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I’ve been feeling for some time now that children’s books have become the poor relation of the category that bears their name—children’s literature. Across the world, children’s books, as an academic discipline, as a department in a publishing house, as a section in the bookshop or library, has traditionally always covered everything from picture books for the pre-literate child or baby through to novels and other books for teenagers. I well remember discussion in the early ’90s about the name of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and whether or not it ought to be changed to reflect the rising significance and popularity of young adult fiction—a sub-category that didn’t even exist when the CBCA was established in the 1940s.

Since those days, YA has become the dominant and, dare I say it, sexy older sister in the family of books for younger readers. YA books get more coverage in the media (not always for the good, of course), YA authors seem to me to get more press and have more presence in social media and the like, and although I haven’t done the stats on it, I’d not be at all surprised to find out that, outside of specialist review journals such as Magpies, YA have the (probably substantial) edge in terms of review in newspapers and blogs.

This might not matter all that much as long as the books are still being written and put into the hands of children, of course, but I’ve felt for a long time now that the rise of YA has been somewhat to the detriment of children’s books. It’s not just that kids see the excitement engendered by phenomena such as the Hunger Games and Twilight books and want to be part of that, but I’ve long felt that, in this country at least, we don’t publish nearly as many really substantial, what I would call literary novels for children—older children, 8-12 year olds, that once Golden Age of reading—than we once did, when it was the staple of Australian publishing and the CBCA Awards. And when we do, they invariably get glommed over into the YA category anyway, by commentators (many of whom should know better) who seem to think that anything of substance and that is challenging must therefore be for young adults (forgetting that they themselves were probably reading Jane Eyre at the age of 8). Why shouldn’t today’s children be as smart and worthy of age-appropriate, challenging fiction as we were? As I’ve said before, we still have children, and they still need their own books.

On the other hand, children’s books by women tend to fare better in awards than YA books by women. It’s been well documented that the CBCA awards in particular have long favoured young adult novels by men, or about boys and young men. No such trend has been discernible in awards for children’s books, and in fact, the children’s book prize in the new Prime Minister’s Literary Award has every year so far gone to a woman creator (as well as Monty Pryor, who wrote Shake a Leg, illustrated by Jan Ormerod). I’ve always put the trend to reward male writers of YA as a sign of our anxiety around boys and reading, but if it were solely that, then one might imagine that the concern would kick in earlier in the formative reading years of primary school. Perhaps it’s the greater cultural value that now seems to be placed on YA that accounts for the difference, and for the tendency for books by men, or about the male experience, being in some quarters apparently valued more highly than those by/about women.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m a huge fan of YA fiction, of course, and am regularly called upon to speak or write about YA, or to judge YA awards (I’m currently in my fourth, and third consecutive term as a judge of the Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards), but the truth is, the books that have meant the most to me over the years, as a child reader and as an adult aficionado and advocate of books for young people, have been novels for children. I can’t but agree with Sonya Hartnett, arguably Australia’s most internationally recognised writer for young people, who wrote:

More than this, I believe that the only lastingly important form of writing is writing for children. It is writing that is carried in the reader’s heart for a lifetime; it is writing that speaks to the future.

Sonya Hartnett,  The Bulletin March 28 2004

And so I was really pleased when the Australian Women Writers Challenge folk invited me to be their contributing editor for children’s books. I’m really looking forward to keeping a closer eye on what’s being written about Australian children’s books, and to marry this interest with my passion for feminism and recognising the work and value of Australian women writers for children.

I’ll mostly be focusing on longer fiction for children—the children’s novel—but in the absence of a dedicated picture book category, I’ll also throw in the odd survey of picture book reviews as well.

So to a roundup of 2012. The main thing I think needs to be noted is that the trend in children’s publishing in this country has been for some time, and continues to be, in series fiction, rather than the stand alone novel. This has been going on since at least the 1980s and the rise of series for reluctant readers—a great thing in itself. I’ve often noted that there have never been more books for all kinds of readers than we have now, that once upon a time there simply weren’t books like the Aussie Bites series for what we now call ‘reluctant readers’. However, with the steady rise of series fiction, there has been a concomitant decline in the publication of the substantial, stand-along novel for children—in this country, at least. The US and UK still publish a lot of this kind of book. Perhaps it’s something to do with economy of scale.

And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with the quality of these series either. Aussie Bites and their ilk from other publishers, the Our Australian Girl and My Australian Story books, Jacqueline Harvey’s Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose series, Sally Rippin’s hugely popular Billie B. Brown books, Anna and Barbara Fienberg’s phenomenally successful Tashi (consistent bestsellers over 15 plus years) are all top quality books for younger children, and older children who lack confidence or in some instances, ability.

princess-betony-and-the-unicornAs if to confirm the trend towards series, award-winning author Pamela Freeman’s first children’s novel, The Willow Tree’s Daughter, has been broken down into expanded individual short stories (the novel was originally written more or less as connected short stories), each to be published in a gorgeous palm-sized hardback with dust-jacket and satin place-holder ribbon—canny marketing to mums, aunties and grandmas who love gorgeous books, with the added bonus of high quality storytelling and prose. (Disclaimer: I’m a close friend of the author and have been an informal early editor/reader on some of Pamela’s Princess Betony  and other children’s books.)

Susan Stephenson of The Book Chook blog—one of the few Australian book bloggers to focus exclusively on children’s books—said in her review of Billie B Brown: The Copycat Kid,

The Billie B. Brown books… (are) fun and engaging for kids. Take a look at the number of comments from grateful parents on Rippin’s blog if you need proof. The books are set in a world, and with a feisty heroine, that children can relate to. Kids will like that Billie B. isn’t perfect and gets into realistic scrapes. Parents will like that Billie B. is honest and she means well.

The  Our Australian Girl series are all written by experienced women writers for children, including Gabrielle Wang and Sherryl Clark. Part of a welcome trend back to historical fiction for children and young adults, the series has been well-received as a way of introducing aspects of Australian social history to young readers through affectionate and engaging portraits of young girls. The Kids Books Review blog (another kids’ book only review site, run by Tania McCartney, Kelly Morton and Susan Whelan) uses words like ‘gutsy’ and ‘exciting’ to describe the series.

Most dedicated children’s book review blogs are designed as guides for parents and professionals working with children, and so the focus in the reviews tend to be on content (plot) and characterisation, with a heavy emphasis on perceived child-appeal, and not much detail on the quality of the writing (beyond phrases like ‘beautifully written’). With heavily girl-reader-focused series, there’s usually coded (and sometimes not-so-coded) language about the female protagonists and their suitability as role models for their young readers. I don’t think you get much of this in reviews of books for boys of a similar age—I must look into that! Either way, it does emphasise that there’s still a very strong impulse in all of us to view children’s books as roadmaps of sorts, not just to the mores of acceptable behaviour (“Parents will like that Billie B. is honest and she means well”) but also to social values including child-friendly versions of feminism, tolerance in a diverse cultural society, and so on.

A series of an altogether different complexion can be found in performance artist Asphyxia’s “The Grimstones” books. The books are based on Asphyxia’s gothic, but nevertheless child-focused puppet plays about a family called, you guessed it, The Grimstones. Working in fairy tale mode, in territory not too far from Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and The Graveyard Book, the 3 (to date) Grimstones books successfully capture the  flavour of the performances through deliberately atmospherically archaic language and the inclusion of photographic illustrations, using the actual puppets (sans strings!).

The first Grimstones book, Hatched, was reviewed on the My Book Corner blog:

The appeal of The Grimstones does not lie solely in its visual appeal. This is an expertly crafted novel, with an original and intriguing plot focusing on Martha’s creation in Grandpa Grimstone’s apothecary. The language is delicate and descriptive, accurately capturing the character of Martha and her observations of those around her. With her thoughts and feeling laid open, Martha quickly becomes a character to adore.

Other children’s series by women writers new in 2012 include Arkie Sparkle by Petra James, The Ghost Club by Deborah Abela, Sword Girl by Frances Watts, and a new iteration of the internationally best-selling Conspiracy 365 books by Gabrielle Lord (arguably YA but popular with middle school aged children). If I’ve missed any, please be sure to let me know via the comments.

But we’re not entirely without the stand alone novel for children, even with the dominance of series fiction. Some notable contributions from 2012 include the under-rated Catherine Bateson’s Star; Chook Chook: Mei’s Secret Pets by Wai Chim (a welcome new voice from a non-Anglo writer); a new historical adventure from Belinda Murrell, The Forgotten Pearl; a new illustrated chapter book by Anna Fienberg, Figaro and Rumba and the Crocodile Café AND a new children’s novel, Louis Beside Himself. Sonya Hartnett went back to the great British children’s novels of the middle of the last century for inspiration for The Children of the King (and that’s by no means a bad thing!). Randa Abdel-Fattah published the sequel to The Friendship Matchmaker, The Friendship Matchmaker Goes Undercover, demonstrating yet again that despite having made her name in YA, she is a natural for children’s fiction. I for one hope she writes many more books for the upper-primary readership.

Star by Catherine Bateson at Sally Murphy’s Aussie Reviews:

Star is an endearing first person narrator who will have the reader cheering for good things to happen to her. At times she is, as her mother accuses, self centred, but this adds to the sense of realism. She is, after all, a little girl with a lot going on and must look out for herself when it seems no one else is. She also cares about those around her. Ultimately, Star is a feel good novel about being given a chance to shine. Lovely.

Chook Chook: Mei’s Secret Pets by Wai Chim at The Book Chook: chook2

Chim’s writing not only conveys the different culture and customs of China, but also helps young readers enter into a young girl’s fears and love for her pets. Although Mei’s life is hard, the story’s message is ultimately an uplifting one as Mei extends and gains kindness from strangers. We also see the rift in her family heal.

The Forgotten Pearl by Belinda Murrell; review by ‘Jen’ on Goodreads:

This novel brings together many fascinating aspects of Australian history, including the participation of native Aboriginal people in the war, and the internment of the Australian born Japanese population, who were deported from Darwin to become prisoners of war in the south. I learnt much about Australia in the war from this novel, and in particular, the sections on Darwin were fascinating.

Figaro and Rumba and the Crocodile Café by Anna Fienberg; review by Vic at the Mummy Ate Me blog:

It is a sweet story and the interplay between adventurous Figaro and hesitant Rumba is really lovely.

There is lots of action in the book but it happens at a more leisurely pace, which is perfect for younger readers (by that I mean four, five and six year olds) and there are lots of great pictures to break up the text.

louis-beside-himselfLouis Beside Himself by Anna Fienberg, reviewed by Kathleen Dixon on Goodreads:

This book really is delightful, and it brings in subjects which are very real: parenting skills (or the lack of them), puberty, multicultural issues (to a minor degree, but still there), what friendship means. All of this within a humorous telling by a boy whose tone is just exactly right – I’m reminded of my brother at that age… Long may the richness of this language be celebrated. And thanks to this book for a great example!

The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett, reviewed by Alexa Dretzke from Readings Hawthorn:

Storytelling is often like Matryoshka dolls, layers of story, tales within tales and Hartnett uses, seamlessly, this device in her latest novel for middle readers. Beautifully written and hauntingly evocative, the story is set on the eve of the bombing of London in World War Two. For safekeeping, children were evacuated to the country, to family or in the case of many, to be billeted out, living with strangers, away from all they know… This eerie and cruel time in history interweaves with the present in surprising ways and what the reader and the children learn is everything is connected, the past has links to the present and has many a lesson to teach us if only those in power would care to learn.

The Friendship Matchmaker Goes Undercover by Randa Abdel-Fattah, reviewed by Fran Knight at the Read Plus blog:

Full of wit, and told with a light touch, this story is funny and serious, alighting on the problems of classroom control, schoolyard friendships, bullying and how home life impacts upon the classroom. I loved the library described aa refugee camp, waiting for those needing protection from the likes of Chris, and was dismayed at the bullying he receives from his father, pointing to the fact that bullies are often bullied at home. Again the writing flows smoothly, each incident adding another layer to the well drawn characters.

In other good news for women writers for children, Kate Constable took out both the CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers and the Patricia Wrightson Prize in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for her very fine novel, Crow Country, a book and a writer that well deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Patricia Wrightson herself. And Alison Lester became one of our first Children’s Laureates, spreading the word about the importance of children’s books and reading across the country.

In sad news, we lost honorary Australian Margaret Mahy. A proud New Zealander, Margaret was nevertheless a frequent, affectionate visitor to Australia, and her loss has been felt by readers all over the world. So many women writers have been inspired by Margaret’s extraordinary talents over the years, and it’s fitting to end this roundup by acknowledging that the world of children’s books will be the poorer for her loss.

About Me:

A friend once called me the Swiss Army Knife of children’s books. I’ve been a teacher, editor, critic, writer, and arts program manager, all focusing on literature for children and young adults. I am a Churchill Fellow and I wrote my MA thesis on feminist criticism, narrative theory and fairytale retellings for teenagers. I am currently working on a novel for children, but don’t tell anyone or I may have to actually finish it.  My current day job is here. You can read more about me here.

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2014 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S drive review

December 10, 2013

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“Turbo.” Forty years ago at the 1973 Frankfurt International Motor Show, Porsche unwrapped a silver, wide-bodied, whale-tailed prototype bearing those five scripted letters, and the marque's disciples have reacted like Pavlov's dogs with each successive version.

Something else became inevitable early on: From the original, eternally posterized 930 to the 964-series based Turbo 3.6 tothe devastating all-wheel-drive 993 “Bug Killer” to the outgoing 997 Gen II Turbo—not to mention revered special editions with names like GT2 RS—the question, “What could possibly come next?” arises almost as soon as the newest incarnation hits showrooms.

Naturally, then, chuckles and knowing headshakes accompany the launch of the new 991-series 911 Turbo and Turbo S. As Porsche recalls, “When delivery of the 911 Turbo began in early 1975, no one seriously believed that there would be customer demand for further power boosts.”

Porsche 911 Turbo interior. Photo by Porsche

The naivety lasted less than two years before the Turbo's 3.0-liter, 260-hp flat-six engine became 3.3 liters and 300 hp in 1977. Original expectations vaporized for good when a model expected from the outset to sell 400 copies had by that same year landed in the hands of 2,876 buyers.

The long-term upshot? Porsche's 2014 911 911 Turbo S is the quickest-accelerating road-going series production 911 to date: faster than the latest 911 GT3 (“Reloaded,” Sept. 2), faster than the 997 GT2 RS and faster than the road-legal homologation version of the Le Mans-winning 911 GT1.

In fact, the new 911 Turbo S is the fastest-accelerating car Porsche has ever placed into open-ended production. Its official 0-60-mph time is 2.9 seconds, but knowing Porsche's penchant for conservative estimates, 2.7 seconds is a realistic guess, especially after cracking skull against headrest testing the cannon-shot launch-control. And then there is its claimed 0-124-mph time, quoted at 10.1 seconds. The upcoming 918 Spyder hybrid will outgun it, but comparison with an almost-$1-million technotronic hypercar is a nonstarter.

Both the Turbo and Turbo S, launched together now for the first time, use an evolution of the 997 versions' twin-turbo-charged 3.8-liter flat-six direct-injection gasoline engine. It features altered Vario-Cam Plus valve timing, revised pistons, forged connecting rods and increased combustion pressure. The S engine sits on motorsports-derived hydraulic mounts and makes 560 hp between 6,500 and 6,750 rpm, or 147.4 hp per liter. Torque measures 516 lb-ft between 2,100 and 4,250 rpm. That's 40 additional hp and 29 lb-ft more than the standard Turbo, thanks to 17.4 psi of boost pressure versus 14.5 and a rev-limit increase of 200 rpm, to 7,200. With the Sport Chrono package (standard on S, optional on Turbo), a temporary overboost function in the midrange produces an extra 37 lb-ft of torque in both cars for up to 20 seconds by pumping in another 2.2 psi.

A revised version of the 997 Turbo S's multiplate-clutch-controlled all-wheel drive pounds the explosiveness to the road. Actuation is electro-hydraulic rather than hydraulic only, delivering power more quickly between axles. The front differential gets water cooling, while the rear diff is of the limited-slip, electronically controlled variety. Porsche's torque vectoring and new rear-wheel steering, seen first on the new GT3, also help to cajole the chassis into corners without drama.

New Porsche 911 Turbo

Here is where purists will groan loudest: As with the GT3, these new Turbos are available only with Porsche's dual-clutch gearbox, the same seven-speed device used in other recent 911s. Why? With such rapid acceleration, “You have not enough time to change up [at the right time] in the low gears, so you don't get maximum performance,” says Dr. Joachim Esser, calibration manager for transmission and drivetrain. OK, but why not at least offer the GT3's manual-esque functions—such as selecting neutral via the paddle shifters for hooligan antics like burnouts and donuts? “It's possible to have this,” he confirms, “but we decided it is not in character for the Turbo.” Likewise, the 100-millisecond shift times, while exceptionally quick, are not as brutally efficient as the GT3's.

This comes as a disappointment if only because other than a bespoke, taller-ratio gearset, the Turbo's PDK is identical to the GT3's; but as Dr. Erhard Müssle, director of Carrera 4 and 911 Turbo, explains, most Turbo buyers are “enthusiasts, not hardcore track guys. They drive the car every day. The Turbo offers the widest span of capabilities of all Porsches; it offers the biggest spread between an everyday car and performance.”

We soon discover he's got us on that point. But before you fire the ignition, take a moment to admire the classic Turbo styling cues, especially the almost dinner-tray-wide rear fenders that extend 3.3 inches beyond the front fenders; to our eyes, this is the best, most-aggressive looking Turbo since the wicked 993. And, thanks in part to active aerodynamics including a multistage, bladder-activated GT3-like front spoiler and a similarly multistage rear wing, the 2014 Turbos are just as happy on racetracks as they are serving as the ultimate executive GT cruiser.

Sampling each on German roads and the Bilster Berg Drive Resort circuit, those GT abilities are apparent immediately. Comfort is exceptional, dampening all but severe bumps almost entirely, even in sport-plus mode. Handling is more agile and eager than the 997 with less body roll and dumbfounding traction.

The driver's view in the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Photo by Porsche

The “downside,” at least from anything resembling a longtime Turbo enthusiast's curmudgeonly view: These cars display a clinical competency, romping neutrally from apex to apex without any clear limit to their prowess. The ability to carry big speed through corners without any premature breakaway is stunning; even the long-standing penchant to wander a bit at higher velocities, owing to a relatively narrow track and lightness in the front end due to a lack of downforce, is gone. Other than flat-out, full-throttle bursts—and witnessing a light-speed tunnel of blur forming on the road ahead—the Turbos' limits are removed so far from any reasonable public-road driving scenario that you might at times feel a little depressed: Anyone can drive these cars, and anyone possessing a sliver of coordination will do so quite well.

The same applies to track work. Bilster Berg is a brand-new mini-Nordschleife designed in part by Porsche racing deity Walter Röhrl and Hermann Tilke, the ubiquitous lord of Formula One circuit layouts. Its 2.6 miles feature an array of elevation changes and blind apexes that appear created to spit you into the guardrail. But both cars bleed off speed at a confidence-cranking rate, especially the S with its ever-larger standard carbon-ceramic brakes. Turn-in is more eager than in the old Turbos, yet there's never a sensation that the rear end is teetering on a knife's edge. The chassis will rotate some on corner entry, but what feels like the precursor to snap oversteer is nothing of the sort. Push too hard on entry and, if anything, harmless understeer brings it right back.

Screaming downhill into a left-hand section that looks more intimidating than Laguna Seca's Corkscrew and compresses the suspension fully—and where you're sure you're going to wad it up—both cars soak up the descent, slide a bit, rebound and fire uphill, flat-out into the next blind right-hander. This inherent stability is all the more impressive when you register that these are 3,500-pound, rear-engine cars with so much bang under their decklids. Suddenly, 1977, or even 1997 for that matter, might as well be 145 years ago.

If there's any holdover from Turbos past, the engines' initial response isn't as razor sharp as some normally aspirated rivals; there is some telltale lag in the delivery down low, more so in the standard Turbo, noticeable more on-track than road.

Will actual buyers notice, or more to the point, care? Not if Müssle's and Porsche's assessment of those customers is accurate. If the 991 Turbos sound a little too easy, too good and not your bag, it's time to start looking for that new GT3 or a nice Turbo 3.6 or 993, or perhaps even an earlier car.

The future? If you didn't learn anything during the past 40 years, you might think we're there already.

Autoweek Germany correspondent Greg Kable contributed to this story

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We are accredited under the RMS Authorised Inspection Scheme to carry out the following vehicles inspections for the purpose of registration in New South Wales.

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The procedural vote on Dec. 17, to invoke what is called cloture, needed 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate to pass, and it received 67. Such votes require the acquiescence of enough minority Republicans, as the Democratic-Independent caucus only controls 55 seats. In the end, a dozen Republicans voted with Democrats and independents to allow a final vote to occur this week.

That final vote needs only a simple majority of senators to pass the bill, and it is expected before the Senate’s targeted adjournment on Dec. 20. But before then, some members may try to amend the compromise on the Senate floor, which could imperil any deal.

Indeed, as senators were voting on cloture Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued a statement that he has joined fellow Republicans Sens. Roger Wicker (Miss.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Jeff Sessions (Ala.) and Thad Cochran (Miss.) to introduce an amendment to restore retirement pay increases for current and future military retirees that would be dialed back in the deal as one revenue generator.

The agreement announced last week by House and Senate Budget committee chairmen Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) would find $6 billion for its spending and deficit-reduction goals by cutting the cost-of-living increase for military pensioners of working age, i.e., under 62, by 1%. When pensioners reach the traditional retirement age, they would then receive the full, previous amount of annual increases.

But the Republican senators — many of whose southern and central states count legions of current and ex-military personnel — said the move breaks a promise to veterans. “They deserve more from us in their retirement than this agreement provides,” said Graham, who faces a tougher re-election next year than before due to tea party challenges. “Simply put, it doesn’t do enough to protect those who have spent their lives protecting our nation.”

Echoed Cochran, who faces a similar election battle: “There is no justification in first turning to those who have served or are serving in the military and asking them to make new sacrifices.”


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Screengrab Snafu: The Lakers got Kevin Durant, too

Earlier this week, we already saw Steve Nash traded to the Los Angeles Kings instead of the Los Angeles Lakers, but thankfully according to the Worldwide Leader in Sports, they got someone even better.  On Friday night’s SportsCenter, ESPN had an interview with Kevin Durant and inexplicably slapped a Lakers logo next to his name.  Kevin Durant most certainly does not play for the Lakers, but is still indeed a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  One has to wonder though… is this foreshadowing?  Is Durantula taking his talents to Hollywood?  Yea, he’s under contract with the Thunder until 2016, but it’s never too early to prepare for the possibility, Oklahoma City.

(H/T Rabid Mongoose)

Matt Yoder

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Friday, January 07, 2005

Arizona Cardinal News

Cards aide knows he must produce quickly Five NFL offensive coordinators have been fired, forced out or retired since the season ended less than a week ago. So Keith Rowen, introduced Thursday as the Cardinals' fourth coordinator in four seasons, is well aware of the insecurity of his vocation. "All of us have pressure in our jobs, don't we?" he said Thursday in an introductory news conference. "I don't know a day that you don't have expectations to do a good article or do your job correctly. You look at the college coaches, you're down to a three-year cycle. In the NFL, some are a two-year process. What I am saying to you is that we live with that pressure every day. To me it's a matter of opportunity and taking advantage of the opportunity." The opportunity comes for Rowen as he begins his 22nd season as an NFL assistant. He spent the past six seasons in Kansas City coaching tight ends, including perennial Pro Bowl player Tony Gonzalez. Rowen hasn't called plays since 1984 when he was the coordinator for the Boston/New Orleans Breakers of the USFL, but he's equipped to handle the pressure and scrutiny. The son of Vic Rowen, a legendary coach at San Francisco State, Rowen, 52, has been attending football practices and NFL training camps since he was 5. Rowen played at Stanford and has coached nearly every offensive position in the NFL, including the offensive line for three years under Dennis Green in Minnesota. "This is how I have lived my life," he said of coaching. "Coming from a strong football background, coaches and appreciation for coaches and what we do for one another is extremely important to me. "And No. 2, the relationship I have with Dennis Green is special. The years I had in Minnesota were some of the best years of my career so far in the National Football League, not only from a coaching standpoint and an offensive standpoint, but also from a personal relationship." Rowen replaces Alex Wood, fired by Green on Monday after the Cardinals finished the season ranked 27th in offense. Wood, too, was familiar with Green, having worked for him in Minnesota. Green tried to hire Rowen as his offensive line coach a year ago, but he was still under contract with Kansas City. Rowen said he has learned something at every stop in his career, and he choked up when asked what he had learned from Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil. "I learned that people matter," he said, "and what you do for one another is as important as anything you do. He was a special guy." This year, Vermeil allowed his assistants to pursue other jobs because Vermeil has one year left on his contract. "It's always about timing," Green said, "and I think the timing is right this year. I think Keith and I over the years, it's always about getting back together. If it ever happened again that we could work together, Keith and I both said we'd love to do that, because we had some good teams and we worked real well together." Rowen has started work already, but he put off questions about specific players, saying his evaluation process has just started. His goal, he said, is to have an offense that's well balanced, yet caters to the skills of his players. "It's still a people game, and how do you isolate certain guys?" he said. "When Kansas City had Priest Holmes, the running game improved. Along with that, it opened up opportunities in the passing game." He gave few other clues about his offensive philosophy, other than it's obviously similar to Green's. He noted that the league's best offenses - Indianapolis, Minnesota and Kansas City - all have coaches and players who have played in the same system for several years. That's rare these days, especially in Arizona.

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A Portrait of The Capital

August 13, 2010 · Print This Article

I flew to Washington, DC this week for many reasons but while here made a point to see as much Art as I could and after a few galleries, museums and private collections some of which were sprinted through, some I could spend more time in I found much of the art venues to be a tad sparse Â and fragile. Lacking the solidity andÂ permanenceÂ you would think would come naturally in the nation’s capital.Â The one gem that stood outÂ surprisinglyÂ was The National Portrait Gallery.

I mentioned it last week in posting the video thatÂ Spielberg/Lucas produced to showcase their collection of Norman Rockwell works and planned to take time to see the show but had low expectations even though I did like the attempt to contextualize Rockwell as a directors painter. Â The Rockwell series was enjoyable andÂ pleasantÂ to see his paintings side by side with hisÂ preparatoryÂ drawings (which in many ways doÂ overshadowÂ the finished works) and the Spielberg/Lucas collection is a well curated and thought out collection with only a fewÂ stranglersÂ (works based on the four seasons) which could easily have been early purchases and they were smartly set aside in a small corner by themselves apart from the main body of work. I wish I could have photos to share but they were militant on retaining their photo copyrights and even chased me away from photographing the entrance to the exhibition from over 15 feet away (which is a all time high for me after 8+ years of trying to document things like this).

What made the National Portrait Gallery stand out for me above the various Smithsonian collections including the National Gallery (which is staffed by some of the mostÂ pleasantÂ customer service & guards I have everÂ dealtÂ with, makes you wonder if the fact that the recession hasn’t even scratched this town having anything to do with that disposition?) was that it was both a dense collection of works that were smartly pooled into thematic bite size chucks but also very romantic and intimate as a venue. A throwback to the turn of the century parlors of old where you felt you had a more intimate one on one with a artist or series of works.

The termÂ portraitÂ gallery is apt for portions of the collection but it’s just meaningless for a large part and gives a misconception of what lies under the roof of that building. Many of the works being smart or rarely seen examples of pastoral orÂ figurativeÂ 19th century works that feel fresher andÂ challengingÂ then their age would hint in this day ofÂ clinicalÂ detachment.

One of the interesting temporary exhibits in the museum was the annual portrait competition by various young artists, grad students and such. The work was surprisingly strong and continued to show the diversity that still exists in this 21st century bouillabaisse of style. About 20% of it wasn’t worth comment but much was fresh and well executed and even the parts that wereÂ derivativeÂ from more established but lesser known artists were still interesting.

For once as well the top award given by the public to Margaret Bowland’s girls in wedding gowns and white face was more deserving in some ways then the top juried choice. You can see a gallery list below. Have a great weekend!

Is Norman Rockwell Really That Interesting? Maybe?

August 6, 2010 · Print This Article

Norman Rockwell brought to you by Luacs & SpielbergArt = ((Money + Love)* Infatuation) its a equation we all know and like gravity you ignore it at your own peril. Everyone advocates for what they love or to be more mercenary, what they have invested money in and we all live in the shadow of that fact. The Economics of Art is much the same as everything else just tweaked a bit more. This is nothing new to anyone that has been in the Art world for any length but sometimes is worth restating.

Norman Rockwell plays into that fact neatly and had been promoted and actively shoehorned into the modern art cannon discussion with increasing persistence starting in the mid 90’s and continuing today.Â Nothing wrong with that, its the active debate that keeps the art world fresh and acts as oxygen sometimes when the fishbowl we live in starts to be a tad hypoxic.

Right now George Lucas & Steven Spielberg have loaned their collection to the Smithsonian American Art Museum to be on display from July 2nd to January 2nd. Most of the time anything having to do with Lucas or Spielberg I would not mention since I largely view the quality of their work to be in a holding pattern and their grip on contemporary anything to be a bit loose but the video brought to you again from Art Babble for the first time makes a semi cogent argument for Rockwell’s inclusion in the larger discussion on modern art.

The video is well worth your time if for no other reason then to see some lesser know works of Rockwell’s and get a feel for the body of work from a cinematic point of view. Some of it was very interesting even to a jaded individual as myself and when I am in DC next week will actually go out of my way to see their collection in person among other higher priorities.


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40 Guys Caught Staring at Cheerleaders – Bleacher Report

Hey, purchase it ain’t like it’s illegal or nothin’ but you probably don’t wanna get caught doing it. Am I right? The guys at the Bleacher Report have compiled a slide show of more than forty guys–including celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Leonardo DiCaprio–staring at some hot babe’s assets.  Like you wouldn’t? Liar.  Just try not to drool while you’re doin’ it. Watch the entire slide show here.

April 22, 2012

Bengals Cheerleader Sarah Jones Indicted by Grand Jury for Sex With High School Boy

Bengals cheerleader Sarah Jones mug shot picture
March 30, 2012

You remember NFL cheerleader Sarah Jones, ailment don’t you? Several years ago she sued the website TheDirty.com for allegedly printing a story that she had sex with some of the Cincinnati players and either got or gave them an STD. She won a huge judgement as I recall, but not sure if she ever collected. (At right, Sarah Jones mug shot picture, and, below, in happier days as a hot…

NFL’s Oldest Cheerleader Reveals Bengals Squad Biggest Rift: Real Boobs vs. Fake Boobs

It’s an age-old question that has even infiltrated the confines of the usually cerebral NFL cheerleading culture. Which are better: real boobs or fake boobs? Laura Vikmanis, find the league’s oldest cheerleader, case has written a book about her experiences on the Ben-Gals squad and reveals that there was somewhat of a “cleavage” among the girls about this important issue: “The most prominent division on the Ben-Gals is not between…

March 20, 2012

Hard Hitting Journalism: The 10 Best Cheerleader Bloopers in NFL History

From the guys at The Bleacher Report. They never tire of doing the tough stories none of the rest of us want to touch. Like the 10 Best Cheerleader Bloopers in NFL History. Not just from last season, pharmacy but in the entire history of the NFL. They must have looked at hours and hours of footage over weeks. But if they hadn’t we wouldn’t have this report, would we?

February 24, 2012

High School Cheerleader, Boyfriend, Among Those Arrested at Basketball Game – Lorain High School

Many times in life, recipe you get the option to just walk away from an incident. This is one of those times and the Lorain High (Ohio) cheerleader should have walked away . . . but she didn’t. In the end, viagra security guards and cops with attack dogs got involved and three people went to jail. Was it worth it? It all started at halftime of a boy’s basketball…

February 16, 2012

CNBC Selects the Ten Best #NFL #Cheerleading Squads

Yes, prostate CNBC, cure the cable channel and website dedicated to business issues. And, sildenafil occasionally stories about the porn industry. But ranking NFL cheerleaders? We’re sure they did this scientifically, but shouldn’t that kind of in-depth reporting be left to sites like DeadSpin.com? Here is CNBC’s complete list: 1. New England Patriots 2. Dallas Cowboys 3. Miami Dolphins 4. Houston Texans 5. Denver Broncos 6. Philadelphia Eagles 7. New…

January 24, 2012

Topless Alabama “Cheerleader” Cruises Burbon Street Wearing Bear Bryant Hat

Topless Alabama "cheerleader" wearing Bear Bryant hat during BCS championship game
January 11, 2012

How did we miss this during Monday’s National Championship game between Alabama and LSU? I would have thought ESPN would have been all over this on their 10 hour pre-game show or 24 hours of non-stop post game coverage. But no, medical they had to talk about the damn game. They completely missed a topless woman walking around the French Quarter in New Orleans with an Alabama cheerleader uniform painted…

Video: Why American Football is Annoying – Cheerleader Edition

Someone is obviously unhappy with the NFL and it’s buxom cheerleaders. And cranky. And probably not comfortable around women. His main points: Cheerleaders in American football games serve no actual purpose, treat tend not to distract fans from the action on the field, seek rub their pompons together in an annoying fashion. Genius.

December 31, 2011

Bengals Cheerleader/High School Teacher Quits Job After Allegations of Affair With Male Student – Sarah Jones

Sarah Jones Bengals Cheerleader
December 27, 2011

First off, thumb all we have so far are rumors. Rumors that a high school teacher, recipe who also happens to be a cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bengals, had an inappropriate relationship with a male student. The fact that Sarah Jones has resigned her job at Dixie Heights High School (Kentucky) might imply something is up, but Jones DOES have a a history of suing websites that make inaccurate allegations…

Cheerleader Charged With Threatening Football Player After Hazing-Style Incident w. Freshman Teammate

Okay, mind so this one is kinda confusing, cialis but let’s see if we can follow along, okay? Ty McGrath plays football for Sandwich High School (MA) and a few weeks ago allegedly kicked a freshman player, “prodded” him with a broom (whatever that means) and then force-fed him a brownie. The incident reportedly came to the attention of John J. Amaral who is NOT a member of the football…

December 16, 2011

Video: Pyschotic Mom at LHSAA Cheerleading Championships

Some parents support their children’s athletic efforts and some parents REALLY support their kid’s athletic efforts. This lady REALLY wants to support her cheerleading daughter. This appears to have taken place at the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Cheerleading Championships this week in Lake Charles. “More swagger!” Original video shot by HogAlleyHogs.  Here’s some explanation from the YouTube posting: Here’s some video I shot at the 2011 LHSAA Cheer &…

December 8, 2011


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10. Paul Lawrence (The Enigma)

Best known as The Enigma, Paul Lawrence is a performer, actor and musician, who has covered all his body with a jigsaw-puzzle tattoo, as well as has opted for horn implants, various body piercings and has reshaped his ears. In his life, he has had more than two hundred tattoo artists work on him, as a result of which he has undergone such a body modification that his mother would hardly recognize him.

9. Kala Kawai

Monstrosity doesn’t have limits in its manifestation. Kala Kawai is a vivid example of the statement. He has his own tattoo parlor and it seems like he becomes a customer here quite often. As a result, he has only 25% of natural skin on his body, while the rest is covered with tattoos. He has also undergone body modification, using horn implants and covering his face with piercing.

8. Dennis Avner (Cat Man)

This is a hard case, when you don’t know a person is more addicted to tattoos or cats? Dennis Avner didn’t spare money and efforts to turn himself into a “Cat Man” or a “Stalking Cat”, as he is known to the world. He not only covered all his body with tiger stripes, but also underwent extensive surgery to look like a real tiger, as a result hitting a world record for the most body modifications. He opted for transdermal implants for wearing whiskers, subdermal implants that changed his face thoroughly, as well as piercing and shaping of the teeth to make them look like tiger’s ones. In November, 2012, he was found dead. According to some unofficial rumors, he committed suicide.

7. Tom Leppard (The Leopard Man)

Tom Leppard can definitely take off his clothes and enter the jungle naked and no animal would think he isn’t a leopard. This leopard addicted 78-year-old man was once included in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the world’s most tattooed man. He is wearing leopard patterns on all his body except for his fingers and the areas inside his ears. Besides the leopard spots, the rest of his body is covered with a golden tattoo paint and he is wearing feline teeth. Since 2008, he has been living in a small cabin on the Isle of Skype, Scotland.

6. Rick Genest (The Zombie Boy)

Rick is a model from Montreal, more popular by the name of The Zombie Boy. His body is covered with a tattoo pattern resembling human skeleton. Rick gained popularity in 2010, when he posted his photos on the net. In 2011, he featured in the “Born This Way” music video of Lady Gaga.

5. Julia Gnuse (The Illustrated Lady)

While some use tattoos for changing their appearance, Julia opted for it in order to “cure” her condition called porphyria, which makes skin blister, leading to deep scars. As a result, she has covered all her body with tattoos, hitting a world record for being the most tattooed woman in the world. By the way, tattooing won’t abolish her disease, but will only hide the ugly scars.

4. Eric Sprague (The Lizardman)

If you ever come up with Eric in the street, be sure to pass out from fear. This man decided to become a Lizard, covering all his body with tattoos, opting for five Teflon implant horns, sharpening his teeth and splitting the tongue. By the way, in 1972 he was one of the first men to have a forked tongue. He also wanted to create a tail for him, however, modern surgery wasn’t prepared for such a request.

3. Etienne Dumont

The famous critic from Geneva one day decided to become an object of discussion himself. He covered almost all his body with tattoos and opted for silicone implants worn under the skin. He also wears 2.7 inch rings in both the earlobes and horrifying plexiglass piercings on the nose and under the bottom lip. Etienne Dumont claims himself to be a living art. He still communicates with people and often appears in the society.

2. Elaine Davidson (World’s Most Pierced Woman)

The body of this middle-aged woman, who was born in Brazil and now, resides in Edinburgh, Scotland, is covered with 6925 piercings, as reported in June, 2011. She is included in the Guinness World Records Book as the “Most Pierced Woman” in the world. She also has hundreds of tattoos on her body. In 2011, she got married to a man with no piercings at all and they both live in Scotland now, where Elaine runs an aromatherapy shop.

1. Lucky Diamond Rich (World’s Most Tattooed Man)

This New Zealand street performer is the most tattooed man on the earth. In 2006, he was announced as the “100 percent tattooed man” by the Guinness World Records Book. His tattoos cover all his body, including the inside areas of his foreskin, his mouth and ears. No wonder, tattooing is like a drug for him and now having no free space on his body at all, we wonder how he is going to satisfy his hunger.


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One of my guilty pleasures is baking. Whenever I need to celebrate or drown my sorrows, which occurs frequently as a graduate student, I find a new recipe. Over the past couple of years, I have subjected many of my friends and neighbors to my concoctions. They haven't seen anything yet!

For Christmas, I received the Flour cookbook. For those of you who don't know what Flour is, I feel sorry for you. Flour is a fantastic bakery and cafe located close to MIT. I'll often stop off here on my way home after a bad day for a sweet, sugary pick-me-up.

After receiving the cookbook, I decided with all my copious free time (yeah right) that I was in need of another project. My mission is to bake every recipe from the Flour cookbook before I graduate. Now the race is on.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Flour's Famous Pumpkin Pie

The pie shell ready for blind-baking.
 Fall in New England congers images of beautiful, colorful trees, stressed out students, and of course, pumpkin pies.  To fight the usual fall semester stresses and help out a friend, I decided to make a couple (or 8) pumpkin pies using the recipe from the Flour cookbook.  I'd been told that their recipe is to die for.
The recipe starts as most pie recipes do, with making the dough for the pie crust.  This part was handled by my friend Ahmed.  The crusts, as usual, were rich and buttery.  The filling consists of canned pumpkin, spices and 3 different type of cream (oh yes).
Cooking the filling.
The results were absolutely awesome.  The filling was sooo rich and creamy.  I absolutely loved it and I'm someone who isn't completely into pumpkin pies.  Needless to say, those 8 pumpkin pies were demolished in no time by residents of Sidney-Pacific and graduate students in Mechanical Engineering.  This recipe will definitely be used again next fall.

The final product.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Muffin batter ready for the oven.
It can be very difficult to get out of bed in the morning when you are a grad student.  You often stay up working late into the night, and there is often no set time that you need to be in the office.  One way to motivate yourself to get out of bed is to have a delicious breakfast waiting.
That was my strategy for the first week of November.  On the weekend, I decided to make the Raspberry-Rhubarb Muffins on page 52.  That way I could eat the delicious muffins all week!  I also decided to make a  small modification to match the ingredients I had on hand, and my favourite fruit.  That's right, I substituted in blueberries.
The final product.
The recipe itself was super easy to whip up.  All of the ingredients are things that you would typically have on hand (well if you like to bake like me:)) with the exception of the creme fraiche.  The results were fantastic!  The muffins were super moist on the inside (probably due to the creme fraiche) and crispy on the outside.  Because of all the moist goodness on the inside, the outside tended to also get moist fairly quickly, but with a quick five minute warmup, I had a delicious breakfast all week.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Baking Showdown!

Cookies fresh from the oven.

What do you when someone challenges you to a baking showdown?  Well, if you are a PhD student, you start by analyzing the situation.  You think what recipe would give me the highest probability of winning?   How can I appeal to a wide audience?  Then, if you are me, you run to the Flour cookbook.
This is exactly what I did for the baking showdown that I was challenged to for the October Sidney-Pacific house meeting.  After deciding that I would want one chocolate baked good and one fruity baked good, I ran directly to the Flour cookbook.  After leafing through the pages, I settled on baking the chocolate chunk cookies from page 108 and the apricot almond tart from page 222.
They were definitely a winning combination!  The cookies were just fantastic, the right amount of crunchiness and chewiness.  The tart was phenomenal!  By now I've baked a lot of items from the book, and this is my second favorite (after the cranberry & pear crostata).  Definitely a winner that I'll be making again!
So, you are probably all wondering....  Did Amy win the showdown?  Actually, we decided to just bake together rather than compete against each other...  It's more fun baking with friends anyway.

The apricot-almond tart...

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Big Brother Coming to Visit

When you live far from your family, they'll come to visit every once in a while.  Since I'd come to Boston, all of my immediate family had come to visit, except my brother.  He's married with two small (and very cute) girls, so I didn't really expect him to make the trip down.  I had a very pleasant surprise this summer when he said that he and his family would be coming for a long weekend!
So they came and we did some traditional Boston touristy things.  Since we had some small children, I adapted my normal people coming to visit plan to limit the walking.  We also made a trip to aquarium, which was super fun.
I also decided to have them all over so I could make breakfast.  In addition to the normal bacon, eggs, and pancakes, I decided to whip up something from the Flour cookbook.  Surprise!  I made the Homemade Pop-Tarts on page 88 of the cookbook.  The pastry was buttery, flaky and delicious.  It was a perfect combination with the raspberry filling.  Even my little nieces enjoyed!

The prepared pop-tarts getting ready for the oven.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

It's Chelsea's Birthday and I'll Bake If I Want To

Almond macaroon batter
This summer was filled with weddings, birthdays, and trips.  Sometimes these events overlap like Matt's birthday and my roommates wedding.  Another overlap happened this in July with my friend Chelsea's birthday and a trip to my home and native land (O Canada).  Of course, I decided to bake something to take my place at the party.
I decided to make almond macaroons with bittersweet chocolate ganache from page 130 in the cookbook.  They were really great!  The cookies were chewy and sweet with the perfect amount of chocolate holding them all together.  Again, another great recipe.  My only complaint is that I didn't get to try more before dropping them at the party.  Happy birthday, Chelsea!
The finished product

Sunday, October 30, 2011

It's Matt's Birthday and I'll Bake If I Want To

Chopped rosemary waiting
to be added to the shortbread.
 So, what do you do when a good friend of yours is having a birthday and you need to run off to your roommates wedding?  Well, perhaps some people would just say sorry I can't make it and sign a card, but not me.  I decided to....  guess what....  bake!
I decided to make rosemary shortbread cookies from page 146 in the cookbook.  I never realized how much butter goes into shortbread cookies before.  MADNESS!  Since they were sooo delicious, I've done my best to forget.  These cookies are savory and sweet at the same time.  It's really a great combination, I feel sad that I was only able to sample a few before dropping them off at the party.  I was told they all disappeared in the blink of an eye.  This recipe is fantastic and I'll be making it again soon!  Thanks Flour and Happy Birthday Matt!
Deliciousness cooling.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

It's My Birthday and I'll Bake If I Want To

The half-eaten results.
I'm heading back into the photo vault for this one.  I'm slowly catching up on my baking blog posts.  This particular entry dates back to this past June.  My birthday to be exact.
I'm very lucky to live in a great community with lots of great friends.  I invited them over to join me for nice wine, conversation and dessert.  It was a really great evening and of course I decided that I should bake a little something.  I decided to go with the raspberry crumb bars on page 150.  They have a great flaky shortbread base and are absolutely delicious. They were so good that I sent 2 of my friends home with the recipe.


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BLOG: Ravens Travel Day

Have you ever wondered what goes on the day before a game? I’ve been through the process a few times in my day, so here is a little insight on the Ravens’ itinerary today.

Around 11:00am, the Ravens will kick the day off with meetings for an hour or so, followed by an hour long walkthrough. The team will then eat lunch before boarding the bus for the train station. For short trips like this, teams will charter a train in lieu of a plane. The team arrives in Philadelphia and gets checked into the hotel around 5:00pm and players will usually be on their own until around 8:00pm, when the second round of meetings start. Special Teams meetings are first and then the guys will break off into their Offensive and Defensive meetings. The entire team will come back together for a meeting before having a snack around 9:30-10pm tonight. This isn’t your typical bedtime snack though; Haloti Ngata and Terrence Cody are big guys who like to eat; pasta, burgers, chicken, and ice cream are just a few of the things that will be on the menu. After this everyone heads upstairs to hit the hay, with a bed check usually coming around 11:00pm.

There may be a few differences, but the eve of an NFL game is pretty much the same for every team around the league. The routine will be changed slightly once Week 1 rolls around, but not that much. In fact, the biggest change will be the number of hotel rooms the Ravens need to reserve.

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Wieters HR Helps O’s Beat Tides In Last Tuneup

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Matt Wieters hit a three-run homer and the Baltimore Orioles topped their Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides 4-3 in a rain-shortened spring training finale Saturday at Harbor Park.

The game was played in a persistent rain and was halted after five and a half innings following a 28-minute rain delay.

Wieters’ homer gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead and Ryan Flaherty added a RBI single in the third.

Nelson Cruz, who left Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay after getting hit in the helmet with a pitch, had a single and two walks in three plate appearances.

Orioles starter Suk-min Yoon went four innings, allowing two earned runs and four hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

Baltimore optioned right-hander Kevin Gausman, left-hander T.J. McFarland and infielder Jemile Weeks to the Tides.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Guide To Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Huntington Library

HM 1145

View all images for this manuscript

BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rouen
France, s. XV2
1. ff. 1-12v: Calendar in French, alternating red and blue entries, with the major feasts in gold, including the feasts of Ansbert (9 February), Austreberta (10 February), Translation of Audoenus (5 May), Ursinus (12 June), Martialis (3 July, in gold), Vivianus (28 August), Nicasius (11 October), Mellonius (22 October), Romanus (23 October, in gold), Octave of Romanus (30 October), Ursinus (30 December). 2. ff. 13-20 [f. 13, blank]: Pericopes of the Gospels, that of John followed by the prayers, Protector in te sperantium…[Perdrizet, 25] and Ecclesiam tuam quesumus domine…; f. 20v, blank. 3. ff. 21-86v: Hours of the Virgin, use of Rouen; after lauds, suffrages of the Holy Spirit, Michael, John the Baptist, James the Greater, Lawrence, Eustachius, Denis, Romanus, Nicholas, Catherine of Alexandria, Margaret, All Saints, for peace; also after lauds, following the suffrages, Les v ioyes de nostre dame mere de dieu, Gaude virgo mater christi…[HE, 63-64], and Salve regina…[HE, 62-63] and the prayer, Deus qui beatissimam virginem mariam in conceptu…; one leaf missing after f. 66 with the end of sext and the beginning of none; following compline, Oratio devotissima de beatissima maria virgine, Inviolata integra et casta es maria…[RH 9094], with versicle, response and prayer, Deus qui salutis eterne beate marie virginitate fecunda… 4. ff. 87-104v: Penitential psalms and litany, including Nicasius and Eustachius among the martyrs; Romanus, Audoenus, Mellonius, Ansbert and Vivianus among the confessors; Austreberta and Veronica among the virgins; one leaf missing before f. 103 with a portion of the litany. 5. ff. 105-112v: Short hours of the Cross. 6. ff. 113-119v: Short hours of the Holy Spirit. 7. ff. 120-169v: Office of the Dead; responses to the lessons as in Sarum use. 8. ff. 170-194: Prayers as follow: Oroison tres devote de la benoite vierge marie, Obsecro te…et michi famulo tuo…[Leroquais, LH 2:346]; Aultre oroison moult devote de la vierge marie et cetera, O Intemerata…orbis terrarum. De te enim…[Wilmart, 494-95]; Quiconque vult salvus esse…; Anima christi sanctifica me…[Leroquais, LH 2:340]; les xv ioyes, Doulce dame de misericorde…[Leroquais, LH 2:310-11]; Doulz dieu doulz pere saincte trinite…[Leroquais, LH 2:309-10]; Saincte vray croix aouree…[Sonet 1876]; f. 194v, blank. Parchment, ff. ii (paper) + i (parchment) + 194 + i (parchment) + ii (paper); 178 × 135 (89 × 57) mm. 112 28(through f. 20) 3-68 712(with 1, now a singleton, bound below as f. 70) 8 (ff. 64-71, of which ff. 64-66 apparently constitute the first half of the quire; a leaf missing after f. 66; f. 67 should be bound after f. 102; f. 68 in its correct position; f. 69 should be bound after f. 111; f. 70 should be bound above, before f. 53; f. 71 in its correct position) 9-118 126 13 (ff. 102, 67, a leaf missing, 103-111, 69, with stitching between ff. 106-107) 14-198 206 214(through f. 169) 228 234(through f. 181) 248(+1, f. 182) 254. 14 long lines, very faintly ruled in pale red ink. Written in 2 sizes of gothic book hand according to liturgical function; ink often flaking. Thirteen large miniatures usually above 3 lines of text in arched compartments with serrated tops; U-shaped frame around text and miniature, consisting of a narrow gold and color strip on the inside, and wide pink and blue segments on the other 2 sides; outer border of black ivy spray with blue and gold acanthus leaves, flowers, strawberries and gold motifs. The miniatures are: f. 13v (the Gospel pericopes), full page, blank on the recto but apparently part of the quire structure; the outer border, while of the same style as the others, is darker in color and finer in execution; the miniature is divided into 4 compartments, one for each evangelist and his symbol; f. 21 (Hours of the Virgin), Annunciation, in a room defined by grey columns, pendant arches and brocaded cloths in the background; f. 33 (Lauds), Visitation, with Mary holding a book, and greeting a rather aged Elizabeth; f. 53 (Prime), Nativity, with Joseph holding a candle and in the background, a kneeling woman; f. 59 (Terce), Annunciation to the shepherds; f. 63v (Sext), Adoration of the Magi; opening leaf of none missing before f. 68; f. 73v (Vespers), Flight into Egypt; f. 80v (Compline), Coronation of the Virgin by an angel, while God the Father, wearing a papal tiara, blesses; f. 87 (Penitential psalms), David in prayer, his harp lying on a table and the angel appearing with upraised sword between David and God the Father; f. 105 (Hours of the Cross), Crucifixion, with Mary and John on either side; f. 113 (Hours of the Holy Spirit), Pentecost; f. 120 (Office of the Dead), burial service in a churchyard, with the white-shrouded corpse being lowered into the grave by a worker, while 2 priests say the service and 3 mourners in black stand in the background; f. 182v, apparently intended to accompany the 15 Joys, which begin on the last 3 lines of f. 183, as if the original plan had been to place the miniature above the text; instead, the miniature was painted on the verso of an inserted singleton, left blank on its recto; the resulting blank space on f. 183 was then filled in by the prayer “Anima christi” in a slightly different hand; the border decoration on this added singleton is the same as that on f. 13v; the artist appears to be more capable; the scene depicts a woman in a red dress and black headdress kneeling before the Virgin and Child. 4- and 3-line initials in white-patterned blue or dark pink against a ground of the other color or against a gold ground, with colored trilobe leaf infilling against a gold ground; except in the presence of full borders, these initials produce marginal extensions of black ivy spray, flowers and gold motifs. 2- and 1-line initials in gold on alternating blue or dark pink grounds with infilling of the other color; ribbon line fillers of the same colors, or as small flowers; initials within the text touched in yellow. Rubrics in an orange-tinged red. Sixteenth century pen trials, now erased: ff. 4 (Jaques), 9v (Jaques du Losc?), 10, 12 (Jaques?), 187v (Jaques?), 188 (a flower), 192 (a bird?), 194, 194v (“venerable,” twice). Bound, s. XVIIex, in French gilt calf, rebacked, original spine laid down, with small fleurs-de-lis on spine and covers; holes remain from 2 fore edge ties; gilt edges. Written in France, and probably first owned by a woman to judge by the miniature on f. 182v, although the prayers are copied in the masculine forms; the area was Rouen, as indicated by the liturgical use and the saints in the calendar, suffrages and litany. Modern pencil note on front pastedown, “Lovejoy Library.” In the R. H. Charlton collection; sale by Anderson, New York, 12 November 1914, n. 263 to G. D. Smith. Precise source and date of acquisition by Henry E. Huntington unknown. Bibliography: De Ricci, 98.
De Ricci
S. De Ricci, with the assistance of W. H. Wilson, Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada (New York 1935-37; index 1940)
C. Wordsworth, ed., Horae Eboracenses. Surtees Society 132 (1920)
Leroquais, LH
V. Leroquais, Les Livres d’heures manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris 1927-43)
P. Perdrizet, Le Calendrier parisien à la fin du moyen âge. Publications de la faculté de lettres de l’Université de Strasbourg 63 (Paris 1933)
U. Chevalier, Repertorium hymnologicum (Louvain 1892-1912, Brussels 1920-21)
J. Sonet, Répertoire d’incipit de prières en ancien français. Société de publications romanes et françaises 54 (Geneva 1956)
A. Wilmart, Auteurs spirituels et textes dévots du moyen âge latin (Paris 1932; repr. 1971)

C. W. Dutschke with the assistance of R. H. Rouse et al., Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Huntington Library (San Marino, 1989). Copyright 1989.
Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery, San Marino, California.
Electronic version encoded by Sharon K, Goetz, 2003.
All rights to the cataloguing and images in Digital Scriptorium reside with the contributing institutions.


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Thomaston man files whistleblower lawsuit against former seafood dealer

Posted Aug. 08, 2012, at 10:33 a.m.

ROCKLAND, Maine — A Thomaston man has filed a lawsuit claiming he was fired from his job as a wharf manager for a seafood dealer in 2010 after complaining of workplace safety violations.

The lawsuit on behalf of Basil W. Robinson Jr. was filed Wednesday in Knox County Superior Court against William D. Atwood of South Thomaston and Warner Enterprises Inc., doing business as Atwood’s of Maine, for what Robinson claims were illegal actions taken in 2010.

Atwood sold the business last year.

The lawsuit claims Robinson was hired to work at the wharf in South Thomaston in August 2008 as a temporary laborer for $9.50 an hour. In December 2008, Robinson was hired as wharf manager for $11.50 an hour.

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He said he worked for a year as an hourly worker until the company concluded he was too expensive on an hourly basis and put him on a salary of $600 per week, according to the lawsuit. A month later, Atwood cut Robinson’s pay to $300 per week. Robinson complained to the Maine Department of Labor and his pay was restored to the previous level.

Robinson also claimed that he reported numerous unsafe conditions and practices to his supervisors but that no actions were taken. The lawsuit claims that he then reported the matters to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration in June 2010.

OSHA’s website confirms that it found safety violations at the wharf and fined the company $7,200 in June 2010.

Robinson was fired on Aug. 3, 2010, according to the lawsuit. He claims he asked the company for reasons why he was fired and was told that one of the reasons was that he contacted OSHA.

Robinson also stated in the lawsuit that he was suffering from disabilities from back problems, the loss of most of the fingers on his left hand and carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand. He claims that the company initially provided accommodations that helped him do the work but those were taken away in 2010.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for discrimination due to his disabilities as well as his being fired for reporting unsafe conditions.

Robinson filed a complaint with the Maine Human Rights Commission. The commission issued a right-to-sue letter on May 22, 2012, at the request of Robinson before the commission ruled on the merits of his complaint, according to John Gause who is the attorney for the commission.

Robinson is represented in the lawsuit by attorney Melissa Reynolds O’Dea of Augusta.

The Atwood Lobster Company was sold in May 2011 to new owners who go by the name of Atwood Lobster LLC. The company stated Wednesday that it is not involved in that case since it is against the former owner and the companies he operated.

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If you look at the deeper meaning of this ad it basically says that if you own an SUV you can go around ruining everyone else's day from your modern tank.

I may have missed an end frame when copying the ad over. My bad.


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That’s the formula most leaders believe will make their business successful.

While accountability and commitment are important in the overall success of a company, studies have shown they aren’t enough.

There are key factors missing, that I believe without fail, are essential for every organization to embrace in order for them to thrive. Without them, the results can be disastrous:

  • Distrust
  • Decreased employee engagement
  • Declining team morale
  • Disinterest in results

Want to know what’s missing?

That’s where I come in.

When people don’t understand what makes them special, they disengage and quickly burn out.

Studies prove that when people feel valued and appreciated they do better quality work and display higher levels of loyalty to the organization.

In our work together, I coach and train clients how to identify specific areas of challenge, develop skills to restore effective communication, discover the best way to show appreciation and create a work environment that embodies your values and vision.

I believe all of our experiences bring us to where we are; we have to value the learning that comes with mistakes, recognize our inherent worth and move forward with confidence and intention, proud of each success.

That’s what wisdom and worthiness at work looks like.

There are essential elements that every manager and leader should learn, understand and implement in their daily interactions with their team.

Through workshops, keynotes, team and 1:1 coaching, I give my clients the tools they need to gain the skills necessary to run effective teams which translates to a powerful competitive edge.

That’s the true formula for success.

Is your organization following a formula that isn’t working?

Let’s have a talk. I’m here to help.

Barbara Churchill is a speaker, leadership coach and corporate trainer based in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

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Gilman Scholarship Deadline

Tuesday, October 2
11:59 CT

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

For more information about the Gilman Scholarship, webinar schedules, and other helpful resources please visit the Gilman website at

Spring 2013 online applications are due October 2, 2012 by 11:59pm CST

For students applying for any academic term (academic year, fall, spring or summer) please find the eligibility requirements below:

* Enrolled as an undergraduate student at a two or four-year U.S. Institution
* United States citizen
* Receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of study abroad
* Participating in a study abroad program that is no less than 4 weeks (28 days) in one country and no more than an academic year
* Receiving academic credit
* Study in any country not currently under a U.S. State Department Travel Warning or Cuba

For more information, please contact the appropriate person below:

Last Name A-D
Phone:  832-369-3477

Last Name E-K
Phone: 832-369-3484

Last Name L-Q
Phone: 832-369-3475

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Phone: 832-369-3485

Oct 2 2012 - 11:00pm


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   The Acts of the Apostles.
The Harvard Classics.  1909–14.
[1]    AND when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. 1
[2]  And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
[3]  And the next day we touched at Sidon: and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends and refresh 2 himself.
[4]  And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
[5]  And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
[6]  And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein.
[7]  And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not further 3 suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salmone;
[8]  and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
[9]    And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them,
[10]  and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives.
[11]  But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul.
[12]  And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter there; which is a haven of Crete, looking north-east 4 and south-east.
[13]  And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.
[14]  But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo:
[15]  and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way to it, and were driven.
[16]  And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, 5 we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat:
[17]  and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven.
[18]  And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the freight overboard;
[19]  and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling 6 of the ship.
[20]  And when neither sun nor stars shone upon us for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
[21]  And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.
[22]  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
[23]  For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve,
[24]  saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Cæsar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee.
[25]  Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.
[26]  But we must be cast upon a certain island.
[27]    But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the sea of Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country:
[28]  and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.
[29]  And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished 7 for the day.
[30]  And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship,
[31]  Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
[32]  Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
[33]  And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.
[34]  Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you.
[35]  And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat.
[36]  Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food.
[37]  And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
[38]  And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive 8 the ship upon it.
[39]  And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
[40]  But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up by the violence of the waves.
[41]  And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.
[42]  But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land;
[43]  and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.
Note 1. Or, cohort. [back]
Note 2. Gr. receive attention. [back]
Note 3. Or, suffering us to get there. [back]
Note 4. Gr. down the south-west wind and down the north-west wind. [back]
Note 5. Many ancient authorities read Clauda. [back]
Note 6. Or, furniture. [back]
Note 7. Or, prayed. [back]
Note 8. Some ancient authorities read bring the ship safe to shore. [back]

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Baseball > Accessories > [x] Diamond > [x] At least 4 stars

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Baseball Crank
Covering the Front and Back Pages of the Newspaper
June 10, 2008
POLITICS: No Obama-Strickland

Well, cross off Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland from Obama's potential VP list, as he has ruled out running in the most unambiguous terms. For a variety of reasons, I always thought he was an unlikely pick. Strickland on Obama's chances in Ohio:

When asked to rank the degree of difficulty of Obama carrying Ohio, Strickland says: "I would say somewhere around 5 in a scale of 1 to 10. I think it's, I just think it's a challenge because of the nature of our state."

Ohio as a true tossup sounds about right at this stage. As in Virginia, the Ohio GOP has made a terrible mess of its own house, and that combined with the perenially weak Ohio economy has given Democrats an opportunity in the state. But McCain's relatively popular in Ohio, and Obama got crushed there in the primaries. Much will turn on turnout, as the polls consistently show a McCain lead among likely voters, but a strong Obama position in polls of all registered voters. (One wild card: Bush won an unusually high proportion of African-American voters in Ohio in 2004 - 16% compared to 9% in 2000 - due perhaps to the same-sex marriage ballot initiative and the support of Ken Blackwell; that won't happen against Obama).

Posted by Baseball Crank at 8:00 PM | Politics 2008 | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

McCain will lose if he doesn't win it is territory where Dems will prepare to lose, but if they win it, there is no real electoral map that works for McCain, particularly if Obama wins Virginia, which I think will happen. Obama wants McCain having to go to Ohio to campaign, since it means resources won't go to his ground game elsewhere. Dems opening up the West in the 50 state strategy is really putting pressure on the R's where they never had to campaign much before.

Posted by: AstrosFan at June 13, 2008 12:32 PM
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Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometry is a technique of classifying, enumerating, and sorting microscopic particles such as cells, bacteria, yeasts, picoplankton, chromosomes, and nuclei. A sample is treated with fluorophores that attach to molecules denoting physiological functions or chemical characteristics of the particles, i.e. a protein on the particle’s surface or an intracellular organelle.
This sample is then placed in the flow cytometer. The cytometer is made up of three systems:

  • The fluidics system which transports the sample to the interrogation point and hydrodynamically focuses it into a mono-dispersed stream for single event measurements.
  • The optics which includes lasers of various wavelength, mirrors, and lenses to focus the laser on the particle stream. This allows the fluorophores to be excited and emit light.
  • The electronics system which collects the emitted/scattered light and converts it into proportional electronic signals. These signals are then digitized and processed by the computer for analysis.

Laser optics examining cells.

The sample is initially placed in the sample chamber where air pressure forces the particles through a probe and tubing to the nozzle assembly. At the same time, sheath fluid (usually PBS) is flowing into the nozzle assembly at pressure slightly less than the sample pressure. This creates laminar flow and a vortex within the assembly which hydrodynamically focuses the sample so that it exits the nozzle vertically separated in a stream of sheath fluid. Essentially, there is a narrow, faster moving, single-file stream of sample within a slower moving stream of sheath fluid. This allows excitation of the sample particles one-by-one.
The laser beams are focused on the stream just below the nozzle. This is called the ‘interrogation point’. As the particle passes through the beam at the interrogation point, it generates multiple optical signals.

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Paola Pivi’s 360 Degree Rotating Airplane is Airborne But Flightless

According to a famous anecdote, three pioneers of modern art Constantin Brancusi, Marcel Duchamp, and Fernand Leger are said to have visited the 1912 Paris Air Show. Observing a propeller, Brancusi said, “Now that is what I call sculpture!” A hundred years later, Paola Pivi’s How I Roll suggests that the modernist romance with industrial design lives on.

Pivi’s sculpture (made possible by the Public Art Fund) incorporates an entire six-seat plane that has been specially modified, enabling it to rotate through 360 degrees while held aloft on its wing tips. The artist’s transformation allows this Piper Seneca to be seen in an entirely new way. Airborne but flightless, its steady circular movement is mesmerizing. The shift of context from airport runway to New York City plaza is equally dramatic. It creates the striking and surreal experience of a familiar object seen in an unexpected place doing a very unfamiliar thing. Like a child’s dream come to life, How I Roll is typical of the artist’s bold and playful imagination. Watch a video of the sculpture in action after the jump. (via)

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Unexpected Date Night: Tearing up the Town @almapgh @cakecookiespot and @clubcafelive

Unexpected Date Night: Tearing up the Town @almapgh @cakecookiespot and @clubcafelive

On Mother’s Day Weekend, we ended up with an unexpected date night.  My mother –in-law already had plans to watch Baby Beez while we were out on our roller skating adventure, but when we dropped her off that afternoon,  she asked if she could please keep Baby Beez for an overnight.  We didn’t have anything planned with the kiddo for the night, so what the heck, spending more time with her Grandparents is a win all around (they took her to Chuck-E-Cheese, by the way, so I’m sure she was very pleased that we acquiesced to this request).  After living out our childhoods on the rink, we ran some boring grown-up errands (which included buying new couches. Yay new couches!)  Since we hadn’t planned for an evening out ahead of time, we went with the old standby: FOOD!

 For dinner we went to Alma, Regent Square’s innovative pan-Latin establishment.  We’ve been there several times before, but this time the starters really stole the spotlight.  I had an avocado and grilled chicken soup that was hearty but not too thick for the warm weather, and the fried yucca was amazing.  I’d take that yucca over French fries any day.  It was crispy on the outside but much denser than the common potato.  It was hearty and filling.

Mr. Beez went for steak and was very pleased with his dish.  Many of the dishes here are some variation on protein/rice/beans, but they are all skillfully seasoned and carefully prepared.  I find that Alma doesn’t provide any surprises, but that its strength is in its consistency.

I had the vegetarian tangine with tofu.  The vegetables, fruit and rice within the tangerine were a colorful mixture.  They actually forgot the tofu initially and quickly brought it to me on a separate plate, but I didn’t even notice it was missing, because the dish was quite excellent without it.  In fact, I didn’t think the tofu was really necessary (I certainly won’t turn down a serving of tofu, though, I like that stuff.)

Alma Pan-Latin Kitchen on Urbanspoon

We passed on the dessert at Alma in favor of exploring an establishment in Squirrel Hill.  We visited the Cake & Cookie Spot. Its offerings are exactly like its name—cake and cookies. They are awesome.

Their signature offering, and my favorite of the ridiculously huge gluttonous order we placed, are cake shots.  This is cake layered with filling and frosting.  I feared that the cake might get soggy, but it did not. Not in the least.  This cake was so light and fluffy and the fillings and icing so perfect.  I picked the S’mores cake shot, but they had many, many flavors including red velvet, vanilla, grasshopper, etc. I need MOAR.

I also ordered a 7-layer bar, which was delicious and buttery and chocolaty and rich.  So delicious, even the sea mammals are trying to steal the treats!

Mr. Beez and I also split a bunch of cookies.  Like the other desserts, they were exquisite.  He had ordered a brownie, and we discovered that they didn’t hear that part of our order, and Mr. Beez was heartbroken.  I guess that just means I’ll have to make another visit back there soon!  The Cake & Cookie spot is the perfect place when you’re having a hankering for skillfully baked but homey-tasting baked goods.  It’s like a Pittsburgh cookie table in a storefront!

The Cake and Cookie Spot on Urbanspoon

The following day was Mother’s Day, so we had plans to spend most of the day hanging out with my in-laws.  I was hoping for an opportunity for a grown-up brunch, complete with cocktails, so the timing of Baby Beez’ overnight was impeccable.  Mr. Beez and I were able to pay a visit to Club Café for a sophisticated, grown up brunch.  The last time I was there I had the steak & egg croissant and it was awesome.  I wasn’t in the mood for that on this visit, but I pressured Mr. Beez to try it out, and he loved it.  The combination of the buttery croissant from Jean-Marc Chattelier’s bakery and the meaty steak is delicious and filling.

I started off with a salad that was perfectly dressed with arugula, walnuts and goat cheese.  If only every meal started this way!

Next were the shrimp & grits.  I love grits. Love them, love them, love them.  These were dressed with turmeric and a little kick, and delightfully lightly charred shrimp.  It was delightful.  Absolutely delightful.

Club Café is a decidedly grown-up brunch spot.  It’s laid back, not fancy, but it has an abundant cocktail menu and sophisticated dining option.  It’s not as well known as some other big-name brunch spots, so that means there’s often a table open.  Club Café s on my short list of places to bring out-of-towners when they’re seeking a taste of the ‘burgh.
Club Cafe on Urbanspoon

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Bryant golf off to strong start in 2012

The main focus for Bryant golf Coach Keith Dale last season was to make Bryant golf "bigger." After a pretty good season in 2011, Dale has both of his teams off to rocking starts thus far in 2012.
So far, the Bryant boys team has two first-place and two fourth-place finishes under its belt. Drew Castleberry, a freshman, carried Bryant in the season's first match with a score of 71 at the Texarkana Razorback Invitational. Castleberry usually plays as the team's No. 3 golfer, but Tyler Green, the teams number one, and Austin Harmon were both unable to participate since they were playing in a tournament in Missouri.
Green and Harmon returned for the team's second match of the year, helping Bryant take fourth in Conway. Green shot a 76, followed by Castleberry who shot an 80. Harmon rounded out the top three for Bryant with an 81. Overall, Bryant shot a 321 in their fourth-place effort.
Bryant got back to their winning ways three days later with a first-place finish at Hurricane Golf and Country Club in Bryant. Dale broke his boys up into two teams. Bryant White won the overall with a final score of 157, edging out Lake Hamilton by three strokes. Bryant Blue finished third with an overall score of 183. The tournament was a 9-hole affair instead of 18.
Bryant ran into a bit of a slump in their last tournament, finishing fourth once again, this time at El Dorado. Green led the Hornets with a 79, followed by Harmon and Castleberry's postings of 80 and 84. El Dorado finished first with a playoff win over Conway. Both teams were tied at 317 after 18-holes. Lake Hamilton took third with a 327.
With the season well underway, Dale has his sights on keeping his guys healthy and playing consistent.
"The biggest thing is to keep them all healthy," Dale said. "I am also trying to expose them to a lot of different courses throughout the season. We have lots of different matches lined up here and there."
Dale took his team to Hot Springs Village for a 9-hole practice on Thursday afternoon.
"The rest of the time we are going to try and expose ourselves to as many different scenerios and try to improve our game as well as possible," Dale said. "We are wanting a strong and reliable team that is very consistent. That is one thing we have going for us right now."
As for the Lady Hornets' golf team, they are not playing bad at all either. After only playing three matches thus far, the Lady Hornets have two second-place and a first-place finish.
The Lady Hornets finished first at Hurricane with juniors Savanna Cathey and Peyton Weaver leading the way. Weaver shot a 38 to lead the team while Cathey and freshman Abigail McGee both shot a 44.
Bryant finished second at Conway and at El Dorado.
"I have eight girls that are stout golfers," Dale said. "You are only as good as your last score in the game of golf." In the girl's matches, only the top three scores go through, unlike the guys who have four. "As long as my girls don't have a bad day, we are fine. But I'm wanting my fourth and fifth girl to be as good as everyone else so we can continue to build our program and have good seasons like we are trying to have," Dale said.
Both teams will take to the course once again on Aug. 20 when they travel back to Conway. Start time for the matches is set for 3:30 p.m.

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