What Do You Say To This?

Teen Celebrities in the News: Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Luke Benward

2009-03-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

Luke Benward: Actor, Singer, Teenager!

Although he is only 13 years old, actor and singer Lucas Aaron “Luke” Benward is well on his way to becoming a household name.

Disney Hannah Montana Keeping it Real, a DVD Review

When I was offered the opportunity to review Disney Hannah Montana Keeping It Real, a DVD with five episodes from the popular television program Hannah Montana, I must admit, I jumped at the chance. Here was my chance to be culturally relevant!

Does Hannah Montana Make You Sick?

Last Tuesday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Peanut Corporation of America issued a safety recall of Disney’s Hannah Montana Peanut Chocolate Granola Bars due to possible salmonella contamination.

The Jonas Brothers: Clean Fun for Your Teens and Tweens

If your kids are into the Jonas Brothers - a boy band who gained their popularity through the Disney Channel - your kids are in good hands.

What Did Barbara Walters’ Interview with the Jonas Brothers Reveal?

Barbara Walters interviewed The Jonas Brothers om February 22, 2009 for “The Barbara Walters Special” on ABC on Oscar Night. What did her interview reveal about America’s most popular singing siblings?

Spring Break

2009-03-22T06:24:00.001-07:00

For the break, I decided to take a few SCA friends up to Santa Barbara to go wine tasting a la Sideways the movie. We ended up going to only two Sideways destinations: Solvang Restaurant, home of the abaelskivers, and Kalyra Winery, an Australian themed winery where Jack falls in love with Stephanie. We also went to Rideau Winery, which was a New Orleans themed winery, whose customer service was horrific (they wouldn’t let us keep the glass, like in other wineries) and where their food was better tasting than some of their wines. We finished our wine tour at Alisal Cellar, a nice underground alcove away from the dehydrating sun. Heeding recommendations, we drove to Santa Barbara to eat at a small French restaurant called Petit Valentien, possibly the best deal in town with $18 entrees and under $10 appetizers. You could eat frog legs here!

That trip was the highlight of my spring break. Unfortunately after that day, it’s been bad news after bad news. Without going into too much detail, I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what happened while trying to finish my edit for my first project. It’s hard to focus when my mind and heart is elsewhere. Logistically, I’m having to take care of my younger sibling while everything gets straightened out so once school starts in two days, I have to take on a few more responsibilities. My birthday is around the corner but this year I just don’t feel up to celebrating the way I did last year. It’s just one of those years that has pendulum-like ups and downs and I just want to NOT feel, if that makes any sense.

what does discipleship look like: 2

2009-03-21T08:56:00.001-07:00

I first want to appologize for not posting this more promptly. Grace and I have been on the road for 2 weeks now and I have not had internet access. So right now I am sitting in the prayer room here in KC and have a brief moment to bring up some questions and thoughts. I hope that this proves fruitful in our lives. I thank all of you for you love and commitment unto the Lord.

Jesus said… “Go and make disciples. Teach them all things”

my first thought is what is “all things” and are we teaching “all things” in our churches.

I look at the ministry of Jesus, God incarnate and I ask what did Jesus do? Why did He do the things He did? What did His disciples do? Why did the do the things they did?

Jesus: Preaching the Kingdom, Casting out evil spirits, healing the sick

disciples: Preaching the Kingdom, casting out evil spirits, healing the sick

This is what His disciples did because this is what He taught them, and what He told them to do.

I see that there is great opposition in the western church when addressing these areas of faith, but I fear that the church in the west is not functioning as Jesus declared we are to be.

We have the most churches, seminaries, teachers, etc… here in the west, but we do not have one single transformed community. We have gathered knowledge, but we have yet to encounter on a corporate level the TRUE KNOWLEDGE of GOD that leads us into an encounter with the eternal One.

It is my desire with these posts to stir up a conversation of brothers and sisters who realize that something isn’t right and we must get back to the gospel that Jesus came to preach. The gospel of the Kingdom.

I pray that we would not be a people who “deny the power of God” (2 Timothy 3.1-5) but that we would be a people who desire to see God come in His glory and heal our land. That we would be a people who submit ourselves to His word and His Spirit. That we would see the greatness of His power released in our lives and in our land.

God reveal to us Your heart in the precious name of Jesus we ask… lead us into truth.

2009-03-17T06:41:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Lyall Chittleborough’s site. I think I am the only person of this name, in the world, but let me make clear that I am the bloke with literary and artistic interests who has waltzed much of his life in South Australia as a lecturer and teacher in the field of English literature. I now reside on a broad acre residential forest property in the delightful Adelaide Hills of South Australia.

I am still building this site and intend to offer a number of services related to my personal competences, which though developed through considerable experience are in need of exercise.

At present it is proposed to offer:

a. Literary Counsel service

This is for aspiring authors. As a published author, I can offer suggestions as to how your typescript might be enhanced, increasing the likelihood of it being acceptable to publishers.

b. I also intend to offer an Occasional Verse writing service for people who wish to give significant celebration to somebody or some event which warrants more than a conventional recognition. This will involve consultation regarding the person or event which is to be celebrated in verse so that the poem can be a unique endorsement.

c. I also wish to showcase photographic products which will be utilitarian articles which feature attractive examples of my photographic artistry. Currently there are Table mats for sale at Gallery M in Marion South Australia but I wish to make them available through this site.

d. A gallery of my paintings and photographic work will also be displayed.

e. Book sales of my two novels, DISSENT and ANNO HOMINIS - The Age of Humanity, poetry and other works will be promoted through the limited presentation of sample chapters and representative selections.

Contact me if you are interested in any of these areas.

zircon@senet.com.au

Australia Advertises the 'Best Job Ever'

2009-03-17T06:39:00.001-07:00

A rant I forgot to post.

2009-03-15T07:11:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufsl5p8gtIM

Once again, Pat Buchanan demonstrates that he doesn’t really know what he’s talking about when it comes to race. While there are plenty of items here to criticize Buchanan (and in many cases, general white thinking on race and this country), Dyson addresses a lot of them, albeit while suffering from technical glitches in the transmission of his rejoinders. However, near the end, Buchanan starts saying things to the effect of “America is the best country for black people”.

Well, I’m not going to argue with that. Dyson doesn’t really notice it, but I think this statement highlights what is probably the biggest issue black people will continue to have with Whites for years to come. This statement perfectly captures a deep misunderstanding of the current state of race relations and demonstrates that people just don’t understand what exactly is injust about racism.

Perhaps I can illustrate the problem with this example. Buchanan is essentially saying, for black people, you can either go elsewhere (other than America) which is pretty bad for you, or come here (America) which is just bad. Since America is just bad, we are the best, because everywhere else is pretty bad. Given that we are the best, black people should be happy and focus on working out their problems themselves, because the rest of us (whites) no longer have anything to self correct.

You can see the problem here. Black people DEMAND equality to whites. We don’t want to live somewhere that is the “best in the world” for US. We want to live somewhere that is the best in the world. We are not satisfied with the status quo. We want to have status in America, be treated in America, have opportunity in America, equal to a white person. We are not satisfied with having status, treatment, and opportunity that is better here than anywhere else. That’s not good enough. Because it doesn’t take much to see that as much as white people “treat us nicely here in America”, they still treat themselves much better.

It is so obvious to me what that simple sentence conveys and it is amazing that Buchanan can say it and it not occur to him what it means. Perhaps it’s because I’m black. . . I guess there are some things that will continue to boggle my mind. All this being said, I commend Buchanan for the courage to speak out the way he does. (*note, I don’t quite like the title of that video. I don’t think Buchanan is racist, I think if I could have a day to talk with him, we could clear up a lot of things). Because by doing so, he educates the rest of us on what whites are missing when blacks talk about racism and our struggles and problems within the community and by understanding that disconnect, we can work towards having a more fruitful discussion between blacks and whites.

PINAYspeak Announcement

2009-03-10T07:56:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kamalayan Kollective presents

PINAYSPEAK: DIALOGUES FOR ACTION AND HEALING

SAN DIEGO, California – March 9, 2009 – Kamalayan Kollective presents PINAYSPEAK: DIALOGUES FOR ACTION AND HEALING, a one-day community-building intensive for self-identified Pinays and their allies. PINAYspeak will be hosted at the University of California, San Diego Cross-Cultural Center on Saturday, April 25, 2009.

Named after our Pinay-created space for personal growth, empowerment and dialogue, PINAYspeak will include workshop sessions, speakers and dialogues in a community-centered effort to explore and narrate the stories and experiences of Pinays. Topics will include but are not limited to: the ideology of Pinayism; the intersections of Pinay experience with relationships, poverty, sexism, lesbianism, homophobia, militarism, imperialism; and Pinay motherhood. Through various ways of knowing and sharing, both critically and creatively, attendees will engage in the artistic, the spiritual, and the material as ways of grounding, understanding, reclaiming, and constructing new language for the Pinay’s social reality.

PINAYspeak: DIALOGUES FOR ACTION AND HEALING

Date and Time: Saturday, April 25, 2009; 9:30AM – 6:00PM

Location: University of California, San Diego Cross-Cultural Center, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093

Fees: Free Admission and Free Parking

That defense wont work

2009-03-08T06:35:00.001-07:00

Ride
well I can tell you what is going on
Don’t believe a word a realtor says. Do your ow
In Merced. Really. As soon as they hit the mrkt.
Mortgage Broker Pleads Guilty to 21 Counts
dolt!^^ with no friends
Were you molested by a mortgage broker?
Must be something in his ‘past life’…
Other
unfortunately , there is some truth in what he
of course there were some crooked ones
Well, why don’t you post about the good apples?
Some?
It’s called ‘experience’.
Check the broker’s criminal record….
I see they let you out of the asylum tonight^^
Dynamic
There’s that dead fish smell again. Oh, it’s
Nope, thats your upper lip you’re smelling
sure loks like your were neg’d alot tonight
3 brokers on tonight. They only have 20 points
LOL Maybe I should use mine I have 50
Hope someone puts him back in it
No one wants to read all the S— you post
Other
How do I get a realtor who is stealing arrested
What’s been done?
The FBI checks you out in CA, fool.
RE: The FBI checks you out
Is there a way I can look at the MRIS?
sure , become a Realtor and join the MLS
some MLS services charge about 400 a year others
Lute
I did not know that
Even though I belong We always don’t know
How sleazebags like Elite trick people…..
you killed Jesus?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz……………
“High P Rates”
flagged, spam
No, it’s an insult to your kind.
flagged, personal attacks
Flagged! Emitting foul odor.
Craig has high SPAM rates
Former broker gets scammed.
He signed it. He had a baaaad feeling but…….
Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t let the broker off the
So? Took two for that dance.
Only one will go to prison. Guess who?
exactly and he could have
Nice try Chicken Little
Tales from the crypt*
So why news from the other side of the USA?
99.9% chance he didn’t work with a Realtor
That would have made it worse.
Did you ‘triple review’ the OPS post?
Borrowers aren’t stupid
Depends on the borrower
No, it doesn’t.
Always read what you sign
That defense won’t work

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my pet peeves

2009-03-05T07:46:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I wrote about my biggest pet peeve of all. Someone this morning asked me what other pet peeves I had.

Well…here you go…in no particular order.

bringing your dog into public places because it is just too precious to leave at home (psst..it isn’t that cute)

coming into Starbucks and immediately trying to sell me on what you do so that I can join in to but pretending it is just that you are trying to strike up conversation (ummm..I just met you and really don’t think Amway is all that great…plus…I just wanted to write and drink my coffee)

screaming children…update this..the parents who are ignoring their screaming children (no one else is ignoring this except you…please remove the beast of a child from the restaurant immediately)

people who still write checks (hey, pssssst..yeah you…check out this cool looking piece of plastic called a debit card…don’t tell anyone but it works just like a check and doesn’t take 25 minutes to complete the transaction)

people who complain about not having work but won’t take a job at Starbucks, UPS, Lowes, Home Depot, The Grocery Store, or any where else that won’t pay them 100 million dollars a year…at least it is a job until you find a better job…don’t whine if you won’t work

people who when they run into hard times state ” I am a Christian and God will provide” instead of trying to do something about it….(God has provided…you have health, hands with opposable thumbs, feet and the ability to work…what else do you want from him…he is not going to drop a Brinks truck into your back yard)

Facebook friend seekers….those that send you a friend request even though there is no relationship between the two of you….at all

people who think “Separation of Church and State” is in the Constitution of the US (See previous post)

people who whine about everything…you are alive aren’t you? There is always the alternative

OK, Thats enough I guess.

What are your pet peeves?

Spring Cocktails for 2009

2009-03-03T07:31:00.001-08:00

Back in the early half of the decade, around 2004 - 2006, flavored martinis were in. Back then I was part owner of a restaurant in Columbus Ohio called Lee Garden. This restaurant still exists, but it is no longer what it used to be when I was in charge of the menu. I have since moved on from the restaurant industry, but I would like to share some of my signature cocktails with the world. 2009 is a good a year as any to start blogging about mixology. Here are a few of my concoctions:

Ginger Peach Martini (2004)

2.5 oz Absolut Apeach

1.5 oz Peach Schnapps

Freshly muddled ginger root

Shake, Rattle & Roll! Strain into a Martini glass and serve! Garnish with a slice of peach and pickled ginger.

Azura Sapphire Martini (2004)

2 oz Bombay Sapphire Gine

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

Muddle fresh lemon and lime with peel

1.5 oz of soda

1/2 packet of powdered sugar (splenda)

Garnish with twist of lemon & lime peels

Tempesta’s Fire (Must pour in order) - The sweet, soothing breeze of a spring tempest and the heat of hell’s inferno, creates a sensual experience.

1 1/2 oz Cranberry Vodka (Smirnoff, Three Olives, Stoli’s etc)

1 oz Blue Island Pucker

1/2 oz Blue Curacao

1 oz pineapple juice

Shake & Strain into Martini Glass

1/2 oz Dek. Hot Damn! (gently pour in last)

BOUNDARIES

2009-03-01T07:41:00.001-08:00

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23

The title of this passage is “The Believer’s Freedom” but the first verse of the passage stated everything— except freedom. It rather explained the contrary. It was all about boundaries.

I hated boundaries. Growing up, I manage to get everything I want, my way. My parents would give in to my decisions that’s why I was given my independence at a young age. But as I turned to be an adult, there was a time in my life when I fully understood the importance of boundaries. As a Christian, I saw myself as a tree planted by streams of water… close to abundance, close to my God (Psalm 1:3). But in that point of my life, I also knew that being planted by streams of water was not enough to make me grow well. I recognized that my roots were feeble and my branches were still weak. I knew I needed something to keep me strong and still. I needed a fence around me.

Growing up in Batanes where we are often visited by typhoons, we put a fence around young trees to keep them from being bent and uprooted when strong winds blow. In the same way, I felt the need to put a fence around me to serve as my protection when storms of life come.

When I came across 1 Corinthians 10:23, I first thought that boundaries were negative things. They would keep me from doing the things I want. It is said there that everything is permissible… and then there’s the big BUT that comes after it. It’s like being told that you can have all the marshmallows in the world but you can’t eat them.

Sometimes we are scared of boundaries because we think they would isolate us from the things we want, or from people we want to be with. But boundaries don’t keep other people out. They fence you in. What’s the difference? Well, they keep you safe and controlled. Being fenced in means being guided and guarded, rather than being isolated from things or people.

But boundaries just don’t exist. They are made. We draw lines to make boundaries around us. And we can either spend our lives drawing lines or crossing them. But there are some lines… that are way too dangerous to cross. It’s always a choice. If we draw lines, there would be some things that we won’t be allowed to do. But if we cross the lines, we can do everything with big consequences. It’s up to you. But still, prevention is way better than cure… and more often than not, it’s always too late to regret.

True freedom isn’t absolutely free. It comes at a prize. In this world, we are bounded by rules of society, rules of our parents, rules of Christianity. It’s up to us to follow them or break them. But at the end of the day, it would be us to bear the consequences of our choices. I hope you make the better choice. I hope you also embrace the boundaries you are in. Because they are there not to restrict us, but to limit our possibilities to make mistakes.

For Glory and Beauty

2009-02-28T06:28:00.001-08:00

”You are to weave the tunic from fine linen, make a turban of fine linen, and make an embroidered sash. Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons to give them glory and beauty. Put these on your brother Aaron and his sons; then anoint, ordain, and consecrate them, so that they may serve Me as priests.”

Exodus 28: 39 - 41 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

To give them glory and beauty. That phrase jumped off the page into my heart this week and I’ve been musing over it ever since. I’m not sure I have figured out exactly what it means but I’m sure that it’s important. In Exodus, God paints a picture of the sacred with a fine tipped brush. And that picture is astoundingly beautiful. Each detail of the tabernacle, the sacrifices, and the garments of the priests sends us a mandate of holiness. But that holiness is not and can never be our own. With each clue in this book I’ve unravelled, I’ve fallen more deeply in love with my Savior and what He has done for me.

The Glory and Beauty of our God overflows into the lives of His children. He adorns us, anoints us, ordains us, and consecrates us to serve Him as priests. We reflect His Glory and radiate His Beauty to the universe. In the light of His loving sacrifice we become the men and women He always meant for us to be.

A tough break for Dominic James and the Marquette Golden Eagles. James breaks his foot and out for season while Marquette loses 93-82 to #2 Connecticut

2009-02-26T08:55:00.001-08:00

Can Marquette, a Wisconsin sports team catch a break and have everything go right for them? Apparently not as the Golden Eagles lost a big nationally televised ESPN game at home 93-82 to #2 Connecticut and in the process they lost their point guard Domimic James who broke his foot and needs season ending foot surgery in his senior year.

Just think about it in Dominic James perspective. Not only is his season over but as a senior so is his eligibility and Marquette playing career. And if he doesn’t make it to the NBA so is his basketball career unless he decides to go over to Europe and obscurity to play. Yes former NBA player Josh Childress went over there and made millions of dollars , but who but basketball junkies know who the former Atlanta Hawk is and more importantly who in the United States is seeing him play.

I thought of that when Dominic James went down with his foot injury in his senior year in that if he doesn’t make the NBA where will he play next? With early entry into the NBA now a lot of seniors are good but less talented players. So we’ll see what happens with him. Also a tough loss for Marquette as another Wisconsin sports team that tries to climb the sports mountain stumbles. Wisconsin mens and womens hockey have been the major sports champions in Wisconsin since the Packers won the Super Bowl in 1996. Someday hopefully another Wisconsin team will climb that mountain. Marquette looked like a pretty good team this year to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. They still might, but they’ll have to step up and overcome adversity such as losing their starting point guard Dominic James.

Best of luck to them and we’ll see what happens now. Take care, talk soon and best wishes. badgerbratwurst

Speaking Economic Truth to the Press

2009-02-24T08:11:00.001-08:00

Speaking the truth to power is necessary in new areas of public discourse. Now is the time for good men and women to speak economic truth to the MSM - and their neighbors, family, friends, co-workers and church family. Because the MSM is either clueless or crying wolf - lying - for political purposes.

Today’s example from the Daily Press (Obama to roll out Econ 101, Feb 23, 2009) by Jim Puzzanghera included this gem:

“Yet the alternative to spending on a huge scale could be that the present crisis could not only worsen but last for a decade or more as did an eerilly similiar financial system crash in Japan in the 1990s.”

The eery similarity is that Japan had a housing bubble burst in the early 1990s. and the US had a housing bubble burst in 2008.

Then, Japan tried government stimulus program after stimulus program. All the spending failed to help the economy. All the government spending prolonged the economic hardships for a decade.

The correct way to write this sentence is this:

“The alternative to spending on a huge scale could be that the present crisis will turn around in less than a year, and the economy will recover fully within 24 months - much likely much sooner.” And the paper should add - The alternative is to not spend a dime. In fact, cutting spending and taxes - personal and corporate - would set the stage for a multi-year recovery and growth.

Hey, Jim Puzzanghera, please name the country that spent its way out of an economic downturn. Anywhere. Ever.

The Obama stimulus plan - economic analysis: Part 2

2009-02-24T08:10:00.001-08:00

Lover's ball II

2009-02-22T06:46:00.001-08:00

…turbine alight…almost vertical…save beauty…small kiss…hopeless…breaking…soul was taken…

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Detached from earth my weepy soul ascends into the sky

Up where the angels dwell and the other lucky souls cry

Incessant blare of trumpets salute the Almighty one

He gazes down on me warmly like a father to a son

Golden gates open wide like arms longing embrace

I tread softly on alien ground at my own slow pace

Welcomed by gatekeepers signing me into their log

Up ahead a blinding light shines thru the mystic fog

It’s a constitution of single flames burning in unity

Each upheld by a soul in white - symbolising purity

Unknown to me I too wear this bright silky gown

I join the assembly and in one motion we bow down

Suspended in the air is a Book that the devil shames

It’s marked in Holy ink so he is unable to blot names

I soul-search for familiar ones but there were none found

Til I felt a familiar finger tap to which I turned round

Its the once Mean but Angelic Beauty standing by my side

She finally returned my smile and threw away all her pride

My faith in true love restored ‘n all scepticism faded

She takes my hand and whispers, ‘I’m so glad you made it’

Our eyes lock, our lips part, and our heads draw near

A velvet kiss sealed and our feelings are made clear

My sense of taste excited by undertones of eucalyptus

Then we instinctively turn to Psalms to sing the scriptures

We are all singin’ perfectly and I did not need to rehearse

But I hear an offbeat disrupting the rhythm in each verse

It’s my heart…………

Yet again I slowly lose her grip like I once did on the plane

A sinking feeling, and next I can’t hear what she’s saying

Suddenly my soul falls fast through each sacred cloud

Heading for an eerie room surrounded by a medical crowd

They’re congratulating each other, expressing signs of relief

Thru a glass window my family spy, once overcome with grief

I’ve been returned to the 3rd planet to impart this 1st rhyme

It was a narrow escape … but I pray I get caught a 2nd time…

”Our love will be rekindled after the end of time and it shall last for all eternity.”

R.I.P Passenger 72B

..xTx..

Cinnamon Waffles with Caramelized Apples

2009-02-21T07:21:00.001-08:00

I could tell just from the title, these were going to be GOOD. Each month I am excited to get the newest Williams-Sonoma catalog, because it is full of both kitchen equipment for me to drool over as well as delicious sounding recipes. Williams-Sonoma is one of my most trusted recipe sources. I have made an unbelievable number of things from their website, cookbooks, etc. and have had only one or two that were less than superb. So this month when the catalog came, I quickly folded down the pages of all the recipes I wanted to try and these waffles were right at the top of my list. These were a delicious Valentine’s breakfast for us (we made a half batch). I had no issues with the recipe and wouldn’t change anything for next time. They may be slightly more involved than your usual waffle recipe, but are totally worth it in my opinion. Can’t wait to have them again!

Cinnamon Waffles with Caramelized Apples

Yield: 12 4-inch square waffles

Ingredients:

For the caramelized apples:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

6 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the waffles:

3 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

8 tbsp. melted butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

whipped cream, for serving

Directions:

To make the caramelized apples, in a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Mix until apples are evenly coated. Cook about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside.

To make the waffles, in a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk the flour mixture into the yolk mixture until smooth. In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Gently fold 1 cup egg whites into batter; carefully fold in remaining egg whites.

Preheat waffle maker on medium-high. Pour 1/3 cup batter into each well of waffle maker; close the lid. Cook 5-6 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve waffles with caramelized apples and whipped cream.

Source: adapted from Williams-Sonoma Catalog, February 2009

Caramel Apple Pie

2009-02-21T07:20:00.001-08:00

Korea netizens’ newest gadget ‘MR Removed’ videos to evaluate singers

2009-02-19T07:15:00.001-08:00

There has been recently a craze amongst netizens to post up ‘MR removed’ videos on the internet which also led to many comparing the vocal powers of various singers.

‘MR removed’ videos minimizes any MR (music recorded) in the song and maximizes the vocal of the singer - the singer’s vocal will be the only thing audible possible.

For a singer who cannot sing well, with all the sound magnification and voice companion at the chorus, the song may sound alright. But with the ‘MR removed’ version, only the vocal of the singer will be clearly audible.

Especially recently, a lot of ‘MR removed’ versions of live performances have been posted on the internet, and netizens have been comparing between singers on their vocal prowess.

Currently, the hot favourites for ‘MR removed’ clips are done mostly on popular groups and also other singers - but dance songs have been given especially sharp evaluations by the netizens.

While netizens felts that singers like Big Bang, Dong Bang Shin Ki, So Nyeo Shi Dae, Cheon Sang Ji Hee and BoA have good live vocal capabilities, some netizens felt that live performances by WonderGirls, KARA and TaeGoon to be disappointing

DBSK - "O" - Jung Ban Hap Live @ KBS Music Bank [MR] (Vocals Only)

2009-02-19T07:13:00.001-08:00

Chicken Crescent Sandwich Squares

2009-02-17T08:26:00.001-08:00

Ingredients

3 oz. pkg. cream cheese-softened

3 Tbsp. margarine-melted

2 cups cooked, cubed chicken or turkey

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

2Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. chopped onion-opt.

8 oz. can crescent dinner rolls

1/4 cup seasoned croutons, crushed-opt.

Directions:

Preheat oven 350. In saucepan, blend cream cheese and 2 Tbsp. margarine until smooth.

Add the next 6 ingredients; mix well. Separate crescent dough into 4 rectangles.

Firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup meat mixture onto center of each rectangle.

Pull 4 corners of dough to top center of chicken mixture, twist slightly and seal edges.

Brush tops with reserved margarine; dip in crouton crumbs.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Notes:

You can double the recipe and freeze part of the batch before cooking in the oven. Don’t defrost, just preheat oven to 350 and bake until golden brown

Sauce: 1 can cream of chicken soup diluted with milk or water to make it creamy texture and heat through.

Betty's Subtly Savory Parsley-Buttered New Potatoes Recipe

2009-02-17T08:25:00.001-08:00

OT Victory Over the Hoyas

2009-02-15T08:13:00.001-08:00

After a decent first half, SU exploded into the second and racked up a 16 point lead. At that point, I was fairly confident that we could end this game. Unfortunately, the Hoyas stepped up to the challenge and came back to force the game into overtime. In the end, SU pulled through in an overtime victory, making them 7 and 6 in the Big East. Not bad.

There were several things about this game (aside from the high score) that stood out. First of all, Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins played extremely well. For the first time in several games, they seemed healthy and that really attributed to their stand-out performances. Onuaku finished with 15 points and made a couple of free throw shots, quite the change from his one free throw in the last eight games. Unfortunately, when the pressure got to be too much, Coach Beiheim pulled him out of the game and replaced him with Rick Jackson. Jackson played well from the bench, scoring 13 points for the Orange.

Other interesting points within this game: the controversial call against Kristof Ongenaet seemed harsh. I watched the replay about seven times on my TV and the elbow shot that got him ejected from the game seemed unintentional. Another shocker happened at the end of the game. Johnny Flynn gave up the last shot with five seconds left and almost lost us the game. Not a typical display from the court leader.

Overall, it was a great game and a big win for SU. It’s gonna be necessary for them to win their last few home games in order for them to get a good seat in the Big East Tournament. Looking forward to see what happens next…

Special education

2009-02-14T06:48:00.001-08:00

Student with deafness and hearing loss

Concern for the education of individual who are deaf of hard of hearing has existed for centuries in the united states. A hearing loss is considered a low incidence disability affecting approximately 16 in 1000 school ages children. Children and youth who are deaf or hard of hearing represent a very diverse group individuals. Some use speech, some use sign, and some use both speech and sign to communication skill, which in turn often negatively affects language development, academic progess, socialization and career attainment.

Most student who are deaf and hard of hearing recive all or part of their education in general education setting and this approach has many adventages. However, because of the diverse needs and preferences of students who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families, it important to maintain a variety of educational placement options for these students.

Recommended instructional practice for students who are deaf or hard of hearing focus on ways to increase students vocabulary, concept knowledge,and experiential backgrounds. The majority of student who are deaf or hard of hearing are born into hearing families, who are required to make a variety of difficult choices about how to communicate with as well as educate their child. Issues currently affecting the field of deaf education include newborn hearing screening, cochlear, and bilingual bicultural educational approaches.

worldview statement...

2009-02-12T07:10:00.001-08:00

God is the one God and the creator of our universe. He created the universe out of nothing and put everything in order to create that which is called earth. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit join in a beautiful, circular relationship as they make up the Trinity. In God’s perfect way, he made the earth and everything in it to live in perfect harmony. Human beings were created to bear his image to the world, to create using the world around us, to live in right-relatedness with God and fellow humans, and to tell the saving story of Jesus. As we do these things, we get to express gratitude and selfless adoration to our Father, the Creator. All of creation and humankind joins together, expressing praise to God the King with all that we are.

After God created humans in his likeness, humans chose to step away from right relationship with the Trinity, within which we were whole and complete beings. When our wholeness was traded for brokenness and death, God the Father lovingly pursued us in his overwhelming passion. The rescue plan of the Father meant that he had to step into the world and into the “space” of the humans. God’s only Son, Jesus, came to the earth to create a way of restoration for us through his death and resurrection. Because of God the Savior, we are welcomed back into the perfect relationship with God that was meant for us all along.

We are still living in the story of the rescue plan of God. He is still saving creation from brokenness and rebellion. Right now, we get to step into the story and live as fully alive humans. God has put his image in us and so, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are a part of how his plan gets carried out on earth. The Kingdom of God collides with earth as we continue on towards the final chapter in the story. Using our gift of creativity, we are set on course to work out new ways of retelling the whole story in a way that is relevant to our time and culture. God’s end to the story is the complete restoration of creation and humanity, where everything is put right again, we will live in harmony with our Father God. Amen!