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Debbie in Linuxland

For those of us who use Linux on the Desktop, it’s probably fair to say that we live in interesting times. Having sat on the fence that is Gnome 2, whilst looking on as the relative merits of Gnome Shell, Unity, KDE and XFCE are hotly debated, I was recently given a fresh perspective on this particular debate by the lovely Debbie.

What follows is the story of how Deb converted to Linux, told (for reasons which will become apparent) through the medium of fairytale.

Once Upon A Time

Princess Debbie was having a difficult morning. It had been a rapid promotion. In the previous post, she had been merely the Welsh Ambassador. Elevation to the status of royalty had been, she was told, due to narrative causality – i.e. fairy tale heroines have to be Princesses.
Debbie herself, suspected that her change in station had rather more to do with an unfortunate lapse of memory on the part of the author, resulting in a shortage of Valentine’s cards.

How ever she’d got to this point, Debbie was feeling particularly frustrated. Standing between her and her favourite shoe shopping website was the seemingly ever-present Windows wheel, “spooling”, as she called it, whilst Internet Explorer laboured to load the objects of her affection.

It was whilst gazing around her, wondering if Windows would ever get to the point, that she noticed the Frog. It was gazing back…although not directly at her. It was looking at her computer with, what Debbie judged to be, unusual interest…for a frog at least.

“Well, they say you have to kiss a few frogs”, said Debbie to herself. More in hope than expectation, she scooped up the irate amphibian and bestowed upon it, a royal peck,

There was a puff of smoke….

Debbie was mildly disappointed but not entirely surprised. Standing before her was not the hoped-for handsome prince, come to rescue her from Windows drudgery with a shiny new Mac, but what could best be described as a Geek.
“Not so much handsome as passable in poor light”, thought the Princess. Oh well, now he was here he could make himself useful.

“Is there anything you can do to make this computer go faster ?” she demanded of the Geek, “Windows is driving me mad.”

“You look like you’re pretty well set here, what with living in a palace, have you thought about getting a Mac, you highness ?” he asked.

“Have you any idea how many pairs of shoes I could get for the cost of a Mac ?”, the Princess replied haughtily. Then she sighed, “I had an Apple many years ago. It was my first computer. Unfortunately, Apples in fairy tales always spell trouble for princesses.”

“OK, so Windows is too slow and Mac is too expensive, let’s see if we can find something that’s just right”, said the Geek, getting into the fairytale spirit.

“I know where you’re going with this”, warned Debbie, “and any attempt to compare me to some blonde bimbo with a penchant for house-breaking will have consequences !”

Whose the fairest of them all ?

The Geek knew when not to push his luck. Instead, he wordlessly pulled a bundle of Live CD’s from his pocket ( yes, this being a family fairytale, his transformation from frog to human had left
him fully clothed).

“Right, we’ve got Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora and SUSE. Let’s try them out and see if anything takes your fancy.”

A quick reboot later, the Princess was looking, rather critically, at Mint, complete with the more traditional Gnome 2.3 desktop, the Geek’s personal favourite.
“Too green” was the Royal Proclamation. At a stroke, our raven haired heroine had firmly put the kybosh on any further Goldilocks references.

Ubuntu with Unity

Slightly taken aback at the summary nature of this setback, the Geek was somewhat surprised by the reaction to his next offering.
The Princess was immediately taken by the colour-scheme, having something of an affinity to purple.
Also, she couldn’t help noticing the enticing shopping bag icon on the Unity dock.
“Looks a bit like a Mac”, she said aloud. “We’ll give that one a try”.

At this point it’s worth reflecting upon the difficulty of writing a decent fairytale when the characters insist on ignoring the most basic rules.
In fairytales, things come in threes. Three witches, three little pigs, three wishes … three furry burglary victims. Apparently, this rule does not apply to Linux Distros.

Installing a Happy Ending

So the Geek huffed. And he puffed. And he…dual-booted the machine.
Some finishing touches by Royal Command…the background image was changed to a picture the Princess had taken sometime earlier and quite liked…even though there was a fair amount of green in it.

Clicking on the enticing shopping bag, the next step was to find and download the Ubuntu Restricted Extras package to get access to all those naughty but nice proprietary video and audio codecs.

Yes, but where are the Jimmy Choos ?

Ubuntu Restricted Extras - video and music compatability in a package

Next up, he configured Thunderbird to access her web-mail – a task so easy that he didn’t even have to remember the default port for SMTP (25).
Finally, he copied the music library across. Banshee was ready to go.

And the moral of the story…

Simply this. If you want to live happily ever after without shelling out a small fortune for an Apple, give Linux a try. On the evidence of this sample of one, that Mark Shuttleworth knows what he’s doing ( although for my part, I’ll wait for a bit, at least until the Long-Term Support version comes out).
Oh, and if you are going to take the word of a fairytale princess when she says “let’s not bother with Valentine’s Day”, be sure to check out the strength of the Wi-Fi signal in the Garden Shed.

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Helt ute av sporet (Okumala ekigwo okulyaku kya okuziga)

Archive for the tag “Namukabo Werungah”

President Kenyatta revealed because of the shambolic Jubilee Primaries (that the State House is the Jubilee Headquarters!)

That the Jubilee Party are resembling the National Resistance Movement is clear as day after yesterdays Primary approach. That the unity of 14 parties into one structure wouldn’t be easy, as there as so many up for the tickets from the old parties, that it cannot go without some old local chief getting caught in the wind. Therefore, the acts of the party and the violence yesterday proves the misconception that the President and his Deputy had.

That Uhuru Kenyatta thought it would be an easy excise with splendor and grandeur, show up with puff-pieces in the Standard Digital and Daily Nation today. That the Jubilee printed more T-Shirts than ballots paper says enough. As well as the massive amounts of pre-ticket ballot in Eldoret. Therefore, the death of two persons and a candidate in the hospital bed. Says it all about the progression of party building.

Mr. President it is to make PR campaigns, fabricate a few photo sessions on the State House lawns, but get the people engage with a fair approach, takes courage and tact, and all civil education. The civility wasn’t shown by the party, as the party seemed to deem the results of handpicked men and woman. Who was in advanced trickled down, as the arrangement between the 14 parties had to emerge in the exercise, therefore the result of violence and tear-gas had to occur.

So that the exercise in 21 districts failed yesterday is clear, as the Jubilee wasn’t prepared and didn’t think of the local implications of the merger. That the local leadership combined with the cartels and the public itself. That they thought they could scam through the process and trade the goods without even prepping the material. Raphael Tuju was adamant that the process couldn’t be rigged, but the pictures of pre-ticked ballots, proves otherwise. Sort of like setting up signs in shops. “we do not sell alcohol beverage to drunk people” and than looking at the cashier selling vodka-infused soda to teenagers on late Friday night. Sort of my way of saying kudos to Jubilee’s own Tuju and his promises.

Clearly, the Jubilee didn’t anticipate their hazard and this acts of violence, that the community would go off on all cylinders during their elections. They we’re prepared to mock the opposition parties and their primaries, as their should be easy and a serious walkover. Instead, the show of contempt and disbelief as the party had to suspend the primaries as well. This is not a good look, when the ruling party and ruling regime cannot elect inside their own party. Than, how can we trust the same men with conducting a national election?

That Deputy President William Ruto is now preparing for Primaries on Monday and Tuesday next week isn’t assuring, they should have configured this long time ago. When the 14 parties went into a pact to become one single unit. To not be different structures, but one.

To top it off this tweet came today from Kenyatta: ”I gave a statement on the shambolic #JubileePrimaries at the new Jubilee Party headquarters in State House, Nairobi” (Kenyatta, 22.04.2017).

So that the DP Ruto and Kenyatta now takes it serious is clear, but it cannot be correct that the Jubilee Headquarters is at the State House. The State and Jubilee party, shouldn’t that be to separate entities, as the other parties should be able to use the State House, not only Jubilee. Therefore, the careless and reckless behavior of Kenyatta comes to the forefront, at he disrespect the State House in the name of Jubilee, just as he has done with the other functions of Jubilee. So the President clearly doesn’t consider the ethical implications of his maladministration.

Maladministration is the reason for the yesterday fiasco and failure to conduct primaries. Where ballot papers are burned, where there is riots and where there is violence in the streets. Something that shouldn’t happen in this and age. That the President thinks that his own people is so stupid to see this blatant disregard of public institutions and the public offices. Since the misuse of State House is just a drop of water in the cup.

That Kenyatta himself is stating that the Primaries was shambolic proves at least that he understand the implication and the view of the process. As the pre-ticked ballots and violence wasn’t what a ruling party and a united front should show to the world. Instead, that is what they did and they did not do it properly. What it seems like is that they thought the public wouldn’t mind if they handpicked the candidates for them and the ones decided in the chambers of the State House. Since the State House is the new Jubilee Party Headquarter.

We can wonder else the President will reveal of how Jubilee conduct their affairs and how much they are integrated into the state. So that they will fight harder and use all sort of tricks to keep the portfolio and control of the state, even after the August 2017 election. Peace.

Kenya: Kura Yangu Sauti Yangu Statement on the KPMG Audit of the Register of Voters (19.04.2017)

Kenya: Dr. Naomi N. Shaban MP Resignation Letter of 8th April 2017

Kenya: NASA issued yesterday on progress of NASA Technical committee (06.04.2017)

MBS Espisu defends Secretaries role at rallies; Is the Secretaries role to be loyal to the President or to the People?

It isn’t everyday there is election and that the Spokesperson for the Presidency of Kenya are benign and default by the values of governance and who the government are. Therefore, the defense from the spokesperson proves how little they care for accountability and transparency, as the Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries takes parts of Election Rallies in Kenya, as the Jubilee Government doesn’t care about their neglect of opposition and that they are supposed to represent all Kenyans, not just the voters of the Jubilee Party. But hey! Manoah Esipisu the spokesperson is clearly seeking a pay-rise and bonuses for his loyalty to Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto.

The Kenyan Public Service Act of 2015 says this in the Subsection 8 (1A and 1B):

“Transparency and provision to the public of timely accurate information

(1) A public officer shall not—

(a) give information that the public officer knows or ought to know to be inaccurate; or

(b) unduly delay the provision of any information where required to provide that information” (Laws of Kenya, 2015).

Why do I start with that enacted law of Public Service, since the Manoah Esipisu, feels like it is okay that the ones in Public Office, as Principal Secretaries and Cabinet Secretaries attending the Election rallies, as they are still giving away information that counters with the Public Service Act of 2015, would that be justified by the Spokesperson of the State House. Please take a look at his genius reasoning!

Public servants participating in politics

Second, Let me respond to your questions on whether public servants are playing politics by speaking at public barazas or interacting with citizens and talking about the direction our country is heading. First, public servants, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and other senior staff cadre have a duty of accountability to the Kenyan people. They have to account on the progress the administration of President Uhuru Kenyatta has made since taking office; they have to account for the trillions of shillings in taxes collected from the Kenyan people and invested in infrastructure development and other services; and they have to account for the confidence invested in them by the Kenyan people. Why are they supporting the President and the Jubilee administration, some of you have asked? Because they are accountable to the President who appointed them in the first place, and whose vision of service to the Kenyan people it is their duty to operationalise. And why would they appear to be directly campaigning for the President? No, they are not campaigning. They are merely describing the investments made under President Kenyatta and the impact thereof, and why therefore it is important for the President to be re-elected to continue with the task of transforming Kenya. For us, it is really a question of accountability. It is precisely because public officers are speaking more that the country acknowledges that Kenya is irreversibly transforming” (President.co.ke, 2017).

I agree with the State House Spokesperson that the Cabinet and Principal Secretaries has to account to the citizens. That is necessary and is expected. Therefore, they have other duties than standing on stage and promoting their jobs, instead of working tireless for the citizens. It is hard to say they are not campaigning, when they are taking parts and participating at the rallies. Are the appointed secretaries fish out of water? Since they are swimming in the sea, but not feeling the water. That is the reasoning of the Spokesperson, wouldn’t they defend Kenyatta and Ruto on the podium in Eldoret, Nakuru or Thika.

The disrespectful idea that they first have to be accountable for the President and therefore has to show up at rallies, is what he said at one point. A point he used before “no, they are not campaigning”, still they are firstly representing the people, secondly their appointed by the President. The President is also representing people and gotten his place because of the citizens. So they are all not really playing their parts, as secretaries as they supposed to be there as civil servants and not as subjects under the President.

As the Constitution of Kenya of 2010 Stems for Section 152. (3) says: “A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament”. With this statement in the law, means that the Cabinet Secretaries nomination as all a favor of their merits and their judgment in their field. If they we’re qualified, the President wouldn’t appoint the person. Therefore, the decision to take part of the rallies, show they are more loyal to the President, than to the Kenyan people.

Because if they take part of Jubilee Rallies only and not even parts of Cord/NASA rallies, than their respect as representing all citizens of Kenya is gone, than they are just loyal subjects to Kenyatta who appointed them. Is the message the Kenyan voters needs to know months ahead of the coming elections? That they are not obligated to inform the Cord/NASA electorate, only the Jubilee? Isn’t that the mere effort and effect of having the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries attending rallies, to show flex and have the strength that the opposition parties doesn’t have?

I have to ask a very stupid question to the Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu, who pays the Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries? Is the President and his Political Party or is it the State Coffers and the tax-payers monies? Since the initial loyalty shouldn’t be to only the man who saw faith in you, but also to where the paycheck comes from. The Secretaries are paid by the guidelines of Public Service, means they are serving the public first with needed services. They are not existing because Kenyatta needs people to greet and pose with at Voi, Kitui or Lodwar. That could happen, but shouldn’t be their sole mission as public servants.

That the Secretaries has a mission to the state, as effect of the works of the ministries, because of that be accountable to the citizens, is clear-cut, since they represent the people in the works and their efforts at their respected fields. Still, they shouldn’t be participating in partisan rallies for either the ones seeking re-election or the ones trying to force them out.

So I cannot support the efforts made by MBS Manoah Esipisu, who serves Kenyatta diligently, but does not serve his purpose as civil servant. Esipisu shows loyalty to Kenyatta, before the best of knowledge to the Kenyan people. Peace.

President.go. – ‘Spokesperson’s Weekly Briefing, Eldoret State Lodge, 2nd April 2017’ (02.04.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/04/02/spokespersons-weekly-briefing-eldoret-state-lodge-2nd-april-2017/

Kenya: Raila answers Uhuru on post- election violence claims (Footage)

NASA/CORD Statement: “the Country is a facing a serious Electoral Debacle and a Constitutional Crisis of moustrous proportions” (22.03.2017)

Kenya: “Re: Termination of Tender No. IEBC/32/2016-2017: For Supply, Delivery, Installation, Testing, Commissioning and Support of the Kenya Integrated Elections Management Systems (KIEMS)” (21.03.2017)

Opinion: Kenyatta’s outburst in Turkana County isn’t worthy of any President, Uhuru should apologize to the people of Turkana!

“My concern is not leadership… My concern is to initiate projects that will change the lives of Kenyans… If you think you can threaten me, look for someone else. I will seek votes from you like any other person… whether you vote for us or not. It will not be the end of the world”Uhuru Kenyatta in Turkana in 8th March rally there!

That the current President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Alliance Party who is starting the rallies for the General Election of August 2017. The President was in Turkana County as the man with the plan, but suddenly as the Governor Josephat Nanok addressed the government and their ways of taking funds from the County. This is county that has about a 1 million citizens, maybe not Kalenjin or Kikuyu, but still Kenyan citizens. So Kenyatta still represent these people if he likes it or not. The Elmoro and other pastoral tribes still deserve his service delivery.

As the press release after the visit of the county was even saying this:

“President Uhuru Kenyatta has criticised Turkana Governor Joseph Nanok, saying the arid county had little to show for more than Kshs 40 billion of devolved funds disbursed over the last four years. President Kenyatta said the ODM-led county was a shameful example of poor service delivery to Kenyans” (President.go.ke, 2017).

So that he in heated words to the public in Turkana had to even dismiss the governor and his opposition party. That shows that he forget his own place as his government hasn’t really showed that much acts or delivery to the Council of Governors who has even address the lack of funds. Therefore, that his address of Turkana Governor Nanok is weak tea.

That the Turkana people deserved better from their President, is without a doubt. It is the governors wish and will to get more for his county, as much the President wants more his nation when he do deals with foreign nations. Therefore, Kenyatta had to a few years back defended the sugar-agreement with Uganda. Surely, people have forgotten that trade and border trade with Uganda. Still, the Turkana County Governor is only defending his own record and his own county. The President is allowed to do the same, but for someone who is now rallying for his second term, these sort of words sounds out of bounds.

That President Kenyatta attacks a ODM Governor with this sorts of outburst and claims, as well as saying that the citizens and voters of Turkana doesn’t matter is special. Kenyatta saying he doesn’t need Turkana people and the Elmoro, is really disturbing, as he surely would need their resources and oil. The Kenyan government would and should support the county, not only for industry, but for their pastoralism and safety. These sorts of border communities have often been neglected, but now with the Tullow Oil fields. It suddenly matters.

Kenyatta should be on the market and prove his character, which he can provide and make sure the governance of the nation is at a better stat, but with the current fate of strikes in an election year, with the growing state debt and the corruption scandals, clearly is evident of mismanagement. So that Kenyatta feels attacked and under fire isn’t strange, but his baseless wounded soul would redeem himself if he actually took charge and fixed it. Since he is in the midst of the government that has created the environment it is in. Therefore, Turkana County Governor might hit a nerve, that went into his spine and therefore he retaliated.

Kenyatta doesn’t want to be weak, even has the turmoil and the election year isn’t going smoothly. President Kenyatta should take credit where it is due, but not scold governors as the peril and the issues of government is created from the top. If there issues with governance in Turkana, it could easily stem for the brazen disregard of governance from the Central Government, which means that Kenyatta and his administration has collectively created the problems.

Lodwar should be more important for Uhuru Kenyatta as his father Jomo Kenyatta was illegal detained there by the British Colonial Authorities, still he now doesn’t need the locals and the pastoral people. The other major town in the county is NGO capital of Loki or Lokichogio. The other important place in the county is Kakuma Refugee Camp, one of camps that the government plans to shut-down together with Dadaab.

So Kenyatta should act wiser and be more Statesman, instead he uses wild-words and allegations that could easily backfire, as I didn’t need much thinking before addressing him without force or write to anything personal about the honourable President. With that in mind, the President shouldn’t need to personally address the Turkana as unnecessary voters in coming elections, because of what their governor did say. The President should just dismiss the Governor, not dismiss a whole county and region. He should apologize about that and should also show that his emotions went running out of fashion. Then if he wants to say something about the governor and his speech, do that with honour of the elected he is in and with understanding the position the President puts him in.

President Kenyatta lost it and therefore it has been addressed. Time to man up and carry it as a man. Confess and deliver the truth, not play for the gallery, but be there for all the people. Turkana County and their people deserve it, so does the rest of Kenya. Peace.

President.go.ke – ‘President Kenyatta censures Turkana Governor for lack of development’ (08.03.2017) link: http://www.president.go.ke/2017/03/08/president-kenyatta-censures-turkana-governor-for-lack-of-development/

Kenya: Kenya Electrial Trades & Allied Workers Union will soon strike for their CBA by mid-next week (03.04.2017)

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Stephanie Piche, MMTVN’s Executive Producer, to Speak at LAWebFest

Online media and interactive web TV network company, Mingle Media TV Network (MMTVN)  announced that CEO and Executive Producer, Stephanie Piche, will be speaking at the upcoming LAWEBFEST held on April 6-8, 2012 at The Radisson Hotel, in Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Web Festival (LAWEBFEST) was created in 2010 by veteran Emmy-winning tv producer and NAACP Award-winning playwright Michael Ajakwe, Jr. LAWEBFEST is America’s first all-web series festival honoring independent filmmakers and celebrating web shows while bringing creators, producers, directors, actors and technicians together under one roof, in community, to network and exchange information with workshops and panels. This is the third year for the festival and they received an overwhelming 300 submissions this year and have moved the festival to the Radisson for better screening facilities and to accommodate the large crowds attending. In 2011, LAWEBFEST also partnered with Marseille Webfest, Europe’s first all-web series festival making them a powerhouse in web series world. Find out more or

Ms. Piche will be a panelist on Friday night and will be a moderator on Sunday afternoon.

  • Jean Michel Albert, founder, president – Marseille Webfest  (Marseille, France)
  • Frederic Josue, Director of Marketing – Havas Media (France)
  • Stephane Rizzo, producer, cultural minister – Office of The Mayor (Marseille, France)
  • Rich Mbariket, founder, publisher – Web Series Network & Magazine (Los Angeles, California)
  • Stephanie Piche, founder, owner – Mingle Media Network TV  (Los Angeles, California)
  • Steiner Ellingsen, journalist, producer – “The Inland Sea” (Norway)
  • Torin Stefanson, Teri Armitage, creators-producers, “My Lupine Life” (Canada)
  • Nelson Leis, producer, star “The Jim” (Canada)

Moderator:  Katie Fong-Yoneda, Studio Executive/Author, “The Script Selling Game, Vols. I & II

  • Nathan Fluellen, creator-host, “World Wide Nate” (Chicago, Illinois)
  • Michelle Locadoux, creator-producer-Host, “20 Dollar New York” (New York, New York)
  • Mary Bell Austin, creator-Host, “Bite-Size Green” (Redwood City, California)
  • Amber Price, creator-producer-host, “Let’s Talk About Sex”  (Studio City, California)
  • Joy Jones & Bonita Bolden, creators-producers, “Meat the Vegans” (Washington D.C.)
  • Matt & Aimee Chapman, creators-producers, “Growing Up Guide Pup” (San Francisco,  California)

Moderator: Stephanie Piche, CEO Mingle Media TV

The Complete Workshop and Panel List for LAWEBFEST 2012 can be found here on Facebook

About Mingle Media TV Network
MMTVN is an online media and interactive web TV network that executive produces, curates, and broadcasts 100 weekly web series shows along with entertainment industry event coverage. Our video coverage, web series and live broadcasts are promoted via Twitter, blog posts, Facebook and other popular social networks; in addition to airing live on the iPhone, Blackberry, and Android platforms and syndicated through Blip.TV and over 15 syndication sites including AOL Video, YouTube, Samsung, Vizio, MeeFeedia, Blinkx, Daily Motion, Boxee, Roku and as an iTunes podcast. Our audience reach online is over 250,000 weekly views of our video coverage, web series and live broadcasts and are currently in the top 20,000 websites in the US. MMTVN’s live web TV shows feature lifestyle subject matter experts and social media content providers from celebrities, authors to bloggers including executive producing two shows with Emmy award winners. MMTVN has expanded its curation of web series with a growing number of independently produced shows from science fiction to drama, action to teen soaps now playing on the network. In addition to curating produced webseries, MMTVN is promoting and securing sponsors for INDIE creators. MMTVN also covers Hollywood celebrity and charity events from the red carpet and behind the scenes. MMTVN has covered the Oscars on the Red Carpet along with Golden Globes, IPTVFest, HollyShorts, LA Shorts Fest, AOF Fest, Daytime Emmys, Saturn Awards, Streamy Awards, People’s Choice, NAACP, SAG , plus numerous Web Series Premieres and A-list Celebrity Fundraisers. Mingle Media TV is also sponsoring the Audience Choice Category in the New Media Film Festival for Web Series Creators. For more information, please visit


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15 more Baseball 101 questions answered (No. 60-75): Diving into first, OPS, best rotation

We got derailed a bit by Buster Posey’s shingles and Tim Lincecum’s haircut.

But we continue with answering Baseball 101 questions posed by Mark Hermman of Newsday:

61. With the Wilpons having received good news in the Madoff settlement, when can Mets fans look forward to good news about the ballclub?

2014, by then very costly contracts will have expired, giving the team all sorts of flexibility.

62. How would The Boss have responded to having spent nearly $2 billion on payroll during the past 11 years and winning only half as many titles as the Red Sox and Cardinals?

By spending another $2 billion.

63. Why do players sometimes dive into first base when studies show it is quicker to run?

Ignorance. Perhaps they should spend time watching Usain Bolt run the 100 meters and notice who he doesn’t do a head-first slide across the finish line.

64. Is the total of on-base percentage and slugging percentage the best measure of a hitter’s value?

OPS is a useful, simple tool. But slugging’s heavy weight on home runs lets OPS tell us that it’s better to have a .200 hitter who belts a ton of homers than a light-hitting .300 hitter. Good news for Dave Kingman and Rob Deer, not good news for Ichiro Suzuki and Tony Gywnn. That’s why we like wOBA (weighted on base average), which levels the field a bit better.

65. Can a team possibly get anything close to an equal return if it trades Babe Ruth, Tom Seaver or any other icon at his peak?

It is possible, if the team gets a couple of prospects back who bloom into superstars. But the odds are long, and the team trading the icon at his peak is usually burned.

66. Will Derek Jeter eventually move to another position or will he just retire when he can’t play shortstop anymore?

With 3,000 hits and five World Series rings in his possession, we’re guessing he’ll retire when he can’t play shortstop anymore.

67. Is it a good idea to expand rosters to 40 on Sept. 1 or is it unfair to have minor-leaguers in big games?

It’s totally unfair. It completely changes the game. For five months, managers juggle lineup decisions, pinch-hitting and double-switches, with the limitation of having a bench the generally is comprised of five players. Then suddenly in September they don’t have to worry about that stuff as they have almost an endless supply of bench players, by comparison. In 2010, during the Giants playoff push to the World Series, they called up Darren Ford, a speedy outfielder who couldn’t hit a lick. But he could run and field. He appeared in seven September games, six as a pinch-runner. He did not have a plate appearance, but stole two bases and scored one pivotal run that helped the Giants win a key game. I understand the desire to take a look at some prospects and the need to provide roster depth late in the season when players are getting fatigued. But 40 players is too many; 30 would be better.

68. In the draft, should you go with the most talented player no matter what his age is, or play it safe and take a college guy?

Depends on your situation. If you’re a contending or hopeful team that needs a piece filled on your roster in a year or two, a college guy is the better choice. But if you have a very good team with few immediate needs or a young team that is years away from contending, a high school player may be the right pick.

69. Why is there caterwauling every year about which players aren’t chosen for the All-Star Game, followed by complaining that the game is meaningless?

The All-Star Game is all about honoring the best players. So there is a lot of debate about who are the best and most deserving players. But once the roster has been set, then the game itself is just an exhibition and it shouldn’t matter who wins.

70. Billy Martin or Joe Torre . . . Gil Hodges or Davey Johnson.

Torre. Martin was a nutbar. Johnson. Hodges was a Dodger, which is worse than being a nutbar.

71. In 1972, there were nine African-American starters in the All-Star Game. In 2011, there were four. In 1964, the Cardinals had four African-American players in the lineup for Game 7 of the World Series. In Game 7 of 2011, the Cardinals had none. Sixty-five years after Jackie Robinson’s breakthrough, how can baseball again attract top black athletes?

Continue to develop inner-city youth baseball programs. Developing baseball skills takes time and money. The best American-born players today have extensive experience with camps, clinics and travelling teams. These cost money.

72. Has a player ever presented a more honest question to a sitting President than when Babe Ruth, upon being introduced to Calvin Coolidge on a sultry Washington day, said: “Hot as hell, ain’t it, Prez?”

73. Where does Citi Field’s Shake Shack rate among the best ballpark concessions, and what else is on the short list?

Never been to Citi Field, so couldn’t say. But I’d say any list should start and finish with Gilroy garlic fries.

74. Should you sell your Honus Wagner baseball card now or hold on to it?

Sell it now. The trading card market peaked about 20 years.

75. Who has the best starting rotation in baseball? (Fangraphs.com lists the Angels first).

Well, given that Barry Zito — the weak link of the Giants’ roation — just threw a four-hit shutout in Coors Field, it’s got to be the Giants.

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The Filibuster

The Pittsburgh Pirates managed to lose a game the other day to a local
community college. Granted, it wasn’t their best players on the field
that day but they did still lose to a community college. Now, we’ve
spent a lot of time talking about the highlights we expect to see in
the upcoming season but what are some of the bloopers and sob stories
you are looking forward to as well?

pirates fan.jpgThe Pirates’ saving grace (after losing to a community college) is the fact that they themselves are a team better suited for the community college circuit.  Boasting players most of us have never heard of like Nyjer Morgan, Brandon Moss and Ross Ohlendorf, is it any surprise that the perennial underachieving Buccos start the season picked to win a mind-blowing 65 games?  I think not.

But as my sludge-dredging colleague, Mr. Krause, so coyly alludes to, this will be just one of the many “sob stories” we baseball fans are looking forward to in 2009.  Now I am no soothsayer; nor am I blessed with magical powers allowing me to predict which gaffes and gripes will take centerstage this season; but let’s face it: some things are just a given.  For example:

The Orioles and Blue Jays Will Simply Disappear
If they haven’t already, by the time we hit the month of May, I foresee that all relevance of baseball in Baltimore and Toronto will cease to exist.  After a steady diet of Yankees, Red Sox and Rays is slammed down our throats, who will care that Brian Roberts is a shining star in a sea of apathy or that J.P. Ricciardi is single-handedly destroying what was once a proud baseball organization?  No one.  That’s who.

Cub Fans Will Be Whining About Something
They always do.  They always will.  They never stop.  Whether it’s invoking the spirit of Cub castaway Steve Bartman, repeating ye ole circa 2003 mantra: “Prior and Wood, Prior and Wood, Prior and Wood” or just getting too drunk to know what’s actually going on during the game, Cub fans were born to lose.  And in personifying their joyous moniker of “Lovable Losers”, they love to whine.  Sure.  They’ll win the division.  How can they not?  But they’ll find a way to blow it in the playoffs and we sane baseball folk will be subjected to yet another lengthy offseason of wouldas, couldas and shouldas — a century old Northside tradition.

Gary Sheffield Will Say Something Stupid
Happens every year, folks.  He might even box someone too, that is, if he can find the strength to walk from homeplate all the way out to the mound.  And if he plays in more than 114 games, there’s a good chance that he’ll add even more guts and gore to that Phillies/Mets rivalry we’ve all come to enjoy over the last few years.  Sheff is certainly setup to give new meaning to the phrase “choke artist”.  All Cole Hamels has to do is open his mouth.

Joba Chamberlain Will Try His Luck with Erin Andrews — Again — and Fail Miserably — Again
I know, I know.  Ms. Andrews said it was nothing, but we saw the video (which has conveniently been erased from the entire interweb) and let’s face it: Joba struck out like Adam Dunn after an all-night bender.  Having been in that situation myself, and being a guy, I think it’s safe to say Joba will go there again.  Men are stupid.  Ladies, am I right?

Yet looking into my crystal ball, dear readers, the one blooping gaffe that is bound to come up again and again this season is almost too easy to call:

farnsworth cries.jpgKyle Farnsworth Will Be the Laughingstock of Major League Baseball
They hated him in Chicago.  They hated him in New York.  They hated him in Detroit.  If the Royals had any fans, they would hate him in Kansas City too.  But at the end of the day, no one can deny that Farnsy has become the whipping boy of baseball sadists all across US America.  When a kind-hearted She-Fan openly in love with her beloved Yankees rips the man to death in her best-selling book, it is safe to say that Kyle Farnsworth is and always will be fair game.  He should’ve known better: “There’s no crying in baseball!”

Hate me ‘cuz I can be an ^ss, just don’t hate me ‘cuz I’m right.

  1. Jane Heller

    I did rip Farnsy (thanks for the shout-out) but I’m wondering if he’ll suddenly, miraculously, curiously have a good year. Some people are actually picking the Royals to win the AL Central.

    So many bloopers/sob stories to look forward to. Let the show begin!

  2. flairforthedramatic

    Ahh, I love the no crying in baseball scene of A League Of Their Own. =)
    I think all of your predictions are spot on. We’re sure to see all of the above. I think the one about the O’s & Jays disappearing already came true though. Seriously, they have no chance. If, by some miracle, either manage to grab a playoff spot, it will be official: the Baseball Gods like to shake things up and get a good laugh about it.
    I’m wondering how the Mets will handle whatever it is that will come out of Sheff’s mouth next. They sure have their hands full.
    p.s. I actually began to like Farnsy before he got traded.. go figure. I think I miss him tossing one at the back or over the head of guys the most =)
    – V [ ]

  3. Lissi

    That won’t happen Jane, don’t worry. Or it better not.
    I’m sad I didn’t see this video of Erin Andrews and Joba; I would love to see Yankee get rejected. And he probably will try again; boys are stupid. No offense RSBS guys, you’re smarter because you admit it.

  4. Erin Kathleen

    Oh, come on, Jeff. Cub fans will be way too scared of Milton Bradley to do much whining this year. He has a bit of a temper, you know. I wonder how long it will take him to get into it with Big Z.-Erin

  5. Erin Kathleen

    Oh, come on, Jeff. Cub fans will be way too scared of Milton Bradley to do much whining this year. He has a bit of a temper, you know. I wonder how long it will take him to get into it with Big Z.
    Sorry if this posts twice, the server seems to be having issues.

  6. jonnnnnn

    Hey, what’s up! I am commenting to invite you to a contest I am starting for the 2009 MLB season. It’s going to be a pick ’em contest. Every Friday all us bloggers who are competing will make our picks for the slate of MLB games, and we’ll keep running totals and see who comes out on top. Should be fun, it’s only once a week so it shouldn’t be hard to keep up, let me know if you’re interested!

  7. neal07

    I’m sure this will be the most accurate set of predictions anyone posts this year. For God’s sake, last year I picked Justin Verlander to win the Cy Young, and he lost 17 games. It’s funny in a sick kind of waythat a 6-7 man who can throw 100 mph has become so pathetic.

  8. raysrenegade

    I like Kyle the way I liked John Rocker.
    You always knew he was going to say something profound, then mess it up by still talking.
    But hey, I think the Orioles might go on a run like last year in April and shock a few souls before finally showing that their pitching is not there yet.
    But they do have a heck of a good young team that might make the division even harder in 2011.
    As always, great view on the review of the Cubs ultimate whine-fest.
    they did look great on Opening Day, maybe they might just fold in October again…………..maybe.

    Rays Renegade

  9. raysrenegade

    I liked to listen to Kyle Farnsworth because he is today’s “John Rocker”. He might not as colorful and intelligent, but every year you can expect one wild comment that will shock the rafters.
    Joba trying to even get a thin chick is funny. He would be that guy coming off the plumber’s truck or construction site if he could not throw the pill.
    Why does he think a smart, attractive woman who has her own money would be impressed by him?

    Rays Renegade

  10. thebloggerinthegloamin

    I’m glad the Cubs don’t have Farnsworth anymore. Sure, he can throw 100 miles per hour, but with no movement on it its like throwing cookies up there to a hitter. Here’s a bigger joke – I still have my Kyle Farnsworth bobblehead doll that was a Wrigley Field giveaway. Why do I still have it?

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Hands Up Don’t Shoot , on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

On August 14th, enemies of racism, anti-blackness, and state violence against citizens took to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard to protest. They marched in the long shadow of the cracks in the walls of the police state, cracks that formed when Ferguson, Missouri residents took to the streets to decry the murder of Michael Brown by a police officer.

Protesters took to the street on MLK between Alberta and Killingsworth, near to the Portland Police Bureau’s North Precinct building. The police stayed out of the way of the protest, not sending uniformed officers to the scene, but patted themselves on the back for drawing the exact opposite lesson that protesters sought to send:

Capt. Pat Walsh, who leads the bureau’s tactical operations division, said the bureau anticipated a couple of hundred protestors Thursday night, but the officers held back. “We didn’t need to be coming and going with our police gear and be targets,” Walsh said.

Nevertheless, several hundred people gathered together to speak against injustice, and in doing so, captured the meaning of a street named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard far more than any pizza joint or upscale bistro could ever do:

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality… No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963.

I have my own photos from this event, some of which I’ll post here later; [section of this entry removed by request].

As it is, redevelopment of the Vanport lot to serve the consumer needs of a narrow segment of the population of inner North/Northeast Portland is a concrete example of predatory gentrification, one part of a broader pattern of violence that the state sanctions or participates in, against the already-dispossessed among us.

  1. Hart Noecker has been accused, by multiple women, of sexual assault. You should take this post down praising this disgusting predator. Noecker has done nothing but create strife between parties trying to find a middle ground. That boy needs to be jailed for a very long time, kept away from the women he’s assaulted and needs to go away until his meds kick in.

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, , , , ,

Hot Springs Cone

When I was a little boy, my grandmother used to tell me stories about her trip to Yellowstone National Park in 1909. Grandma went to the park with her aunt, seven cousins, and two brothers. Great Aunt Elvina was recently widowed and her youngest daughter was born after her husband died. Family lore says that the baby is the reason they took a milk cow with them. Grandma said she would hang a bucket of cream under the wagon axle in the morning where the rocking motion would turn it to butter by evening.

At 20, Grandma was the eldest of the young people and she was responsible cooking and taking care of the camps. Aunt Elvina had her hands full with the baby and keeping track of the other small children.

Grandma’s 15- and 17-year-old male cousins probably drove the teams, took care of the horses, and milked the cow. The party had a surrey for Elvina and the small children, a covered wagon for supplies and equipment, and four saddle horses.

Grandma used to brag about making herself a split riding skirt and riding astride through the park. At that time proper young ladies rode side-saddle.

She told about making bread in a hot spring. She put dough in a lard can, tied it to a rope, and dropped it into the boiling water. After an appropriate length of time, she pulled it and found a palatable loaf, although it lacked a pretty brown crust.

Grandma also recounted stories her father told about working in the park in 1882. Grandma’s grandfather, Rodney Page, was a surveyor by profession and he got a contract to survey the northern border of Yellowstone. In fact, he apparently moved to Montana to take the job. He left his wife behind in Michigan to manage moving the family.

On Rodney’s survey crew were two young men, Fred Mercer and Harry Redfield, who enjoyed playing practical jokes. Grandma said they stole each other’s red flannel underwear and pitched it into a geyser. The next time the geyser played, it was colored pink from the dye.

Despite their pranks, Grandpa Rodney apparently approved of the two young men. After their work in the park, they returned home with him. Harry Redfiled married his daughter Elvina, and Fred Mercer, her sister, Evelyn. I descend from the Mercer line.

In addition to stories about her family, Grandma told about experiences every early Yellowstone traveler knew about like catching a fish and turning to drop it in a hot spring to cook where and angler without removing it from the hook. Grandma commented that she preferred to clean her fish before cooking them. Actually, there are several places in the park where you could do this: along the Firehole and Gardiner Rivers and the shore of  Yellowstone Lakc. The Fishing Pot is probably the most well known.

I also remember Grandma’s telling about the Handkerchief Pool, a now defunct geothermal feature in the Upper Geyser Basin. The Handkerchief Pool looked like a large pot of boiling water and gave off clouds of steam and a sulphur smell. When someone dropped a hankie in the pool, it would swirls around for awhile. Then the pool would suck it out of sight. About the time spectators had given the hankie up for lost, it would pop to the surface. Then the owner could fish the freshly laundered item out with a stick.

As a small boy, I was fascinated by Grandma’s Yellowstone stories. As an adult, I wanted to know more, so I began researching early travel to Yellowstone. I now have a growing collection of about 300 first-person accounts of trips to the park.

I’m sad to say that Grandma never wrote about her trip.

— Postcard from the Pioneer Museum of Bozeman.

— You also might enjoy these stories:


text:
Doctor Who - UNIT Dominion

  • by Nicholas Briggs, Jason Arnopp
  • Narrated by Sylvester McCoy, Alex Macqueen, Tracey Childs, Beth Chalmers, Sophie Aldred
  • 5 hrs and 1 mins
  • Unabridged Audiobook

Publisher's Summary

The universe stands on the brink of a dimensional crisis - and the Doctor and Raine are pulled into the very epicentre of it. Meanwhile, on Earth, UNIT scientific advisor Dr Elizabeth Klein and an incarnation of the Doctor she's never encountered before are tested to the limit by a series of bizarre, alien invasions.
At the heart of it all is a terrible secret, almost as old as the Time Lords themselves. Reality is beginning to unravel and two Doctors, Klein, Raine and all of UNIT must use all their strength and guile to prevent the whole of creation being torn apart.
Written by: Nicholas Briggs and Jason Arnopp and directed by: Nicholas Briggs.
Also includes a special UNIT: Dominion behind-the-scenes documentary, edited and produced by Martin Montague.

See More Like This

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful

A Fun Adventure

Well, this one threw in everything except the kitchen sink! Rifts between dimensions are allowing weird creatures into our world...and so we get giant spiders, nasty insects, energy vampires, and flying heads...head that look like babies. Yeah, flying baby heads! UNIT's scientific advisor, Elizabeth Klein, tries to deal with the situation, as well as the appearance of not one, but apparently TWO incarnations of the Doctor! A lot going on, but it's fun stuff!
Read full review

- Stephen W Osborne

Five hour awesome!

Well written and acted...great production values...tremendous value for money...will be listening to this again soon!
Read full review

- John T. Gilliland "General John"

Book Details

  • Release Date: 04-14-2016
  • Publisher: Big Finish Productions


text:
Category Archives: chicken

Indian Coconut Chicken Curry

Have you ever seen Hoarders or Extreme Couponing?  I don’t watch a lot of TV, but I have seen a few episodes of both shows in my day.  As a sidenote, I’ve found it to be quite effective to clean out your closet while watching Hoarders, but that’s another blog post for another time.  While I’m far from a (true) Hoarder or Couponer, I often occasionally find myself stockpiling things…because, well, you just never know when you might need 23 bottles of mustard.  What can I say, I like a good deal.

Can I let you in on a little secret? I think I may have a tendency towards being a pantry and condiment hoarder.  For reasons 90% of you will probably never understand, I sleep better at night if I have 32 types* of rice in the pantry and 59 opened jars* of random stuff things I can’t live without in my fridge.  The great thing about this is that I seldom have to run out to the grocery store for a teaspoon of something, but the downside is that I run out of storage if I’m not careful.  In my defense, I only have 1 fridge, do not have a deep freezer, and avoid Costco like the plague.  See if you can figure that one out!

(Actual numbers may vary; numbers are for illustrative purposes only).

I felt desperate inspired tonight to use up a few random odds and sods and call them dinner.  I had a few chicken thighs to use up, along with a wilting bunch of cilantro and an apple that was as big as a cats head.  A few more ingredients joined in, and dinner was served.  It was SO good that I wanted to share it with all of you, so I hope you enjoy 🙂

The cast of characters:

Skinless chicken thighs (I suppose you could leave the skin on if you’re not watching your girlish figure), onion, bell peppers (whatever colours you want, except for green since they’re horrendous), garlic, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon, chili powder, tumeric, mango chutney, coconut milk, lime, cilantro, and an apple.

Let’s get started, shall we?

I’m all about multi-tasking, so I figured that as long as I had to spend a few minutes chopping vegetables I might as well make the chicken do some work.  I made a quick spice rub (tumeric, chili powder, cinnamon, curry powder, salt and pepper) and massaged the chicken thighs until they were good and relaxed.

Now, I know what some of you are wondering: why chicken thighs? Why not chicken breasts? Well folks, without going into details of my life over the last few months, lets just say that I’ve eaten a lot of chicken breasts for the last 126 days.  I mean, a LOT.  While I like chicken, I think I reached the point where I maxed out on boneless skinless chicken breasts.   Sure, they’re quick, convenient, and healthy, but sometimes a girl just needs to change things up, you know? However, if you have not eaten your lifetime supply of boneless skinless chicken breasts yet and you’d prefer to use them, knock yourself out.  Not literally of course; I don’t want to be responsible for that.  If you’d rather use tofu…well, then maybe you SHOULD knock yourself out first; it will be less painful for all of us that way.

Oh wait, what’s that? You’re wondering how this would taste with bacon?  Well, I don’t have too much to say about that except I’m not married, and open to proposals.

Moving on…

Chop up your veggies – I had 3 peppers in my fridge so I used a bit of each, along with a small-ish onion, a few cloves of garlic, and a knob of ginger.

Set the veggies aside, and go put your feet up for another 10 minutes or so.  Go on, you deserve it!

Heat up a touch of oil (in a pan that has a lid, ideally), and brown the chicken thighs on both sides.  Smelling good in here!

Remove the chicken from the pan, and add the onions and peppers into the pan. Saute them for a few minutes to soften them up, then add the ginger and garlic and saute for another minute or so.

See all those brown bits? Those are FLAVOUR so don’t you dare wash your pan now!

Add the chicken back in, along with the browned chicken thighs, some coconut milk, water, and mango chutney.  Bring everything to a boil then reduce it to a simmer for a few minutes while you chop an apple and zest a lime.

I used a gigantic Fuji apple, because 2 weeks ago I bought a 5-lb bag of them and then discovered that they do not even come close to comparing to my beloved Pink Ladies.   Seemed like a good idea at the time…

All together now!

Simmer with the lid on for about 20 minutes.  Before you go put your feet up again though, make sure you make a pot of basmati rice to soak up all of the wonderful juices!

Bonus points if you make coconut basmati rice.

After 20-ish minutes, the chicken should be cooked so go ahead and chop up a few tablespoons of cilantro (from the wilting $0.79 bunch that you’re prepared to go to heroic lengths to use up) and toss it in.

Get a spoon and taste for seasonings.  Are you happy with it?  Dip your spoon in again just to double-check.  Repeat as much as necessary.

Are you ready to eat yet?!?!  I know I sure am!

Serve up the chicken on a bed of spinach (if you’re feeling healthy) and that basmati rice that is ready to go.

Hungry yet?

Here’s another one, just to whet your appetite:

I know I was.  So I didn’t take a mid-meal shot, but I knew you’d understand.

Especially after you make this for yourself, dish up a steaming bowl of goodness, and watch Hoarders or Extreme Couponers.  The only thing this was missing was some naan bread, so please learn from my mistakes.

And now, the final kicker: a RECIPE!

(If you know me in real life, you’ll know why that’s ironic. If you don’t know me, just come introduce yourself to me – I’m the one hanging out in Aisle 4 in the grocery store on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons).

Indian Coconut Chicken Curry

*Serves 2 – 4 people

4 chicken thighs (either bone-in or boneless)

1/2 t chili powder

1 t curry powder

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t tumeric

1/4 t kosher salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 T minced ginger

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1-2 T spicy mango chutney

1/2 c coconut milk+ 1/2 c water (OR 1 c light coconut milk…use the extra to make rice)

1 large apple or mango, peeled and chopped

zest of 1 lime

2T chopped cilantro

1. Mix together the chili powder, curry powder, cinnamon, tumeric, salt, and pepper.  Massage onto chicken thighs, and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a pan, and brown chicken on both sides.  Remove from the pan, and set aside.

3. Saute onion and peppers until softened, then add garlic and ginger.  Saute for another minute or two.

4. Add the chicken back to the pan with the coconut milk, water, and mango chutney.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add the apple (or mango…or both if you’re feeling adventurous!) and lime zest.  Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes.

6. Add cilantro, taste for seasonings, and serve on a bed of basmati rice. Enjoy!

You’re welcome.

The Stock Market

You may remember that a few days ago I posted about my camera dying mid-recipe and so I would be unable to post about the chicken stock/soup that I made.  While…I uploaded the pictures tonight and I realized that I had photographed enough of the process to warrant a post.

So, let’s talk about stock, shall we? Not stocks – I’ll save the investment lesson for another day – but chicken stock.  It really is the foundation of so many wonderful things, and is one of those things that every cook should master.  Why don’t more people make their own, then? You may have your own reasons, but my theory is that it’s because (a) people don’t know how, (b) people think its too hard, and (c) people think its too time consuming.  Well, its your lucky day because right here in Canada’s Test Kitchen I’ve tried many different methods, never use a recipe, and can usually turn out something pretty decent.  However, the times that stand out the most are the ones where I’ve made the stock and then let it simmer for hours with onions, carrots, celery.  Unfortunately, I don’t always have the time or desire to do this, but once you’ve had the real deal its pretty hard to go back to the stuff that comes out of a carton.  Before you start thinking I’m a total snob, let the record show that I’m actually a fan of a few brands of store-bought stocks or stock bases, and depending on the usage I think they can be just as good or better than the homemade kind. However, sometimes you just feel like homemade is best, you know?

I know what some of you are thinking – why not just make a big batch all at once and freeze it? Well, aren’t you smart! Why haven’t I ever thought of that?!?! Kidding.  That would be completely logical and something I would have done a few years ago, and actually, now that I think about it, I probably did do that a few years ago.  Unfortunately, I don’t have a deep freezer (I know – the horror that is my life) and my (small) freezer is packed with enough random ingredients as it is (or does everyone have frozen, pulverized lemon grass in their freezer?) so while I love the idea of making homemade stock on a rainy day and freezing it so I can make homemade soup on a moments notice it has yet to happen.

Do you have any freezer space you’d like to donate to me? Perhaps I should set up a new page.

So – refocusing – my challenge du jour: make chicken stock that doesn’t require 3 hours of simmering.  Since I’m feeling ambitious, my goal is going to be to make it in under an hour. Feel like joining me? Or like placing bets? Do YOU believe?!?!

The goods:

Canola oil, a whole chicken that has been cut up (please see below), a few onions, boiling water, salt, and some bay leaves.

Should be easy enough, right? Time’s a ticking so I better get moving!

To make good chicken stock we need to first start with a good chicken.  Starting with a whole chicken, remove the breast meat from the chicken, and set it aside.  Hack the rest of the chicken apart into 2-inch pieces.  Why? Because we want this stock to be produced quickly, and this is the easiest way to do it.   I know its not pretty, but hopefully the end product will be worth it.

Let’s be practical though: How does one cut up a whole chicken, anyways?  Well, there are really 2 different options:

1)      Become good friends with your butcher and bribe them ask them to cut the chicken up for you.

2)      Bite the bullet and do it yourself: remove the legs and wings first; set aside.  Separate the back from the breast and then split it and set the breast meat aside. Using a meat cleaver, hack the back crosswise into three or four pieces, and then halve each piece again. Cut the wings at each joint so it gives you three pieces.  Are you tired yet? I hope not, cause we have more work to do still. Split the leg and thigh at the joint, and then hack each piece apart to give you three or four pieces.

Alright, now that that is out of the way we can get the party chicken stock started!

In a large stockpot, heat about 1 TBSP of vegetable or canola oil. When it’s hot, add the chicken breast halves and brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, while the chicken is sautéing dice up the onion.  Medium-sized pieces sound good to me.

Oh look!

The chicken is nicely browned.  Let’s remove it and throw the onion into the pot in its place. It’s been benched long enough. Two or three minutes should do the trick – starting to smell good in here!

Let’s remove the onion…

…and now add about half of the chicken pieces to the same pot.  After about 4-5 minutes they should have started to turn opaque.

Yup! I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this looks good, but its what we’re looking for.

Remove this batch of chicken, and repeat the same process with the other half of the chicken parts.  When this batch is opaque, add the first batch of chicken and the sautéed onion back to the pot with it so everyone is reuinited again.  This stock is powerful. Its going to change some lives; I can just feel it.

Reduce the gas to low and put a lid on the pot. We’re going to cook it for about 20 minutes so that the chicken can release its juices.

How are we doing for time? Anyone keeping track? I sure hope someone is – this IS a competition after all! About 15 minutes after you put the lid on the pot, stick the kettle on to boil. We have a schedule to stick to, so no wasting time allowed!

Looks like our 20 minutes is up; time to check on the chicken…

Perfect.  Increase the gas to high, and add 2L of boiling water along with the sautéed chicken breasts, 2 bay leaves, and about 2 tsp of salt. Let it come to a simmer, and then cover and cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through.  I think 20 minutes should do the trick, don’t you?

And that is pretty much the end of my photographic journey through stockland (I shed enough tears for all of us, don’t worry). Once 20 minutes has elapsed, remove the chicken breast, and set aside until they’re cool enough to handle.  When they are, remove the skin and shred the meat.  Refrigerate it separately from the rest of the stock. Meanwhile, strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or a cheesecloth lined colander into a clean bowl or pot. If you have the time, refrigerate the stock to defat it since the fat will rise to the surface and harden so it can be easily removed.

And that’s it! Homemade chicken stock in under an hour. Yay!!! It IS possible, and it IS delicious.  Will you make extra and freeze it so I can have some next time I need it? Thank you in advance for your co-operation.

Allow me to introduce…

Moroccan Chicken!

But before I tell you all about it, I really appreciated everyone that commented/emailed me suggestions.  Thanks to you, I now have some great ideas for next time.  Keep those ideas coming; I love hearing about what other people would make…sort of like a virtual Iron Chef competition!

Anyways, back to the chicken.  When I saw Angie’s suggestion to go with a Moroccan theme, I knew that was right up my alley. Have you ever had Moroccan food? I hadn’t up until a few months ago, and I’m thoroughly confused as to why I had never tried it because it is certifiably delicious.  If you haven’t ever had it, the cuisine is  a mix of Mediterranean, Arab, and African influences, among others, and utilizes delicious spices (cinnamon, cumin, ginger, tumeric, paprika, saffron, and mint, to name a  few), dried fruits, and nuts to their full potential.  How could you go wrong with all of those fabulous things, really? Oh yes, and Moroccan food is traditionally cooked in a tagine (basically a heavy clay pot that is made up of 2 parts – a circular base and a cone-shaped lid that fits onto the base for cooking) but since I don’t have one of those (not that it is at all related, but my birthday is coming up…) I’m just going to demonstrate using a enamel-coated cast iron pot.

So come on now, pour yourself a cup of (mint) tea and come join me in my kitchen!

We are going to need…

Cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, salt, pepper, oil, butter, chicken, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, chicken stock, honey, cinnamon stick, apricots, and almonds.

First things first: the chicken has to be cut up into 8 pieces or so.  I would show you pictures…but let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.

(Ok, the truth is I didn’t want to have to wash my hands a million times in between cutting the chicken and taking pictures, and I thought you’d understand.)

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get this show on the road!

Toast up some spices:

That’s roughly 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of ginger, and 1/2 tsp of tumeric, in case you’re wondering. Be careful not to let them burn though!

Meanwhile, in a large bowl put 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of black pepper, and about 2 TBSP of oil.  When the spices are fragrant, add them to the bowl too and stir everything to combine.

Now we’re talking!

Go ahead and add the chicken pieces, and toss everything to coat.

Let the chicken hang out for a bit while you heat up the pan with some oil…and maybe some butter for good measure. IF you had any doubt about this being good, which I’m sure you didn’t but just in case, you should know now without a shadow of a doubt that this will be fabulous that since there is buttter involved.  Yes, I read minds. And I’m here all week.

Working with about half of the chicken pieces at a time, brown them in the hot oil/butter (skin side down) and then flip to the other side to brown it too.  Don’t overcrowd the pan or rush this process!

Remove the chicken pieces and repeat with the remaining pieces in the same manner.

While the chicken is browning, slice up one red onion.

And eventually, remove the 2nd batch of chicken to rest for a few minutes:

Looking good!

In the same pot that you toasted the spices, and browned the chicken (let’s be honest – NO ONE likes doing more dishes than necessary) cook the onion until its softened.  Don’t forget to add some salt for good measure too! Once the onion is soft, add about 4 cloves of garlic that have been minced and continue to cook for another 3 minutes or so (or as long as it takes you to load your dishwasher if you’re me). This is getting serious. I’m not sure I can handle it anymore!

Sigh – no quitting at half-time, at least not when raw chicken is involved.  Once the onion and garlic have gotten thoroughly acquainted like the long-lost friends that they are, add the chicken (and any juices that are on the plate that it was resting on) back in, along with 1/2 c of chicken stock and a handful of both parsley and cilantro.

Stir the whole lot up and put the lid on. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pot, bring 1 c of chicken stock, about 2 TBSP of honey, a cinnamon stick, 1/2 c of apricots (that have been halved), and about 1/3 c of almonds to a boil.

(I was cooking for someone with a nut allergy, so I just added the almonds in at the end after hers had been dished out but I’m sure it would have been even better if the almonds have been allowed to soak up the honey-cinnamony-apricot goodness).

Once it’s come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until its developed a glaze-like consistency.  If you need to add some more water or chicken stock to keep the apricots from drying out, you have my permission.

Let’s go check on the chicken, shall we?

YUM.I have no words…

Well actually, I do have a few more things to say.  Unless you like eating springs of parsley and cilantro straight-up, we should probably remove them.  I could have made this process easier on myself by tying them together with kitchen twine, but I like to do things the hard way.  When that’s all taken care of, add the apricot/almond glaze to the chicken…

…and stir it up.  Talk about sensory overload! This is going to be good; I just feel it.

Serve the chicken and sauce over couscous and with a cup of mint tea for a more authentic Moroccan experience if you feel so inclined.  Whatever you do, don’t wait as long as I did to try Moroccan food – I’m sure you will find it as much of a good thing as I did!

Lemon Roasted Chicken & Potatoes

Roasted chicken and potatoes is pretty much the definition of simple comfort food, and over the years I’ve tried to perfect it with many different methods….you name it, I’ve probably tried it.  After much trial and error, I think I’ve settled on my favourite way to prepare it, so give it a try and see if you agree with me that this is the ultimate roasted chicken.

The ingredients:

Whole chicken, salt (that’s whats in the mug), sugar, butter, parsley, olive oil, garlic, lemons, onion, potatoes, pepper, and Mrs. Dash (original blend).

First, we have to make the brine.  What’s does brining mean, you ask?  It’s the process of soaking meat in a solution of salt (and in this case, sugar) and a liquid (usually water). I could give you the long scientific explanation of why this works, but all you need to know is that this is going to help the meat be evenly seasoned, moist, and tender.  I know what you’re thinking – is brining really necessary? Yes, it is.  Very, very important, especially because we’re going to roast the chicken at a really high temperature and not brining it will result in dry meat.  I use a very concentrated brine because I don’t want to have to devote hours to the process, but if you don’t have time to let it brine for an hour just buy a kosher chicken – they’re already salted and are a good substitute.

Back to the brine – dissolve 1/2 c of table salt + 1/2 c of sugar in 2L of cold water, and set it aside while you get the chicken ready.

We’re going to butterfly the chicken.  Have you ever done that before? It’s really easy.  Essentially what you’re doing is removing the backbone and opening and flattening the bird.   This not helps everything cook faster by ensuring greater exposure to the heat and it also guarantees crispy skin as the entire bird.

Ok, so back to the butterflying – here’s how you do it:

Cut through the bones on either side of the backbone using kitchen shears on a knife. Flip the chicken over and use the heel of your hand to flatten the breastbone.

That’s it! Now dunk the chicken in the brine and let it hang out in the fridge for an hour.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s move on to prepping our potatoes, shall we?

Peel and cube up some potatoes, and then submerge in cold, salted water.

Throw in a whole lemon (yes, you read it right)…

…and then separate and peel a whole head of garlic, and throw the cloves in there too. I know what you’re thinking – is she crazy?!?! Well perhaps, but that’s not the point.  Throwing the lemon and garlic in the water with the potatoes will help infuse them with flavour…at least, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Don’t boil the potatoes yet though!

Line a casserole dish with tin foil, and add a coarsely chopped onion.  Set aside, and then make the rub for the chicken.

In a food processor (or bowl), chop up a handful of parsley, a few cloves of garlic, and the zest of one lemon.  If you want to add some other herbs – rosemary and thyme are both great – go ahead and add them now.Once everything is chopped, add in about 2 TBSP of butter, and then drizzle with olive oil until it forms a paste.  Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Are you tired yet? I hope not, but if you are, don’t worry, we’re almost done! We still have a bit of time to go before the chicken will be ready to go in the oven, so go ahead and take advantage of this chance to have a nap go do your laundry, wash your floors, and organize your closet.

After the chicken has been brining for about 50 minutes, turn the potatoes on and bring them to a boil.  We want them to boil for about 10 minutes total. Don’t worry about cooking them all the way through; we just want them to be partially cooked but seasoned with the lemon and garlic.

Once an hour has elapsed, remove the chicken from the brine and rinse it really well under cold running water.  Since there was sugar in the brine, if the chicken isn’t rinsed it will burn.  Dry it really well with paper towels while you drain the potatoes.

(Sidenote: If you have the time, brine the chicken the night before, rinse and dry it, and let it dry uncovered in the fridge overnight.  All of the surface moisture will evaporate, and the skin will be extra-crispy.)

Remove the lemon from the pot, and then drain the potatoes and add them to the roasting pan.  Slice the lemon (careful – its going to be really hot!) and toss with potatoes.  Add a few pats of butter if you feel so inclined.

Lay the chicken on top of the potatoes. Smoosh a few TBSP of the rub between the breast meat and skin, and then spread the rest over the entire bird.  Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash.

Roast at 500 degrees for about 30 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 450 degrees and continue roasting for about 30 minutes longer or until the thermometer registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast.

Remove the chicken and allow it to rest on a cutting board while tented with foil. Broil the potatoes for about 10 minutes while the chicken is resting. The potatoes will have pretty much mashed themselves by this point, but we want to brown the top a bit.

Does this look good or what?!?!

Go make this chicken. Today. You can thank me later for the marriage proposals that will inevitably come your way.

Glazed Chicken Breasts

Chicken seems to be one of the most popular things to make, but unfortunately it can too often turn out dry, rubbery, and flavourless.  As much as I like just simple roasted chicken, sometimes I just feel like doing a little more…a sauce perhaps? I wanted to do something that’s a little more interesting than just dumping a jar of apricot preserves on some boneless skinless chicken breasts and baking them (boring, dull, and usually overcooked) but not so time-consuming that I had to devote hours in the kitchen.  Is it even possible to create a chicken dish that is moist with complex flavours, and with common pantry and fridge ingredients, in a short amount of time to boot? It sure is – and here’s how I did it.

First of all, round-up everything you’re going to need. It’s going to make the entire process more enjoyable and efficient.  So, go ahead and pull the following things out of your fridge and pantry: Orange juice, light corn syrup, honey, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, oil, and a shallot.

If you open up your fridge and realize that you don’t have any orange juice, please don’t make something else – just use apple or pineapple juice instead. Don’t have honey? Use maple syrup or brown sugar in its place (try apple/maple and pineapple/brown sugar – both delicious).  All out of chicken breasts? Use chicken thighs, about twice as many.  Or even pork chops.  Don’t take recipes so literally; just focus on the technique and idea and find what works for you – you might surprise yourself with what a good cook you are!

Now that we’ve gotten that out-of-the-way, let’s get cooking.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, and preheat your oven to 375  degrees.

Whisk the OJ, corn syrup, honey, mustard, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a bowl, or measuring cup, or whatever you can find that is clean. Trust me – this will taste way better than it looks right now, so just set this aside and keep moving.  I know what you’re thinking – do I REALLY need to add corn syrup AND honey? Can’t I just add one or the other? The simple answer is no, use both. The scientific answer is that the concentrated glucose in corn syrup has a high affinity for water so its going to help hold moisture in the glaze and give us the juicy chicken that we often crave but seldom taste. Oh, and it makes the sauce thick and shiny too. However, corn syrup isn’t actually as sweet as you might think so that’s where the honey comes in.  Don’t worry, the sauce isn’t cloyingly sweet – the vinegar, dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes all add complexity.

Next, pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Any extra moisture will prevent the skin from browning and getting crispy, so don’t skip this step! Put some flour in a dish and coat each piece of chicken with the flour, shaking off the excess.  I recommend doing them one at a time, because if you don’t your sauce will probably be clumpy at the end.  This little bit of flour is also going to help us avoid having thicken the sauce with cornstarch at the end – an added bonus and time-saving step. Hope you’re loving this as much as I am so far!

Heat the oil in a 12-inch oversafe skillet over med-high heat until it’s just starting to smoke.  Brown the chicken on both sides (about 5-8 min per side) and transfer the chicken to the plate.  Don’t crowd the pan – the chicken won’t brown properly.  If you can’t fit all 4 pieces of the chicken in the pan, either do it in batches or in separate skillets.  I browned 3 pieces in 1 pan and the remaining piece in a separate pan…yes, it was something extra to clean but I wanted a deep carmelized skin on my chicken and was too impatient to do it in two batches in the same pan. If you’re thinking that I could have gotten even more colour on these…you’re right.  I was impatient, remember? And it still worked out, so there’s hope for me yet.  If I had more time, or was less hungry, I would have given these more time. Just keeping it real here.

While you’re browning the chicken, chop up the shallot. You can do this with a knife, a food processor, or a slap’n’chop. Once again, not judging…I may or may not have used 2 of those 3 options for the same shallot. Pour off almost all of the fat from the pan, and cook the shallot until its softened – 2 mins should do the trick.

Crank the heat to high and add the orange juice mixture. Simmer until it gets all syrupy and reduced by about half – this will take about 6-10 minutes. Stir it occasionally while its simmering; use a whisk so you can scrape up all of the brown bits in the bottom of the pan since they hold the key to a flavourful sauce. We also don’t want it to burn and all of our hard work to go to waste and have to figure out a plan B for dinner. That would be very, very sad.

Roll each chicken breast in the glaze so that its coated evenly and place skin-side down in the skillet. I found it easiest to tip the pan so the glaze was pooled in one corner, twirl the chicken around, and repeat until each piece is coated. Even though I browned the chicken in 2 pans, I nestled them in tightly so I could cook in one. Worked just fine and helped keep the chicken stay flavourful.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake it for about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until it reaches 160-165 degrees.  Take the chicken out of the skillet and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes so the juices can redistribute a bit. While it does this, we’re going to finish off the glaze.

Put the skillet over high heat and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until the glaze is very thick and syrupy.  This only takes about 1 minute, so don’t walk away! Oh, and a little PSA – don’t attempt to touch the skillet or the handle without a ovenmitt on…lets just say that I did absent-mindedly and could prove it by showing you a picture but I actually want you to try this chicken instead of scaring you away. Just learn from me and my mistakes, ok?

Remove the pan from the heat (REMEMBER THE OVENMITTS!!!!) and stir in a few extra tablespoons of orange juice. This is going to help brighten up the flavours.

Pour a little bit of extra glaze over each piece of chicken and pass the remaining glaze separately. Doesn’t this look great? All it needs is a green vegetable to go alongside. This picture doesn’t do the chicken justice. Perfection on a plate, if you ask me.

I wish you could smell and taste this right now, but then I’d have to share. Instead, I hope you make this yourself sooner rather than later. Enjoy!


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Alan Rickman and Palestine

Excerpt from article by Michael Holden, Haaretz Jan. 14, 2016. Let’s take a moment to honour this wonderful soul one year after it departed from this world.

British actor Alan Rickman, who played the role of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films and portrayed memorable villains in Hollywood movies, has died aged 69, his agent said on Thursday.

In 2005, he directed the London production of “My Name is Rachel Corrie,” a play about a 23-year-old pro-Palestinian activist who was crushed and killed by an Israel Defense Forces bulldozer on March 16, 2003, while attempting to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian building.

The play, which was mounted at the Royal Court Theater in London, was based on published extracts of emails that Corrie, an American citizen, wrote to her parents. His collaborator in the project was Katharine Viner, editor of the Guardian newspaper weekend magazine.

He subsequently directed an off-Broadway production of the play in New York.

The play was very well received by critics and audiences, but created a political storm due to the nature of its content. The controversy prompted the first theater scheduled to stage it in London to withdraw from the project.
In an interview with Haaretz in 2007, Rickman stressed that the play was not an attempt to make a political message. He decided to write and direct it, he said, because of the human situation that Corrie represented and the emotional texts that she wrote.

“I never imagined that the play would create such acute controversy,” he said. “Many Jews supported it. The New York producer was Jewish and we held a discussion after every performance.

“Both Israelis and Palestinians participated in the discussions and there was no shouting in the theater. People simply listened to each other.

About Mohammed Jehan Khan

Columnist, Blogger, Independent Socio-Political writer, Nature Photographer, Internet activist, Anti-racist, Anti Zionist, A Great admirer of Cricket and ever optimistic about Middle East and Muslim world peace.
This entry was posted in Hollywood, IDF, Israel and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

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The Snow Bear

Published December 27, 2011 by Mrs. Malo

The one book that we missed before Christmas was The Snow Bear by Miriam Moss which was suppose to be on Saturday, December 17th. If we had to miss one this one was a good one as it is not specifically a Christmas book but more a winter book.

This is the story of a little bear who can not find his mommy.  He decides to make a Mommy Bear out of snow while he waits for his real mommy.  As he is building other young animals in the forest come out to help him build his snow bear.  A cute tale of compassion that would have worked nicely with my class in November (will keep it in mind for next year).

My initial plan was to build snowmen as an activity for this book but it has been a very warm winter so far.  We actually just got our first good snowfall today (and it wasn’t even that much snow).  I have been looking for a good craft to do with the girls and then came across pom pom snowmen on Mom on Timeout.  My mom was over yesterday so I thought it would be a good time to tackle this craft, as it required one on one attention with the girls.  We started by making our pom poms.  The key was to not have the girls cut off circulation in their fingers.

Since we were using little fingers we made 2, 3, and 4 finger pom poms. Then I trimmed them down to make them increasing in sizes.  We left enough wool to tie the three balls together.  I do not crochet so my mom made each of them a cute little hat.  We used goggly eyes for the eyes, foam for the nose and jewels from our craft box for the buttons.  I pulled out my Christmas ribbon and they each made a scarf.  I made sure to hot glue on the hats so they will stay on for when we put them on the tree next year (ours came down today).  I think they turned out pretty cute.  This was not a difficult craft to do but does need one on one attention if children are making their own pom poms.

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About the MoNA

The Paulina Constancia Museum of Naïve Art [MoNA] is part of West Gorordo Hotel’s Cultural Stewardship Program. It is a means to showcase, share and protect local art and culture.

Paulina’s art brings us in touch with a seemingly distant and almost imaginary world in which people are still connected to Nature and each other. In these times of high technology, materialism and consumerism, people have become disconnected. Through the Museum and its program, the West Gorordo Hotel provides the opportunity for Cebu locals and visitors to rekindle their connectedness with themselves, with each other and with Nature.

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Voted #6 on Top 100 Family Business Influencers, your expert on Wealth, Finance and Investments: Jacoline Loewen LinkedIn Profile
Showing posts with label national post loewen Roger MartinClemens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label national post loewen Roger MartinClemens. Show all posts

Top 50 CEOs list has only 15 out of 50 MBAs - what gives?

The MBA does bring a great deal of value in taking you to the next level in thinking and giving you a instant network of equally competitive and performance driven people. It is always worthwhile revisiting the objective of obtaining an MBA. Is it to get you on the top 50, highest performing CEO list or to give you an introduction to management?
Roger Martin, Dean of Rotman, is one of the leading edge leaders of business schools, I believe, and we are lucky to have him here in Canada. In the USA, here are thoughts on the MBA by one of my favorite out of the box investment advisors - Check out Clemens Kownatski' blog for more:

MBA Reality Check: "Harvard Business Review just published: The Best-Performing CEOs in the World
Very interesting to see who is on that list and even more interesting to learn what their backgrounds are.  As a Business School graduate, I often wonder about the merits of an MBA degree, considering the time, effort and substantial capital that went into the education.  Going through the list of  Top50 CEOs, I noticed that only 15 out of 50 (less than a third) had a formal business education.  Although I still consider business school one of the best investments I ever made, one has to wonder what these Non-MBAs know that isn’t taught in business school and whether or not that skill can be taught at all? Next time you consider an investment, you may wonder what makes people like Steve Jobs such an “out of the box” thinker; perhaps the same thought process could be used when analyzing your next investment."

You can read more by Clemens Kownastski's latest issue of Market Insights, also available at:

As always, please email any questions to Clemens at:

Financial Post interview with Jacoline Loewen:


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Dow Jones News Today: Stocks Slide as Investors Eye President Trump's China Summit

The Dow Jones news today (Tuesday, April 4) is projecting a 0.3% decline in premarket hours as markets take a wait-and-see approach to this week's meeting between President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping.

Let's look at the numbers from Monday for the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq:

Dow Jones: 20,650.21; -13.01; -0.06%

S&P 500: 2,358.84; -3.88; -0.16%

Nasdaq: 5,894.68; -17.06; -0.29%

Today's market highlights:

  • Markets are anxious to parse through the March jobs report slated for release on Friday.
  • On Monday, the Dow dropped 13 points thanks to a decline in automotive sales and mixed economic data. Investors also reignited concerns about the Trump administration's ability to get its policy goals enacted by the end of 2017.
  • Markets are speculating on an upcoming meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.
  • Nasdaq attempts to return to a record high as investors begin to eye upcoming earnings season in the weeks ahead.
  • Oil prices tick higher despite a rise in Libyan production and concerns about U.S. inventory levels.
  • Panera Bread Co. (Nasdaq: PNRA) is exploring strategic options, including a sale.

Our Subscribers Share How This Simple Two-Step Process Leads to Massive Gains: "I made 50,000…" "I've profited in excess of $1.5 million…" "+$4,214,958!" Click here to find out how to grab gains like these for yourself…

Here's a look at today's most important market events and stocks, plus a look at Tuesday's economic calendar.

What's Ahead for the Dow Jones Industrial Average Today

dow jones news today

  • Dow Jones futures are down 59 points ahead of the Tuesday open as investors prepare for a monthly update to the U.S. trade numbers and a slew of economic data on the manufacturing sector.
  • Markets appear to be taking a wait-and-see approach to Friday's official March unemployment report as traders begin to speculate on the upcoming Q1 earnings season.
  • The U.S. central bank is back in focus as Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo prepares to give a speech later this afternoon. Yesterday, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker said he still supports efforts to raise interest rates at least two more times in 2017.
  • Crude oil prices were ticking higher despite news that Libyan production is increasing after recent disruptions to the OPEC nation's output. The nation's largest oil field is back online after a week-long disruption caused by militant groups. The news offset improving economic data that forecasted rising demand in Asia's largest economies.
  • Oil traders will be looking for insight into U.S. inventory levels when the American Petroleum Institute provides an update on crude stocks. The WTI crude oil price today added 0.8%. Brent crude added 0.8%.

Trending Now: Why 2017 Is the Year for Investing in Renewables

  • But the big news is the big changes ahead in the life insurance industry. More than 28 states have now legalized marijuana in some form. But while one in five Americans now have access to cannabis without a doctor's note, a few complications have emerged. One of the most unexpected is the change to life insurance policies. Life insurance companies use drug testing to determine a potential customer's lifestyle decisions and how it would impact their premiums. Different insurance companies treat the results of marijuana testing differently, and it can depend on factors like frequency and dosage, why marijuana is used, and the applicant's age. But at the end of the day, the question that truly matters is "Will Marijuana Use Change Your Premium Price?" In an in-depth report, Money Morning explores the impact of marijuana on your life insurance policy, right here.

Stocks to Watch Today, April 4, 2017:

  • Shares of Panera Bread Co. (Nasdaq: PNRA) climbed 7.9% Monday on news that the company may sell itself. This morning, investment firm Bernstein suggested that two different types of firms could overtake the casual dining outlet. Bernstein mentions strategic investors such as Restaurant Brands International (NYSE: QSR) or Jabil Circuit (NYSE: JAB) or restaurant firms like Starbucks Corp. (Nasdaq: SBUX) or McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD). A deal could come in the very near future.
  • Shares of Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) were down 0.7% a day after surging more than 7.2%. Yesterday's rally came after the electric vehicle manufacturer announced it delivered more than 25,000 vehicles during the first quarter. The breakdown of this figure represents roughly 13,450 Model S vehicles and roughly 11,550 Model X vehicles. The company reported a 69% jump in deliveries compared to the same period last year. TSLA CEO Elon Musk reacted to the news by calling out investors who have been betting against his company by tweeting, "Stormy weather in Shortville…" With yesterday's surge in TSLA stock, the company surpassed Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) as the second-largest vehicle manufacturer in the United States by market capitalization.
  • Look for earnings reports today from Acuity Brands Inc. (NYSE: AYI), International Speedway (Nasdaq: ISCA), Conns Inc. (Nasdaq: CONN), Alere Inc. (NYSE: ALR) and Landec Corp. (Nasdaq: LNDC).

Today's U.S. Economic Calendar (all times EDT)

  • International Trade at 8:30 a.m.
  • Gallup US ECI at 8:30 a.m.
  • Redbook at 8:55 a.m.
  • Factory Orders at 10 a.m.
  • 4-Week Bill Auction at 11:30 a.m.
  • Federal Reserve Governor Daniel Tarullo speaks at 4:30 p.m.

Up Next: The Best Stocks to Buy (and When to Sell) for Mega-Profits in 2017

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