely more than a century ago, long ago shunned the riddle of consciousness in favour of behaviorism.
Ingram knows this. Why, then, write this book?Galileo and Newton, the forefathers of modern science, proclaimed the soul non-physical, hence forever beyond the grasp of science. For centuries their view prevailed, dividing the universe into two realms, the physical, which is the kingdom of science, and the spiritual, which is the kingdom of religion. Even psychology, the "science" of the mind that stumbled into existence scarcely more than a century ago, long ago shunned the riddle of consciousness in favour of behaviorism.
BANANA LAYER CAKE WITH CARAMEL CREAM AND PECANS Recipe at Epicurious.com
Cake
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (generous) fine sea salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
6 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 small ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
Banana-caramel cream
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 small ripe banana, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons dark rum, divided
Sea Salt-Roasted Pecans
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, and sea salt into medium bowl. Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until blended. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Beat remaining 4 eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in medium bowl until mixture is thick and pale in color, about 4 minutes. Fold egg mixture into batter. Fold in bananas. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 1/2 cups for each).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
For banana-caramel cream:
Combine brown sugar, banana, and 3 tablespoons butter in processor; blend until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; blend. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Attach candy thermometer to inside of pan; cook without stirring or swirling pan until temperature registers 218°F, about 10 minutes. Pour caramel into bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
Whisk remaining 2 1/4 cups whipping cream in large bowl until cream mounds softly. Gradually fold in cool caramel mixture. Chill until cream is firm enough to spread, about 3 hours.
Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on platter. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over. Spread 1 1/4 cups banana cream over. Top with second cake layer. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream over. Repeat with third cake layer, lime juice, rum, and cream. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down; spread remaining cream over top.
Scatter roasted pecans over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Bon Appétit
Time For Dessert
January 2006
Elizabeth Falkner
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (generous) fine sea salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar, divided
6 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 small ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
Banana-caramel cream
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
1 small ripe banana, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
4 1/2 teaspoons dark rum, divided
Sea Salt-Roasted Pecans
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, and sea salt into medium bowl. Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until blended. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Beat remaining 4 eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in medium bowl until mixture is thick and pale in color, about 4 minutes. Fold egg mixture into batter. Fold in bananas. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 1/2 cups for each).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
For banana-caramel cream:
Combine brown sugar, banana, and 3 tablespoons butter in processor; blend until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; blend. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Attach candy thermometer to inside of pan; cook without stirring or swirling pan until temperature registers 218°F, about 10 minutes. Pour caramel into bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
Whisk remaining 2 1/4 cups whipping cream in large bowl until cream mounds softly. Gradually fold in cool caramel mixture. Chill until cream is firm enough to spread, about 3 hours.
Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on platter. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over. Spread 1 1/4 cups banana cream over. Top with second cake layer. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream over. Repeat with third cake layer, lime juice, rum, and cream. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down; spread remaining cream over top.
Scatter roasted pecans over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Bon Appétit
Time For Dessert
January 2006
Elizabeth Falkner
1/23/2006
For J.I.T.>Mel
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
Novercaphobia is the fear of what?
It is a fear of your step mother! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
=)
Teen Says Teacher Made Him Sit on Floor - Yahoo! News
I say Horsewhip and fire that Teacher....
WE support the Broncos...GOOO BRONCOS!!!
yes I know they are out of the running,
for this year anyway...
WE support the Broncos...GOOO BRONCOS!!!
yes I know they are out of the running,
for this year anyway...
Strange New Products: Bed Light Scares Monsters Away
It's a know fact that monsters, who like hide under kids' beds, don't like lights. This is why Mother Nature has endowed children with a defense mechanism to turn on lights when they suspect a monster has taken residence beneath their place of slumber.
The Blue Moon Night Light manages this for them by preventing monsters from moving in, and allowing boys and girls to sleep in comfort.
Powered by 14 super bright LEDs, with a life span of up to ten years, it will last long enough until kids grow up to such an age where monsters take no interest.
$29.95 from Solutions
The Blue Moon Night Light manages this for them by preventing monsters from moving in, and allowing boys and girls to sleep in comfort.
Powered by 14 super bright LEDs, with a life span of up to ten years, it will last long enough until kids grow up to such an age where monsters take no interest.
$29.95 from Solutions
********************************
Easy Peach Crunch
********************************
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 can of diced peaches
Spread cake mix on bottom of cake pan.
Dribble peach syrup from can over cake mix.
Use a small spoon and swirl the syrup throughout
the mix.
Do not stir. Some of the cake mix will still be
dry.
Spoon peaches evenly over cake mix. Do not stir.
Bake until done by cake mix directions.
So easy and fast with only 2 ingredients.
Makes a delicious peach crunch cobbler!
| How to make a Bluewolfess |
| Ingredients: 3 parts mercy 3 parts humour 1 part empathy |
| Method: Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Serve with a slice of curiosity and a pinch of salt. Yum! |
Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com
·.·:*¨The Italian Tomato Garden¨*:·..·
An old Italian man lived alone in the country. He wanted to
dig his tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground
was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in
prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described
his predicament.
Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able
to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old
to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here my troubles
would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love Dad
A few days later he received a letter from his son:
Dear Dad,
Not for nothing, but don't dig up that garden.
That's where I buried the BODIES.
Love Vinnie
At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived
and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They
apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son:
Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now.
That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love Vinnie
1/20/2006
Defenders of Wildlife: Action Center Home Page
Do some good in this world...check this place out and visit it often.
'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' Will Soak Seattle in Tour Launch - Yahoo! News
on of my Fav movies....I would like to see this someday...Hey and G-man has met John Lithgow in person, back in MT, :JL>
"Pardon me my good man , can you tell me where the nearest Starbucks is???" :G-man>"Welp , about 500 miles that way.", pointing west to Seattle, then told him where the nearest local coffee shop was.....lol...it happened for real:)
"Pardon me my good man , can you tell me where the nearest Starbucks is???" :G-man>"Welp , about 500 miles that way.", pointing west to Seattle, then told him where the nearest local coffee shop was.....lol...it happened for real:)
Iraqi Sunni leader calls for release of US reporter - Yahoo! News
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - One of Iraq's most influential Sunni Arab leaders called on Friday for American journalist Jill Carroll to be freed and her father made an appeal on Arabic television stations as her kidnappers' deadline expires.
......
......
Sew A Pet Bed
Refer to website for photos to help along the way...
Materials
2 yards of 45" wide fabric
Stiff interfacing for bottom
Stuffing
59" of piping
Thread
14" circle template (An embroidery hoop works well for this and for fabric bowls)
Patterns for bottom of bed -- find pattern directions here
Cutting Directions
Cut one of each pattern piece from the fabric of your choice.
Cut one of the smaller base piece from heavy interfacing. The type used for fabric bowls worked wonderfully.
As of 01/09/06, Long Creek Mills still has an interfacing for fabric bowls and boxes for $1/yard, that works as well as the brand name. You have to call them to place an order. I have been very happy with the items I have received.
Cut four 10" by the width of the fabric strips
Fold the base pieces in quarters and gently press or mark the folds to use when assembling the pieces
Remove 1/2" of the cord from your piping. Butt the ends of the cord, fold over one raw edge from the covering where you removed the piping. Sew the edge of the cording so that it forms a circle. Be sure to keep the piping straight so that the cording is all on one edge and not twisted. Set aside.
Baste the interfacing to the smaller base piece, 3/4" from the edge. Trim the interfacing just outside the stitching.
Sew two rows of basting stitches on the otter edge of the larger base piece. Stitch less thatn 1/2" from the edge.
Pin wrong sides together, matching the fold lines. Gather the upper base to be the same size as the lower base.
Stitch using a 1/2" seam, leaving an area open to stuff the base.
Stuff the base, keeping the stuffing centered in the base as much as possible.
Finish sewing the edge closed. Set aside.
Sew two strips together to form a circle, using 1/2" seams. Repeat for the second set of strips.
Sew two rows of basting stitches on the upper edge of each side piece.
Fold the piping and side pieces in quarters. Mark the quarter folds. Mark both edges of the side pieces. Gather one edge of the side to fit the piping, matching the marks.
Sew the piping to the edge of the side.
Gather the other side piece to fit the piping and sew right sides together.
Apply a seam finish to the raw edge.
Turn the sides so the wrong sides are together. As you sew basting stitches, which join the raw edges, stop every 6-12" and stuff the tube. Keep the stuffing up at the piped seam as much as possible.
Sew a second row of basting stitches.
Place the raw edges of the side, on the flat side of the bottom. Match the fold lines on the base with the quarter marks on the sides. Gather the side to fit the edge of the bottom. Sew using a 1/2" seam. Apply a seam finish.
Turn the sides so they enclose the seam and are on the top side of the bed. Remove basting stitches which are holding the interfacing on the bottom, if desired.
Documenting the Wild Lives of 2 Small Funny Dogs. - By Christopher Hink
You have to check this out, they are adorable:)
Now added to the links...:)
Now added to the links...:)
1/19/2006
Noodles...
In Japan, rice is a staple. The word gohan, one of more than a dozen that describe the revered grain, signifies both "cooked rice" and "a meal." Literally, you haven't eaten until you've had your rice.
Noodles, in contrast, are generally treated as a snack. But that doesn't stop them from being adored. Appreciation of the country's other carb reached cult status with Juzo Itami's 1985 movie Tampopo. Now considered a classic, the tongue-in-cheek film centered on an obsessive search for the perfect bowl of ramen.
NOODLES FOR ALL SEASONS
I often find myself noodle-dreaming when a mid-morning or late-afternoon belly rumble reminds me that I skimped on breakfast or had no time for lunch. On bone-chilling days, I'm most likely to conjure up a bowl of thick, slithery white udon in a piping-hot, smoky-rich sea broth. Chinese-style ramen noodles also make an occasional appearance in my cold-weather daydreams, floating in a flavorful, miso-enriched broth.
In springtime, I seek out nutty shin soba, made from newly harvested whole-grain buckwheat and served with pale-green, tear-provoking wasabi; aromatic sliced leeks; and an intense soy dipping sauce. The steamy summer season calls for tangles of cool, slender somen in a bowl of ice water, accompanied by a dark soy dip spiked with bracing grated ginger and shredded shiso leaves. On muggy days my reverie also tends toward hiyashi chuka, a heaping portion of chilled ramen garnished with shredded cucumber, boiled ham, soy-simmered sliced hoshi (dried) shiitake, and slivers of sharp red-pickled ginger. This latter dish is like a noodle-laden chef's salad, splashed with a refreshingly tart sesame-soy dressing.
REGIONAL IDENTITIES
In addition to noodle menu choices influenced by the seasons, Japanese typically demonstrate strong regional preferences as well. Those who hail from the Sanuki region on the island of Shikoku — a stronghold in the consumption of wheat-based udon and somen — will regularly find an excuse to indulge themselves in hot or cold, soup- or salad-like versions, made with either thick or thin noodles. Natives of the mountainous Shinshu region are buckwheat devotees — for them, it's soba, anytime. Hokkaido, in the north, and Kyushu, in the south, are both enclaves of ramen-eating culture, though the miso broth favored in the northern city of Sapporo and the milky-white tonkatsu pork stock of Hakata (a southern city) produce vastly different dishes.
The nation does share a few common noodle-eating habits: Somen are nearly always on the menu for the midsummer festival of Tanabata, and soba noodles are slurped in most homes on New Year's Eve.
Though some types of noodles are mainly restaurant fare, others, such as udon, can be made at home. For some of my favorite recipes, as well as memories of noodle-stomping with my mother-in-law, read on. >
— Elizabeth Andoh
A difference between men and women - Yahoo! News
LONDON (Reuters) - Germans have a word for it -- schadenfreude -- and when it comes to getting pleasure from someone else's misfortune, men seem to enjoy it more than women.
see full story click link.
see full story click link.
1/18/2006
Big Guns Reducing Insurgents' Attacks
RAMADI, Iraq — With a blast strong enough to blur the vision, the smoke-blackened Paladin sent yet another 100-pound bullet hissing downrange on an explosive, computer-calculated journey.
The outgoing round was just one of many that routinely rattles Camp Ramadi’s mess hall and living quarters, earning Lt. Col. Richard Miller’s 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery Regiment the reputation as one of the busiest in Iraq. The round was fired to test a new batch of propellant, but many of the shells are fired at insurgents who launch mortar and rocket attacks at Ramadi’s U.S. and Iraqi army bases.
“We want the enemy to know that if he shoots at us, we’re going to fire right back in a timely and accurate manner,” said Capt. Shawn Fuellenbach, Battery A commander.
Since the Utah National Guard unit arrived in western Iraq seven months ago in support of the 2-28 Brigade Combat Team, commanders say, the aggressive fire campaign has helped cut insurgent rocket and mortar attacks by more than one-half in Ramadi.
The unit’s guns often are called upon to fire illumination rounds that help soldiers and Marines in Ramadi distinguish friend from foe. But, just as often, the unit will target insurgents who have just launched attacks, or drop explosives on insurgent real estate as a way of preventing them from returning.
The missions mark a departure from the more traditional uses of artillery, officers said.
Built to rain havoc on vast enemy armies over sprawling battlefields, computerized howitzers in Ramadi instead are taking aim at a handful of attackers who pack mortars into their cars or trucks and fire them while on the move.
“I never would have imagined before now that all of these assets would be brought to bear against three or four guys in the back of a Toyota pickup,” Miller said.
Recently, the unit began to curtail its use of so-called “terrain denial” fire as part of an agreement with local tribal leaders and sheiks. Terrain denial fire targets areas that insurgents have used to launch attacks or hide weapons. Insurgents may or may not be in the area when the rounds land, but it discourages them from returning, officers said.
Firing into populated areas can be done only under specific criteria, and Miller said that in the unit’s seven months in Ramadi, he has not heard of one civilian death or injury caused by U.S. artillery here. However, locals are very tired of having the shells land on or near their property, and use of terrain denial fire has become an important bargaining chip in dealing with local tribal leaders.
Commanders agreed to taper off the fire if local sheiks promised to use their influence to discourage insurgent mortar attacks. Whether the terrain denial missions stop entirely depends on what happens next on the part of the sheiks and insurgents.
“We will never win this war with kinetic fire alone, with bullets and bombs,” Miller said. “We’re going to win this fight through the political process and by engaging leaders. … It may sound strange for an artillery officer to say this, but success for us is these guns staying silent.”
The outgoing round was just one of many that routinely rattles Camp Ramadi’s mess hall and living quarters, earning Lt. Col. Richard Miller’s 2nd Battalion, 222nd Field Artillery Regiment the reputation as one of the busiest in Iraq. The round was fired to test a new batch of propellant, but many of the shells are fired at insurgents who launch mortar and rocket attacks at Ramadi’s U.S. and Iraqi army bases.
“We want the enemy to know that if he shoots at us, we’re going to fire right back in a timely and accurate manner,” said Capt. Shawn Fuellenbach, Battery A commander.
Since the Utah National Guard unit arrived in western Iraq seven months ago in support of the 2-28 Brigade Combat Team, commanders say, the aggressive fire campaign has helped cut insurgent rocket and mortar attacks by more than one-half in Ramadi.
The unit’s guns often are called upon to fire illumination rounds that help soldiers and Marines in Ramadi distinguish friend from foe. But, just as often, the unit will target insurgents who have just launched attacks, or drop explosives on insurgent real estate as a way of preventing them from returning.
The missions mark a departure from the more traditional uses of artillery, officers said.
Built to rain havoc on vast enemy armies over sprawling battlefields, computerized howitzers in Ramadi instead are taking aim at a handful of attackers who pack mortars into their cars or trucks and fire them while on the move.
“I never would have imagined before now that all of these assets would be brought to bear against three or four guys in the back of a Toyota pickup,” Miller said.
Recently, the unit began to curtail its use of so-called “terrain denial” fire as part of an agreement with local tribal leaders and sheiks. Terrain denial fire targets areas that insurgents have used to launch attacks or hide weapons. Insurgents may or may not be in the area when the rounds land, but it discourages them from returning, officers said.
Firing into populated areas can be done only under specific criteria, and Miller said that in the unit’s seven months in Ramadi, he has not heard of one civilian death or injury caused by U.S. artillery here. However, locals are very tired of having the shells land on or near their property, and use of terrain denial fire has become an important bargaining chip in dealing with local tribal leaders.
Commanders agreed to taper off the fire if local sheiks promised to use their influence to discourage insurgent mortar attacks. Whether the terrain denial missions stop entirely depends on what happens next on the part of the sheiks and insurgents.
“We will never win this war with kinetic fire alone, with bullets and bombs,” Miller said. “We’re going to win this fight through the political process and by engaging leaders. … It may sound strange for an artillery officer to say this, but success for us is these guns staying silent.”
Crypt Sentries Sent to War
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A Naval Academy tradition that lasted 155 years has come to an end: The Marine Corps sentries who guarded the gates and the crypt of Revolutionary War Capt. John Paul Jones have been withdrawn and sent to war.
The four dozen Marines were released from their security duties in a ceremony on Friday and are being replaced by Navy enlisted personnel.
"Pray for them, for many of them are going into harm's way," a chaplain said in an invocation for the departing members of the Naval Academy Company, Marine Barracks.
The Marines have provided security at the gates and for dignitaries' visits and special events on the academy campus since before the Civil War. They also performed largely ceremonial duties, including standing guard outside the crypt of Jones, one of the founders of the Navy.
"They've done much more, in their ability to look tough but remain pleasant," said Vice Adm. Rodney Rempt, the academy superintendent.
Dozens of military installations across the nation have turned to civilian security officers in recent years, and the Navy is leaving that option open for the academy. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point brought on a private security firm in 2004.
The sentries will bolster U.S. forces stretched thin by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Obviously, we can use those Marines in more significant roles," said Gary Solis, a West Point professor and former official historian for the Marine Corps who frequently lectures at the Naval Academy. "But it's too bad a tradition like that has to end."
The four dozen Marines were released from their security duties in a ceremony on Friday and are being replaced by Navy enlisted personnel.
"Pray for them, for many of them are going into harm's way," a chaplain said in an invocation for the departing members of the Naval Academy Company, Marine Barracks.
The Marines have provided security at the gates and for dignitaries' visits and special events on the academy campus since before the Civil War. They also performed largely ceremonial duties, including standing guard outside the crypt of Jones, one of the founders of the Navy.
"They've done much more, in their ability to look tough but remain pleasant," said Vice Adm. Rodney Rempt, the academy superintendent.
Dozens of military installations across the nation have turned to civilian security officers in recent years, and the Navy is leaving that option open for the academy. The U.S. Military Academy at West Point brought on a private security firm in 2004.
The sentries will bolster U.S. forces stretched thin by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Obviously, we can use those Marines in more significant roles," said Gary Solis, a West Point professor and former official historian for the Marine Corps who frequently lectures at the Naval Academy. "But it's too bad a tradition like that has to end."
Court rules girl has right to die - Yahoo! News
Poor Little Girl....
By Jason Szep
Wed Jan 18, 2:40 PM ET
BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts' officials and doctors were deciding on Wednesday when to end life support for an 11-year-old girl beaten into a vegetative state, following a court ruling that she had a right to die.
Doctors will run tests on Haleigh Poutre after the Supreme Judicial Court, the state's top court, decided on Tuesday that her breathing machines and feeding tubes could be disconnected.
The court's decision adds fuel to America's divisive "right to die" debate and could lead to murder charges against her stepfather, Jason Strickland, a 31-year-old auto mechanic accused of battering Poutre.
The girl's brain was found partly sheared when she was hospitalized on September 11. Her body was covered with burns, cuts and bruises and her teeth were broken.
Strickland had fought to keep Poutre on life support -- a move that would have allowed him to avoid a charge of murder.
"We're getting an update on her current condition. We want to be very clear her condition is unchanged and if it takes complete retesting we will do that," said Denise Monteiro, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Social Services.
Doctors have said the girl would die within a few days once life support is removed.
The state's highest court sided with a juvenile court which decided in September that the Department of Social Services could disconnect Poutre's life support, court documents show.
Strickland's wife -- the child's maternal aunt and sole legal guardian -- was found shot dead on September 22 with her grandmother in an apparent murder-suicide a day after police accused her of hitting Haleigh with a baseball bat.
ECHOES OF SCHIAVO
The case was as much about who has legal rights to the girl, who is now in state custody, as it is about her ultimate fate and whether the state can remove the ventilator and feeding tube keeping her alive.
It carries echoes of the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman taken off life support in March after a legal battle that galvanized the Christian right and drew in President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress.
Strickland's lawyers had asked the Supreme Judicial Court to overturn the juvenile court judge's decision that the man has no legal rights over the girl. Strickland, who never adopted the child, wanted to be legally recognized as her defacto father because he lived with her for four years.
If the court had granted his wish, it would have allowed Stickland to decide whether to take Haleigh off life support.
Poutre's birth mother, 29-year-old Allison Avrett, lost custody of the girl when she was four years old because of allegations of abuse, said the Department of Social Services, whose lawyers have consulted Avrett in the case.
Avrett has said she would prefer the removal of Poutre's life support system.
The court heard that Poutre's doctors "have consistent medical opinion about her current condition" and all had agreed she will not regain consciousness.
The Massachusetts case is important because the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to make a definitive ruling on the issue of ending life support, said Louis Aucoin of the Institute for Human Security at Tufts University's Fletcher School.
"It raises the issue of how you interpret constitutions, both state and federal," he said. "It's a very, very important issue in light of current developments in the Supreme Court."
He was referring to debate over how Bush's recent appointments to the Supreme Court will influence how the nation's top court interprets the constitution.
By Jason Szep
Wed Jan 18, 2:40 PM ET
BOSTON (Reuters) - Massachusetts' officials and doctors were deciding on Wednesday when to end life support for an 11-year-old girl beaten into a vegetative state, following a court ruling that she had a right to die.
Doctors will run tests on Haleigh Poutre after the Supreme Judicial Court, the state's top court, decided on Tuesday that her breathing machines and feeding tubes could be disconnected.
The court's decision adds fuel to America's divisive "right to die" debate and could lead to murder charges against her stepfather, Jason Strickland, a 31-year-old auto mechanic accused of battering Poutre.
The girl's brain was found partly sheared when she was hospitalized on September 11. Her body was covered with burns, cuts and bruises and her teeth were broken.
Strickland had fought to keep Poutre on life support -- a move that would have allowed him to avoid a charge of murder.
"We're getting an update on her current condition. We want to be very clear her condition is unchanged and if it takes complete retesting we will do that," said Denise Monteiro, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Social Services.
Doctors have said the girl would die within a few days once life support is removed.
The state's highest court sided with a juvenile court which decided in September that the Department of Social Services could disconnect Poutre's life support, court documents show.
Strickland's wife -- the child's maternal aunt and sole legal guardian -- was found shot dead on September 22 with her grandmother in an apparent murder-suicide a day after police accused her of hitting Haleigh with a baseball bat.
ECHOES OF SCHIAVO
The case was as much about who has legal rights to the girl, who is now in state custody, as it is about her ultimate fate and whether the state can remove the ventilator and feeding tube keeping her alive.
It carries echoes of the case of Terri Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman taken off life support in March after a legal battle that galvanized the Christian right and drew in President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress.
Strickland's lawyers had asked the Supreme Judicial Court to overturn the juvenile court judge's decision that the man has no legal rights over the girl. Strickland, who never adopted the child, wanted to be legally recognized as her defacto father because he lived with her for four years.
If the court had granted his wish, it would have allowed Stickland to decide whether to take Haleigh off life support.
Poutre's birth mother, 29-year-old Allison Avrett, lost custody of the girl when she was four years old because of allegations of abuse, said the Department of Social Services, whose lawyers have consulted Avrett in the case.
Avrett has said she would prefer the removal of Poutre's life support system.
The court heard that Poutre's doctors "have consistent medical opinion about her current condition" and all had agreed she will not regain consciousness.
The Massachusetts case is important because the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to make a definitive ruling on the issue of ending life support, said Louis Aucoin of the Institute for Human Security at Tufts University's Fletcher School.
"It raises the issue of how you interpret constitutions, both state and federal," he said. "It's a very, very important issue in light of current developments in the Supreme Court."
He was referring to debate over how Bush's recent appointments to the Supreme Court will influence how the nation's top court interprets the constitution.
MISO-GINGER CONSOMME
Improv: Replace the mushrooms with diced firm tofu and/or wilted spinach.
Finely grate, place in paper towel, and squeeze to yield 1 1/2 teaspoons juice:
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger
Whisk together in small saucepan:
6 cups water
7 tablespoons white miso (fermented soybean paste)
Add and bring to simmer (do not boil):
6 large shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Add and cook soup 30 seconds:
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger juice (see above)
3/4 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
Divide soup among 6 soup bowls. Garnish with:
Additional sliced green onions
Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appétit
Menus
January 2006
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
During the middle ages, only men wore diamonds,
as a symbol of their
courage and virility. However, since 1477, when
Archduke Maximilian
of Austria gave a diamond ring to Mary of
Burgundy, diamonds have
been the gem of choice for men who wanted to melt
a woman's heart.
~:: MAD WIFE DISEASE ::~
He was sitting quietly reading his paper when his
wife walked up behind him and whacked him on the
head with a Rolled up magazine.
Ouch!! What was that for?" he asked.
That was for the piece of paper in your pants pocket
with the name Mary Lou written on it," she replied.
Two weeks ago when I went to the races, Mary Lou was
the name of one of the horses I bet on," he explained.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry," she said. "I should have
known there was a good explanation."
Three days later he was watching a ball game on TV when
she walked up and hit him in the head again, this time
with an iron skillet, which knocked him out cold.
When he came too, he asked, "Now what was that for?"
She replied, "Your horse called"!!!
~~~~~
Saint's day a blessing for Spanish pets
MADRID (AFP) - Pets ruled the roost in Spain, with owners bringing dogs, cats, parrots, chinchillas and even tortoises for a church blessing to mark the feast day of Saint Anthony, patron saint of animals.
Owners preened their pets ahead of the traditional blessing at Madrid's San Anton church, ahead of a midday mass to celebrate the third-century saint.
Church rector Juan Martinez told reporters that he had blessed around 100 animals.
Pet owners also took away "rosquillas", or doughnuts, offered at this time of year. These are traditionally kept along with a coin in a cupboard to be eaten on January 17 the following year.
Another Spanish city celebrating the feast was Alicante, on the Mediterranean coast, with its annual Porrat de San Anton market, an animal show and a blessing of animals in the bullring.
Elsewhere, priests in the central city of Ciudad Real blessed bread rolls while cockerels were auctioned to mark the occasion.
Underworld: Evolution (2006)
Underworld: Evolution continues the saga of war between the aristocratic Death Dealers and the barbaric Lycans (werewolves). The film traces the beginnings of the ancient feud between the two tribes as Selene (Kate Beckinsale), the vampire heroine, and Michael (Scott Speedman), the lycan hybrid, try to unlock the secrets of their bloodlines. The tale of action, intrigue and forbidden love takes them...
Genres: Suspense/Horror
Release Date: January 20th, 2006 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive strong violence and gore, some sexuality/nudity and language.
1/17/2006
Hello Friends, Romans, country men, housemembers etc...
I'm using this template for awhile til I make a new one of my own, I have alot to do right now so it is going to look this stupid for awhile longer, I'm sorry for the inconvience this has caused anyone...please keep coming back...Leave a word of support , anything:)
Please read and Sign...From a good friend of Mine...
A pet cemetary built back in the 30's, still
running till 2002 is
> now being threatened with being torn down.
There are 22,000
> animals and a couple dozen people buried in
there. I was just
> there today to volunteer some time digging for
headstones, which I
> found between 30-35. It took about 5hrs. The
grass is 3-4feet
> long, but because it does not stand up, it lays
on top of each
> other which makes it harder to find stones. We
had to crawl on our
> knees just to dig through dirt to find these
stones.
>
> All I'm asking is that if everyone or even half
of ya'll would just
> sign this petition, it would help to keep it
around. Do you know
> what it was like telling an elderly woman,
visiting her stone-that
> she couldn't find-of her dog, that if we can't
save this place,
> then her dog and the rest of the animals in
here are going to be
> dug up and dumped somewhere when they build the
business center in
> here.
>
> Since we're all supposed to love animals, Help
the animals that are
> trying to rest in peace. Sign the petition.
>
> Here's a link with the story:
> http://www.gimpydogs.com/petcemetary.html
>
> And here's a link to the petition:
>
http://www.petitiononline.com/graves/petition.html
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