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| 2nd March 2011
Jakarta: Dining Experience in Metropolitan City
Jakarta today offers an excellent variety of sophisticated fine dining restaurants located in many parts of this sprawling metropolitan city.
The best Indonesian cuisine and international restaurants are found in unique surroundings as they are located in elegant and well appointed colonial buildings that enhance that special nostalgic atmosphere of fine, graceful dining like in those colonial days long gone.
The Oasis Restaurant on Jalan Raden Saleh in Central Jakarta, the Buddha Bar on Teuku Umar, Bunga Rampai on Jalan Tjik Ditiro and the Jittlada Thai restaurant on Jalan Sultan Agung are just a few prime examples. The Café Batavia across the old Stadhuis at Fatahillah Square in Old Batavia takes one back to the grand style of grand meals in the Dutch colonial era.
Meanwhile, Jakarta's top hotels serve grand buffets for lunch in one all inclusive price where diners can pick from a wide selection of cuisine from Japanese sushi to juicy steaks and roast beef, to crunchy salads, and close the meal with chocolate cake, fresh fruits and delicious aromatic coffee.
Malls have also gotten into the fray to pamper diners, where entire floors are today dedicated to upscale restaurants, but there are also smaller bistros, cafes and fast food to cater to the thousands of busy professionals from the surrounding office towers, and shoppers and cinema buffs filling the attached cineplex.
The Kemang area in South Jakarta is a small world all its own where are some top international restaurants, among which the Turkish Anatolia restaurant, but also others serving first class Italian, Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, or Dutch cuisine.
And everywhere around this city one finds simple restaurants and street stalls so that no one can ever complain of having to go hungry for lack of food available.
Indonesia's favourite food are satay and Gado-gado or Ketoprak, Sate, sometime spelled satay is Indonesia's kebab. These are thick slices of chicken, beef or mutton skewered and deliciously barbequed then poured over with hot peanut sauce or soya sauce.
While Gado-gado is Indonesia's salad consisting of boiled spinach, watercress, beansprouts, boiled potatoes and boiled egg, poured over with ground peanut sauce sometimes eaten with lontong, which is rolled rice boiled in leaves. Another variety is the Ketoprak which consists of beansprouts, tofu and rice noodles served with fresh peanut sauce mixed with spices.


text: Starting with a hand drawn catalogue in 1983, iconic New York City brand J.Crew was founded by idealistic entrepreneur Arthur Cinader with the hope of creating luxurious closet staples for the world's sartorial elite. Loved by celebrities and style mavens around the world, this premium brand offers clothing and accessories that are luxurious, unfussy and timeless in design. Add a bit of sparkle to your everyday ensembles with J.Crew earrings. From statement studs featuring colored crystals to minimalistic hoops, there is a style here to suit everyone.

subset: commoncrawl


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Whenever there are new collections, it is so difficult to choose what to buy…come on, we can't buy ALL of it.
I tend to focus on things I really like, have a gut reaction about, and are limited – after all things in the permanent range can be collected slowly…
There is one collection which is inciting excitement in me even though the release is a good week away. It is the RMK Shiny Dots Collection……but in order to indulge in this Limited Edition collection I have to sacrifice something else. And I think I know what it has to be:
MAC N Collection…
MAC Fafi…
Like I've said a million times, I do like MAC, I always seem to get suckered in especially when it is a new-hyped collection (like Fafi is). Rememeber Barbie? I was on the phone t mail order at 9am – I still have the whole collection, boxed, and not touched any of it so far.
I also went crazy for Metal-X, even though I had read not so hot reviews about the range and I've only used 6th Sin so far.
So I have to be strong; especially with Fafi, which looks incredibly colourful and cute…the perfect combo to market I suppose, but to deter me, there is:
I don't know why RMK always use a blonde hair, blue eyed model…not that they have to use a Japanese model but it would be nice to see some variation.
I love all of the eyeshadows, and all of the blushers. I am going to the launch event and make over next week, so I am interested as to what they will come up with. (I always say more colour, more colour! Slap it on!).
So are you forfeiting anything in order to splurge on something else?


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1. In Search of Our Ancestors: 101 Inspiring Stories of Serendipity and Connection in Rediscovering Our Family History by Megan Smolenyak (Adams Media Corp.). This book is the companion text to PBS' second series of "Ancestors" episodes (see page 19). In Search of Our Ancestors tells true stories of the amazing luck, unexpected kindness and unusual serendipity encountered by researchers as they trace their ancestry.
2. Crafting Your Own Heritage Album by Bev Kirschner Braun (Betterway Books). This book, written for genealogists and scrapbookers, shows you how to showcase and preserve the special people, stories, traditions and keepsakes of your ancestry. It's beautifully illustrated and will inspire all ages to take an interest in family history preservation.
3. The Sleuth Book for Genealogists by Emily Anne Croom (Betterway Books). If you're a fan of Emily Croom's other best-selling titles, you'll love this book. It takes you from the sources you learned about in Unpuzzling Your Past to the methods of how to use records to solve genealogical problems. Quotes from notable literary detectives make this book entertaining and enjoyable to read as you learn.
4. Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors by Paul Milner and Linda Jonas (Betterway Books). Thought you had to travel to England to do English research on your ancestors? Think again. Milner and Jonas show you how to find information about your English ancestors without getting on an airplane. With step-by-step instruction and actual research examples, learn how to gain access to most of the records you'll need.
5. Instant Information on the Internet!: A Genealogist's No-Frills Guide to the British Isles by Christina K. Schaefer (Genealogical Publishing Co.). Here are the most important genealogy Web sites on Great Britain and Ireland. They'll tell you how and where to locate records, contact other researchers, exchange information and locate indexes you can search from home.
6. Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America by David Hackett Fischer (Oxford University Press). Ever wonder what your colonial ancestors' lives were like? Albion's Seed covers English Puritans in New England, the English who settled in Virginia, the Quakers of the Delaware and the Scotch-Irish in the backcountry. Learn about early Americans' lifestyles, family, marriage customs, child-rearing, dress, work and leisure activities.
7. Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your German Ancestors by S. Chris Anderson and Ernest Thode (Betterway Books). This hands-on guide shows you how to access records for your Germanic ancestors. Anderson and Thode discuss the unique challenges of Germanic research and show proven ways to overcome them. Included are comprehensive listings of Germanic archives, letter-writing examples and instruction on reading Germanic script.
8. Kinship: It's All Relative, 2nd ed., by Jackie Smith Arnold (Genealogical Publishing Co.). Do you know the degree of blood relationship between you and your first cousins? What is a second cousin three times removed? If you've ever wondered about how people are related, this book will explain it in clear, practical terms. It also explains the kinship connection of orphans, foundlings, foster children, adopted children and more.
9. Web Publishing for Genealogy by Peter Christian (Genealogical Publishing Co.). This book aims to give you practical, plain-English advice on publishing your genealogy on the Web. Christian explains why publishing on the Web is so useful to genealogists and what you need to accomplish the task.
10. Domestic Revolutions: A Social History of American Family Life by Steven Mintz and Susan Kellogg (The Free Press). From colonial times to the late 1980s, Domestic Revolutions shows how everyday family life evolved over generations. From this book, you can get an idea of what your ancestors' families were probably like for any given time period.
Betterway Books listed above can be ordered directly at www.familytreemagazine.com/store/ or found at your favorite bookstore.


text: Sijun Forums :: View topic - Enayla, the Evilest Butterfly. Log in to check your private messages Sijun Forums Forum Index >> Gallery/Finished Work View previous topic :: View next topic Author Topic : "Enayla, the Evilest Butterfly." SlightlyTwistedmemberMember #Joined: 11 Dec 2000Posts: 436Location: Oslo, Norway Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 6:33 am Beautiful, intelligent, and witty. Talented beyond compare. Is it any wonder Enayla's head has swollen to the point of bursting? What is perhaps more curious is why her genius has found its way into the study of beer bellies, and their many applications. I'm still having a lot of trouble loosing detail when resizing pictures for the web. :/ Here's the original in all it's 750x985, 300kb goopiness. Back to top EnaylamemberMember #Joined: 26 Nov 2000Posts: 1217Location: Sweden Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 6:35 am Awww... *dances around, cartwheels, and then flops into a corner like a happy little thing* ------------------ ··Signature space for rent·· Back to top faustgfxmemberMember #Joined: 15 Mar 2000Posts: 4833Location: unfortunately, very near you. Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 6:40 am girls.. ------------------ sky high with a heartache of stone you never see me 'cos i'm always alone/ministry the law of lead now reigns!@#!/earth crisis firstname.lastname@example.com icq#35983387 http://faustgfx.0wns.org Back to top SlightlyTwistedmemberMember #Joined: 11 Dec 2000Posts: 436Location: Oslo, Norway Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 6:52 am ... make the world go round, so you might as well hang on tight and enjoy the ride. Back to top RagnarokmemberMember #Joined: 12 Nov 2000Posts: 1085Location: Navarra, Spain Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 7:47 am Man, I've just had lunch. As Enayla said: Awwww... Back to top SpitfirememberMember #Joined: 20 Mar 2000Posts: 2009Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 7:55 am /melikes GOREGRIND!!! =p ------------------ Sincerely yours, I´ve disowned us. Back to top FrostBitejunior memberMember #Joined: 15 Dec 2000Posts: 41Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 8:36 am geeze! ------------------ [Frost Bite] Back to top -HoodZ-memberMember #Joined: 28 Apr 2000Posts: 905Location: Jersey City, NJ, USA Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 8:42 am damn thats twisted....... Back to top PeriadammemberMember #Joined: 10 Nov 2000Posts: 254Location: Sackville, NB. Canada. Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 9:18 am Somebody likes Tim Burton? very gory. I like ------------------ There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity--if you get away with it, you are brave, if you don't, you are stupid Peri. Back to top BlitzmemberMember #Joined: 04 Oct 2000Posts: 752Location: Sedro-Woolley, WA Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 9:38 am Yah I was gana mention the Tim Burton thing to. Whats Up? Well as the name implies...SlightlyTwisted But good, damn good Blitz Back to top Wyatt TurnermemberMember #Joined: 18 Oct 2000Posts: 501Location: Everett, WA, USA Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 9:43 am sick! must mean good! y@ Back to top SlightlyTwistedmemberMember #Joined: 11 Dec 2000Posts: 436Location: Oslo, Norway Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 10:13 am > Tim Burton I love Tim Burton movies. Enayla loves Tim Burton movies. Seemed like a logical choice of background posters to me. On a not completely unrelated side note, the thing was hammered out exclusively to the haunting melodies of Danny Elfman. Back to top AwetopsymemberMember #Joined: 04 Oct 2000Posts: 3028Location: Kelowna Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 10:47 am what the?!? uh... Back to top Samson & FriendsmemberMember #Joined: 02 Jan 2001Posts: 106 Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 11:31 am Speaking of Tim Burton, has anyone been following the adventures of Stainboy? Excellent picture by the way. Very dirty. Back to top sacreliciousmemberMember #Joined: 27 Oct 2000Posts: 1072Location: Isla Vista, CA Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 3:08 pm Enayla, when you said "Awwwww," did you mean "Ewwwww?" Cuz that's what I thought upon seeing this piece... in a good way, though. Rad pic SlightlyTwisted! Bye bye, everybody. P.S. I know you meant "Awwwww, how cute," it was just a weak attempt at humor. I'm sick. ------------------ mmm... sacrelicious [This message has been edited by sacrelicious (edited January 04, 2001).] Back to top BradfordGuestMember # Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 3:20 pm hooookay. time to create a macabre section on the forum. nice detail! ------------------ email@example.com icq#:3704871 Back to top VisigothGuestMember # Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 4:06 pm Hahaha! That's fucking great!! Great job man!! I love it! Keep up the good work! *sticks it in his "Cool shit" folder* ------------------ Your car is a fiberglass penis extension. Back to top EnaylamemberMember #Joined: 26 Nov 2000Posts: 1217Location: Sweden Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 4:13 pm When I said "Awww", I meant "awwww" as in "that's so sweet", not "ewww" as in "that's so disgusting"... *giggle* I think it's great. I love it. I'm happy. Just look at those posters! *swoons* ------------------ ··Signature space for rent·· Back to top Flexible ElfmemberMember #Joined: 01 Aug 2000Posts: 642Location: Parker, CO Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2001 8:25 pm That's like a Garbage Pail kid but much much friggin' cooler. Excellent pic. Time for food -Flexible Elf ------------------ http://www.geocities.com/flexible_elf/Main.html Back to top InfinitymemberMember #Joined: 09 Dec 2000Posts: 211Location: austria, graz Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 3:48 am hmm... it looks good, but it is in a way disgusting ... ------------------ Why are you looking at me? I'm just a Signature. Back to top SlightlyTwistedmemberMember #Joined: 11 Dec 2000Posts: 436Location: Oslo, Norway Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 4:25 am It's all Enayla's fault, I tell you. This picture came entirely from a late night conversation with her. Back to top TheMilkManmemberMember #Joined: 04 Nov 2000Posts: 797Location: St.Louis Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 7:26 am that's nasty man why would you want to do a pic like that? Back to top DivesmemberMember #Joined: 22 Sep 2000Posts: 392Location: Finland Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 7:30 am The stuff here keeps getting weirder and weirder. Back to top IanmemberMember #Joined: 19 Mar 2000Posts: 1339Location: Singapore Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 9:39 am Awww... how Kwoooote!! He's getting his tummy wipped open te he he he.... *uhhmm* ------------------ Sit on my face, and tell me that you LOVE me! Back to top JennmemberMember #Joined: 25 Jul 2000Posts: 1055Location: Melbourne, VIC, OZ Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 2:53 pm Tim burton and Danny Elfman are the best. Pic looks nice. ------------------ DarkChyld http://asylum.wibble.net Back to top SolitairememberMember #Joined: 03 Nov 2000Posts: 429Location: Hamburg (Germany) Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2001 3:01 pm nice hobbies you have - ah and thanx for the kind words (in another thread) - I'll try to justify'em in the near future Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Sijun Forums Forum Index -> Gallery/Finished Work All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Digital Art----------------Digital Art DiscussionWork in ProgressGallery/Finished Work Miscellaneous----------------Random MusingsArchive : Sep99 - Dec00 You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2005 phpBB Group


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Multiple Hope College singers and an area high school student who studies voice at Hope earned honors in the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Michigan State Chapter Auditions, held at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo on Saturday, Nov. 3.
Dane Clark, a senior from Grand Rapids, earned first place in the Musical Theatre category.
Briana Sosenheimer, a sophomore from Fort Wayne, Ind., earned second place in the Second-Year College Women category. Freshmen Sarah Ashcroft of Holland and Lauren Conley of White Lake each earned second place in the First-Year College Women category.
Susan Jolink, a junior from Grandville, earned honorable mention in the Third-Year College Women category.
In addition, Audrey Rink, a junior at Holland Christian High School, earned first place in the 16-and-Under High School Girls Division.
Ashcroft, Clark, Conley, Jolink and Rink all study voice with Linda Dykstra, associate professor of music. Sosenheimer studies voice with Dr. Margaret Kennedy-Dygas, professor of music and chairperson of the department.
All of the students will advance to the regional auditions at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., on Saturday, March 1, competing with other student winners from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Ontario, Canada.


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Free Ringtones Girl Caught in the Act and Captured
Filed Under April Fools, Best of 2009, News, Ning Sites, SPAM | 16 Comments
The title of this article is purely sensational — as you might expect on April Fools Day. However, the article itself is real and highlights the annoyances and threats that we constantly face when using the Internet and social networking sites.
Before the Net became part of our lives, we worried about pickpocketing, mugging, burglary, armed robbery and a variety of scams that include make-believe charities, phony investment schemes and identity theft.
Today we must also worry about viruses and malware, phishing and more sophisticated web-based scams including a plethora of silly business schemes, and widespread online fraud and identity theft.
Ning, Twitter and MySpace Attacked
Hundreds of Ning social networks including mine, Outside the Box and Let's Follow Each Other, were attacked over the past week by "free ringtones" spam. Bogus users popped up everywhere and posted their free ringtones spam on as many member profiles as they could.
Network creators and administrators reacted by changing their site settings to require new member approval. This measure has stopped the free ringtones girl but not without some ongoing inconvenience to both administrators and would-be site members.
Similar spam outbreaks occur frequently on Twitter and MySpace where no simple solution is yet in sight.
Forewarned is Forearmed
Spam is only the tip of the iceberg.
Think BEFORE you click on any link or respond to any pop up including those that offer to upgrade to new versions of your existing software. It's advisable to write down the name of the software mentioned and check the vendor's site directly for legitimate updates.
Close pop up windows using Alt-F4 on your keyboard. Do not press ANY buttons, as labeling can be fake and malicious. Pressing buttons can initiate the downloading of some very nasty and hard-to-remove malware to your computer such as Trojans and rootkits.
The most likely places to pick up harmful malware are e-mails you receive, social networking sites, blogs and forums. Make sure you keep your system and virus protection current, but don't rely on anti-malware programs to protect you. Use caution and common sense.
As far as make money from home schemes are concerned, most of them are time wasters if not outright ripoffs.
If you are serious about finding a legitimate work from home opportunity, contact me, and I'll point you in the right direction. However, it's a fact that even the best home businesses usually flop.
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I found the blog PC Speed Guru very informative and helpful. Any Internet security blogs or websites that you've found to be useful, please post them below in a comment.
But no spam, please!
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WorldNetDaily Exclusive
'Natural-born' requirementcalled 'stupidest provision'
Also 'discriminates, outdated, undemocratic and assumes birthplace a proxy for loyalty'
An associate lawyer in a Chicago-based firm whose partner served on a finance committee for then-Sen. Barack Obama has advocated for the elimination of the U.S. Constitution's requirement that a president be a "natural-born" citizen, calling the requirement "stupid" and asserting it discriminates, is outdated and undemocratic.
|Barack Obama and Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga
The paper was written in 2006 by Sarah Herlihy, just two years after Obama had won a landslide election in Illinois to the U.S. Senate. Herlihy is listed as an associate at the Chicago firm of Kirkland & Ellis. A partner in the same firm, Bruce I. Ettelson, cites his membership on the finance committees for both Obama and Sen. Richard Durbin on the corporate website.
The article by Herlihy is available online under law review articles from Kent University.
The issue is the subject of nearly two dozen court cases in recent weeks, including at least two that have gone to the U.S. Supreme Court.
There have been accusations that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii as his campaign has stated. His paternal grandmother has stated she was in attendance at his birth in Mombasa. While Hawaii officials say they have seen his birth certificate, they have declined to release information from it.
Join more than 158,000 others in signing WND's online petition calling for release of Barack Obama's birth certificate and verifying beyond any shadow of a doubt his constitutional eligibility for office.
The Certification of Live Birth from Hawaii that the Obama campaign posted on the Internet isn't considered by critics to resolve the issue, since during the 1960s when Obama was born, the new state issued the document to infants not necessarily born in Hawaii.
There also remain unanswered questions about his youth, when he lived and attended school in Indonesia and later when he traveled to Pakistan. The questions include whether he gave up a U.S. citizenship to attend school or traveled on another nation's passport to Pakistan at a time when U.S. passports were unwelcome there.
Answers to those issues could determine whether Obama meets the Constitution's demand for a "natural-born" citizen.
Herlihy's published paper reveals that the requirement likely was considered in a negative light by organizations linked to Obama in the months before he announced in 2007 his candidacy for the presidency.
"The natural born citizen requirement in Article II of the United States Constitution has been called the 'stupidest provision' in the Constitution, "undecidedly un-American," "blatantly discriminatory," and the "Constitution's worst provision," Herlihy begins in her introduction to the paper titled, "Amending the Natural Born Citizen Requirement: Globalization as the Impetus and the Obstacle."
She concludes that the "emotional" reasons to oppose changing the Constitution will prevail over the "rational" reasons demanding a change.
"The current American perceptions about the effects of globalization and the misunderstanding about what globalization actually is will result in Americans deciding that naturalized citizens should not be president because this would, in effect, be promoting globalization, Herlihy wrote.
"Although this argument is admittedly circular, because globalization is the thing that makes the need to abolish the requirement more and more persuasive, Americans' subsequent perceptions about globalization are the very things that will prevent Americans from embracing the idea of eliminating the natural born requirement.
"Logical Americans are looking for a reason to ignore the rational reasons promoted by globalization so that they may vote based on their own emotions and instincts," she wrote.
Read all the evidence about Obama's birthplace in Jerome Corsi's "The Obama Nation."
She blamed support for the constitutional provision on "fear, racism, religious intolerance, or blind faith in the decisions of the Founding Fathers."
WND called Herlihy's number listed on the law firm website, and a woman answered with, "Sarah Herlihy." But when WND identified itself as a news agency, the woman said she didn't think "Sarah Herlihy" was in, but would take a message. There was no return call.
In the body of her argument, Herlihy said the constitutional provision simply is outdated.
"Considering that the Founding Fathers presumably included the natural born citizen clause in the Constitution partly out of fear of foreign subversion, the current stability of the American government and the intense media scrutiny of presidential candidates virtually eliminates the possibility of a 'foreigner' coming to America, becoming a naturalized citizen, generating enough public support to become president, and somehow using the presidency to directly benefit his homeland," she wrote.
"The natural born citizen clause of the United States Constitution should be repealed for numerous reasons. Limiting presidential eligibility to natural born citizens discriminates against naturalized citizens, is outdated and undemocratic, and incorrectly assumes that birthplace is a proxy for loyalty," she wrote.
Many of the reasons for keeping the limit, she wrote, "are based primarily on emotion."
A web blogger suggested, "So it sure looks like Obama's people have looked into the matter of 'natural born' as far back as early 2006. What is even more disturbing is that it would appear that they are following the thought of: 'If the facts do not support the theory, Destroy the facts!"
If you would like to sound off on this issue, participate in today's WND Poll.


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VERGENNES — Vergennes officials on Wednesday learned the city will not receive an extension on its $21,000 state grant to support an East Street preschool playground, news that effectively pulls the plug on a project that generated opposition among neighbors and mixed reviews from other city residents.
The city had already received one extension from the Department of Buildings & General Services that required that work on the $42,000, quarter-acre project, proposed for city land next to the municipal pool, be under way by June.
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VERGENNES — The proposed East Street preschool playground appeared to be on life support after Tuesday's Vergennes City Council meeting.
Project designer David Raphael of Middlebury landscape design firm LandWorks told the aldermen on Tuesday he could no longer continue to devote time to the project, and that because of needed sitework it appeared even the scaled-down version approved by aldermen this winter could not be built for its $42,000 price tag.
VERGENNES — Vergennes aldermen in a 4-2 vote on Tuesday agreed to defend in court their support for a proposed East Street preschool playground.
The action came in response to a March 18 lawsuit that East Street resident John O'Donnell, who has spoken against the project at public meetings, filed in Addison Superior Court that sought a preliminary injunction ordering Vergennes to cease efforts to build the playground.
VERGENNES — Vergennes aldermen on Tuesday confirmed their support for an East Street preschool playground, an action taken despite a Town Meeting Day vote against the project.
All five aldermen at the meeting said the 303-202 tally on March 3 on the $42,000 project was not representative because the petitioned language on the article failed to make clear that residents would not pay to build the playground.
VERGENNES — The Vergennes Development Review Board agreed on Monday, Feb. 16, to approve a preschool playground on city-owned land on East Street, City Manager and zoning administrator Mel Hawley told Vergennes aldermen at their Feb. 17 meeting.
Hawley said in a Wednesday interview that all DRB members supported the city's proposal for a boat-like climbing structure and a swing set on about a quarter acre next to the city pool.
BRISTOL — Dozens of volunteers came out to help construct the new playground on the Bristol green Oct. 4 and 5, but a delayed shipment prevented the crew from completing the project.
"Each day, 20 to 40 people came and we did as much as we could," said Jill Kopel, a project organizer and Bristol parent. "We're very close."
BRISTOL — A spirited debate about a new playground on the town green has sprung up between residents in the past several weeks. Some described the not-yet-completed playground as an eyesore, while others chimed in to defend the months of hard work of playground organizers.
The discussion began with a series of posts on Front Porch Forum both criticizing and praising the playground project.
"The new playground is the ugliest thing I have ever seen," wrote Scott and Stacie Ayotte on Aug. 29.
MIDDLEBURY — Middlebury voters in April will be asked to endorse a new playground design to replace the popular Kidspace structure at Mary Hogan Elementary School, a project that would be installed next summer at a cost of $224,723.
VERGENNES — The proposed Vergennes toddler playground has a few hurdles to clear before it can be built near the city pool this spring. The project depends on whether the city receives a $25,000 state grant, aldermen heard at their Oct. 8 meeting.
Alderman and city recreation committee head Joe Klopfenstein and City Manager Mel Hawley updated the council on the proposed toddler park at that meeting.
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Available ebook formats: epub mobi lrf pdb
Marilyn Clay is a multi-published author and respected historian of the Regency period in English history. For sixteen years, she published The Regency Plume Newsletter, an international newsletter composed of well-researched articles penned by published Regency authors, useful to writers, historians and people interested in all aspects of the 18th and early 19th centuries in English history. Kensington Books has published six of Marilyn Clay's historical novels all set during the English Regency, all of which have been translated to foreign languages and are now available on the web as e-books. Marilyn Clay's most recent novels have been set in Colonial America. Deceptions: A Colonial Jamestown Novel was released in hardcover in July 2010 from Thomson/Gale, who also released Dangerous Secrets: A Jamestown Novel in June 2012. Betsy Ross: Accidental Spy and Stalking A Killer were recently published by Mayfair Mysteries. Many of Marilyn Clay's non-fiction titles are also available from Smashwords. For additional information about author Marilyn Clay, visit: http://theregencyplume.tripod.com/marilynclay/


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The dual planets of Venice are the combined capitol planets of the The Police State of Venice.
Basic info
Location: Barely outside the Akkadian sphere of influence
Type: Water world connected by floating highways called "Canals"
Size: large X2
Resources: Large amount of fish, illicit technology, and mafiosi
Controlled by: The Police State of Venice
Inhabitants: Humans, Squidheads, Fish
The Dual Planets of Venice were merely a pair of synchronized orbiting water planets near the center of the Old Roman Quadrent, they were two unassuming colony worlds through most of Roman Expansion. At the height of their decadence and corruption, they took upon themselves a project of connecting the two with a giant Space Elevator. The overseer of the project, a Senator named William, began a rebellion with the help of several conspirators, using the Space Elevator as their base of operations. After I highly successful campaign of conquest, almost all of the military power and former territories of Old Roma had fallen under the control of Il Doge and his advisers.
The Planets are mainly water covered, with the few islands having massive floating cities stemming from them. These cities are connected by floating super-highways called "Canals". It possesses no natural lunar bodies, but Near Venezia does have a pile of corpses and wreckage the size of a small moon orbiting it.
Places of interest
The Cathedral of Syndicate Ascension The Mega-Space Elevator that connects the two planets. The Eye of The Storm The combination of a Capital City, Fortress, and Palace for the Doge, it is at the center of the Cathedral, where both ways are up.


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Boat sinks near Golden Gate Bridge; 2 saved
Two people were rescued near the Golden Gate Bridge on Saturday after a tug or the barge it was hauling out to sea collided with and sank their sailboat, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
One of the two rescued in the 3:10 p.m. mishap suffered hypothermia and was treated at the Coast Guard station at Sausalito, according to Coast Guard Ensign Corinne Gaines.
"The sailboat was a total loss - it sunk," she said.
Officials did not disclose any information about the sailboat, tug or barge. Gaines said it was not clear whether the tug or the barge hit the boat.
Gaines said there was no pollution reported from the incident.
The tug and barge were both ordered to port and their captains will be interviewed by Coast Guard investigators.
Jaxon Van Derbeken is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Astros shoot past Rockies
Denver, CO – J.D. Martinez knocked in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, as Houston used a late charge to take down Colorado, 6-3, in the opener of a two-game interleague set from Coors Field.
Carlos Pena homered and Brandon Barnes added an RBI single in a big ninth inning for the Astros, who have won two of three in this four-game grouping against Colorado.
"The three runs in the ninth were huge in this ballpark. Guys did a great job, " Astros manager Bo Porter said.
Paul Clemens (3-2) tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
Troy Tulowitzki finished with three hits including a pair of solo homers and drove in all three runs for the Rockies, who lost for the fourth time in five games.
"This is a good team who can really put some runs on the boards. It's just not happening right now," Colorado outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said.
Edgmer Escalona (1-2) was charged with the lead run in his 1 1/3 frames.
Ahead by a run in their final turn at the plate, Houston wrapped up the game with a three-run outburst.
Pena began the frame with his fourth homer of the season to make it 4-2 for the visitors, then Trevor Crowe bunted his way on and two batters later pinch- hitter Jimmy Paredes singled to put runners on the corners. Marwin Gonzalez then reached first on his attempted sacrifice to score Crowe, and a Barnes base hit brought in Paredes for a four-run bulge.
Tulowitzki's one-out solo shot was the only Rockies answer in the home ninth.
The Astros got on the board in the second, as Martinez led off with a single, Chris Carter doubled and the former scored on a Matt Dominguez fly to left.
Tulowitzki's homer in the bottom of the fourth tied the game, and his fifth- inning double brought home Jordan Pacheco.
Houston struck back in the sixth, as Barnes reached on an infield hit, Jose Altuve added a single to left and Jason Castro's fly to left brought in Barnes.
The visitors then forged ahead in the eighth. Gonzalez hit a leadoff single against Escalona, was sacrificed to second by Barnes and after Altuve was intentionally walked, Rex Brothers entered the game. He gave up the lead when Martinez laced a pitch to center.
Game Notes
Houston improved to 7-16 on the road ... Astros starter Erik Bedard gave up seven hits and two runs over six innings, while Rockies hurler Tyler Chatwood allowed four hits and a pair of runs while striking out a career-high 10 batters over his six full frames ... Tulowitzki's last multi-homer game occurred on Aug. 27, 2011 against Los Angeles ... Prior to the contest, the Rockies optioned outfielder Charlie Blackmon to Colorado Springs (PCL) and recalled pitcher Rob Scahill from Colorado Springs.


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Judging the Royals
Who you play matters
If you were concerned about the Royals recent 1-6 stretch, but woke up this morning feeling better because they beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Southern California 11-4, remember this:
Who you play matters.
I once read a study that said sports fans tend to see winning and losing as a result of their team's performance: if their team won it was because their team played well, if their team lost it was because their team played poorly—it was almost as if the other team's performance didn't matter.
But it does.
The Royals went 1-6 against the New York Yankees (24-14 with a .632 winning percentage this morning) and the Baltimore Orioles (23-15 with a .605 winning percentage). Monday night the Royals slapped around a team that is currently 14-24 with a .368 winning percentage. The pitcher they beat, Joe Blanton, woke up this morning with an 0-7 record and a 6.46 ERA. I'm not writing this to belittle Monday night's win—far from it. That was just the kind of game the Royals need to win to get where they want to go. But the Royals may not have done anything more to improve their performance than playing a worse team. Before this road trip started manager Ned Yost said the Yankees had come into Kansas City and swept a team that was scuffling. Yost also said it was time for the Royals to go out on the road, find some other team having a hard time and beat up on them.
Monday night was a good start.
Game notes
In the first inning Billy Butler drove a ball over Josh Hamilton's head and the Angels right fielder played it poorly. And that wasn't the only play Hamilton made that might have you scratching your head: Hamilton either didn't get to balls you thought he ought to be able to reach or got too close to the wall and allowed the carom to get past him. He's also currently hitting .212. The Royals aren't the only team with underperforming players.
Baseball people have a saying: ".300 hitters find a way to hit .300, .250 hitters find a way to hit .250." In other words, don't get caught up in early season numbers. Here's another one you can have your grandmother embroider on a pillow: "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." The people I've talked to aren't overly concerned with Butler's start, they think his numbers will be there in the end—and five for five don't hurt.
In the bottom of the first Alcides Escobar made a great play to get Mike Trout, but don't miss what Eric Hosmer did on the receiving end. Esky did a great Derek Jeter imitation, but Hosmer completed the play with some great footwork around the bag.
In the fourth inning the Royals had a shift on Albert Pujols that had Chris Getz on the shortstop side of second base. The positioning was perfect, the throw wasn't. Pujols hit the ball at Chris, but Chris bounced the throw to Eric Hosmer—not a huge deal, Hosmer handled an easy hop and in fact the hop might have been intentional. But if it was, that's still a bad sign. Ask baseball people and they'll tell you Chris Getz would be a perfect utility guy, if he could play shortstop. Throws like this one don't help.
In the top of the ninth inning with two down Jarrod Dyson came to the plate to face Angels reliever Robert Coello. Dyson was already 2 for 5 with a double, a run scored and one driven in—a good night. Nobody has told me this, but if Dyson hits (he's currently at .270) it would seem Jeff Francoeur is probably going to see more time on the bench. Lorenzo Cain is hitting .328 and Alex Gordon is at .322. But Dyson didn't do himself any favors with his last at-bat.
If I'm reading the records right, Dyson had never faced Coello before, but that didn't stop Jarrod from swinging at the first pitch he saw. Dyson popped up to short on a 93-mph fastball. The Royals were up 11-4 so it didn't change much in Monday night's game, but throwing away that at-bat means Dyson still hasn't seen Coello's secondary pitches. That might matter if Dyson faces Coello Tuesday night, Wednesday night or when the Angels come to Kansas City. An 11-4 game would have been the perfect time to take some pitches, see everything Coello had and set up a future at-bat. If you see Jarrod flail at a breaking pitch against Robert Coello in the near future, remember the opportunity Jarrod passed up Monday night.
"Watch the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves."
Ben Franklin supposedly said that—who knew he was into baseball?
The Royals had a bad week and that's got some fans in a lather. Bob Dutton, the Star's baseball beat writer, posted a Q and A Monday morning and fans wanted to know if Ned Yost was going to get fired, why Wade Davis is not in Triple A and how soon Jeff Francoeur and Chris Getz could be shipped off to Devil's Island.
As I write this the Royals are 19-16. Assuming I counted right—a fairly big assumption—the Royals have won 13 games by less than three runs. Six of their wins were by one run, five by two and two by the margin of three runs. They've also lost 12 games by less than three runs. Seven by one run, two by two runs and three by three runs. In other words, they generally aren't winning by much when they were winning (Monday night excepted) and they're generally not losing by much when they're losing—that's how fine the margin is. Hang a slider, make an error, hit a batter and that one-run win might become a one-run loss. It doesn't take much to lose in the big leagues and last week the Royals were doing what it takes to lose.
So how do they get back on the positive side of the ledger?
It might be emotionally satisfying to do something big and dramatic, but fixing the problem might require something more mundane. Take Mike Moustakas for example:
Moose now has seven errors and that's not good for a guy who is considered a Gold Glove candidate. Ask Royals infield coach Eddie Rodriguez what's going on and he'll tell you fielders get in slumps just like hitters. Just like a batter, a fielder can get out of rhythm: he might start laying back on balls and playing too soft. He might get charged up and start playing too fast. There's a right speed to play at and guys have to find it. Try to go faster than that and mechanics break down. Slow down, stop moving your feet and the same thing happens.
But let's get back to Mike Moustakas.
Saturday night Moose had a ground ball to his left, caught it, did a 360 and then tried to kill a beer vendor with his throw. Afterwards, Ned Yost said Mike did not get closed up correctly. (Picture first base and a line on the ground drawn to where Mike was standing—if Mike had his toes on that line and his shoulders parallel with that line—if he were looking directly over his left shoulder at first base—he'd be "closed up.")
Eddie said Ned was right: Mike was not lined up correctly with first base and that made his throw go wide. When Mike goes to his left to catch a ball, he should not try to shuffle in a clockwise direction to get back to a closed up position; that's the wrong move. The right move is stepping
the left foot with the right foot—a crossover step—and pivoting on the balls of his feet until he's lined up with first base. Eddie demonstrated that simple move and it got him into the right position in one step instead of making multiple tiny shuffle steps and still being in the wrong position. I never would have spotted that in a million years, but once Eddie showed me what to look for, I could see it. Sunday afternoon Mike did it incorrectly and threw another ball away. Later in the game he did it right and threw a strike to Eric Hosmer.
When you're in a fielding slump or hitting slump or you're pitching poorly, you go back to fundamentals. Moose has gotten off-track with his footwork and he's paying the price. The way Mike gets back to playing good defense is by going out early and practicing—going over the correct footwork until it's a habit. That's how fine the difference is between winning and losing in the big leagues; step the wrong way and you lose, step the right way and you win.
The Royals have been doing just enough wrong to lose. Start taking care of the small stuff—watch the pennies: footwork, pitch selection, keeping the ball down in the zone—and they can get back on track.
It might not be as satisfying as shipping Frenchy to penal colony, but it's how you win.


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VESPUCCI - Distressed Leather Briefcase
|3 lbs. 6 oz. (1,54 Kg.)
Exterior: Approx. 12"H x 18"W x 5"D
Interior: Approx. 11"H x 16"W x 4.5"D (tapers to 3.5"D at top)
Marco Campomaggi's bags boast a style that is rugged-chic, and possess a distinctly artisanal look and feel.
His bags undergo a unique manufacturing process, where each bag is washed and dyed in its entirety after all the parts are put together - straps, lining and all. This technique (patented by Marco's Campomaggi brand) not only gives Marco's bags their vintage, weathered look, but also makes each single piece really a one-of-a-kind work of art.
The leather used is 100% Italian full-grain leather - the finest quality - and the more you wear it, the more charm and personality it acquires. The fabrics and straps are all made of 100% environmentally-friendly cotton, adding to the timelessness of Marco's bags.
Everything about Campomaggi bags exude character - from the uniquely-dyed leather and the distressed hardware to the confident designs that invite you to "come see what I'm made of".
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Why Should I Buy This from Marcopoloni?
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We understand that when shopping online, you never really know how something is going to
work out until you have it in your hands. That's why we offer super easy, hassle-free
returns and exchanges. We'll even supply you with a prepaid return label*!
*Restrictions apply. Please read our Easy Returns page for details.
We have been using, admiring, selling, and repairing Campomaggi bags for many years, and have helped thousands of fellow Campomaggi fans. Many shops have jumped on the bandwagon since then, carrying a handful of Campomaggi bags ... but do they know Campomaggi like we do? We think not!
We are an authorized U.S. Campomaggi service center.
Yes, Campomaggi products do come with a limited 2-year manufacturer's warranty. But should something happen to your precious Campomaggi, to whom will you turn? If you got it from Marcopoloni, we've got you covered. We have extensive experience repairing Campomaggi issues small and large. Oh, and we also thoroughly inspect each and every Campomaggi item for any problems so you don't have to worry about receiving something that is dead on arrival.
No Surprises, EVER.
As you may know, Campomaggi bags are truly one-of-a-kind works of art. No two are ever the same, and each item has its own unique characteristics. How disappointed will you be when you buy a Campomaggi based on a photo and receive something that looks significantly different? When you shop at Marcopoloni, you get to choose the exact Campomaggi item that you will receive (if individual photos are not already posted, please ask). Do you prefer one with tons of character, or one that has less variations in tonality? You decide.
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At Marcopoloni, we strive to treat each customer like an old friend. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, so please do not hesitate to ask. We are here not just to "make a sale", but to help you find the Campomaggi bag or accessory that is right for YOU, one that you will be truly happy with!
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A perfectly distressed leather briefcase with a central belt buckle closure to complete the vintage look. With ample room for a laptop (fits most laptops up to 16" wide), books, and your personal items, this briefcase will be as functional as it is beautiful.
Please note that the PATENTED TREATMENT these bags go through guarantees that no two bags are exactly alike. Because each "skin" is unique in the way it absorbs color, stretches and shrinks, each finished bag is distinct in its color, tonality, and texture. The resulting shape and size may also vary slightly.Features:
- Handmade in Italy with full grain Italian leather ... then distressed for that perfectly vintage look
- One cotton-lined main compartment with a center belt buckle and two twist-lock closures
- Two open pockets in the front behind the twist-lock closures (each approx. 5.5"W x 9"H with a 2" gusset at top)
- One zippered pocket (approx 8.5"x7") and one open accessory pocket on the interior
- Metal feel on the bottom on the bag
- Reinforced leather carry handle
- Adjustable and removable leather strap
- Campomaggi logo badge on the back which acts as a belt loop
Amerigo Vespucci - the Florentine navigator-explorer to whom we owe the name of this continent.
Distressed Leather Briefcase- By Tze Ping Philip, Shekkipmei, HK
Vespucci briefcase- By Petrus, Helsingborg SE
Review of the Vespucci- By Omar, Calgary CA
When, I received Vespucci - Distressed Leather briefcase from Marcopoloni, It was splendid (100 times better than shown on the website.) The bag was very well presented and wrapped up in a beautiful cloth. When I took the bag out, the first thing came out of my mouth was "WOW." I was so thrilled that I displayed it to my friends. They adored it too and will be dealing with them momentarily.
I called Marcopoloni right away to pay my gratitude and to give a new order for my cousin. The person who answered the phone on the other side was very helpful and considerate. He called me by my first name which gave me a very sincere and warm sensation.
Without the shadow of doubt, I feel no reluctance to let the entire world know, if they want a good product, great price complimented with great customer service they should look nowhere and deal with Marcopoloni.
In the end, I will say "THANK YOU" Marcopoloni and keep up the great work
Omar Amin


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Course Schedule
Willamette University College of Law's part-time program is a day program only and students must start in the fall. Part-Time students enroll in the same classes as full-time students. First year courses will be assigned after consultation with the Part-time program coordinator. Notification of fall class assignments and schedule will be made prior to New Student Orientation, which occurs in mid-August.
From http://www.willamette.edu/wucl/admission/apply/parttimeprogram/


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Issuance Coincides with 15th Anniversary of Landmark Anti-Discrimination Law
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) today issued a question-and- answer document on the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to persons with cancer in the workplace. The new publication is available on EEOC's web site at http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/cancer.html.
Commission Chair Cari M. Dominguez released the document today during an event sponsored by the National Council on Disability commemorating the 15th anniversary of the passage of the ADA. President George H.W. Bush signed the landmark legislation on July 26, 1990, banning discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government programs, and places of public accommodation.
Noting that approximately 40 percent of the more than one million Americans diagnosed each year with some form of cancer are working-age adults, and nearly 10 million Americans have a history of cancer, Chair Dominguez said: "Because of the significant advances in detection and treatment, cancer no longer is the 'death sentence' it was a century ago. Yet people recently diagnosed with cancer and those with a history of cancer still experience discrimination at work based on old stereotypes and unfounded fears. Simple accommodations, like leave or a flexible schedule to allow for treatment, make it possible for many people with cancer to continue to be valuable contributors in the workplace."
The new question-and-answer document, which is the fourth in a series of publications on the ADA's application to specific disabilities, addresses such topics as:
The document helps to advance the goals of the New Freedom Initiative President George W. Bush's comprehensive strategy for the full integration of people with disabilities into all aspects of American life. The New Freedom Initiative seeks to promote greater access to technology, education, employment opportunities, and community life for people with disabilities. An important part of the New Freedom Initiative strategy for increasing employment opportunities involves providing employers with technical assistance on the ADA. Information about other EEOC activities under the Initiative also is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.
In addition to enforcing Title I of the ADA, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments, and the Rehabilitation Act's prohibitions against disability discrimination in the federal government, EEOC enforces laws prohibiting race, sex, color, national origin, religion, and age discrimination in employment.


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I've never really been too interested in body wash or body moisturisers until recently; now I appreciate a really nice smelling, hydrating wash and some lovely body moisturiser too. I like body oils because they appeal to how lazy I am – anything that takes ages to rub and sink in annoys me!
Etude House Any Oil 21is called this because has '21 recommended uses'. I am sure at a stretch you can think of a few more! With these kind of oils and balms, it's just a matter of common sense really; usually you can use them on your body, face, cuticles and hair. There is a balm, spray on mist oil (the two I bought) and a plain oil in a glass jar in the range.
I like the retro packaging:
The mist is a spray on oil which can be used all over. It tells you to shake it well before using but avoid ht eyes. It also says to be careful if using it somewhere where the floor is slippy (bathroom) as the mist can go…everywhere…
The Any Balm 21 comes in a flat tub and is a typical medium hard none scented balm.
I've found both products quite nice to use although they don't have anything majorly appealing either – for example, organic ingredients or a really nice scent (the don't really smell of anything). Therefore they're quite general use products…I think you could find similar for less money.
The Mist has been handy to use after a shower but it's not economical – these aerosol mists never do last that long and the mist is very fine so you might need to go over yourself a few times. By the time you've misted your whole body it's taken a while because it has a problem of spraying if you're holding the can at a funny angle. It has to be upright or nothing!
The balm is also quite a simple balm – it melts nicely to apply on the skin but I just think I have better balms (I have purchased quite a few to use recently and I think they are better). It's moisturising but not so amazingly that it feels tons better afterwards – you still need to slap more on to super dry areas.
Ingredients – for the Any Balm (there's lots of different types of oil in it although I wouldn't say it's an organic product!)
Here are the ingredients for the mist:
I paid about £8-£11 for these products from eBay. They're nice enough but I wouldn't repurchase.
Do you have any favourite body oils and balms?


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Vegetarians and vegans are always pointing to famous vegetarians and vegans, because– I guess– not only is it gratifying to know that there are successful people out there who embrace a cruelty-free lifestyle, but also because it is a small defense tactic. After all, people tend to view us meat-free people as kooks, a myth perpetrated in no small measure by television and the rest of the media which tends to usually present us as airheads acting on a whim.
In real life, however, studies have shown that the most intelligent among us are more likely to embrace a meat-free lifestyle early in life. It does make sense, doesn't it? After all, one would have to be sensitive and strong to make and carry out life-changing decisions that run counter to what the rest of the world is doing. Besides, the greatest intellects of the past are on our side. From Pythagoras to Leo Tolstoy to Gandhi to Einstein and George Bernard Shaw, each one of these great people embraced and expounded the virtues of a vegetarian diet.
I am also often thrilled to find glimpses of sensitivity toward the creatures of the world in some of the greatest works of contemporary art and literature.
Recently, I finished reading what must be one of the most evocative books I've ever laid my hands on, Joyce Carol Oates' We Were the Mulvaneys. This 1996 book documents the lives and times of a happy, bustling family that goes through a terrible tragedy, careens helplessly toward a breakup, then reunites toward the end of the book.
Oates is a great writer who needs no introduction to any book lover, but I especially love her liesurely, indulgent style, her way of grabbing your attention and then keeping you hanging in suspense before you get the answer, her remarkable eye for the smallest of captivating details that most of us might just brush past without noticing.
One of the things I loved about this book was how beautifully Oates portrays the chemistry between humans and animals. There are plenty of animals in this book, because the story begins on a farm. Among the most evocative of relationships is that between Marianne Mulvaney and Muffin, her cat. Here's what Oates writes about an aging Muffin.
"Marianne waved away a swarm of mosquitoes, seeing that Muffin was sitting, or lying, in the grass, sphinx-style, forepaws neatly tucked beneath his chest, tail curving around his thin buttocks. She picked him up gently and held him. How thin he was! Yet how soft and fine his fur. He did not resist her; but neither was he kneading his paws against her as usual, nor did he begin to purr immediately."
Surely Oates must love cats, for who else but a cat lover could capture so vividly one of these classy, enigmatic, independent creatures! And I loved that throughout the book, she turns an equally compassionate, understanding eye toward animals.
Near the beginning, through the voice of Judd Mulvaney, she writes: "There were many deer on our property, in the remoter wooded areas, but it was rare for any to pass so close to our house, because of the dogs. (Though our dogs never ran loose at night, like the dogs of certain of our neighbors and a small pack of semi-wild dogs that plagued the area. Mom was furious at the way people abandoned their pets in the country– "As if animals aren't human, too.")"
Don't you just love that?
Now on to today's recipe, Okra with Onions and Potatoes, which is one of my favorite side dishes. I adapted this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian where she describes the dish as being from the state of Gujarat in western India.
Although the original dish did not include onions, I added them because I love the complimentary flavors of onions and okra when they are teamed together. With its sweet-sour-spicy notes this dish is bound to captivate any palate, even one that claims to hate okra.
Here's the recipe. Have a great weekend, all!
Okra with Onions and Potatoes
20 pods of okra, cut into 1/2-inch rings
3 yellow potatoes, cut into a 1/2-inch dice, then boiled until tender (I cover the diced potatoes with water in a microwave-safe dish, place a lid or a plate on top, and zap it for four to five minutes.)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp ground coriander seeds
2 tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 green chilies, minced
1 tsp sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil
Heat the oil in a saucepan or skillet.
Add the mustard and cumin seeds. When they sputter, add the onions and stir-fry until the onions become translucent and golden spots begin to just appear.
Mix the coriander and cumin powders and the ginger and garlic pastes in a small container with 4 tbsp of water. Add this mixture to the onions and cook, stirring, until the water evaporates.
Add the tomatoes, okra, potatoes, chilli powder, green chillies and salt and stir thoroughly. Add half a cup of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over medium-low heat about 10 minutes or until the okra is tender.
Add sugar and lemon juice. Check salt and garnish with mint or coriander leaves if desired.
Serve hot with rotis or dal and rice.