Elvis, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Cookers

Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Original Article)

SEX And The City’s Carrie kept part of her $40,000 worth
of shoes in the oven, presumably safe in assuming that she was
never going to roast her Manolos by mistake - that’d be a leathery
leg of lamb. Her shopping skills are legendary, chopping skills
negligible and even a binge-drinking teenager knows there’s not
much nutrition in a cosmopolitan.

But Carrie’s not real - important to remember that - and surely
this dearth of cooking skills is not typical? Having cooked a
muffin and stuffed a capsicum some time in Year 8, are people quite
a lot younger than Carrie capable of leaving home and cooking their
own dinner well enough to stay healthy?

Keen that my children not see the oven as an extension of the
closet, and aware that osmosis doesn’t really cut it as food
preparation training, for a while there Sunday night at our place
was life-skills night. The two daughters took turns making dinner
and I assisted with chopping and translating recipes.

We raided the cookbook shelves and ranged through the cuisines
of India, Japan and Italy, with the meat-avoiding younger daughter
exploring the high-fibre realms of vegetarian cooking. We ate more
pasta than was strictly necessary, and learned there’s not much of
a vegetarian nature that will satisfy a man who has been
windsurfing on Botany Bay for the past four hours. The project was
going well until maths intervened. The maths tutor is only
available on Sunday evenings. In the run-up to the HSC, maths
skills trump life skills.

Catherine Saxelby, nutritionist and mother of an 18-year-old
daughter and 20-year-old son, admits she, too, has been only
“moderately successful” in teaching her children to cook. “You have
to find the right moment, and even then a whole meal can be
overwhelming,” she admits. She’s started to break the training into
steps but the goal remains. “The children need to master a mince
dish, a stir-fry, a barbecue and a roast. Without those skills,
they’re cheaptravelnews at the mercy of fast food.”

Is …continue reading

Source: Mirror.co.uk (Original Article)

Stationed in my usual position somewhere between the cooker, the fridge or the sink, I glanced over at my two boys playing on the laptop.

We don’t let them have TVs, computers or anything electronic in their bedrooms and they’re only allowed online where I can see them.

I’ve also had various filters installed to try to prevent them accessing stuff that pathetic perverts seem to find fascinating.

Anyway, for once they weren’t arguing so I thought everything was fine.

“What are you playing?” I asked as I loaded the dishwasher.

“Um, we’re just looking at WWE (wrestling),” my eldest son replied a bit too hastily.

I heard a moaning sound from the computer. “It doesn’t sound like wrestling.”

And then I heard a baby chuckling. “What are you looking at?”

And then I pounced and as I did, their little fingers darted towards the keyboard in a desperate effort to close down the images.

What I saw made my stomach churn. All I will say is it involved mutilation, a baby and a woman.

The scene has remained with me all week, so goodness knows what effect it has had on a nine-year-old and his brother, aged six.

Although, I have to say, they seem to have forgotten, which might be even more worrying.

I was furious all day - with perverts, with the internet, with myself for inadvertently allowing innocent minds to be corrupted.

Next day I received an email from Daily Mirror reader Simon Deacon, who wrote: “As a parent I am very worried about the increase in teenage violence.

“My 11-year-old son and his friends have for several years watched the cartoon series Happy Tree Friends on the internet and swapped it on mobiles in the playground.

“Apparently it’s one of the most downloaded item on the net, but it’s only recently that I’ve discovered that it’s not so cute and cuddly.

“It depicts animal killing by knives, drowning, even a blender. I am facebook directory sure most parents would be horrified …continue reading

Source: Modesto Bee (Original Article)

Fire crews haul gear ‘like mountain goats’

By EMILIE RAGUSO
eraguso@modbee.com

last updated: June 26, 2008 05:30:50 AM

Firefighters in the Stanislaus National Forest are using the Tuolumne River like a “giant fire engine,” pumping water from it to slow the spread of a fire that has been burning on the river’s north slope since Saturday, authorities said.

The North Mountain fire, which was caused by lightning and has consumed about 1,010 acres, was 5 percent contained Wednesday evening, said Pat Kaunert, spokesman for the Stanislaus National Forest.

Firefighters from federal, state, county and local agencies have had to hike two miles over rugged terrain to dig the first fire breaks.

“There’s no access for engines and little access for dozers,” Kaunert said. “These guys have got to haul this stuff in like mountain goats.”

Firefighters carried in hoseline and lightweight water pumps in backpacks, setting up intricate hose systems that they rolled up the side of the canyon. They snaked their way around the perimeter of the blaze from the heel, which is where the fire started and the coolest part of it, Kaunert said.

“The idea is to finally work your way up to the very hot portion up at the top and cut off its head,” he said.

The fire is burning north of Highway 120, six miles southwest of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The highway is open but the trail to Preston Falls is closed, according to the Forest Service. There were 263 firefighters on the scene Wednesday, and more were expected to arrive as they were released from fires around the state.

The area poses “extreme logistical challenges,” Kaunert said: steep terrain, heavy forest fuels and tinder-dry conditions.

“All of this makes for a firefighter’s nightmare,” he said.

Thick smoke has hampered attempts to attack the fire from the air for the past three days, Kaunert said. A cool layer of air has held unburned credit card gas and smoke close to the …continue reading

Source: Akron Beacon Journal (Original Article)

Here’s a news flash: It’s cheaper to prepare a meal at home than to eat out or carry in.

No, we’re not telling you anything you don’t already know.

We also realize that many of you opt to eat out anyway and it’s not because you have money to burn. With adults trying to balance their work schedules with the school, sports and other activities of their children, it often comes down to a question of no time to prepare a meal.

Takeout Chinese, a chicken dinner at a drive-through restaurant, or a pizza shop delivery all offer quick, convenient dinner options for busy families.

But with rising grocery prices and skyrocketing gasoline, many families are finding the $25 to $30 they spend on a prepared meal is a luxury they can no longer afford.

Cooking at home doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal.

Tawra Kellam, an expert on frugal dining, said she has Rachael Ray’s 30-minute meal beat. She routinely makes dinner for her family of five in about 20 minutes.

Kellam is editor of the Web site http://www.LivingOnADime.com, which aims to teach consumers how to be frugal with their grocery budgets.

”People think meals have to be complicated. They don’t,” she said.

To accomplish the task quickly, Kellam often relies on a slow cooker to have her main dish ready with just a few minutes of preparation.

She also plans meals and prepares items ahead of time, so that the ground beef in her freezer is already browned and ready to turn into sloppy joes or tacos in minutes.

Then she finishes things off with shortcut side dishes — bags of frozen vegetables she can microwave quickly, or ready-to-bake breads and rolls that are done in 10 minutes.

When she absolutely can’t cook, Kellam said, she favors the prepared food section of her grocery store over a restaurant, because she can find a lot of the same carryout items — rotisserie chicken, Lawyers in TAS beginning with M Page 2 fried chicken, breads and salads — …continue reading

Source: Variety (Original Article)

L.A. Fest
Pressure Cooker
 (Documentary)

By ROBERT KOEHLER

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A Participant Media presentation of a Non Sequitur production. Produced by Jennifer Grausman. Executive producers, Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann. Co-producer, Myna Joseph. Directed by Jennifer Grausman, Mark Becker.
 
With: Wilma Stephenson, Erica Gaither, Fatoumata Dembele, Tyree Dudley.
 

As much a tribute to a determined public school teacher as it is an inspirational vehicle for young viewers, “Pressure Cooker” dutifully and unimaginatively follows a cluster of culinary arts students learning their craft in a northeast Philadelphia high school. Doc is the latest in a long, dull line of Yank nonfiction films that, designed with the best intentions, obediently follow the underdogs-overcoming-odds template. Regulars of Gordon Ramsay’s much more entertaining “Hell’s Kitchen” series will yawn, but enough fest auds will applaud to win distrib and cable favor.Had they made their fairly gentle film before the Ramsay era, co-directors Jennifer Grausman and Mark Becker might have created a slightly different impression in the way they center on no-nonsense teacher Wilma Stephenson and her hard-working students.Perhaps Stephenson is outrageously tough in comparison with other teachers at Philly’s Frankford High School; this is what one of her students, Tyree Dudley, insists. But for viewers familiar with Ramsay’s weekly volcanic blasts as he pounds would-be exec chefs into shape on his show, “Pressure Cooker” has all the sharpness of Kraft cheese.Grausman and Becker seem to have little idea of how to film in a working kitchen with many people preparing competing dishes. The filmmakers are more comfortable laying out the usual narrative frame focusing on three student characters — Dudley, Erica Gaither and Mali-born Fatoumata Dembele — as they progress through University Course 895 the year, hoping to earn culinary …continue reading

Source: MovieWeb (Original Article)

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Source:  Brandy Lynn Sebren

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

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The iconic young actor catches us up on all of his latest endeavors.
“What comes first? Friendship or Fame?”

The gloves are off and the first are out in The Two Coreys second season premier, which airs on A&E this Sunday, June 22nd, at 10 pm. When last we saw Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, lifelong friends and celebrated acting partners, they’d almost come to blows in the Feldman household’s kitchen. From there, they parted ways and haven’t seen each other since. Now, nearly a year later, the two friends will attempt to make amends and get their friendship back on track.

In episode 10 of the series, entitled “Showdown”, Haim returns to Los Angeles to repair his broken relationship with Feldman. Sadly, Feldman is quite content with his career and family life, and seems fit to live the rest of his days without ever having to talk to Haim again. It is Feldman’s wife Susie and his manager Scott Carlson that persuade Corey to give his estranged friend another shot at making things right.

Will these two soul mates clear the table of their grievances with each other? Or will they come to heated blows and dissolve the partnership for good? Throughout the second season of The Two Coreys, these two iconic celebrities will go toe to toe in a battle royal that may or may not see them working together again in the future! Which team are you on? Team Feldman? Accountants in NT beginning with M Or Team Haim?

It is hard …continue reading

Source: Irish Independent (Original Article)

As well as the castellated facade, this historic family home has no fewer than 12 acres of gardens, courtyards and meadows which create a charming rural setting fronting onto Moate’s Main Street.

Moate Castle and Tower House goes up for auction on July 4 in four lots made up of 5.68 acres and Castle; 5.53 acres; 0.42 acres of walled garden or in one lot of the entire property.

With a total floor area of 392 sqm the main section of the castle and fortified tower is entered via a flight of stone steps and consists of elegant family and sitting rooms as well as seven well appointed bedrooms, four of which have dressing rooms.

A bright and open kitchen, well fitted out with a multi-fuel cooker, all usual appliances and a range of fitted units has a separate pantry and has doors to the garden and an internal courtyard. A large cellar lies under the main entrance hall where the original square staircase with its hand carved mahogany handrail is a magnificent feature. Citibank Clear Credit Card

Auction details from Kearney Auctioneers 090 647 8793.

- Donal Buckley

Source: Ha’aretz (Original Article)

The Frankels, Kibbutz Revadim

The cast: Marda, 73, and Yehiel, 75.

The home: Shaded, green-lawned, between trees bearing pecans and pitangos. In the front is a long table with 20 chairs, near a bicycle with two baskets and Yehiel in a striped shirt. The entrance is from the porch, via a sliding door with shutters.

We enter: To the left is the original section, from 30 years ago, to the right the addition from four years ago. The old part contains a living room, kitchen and guest room; the new part has a dining area, a computer desk, a bookcase and a bedroom. The total: 80 square meters. In the living room is a small table with a lace tablecloth, between two sofas (gray and blue). Nearby is a teak buffet (”We bought it 30 years ago in Petah Tikva”) and on the wall are old posters of exhibitions by Yehezkel Streichman and Yosl Bergner. Marda offers us whole-wheat cookies with sesame seeds (”I baked”). We partake. Where is the rug? In the summer it is folded up behind the sofa, Marda says. We head for the bedroom. On her side is “Scarlett” (the sequel to “Gone with the Wind”), on his “Letters by Moonlight,” a collection of letters written from Jordanian captivity by Yehuda Hitin, a member of the kibbutz. In the computer area is a bookcase containing the Bible (S.L. Gordon edition, with commentaries). We peek into the kitchen. On the range is a pressure cooker (”Ten minutes and it’s cooked!”). We ask about the long table on the porch. The children and their families visit every Saturday evening.

Children and grandchildren: Ami, 50, married plus three, agronomist; Galia (47), married plus four, art teacher, lives on the kibbutz; Lilach, 44, married plus five, works for Intel; Ella (35), married plus two, registered nurse, BA in philosophy, teaches guided imagery.

Occupations (Yehiel): Responsible (for 12 years now) for handling the insurance policies of the kibbutz (vehicle, property Business Credit Cards and foreign travel). His former positions …continue reading

Source: USA Today (Original Article)

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BROOKLYN, Mich. — The Car of Tomorrow is making life hotter for NASCAR’s drivers today.

Heat-stricken drivers had just enough strength to rant about the topic earlier this month at the Pocono 500 and the conversation was a hot topic again last week at Michigan International Speedway.

“I heard someone make a comment, ‘They’re race-car drivers, making millions of dollars. They’re hot. Who cares?”‘ Jeff Burton said. “I guess that’s a good point, but at the same time it’s to the point of being ridiculous.

NASCAR technical director Steve Peterson said the new cars can get about 10 degrees hotter - up to 140 degrees - than previous models because exhaust exits on the right side instead of both sides.

“You could certainly cook eggs on it to say the least,” Jimmie Johnson said. “With all the radiant heat from the tubes and the steel around you over the course of the race, you just can’t get away from the heat.”

Peterson insisted there are measures some teams are taking to improve conditions for their drivers such as adding insulation and adjusting the routing of air ducts and vents.

“Some teams are having success by doing those things and some teams are reluctant to add weight or alter the aerodynamics,” Peterson said. “The different way teams are attacking the heat leads to us seeing one guy driving with a floor pan at 140 degrees and another guy at 100 in the same race.

“It’s a difficult area for NASCAR to regulate. Some drivers say it’s not a problem and others say it’s a serious one, so obviously we want to help those guys.”

Brian Vickers is among those asking for assistance.

“We’re killing ourselves,” he said. “We’re going to the infield-care center off the races ANZ Frequent Flyer and that’s ridiculous. NASCAR needs to …continue reading

Source: Easier (press release) (Original Article)

Incentive enough for you?

16 June 2008

Award winning housebuilder Charles Church has recognised that purchasers might be finding it tough to buy a new house at the moment, and have introduced a variety of enticing incentives to make the process easier.

At Centurion Fields in Bessacarr, Charles Church is offering full valuation PX on selected plots, and will also offer an additional £10,000. The housebuilder is also offering to pay stamp duty and £1,000 towards legal fees and will also include landscaped gardens in the price.

Andrew Demain, Business Development Director for Charles Church West Yorkshire, says: “These deals make buying a new home at Centurion Field really affordable. We are offering the purchaser the opportunity to part exchange their old home for a new Charles Church home, and are also giving them thousands of pounds worth of savings.”

Centurion Field offers a selection of luxury four, five and six bedroom detached homes in the sought after suburb of Bessacarr. The development offers a variety of housetypes to choose from, some over two storeys and others over three, and all of which haven been built using the very best traditional materials.

The Bawtry on plot 10, for example, has just been reduced to £399,995 and offers four bedrooms over two levels. As well as an integrated garage, the ground floor has a spacious lounge and dining room as well as kitchen and utility room. A key feature of the first floor is the master bedroom which benefits from a separate dressing room and en-suite facilities, and there is a Jack-and-Jill style bathroom serving bedrooms two and three. Another example is The Retford on plot 16, currently priced at £424,995. This spacious family home offers five bedrooms and a study on the first floor and boasts an integrated double garage as well as an open plan kitchen/breakfast area on the ground floor.

Having built a reputation for ER dvd having the name on the finest …continue reading