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Update: We reported in July on the rise of two San Francisco ridesharing startups, Lyft and SideCar. Both companies have since expanded their reach in the Bay Area, and have yet to run into any thorny legal issues so far. These ride-sharing companies claim that they are not taxi companies, even though they act very similar to taxi companies. The pair is serving a much smaller area than Uber, a smartphone-powered black-car service focusing on the upper tier of the market.
Uber, which also operates in San Francisco, has been facing increasing legal scrutiny in cities around the country. Last week, Washington, DC, again proposed new anti-Uber regulations, this time banning car firms with less than 20 cars in their fleet. Recently, though, the company beat back a state-issued cease-and-desist order in Massachusetts to successfully launch in Boston. Uber—which still operates in San Francisco—remains under investigation by the California Public Utilities Commission, the state agency that regulates limousines. As Lyft and SideCar expand in the City by the Bay, they may end up facing similar legal challenges.
SAN FRANCISCO—As I drove over the Bay Bridge and passed into the city on a recent Friday afternoon, I faced a crisis of will. Was I truly willing to attach a hot pink Carstache—which is precisely what it sounds like—to the grill of my black Toyota in the name of journalism?
I pulled onto Harrison Street, into a section of the SoMa (South of Market, San Francisco's startup hub) district that's full of new high-rise residential buildings. I stepped out into the summer afternoon, opened my trunk, and whipped out the ridiculously large but definitely distinctive Carstache. I walked to the front of my car and did the deed. Carstache affixed. Now I was set to begin my first work shift.
Last week, I completed my orientation and training as a driver for Lyft. It's the new service from Zimride, a ride-sharing website started back in 2007. Lyft launched in limited form back in late May. Its goal? To connect drivers and passengers through the company's free iPhone app. In essence, it's a social, tech-driven way to compete with taxis (notoriously difficult to find in San Francisco). Think AirBnB—another local startup that lets people worldwide rent out their extra rooms, apartments, homes, teepees, and yurts—but for cars.
Lyft isn't the only company offering this type of service; the similar SideCar just launched in June. So over the last two weeks, I became a registered driver on both sites. And I'm one of the first. I'm fairly certain at the time of this article, I'm one of the first 50 drivers on Lyft and one of the first 100 drivers on SideCar. In effect, I've begun moonlighting as a very part-time not-quite-taxi driver.
With Carstache in place, I spent 90 minutes tooling around various neighborhoods. Mission District, Potrero Hill, North Beach, the Financial District—all without seeing a single request (and worrying often that the Carstache might fall off). Finally I got the first signal. My first pickup was only five minutes away. As soon as I accepted the mission, I rolled from the Financial District back down into SoMa to pick up a guy named Matt. In his user icon, he appeared to be hugging an original Macintosh. Matt also had a perfect 5.0 customer rating. I liked him already.
I rolled up sportin' the 'stache and parked for a minute in front of his building. When Matt came down, I greeted him with the traditional Lyft greeting (I've been trained on this!): a fist-bump.
I invited Matt to sit up front and adjust the music as he liked. After all, I've been told to treat him just as I would any other friend riding with me. I even invited Matt to use the extra USB jack to charge his iPhone—Lyft provided one for me and the passenger to juice up during the ride.
With Lyft, the passenger tells me where he or she wants to go (maximum 60 mile radius). When the ride ends, the Lyft app provides a "suggested donation"—about 20 percent lower than what a cab would charge for the same fare.
"Where we headed?" I asked Matt.
"SFO," he said.
"We can do that," I responded cheerfully, remembering the training mantra that Lyfters should smile a lot. I pulled away from the curb.
Matt worked for Path and was on his way to Las Vegas for a friend's bachelor party. I looked him up later and learned that he was Matt Van Horn, who had helped found Zimride, Lyft's parent company. Later, by e-mail, he elaborated on his connection to the company, he's "a shareholder, power user of Lyft, and friend of the company." He was happy to describe his previous 30 ride experiences too.
"All have been positive," he wrote. "Everyone has been really accommodating, kind, and fun. I had one driver who picked me up from my apartment to take me to a haircut, then asked if I wanted him to stay in the area in case I wanted a ride to work after. After my 10 minute haircut, I already had a Lyft ready to take me to work and it literally took 20 minutes out of my day instead of the usual hour it takes for a haircut."
Once I dropped Matt off, I gave him a 5-star rating and hoped that he'd do the same for me.
My first experience proved fairly typical. After a few hours on duty, you quickly realize two things: 1) the hotspot pickup area is near downtown in the late afternoon and 2) the pink Carstache definitely gets attention.
"I'll be parked somewhere and then ten people will walk by and say, 'Whoa, look at that pink mustache,'" Nancy Tcheou, 25, a fellow Lyft driver, told me last Monday by phone. "I've had at least three people take a picture of it while I was parked, in the car. It's been really entertaining."
"If it walks like a duck..."
The Bay Area is no stranger to innovations in transportation. For decades now, the "casual carpool" system has offered an inexpensive way for East Bay passengers to get to San Francisco. It saves everyone time and money (no one will complain about paying less for the westbound bridge toll). For over a decade, the city has also had official carsharing companies and non-profits operating within its 49 square miles. This fall, San Francisco is even expected to launch a bike-sharing service.
San Francisco has a burgeoning tech-transportation scene, too. Just last year, the company Getaround launched; allowing individuals to turn their personal vehicles into car-shares. Established companies like Cabulous and Uber recently announced an expansion of their consumer offerings in San Francisco, too.
Yet despite the various transport options, San Francisco has less-than-stellar taxi service. I live in Oakland and never take taxis, but this is what people, online and offline, tell me.
Both Lyft and SideCar have the potential to shake up the local transportation industry further, but only if their business is acceptable to the powers that be. Sure, it's neat to catch a ride from another tech-savvy human rather than from an anonymous taxi driver who might be more interested in blabbing away on his phone than in catering to you. But lawyers and city officials say that both companies might be in conflict with local taxi law.
Lyft and SideCar both insist, however, they are simply ride-sharing companies, not taxis operators. In essence, I drove around like a taxi and dropped people off like a taxi, but both companies say that I'm definitely not a taxi. I'm not getting paid for fares; I'm getting a voluntary "donation." (Of course, low customer ratings received after underpaying too often would probably result in a rider not getting rides in future).
For instance, SideCar says in its Terms of Service:
"Passenger agrees that Passenger shall solely use SideCar for personal, ride-sharing purposes only, and shall not use SideCar for any commercial purposes. Use of SideCar ride-sharing for any commercial purposes (as determined by SideCar in its sole and absolute judgment) shall result in immediate termination of Passenger's account. Passenger expressly acknowledges that SideCar is solely a ride-sharing marketplace, and not a common carrier, limousine or taxicab service, or travel agent."
I ran the idea past the former deputy director of the San Francisco Taxi Commission, Jordanna Thigpen. Despite what the companies say in their own legal documents, the judicial system may have its own view.
"Sometimes in the law, judges will interpret a statute [in this way]: if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, it's a duck," said Thigpen, now an attorney with Cotchett, Pitre, and McCarthy.
In her former position as enforcement and legal affairs manager for the taxi division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority, Thigpen said that she would focus largely on safety. She frequently checked (among other things) not just that the vehicle in question had insurance at the time of inspection, but that there was continuous coverage—as the law requires of taxi companies.
Under the San Francisco Municipal Code, Section 1105, Paragraph A, Subsection 1, if a court finds either service to be a "Motor Vehicle For Hire," they would likely be required to obtain permits issued by the SFMTA.
"[Lyft and SideCar] are trying to put themselves in this netherworld of regulation," Thigpen said. "The determination is: how is a court going to interpret the definition of 'for hire' vehicle?" For now, company representatives insist they are not a "vehicle for hire."
"We've worked with transportation legal experts who confirm we are abiding by current laws," said John Zimmer, the founder of Zimride, in an e-mail sent to Ars. "Lyft is a community based ride-sharing service that is an extension of our existing long distance ride-share model. We use optional donations as a way for drivers to reimburse the costs associated with owning and operating a vehicle."


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Last spring, a friend approached me for help in starting her first garden. She had moved to a new house and wanted to grow some veggies with her kids. And she wanted some guidance on how and what to plant. I had a lot of fun planning the layout of her space and helping her with the planting (mostly pointing and such – I was pretty pregnant last spring). Then she insisted on paying me for the work. I felt a little awkward taking money for something I didn't feel that I was an expert on, from a friend that I would have helped anyway. But she really encouraged me to think about doing a little garden planning for people as a business.
I let that idea rattle around for a while. And then another friend suggested I do the same thing. And then a month ago another friend suggested it to me. So I started thinking that maybe I should listen to these voices, cheering me on to do something that I enjoy. I do have a lot of people ask me for help with their gardens. So without further ado, for locals only, I offer my services as a vegetable garden consultant.
My garden planning and consultation package includes:
- Initial in-yard consultation
- Garden layout with scale drawing and crop suggestions
- Support through your first growing season
- Follow up consultation after the growing season is over
For the full details, check out my new Homesteader Helper page.
I have been gardening since 2004 and learning mostly through trial and error. I am happy to share my experience with you, in the hopes that you will fall in love with your garden the way I have fallen for mine. I hope too, that I can offer some guidance so that you won't have to make all the mistakes we made at the beginning.
If you are in Colorado and intimidated by starting your first garden or need some help with just getting going, please consider hiring me to help!

subset: commoncrawl


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2013 Ionia Awards adds new, fun features
Once again, the time has come for all members of Ionia County to strut their stuff on the red carpet leading into the Ionia Theatre and one of the most anticipated events of the year.
The Ionia Awards is an all-ages event that helps celebrate the businesses, organizations and people of the entire county that assist in making the area a successful and enjoyable place for all.
Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tina Conner Wellman said doors will open at 4:45 p.m. for a social hour and check-in period, followed by hors d'oeuvres and drinks from local restaurants and businesses.
New this year, valet parking opportunities have been coordinated with members of RAVE, and all proceeds will benefit the organization.
Also, souvenir pictures will be offered by Becca Usher Photography. The photos will be processed by Walgreens and able to be picked up at the Ionia Area Chamber office the week following the event.
In addition to the new offerings, the game to win the big prize of the night has changed this year. Conner Wellman said game tickets are $10 each and there will be five "golden tickets" out of the 150 available. Those five tickets will be re-drawn and the first ticket-holder will win $400, the second will win $200 and the final three will win prizes worth $75. Other tickets will have a 50-50 chance of winning a prize worth at least $20 from local businesses, Conner Wellman added. Winners do not have to be in attendance to claim their prize.
To help create a fun and entertaining atmosphere, Rodney Hensley will perform as the night's emcee, which Conner Wellman said will be perfect following his outburst of comedy last year.
"I think last year people were surprised at how funny he could be," she added.
Many awards are up for grabs, including Ionia County Citizen of the Year, Most Promising New Business, Best Business to Watch and Ionia County Business Woman of the Year.
"(The Ionia Awards are about) creating an atmosphere where the nominees and those being recognized feel celebrated," Conner Wellman added.
Another award is "Putting Ionia on the Map," and this year members from the Lakewood High School Volleyball Team and the Portland High School Football Team will be honored for winning state championships.
"It's very exciting," Conner Wellman said. "It doesn't matter where you live in the county, as long as you're not playing against that team, you're rooting for wins."
Conner Wellman added the event welcomes attendees to dress in whatever makes them feel comfortable and fabulous, which can mean anything from jeans to a formal gown.
The Ionia Awards are meant to be enjoyed, said Conner Wellman, even if members of the community have never attended before.
"Everyone who attends leaves with a renewed sense of pride," Conner Wellman said, adding this event is for anyone who has ever wanted to have a small sample of a red carpet experience.
She added she feels the ceremony is a great way to bring unity as a "county team" and make everyone feel exceptional and successful.
Tickets are $30 per person, which includes a $13 dinner voucher for after the event, or $55 per couple, which includes a $25 dinner voucher. Participating restaurants include Corner Landing, Lamplight Grill, Gregory's Tavern, Olivera's, Renucci's Tavern and Candlestone Resort. Attendees may trade dinner vouchers for game tickets, Conner Wellman said.
To purchase event or game tickets, contact Tina Conner Wellman at 616-527-2560. For more information, "like" the Ionia Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook.
Follow Karin Armbruster on Twitter @ISSKarin


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Happiness Is Where Our Heart Is
My family's unwavering belief in me makes me feel that I can do anything, be anything. This blog is about the people that made a difference in my life and the many journeys we made together. Because of them,I get to dream again...and those dreams, they remind me each day that life is a gift and a blessing. A blessing that is full of goodness, joy and hope.
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|Place of Origin:
|Hunan in China
Avin New Materials Co., Ltd.
China Manufacturer with main products: Grating, Meter Box, Plastic Valve Box, PP Wrap Tape
|Place of Origin:
|Hunan in China
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With a variety of mobile apps, Forsyth County Public Library customers can take their library to go. Stay connected to the Library, no matter how demanding your life becomes. With these apps, you can download eBooks, audiobooks, music, videos, learn a new language or even do research for school, whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.
The North Carolina Digital Library contains a collection of downloadable audiobooks, eBooks, video, and music for Library customers. OverDrive® is the driving force behind this service and maintains the website and software so that you can browse, checkout, and download anytime you wish.
Freegal Music contains a collection of downloadable music and video for FCPL customers. Freegal Music gives you access to over 7 million songs from over 28,000 labels including the Sony Music catalog.
Mango Languages includes a variety of resources to help you learn practical conversation skills for languages spoken all around the world. We offer Mango Basic and Mango Complete Courses, offering more than 60 language-learning experiences.
The Tutor.com To Go™ mobile app is available for iOS devices.
The EBSCOhost mobile app is available for iOS and Android devices.
Browse thousands of digital magazines from around the world in a newsstand with the largest selection, or read fresh articles daily for free.
The Zinio App is available for iOS, Android, and Window devices.


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If you bought a flash memory item from any of these eBay sellers: venzala2407 – vasilyan2010 – mjcseh – vlsh2 – saffronantique – evolutionen30 you are advised to test item(s) immediately for advertised capacity. Read: H2testw 1.4 – Gold Standard In Detecting USB Counterfeit Drives . You may have purchased a fake flash memory product.
If your memory item fails testing report immediately to SOSFakeFlash . If your eBay seller is deregistered from eBay, it is urgent you report in to SOSFakeFlash. If you do not, they will not be able to investigate and to record in the their database to publish an official alert listing all items sold. eBay is suspending fake flash memory sellers to avoid buyers leaving feedback or recording the truth.
Never use any flash memory item without testing for capacity. If you purchased a fake you could lose your files and data. Read: Why Is Fake Flash Memory So Dangerous?
Please see Validation Memory links for brand names and flash nand memory chip decoding. Reminder, Gb is Gigabits, not Gigabytes. 8 bits is 1 byte. You must divide by 8, if manufacturer lists size as Gb. Exercise care in disassembly of your item to decode.
If you need help and information on eBay read:
Fake Flash Memory – Hacked! Top Articles SOSFakeFlash. Consumer, Reseller Education. Beware. Be Wise. Learn. Avoid Fake Flash Memory. Learn To Test For Real Flash Memory Capacity.
PayPal Refunds – Counterfeit Items Policy Change Nov 01 2010. What Does This Mean For Fake Flash Memory? MP Players, USB Flash Drives, Memory Cards? Hacked Memory Awareness Growing.
Check your eBay Sellers feedback, type in the id: http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs
Changing Trends In The Sale Of Fake Memory On eBay For USB Flash Drives, Memory Cards And MP Players. SOSFakeFlash Advises Do Not Buy From eBay Sellers With Low FeedBack Scores. Avoid Sellers with Scores Under 300+ To Protect Yourself From Potential Fraud. Learn Why.
venzala2407 – Ireland
Corsair Memory Stick 128GB FLASH USB THUMB DISK DRIVE
vasilyan2010 – Armenia
mjcseh – United States
Corsair Voyager 64GB USB Flash Drive, BRAND NEW
vlsh2 – Canada
USB corsair flash voyager 128GB
saffronantique – United States
USB Flash Drive Flash Voyager by CORSAIR 64 GB NEW
evolutionen30 – Germany
Corsair Flash Voyager 128GB USB Flash Stick Drive
Corsair Confirms That eBay Is A Source For Counterfeit Non Genuine USB Flash Drive Purchases
Victim Of Counterfeit Flash Voyager GT 16GB and 32GB Purchased On eBay Creates A Visual Guide
eBay ace-tech Fake Flash Memory Seller Alert – Australia. Fake Corsair 128GB USB Water proof, Shock Proof, DUST PROOF Offered on eBay. More eBay Fraud And PayPal Playing Games About "Authentic". Never made by Corsair.
Fake 128GB Corsair Flash Drive Counterfeit Voyager Pen Sticks Continue To Be Sold On eBay.
Crises on Ebay For Fake Flash Memory Products Sold In 32GB 64GB 128GB 256GB – SOSFakeFlash Reports


text:
|When the world wants to talk, it speaks Unicode
International Unicode Conferences are organized by Global Meeting Services, Inc., (GMS).
GMS is pleased to be able to offer the International Unicode Conferences under an exclusive
license granted by the Unicode Consortium. All responsibility for conference finances and
operations is borne by GMS. The independent conference board serves solely at the pleasure
of GMS and is composed of volunteers active in Unicode and in international software
development. All inquiries regarding International Unicode Conferences should be addressed
to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Unicode and the Unicode logo are registered trademarks of Unicode, Inc. Used with permission.
30 May 2003, Webmaster


text:
2012 was an "exciting" year for OS X security—at least if you're a security expert or researcher. There were plenty of events to keep people on their toes. Although Apple took some egg on the face for some of them, overall, the company came out ahead when it came down to keeping users safe.
At least that's the opinion of some security researchers who followed OS X developments throughout the year.
Back to the Flashback
Remember Flashback? That malware first made its way onto the Mac in 2011, but never became widespread enough for most users to even become aware of it—until earlier this year. Suddenly, Apple was faced with arguably the first truly high-profile malware to appear on OS X, right as Apple was appearing more than ever in the media.
The incident sparked plenty of hemming and hawing about the end of "security through obscurity" for Apple. Researchers and pundits alike argued that Apple's continued popularity could only lead to more attacks on security, whether they occur on iOS or the Mac. Indeed, it's hard to deny that malicious attacks on Mac users are increasing in frequency, and Apple did take some flak for talking a big security game for so long while simultaneously leaving open a Java hole for two whole months after it was first patched by Oracle.
Removal of Java
But despite this stumble, the Flashback fiasco was the catalyst for one of the most meaningful decisions Apple made in order to beef up OS X security.
"Flashback both led to Apple removing Java from their default installs, and prompted them to release a dedicated cleanup tool," security researcher (and former security engineer for Obama for America) Ben Hagen told Ars. "When an OS vendor releases a dedicated cleanup tool, you know things are bad."
Hagen pointed out the need existed for Apple to release its own Flashback cleanup tool because the Mac anti-malware market and user base "is relatively immature." But the bigger decision to come out of Flashback was to reduce the role of Java in OS X users' lives as much as possible, unless the user specifically installs it.
"The removal of Java was a very interesting decision and de facto statement by Apple. Java on user systems has become a notorious vector for exploitation; with new, remotely executable vulnerabilities coming out several times last year," Hagen said. "Removing Java both simplifies Apple's position and provides a safer default state for its users."
Noted (and notorious) Mac and iOS "hacker" Charlie Miller agreed with this assessment, going so far as to say it was the most significant decision Apple made in 2012.
"Nowadays, the amount of effort required to write an exploit for OS X is roughly the same as that for writing one for Windows. Because of the bigger payoff for Windows exploits (more users) there are almost no OS X exploits in the real world. But the exception is for Java exploits," Miller told Ars. "For Java applet sandbox escape type exploits, the same exploit will work on Windows and OS X."
Miller credited Java for practically the entire reason we're actually seeing exploits that affect Mac users pop up in the wild. "Therefore, anything Apple does to reduce Java's install base in OS X is a security gain that still gives them some real life improvements," he said.
Movement to signed security model for apps
But even as Flashback was going down and Java was on the way out, Apple was already in the process of making some other major changes to the way users interact with apps on the Mac. A new feature in Mountain Lion, released in the summer of 2012, would (by default) restrict the origin of third-party apps installed on the system, therefore protecting the user from inadvertently installing apps from malicious or unknown sources.
Called Gatekeeper, this feature required Apple's developer ecosystem to either sign their apps with a registered certificate—holding them at a higher level of responsibility for when things go haywire—or selling their wares through the Mac App Store and giving Apple its 30 percent cut. The reaction from the developer community was surprisingly non-panicked, with most telling us they were cautiously optimistic about the level of control still given to users, should they opt to throw caution to the wind and install any apps they please.
And when we followed up with Mac developers several months later, they remained largely positive about the effect of Gatekeeper on both the app ecosystem and users. "I think GateKeeper is a huge boon to end users—it's effective against man-in-the-middle and masquerade attacks, and the latter is a very common vector for malware," Delicious Monster's Wil Shipley told Ars in September. Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry agreed: "I definitely think that GateKeeper is helping end users. I know that whenever I click on a download link and see that the developer hasn't signed their app, I think twice about installing it."
Indeed, the overall sentiment around Gatekeeper has been more positive than some of us expected, and security experts appear to be happy about how smoothly it has gone so far.
"From a security perspective, Apple's continued movement towards the App Store for OS X and the addition of a strict signed security model for applications was a significant move toward a more controlled ecosystem," Hagen told Ars this week. "The curated App Store model lets Apple provide some quality control and sight over which applications are available to end users. It also goes pretty far in limiting user exposure to malware in the form of user-downloaded applications (Fake AV applications, spyware, and the like)."
Just in time for a high-profile "hack"
Flashback, the eventual removal of Java, and the launch of Mountain Lion weren't the only security-related topics that rippled out from the Mac-using world in 2012. The August "hack" of Wired editor Mat Honan made huge headlines not just for its magnitude—Honan's iPhone, iPad, and Mac were entirely wiped out by remote attackers, and he failed to make a backup—but also because of what technologies were involved. Namely, Apple technologies—ones that were all associated with Apple's newest version of its cloud services, iCloud.
It wasn't entirely iCloud's fault. Amazon was involved too, and the attackers were able to socially engineer both Amazon and Apple into giving them the kind of access they needed in order to destroy Honan's digital life.
So what does this have to do with Apple, really? The company wasn't directly involved in the erasure of Honan's data, but as Hagen pointed out, the incident was significant in 2012 because it "highlighted both social flaws in several well-known online account systems, and used Apple's iCloud as a liability."
By compromising Honan's iCloud account, his devices became vulnerable to a remote-wipe attack. "This is a new problem for many consumers; a failure to protect one of their online accounts, can lead to their own devices actually becoming 'useless,'" Hagen told Ars. "This attack highlighted the need for Apple and other organizations to protect account access from social attacks, and the need for individuals to treat their Apple accounts with extra sensitivity."
Indeed, Honan's hack caused many of us—geeks, "regulars," and reporters alike—to change our passwords, set up two-factor authentication, and ensure we had solid backup plans in ways we only talked about previously. Both Amazon and Apple ended up changing their policies to prevent similar attacks in the future as well. This one doesn't have a particularly happy ending, but Honan's loss is our gain, at least when it comes to being security-minded.
Looking to 2013
So 2012 was a volatile year for Apple and OS X security, but overall, "I think [Apple's] in pretty good shape," Miller told Ars.
But as with most things, there's always room for improvement. What should happen to the OS X landscape as we move forward into 2013?
Miller wants to see more transparency out of Apple. "One thing I'd like to see is more transparency and interaction with the security community. Their BlackHat talk where they didn't take questions was a bit of a farce," Miller said. "I'd like to see them communicate more with how they do their testing, how the App Store review process works, answer questions about their security, etc."
Indeed, transparency and Apple are usually two words that can't show up in a sentence together, but Apple CEO Tim Cook has slowly (and carefully) begun changing things when it comes to Apple being open with the world. But what Hagen wants to see goes beyond just talking about what Apple is doing—he wants to see the community itself step up to take responsibility for its own security as well.
"I think the AV/Anti-Malware offerings for OSX will need to mature quickly in order to meet near-term threats. Microsoft's route of branding their own offering was great for the end user, it would be great if Apple took a similar approach," Hagen said. "The unification of App Store and system updates simplifies things; OSX users will need to get in the habit of applying updates in a timely manner."


text:
Although many of the Western District newspapers are not digitised at Trove, it is possible to find articles from the likes of The Hamilton Spectator in the The Portland Guardian, for example. On this day 83 years ago, an excerpt from the Albion newspaper of Coleraine appeared in The Portland Guardian of July 29, 1929.
Prompted by the deaths of many of the early pioneers, the article reflected on the history of the Western District from the time Major Thomas Mitchell made his way across the land he called Australia Felix 93 years earlier.
There is a clue in the article for those of you who having trouble finding your Western District family member's arrival in Victoria. The writer mentions many people from Van Diemen's Land making their way to Victoria once news got back the Hentys had pushed up from Portland into the Merino district. It could then be possible that family members travelled to Victoria via Tasmania where they had resided as convicts or otherwise.
Jenny Fawcett, on her great South-West Victoria genealogy and history site, has indexed the names of those who travelled to Victoria as part of a Geelong and Portland Bay Immigration Society scheme in 1845 and 1846. The idea behind that and similar schemes was to bring labour into the colony with those behind the society being squatters and merchants. Jenny provides a great description of the scheme on her site.
Browsing through the names,there are many I instantly recognise as Western District family names. Also, a lot of the pioneer obituaries I have read tell of the deceased having come to Victoria via Van Diemen's Land.
So, if you are beginning to think your ancestors were good swimmers, follow-up the possibility they came to the Western District from Tasmania. You just never know.


text:
Wethersfield rolls to ROWVA Regional title
The top-seeded Wethersfield Flying Geese weren't about to fall victim to the Annawan upset bug Friday night.
The Geese rolled to their first postseason plaque since 2008, manhandling the Braves 63-41 to capture the Class 1A ROWVA Regional crown.
The win sends Wethersfield (25-6) into the Brown County Sectional Wednesday night to face Mendon Unity, which won the Camp Point Central Regional by holding off the hosts 43-39 behind 22 points from Will Klusmeyer.
"Brown County is a little bit at the end of the earth and turn left, but I guess we're going to make that trip," said Wethersfield coach Jeff Parsons. "We're looking forward to it."
Neither team mounted much offense early, but the Braves added to their woes by falling into foul trouble.
Michael Smith was whistled for two fouls in the first 90 seconds, and was relegated to the bench for the rest of the half.
"We were doing what we wanted to do on the defensive end," said Annawan coach Brandon Christy. "They would try to penetrate and we got those fouls called and there's not much we could do."
In addition to Smith, Annawan frontcourt players Ben Foster and Donovan Kirkhove also picked up two fouls each in the opening quarter.
"We got in foul trouble and had to go to the bench early," the Annawan coach added. "When Michael Smith sits the whole second quarter, that's tough. He's a big part of our team."
The Geese made nine trips to the line in the first quarter, and knocked down seven of them en route to a 16-8 lead.
Wethersfield pushed the lead to double figures early in the second quarter, but the Braves battled back within 22-19.
The Geese closed the half with 10-3 surge to lead 32-22 at the break.
The Geese squashed any hopes of an Annawan comeback by starting the second half with an 8-2 run to extend the margin to 40-24 and force a Braves' timeout.
The lead was 46-29 after three quarters and the Geese cleared the bench late to close out the regional title win.
"We did some good things tonight, obviously, and I'm proud of my guys," said Parsons.
The Braves bow out at 12-20 on the season, but had a memorable week in Oneida as they took out seeds three and two — Ridgewood and Galva — on their way to the title game.
"This week's been great," said Christy. "Like I've been saying all year to the players, our record doesn't show how good we can be. I told them once we get to the postseason, we're going to turn some heads. That's exactly what we did."
Tony Gripp was the lone Annawan player in double figures with 18 points.
Trevor Lay led three Geese in double figures with 18 points, followed by Tyler Litton with 16 and Trey Hannam with 10.
Wethersfield only had one more field goal than Annawan — 14 to 13 — but the Geese went to the line 46 times and converted 34 free throws. The Braves were 13 of 23 from the line.
Also Friday night...
In other area regionals, Elmwood advanced to the Brown County Sectional with a 59-49 win over Williamsfield at Princeville. ... Payson Seymour also earned a trip to the Brown County Sectional, defeating Liberty 63-57 to win the Griggsville-Perry Regional. ... In Class 2A, Rockridge rolled to its own regional crown with a 57-37 win over Orion. ... Seneca slipped past St. Bede 52-50 to win the Bureau Valley Regional title.


text:
Thursday, January 12, 2012
more new studio 490/blossom bucket...
50 comments:
- Cim Allen said...
OMG .. You hit the nail on the head with the domestic skills and shopping saying !! I LOVE it .. I have to have it NOW :) You rocked it on this one Wendy !!
- January 12, 2012 at 8:39 AM
- Gabrielle said...
I love these stamps (think I wasn't supposed to spot the Eiffel Tower!!!) and that phone is lush! Am loving these sneaky peeks! Can't wait for tomorrow's!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 8:52 AM
- SusanK said...
I like what I'm seeing! And the itty bitty telephone is so cute! I blacked my grandma's eye with one similar to it. They were very heavy.
- January 12, 2012 at 9:07 AM
- Kade said...
Want it all! I love it! I still of course think the dudes are the coolest and that top hat is me!!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 9:08 AM
- Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...
Loving the stamps...that's a given, but these embellishments are the best...the texture is amazing and the detail as well! I can't wait to have them!
- January 12, 2012 at 9:22 AM
- Heidi said...
The bird is awesome!!!!, ok actually it all is...
- January 12, 2012 at 9:24 AM
- Dawn B. said...
These are all absolutely fabulous!!! :-) is that an OMG! Washboard and Eiffel Tower art part I see???? Oh, so exciting!
- January 12, 2012 at 9:44 AM
- Heidi Crowl said...
You make it so much fun to come here every day! Thank you! Fun products, can't wait to use, touch and feel!
- January 12, 2012 at 9:47 AM
- Lesley said...
Loving everything again!!! And the hook and eyes stamp....well, very British!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 9:48 AM
- Artyjen said...
Loving the previews ;) thanks for sharing.
If I only buy one new stamp set it would have to be this if only for the housework phrase......so me or what?!!! LOL
xoxo Sioux
- January 12, 2012 at 9:49 AM
- Hels Sheridan said...
this is an automated message from Hels' Laptop, she can't leave a comment in person because she has passed out with the excitement of seeing all these new goodies... she gasped, said she couldn't wait and then hit the deck
Seriously though Wendy..... PERFECT... seriously... PERFECT indeedily xx
- January 12, 2012 at 10:03 AM
- Kirsten Alicia said...
Oh my. I must have the lady - she looks completely gorgeous in her red dress - & the bird & the phone... Never mind, I want them all.
- January 12, 2012 at 10:14 AM
- lilyandthelotus.blogspot.com said...
Wow..i love the new art Wendy. I knew your new pieces would be a knock out and they are.you trapped time in a jar..lol I love all of it and look forward to adding to my Wendy's collection this year.all of the pieces remind me of my childhood and has brought to mind a photo journal using them so perfect.you have created for me a ongoing project.
susan s.
- January 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM
- Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...
Again Imlove this selection particularly those embellishments. Love your samples. Tracy x
- January 12, 2012 at 10:22 AM
OMG! I MUST HAVE that bird! Amazing! I can't wait to play with him!
- January 12, 2012 at 10:23 AM
- Helen said...
OK, so I'm skiving at work at the end of the day again....!! I love the new lady - and glad we are of use for something over here (hook and eye cards)!!! LOVE today's reveals and your art to go with them... yum yum!
- January 12, 2012 at 10:38 AM
- Wilma said...
Wow, so beautiful but i'm totally in love with the phone. We had one like that at home!!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 11:00 AM
- sue said...
As always everyday gets better. That phone is the cutest!!
- January 12, 2012 at 11:27 AM
- Marilyn said...
You're killing me with all of the great art peaks! Looove that phone, and you certainly made it look so real!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 11:39 AM
- Mandy Makes and Mends said...
Oh that lady is just Devine ......and that phone....I've always wanted one similar but could never find one ....hey now I can .......love the sayings just fab fab fab too much loveliness going on ..........more please x
- January 12, 2012 at 11:57 AM
- Gillian .... said...
Okay compose and breate ... HOLY MOLY Wendy, I nearly did pass out with all the excitement scrolling down this post! Where to start!!! The vintage Lady is inspired (loving the Eiffel Tower beside her too lol), the quotes and phrases can't get enough of them ... then the BIRD & TELEPHONE .... *THUD* oopsie pick me off the floor pleasssseee. x
- January 12, 2012 at 12:12 PM
I'm without words! I love it all, the lady is so fab!
- January 12, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Yikes! Between you and Tim I'm gonna be broke.....but happy.
Love it all, but that telephone is calling me, if you'll pardon the pun.
- January 12, 2012 at 12:38 PM
- Tona said...
Omgosh! I love that lady & all the sayings!!! That bird is to die for too.
- January 12, 2012 at 12:51 PM
- salamanda said...
Omg the bird and the phone and the stamps ate pretty darn cool too
- January 12, 2012 at 1:00 PM
- Diana said...
the phone!!! OMGoodness the phone!!
- January 12, 2012 at 1:42 PM
- Nancy D. said...
Just loving all your new stuff!
- January 12, 2012 at 2:08 PM
- Karla Anderson said...
Love the womens institute background stamp, so cool. Also that mini phone is ADORBALE. I want it all. You have outdone yourself this release.
- January 12, 2012 at 3:15 PM
- Lori said...
Love the lady stamp! And the Art Parts look really cool! I'm seriously in love with the new Blossom Bucket pieces... AWESOME!
- January 12, 2012 at 3:21 PM
- Mo said...
Love it all! I think we all spotted the Eiffel Tower - very exciting. Can't wait to see your embellishments in person. They too cute for words.I can't get enough of the sayings stamps. Please keep them coming.
- January 12, 2012 at 3:25 PM
- arneta said...
Loving everything!!!... but crushing on the phone for sure! lol
Can't wait to see more :)
- January 12, 2012 at 4:26 PM
- Marilyn C. said...
She is one sassy lady! It's not fair with you & Tim teasing us with peeks here & there! Not to wish time away but I wish it was CHA already!
- January 12, 2012 at 4:40 PM
- Theresa said...
The stamps are great!! I love them! And the embellies?? I WANT THEM.....badly.
- January 12, 2012 at 4:41 PM
- Nurse Ratchet said...
Love that bird!!
- January 12, 2012 at 6:18 PM
- Art By Wanda said...
Love that bird and the phone is cute!! Another great set of stamps!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 6:23 PM
- Debby said...
Love all of it!! I love the domestic skills stamp. Where did that saying about housework come from???
- January 12, 2012 at 6:27 PM
- Dorothy said...
I so love that lady and that phone...???to die for!!!!!
Thank you Wendy!!!
- January 12, 2012 at 6:33 PM
- Kathy Eddy said...
Oh what fun!!! Loving those resin pieces.
- January 12, 2012 at 7:45 PM
- migglymax said...
Yipeeeeeeee you know us well...I have been waiting for this...a big hg and thanks...oh and the phone...it is precious! I want so many of these...you really have the pulse on your market and I love ya for it. *happy dance*
- January 12, 2012 at 10:47 PM
- slbt17 said...
fun,fun, fun!
Sandra ltb
- January 12, 2012 at 11:18 PM
- Karen Goulet said...
The little bird is so adorable!
Thanks for the preview Wendy!
Karen :)
- January 12, 2012 at 11:39 PM
- Larissa Heskett said...
OMG!! I am LOOKING forward to all of the AMAZING creations that will be popping up all over using these new embellishments and the stamps!! Oh what fun its going to be!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)
- January 13, 2012 at 12:19 AM
- Petra Idzinga said...
what a beautiful embellishments !!! Nice stamps
- January 13, 2012 at 4:46 AM
- KatzElbows said...
I love your embellishments. Love, love, love. Want, want, want!
- January 13, 2012 at 6:48 AM
- scrappin-scrappin said...
Loving everything I'm seeing!! Your embellishments are just to cool!! Stamps, art parts...LOVE IT ALL!! Must haves for sure!! Can't wait to see it all in person at CHA! Great job Wendy!!
- January 13, 2012 at 7:28 AM
- Cheryl Boglioli said...
Did you mention window? Door? ;-) Oh, I so could have used that phone this week.
- January 13, 2012 at 9:08 AM
- Lynne said...
That lady is totally awesome! You come up with the cutest words for your stamps. So much fun!
- January 13, 2012 at 2:54 PM
- Cher said...
yep..shes cool...luving the phone and bird too!
- January 13, 2012 at 11:15 PM
- 2amscrapper said...
absolutely love everything--esp. the phone
- January 14, 2012 at 9:36 AM
- nonnie said...
fabulous stamp set...
- January 17, 2012 at 9:26 PM


text:
Brotherhood on Orizaba
Even before we tugged up our harnesses beside Orizaba's lower glacier, I'd been given hints the world was askew. The mice that infested the Quertano Hut pooled by the door as we readied to leave, their demonic eyes reflecting our headlamps.
Even before we tugged up our harnesses beside Orizaba's lower glacier, I'd been given hints the world was askew. The mice that infested the Quertano Hut pooled by the door as we readied to leave, their demonic eyes reflecting our headlamps. As we approached the lower glacier of Orizaba, a climber we had nicknamed the Swiss, though in truth since he spoke no English his nationality was undetermined, trailed us. Clad in a red down jacket and sporting an unkempt white beard, the Swiss carried a lunch-pail sized backpack and no other visible equipment. Now he stalked us, unshakeable, a combination of ninja assassin and Santa Claus.
The Swiss's intentions became obvious at the glacier. Our team of five included one novice climber, and we had coached him that the ice marked the point of no return. At his first view of it, floating like violet mist in the moonlight, our friend opted for retreat, only to find the Swiss barring his way. An exchange of gestures and guttural Germanic grunts showed us the negotiation concerned an ice axe. Now, commandeered axe in hand, the Swiss bobbed his head and strode past.
We four huddled on boulders, waiting for first light. This section of the route had developed a fearsome reputation, killing one climber and injuring another just before our summit push. Tight on my right was Mitch, a genetic freak who one weekend rose from his couch and ran a marathon, defeating most of the field. To my left were the Mackersie brothers: Chris, an ex-Army Ranger with an iron will, and Todd, who, well, lacked that characteristic. Todd had only tried one other peak with us, Mount Olympus in Washington State, but he was our social glue, monitoring our feelings and just happy as hell to be on an international adventure.
I had put this climb together. What I didn't know was that I was about to watch my well-made plans crumble under the weight of the personalities involved, turning a technically easy climb into a life-or-death endeavor.
In retrospect, maybe I should have paid more attention to the memory of Todd's abysmal performance on Olympus. He had tweaked his knee early, and sat the adventure out at the ranger station while our remaining trio staggered boldly into a weather Armageddon, roughly 1,000 inches of rain that became a blizzard by high camp. That night I was shivering in my bag, every layer soaked through and my food too sodden to eat, when a nearby climber yelled that a bear had crept beside my tent. I shouted back, Send him in. I'll feel better if he kills me.
The next morning Mitch led our defeated tromp back through the rain. When Chris and I caught up to him at the ranger station, he informed us with a touch of bitterness that Todd had endured his trial by sharing the WPA shelter, smoked salmon and a bottle of wine with a female hiker. Hearing of his brother's good fortune, Chris immediately slammed Mitch face-first in the mud.
And maybe that response should have provided another hint of our team's dynamics on Orizaba, at 18,800 feet the highest of the Mexican volcanoes.
Sunrise revealed a glacier far from ferocious: Filling a box canyon was a low-angled doily crust that barely covered the frozen mud. Until we neared the far, closed end of the canyon, we couldn't imagine how anyone had come to disaster here. Then we crested a bulge, and between us and the saddle where the moraines converged lay a tsunami of water ice, a sea-green Dale Chihuly fountain overflowing from the upper mountain, frozen so hard our crampon points left only pin-pricks as we ascended.
That, Chris said as he belayed me up, is gonna be a bitch going down.
The sandy divide we'd reached was like Malibu Beach dropped into the Ice Age. The snow dome heading up above it was a surface so featureless, and the sun reflected so brightly on it, that I was hallucinating immediately, seeing ponds cradled in hollows and waterfalls trickling toward us on the moraine.
We can do this without a rope, Mitch said. No holes to drop in.
Sure, I said. But remember, we're a team.
In no time, we were scattered all over the mountain. The mist that drifted in every afternoon built over the mountain's upper reaches while I followed Mitch on his rising traverse toward the crater rim, and Chris assisted a flagging Todd, still ascending but an impossible distance below. My standard mountain emotions arose: guilt (shouldn't I be helping Chris?) and anxiety (the summit's gone in a whiteout!). To this I added acute philosophical musing: how powerful those ties of blood must be! Eager and competitive as Chris might be, here he was, obviously sacrificing this climb for his brother.
Finally, after climbing for another hour, isolated in the thickening fog, I touched the scrap-metal heap that marked the summit. Mitch was already preparing to descend.
That guy's nuts, he said.
Which guy?
The Swiss. He wanted his picture taken, but when I tried getting the rim in the background, he kept doing this. Mitch held both palms up, fingers framing his face. You know what he wanted? Just his face against the sky.
Mitch vanished, descending, and I sank down in the volcanic ash. My head throbbed like a conga drum and my stomach recoiled at the sight of the energy bar I pulled from my pocket. Then, in an adrenalin flash, I realized I was alone in a place as alien as one of Jupiter's moons. I batted the ash from my pants and headed down.
Everything went predictably until the low point on the rim. There the mist parted and I glimpsed a blue blob, a solitary climber charging through the sudden glare.
Hey! Hey! I yelled, making sure we wouldn't pass if the fog closed again. You're gonna make it!
That's why we came, ain't it? Chris said.
Where's Todd?
Todd's tucked in like a baby. Don't worry about Todd.
A few hundred feet lower, the fog dissipated for good, revealing a startling tableaux. Todd lay in a shallow oval in the sharply canted slope, his arm pulled full extension above his head on a taut leash as he gradually slid away from the ice axe left to anchor him.
Todd! Who did this terrible thing to you?
His face lolled, his eyes unfocused and his lips thin purple lines.
My brother! That bastard tied my pack off over there and threw me in this hole. He worried more about my pack than me.
It's a nice pack. Let's get you moving.
But standing Todd up just marked the start of our troubles. Our Malibu Beach notch seemed tantalizingly close, but Todd kept stopping, crouching with his knees bent and his back hunched.
Come here, would ya? Hand me the pack and follow the tracks.
I tied his pack off my harness with a length of webbing. My plan was simple. I would drag his pack and stay close enough to shame him off the mountain.
A hearty back clap started him moving, but almost immediately Quasimodo the hunchback returned.
Go, goddammit! I strode forward, but after 10 steps, Todd stopped again.
Why are you standing like that?
I'm too tired to stand up.
Then sit down.
I'll fall if I sit down.
Too tired to walk but afraid of sliding to oblivion, he had adopted a compromise. This thought possessed a bizarre logic, which didn't help a bit in getting him home. Bunching his jacket in my fist, I shoved him ahead.
By this point, the themes for our descent had been written. Todd's core temperature hovered a degree above hypothermia. He couldn't stand up or sit down. He possessed the IQ of a dairy cow and the petulance of a feverish toddler. At times the pack interrupted his stream of drivel by bounding off uneven patches in the ice and, snapped back by the webbing, rocketing into the backs of my knees, or, once, my temple.
The saving grace was knowing that Mitch awaited us at the notch. He had the rope, Lance Armstrong's lungs, and experience rescuing the battered shells of mortal humans. When our boots touched the sand, I released Todd's jacket and hustled to the ice tsunami's edge. The ice glistened in its perpetual ocean. Mitch wasn't here.
I sank against a boulder and spat.
Todd. I can't get you down this thing without the rope. Your idiot brother's lost in the whiteout, and Mitch has run ahead.
Todd lay spread-eagled on his back. I waited on a polite, collegial answer so typical of him. Something like, There, there, Doug. It's OK you dragged me up here and killed me. No hard feelings.
But he surprised me. Look who's here, he exclaimed. It's Uncle Mitch, come to pay us a visit.
And indeed Mitch waded toward us through yet another hallucinatory pool. He knelt and ran a hand over his sweating face. You know this glacier? The one that's killed everybody in Mexico? It's no bigger than a postage stamp. I just walked around the whole thing. Let's find your useless brother and leave this beast behind.
As if we had miraculously become efficient, all watches synchronized, Chris appeared above, attempting a glissade that he reconsidered after attaining warp speed. He shoved himself up and assumed the plodding pace that, punctuated by time-outs to haul Todd upright, eventually brought us home.
Climbers from Heinrich Harrer to Steve House have spoken in reverent tones about the brotherhood of the rope, but my advice is to stick with metaphorical brothers. Given the stressors of big mountains and altitude, avoid adding the possibility of brutal sibling payback, no matter how justified.
And on the chance this tale of man's inhumanity has left you despairing about any sort of brotherhood at all, you might try going solo like the Swiss. No axe, no rope; no context. Just a face against the sky. Actually, I'd take the brothers over that.
Doug Emory lives in Tacoma. He has climbed nearly 200 different peaks, including the Cascade volcanoes from Hood to Baker, and half of the Colorado 14ers. He originally wrote this article using pseudonyms for the brothers, but it turned out they want full credit for their cruelty to one another.


text:
Morning Minutes: Aug. 25
Word of the Day
finagle fi-NEY-guhl (verb) to trick, swindle, or cheat (a person) (often followed by out of); to get or achieve (something) by guile, trickery; to practice deception or fraud; scheme. — www.dictionary.com
Website of the Day
Back up your files or protect your business from data loss with Mozy. Server data plans start at less than $13.98 a month.
Number to Know
59: On this date in 1916, The United States National Park Service was created. NPS oversee 401 units, of which 59 are designated national parks.
This Day in History
Aug. 25, 1950: President Harry Truman orders the U.S. Army to seize control of the nation's railroads to avert a strike.
Today's Featured Birthday
Actor and director Blair Underwood (49)
Daily Quote
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." — Henry David Thoreau


text:
Today is the anniversary of the "Shot Heard 'Round the World," Bobby Thomson's home run to lead the Giants past the Dodgers in a one-game playoff for the NL pennant.
It is widely regarded as the greatest single moment in baseball history.
Here's what I'd like to know: What is YOUR choice as the greatest single moment in baseball history?
Obviously, most of us weren't around for the Shot; does your choice necessarily have to happen in your own lifetime? (For example, how many people will say "Kirk Gibson in '88?")
Make your argument for the greatest single moment in baseball history in the Comments section.(Don't forget to weigh in below with your MLB LDS picks and X-factors for each series, plus whether or not Brett Favre should hang it up after last night's debacle.)


text:
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text:
Well, Susie Fishbein's done it again!! Her latest Kosher by Design cookbook for young adults will turn any teen, college student, or young at heart-Fishbein fan, into an instant gourmet superstar. If you're tired of the same old pizza with fries, or pocket pinching foil-packed fast food entrees, you're just going to love the 100 deliciously innovative, easy to prepare recipes in her new cookbook. Susie prepares young cooks with great tips on the basics of cooking and the tools they'll need; tips like using dry and liquid measuring cups because of volume differentials to achieve optimum results, making healthy food choices, and sidebar symbols indicating vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy free and nut-free recipes. All the recipes that made it into the book were taste-tasted and approved by discerning "tastebud" teens.
John Uher's photography is colorful and appealing throughout – especially the dessert section. Aside from Starters, Munchies, Soups and Salads, Poultry and Meat, Fish, Pasta and Dairy, Side Dishes, Desserts, there's an exciting section on planning themed Parties, and Special Diet Needs.
It was hard to choose a favorite recipe from all of them, but this one seems intriguing as it shows Mrs. Fishbein's culinary mastery and understanding of the young:
Chocolate Tart in Pretzel Crust
- 6 chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos®
- 2 cups mini pretzel twists
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Chocolate Filling:
- 1 (4-ounce) good-quality semisweet chocolate bars, such as Ghiradelli®
- 1 (4-ounce) good-quality milk chocolate bar, such as Ghiradelli®
- 1 cup heavy cream
- whipped cream, optional for garnish
- additional mini pretzel twists for optional garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Place the pretzels and cookies into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal "S" blade. Pulse until almost fine; some small pretzel pieces should remain. Pour into mixing bowl. Add the melted butter. Stir to moisten the crumbs. Press into a 9-inch glass pie plate or a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or your palm to work mixture into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet for easy transfer to and from the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Place the chocolate on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, finely chop the chocolate.
4. Heat the cream in a medium pot until it is simmering. Add the chocolate, including any small shards from the cutting board. Turn off the heat. Stir until smooth and chocolatey throughout. Pour into the prepared crust and chill for at least 2 hours.
5. Slice and serve plain or with whipped cream and pretzels.
All in all, Teens and 20-Somethings is informative, creative and a lot of fun; Susie is at her best, giving the next generation their shot at looking great in the kitchen, and us the opportunity to sit back and be fed and entertained by our kids.
Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!
On October 18th, we announced a photo contest, it's a food photography competition and the best photo of a Kosher by Design recipe will win a copy of Susie's latest: Kosher by Design Teens and 20 Somethings. You may download a free copy of the complete KBD recipe index from: http://bit.ly/KBDrecipeindex. Choose a recipe, make it, serve it and photograph it. Please check out Contest!!! for some pointers on food photography and links to a few outstanding food photographers' online portfolios. Send us your best to:
Maple Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes and More
Preorder your copy today at ArtScroll.com – enter the coupon code KBDBLOG at checkout to save 10% and receive free shipping in the continental U.S. Join the KBD online communities to find more reviews and giveaway contests! Kosher by Design Teens & 20-Somethings: cooking for the next generation is aimed at the young and digital-savvy fast-food generation and those who cook for them. Susie Fishbein is an everyday cook who loves to share her passion for cooking and entertaining with friends and family. Her enthusiasm for food and entertaining led to the creation of her best-selling cookbook, Kosher by Design, published in 2003 by ArtScroll Shaar Press. For more recipes and updates, visit the Kosher by Design blog or connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.


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4 Responses to "A Convenient Fiction"
June 30, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I wonder if you realize that the exact same principles you describe as working in the Bush administration leading up to the war also function in the minds of all the opponents to the war?
Just as their supposedly pre-determined conclusions were reinforced by some data while contrary data is (largely) ignored, wouldn't the same apply to opponents of the war? Wouldn't they weigh more heavily the data that would say that we were "lied" into the war and (largely) ignore the data that would suggest we made the right choice?
The premise of your essay is very enlightening and it definitely rings true, but it seems that your evidence for the phenomenon (the war in Iraq from the POV of the Bush administration) is ALSO an extremely good argument for the exact same premise from the opposite side of the political coin (the opposition to the war in Iraq).
I found a little humor in that.
June 30, 2008 at 6:00 pm
"The premise of your essay is very enlightening and it definitely rings true, but it seems that your evidence for the phenomenon (the war in Iraq from the POV of the Bush administration) is ALSO an extremely good argument for the exact same premise from the opposite side of the political coin (the opposition to the war in Iraq)."
There is no reason it couldn't apply to the opposition. As Peter Ditto says, "ideological bias is a natural tendency, one that all of us, both left and right, fall prey to at times."
Ideologies accomplish the same things for all of us. They organize the world, making it more coherent and manageable. To maintain that coherence, we assimilate data into existing systems of belief more readily than we alter systems to accommodate information that doesn't fit our preexisting organizing structures. If we can't trim or modify the new data to fit, we might very well reject the data before we allow more unsettling modifications of ideology. I can't think of any reason to assume that these tendencies are any more or less applicable to the thinking of the political left or the right.
This reminds me of something that gave me a laugh several years ago. Just before the war, a liberal colleague and friend of mine who opposed the war said, half-jokingly, that the statements made by some vocal war opponents were so shameless that he might have to support the war just to disassociate himself from them.
July 3, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Great post – I think that science can give us all an objective view of our biases. I'm concerned, though, about the recent research by scientists who continue to narrowly define people as "liberal" or "conservative". Do these scientific studies all simply test people's knee-jerk reactions, and consider that the end-all be-all of people's morality?
Don't get me wrong, I think the Civil Politics website should be required reading before the election! However, no one has bothered to really define what a "liberal" is. Just because we only have two jokers to choose from in this election, does not mean that each American citizen lives inside one candidate's narrowly defined worlds.
Just as "Happiness" is an incredibly vague term, and should be broken down into definable categories, "Ideology" does not really define our every day lives.
Much more consideration should be given to Moderates, Independents, etc. Better yet, we should drop the idea of trying to define people based on political parties and instead create new categories which take into consideration the fact that some "liberals" might believe in communal retribution, (think Canada), have the highest respect for all authority and that maybe there is more than one category in which to stuff us. It would be more reflective of reality.
January 25, 2010 at 12:23 pm
[…] A Convenient Fiction (by Peter Ditto) […]


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Her name is Angelina: she runs on a heavy-duty Mac server and she's building some addictive computer games for you.
Angelina (a tail-recursive acronym for "A Novel Game-Evolving Labrat I've Named ANGELINA") is a project in evolutionary computing by Michael Cook, a PhD candidate at Imperial College in the UK. Angelina generates computer games from scratch. It arrives at a final product by breaking down the important elements of a game into sub-tasks called "species," which together form a whole game. While auto-generating portions of videogames is nothing new to the medium, Angelina expands on the concept to almost fully-automate game development.
Cook says his "labrat" has created many games (sometimes at the rate of one game every ten minutes), and you can play some "Games by Angelina" here. While not all of Angelina's spawn have been worthwhile or playable, the few that you can play on Cook's site are pretty clever (especially for a machine).
According to a 2012 paper by Cook (PDF), the Angelina system draws on three species that evolve independently to create games. The first species, maps, determines "passable and impassable areas." Layouts specifies the different entities in the world and the game player, and then rulesets defines the way the player's obstacles will move. Angelina puts those categories together, then simulates a human playing the game 400 times to find glitches and problem areas that don't work to cast aside. During these trials, Angelina also finds retaining levels that are considered "fun": things that pose a challenge but then get easier. The most successful species are the ones that cooperate best with other species, so when those get grafted together you have a game by Angelina.
Cook points out this process is evolution, not learning. "Just like evolution in nature, the process isn't really conscious of the overall direction it's moving in. At each step, Angelina has a set of games to consider, and all it has to do is choose the best of this set, and combine their features together to make a new set," Cook said in an email. Unlike, say, IBM's Watson, every time Angelina wants to create a new game, the system has to start from scratch again.
Naturally, these kind of procedurally generated games aren't on par with the beautiful, rambling shooters and MMOs of today. And it should be noted that Angelina isn't totally autonomous. She can set all the parameters, but a human still has to create the graphics and music that go with the game. But the games this system spits out are interesting enough to hook the attention of someone playing on a mobile phone and looking for a quick experience with a little bit of challenge. The current games on Cook's site resemble early arcade games and Metroidvania-style 2D games. "I've beaten all of Angelina's games, except the ones which were impossible to finish," Cook said. "They're quite tiny, and creating games with a good difficulty level isn't Angelina's strong suit right now. I'm looking to that in a future project, however."
While Angelina is designed purely for games, the concepts being executed are important to AI in general. Imperial College's Computational Creativity Group, which houses Cook's project, studies how "automating reasoning processes" can influence pure mathematics, graphic design, and the visual arts. For now though, Cook hopes to get indie game developers using Angelina-type programs for their own creations.
Listing image by Image courtesy of Michael Cook


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Messin' with Texas —and the rest
About a month back I posted some thoughts on the recent rulings of The Roberts Court. Partisans were turning themselves inside out left and right, I noted. One moment the court had vindicated gay marriage and the next it was gutting the the voting rights act. I argued that both the cheers and the lamentations were perhaps just a tad overstated. I feel somewhat vindicated this morning as I read of the news that Attorney General Holder has announced that the DoJ will challenge the state of Texas over control of it's voting laws. Long history and recent actions would appear to indicate this as warranted. No sooner had the recent court decision come down than the Texas legislature moved forward on redistricting moves that had been previously blocked for their obvious gerrymandering intent.
The Roberts Court's decision on The Voting Rights Act did not invalidate federal authority to protect minority rights. As I pointed out in my ealier post, it addressed the unequal status of the states singled out for particular requirements that do not apply to all. It's heartening to see that the administration understands that distinction and they understand that they are to be no less vigilant in protecting voting rights. They understand the mandate as now broader not lesser.
Eric Holder announced… that the Justice Department will ask a federal court in San Antonio to reinstate its authority over voting laws in Texas for the next decade because of its history of discrimination, something that would require the Lone Star State to obtain approval before enacting any future voting changes.
"This is the department's first action to protect voting rights following the Shelby County decision, but it will not be our last," Holder told a friendly crowd at the Urban League in Philadelphia. "Even as Congress considers updates to the Voting Rights Act in light of the court's ruling, we plan, in the meantime, to fully utilize the law's remaining sections to subject states to preclearance as necessary."
Texas isn't the only state that may have moved too quickly assuming political paralysis would provide an opportunity for, well… opportunism, where partisan manipulation left unchecked could extend to wholesale disadvantage and disenfranchisement of voting populations. Around the country social and partisan manipulation barely bothers with the sheep's clothing of reform. I for one am glad to see the administration has taken action and I duly notice the mention of Congress in Attorney General Holder's remarks. That brings the responsibility around to us —we elect Congress. It's our understanding that really gives meaning and import to the court's decision. In my sense of it anyway the court never said not to mess with Texas —as they mess with the most basic and meaningful right of citizenship. It said we should mess with the rest just as well, just as much, to vouchsafe voting rights in every corner of this country. I'm thinking the Obama administration heard it this way and I am glad of it.


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Monday sports briefs: Former Miner Kevin Jorgensen, Hayden Kaae, Butte Valley Lady Bulldogs
Former Miner Jorgensen part of relay team that wins national title
GENEVA, Ohio – Former Yreka Miner Kevin Jorgensen was part of the Southern Oregon University distance medley relay team that took first place at the he NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Saturday.
Winning the race with a time of 9:48.16, the Raiders defeated second-place Carroll by nearly 10 seconds (9:58.08), a SOU press release said.
The team also set an NAIA record on Saturday, breaking the previous NAIA record by more than two seconds.
Etna wrestler Hayden Kaae competes at state at 195
BAKERSFIELD, CALIF. – Etna High wrestler Hayden Kaae competed at the CIF state championships in Bakersfield on Friday.
Kaae, a junior, competing at 195 pounds and lost both of his matches. Kaae was only the second Etna wrestler in school history to make state.
He took first at the Northern Section Masters wrestling Championships to earn a state berth. He is the first Lion wrestler to take first in sections.
Lady Bulldogs fall in section
finals in Chico
CHICO, Calif. – The Butte Valley Lady Bulldogs, the No. 4 seed, fell to No. 2 seed Hayfork 36-19 in the Northern Section Division 6 basketball girls championship game on Friday in Chico
The Bulldogs were up 6-0 after a quarter of play before Hayfork exploded for 16 points in the second quarter to lead 16-11.
In the second half, Hayfork held Butte Valley to only eight points on the way to the section title win In the semifinals on Tuesday,
Butte Valley upset top seeded Maxwell to earn a berth in the section finals.. Butte Vally fell to 14-9 for the year while Hayfork went to 21-8 overall.


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Pope looks at world's crises
Pope Benedict XVI wished Christmas peace to the world Tuesday, decrying the slaughter of the "defenseless" in Syria and urging Israelis and Palestinians to find the courage to negotiate.
Delivering the Vatican's traditional Christmas Day message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab Spring nations, especially Egypt, to build just-and-respectful societies.
He prayed that China's new leaders respect religion, a reference to persecution Chinese Roman Catholics have at times endured under communism.
As the 85-year-old pontiff, bundled up in an ermine-trimmed red cape, gingerly set foot on the balcony, the pilgrims, tourists and Romans below in St. Peter's Square erupted in cheers.
Less than 12 hours earlier, Benedict had led a two-hour Christmas Eve ceremony in the basilica. He sounded hoarse and looked weary as he read his Christmas message and then holiday greetings in 65 languages.
In his Urbi et Orbi speech, which traditionally reviews world events and global challenges, Benedict prayed that "peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict that does not spare even the defenseless and reaps innocent victims."
He called for easier access to help refugees and for "dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict."
Benedict prayed that God "grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path to negotiation."
Israel, backed by the United States, opposed the Palestinian statehood bid, saying it was a ploy to bypass negotiations, something the Palestinians deny. Talks stalled four years ago.
Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said that in a meeting with the pope last week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas "emphasized our total readiness to resume negotiations." The Palestinians have not dropped their demand that Israel first stop settlement activities before returning to the negotiating table.
Hours earlier, in the ancient Bethlehem church built over the site where tradition holds Jesus was born, candles illuminated the sacred site and the joyous sound of prayer filled its overflowing halls.
Overcast skies and a cold wind in the Holy Land didn't dampen the spirits of worshippers in the biblical West Bank town. Bells pealed and long lines formed inside the fourth-century Church of the Nativity complex as Christian faithful waited to see the grotto that is Jesus' traditional birthplace.
Duncan Hardock, 24, a writer from MacLean, Va., traveled to Bethlehem from the Republic of Georgia, where he had been teaching English. After passing through the separation barrier Israel built to ward off West Bank attackers, he walked to Bethlehem's Manger Square, where the church stands.
"I feel we got to see both sides of Bethlehem in a really short period of time," Hardock said. "On our walk from the wall, we got to see the lonesome, closed side of Bethlehem … But the moment we got into town, we're suddenly in the middle of the party."
Bethlehem lies 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem. Entry to the city is controlled by Israel, which in 1967 occupied the West Bank, previously held by Jordan.
For those who couldn't fit into the cavernous Bethlehem church, a loudspeaker outside broadcast the Christmas Day service to hundreds of faithful in the square.
Their Palestinian hosts, who welcome this holiday as the high point of their city's year, were especially joyous this season, proud of the United Nations' recognition of an independent state of Palestine just last month.
"From this holy place, I invite politicians and men of good will to work with determination for peace and reconciliation that encompasses Palestine and Israel in the midst of all the suffering in the Middle East," said the top Roman Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal in his annual address.
Back at the Vatican, Benedict offered encouragement to countries after the Arab Spring of democracy protests. He had a special word for Egypt, "blessed by the childhood of Jesus."
Without citing the tumultuous politics and clashes in the region, he urged the North African region to build societies "founded on justice and respect for the dignity of every person."
Benedict prayed for the return of peace in Mali and harmony in Nigeria, where, he said, "savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians."
The Vatican for decades has been worried about the well-being of its flock in China, who are loyal to the pope in defiance of the communist's government support of an officially sponsored church, and relations between Beijing and the Holy See are often tense.
Speaking about China's newly installed leaders, Benedict expressed hope that "they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each other, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble people and of the whole world."
Acknowledging Latin America's predominantly Christian population, he urged government leaders to carry out commitments to development and to fighting organized crime.


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Man, 86, gets probation in Ariz. mercy killing
PHOENIX — An 86-year-old man who carried out a mercy killing by shooting his ailing wife and high school sweetheart in the head was sentenced Friday to probation after an emotional hearing where family members tearfully spoke on his behalf.
George Sanders could have faced more than 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The judge, who complimented the prosecutor for being "courageous" in recommending probation, allowed Sanders to walk out of the courtroom.
Judge John Ditsworth said his sentence of two years' probation was "individualized and tempers justice with mercy."
"It is very clear that he will never forget that his actions ended the life of his wife," Ditsworth said as Sanders stood at a podium, his hands clasped and shaking.
"In this set of facts, there was a perfect storm of individual circumstances which placed Mr. Sanders in a position where had to make a decision," Ditsworth said. "This set of facts hits close to home for all of us."
Sanders, wearing khakis and a white sport coat, spoke for only a minute about his love for his 81-year-old wife, Virginia Sanders, who he calls Ginger.
"Your honor, I met Ginger when she was 15 years old and I've loved her since she was 15 years old. I loved her when she was 81 years old," he said, trembling.
"It was a blessing, and I was happy to take care of her," Sanders continued. "I am sorry for all the grief and pain and sorrow I've caused people."
Sanders was arrested Nov. 9 after he says his wife begged him to shoot her at their home in the retirement community of Sun City outside Phoenix. He was initially charged with first-degree murder before reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors.
"The family very much loved their mother," prosecutor Blaine Gadow told the judge Friday as he recommended a sentence of probation, noting the "very unique, difficult circumstances of this case."
"I don't know where our society is going to go with cases like this, judge," Gadow said. "At this point in time, what Mr. Sanders did was a crime."
However, he added, "No one in the courtroom has forgotten the victim in this case."
Steve Sanders, the defendant's son, then spoke on behalf of his father, telling the judge the family never wanted him to be prosecuted.
"I want the court to know that I loved my mother dearly," he said. "But I would also like the court to know that I equally love my father."
Breaking down at time in tears, Steve Sanders explained how his father had been Virginia Sanders' sole caregiver as her health deteriorated.
"I fully believe that the doctor's visits, the appointments, the medical phone calls and the awaiting hospital bed led to the decision that my parents made together," he said. "I do not fault my father.
"A lot of people have hero figures in their life, LeBron James ... some world class figures ... but I have to tell you my lifelong hero is my dad," Steve Sanders told the judge, sobbing. He said his parents had been together for 62 years, "the love of his life, my mother."
Sanders grandson, Grant Sanders, then described what he called "a beautiful love story."
"My grandfather lived to love my grandmother, to serve and to make her feel as happy as he could every moment of their life," Grant Sanders said. "I truly believe that the pain had become too much for my grandmother to bear."
Sanders said his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1969, and the couple moved from Washington state to Arizona in the 1970s for the warm, dry climate. She had been in a wheelchair since 1971.
Eventually, his own health deteriorated, and he said it became more difficult to care for his wife.
He said she was diagnosed with gangrene on her foot just a few days before the shooting and was set to be admitted to a hospital, then a nursing home.
"It was just the last straw," Sanders told a detective during his interrogation in November. "She didn't want to go to that hospital ... start cutting her toes off."
He said his wife begged him to kill her.
"I said, 'I can't do it honey,'" he told the detective. "She says, 'Yes you can.'"
Sanders then got his revolver and wrapped a towel around it so the bullet wouldn't go into the kitchen.
"She says, 'Is this going to hurt?' and I said, 'You won't feel a thing,'" he said.
"She was saying, 'Do it. Do it. Do it.' And I just let it go," Sanders added.
As he sentenced Sanders on Friday, Ditsworth recalled his drive home from court the day he accepted Sanders' plea. He said he tuned his radio to a talk show, "and I heard the name George Sanders and my curiosity piqued."
He said he listened for the next hour as about 25 callers expressed their opinions.
Many asked themselves, "What if this had happened to me? ... What if this were me, my brother, my wife?" Ditsworth said. "And it was overwhelming that the general public did not support Mr. Sanders' actions, but they understood them."


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In just over a week, we will see a referendum on "Joe Six-Pack" politics. Over the past decade or two, the Republican Party has promoted a political fiction that conflates wholesomeness, independence, tradition, and common sense with anti-intellectualism and suspicion of outsiders. More recently, Sarah Palin has championed the effort to highlight the supposed division between secular liberal coastal elites and "normal" Americans. By her own words, Palin believes that small towns are "the real America" and she has warned that Barack Obama "is not a man who sees America as you see it and how I see America." While it might be comforting to dismiss these efforts as a desperate appeal to emotional voters who don't know or don't care about the substantive issues in this election, the persistence of these "us vs. them" arguments in our current political paradigm hints at deeper reasons for concern.
Regardless of policy expertise, is there reason to think that makes a difference whether Sarah Palin is a moose-hunting, "Joe Six-Pack" conservative Christian? Yes. Humans are fundamentally social and those distinctions matter – no matter which side of them you may be on. In fact, our affinity for those with similar backgrounds provides an important means of making sense of the world and strengthening ties with others. We have such a natural predisposition for "birds of a feather" to "flock together" that even groups formed with no prior connection among the members (or no meaningful connection at all) can demonstrate a preference for their comrades over those outside the group. Social psychologists call this the "minimal group" paradigm: Individuals randomly assigned to one group over another, absent any rational justification, engage in self-evaluation that favors their new group and strengthens their affiliation with its members. In cultural, family, or political groups, our affiliation with others can provide a comforting means of evaluating the immense, complex web of incomplete information with which we are presented in everyday life. Psychologists have even found that identification of a policy proposal as being from one's own party can be more determinative of an individual's approval than the actual content of the proposed policy.
Because our evaluation of policies and political candidates is not purely rational, candidates like Sarah Palin can invoke existing or imagined group affiliations to reframe the political landscape and override other, more rational considerations.
All of this matters because, regardless of who draws the lines in the sand, these tactics do not uniquely manipulate one segment of the country or one end of the political spectrum. Rather they impact all of us by contributing to a situation that alters our perceptions, incites prejudice, and affects behavior across the board. When political tacticians push small town Americans to claim moral superiority over the rest of the country, the resulting climate encourages liberal, college-educated Americans to ignore the complexity in regional and local politics in favor of their own self-serving views. In short, the idea that liberals are more rational or intellectual than conservatives perpetuates a simplistic, partisan view that precludes empathy and interferes with positive change.
It is neither novel nor surprising that this presidential campaign has seen attempts to mobilize support based on identity appeals and false dichotomies. But as we decide which candidate will best face the domestic and international challenges of the next four years, it is worth remembering that our perceptions of those issues and ideas are inherently shaped by how we view ourselves in relation to those with different backgrounds and opposing perspectives. Unless we account for how "Joe Six-Pack" politics manipulate and polarize our political views, Conservatives will never be independent and Liberals will never truly be rational.
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For a related Situationist post, see "Without the Filter."


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