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Morning everyone! I made this delicious mediterranean quiche for my two girls yesterday and they loved it. It is yummy, packed full of vegetables and easy to make. It is also very tasty cold so is good for leftovers. Sounds good to me!
Mediterranean Quiche (serves 4)
320g packet shortcrust pastry
180g baby spinach
small red bell pepper
50g feta, cubed
1/2 - 1 tbsp oats
4 x large eggs
splash of milk
seasoning (I used black pepper, dried mixed herbs, a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of chilli powder)
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / GM6. Use the pastry to line a quiche dish. I used a large 10" pyrex quiche dish so I had to piece the pastry together a bit to get it to fit. I covered the bottom then used the extra to add a bit more crust to the side. I like it better this way, it has more of a crunch and I think just tastes nicer. Prick the pastry with a fork then bake blind for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the red pepper in a little olive oil until soft. Add the spinach along with 2tbsps water. Cover and leave to steam cook until wilted.
Use the oats to lightly cover the bottom of the quiche. This helps a lot when using wet ingredients. You don't want to end up with a soggy base. Squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the spinach and peppers and add to the quiche. Scatter the feta cubes on top. Mix the eggs, milk and seasoning together in a jug then pour on top of the vegetables. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the eggs have set.
I personally think that the only way to eat quiche is with Heinz baked beans and salad cream. Tasty!
I'm linking here:
Sew Much Ado
The NY Melrose Family
We Like To Learn As We Go
Ginger Snap Crafts

subset: commoncrawl


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autumn, Baking, brown sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon rolls, easy, fall, frosting, glaze, icing, no-knead, pumpkin, recipe, sweet
Last day of October and I've got a pumpkin recipe in just under the wire.
Though, truth be told, I made these a couple of weeks ago and took them in to the newsroom for election night, hoping the sugar rush would keep us all going through the tight deadlines and late night. With so many people voting and such a crazy race right up until the end, most of us stayed later than we ever have for an election. I can't remember ever covering one as interesting and found myself watching the results roll in live as if it was some sort of TV show.
Anyway, back to the rolls.
They're no-knead. Sensing a theme here? First no-knead pizza dough (if you haven't tried this, please bookmark it, so very worth it) and then no-knead bread and now no-knead cinnamon rolls. God only knows what will be next, but I am loving this trend.
Once again, it takes some planning since it takes more time for these to rise. The recipe suggests, though, you can let them rise then refrigerate overnight and continue the next day, which is exactly what I did and it worked like a charm. Sure, there were some paranoid moments, like when I cut them into slices and let them rise in the pan prior to baking but couldn't discern they actually rose a second time. I didn't have much hope when I put them into the hot oven, but they came out all fat and puffy, shouldering each other in neat little rows.
I gave two to some friend who had popped by with her new baby since she was in the 'hood and she texted me seemingly minutes after leaving to say she had eaten them both already and was tempted to lick the plastic wrap. That, my friends, is a pretty good endorsement.
The dough is beyond sticky and please learn from my misstep by using a really big bowl. I had a difficult time incorporating all the flour in my small-ish bowl (which felt big before I combined the wet and dry ingredients) and eventually had to dive in with my hands. Let me repeat: beyond sticky. (But, you know, kind of fun at the same time.)
But beyond that, it was pretty easy to work with once it came time roll out and, uh, roll up again. Some of my filling leaked out the edges. Obviously, I'm no expert at cinnamon rolls. But I'll take ugly and tasty any day. And man are these tasty. I mean, really, how can you go wrong? pumpkin, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter, glaze? Yeah, it's all good.
So, this is kind of short and sweet but if I don't post this soon, I'm going to miss my Oct. 31 deadline.
In short: these are good, pumpkin-y and easy. Enjoy.
This comes from the folks over at the Kitchn, like quite a few recipes I've posted here. It's almost to the point where I'm wondering if I need to create a tag for them . . . .
The only change I made was I omitted the pecans. I've got nothing against them but was just too lazy to get them out of the freezer, toast and chop them. Oh, and I didn't use as much milk in the glaze which is why, I'm pretty sure, it's so much thicker. Not that anyone was complaining.
No-Knead Pumpkin Rolls with Brown Sugar Glaze
Makes 16-18 rolls
For the dough:
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 scant tablespoon yeast (1 package)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups pecans – toasted, chopped, and divided in half (optional)
For the glaze:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let it sit a few minutes until the yeast is dissolved.
Meanwhile, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan on the stove top until the butter is melted. Combine this with the sugar in a large heat-proof mixing bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Let the milk mixture cool until it is just warm to the touch – NOT HOT. Then stir in the yeast and the pumpkin. Add the salt and five cups of the flour all at once, stirring until all the flour has been absorbed. Squish it between your hands if you're having trouble incorporating the last of the flour. The dough will be sticky, but should come together in a shaggy ball. If it's still more the consistency of cookie batter, work in an additional 1/2 cup of flower.
Cover the dough and let it rise for 1-3 hours. During this time, it should double in bulk. At this point, you can punch the dough down and refrigerate it overnight or continue shaping the rolls.
To shape the rolls (either immediately or with the refrigerated dough), sprinkle your work surface with a little flour and dump the dough on top. Pat it down into a rough rectangle and then use a floured rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape about a half an inch thick, longer than it is wide. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle a little more flour on the dough's surface and on your hands.
Melt the butter in the microwave and stir in the brown sugar and the spices. Spread this over the rectangle of dough, leaving an inch of bare dough at the top. Sprinkle one cup of the toasted pecans over the dough, if using. Starting at the edge closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and pinch it closed at the top.
Rub a tablespoon of soft butter into the bottom of two 9×13 baking dishes, two 9-inch cake pans, or a combination. Using a bench cutter or a sharp knife, cut the cylinder into individual rolls 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick. Place them into your baking dishes so they have a little wiggle room on all sides to rise. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rise until they fill the pan and look puffy, 30 minutes for already-warm dough and 1 hour for dough that's been refrigerated.
About 20 minutes before baking, begin heating the oven to 375°. When the rolls are ready, bake them for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and starting to look toasted around the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through cooking.
While they are baking, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and butter. When the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and salt. Stir until the brown sugar has melted. Remove from heat and strain into a mixing bowl to remove any sugar clumps. Stir in the powdered sugar. This should form a thick but pourable glaze.
Let the baked rolls cool for about five minutes and then pour the glaze on top. Sprinkle the remaining cup of pecans over the top, if more nuttiness is desired. Eat them immediately. Leftovers will keep for several days and are best reheated for a minute in the microwave.


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So, here's where I feel stuck:
- Motherhood
- Finances
- Career
- Relationships
Also, to any fellow bloggers - where do you get the great conceptual images? So far, I just use most of my own photography because I don't know all the rules of usage.
What's everyone up to this bright Monday?


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PRETORIA, South Africa - Landon Donovan scored a stunning goal in the first minute of injury time off a rebound, advancing the United States to the second round at the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Algeria.
With the U.S. perhaps three minutes from elimination Wednesday, Donovan brought the ball upfield on a counterattack and Jozy Altidore's shot on the breakaway was tipped by Clint Dempsey into goalkeeper Rais Bolihi. The rebound went to Donovan, who kicked it in from about 8 yards for one of the biggest goals in U.S. soccer history.
It gave the Americans first place in Group C. With just its fifth shutout in World Cup play, the United States (1-0-2) won a group for the first time since 1930 and will face the runner-up in Group D this weekend.
After his U.S. record 44th international goal, Donovan joyously ran to the corner flag and his teammates ran down the touchline to mob him. Donovan was in tears when the game ended and the United States had moved into the second round.
"Clint made a good run in the middle, the ball fell to me ... time kind of stopped," Donovan said. "You can't miss from there."
As the final whistle sounded, the U.S. bench raced onto the field and piled on top of the players on the far sideline. At midfield, Steve Cherundolo and Jay DeMerit collapsed to the ground. They all bearhugged Donovan, who with his fourth World Cup goal tied Bert Patenaude (1930) as the American leader.
As the team returned to the sideline, goalkeeper Tim Howard bounced up and down in elation. Benny Feilhaber took a water bottle and sprayed his teammates, champagne-like.
"We're not done yet," Donovan said. "We believe, man. We're alive, baby."
England (1-0-2), which beat Slovenia moments earlier, also had five points but finished second because the U.S. scored four goals to two for the English. Slovenia (1-1-1) was third with four points, missing advancing because of Donovan's heroics. Algeria (0-2-1) was last with one point.
Until Donovan's goal, it appeared the officiating would again be the focus.
Dempsey put the ball in the net in the 21st minute off the rebound of Herculez Gomez's shot. But the goal was called offside, just as Maurice Edu's late goal was disallowed against Slovenia last week, a score that would have given the Americans a victory. Replays appeared to show Dempsey was onside.
Dempsey had another great chance in the 57th minute when Michael Bradley stole the ball and sent Altidore streaking down the right side. Altidore crossed, but Dempsey's hit the goalpost. He shot wide on the rebound.
Howard earned the first shutout in World Cup play for the U.S. since the 2-0 victory over Mexico in the second round in 2002. Nearly a half-hour after the match, U.S. fans remained in the stadium, still cheering and celebrating one of the nation's most thrilling victories.
The U.S. kept up its pattern of good and bad World Cups. The Americans were knocked out in the first round in 1990, 1998 and 2006, but went to the second round in 1994 and reached the quarterfinals in 2002.
With former President Bill Clinton watching from the stands at Loftus Versfeld, a pro-American, vuvuzela-blowing crowd filled the old rugby stadium. Donovan and Dempsey all had numerous chances in the first half but either misfired or were stopped by Bolhi.
Finally, though, Donovan connected.


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Oldspeak:"Property is theft," –Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, French anarchist. When it comes to how the top 1 percent really got so rich, and why the 99 percent lost out. The biggest "theft" by the 1 percent has been of the primary source of wealth – knowledge – for its own benefit. When what is created by all of society for many centuries gets turned into wealth, and, somehow, directly or indirectly, shunted away from the 99 percent by the 1 percent, much of that process, in fact, is reasonably described as "theft." –Gar Alperovitz. One of the fundamental tenets of "civilization" -property. Gives rise directly and indirectly to many of "civilizations'" ills. Poverty, exploitation, inequality, disenfranchisement, greed, corruption. Enclosure of the commons by a monied few more often than not leads to bad outcomes for most. Yet we lionize billionaires and the obscenely wealthy, hold them up as models to aspire to. While billions of poor and disenfranchised "externalities" suffer in lives of hopelessness and despair due in large part to decisions of a few hundred white men the words of Ernesto "Che" Guevara come to mind: "The amount of poverty and suffering required for the emergence of a Rockefeller, and the amount of depravity that the accumulation of a fortune of such magnitude entails, are left out of the picture, and it is not always possible to make the people in general see this." "Ignorance Is Strength"
By Gar Alperovitz @ Truthout:
"Property is theft," French anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon famously declared in 1840 – a judgment clearly shared by many of those involved in the occupations in the name of the 99 percent around the country, and especially when applied to Wall Street bankers and traders. Elizabeth Warren also angrily points out that there "is nobody in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody." Meaning: if the rich don't pay their fair share of the taxes which educate their workers and provide roads, security and many other things, they are essentially stealing from everyone else.
But this is the least of it: Proudhon may have exaggerated when, for instance, we think of a small farmer working his own land with his own hands. But we now know that he was far closer to the truth than even he might have imagined when it comes to how the top 1 percent really got so rich, and why the 99 percent lost out. The biggest "theft" by the 1 percent has been of the primary source of wealth – knowledge – for its own benefit.
Knowledge? Yes, of course, and increasingly so. The fact is, most of what we call wealth is now known to be overwhelmingly the product of technical, scientific and other knowledge – and most of this innovation derives from socially inherited knowledge, at that. Which means that, except for trivial amounts, it was simply not created by the 1 percent who enjoy the lion's share of its benefits. Most of it was created, historically, by society – which is to say, minimally, the other 99 percent.
Take a simple example: In our own time, over many decades, the development of the steel plow and the tractor increased one man's capacity to farm, from a small plot (with a mule and wooden plow) to many hundred acres. What changed over the years to make this possible was a great deal of engineering, steelmaking, chemistry and other knowledge developed by society as a whole.
Another obvious example: Many of the advances that have propelled our high-tech economy in recent decades grew directly out of research programs financed and, often, collaboratively developed, by the federal government and paid for by the taxpayer. The Internet, to take the most well-known example, began as a government defense project, the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), in the 1960s. Today's vast software industry rests on a foundation of computer language and operating hardware developed, in large part, with public support. The Bill Gateses of the world might still be working with vacuum tubes and punch cards were it not for critical research and technology programs created or financed by the federal government after World War II.
The iPhone is another example: Its microchips, cellular communication abilities and global positioning system (GPS) all flowed from developments traceable to significant direct and indirect public support from the military and space programs. The "revolutionary" multi-touch screen was developed by University of Delaware researchers financially supported by the National Science Foundation and the CIA. It is not only electronics: of the 15 modern US-developed "blockbuster" drugs with over $1 billion in sales, 13 received significant public research and development support.
But taxpayer-financed government programs (including, of course, all of public education!) are only the tip of the iceberg. And here we are not talking rhetoric, we are talking the stuff of Nobel prizes. Over the last several decades, economic research has begun to pinpoint much more precisely how much of what we call "wealth" society in general derives from long, steady, century-by-century advances in knowledge – and how much any one individual at any point in time can be said to have earned and "deserved."
Recent estimates indicate, for instance, that national output per capita has increased more than twentyfold over the 200-plus years since 1800. Output per hour worked has increased an estimated fifteenfold since 1870 alone. Yet the modern person is likely to work each hour with no greater commitment, risk or intelligence than his counterpart from the past. The primary reason for such huge gains is that, on the whole, scientific, technical and cultural knowledge has grown at a scale and pace that far outstrips any other factor in the nation's economic achievement.
A half-century ago, in 1957, economist Robert Solow showed that nearly 90 percent of productivity growth in the first half of the 20th century alone, from 1909 to 1949, could only be attributed to technical change in the broadest sense. The supply of labor and capital – what workers and employers contribute – appeared almost incidental to this massive technological "residual." (Solow received the Nobel Prize for this and related work in 1987.) Another leading economist, William Baumol, calculated that "nearly 90 percent … of current GDP [gross domestic product] was contributed by innovation carried out since 1870."
The truly central and demanding question is obviously this: If most of what we have today is attributable to knowledge advances that we all inherit in common, why, specifically, should this gift of our collective history not more generously benefit all members of society? The top 1 percent of US households now receives far more income than the bottom 150 million Americans combined. The richest 1 percent of households owns nearly half of all investment assets (stocks and mutual funds, financial securities, business equity, trusts, nonhome real estate). A mere 400 individuals at the top have a combined net worth greater than the bottom 60 percent of the nation taken together. If America's vast wealth is mainly a gift of our common past, how, specifically, can such disparities be justified?
Early in the American republic, Thomas Paine urged that everything "beyond what a man's own hands produce" was a gift that came to him simply by living in society, and, hence, "he owes on every principle of justice, of gratitude, and of civilization, a part of that accumulation back again to society from whence the whole came." Another American reformer, Henry George, challenged what he called "the unearned increment" that is created when population growth and other societal factors increase land values.
To be sure, someone who genuinely makes a real contribution deserves to be rewarded. But Proudhon is right on target for many, many others: when what is created by all of society for many centuries gets turned into wealth, and, somehow, directly or indirectly, shunted away from the 99 percent by the 1 percent, much of that process, in fact, is reasonably described as "theft." The demand of the occupations that this theft stop, that it be reversed, is also right on target – both in what we know about how wealth is created, and, above all, in what we know about how a just society ought to organize its affairs.


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The WPT/4N series is manufactured in complete stainless steel technology with stainless steel indicator PUE C/31H series installed on a long cable.
scalesis manufactured from OH18N9 stainless steel with IP 68. On special order, it is possible to manufacture ramp scales in upgraded anti-corrosion stainless steel version.
Scales is available in dual range version on surcharge.


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Our time's pretty much all hogged up between Facebook and Twitter, but that isn't stopping ex-MySpace Music CTO Dmitry Shapiro from forming a new social network built around enhanced privacy controls for users — a problem Facebook always slams into with every new major update. The question is, is that enough for a switch?
Shapiro thinks it's enough. According to him, Facebook's expansion across the web through its "Like" and "Facebook Connect" comment ID is corroding our right to privacy. The reason he's building a new social network is because "our privacy, our personal information, our digital lives are being subjugated for the sake of profit, without us having any meaningful capability to opt out, or even know the extent of such activity."
The only real barrier stopping people from leaving Facebook is that there's no real alternative to it. With a new social network focused on privacy, Shapiro is hoping to restore the data people choose to share back to well, the people. The man has his work cut out infront of him, as it might be a little too late — Facebook is already everywhere, as he admits.
Whining About Privacy
Avid Facebook users will know what I'm talking about here. Facebook updates the social network with new features and suddenly things that we've opted out of are public again. After complaining about it on Twitter for hours on end, we finally head on over to the privacy settings and manually check off what we don't want to share — again.
If we really cared about privacy, why don't we just quit Facebook all together? After all, that's what Shapiro's start-up, tentatively called "Altly," is banking on.
The answer about why we stay is quite simple, right? Because all of our friends are still on it.
Who seriously wants to hit the reset button? We've spent years uploading millions of photos, writing tons of cynical jokes on our friend's walls, poking people to death and playing way too much FarmVille that simply moving over to a new social network that may offer more clear-cut privacy settings isn't enough reason to make the switch.
Facebook is the Gold Standard
For the same reason users still cling onto their spam-laden AOL and Hotmail accounts, we stick with Facebook because it's familiar. Sure, Gmail and Yahoo! Mail are way more streamlined and provide smarter interfaces, but those folks don't care; for most of us, switching is like moving into a new home — it's time consuming and hard to justify when you've been settled for years.
I've just convinced my aunts and uncles to use Facebook to stay in touch, I'm not going to tell them to try another social network. I understand it's a little scary to feel that Facebook owns all our data, but guess what? Google does too, as I have tons of private stuff stashed in Gmail as well.
The bottom line is, we give up privacy for functionality. If Shapiro's Altly (man, we hope that name doesn't stick around) can provide an experience that is leaps and bounds ahead of Facebook and deliver on its promise of transparent privacy settings, then it's possible it might fair better than MySpace did, but I'm willing to bet people will see it, hear about it, and shrug it off. Reason?
That invite for that party I want to attend on Saturday night is on Facebook.
Via AllThingsD


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Right: An internet image of the SAR-21 carbine
Left: An internet image of a Singapore Navy team carrying SAR-21 rifles
by Ajai Shukla
Business Standard
26th May 2009
Exactly six months ago, on what has come to be known as 26/11, Indian security men in Mumbai, clutching antiquated rifles, fled shamefully before a handful of well-armed terrorists. Now, documents available with Business Standard reveal that if a similar attack were to take place today, much the same might happen. The reason: infighting within the government has scuttled the Ministry of Home Affairs' bid to equip its police with modern weaponry.
For six years, India's central police organisations (CPOs), which include the CRPF, the BSF and the CISF, have urged the home ministry to equip them with carbines to replace their cumbersome military-use rifles. CPO jawans presently carry the INSAS, and even World War II era .303 rifles, which are no match for the terrorists' AK-47 and AK-56 assault rifles. Carbines, in contrast, are lighter, smaller, and can spray bullets at a target, better equipping a policeman for encounters in confined and built-up areas.
Just five days before 26/11 — in a telling coincidence — NSG commandos completed trials on two carbines offered to the home ministry by the Ordnance Factories Board (OFB). One of them, the OFB-developed AMOGH, was rejected outright. The other carbine, the SAR-21 MMS, jointly offered by the OFB and Singapore Technologies Kinetic (STK), was found suitable by the NSG for India's needs.
The stage seemed set for an immediate purchase. The home ministry's five-year modernisation plan urgently sought 47,286 carbines for the CPOs by March 2008. This deadline was extended till March 2010 because OFB-developed carbines failed repeatedly to pass user trials.
The OFB was ready to deliver the first carbines within six months of an order, and complete delivery of all 47,286 carbines by February 2011. STK pledged to transfer technology in full, thereby allowing the OFB's new factory (coming up at Korwar in the Amethi parliamentary constituency) to manufacture lakhs of carbines for the CPOs in subsequent five-year plans.
The army, too, is separately purchasing several lakhs of carbines.
Had the home ministry placed the order, the first OFB-STK carbines would have been entering service now. Instead, the process was derailed by a mysterious red herring. The home ministry informed the OFB (in letter No IV-13018/8/2009-Prov.II dated 17 March 2009) that a foreign vendor, Israel Military Industries (IMI), had written in, alleging bias in the carbine procurement.
As if on cue, controversial Samajwadi Party MP Hari Kewal Prasad (in 2007, he had alleged being offered Rs 10,000 to vote for Pratibha Patil in the presidential election) wrote to the home minister, making the same argument in very similar words.
It quickly became evident that this was an attempt to scuttle the carbine purchase. On March 26, IMI's Marketing Director to India, Bran Sela, wrote to the home minister, clarifying that the letter had not been sent by IMI. The letter also pointed out that IMI was no longer producing small arms like carbines; its small arms division had been sold to a private Israeli company, Israeli Weapons Industries (IWI).
IWI's stakes in the carbine deal quickly became obvious. In early March, just days after the fake letter, government-owned Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) threw its hat in the ring, informing the ministry of defence that it would import, market and manufacture IWI weaponry for the Indian market. BEML's Chairman and Managing Director V R S Natarajan wrote personally to the home ministry (letter No CMD/606/1923 dated 20th April 09) asking for the tendering to begin, so that the BEML-IWI carbine could be offered.
Exactly six months after 26/11, the purchase of carbines is at a standstill, while two defence ministry production units — the OFB and BEML — compete for the order. And defence ministry sources said any decision on this issue is most unlikely after the arrest on May 19 of the recently-retired OFB Chairman Sudipta Ghosh on corruption charges.


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- $4.99
- Published By: eXtasy Books
- Author: Kate Brunic
- Page: 139
- Word Count: 40000
- Publication Date: November 13, 2010
- Series: Sexual Favours #1
- Heat Level:
- Available Formats: Adobe Acrobat, Epub, Hiebook, Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket, Mobipocket (.mobi), Palm DOC/iSolo, Rocket, Sony PDF
- Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Gay, Humor, Erotica
Qty + -
A compilation of short stories that take the reader on a journey of fantasy sex in the naughties. Tracey, a housewife, charges a stranger for sex. Phillip, the conference speaker, keeps things professional. Peter verbally seduces a stranger in a cafe. Paul enjoys sex in foreign parts with his tutor. Nick finds himself enjoying a crowded train. Vanessa, the young mum, earns a little extra cash from operating a chat line. James, the estate agent, enjoys an extra special viewing with one client. Raine, the night club owner, has regular sexual experiences with an employee. Nineteen year old Becky, builds her sexual C.V. having sex in public. Natalie lives to the fullest.
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A Frozen Renaissance
I remember how excited I was when the Tigers beat the Yankees in the playoffs. If you take the inverse of that, it's about how I felt after the Lions lost last night. The thing about Detroit and Detroit sports is that despite all this talk of a Detroit renaissance, it keeps falling a little short.
The Tigers made the playoffs and beat the Yankees in spectacular fashion but then barely showed up against the Rangers. The Lions look nothing like the 0-16 laughing stock they used to be but after getting trounced by the Saints in the playoffs, they obviously have a ways to go.
No, the fact of the matter is that Detroit is still Detroit and, at this point, its best years are somewhere in the past. In fact, it's completely possible that this is the moment where Detroit peaked:[youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFt6MyiVx54]
…but I sure hope not.


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I fly.
Bring it on.
A Saucy Wench
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Chicago RnR 1/2 Marathon
Professional Noob
Roads were made for journeys...
My stupid little mobile-friendly treadmill calculator
Books I Have Read
Last Race: Portland Maine Half Marathon October 5 2014
~Sara It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great. ~ Jimmy Dugan
I probably wont have internet access a good part of next week so my log will look like I am not running, I'll catch it up when I can.
So you are going to give me a false sense of hope all next week and then crush my dreams in one fell swoop when you get back???
FYI - same for me - huge week this week. I was in Florida and in the 5 days I was there I ran 40 miles, and that was with a 1.7 mile run yesterday. Still have to get my run in today and hoping to make it a little farther than that.


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June 25, 2020Conflict Prevention
The Center for Preventive Action has created this resource for those seeking information and analysis about the effects of COVID-19 on peace and conflict.
March 14, 2019India
This article was originally published in the Times of India. Why is it so difficult for US media to use the word "terrorism" in the context of South Asia? Escalating tensions between India and …
January 24, 2019Media
CFR's inaugural Local Journalists Workshop featuring plenary and discussion group sessions with CFR fellows and other experts.
November 15, 2018United States
PDF Version. A review of Michael Beschloss, "Presidents of War" (Crown Books, 2018). *** The U.S. Constitution vests the president with "executive power" and provides that "The President sh…
October 22, 2018North Korea
The United States and South Korea are reluctant to give North Korea a test that it might fail.
September 14, 2018Financial Markets
The new consensus about the cause of the 2008 financial crisis is seductive — and misleading. Sebastian Mallaby presents an alternative opinion.
August 14, 2018United States
This article was originally published in Foreign Affairs. In the age of Donald Trump, it often feels as though one individual has the power to chart the United States' course in the world all by …
February 26, 2007Trade
Daniel J. Ikenson and Robert E. Lighthizer debate the mechanism for adjudicating trade arguments.
November 14, 2014Noncommunicable Diseases
Overview The gravest health threats facing low- and middle-income countries are not the plagues, parasites, and blights that dominate the news cycle and international relief efforts. They are …


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Amherst, Mass. – Sophomore Tyler White made 16 saves, saving the best one for 10 seconds left in the game, as Towson (8-3, 2-1 CAA) defeated No. 11 UMass (7-4, 1-1 CAA), 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Garber Field.
"It was the game we expected," said Head Coach Shawn Nadelen. "We knew it would be tough, and both goalies played very well. Any time you play UMass, it's a street fight. Tyler White came up huge for us. It's a great win for us."
The Tigers scored their last goal at 9:01 in the third quarter and withstood a furious UMass charge for the victory. It was Towson's 30th program victory over a ranked team on the road and first since the 2013 CAA champioship.
UMass's Grant Whiteway opened the scoring at 11:36, but the Minutemen weren't in the lead for long before DeNapoli and Justin Mabus teamed up for DeNapoli's 16th goal of the season at 8:57 first quarter. Cuccinello put the Tigers ahead, 3-1, at the end of the first quarter when he scored back-to-back goals 39 seconds apart.
Mariano notched his 23rd of the year at 12:35 in the second quarter, unassisted, to make it 3-2 in favor of Towson. Sophomore Ben McCarty contributed a goal at 10:40, but Mariano answered just under two minutes later. Neither team was able to do much offensively until Seider scored unassisted with a shot low to the right at 6:26 in the second.
The Tigers struggled with turnovers late in the first half, and White made five stand-up saves for Towson on quality Minutemen shots.
Ryan Izzo cut the Tigers' lead to 5-4 when he cut right down the middle and scored unassisted with 48 seconds left in the half.
Seider started the scoring in the second half at 9:01 when he worked in alone to the right side of the net and stuffed it in to give the Tigers another two-goal lead, 6-4. Towson ended the third quarter ahead, 6-5, after Jeff George sent a scorcher past White.
The fourth quarter started with a long UMass possession in which the Minutemen took six shots. Towson then went cold on offense, hitting the pipe twice and forcing Minutemen keeper Zach Oliveri into multiple tough saves.
Towson went a man down for two minutes and killed both penalties but could not sustain an offensive possession. Mariano took UMass's last shot with 10 seconds left, which White stopped dead. The Tigers ran out the last few seconds for the win.
The Tigers kick off a three-game homestand to end the regular season with Penn State on Saturday, April 12 at 7 p.m.
COLLEGE MEN'S LACROSSE: Towson 6, No. 11 UMass 5
Towson (8-3, 2-1 CAA) 3-2-1-0/6
UMass (8-2, 2-0 CAA) 1-3-1-0/5
GOALS: TOW – Cuccinello 2, Seider 2, DeNapoli, McCarty; UMASS – Mariano 2, Whiteway, Izzo, George.ASSISTS: TOW – Mabus; UMASS – Consoletti, Mooney, George. SAVES: TOW – White (16, 60:00, 5 GA); Oliveri (13, 60:00, 6 GA). SHOTS: TOW – 35; UMASS – 33. GROUNDBALLS: TOW – 22; UMASS – 24. FACE-OFFS:TOW – 5-12; UMASS – 7-12. EMO: TOW – 0-4; UMASS – 0-4. ATT: 786.


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for the LINEN FESTIVAL, like last year, we were six this time and had a wonderful base in EU. We saw sweet little cottages like this one, and monumental housing is the villages, but more of the Normandy architecture in the next post.
She embroiders on old linen sheets, with silk threads.
This passionate woman is also a well-known actress.
She kindly shared a moment with us, and explained her work, telling us she's able to embroider 10 hours a day, taking care of her position on the chair, and having a counter especcially made for her.
She usually works more than 5 months on the larger pieces....
Michele Gleizer signing the catalogue of her exhibition in the church, where we also saw the little doll quilts, simply shown on the back of church chairs.
For some mysterious reasons, a few pics came out blurry, others better.
And the floor, we all loved the designs.
A few steps away we found the perfect pinic ground, vive la France for the food and drinks, i should start dieting straight away.....
The monumental altarToday i stop by showing you this little dollquilt i managed to finish lately, the little triangles are leftovers from a big quilt.
I will be back before friday with more from Normandy.
What a gorgeous summer we have this year, but he lack of water is dramatic in the country side.
Will V in Paris, wishing a happy 4th of July to my fellow American quilters.


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Ahmed's analysis of increased 'veiling' wins religion prize
A feminist scholar at Harvard University has earned the 2013 Louisville Grawemeyer Award in Religion for explaining why a growing number of Muslim women in the United States are wearing veils.
Leila Ahmed, Harvard's Victor S. Thomas professor of divinity, received the prize for ideas set forth in her book, "A Quiet Revolution: The Veil's Resurgence from the Middle East to America." Yale University Press published the book in 2011.
Ahmed wrote the book after noticing that more and more American Muslim women over the past decade wore veils as they went about their daily lives. At first, she thought the change indicated a rejection of the women's equality. However, she ultimately found just the opposite to be true—some of the women wore the veil as a symbol of activism for justice and social change.
Ahmed interviewed young Muslim feminists, Arab nationalists, pious Islamic daughters, American Muslim immigrants and Islamic activists for her book. She discovered that in the context of contemporary American Islam, wearing a veil can represent a call for equality.
"The book is an incredible eye-opener," said Shannon Craigo-Snell, a theology professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary who directs the religion award. "It offers education, insight and hope."
Not only does Ahmed "explain the multiple meanings of the veil within the diverse traditions of Islam, but she argues that right now, in post-9/11 America, the veil is taking on new meanings in the interplay between Islamic activism and the American tradition of struggle for liberty and justice for all."
The University of Louisville presents four Grawemeyer Awards each year for outstanding works in music composition, world order, psychology and education. The university and seminary jointly give a fifth award in religion. This year's awards are $100,000 each.
About Leila Ahmed
Leila Ahmed has taught women's studies in religion at Harvard Divinity School since 1999.
Previously, she was professor of women's studies and Near Eastern studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She directed that university's women's studies program from 1992 to 1995 and its Near Eastern studies program from 1991 to 1992.
An Egyptian-American scholar focusing on Muslim feminism, Ahmed is best known for her work on the historical and social status of women in various Muslim communities. In particular, she has examined women's roles in relation to Islam, fighting stereotypes both inside and outside the Muslim world.
Born in 1940 in Cairo to an Egyptian father and Turkish mother, she later earned a doctoral degree from the University of Cambridge and moved to the United States to teach and write. While living in Europe and the United States, she struggled to reconcile her Muslim Egyptian identity with Western values.
In nearly all of her writings, she strives to dispel myths and misconceptions about Islam held by non-Muslim people.
In 1992, she wrote "Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate," which argues that male interpretations of Islam—rather than Islam itself—led to the oppression of women in the Middle East. Scholars today regard the book as a pivotal work.
In her 1999 personal memoir, "A Border Passage: From Cairo to America," she describes being introduced to Islam by her grandmother as a child and later coming to recognize the religion as different from the "official Islam" practiced by a largely male religious elite.
In 2002, she was an adviser for the award-winning PBS broadcast documentary "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet."
Ahmed has been a strong critic of Arab nationalism, describing it as a form of imperialism that has eroded the diversity and culture of both Arab-speaking nationals and non-Arabic minorities in the Middle East and North Africa.
She continues to challenge Muslim and Western feminists to redefine the diverse religious and cultural heritage of the Middle East.


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Khloé Kardashian is speaking out for the first time since rushing to Lamar Odom's side after the 35-year-old former professional athlete was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel last week.
"The past week has been incredibly difficult. I am so thankful to family, friends and fans, who have sent nothing but prayers and well wishes to Lamar. I also want to take a moment to thank everyone at Sunrise Hospital, including the amazing doctors and nurses for their kindness and diligent work. Under their amazing care, incredible strides have been made. You can never be prepared for an experience like this, but without the outpouring of love and endless prayers that Lamar has received and the strength I was given from my loved ones, it would have been difficult to endure. Thank you for your continued support. God is great!!! XOXO, Khloe" the 31-year-old "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" star wrote on her website on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Odom was discharged from Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas and transported via helicopter to a Los Angeles-area facility. Kardashian was photographed exiting the hospital, and she has continued to remain by her ex's side as he recovers since coming out of a coma on Friday.
U.S. & World
PHOTOS: Stars send prayers to Lamar Odom
Most recently, E! News has learned that Odom he is now speaking in full sentences and can swallow and eat food on his own. However, the former Lakers star has a long road to recovery ahead and is currently being treated for aspiration pneumonia.
"You can tell it's taking a toll on Khloé, but she is staying strong for Lamar," a source told E! News.
A second source previously added, "She goes everywhere with him. If Lamar leaves the room for testing, she follows."
READ: Everything we know about Lamar Odom's hospitalization
PHOTOS: Lamar Odom's happy times on and off the court
Odom's father, Joe Odom as well as his children, Destiny Odom and Lamar Odom Jr., their mother, Liza Morales, and his aunt, JaNean Mercer all flew to Las Vegas last week.
Kardashian and Odom wed in 2009 following a whirlwind engagement. Although the two both signed divorce papers in July, a judge has not signed off due to a file backlog, so the two are still legally married.
For more details on Lamar's current health, how Kardashian is helping him recover and what the next steps are for him, be sure to tune into E! News at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. tonight, only on E!


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Bella Source is an unofficial non-profit fansite dedicated to current twin duo and Total Divas stars The Bella Twins. We are no way affiliated with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) or any of there friends and family. We are not claiming to be The Bella Twins or know them personally. This is a non-profit website, created by dedicated fans for the fans and nothing more. All photos, media and website content found on this website are copyrighted to original owners unless stated otherwise and are being used under the fair copyright law 107.
As she prepares to team with her beau, John Cena, to battle The Miz & Maryse at WrestleMania, Nikki Bella steps in front of WWE.com's cameras for her hottest photo shoot ever.
Monday Night RAW - Providence, RI - October 22nd 2018
Evolution - Uniondale, NY - October 28th 2018
Monday Night RAW - Charlotte, NC - October 29th 2018
Episode Stills | Screen Captures
For a variety of reasons, tensions are high between Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan. Not, full-on-fight tensions, mind you, more like a running thread of passive-aggression that makes everyone around them very uncomfortable. It doesn't help that Brie gets stick shift lessons from John Cena when Bryan ends up being too busy to teach her, nor that Bryan retaliates by getting swimming lessons from J.J.'s sister-in-law instead of Brie. Of course, there is a deeper disconnect at work here, but luckily, like all married couples, they work it out and Bryan shows up to morning coffee with a spring in his step.... READ MORE
Digital | Screen Captures
Brie Bella comes out first and waits at the top of the ramp for Daniel before they make their way down to the ring along to thunderous 'YES!' chants. Daniel starts off by addressing the Toronto crowd, telling them it is good to be back. He recalls how the previous week The Miz and Maryse mocked his retirement. He then goes on to calling Miz and 'very poor actor' and pointed out the fact that he has to hide behind Maryse... READ MORE
Digital | Screen Capture
After weeks of trying to fight off Carmella's relentless and cruel attacks against her, Nikki Bella gained redemption by defeating The Princess of Staten Island in a hard-hitting battle at WWE No Mercy. The victory was anything but easy as The Princess of Staten Island was determined to earn the biggest win of her career at the expense of Nikki... READ MORE
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Nikki plans on crashing with her twin sister until she and fiance John Cena find their own place in Arizona.
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Blog Disclosure Policy
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Nailed It
Cats, man. Cats.
I know a lot of you guys had settled on the name Patches for the kitten, but though it was cute, it wasn't quite unique enough. Retrokitty was another good one, but he's not always going to be playing old stuff. I settled on Glitch because I think it suits him, so I hope you guys like it.


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The Next Generation
Faster Internet. Better Value. Our DSLv2 packages provide fast, reliable internet so you can enjoy everything the web has to offer with speeds up to 75 Mbps. DSLv2 offers a number of advantages over standard DSL services.
Managed Internet
Get the Support you Need
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Business Class Internet
The best route to the Internet. opti-path® offers cost-effective transport with unparalleled reliability by taking advantage of the vast array of today's available technologies allowing your business to meet mission critical requirements.


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For K&K Beauty, it's not just what it can offer its clients, but where it can offer it. Katherine O'Connor and business partner Kimberly Petruzzi travel all over Eastern Massachusetts and beyond to professionally apply makeup and create vibrant hairstyles for clients as they get ready for weddings, proms or other special events.
For K&K Beauty, it's not just what it can offer its clients, but where it can offer it.
Canton-based K&K Beauty takes its makeup and hair design abilities right to its customers. Canton resident Katherine O'Connor and business partner Kimberly Petruzzi travel all over Eastern Massachusetts and beyond to professionally apply makeup and create vibrant hairstyles for clients as they get ready for weddings, proms or other special events.
"It's just such a convenient way of doing things," O'Connor said.
Beauty salons are commonplace throughout Massachusetts and the country, but beauty salons that travel are much more rare, said O'Connor, who grew up and spent most of her life living in Canton.
Most of her business is in the greater Boston area and Cape Cod, but O'Connor, 29, has traveled for customers as far away as New York, and in one instance, all the way to Mexico.
Weddings provide K&K Beauty with most of its business, but O'Connor said her company is prepared for any number of special occasions. Petruzzi focuses on hair styling, and O'Connor focuses on makeup, though they both have experience in either capacity.
With bridal parties often going to salons together the day of the wedding, things can get hectic, especially with so many last minute things to do. Along with eliminating any potential travel time for the bridal party, K&K Beauty allows people to receive beauty treatments in the comfort of their own home, hotel or resort, O'Connor said.
And while traveling all over can be interesting, it's the customers who make it all go, O'Connor said.
"It's not where you go but who you work with," she said.
The roots of the company are simple.
Both O'Connor and Petruzzi worked together at Hair Essentials in Weymouth, Mass., and went out together one night. They talked about their own interests and, finding themselves on the same page, they decided to start their own business, O'Connor said.
For a few years, the pair worked together on a freelance basis. Now, the company is fully launched with its own Web site, www.kkbeauty.com, O'Connor said.
This time of year is a little slow with few weddings taking place during the winter, but O'Connor and Petruzzi are gearing up for the wedding season this spring, which will be here sooner rather than later.
O'Connor said she likes being able to try different things with different people — all while using her own creativity to add a little something to the look.
"You can take somebody and give them a very natural look or a very glamorous look," O'Connor said. "At the end of the night, they can just wash it off. You can play with it. It's so versatile."
Seeing peoples' reactions when she finishes is her favorite part of the process, O'Connor said."And hopefully it's a good one," she quipped.
O'Connor's industry is very much word of mouth, and though she does advertise, her last client could be her best advertiser, she said.
Before opening K&K Beauty, O'Connor attended the Learning Institute for Beauty Sciences in Boston, and received a certificate in advanced makeup training from renowned Boston-based makeup artist David Nicholas. O'Connor went to high school at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham.
O'Connor lives with her 3-year old daughter, Sophia, at their home on Green Lodge Street, which is where K&K Beauty is based as well.
O'Connor suggested that soon-to-be brides check out a few different places for hair and make-up.
"Find out what you're most comfortable with," O'Connor said. "And what looks you like best."
She cautioned potential clients against going into salons with a singular view of what they want to look like.
"You could have so many other looks that could work," she said, adding that it's important to try a few different looks along the way.
But she does want some direction or a starting point, she said.
"I need something," she said.
Though she said having makeup done professionally for a wedding is best, she said if people choose to do it themselves, they should "go heavier for photographic reasons.""Everything shows up in the photos," she said.
For more information, go to www.kkbeauty.com. K&K Beauty is located at 48 Green Lodge St. and can be reached at (781) 686-0481.
Jeff Mucciarone of the Canton Journal can be reached at email@example.com or by calling (508) 967-3512.


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Weingarten Willing to Talk
The election of Randi Weingarten as president of the American Federation of Teachers this past summer signaled a greater willingness from that union to accept that new ideas and education "reforms" are inevitable.
The election of Randi Weingarten as president of the American Federation of Teachers this past summer signaled a greater willingness from that union to accept that new ideas and education "reforms" are inevitable. In a speech today at the National Press Club, Weingarten underscored such openness, saying that her union would be open to discussing nearly all ideas, but expects and demands a role in shaping new policies.
"No issue, with the exception of vouchers, is off the table for discussion," Weingarten said. "What's going to be high on our list is anything that's good for kids and fair to teachers."
Among the traditionally contentious ideas that Weingarten suggested a willingness to consider are the accountability and standards movement exemplified by the federal No Child Left Behind law; differential or merit pay; and tenure.
"Some see tenure not as fairness but as a fortress that prevents incompetent teachers from ever being fired," she said. "It isn't, and it shouldn't be."
Weingarten suggested that changes to tenure could be achieved if more districts adopted the model pioneered in Toledo and other AFT-represented districts, where teachers have engaged in a peer-review process.
The Washington Teachers Union, an AFT affiliate, is currently engaged in a high-profile negotiation with D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Rhee's plan would greatly boost teachers salaries, but at the expense of tenure and seniority. The Washington Post reported Sunday that Fenty and Rhee are considering actions to circumvent the union by converting the system to one structured around charter schools.
In addition to signaling her desire for a collaborative approach, Weingarten called for more investment in education. She warned of the dangers if state and local governments, currently hard hit by the economic downturn, balance their budgets on the backs of schools. "This disinvestment in education may help state and local bottom lines this year," she said, "but it will create a race to the bottom that will affect our economy for years to come."
Weingarten outlined several steps she would like to see districts and states take, including rebuilding and rewiring inadequate schools.
This does not appear to be the right moment for her to achieve on a national scale the type of pay increases she negotiated as head of the AFT affiliate in New York City -- a 43 percent raise since 2002.
But her openness to ideas that unions have traditionally abhorred holds promise for duplicating other innovations out of New York, such as a system of differential pay that rewards all teachers for improved performance at a given school. All but two of the 191 eligible schools that have signaled their intent for next year have decided to participate, she said.
"If anyone doubts Randi Weingarten's ability to bring improvement in education, just look at New York City," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who introduced her. Bloomberg noted that the district's terminally high turnover rate has come down and that the city now received 10 times as many applications as it can fill each year.
"I'm just glad everything is on the table but vouchers," said former North Carolina Gov. James Hunt, who heads an education think tank at UNC-Chapel Hill, during a brief interview. "That's the way it ought to be."


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"There's just an undeniable energy about them that's pure and spontaneous and they're oddballs of nature," Jim explained.
"They don't really belong in water or on land, they don't fly, what do they do? They're kind of odd and out of place and that's how I feel a lot of the time but we make the best of it."
"It was the soul of it," Jim explained. "Frankly I had people in my camp going 'Really? You want to do a penguin movie?' but I love penguins, what could I do? I gotta follow that spirit!"
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/enter ... html?r=RSS


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Fitment: Fits: Ford Mustang 1979-93. REAR FITMENT ONLY. Fitment guaranteed for stock equipped vehicles only.Will not fit 1993 Cobra. Does NOT fit vehicles equipped with upgraded or performance brakes such as Brembo, or specialty models with larger brake calipers including Cobra, Boss, GT500, Shelby etc.
Wheel Size: 17x9
Wheel offset: 20
Bolt Pattern: 4-108
Bolt Pattern: 64.2
Back spacing: 5.79
Center Caps: Center cap included, factory center cap will interchange.
Finish: Chrome: Many myths surround the process of chrome plating. The majority of sellers out there have incorrect information and have not researched the process of chrome plating or spent time in plating facilities as OE Wheel Distributors has. We believe in research. Triple dipped or triple plated chroming is simply not the true process. The correct process lies within the preparation of the wheel prior to the plating. The first layer of plating is copper, which adheres to the wheel and creates a smooth foundation. The second layer is nickel, which provides the hardness or durability to the finish. The final layer is chrome, which creates the cosmetic finish. Just as important as this process is how long the wheel is left in the plating tank and how often the plating solution is replaced.


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Long Sleeve Slouch Top
Jump into Winter in Style! Only $19 for a Long Sleeve Slouch Top, Available in Eight Colours and Five Sizes. Pair Your Top with a Tee, Tank, Leggings or Jeans for the Perfect Comfy, Cool & Casual Look
- Highlights
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- Direct Import
The Offer
Ever confused casual with sloppy or easy-wear with ewww shouldn't-wear? Ensure your comfy clothes are chic, not eeek with a comfy long sleeve slouch top
Winter has well and truly arrived, so make sure you stay warm and stylish with this on-trend top, featuring long sleeves and a loose, comfy fit
Pair with a tee, tank, leggings or jeans and perfect a comfy/cool/casual/chic look with ease
Grab yours in one of eight colours: black, white, red, purple, green, grey, yellow or cream
Available in S, M, L, XL and XXL - check out the 'Sizing' tab for more details
What We Like
The perfect choice for mild winter days
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The Fine Print
Please enter delivery details at checkout. Once purchased your goods will be automatically sent to your address in approximately four weeks from the end of the promotion, no further action will be required
Delivery to PO Box addresses is not possible
Please note a delivery fee of $4.95 applies per item
Members can purchase up to twenty vouchers (gift vouchers aren't available for this offer, but you can purchase multiple vouchers and give the product as a gift)
Your product will be delivered to you by the supplier of the product. The estimated delivery time for this product has been provided by the supplier
Please allow more time for delivery to regional areas
Not valid in conjunction with any other offer and not redeemable for cash
Please ensure your address is correct. Incorrect addresses will incur a re-delivery fee
S: 106cm Bust, 65cm Sleeve, 47cm Front Length, 68cm Back Length
M: 110cm Bust, 65cm Sleeve, 48cm Front Length, 69cm Back Length
L: 114cm Bust, 66cm Sleeve, 49cm Front Length, 70cm Back Length
XL: 118cm Bust, 66cm Sleeve, 50cm Front Length, 71cm Back Length
XXL: 122cm Bust, 67cm Sleeve, 51cm Front Length, 72cm Back Length
This product is a direct import. Please see our direct import terms and conditions page for more information.


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Ninja hooliganism is a burgeoning problem these days, so it's good to know that some shinobis are using their clandestine arts to prevent dumb kids from shooting swans with BB guns.
Meet 33-year-old Ken "Shadow" Andre, who's been patrolling the South England town of Yeovil for a little more than half a decade. Daytime, nighttime, it does not matter. His justice does not sleep.
[Via BBC]


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Via: Comic Twart
Check out more Calvin & Hobbes themed fan art under our Calvin and Hobbes tag!
Via: Comic Twart
Calvin and Hobbes by Justin Copelan
Via: RetroAero
Via: Rows of Lights
Via: Rows of Lights
Via: Deviant Art
Few historians know of the heartwarming friendship between French Reformation theologian John Calvin and English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes, the latter of whom may or may not have been real, considering he was not even born yet.
"Best Friends" by Spacecoyote
Via: Deviant Art
Via: Deviant Art
Via: The Daily What / Deviant Art
Via: Deviant Art
Finally I put to "paper" an idea I've had in my head for a while. I took some artistic liberties with Calvin. Morphing the short chubby Calvin boy into a lean adult produced this. With Hobbes always at his side, they fight crime above the law.
"I'm Home" by erikjdurwoodii
Just for fun.
"Jack's Imaginary Friend" by Sean Clarity
Via: Gallery1988
Via: Gallery1988
A visual representation of Galvin P. Chow's theory that Fight Club is Calvin and Hobbes, but grown up:
"Just as Calvin has an imaginary jungle-animal friend named Hobbes, whom everyone else believes to be nothing but a stuffed toy, "Jack" in Fight Club has an imaginary cool-guy friend named Tyler, whom no one but Jack can see."
Via: Comic Book Resources
"Batmin and Robbes" by infos-geek
Via: Flickr
"Fozzie Bear" by Stephen Mooney
Via: Eclectic Mick
Via: Reddit
"Calvin ten years Later" by Bolorz
Via: Reddit
"Calvin and Hobbes as Watchmen" by Raid71
Created for the Art V Cancer project to raise money for cancer research.
Via: DeviantArt
It's kinda impossible to make Calvin look like Calvin in another style.
"Calvin and Hobbes Goes Manga" by Ted Dawson and Wes Hargis
Via: Three Men in a Tub
"Han & Chewie" by James Hance
Get it on a t-shirt at Red Bubble.
"Alone" by Enigmawing
Via: DeviantArt
Calvin has just made the most painful realization of his young life.
"Hobbes" by Jamie Boylan (Sacking Jimmy)
"I did this for a battle over at the Satellite Soda forums. The topic was Destroying a childhood memory."
"Drawing" by Ki
Source unknown, but this has appeared in a number of variations and places.
Via: Colin Fahrion


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A long-awaited overhaul of U.S. immigration law has a good chance of happening this year, bringing major changes to the millions of people living here illegally—and perhaps giving the economy a boost.
While details are sketchy right now, the Obama administration last week announced it is launching a major effort to push reforms through Congress soon.
A major goal is to expand the guest worker program to allow more foreign nationals to legally work in the U.S. But the biggest hurdle may be whether to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants in the U.S.—or deport them.
Analysts say that unlike failed attempts in the past, they expect reform to get done this time—and it could end up being beneficial for the still sluggish economy. (Read more: Bleak Global Economy)
"If there's a way to bring millions of people legally into our system, they'd be paying more taxes and spending more money and creating more jobs," said Michael Wildes, managing partner of the immigration law firm Wildes & Weinberg. "It would be a big boost to the economy and any kind of amnesty provision that includes fees from illegal immigrants would help fill the treasury."
Others agree that this is the year something will get done.
"I think some type of reform will happen soon," said Jim Witte, director of the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University. "There are traditional allies among Democrats but there's also a growing conservative coalition of businesses and law enforcement who want immigration reform as well." (Read more: Disney To Layoff Workers?)
I'ts estimated that some 40 million people in the U.S. are immigrants, according to the Census Bureau, with anywhere from 7 million to 20 million of them in the country illegally.
Economic activity produced by illegal immigrant spending employs about 5 percent of the total U.S. workforce, according to a study by UCLA. The research indicates illegal immigrants produce a total of $150 billion of economic activity each year.


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What price performance? That's the question you always have to ask yourself when considering Intel's uber-expensive Extreme processors. For the QX9650, the answer, sadly, has to be too much.
Unjustified price
Largely that's due to the arrival of the much cheaper Q9550 model. An extra £400 is an awful lot of money to pay for the 170MHz of additional clockspeed and unlocked CPU multiplier the QX9650 offers over its cheaper sibling.
In all other regards it sports an identical 45nm quad-core feature set. In our testing it wasn't even much quicker for overclocking - 3.5GHz plays 3.4GHz.
What's more, if you are going to spend an insane amount of money, it makes sense to go the whole hog, bag the QX9770 model and enjoy the knowledge that you've managed to buy the fastest processor possible.


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Amazon.com: Dead Man's Revenge (Rancho Diablo) eBook: Colby Jackson: Kindle Store: Western action explodes as Sam Blaylock fights to save Rancho Diablo. Has a dead man returned to take revenge against Sam, or is there something more human at work? Even the law doesn't seem to be on Sam's side as he takes on enemies that strike in the night.
DEADMAN'S REVENGE is the third volume in the exciting Rancho Diablo series.


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"If someone walked into our classroom, who would he or she say owned it?" Patick Allen
This week I've been reading "Conferring" by Patrick Allen to prepare for the start of our professional reading cyberchat (#cyberPD). The list of participants (some are here) has grown since last week, and it's never too late to join. Please scroll to the bottom to find links to other blogs participating in the event. If you'd like to participate in our discussion about Part I, here are a few ways to join the conversation (see end of post for other event dates).
You can:
1. leave a comment at the end of this post.
2. write a post about your reflections, and place your link in the comments below. I will then link your blog to this post.
3. comment on Twitter using hashtag #cyberPD.
4. visit other blog reflections and comment.
Patrick Allen spends much time in Part I, discussing the ways he builds a classroom environment in which conferring can happen. As I was reading "Conferring" the above quote caught my attention. Allen asks, "If someone walked into our classroom, who would s/he say owned it?" I wonder about this a lot. It is my hope that when someone walks into our classroom they know it is a place where children belong and where learning is valued. From the table that sits close to the ground for readers/writers/learners/friends to gather, to the books surrounding the room in baskets with covers facing out to call to young readers, to the work and thinking hanging on the walls, I want the room to be a place for children to talk, think, dream, learn and work together. I want students to feel at home when they enter. It's their place.
How is Conferring Important in a Learning Community?
Allen reminds us, "Conferring provides an opportunity for my students and me to discuss and explore ideas together (p. 32)." I couldn't help but think about the way the small conversations we have as we confer with children lead into, and out of, the bigger conversations taking place across our classroom community. Voices from conferring carry back into the learning of the classroom. I found this quote by poet Ryunosuke Satoro, "Individually we are one drop. Together we are an ocean." I couldn't help but think about the way each conversation, as we confer, contributes to the deeper understandings we discover as a classroom community. In our learning communities, each voice matters. It is through conferring that we shape readers, and these conversations are "the keystone to reader's workshop".
A Few "Amens"!
- "There is something lasting about sitting down next to a child and having a conversation as fellow readers." (p. XV)
- "Conferring is the keystone of effective instruction. Without conferring, my reader's workshop flounders." (p. 24)
- "Learning is about continuity." (p. 27)
- "Reading conferences don't depend on us taking the lead." (p. 32)
Now I'm Pondering...
- Why do I confer?
- How will the beginning of my year look different as a result of reading Patrick's book?
- Though reading and writing conferences share many similarities, I am thinking about the ways they differ. How does conferring look different in reader's workshop?
Today's Conversation
- Jill Fisch talks about "counterfeit beliefs" at My Primary Passion. She reminds us of the power of conferring conversations in moving students forward and the opportunities to confer across our day.
- Chris Rayner shares her goals for next year at Reading Amid the Chaos as she reflects on "Conferring"in Conferring Book Club. This post speaks to the power of community, conversation, and writing in reading.
- In her "Reflections on Conferring," Shelley Carter reflects on her past experiences conferring in her classroom and the many attempted systems to organize the information gathered. At Thoughts of a Teacher, Shelley reminds us to consider why conferring is important for our students as we look toward a new year.
- Michelle shares her CyberPD: Conferring reflections at Literacy Learning Zone where she talks about the obstacles we all face when trying to make conferring work in our classrooms.
- Tony Keefer joins the "cool kids" and adds to the discussion. Stop by Atychiphobia (Tony, I have to look at your title EVERY time I type it!) where Tony shares his thinking in Conversing about Conferring....with a few other humorous asides.
- Stop by Love to Teach Reading and Writing where Barbara shares her thoughts in Reflection...Conferring the Keystone of Reader's Workshop Part I. Barbara discusses her guiding principles and the ideas she is willing to fight for in Reader's Workshop and, most importantly, for her students.
- Laura Komos shares her reflections on
conferencing (kidding Laura & Patrick)conferring at Our Camp Read-A-Lot. In Conferring, not conferencing! Laura reflects on her reading with some interesting points about conferring, a confer app for iPad, and her goals for students. You'll want to stop by her blog.
- Somehow in the midst of a crazy busy day, Carol shares her reflections at Carol's Corner. In Cyber PD: Conferring - The Keystone of Readers' Workshop, Carol looks toward her new journey back into the classroom. Stop by to read Carol's "take-aways" from Patrick's thinking and the impact it will have in her new classroom.
- I am so excited that Randi Allison a mentor, colleague, and friend of Patrick Allen has decided to join our conversation. You won't want to miss this post at Tastes Like Chocolate (you have to love a name like that!). In "Conferring" Randi shares Patrick's journey, and reminds us of our own journey as teachers.
- First of all, best wishes to Australian blogger, ecksposition, as the journey of a new teaching career begins. "Talking About Reading" is a reflection of "Conferring" and what it might mean in this new grade 3-4 setting.
- Mandy Robek considers the struggles of balancing conferring with small group instruction in at Enjoy and Embrace Learning. In Conferring: The Keystone of Reader's Workshop, Mandy shares the challenges of meeting with kindergarten readers who attend school every other day.
- Nicole, from Nicole's Book Nook, joins us with her reflections in Conferring Part I: Changing Misconceptions. Nicole shares her thoughts on adding conferring to her work with young emergent readers.
Event Schedule


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February 22, 2011
On a wintery Saturday morning on the east side of Kansas City, Missouri, the waiting room at Hope Family Care Center (HFCC) is bustling. Patients chat while waiting for their appointments. Nurses greet patients by name, calling them back to the exam rooms. An adult diabetes education class is underway down the hall.
Before HFCC opened its doors in fall 2009 at 3027 Prospect Ave., there was no primary care facility available in the immediate neighborhood. During the first year and a half of operation, HFCC was staffed by a rotation of doctors and nurses who volunteered their time to see patients. HFCC was only open in the mornings, making it difficult for some patients to make appointments. Despite the challenges, HFCC has treated more than 1,200 patients since its inception.
Now HFCC is welcoming its first full-time doctor. Jeremy Kirchoff, MD, a family practice and obstetrics physician, comes to HFCC through a partnership with Research Medical Center. Dr. Kirchoff is the primary physician for HFCC patients and also provides prenatal care for expectant mothers. In order to provide the neglected east side neighborhood with adequate medical care, Research—part of HCA Midwest Health System, Kansas City's largest healthcare network—is committing more than $600,000 over two years. This investment in the east side's healthcare will allow HFCC to retain a full-time staff and extend operating hours.
The funding will enable HFCC to address the medical needs of more people like Denise Hudson, who, despite her busy schedule, has made a special effort to attend the diabetes class on a cold winter morning. "At any other clinic, I wouldn't have shown up for something like this," Hudson says. "But because of the way they treat me here, I want to come."
Hudson first sought medical treatment at HFCC a year ago, and because of the care she receives there, her diabetes is now under control. The staff at HFCC found affordable medication for her. She is eating properly, and in November she quit smoking.
"When my doctor heard I quit smoking, she stopped and took the time to hear my story," Hudson says. "She wanted to know how I did it. She was so proud of me."
As a patient at HFCC, Hudson feels respected by the staff. She likes the prompt attention she receives and since it's only three minutes from her home, HFCC is accessible. And when the need has arisen, some of the doctors have even bowed their heads and prayed with her.
"The doctors here are prayerful," says Hudson. "They take the time to talk to me, they want to help me and they are really here because they want to be. They treat me like family."
It was the strong Christian values and emphasis on community restoration that attracted Dr. Kirchoff to HFCC. "When Research Medical Center gave me the opportunity to join Hope Family Care Center, I was thrilled. This is an organization that is taking a holistic, multi-faceted approach to investing in a neighborhood," says Dr. Kirchoff. "I want to be part of a community that, through the love of Christ, is also addressing the larger problems that are present in the neighborhood."
Jake Latta, the COO of the Hope Center, HFCC's parent organization, says Dr. Kirchoff's arrival is a key component to community development on the east side. "The goal is for neighborhood restoration," he said. "The Hope Center wants to be a catalyst that creates opportunities for neighborhood residents. HFCC plays a big part in that strategy."
HFCC hopes that the community will view them as a neighborhood partner and ally, and will take the opportunity to proactively address their medical needs. The end goal is a healthier, thriving community. Latta says he is grateful for Research Medical Center's involvement in making a full-time physician available to HFCC patients. "It helps build a better quality of life for them," he says.
Kevin Hicks, chief executive officer of Research Medical Center, says the partnership is an important part of the hospital's community outreach. "We are a part of this community and want residents to have access to quality and compassionate healthcare for themselves and their families," he says. "Dr. Kirchoff emulates the professional values representative of Research Medical Center, which has served the Kansas City area for 125 years."
As for Hudson, she plans to continue receiving treatment for diabetes at the HFCC. In the fall, the doctors there told her she could stop taking insulin, and her next goal is to forgo medication completely. "When they told me I could come off of insulin, it was the best day of my life," she says. "I feel excited, like I can conquer diabetes. Now my next step is to start exercising. They inspire me."


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'We need to be absolutely clear whose fault this is. It is the terrorists who are responsible for this attack and for the loss of life.' (David Cameron, House of Commons, 18 January)
'The responsibility for the tragic events of the last two days squarely rests with terrorists.' (William Hague, Sky News, 18 January)
In the light of the weekend's tragic events in Algeria, the British government has been firm in its condemnation of the terrorists who carried out the kidnappings. This reaction is understandable. The attacks were conducted by bad, deluded men taking murderous decisions in support of a bad, deluded ideology.
But it is also only a partially correct interpretation. Yes, the immediate event in question can be blamed on a small group of terrorists, but these terrorists did not emerge in a vacuum, and once the dust has settled it is to be hoped that the British and other Western governments will develop a more considered, more nuanced analysis.
You do not have to go too far back down the trail that led to the kidnappings to discover Western actions that made them more likely. Mokhtar Belmokhtar, the mastermind behind the attacks, is probably a fanatic, definitely a murderer. But he rose to prominence in Algeria's civil war in the 1990s, which had been triggered by the annulling of an election won by Islamists. The French government supported the illegitimate Algerian leadership in that conflict, thereby helping to nurture the generation of violent radicals from which Belmokhtar and other Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) leaders sprung.
Nor can Belmokhtar carry out attacks alone. He needs men and arms, and to acquire these he needs money. He and his AQIM cohorts have had two major funding sources. The first is drug trafficking across the Sahara, a trade which would not exist if Europe, instead of deflecting its law and order problems onto Africa, legalised drugs. The second is kidnapping – tens of millions of dollars have been paid to AQIM by European governments in return for the release of hostages. (A third revenue stream is human trafficking, whose extent is unknown but which is rendered possible by Europe's restrictions on legal migration from Africa).
With the funds from these activities, Belmokhtar can buy arms, including those that scattered across the Sahara after the fall of Gaddafi in Libya. Gaddafi's demise was hastened by Western military involvement in the conflict, yet Western forces failed to stop large quantities of weapons falling into the hands of AQIM and of the Tuareg fighters who instigated the troubles in Mali to which the Algeria attack was a response. Some of those arms, moreover, are likely to have been sold to Libya by the UK, France and other European powers.
Belmokhtar can also buy men. West Africa is full of unemployed, frustrated young men who see no prospect of achieving their goals through peaceful means. Their governments have been hollowed out, first by Western colonialism (a former British foreign secretary in 1943 likened the granting of independence to 'giving a child of ten a latch-key, a bank account and a shotgun'), and more recently by corruption. Mali's pre-coup government is itself widely thought to have been involved in the drug trade, and the corruption this engendered left it ill placed both to invest in the country's youth and to fend off revolt (it was eventually toppled by a ragtag bunch of junior soldiers). In nearby Nigeria, whose own fundamentalist terror mutation Boko Haram has supplied fighters to the Mali rebels, corruption abetted by Western oil companies has exacerbated northern discontent and made it easier for young northerners to persuade themselves that violence is justified.
This hollowing out of governments leaves young people marooned in the face of greater challenges. The population boom has combined with climate change to render it ever more difficult for them to find work and set up families. Rainfall in the Sahel region has declined by one quarter since 1950, and it is not Africans who have caused the environment to heat up. The population boom was assisted by Western medical advances, but was not accompanied by efforts by the colonial powers to educate their people. Europe enjoyed the same medical and public health advances as West Africa, but the population boom in the former was much less dramatic, and one of the reasons for this is that European women were better educated and therefore better able and more inclined to keep fertility to manageable levels. When Guinea-Bissau gained independence from Portugal in 1975, only one in fifty Guineans could read and write – again, the roots of current events can be traced back to Western actions. West Africa's burgeoning generation of young men, meanwhile, has become a fertile recruiting pool for Belmokhtar and other jihadis.
I could go on, to discuss how other events with which Western countries had been involved – the colonial powers' division of the Tuareg homeland, the Mali government's historic failure to help the Tuareg cope with the effects of climate change, this month's French intervention in Mali, etc – were all directly or indirectly linked to the disaster in Algeria. But Western policy-makers should be getting the picture by now (if not, they can look to this excellent Observer editorial for an even broader view). Cameron and Hague's response to the kidnappings is understandable, but in the long-term unhelpful. If the West is to help stop these events happening in the future, a more constructive approach, in a globalising world where repercussions quickly cross borders, would be to examine its own role in making their occurrence more likely.


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It's no secret that the New Orleans Saints are a sacred lifeline of the city as a whole. After Hurricane Katrina, both the city and franchise rebuilt, revisited old ways, and rethought a new plan for success and renewal. That first home game in the Superdome in fall 2006 was one of the most magical moments in both Saints and New Orleans' history.
On Sundays, game days—and really any day—black and gold jerseys, hats, car stickers, and every type of merchandise imaginable in between, are donned with both team and city pride. During Saints season, we live from Sunday to Sunday, discuss past and upcoming games at the water cooler, and excitedly plan the food and beverage menus for each game gathering.
Without the Saints every season, we admittedly all feel a little lost. For fans, players, and coaches alike, this off season has felt particularly long and anxious. The stretch of months without a Saints game normally feels long enough already, but with the summer's never-ending bounty allegations case, the time passed twice as slowly.
Allegations were made that Saints players and personnel were involved in a pay-for-performance pool that included intent to injure opposing players. As a result, the NFL handed down suspensions of varying length to Saints players, coaches, and even the general manager, though no actual facts or evidence in the case were ever made apparent.
Needless to say, the Who Dat Nation—and of course, the franchise itself— are eager to start the new season and prove to the football-watching world that nothing would keep the Saints or the city down. Like our team and city's comeback from Katrina, this season we will come back with a vengeance to set the record straight—and once again thrash our opponents fair and square.
Luckily, the most recent developments in the bounty case including the lifting of the players' suspensions just in time for Week 1 of regular season. It's also the first home Dome game, in which the Saints meet the Washington Redskins—great news for linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith.
However, this latest announcement has no effect on the non-players' suspensions, including beloved head coach Sean Payton's year-long suspension, which was been much reviled by fans and sports analysts alike. In response, Dirty Coast retailers released "Free Sean Payton" shirts, which have started a small movement in the Big Easy. During the pregame of last week's season opener in New York City, someone even flew a Free Sean Payton banner in the sky overhead of the nationally televised festivities.
Also exciting for this year, the NOLA and the Superdome will host the 2013 Super Bowl. The city is already abuzz with plans and activities, which will grow exponentially as February draws nearer. If there's any city ripe with enough experience, culture, and entertainment to captivate and enliven the nation and a Super Bowl crowd, it's this one.
Past seasons, this summer's bounty drama, and the future Super Bowl aside, we in the Who Dat Nation are simply happy to have our boys in the black and gold back, as well as the treasured Sunday afternoons we spend watching them.


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Projects & Practice
Using RDP support to acquire new equipment for a small town's public kitchen.
Switching from manual labour to mechanised work in order to make the business much more cost effective.
Setting up a fruit juice processing plant that operates with renewable energy.
Ensuring the productivity of a fruit-producing business by replacing low-yield apricot orchards with more reliable plants.
RDP support for young farmers enabled a young entrepreneur to turn his small farm into a viable organic farm which contributes to the protection of the environment while creating new employment opportunities for the local community.
The cost for fossil fuels can be a significant constrain for the operation of a small farm. Reverting into renewable sources of energy such as biomass, can help increase the farm's competitiveness while protecting the environment.
Strengthening social enterprises in two Hungarian regions became a leverage to increase local employment in disadvantaged communities.


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GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) — Seeking to build momentum for looming fiscal fights, President Barack Obama on Wednesday cast himself as the champion for middle-class Americans struggling to make ends meet. He chided Washington for having "taken its eye off the ball" and declared that the economy would be the "highest priority" of his second term.
President Barack Obama speaks at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., Wednesday, July 24, 2013. Obama hit the road to deliver remarks in Illinois and Missouri kicking off a series of speeches that lay out his vision for rebuilding the economy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Obama, in an hour-long address that was at times deeply partisan, also accused Republican lawmakers of succumbing to "an endless parade of distractions and political posturing and phony scandals." He said gridlock had only gotten worse since his re-election.
"I am here to say this needs to stop," Obama said in a speech at Knox College. "This moment does not require short-term thinking. It does not require having the same old stale debates."
Obama, as he often does when criticizing Washington, glossed over his own status as the inhabitant of the city's most powerful office.
GOP leaders quickly panned the president's remarks as a series of repackaged ideas and empty promises.
"It's a hollow shell, it's an Easter egg with no candy in it," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.
Indeed, the president's remarks were void of new policy proposals or fresh solutions for breaking Washington stalemates. And there were no new approaches presented for resolving potential showdowns with Republicans this fall over raising the nation's borrowing limit and curtailing across-the-board federal budget cuts known as "the sequester."
For the president's advisers, a central goal of the speech was simply to refocus Obama's agenda squarely on the economy ahead of the fall deadlines. The first six months of his second term largely have been consumed by priorities like gun control and immigration, as well as an array of foreign policy crises and domestic controversies, including the National Security Agency's domestic spying programs and IRS scrutiny of political groups.
While official Washington's attention was elsewhere, the economy was slowly but steadily improving. The housing market is recovering, the stock market is soaring, and unemployment, while still high at 7.6 percent, is falling.
But the White House fears that standoffs this fall over the debt ceiling and the sequester could upend that progress. The president has declared that he will not negotiate over the debt ceiling and expects Republicans to lift the borrowing limit without concessions. He's also pushing to end the federal budget cuts before they extend into the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
The president panned the sequester as a "meat cleaver" that has "cost jobs, hurt our military and gutted investments in American education."
Obama will seek to keep up his renewed economic focus in the coming weeks with a series of speeches on manufacturing, education, housing, retirement security and health care. Advisers say some of those speeches will contain more specific policy proposals, both for congressional legislation and executive action.
The president said he welcomed ideas from lawmakers of both parties, but wouldn't stand for reflexive opposition to his own initiatives.
"I'm laying out my ideas to give the middle class a better shot," he said. "Now it's time for you to lay out your ideas."
For Obama, the day trip to Knox College marked a return to the site of his first major economic address. He spoke at the school's graduation ceremony in 2005 as a newly elected U.S. senator.
His remarks back then were strikingly similar to the themes he outlined Wednesday in Illinois and later in Missouri, including the government's role in ensuring all Americans have opportunities to get ahead and the need for the U.S. to be better prepared to compete internationally. Barring action now, Obama said, "We will be waving the white flag while other countries forge ahead in the global economy."
The economy in the surrounding Galesburg community reflects much of the underlying economic concerns facing many Americans. A Maytag plant in the town shut its doors in 2004, leaving hundreds of people unemployed. Today, the factory still sits vacant. Galesburg's unemployment rate is just under 8 percent, and nearly a quarter of its population lives in poverty.
"Those old days aren't coming back," Obama conceded. He said the proposals he will outline in speeches later this summer will be aimed at adapting the U.S. economy to an increasingly competitive and interconnected world.
On education, the president promised "an aggressive strategy to shake up the system, tackle rising costs, and improve value for middle-class students and their families."
During the second stop Wednesday, Obama highlighted a program at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg that gives students education and skills at a faster pace while lowering the costs. Students earn a bachelor's degree in two years.
"You are a laboratory for this innovation. ... I want the entire country to notice it," Obama said. "I've asked my team to shake the trees all across the country for some of the best ideas out there for keeping college costs down."
The president also said he would use the speeches he'll give in the coming weeks to renew his calls for increasing the minimum wage and giving all 4-year-olds access to pre-school programs. The first of those speeches will come Tuesday, when Obama visits an Amazon distribution center in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Obama also pledged to take steps to encourage home ownership, make it easier for people to save for retirement and to continue to put in place the elements of his health care law in the face of efforts by Republicans in Congress to repeal, delay or eliminate funding for its various parts.
Pace reported from Washington.
Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap and Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC