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Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Food for Thought - A Thankful Feast
by Tony Baldwin(written as a sample essay for my 7th grade language arts students, back in 2001)
Ah! How I thrill to inhale the crisp autumn air of a New England November! I love to smell the musky odor of fallen leaves wafting on the crisp autumn winds! November always brings comforting memories of Thanksgiving dinners at my Grandma’s house in historic Groton, CT. It should come as no surprise, then, that Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite meal of all. I mean, not only does this meal include such delectable delights as fresh, oven roasted turkey, candied sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, fresh corn, creamy mashed potatoes and tempting traditional pies, like pumpkin and mince, but this meal always carries all of the comfort of home in its varied flavors and awesome aromas, like an olfactory and gustatory hug.
My senses reel with excitement every year when I hear the sizzling of that turkey in the oven and its delicious aroma fills the room. The sweet, pungent odors of fresh mince pie and spicy pumpkin pie make me salivate salubriously. I practically tremble with adoration when I watch candied yams, bubbling with cinnamon, marshmallows and brown sugar, being drawn from the toasty oven on this annual Thankful Thursday. My taste buds tingle in anticipation. Even the colors of this meal bring me to reverie: the yellow corn, the orange squash and sweet potatoes, the magenta cranberries, creamy white potatoes, vibrant green peas, and tempting, oven-tanned turkey. It’s as much a feast for the eyes as for the tongue and nostrils! I could rave for pages about the tastes, too. How I thrill at the tangy, sweet flavor of butternut squash boiled with copious amounts of brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon! The juicy turkey swimming in savory gravy sends me to unfathomable depths of culinary bliss! The sweet/sour tang of cranberry sauce makes my mouth water at its mere mention. Even the textures of these various foods make my mouth merry. The creamy mashed potatoes, the buttery, crunchy corn, the gooey squash and tempting turkey all tickle my taste buds. Yes, this meal is definitely a sensual extravaganza!
Of course, the greatest reason I relish this meal with so much gusto is because of the many warm memories that I associate with it. I recall many special Thanksgiving holidays at my Grandma’s house. Grandma was the hub at the center of our family that made us turn so smoothly and cooperate like a well-oiled machine on that day. My aunts would assist Grandma in the kitchen while the men and boys of the family would venture out in to the cool, crisp November air to rake the many-colored leaves from Grandma’s well-groomed lawn, surrounded by maples, oaks, chestnuts and other New England deciduous trees. I remember raking and basking in the woody aroma of smoke from Grandpa’s hearth, once, as the year’s first silent snowflakes began to christen the lawn. We raked and joked and played in the leaves all morning our breathe twirling in vapor with the chimney’s smoke, until the lawn was pristine, only interrupted by the freshly gathering snowflakes. We would then all clamber back through the kitchen door, to be greeted cheerily by the many aromas of my favorite feast and steamy hot cocoa. After removing our heavy winter layers, we would settle into the dining room at the table, bedecked in Grandma’s best china and the polychromatic foods that graced these decorate porcelain vessels. After gorging ourselves we would retire to the living room and sit by the fireplace, our eyes drooping as we pretended to watch football or Thanksgiving Day parades. The warmth at that table went far deeper than the steam of freshly baked turkey and boiled squash, and the warmth in that living room emanated as much from our hearts as from Grandpa’s stone hearth. There was an atmosphere of deep love at Grandma’s house that I will cherish forever. I will forever be thankful for that memory.
Today, my Grandma is no longer around and my family, spread across the country from California to Connecticut, no longer gathers on Thanksgiving. I prepare the same meal, myself, now, at home for my daughter and me and, when lucky enough to have them, a few special friends. My small apartment is not Grandma’s house, we have no great lawn to rake and no crackling fireplace in the living room. The “dining room” is a small table, crammed between the fridge and my office space. All the same, the memory of Thanksgiving dinners with Grandma lives on in my memory and in the traditions that I choose to carry on. I choose to continue to cook a traditional New England Thanksgiving dinner every year, complete with squash, corn, turkey, potatoes, gravy, candied sweet potatoes, homemade macaroni and cheese, mince and pumpkin pie. I share the warmth of love and gratitude with my daughter, for whom I am immeasurably grateful, and with what friends may join us. I now have a new-found appreciation for the work that Grandma endured to prepare that meal for us, too. It’s no simple task to time all of those separate dishes so that the meal is all ready simultaneously. It’s hard work, too, skinning squash and peeling potatoes, preparing dressing and stuffing the turkey. So, today Thanksgiving is still as important to me as it was in the days of my childhood. I wish to provide my daughter with the same glowing warmth of family love that my Grandma provided for me and my family when she was with us.
So, you can tout the many wonderful qualities of your cheesy pizza, delicious doughnuts or juicy prime rib all you want. I’ll even agree that those things are sumptuous in their own right. I love those dishes, too. But nothing compares to Thanksgiving dinner for taste, color, aroma, and most of all warmth. You just can’t compare anything with the memories of a warm family holiday. The values that Thanksgiving represents, of family and gratitude, impart a value beyond nutrition or flavor to our simple turkey.© anthony baldwin
#thanksgiving #family #tradition #food #turkey
Ah! How I thrill to inhale the crisp autumn air of a New England November! I love to smell the musky odor of fallen leaves wafting on the crisp autumn winds! November always brings comforting memories of Thanksgiving dinners at my Grandma’s house in historic Groton, CT. It should come as no surprise, then, that Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite meal of all. I mean, not only does this meal include such delectable delights as fresh, oven roasted turkey, candied sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, fresh corn, creamy mashed potatoes and tempting traditional pies, like pumpkin and mince, but this meal always carries all of the comfort of home in its varied flavors and awesome aromas, like an olfactory and gustatory hug.My senses reel with excitement every year when I hear the sizzling of that turkey in the oven and its delicious aroma fills the room. The sweet, pungent odors of fresh mince pie and spicy pumpkin pie make me salivate salubriously. I practically tremble with adoration when I watch candied yams, bubbling with cinnamon, marshmallows and brown sugar, being drawn from the toasty oven on this annual Thankful Thursday. My taste buds tingle in anticipation. Even the colors of this meal bring me to reverie: the yellow corn, the orange squash and sweet potatoes, the magenta cranberries, creamy white potatoes, vibrant green peas, and tempting, oven-tanned turkey. It’s as much a feast for the eyes as for the tongue and nostrils! I could rave for pages about the tastes, too. How I thrill at the tangy, sweet flavor of butternut squash boiled with copious amounts of brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon! The juicy turkey swimming in savory gravy sends me to unfathomable depths of culinary bliss! The sweet/sour tang of cranberry sauce makes my mouth water at its mere mention. Even the textures of these various foods make my mouth merry. The creamy mashed potatoes, the buttery, crunchy corn, the gooey squash and tempting turkey all tickle my taste buds. Yes, this meal is definitely a sensual extravaganza!
Of course, the greatest reason I relish this meal with so much gusto is because of the many warm memories that I associate with it. I recall many special Thanksgiving holidays at my Grandma’s house. Grandma was the hub at the center of our family that made us turn so smoothly and cooperate like a well-oiled machine on that day. My aunts would assist Grandma in the kitchen while the men and boys of the family would venture out in to the cool, crisp November air to rake the many-colored leaves from Grandma’s well-groomed lawn, surrounded by maples, oaks, chestnuts and other New England deciduous trees. I remember raking and basking in the woody aroma of smoke from Grandpa’s hearth, once, as the year’s first silent snowflakes began to christen the lawn. We raked and joked and played in the leaves all morning our breathe twirling in vapor with the chimney’s smoke, until the lawn was pristine, only interrupted by the freshly gathering snowflakes. We would then all clamber back through the kitchen door, to be greeted cheerily by the many aromas of my favorite feast and steamy hot cocoa. After removing our heavy winter layers, we would settle into the dining room at the table, bedecked in Grandma’s best china and the polychromatic foods that graced these decorate porcelain vessels. After gorging ourselves we would retire to the living room and sit by the fireplace, our eyes drooping as we pretended to watch football or Thanksgiving Day parades. The warmth at that table went far deeper than the steam of freshly baked turkey and boiled squash, and the warmth in that living room emanated as much from our hearts as from Grandpa’s stone hearth. There was an atmosphere of deep love at Grandma’s house that I will cherish forever. I will forever be thankful for that memory.
Today, my Grandma is no longer around and my family, spread across the country from California to Connecticut, no longer gathers on Thanksgiving. I prepare the same meal, myself, now, at home for my daughter and me and, when lucky enough to have them, a few special friends. My small apartment is not Grandma’s house, we have no great lawn to rake and no crackling fireplace in the living room. The “dining room” is a small table, crammed between the fridge and my office space. All the same, the memory of Thanksgiving dinners with Grandma lives on in my memory and in the traditions that I choose to carry on. I choose to continue to cook a traditional New England Thanksgiving dinner every year, complete with squash, corn, turkey, potatoes, gravy, candied sweet potatoes, homemade macaroni and cheese, mince and pumpkin pie. I share the warmth of love and gratitude with my daughter, for whom I am immeasurably grateful, and with what friends may join us. I now have a new-found appreciation for the work that Grandma endured to prepare that meal for us, too. It’s no simple task to time all of those separate dishes so that the meal is all ready simultaneously. It’s hard work, too, skinning squash and peeling potatoes, preparing dressing and stuffing the turkey. So, today Thanksgiving is still as important to me as it was in the days of my childhood. I wish to provide my daughter with the same glowing warmth of family love that my Grandma provided for me and my family when she was with us.
So, you can tout the many wonderful qualities of your cheesy pizza, delicious doughnuts or juicy prime rib all you want. I’ll even agree that those things are sumptuous in their own right. I love those dishes, too. But nothing compares to Thanksgiving dinner for taste, color, aroma, and most of all warmth. You just can’t compare anything with the memories of a warm family holiday. The values that Thanksgiving represents, of family and gratitude, impart a value beyond nutrition or flavor to our simple turkey.© anthony baldwin
#thanksgiving #family #tradition #food #turkey
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Planet Found in Nearest Star System to Earth
European astronomers have discovered a planet with about the mass of the Earth orbiting a star in the Alpha Centauri system — the nearest to Earth. It is also the lightest exoplanet ever discovered around a star like the Sun. The planet was detected using the HARPS instrument on the 3.6-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile. The results will appear online in the journal Nature on 17 October 2012.read more: http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1241/@The Final Frontier #planet #astronomy #alphacentauri
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
New Zealand issues Hobbit coins as legal tender
salon.com wrote:
New Zealand, the backdrop of sweeping cinematic scenes from “The Lord of the Rings” and the upcoming trilogy “The Hobbit,” is issuing a series of Hobbit coins. The coins are a sort of genius marketing move meant to generate “strong international interest in the build up to the premiere” of the “Hobbit” premiere on Nov. 28. (Is “The Flight of the Conchord’s” band manager Murray Hewitt behind the idea?)The 99.99 percent gold coins retail for NZ$3,695 ($3,027 U.S.), but are worth just NZ$10 at face value. It looks pretty much like a gold coin but with a rim inscribed, in both English and Dwarvish, with the words ‘Middle-earth – New Zealand.’Intense, right? More relaxed fans can spring for the the cheapest coin, a NZ$1 coin that sells for NZ$29.90, which features “The Hobbit’s” Bilbo Baggins. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and pre-order yours now.
source: http://www.salon.com/2012/10/10/new_zealand_issues_hobbit_coins_as_legal_tender/#hobbit #lotr #tolkein #newzealand
Monday, October 8, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Today in History
Oct 04 John V. Atanasoff born, 1903
Oct 04 Crimean war begins, 1853
Oct 04 First space vehicle, Sputnik I, launched, 1957
Oct 04 Independence Day in Lesotho
Oct 04 Janis Joplin dies of a heroin overdose in Hollywood, 1970
Oct 04 Belgium's declaration of independance, 1830
Oct 04 Dierendag
Oct 04 Aujourd'hui, c'est la St(e) François.
Oct 04 Sème à la saint François,
Ton blé aura plus de poids.
Oct 04 Ferenc
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Oct 04 Crimean war begins, 1853
Oct 04 First space vehicle, Sputnik I, launched, 1957
Oct 04 Independence Day in Lesotho
Oct 04 Janis Joplin dies of a heroin overdose in Hollywood, 1970
Oct 04 Belgium's declaration of independance, 1830
Oct 04 Dierendag
Oct 04 Aujourd'hui, c'est la St(e) François.
Oct 04 Sème à la saint François,
Ton blé aura plus de poids.
Oct 04 Ferenc
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
screenshots, for no reason...
okay, I have to go to the bank...I stuck around because the power company was fµçking with shite and knocked the power out, had to get all machines up and running again, but now time to go...#debian #openbox #fbpanel #terminator #ironbrowser@Debian @Linux-Group
Today in History
Oct 03 Chung Yeung Festival in Hong Kong
Oct 03 Francisco Morazan's Birthday in Honduras
Oct 03 German Reunification Day
Oct 03 National Foundation Day in South Korea
Oct 03 U.N. Day in Barbados
Oct 03 Day of German Unity in Germany
Oct 03 Bonne fête aux Gérard !
Oct 03 Tag der deutschen Einheit
Oct 03 Offizielles Ende der DDR :-), 1990
Oct 03 Helga
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Oct 03 Francisco Morazan's Birthday in Honduras
Oct 03 German Reunification Day
Oct 03 National Foundation Day in South Korea
Oct 03 U.N. Day in Barbados
Oct 03 Day of German Unity in Germany
Oct 03 Bonne fête aux Gérard !
Oct 03 Tag der deutschen Einheit
Oct 03 Offizielles Ende der DDR :-), 1990
Oct 03 Helga
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
If an Agent Knocks - Si Un Agente Golpe
http://ccrjustice.org/ifanagentknocks
Download the books as PDF:
http://ccrjustice.org/files/CCR_If_An_Agent_Knocks.pdfTambién en español: Si un Agente Golpe
http://ccrjustice.org/files/CCR_Si_Un_Agente_Golpes.pdf
Federal law enforcement agencies like the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have a dark history of targeting radical and progressive movements. Some of the dirty tricks they use against these movements include: the infiltration of organizations to discredit and disrupt their operations; campaigns of misinformation and false stories in the media; forgery of correspondence; fabrication of evidence; and the use of grand jury subpoenas to intimidate activists. Today’s activist must know and understand the threat posed by federal law enforcement agents and their tactics as well as several key security practices that offer the best protection.Federal agents have many tools at their disposal to target activists. While it is important to know and understand these tools and tactics, it is of critical importance that you resist any paranoia of government surveillance or fear of infiltration, which will only serve to paralyze you or your organization in your quest for social change. If fear of government repression prevents you from organizing, the agents of repression will have won without even trying.The Center for Constitutional Rights created If an Agent Knocks to provide advice to activists likely to be targeted by FBI agents or other federal investigators. Since its original release in 1989, If an Agent Knocks has been widely circulated in progressive activist communities across the country. This guide includes both the timeless advice included in the original version and extensive updates to reflect the current state of the law and law enforcement tools. This updated edition also includes a comprehensive discussion of today’s technology, including cell phones, e-mail and web browsing. This guide should be seen as a resource for the information needed to protect yourself and other activists from government investigation and to empower you to continue the struggle.We have attempted to provide answers to a broad range of questions for the many scenarios that one can encounter as an activist. We hope individuals and groups use this pamphlet to develop and prepare practical responses – if an agent knocks at your door.
Download the books as PDF:http://ccrjustice.org/files/CCR_If_An_Agent_Knocks.pdfTambién en español: Si un Agente Golpe
http://ccrjustice.org/files/CCR_Si_Un_Agente_Golpes.pdf
Today in History
Oct 02 Aristotle dies of indigestion, 322 BC
Oct 02 Mohandas K. Gandhi born at Porbandar, Kathiawad, India, 1869
Oct 02 First robotics-based CAM, 1939
Oct 02 Thurgood Marshall sworn as the first black Supreme Court Justice, 1967
Oct 02 Anniversary of Guinean Independence in Guinea
Oct 02 N'oubliez pas les Léger !
Oct 02 À la saint Léger,
Faut s'purger !
Oct 02 Petra
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Oct 02 Mohandas K. Gandhi born at Porbandar, Kathiawad, India, 1869
Oct 02 First robotics-based CAM, 1939
Oct 02 Thurgood Marshall sworn as the first black Supreme Court Justice, 1967
Oct 02 Anniversary of Guinean Independence in Guinea
Oct 02 N'oubliez pas les Léger !
Oct 02 À la saint Léger,
Faut s'purger !
Oct 02 Petra
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Monday, October 1, 2012
Today in History
Oct 01 Jimmy Carter, 39th President of United States, born in Plains, Georgia,
1924
Oct 01 NASA officially begins operations, 1958
Oct 01 Armed Forces Day in South Korea
Oct 01 Labour Day in Australia (ACT, NSW and SA only)
Oct 01 Queen's Birthday in Western Australia
Oct 01 Independence Day in Nigeria
Oct 01 National Liberation Day (2 days) in China
Oct 01 Public Holiday in Botswana
Oct 01* Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA)
Oct 01 Kraj ljetnog vremena
Oct 01 Aujourd'hui, c'est la St(e) Thérèse.
Oct 01 Verkündigung der Urteile im Nürnberger Hauptkriegsverbrecherprozeß, 1946
Oct 01 Ablösung von Bundeskanzler Schmidt durch Kohl, 1982
Oct 01 Malvin
Oct 01 День дипломатического работника
Oct 01 День милиции
Oct 01 День победы русской армии под командованием Петра Первого над шведами в Полтавском сражении (1709 год)
Oct 01 День Макоши
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
1924
Oct 01 NASA officially begins operations, 1958
Oct 01 Armed Forces Day in South Korea
Oct 01 Labour Day in Australia (ACT, NSW and SA only)
Oct 01 Queen's Birthday in Western Australia
Oct 01 Independence Day in Nigeria
Oct 01 National Liberation Day (2 days) in China
Oct 01 Public Holiday in Botswana
Oct 01* Labour Day (ACT, NSW, SA)
Oct 01 Kraj ljetnog vremena
Oct 01 Aujourd'hui, c'est la St(e) Thérèse.
Oct 01 Verkündigung der Urteile im Nürnberger Hauptkriegsverbrecherprozeß, 1946
Oct 01 Ablösung von Bundeskanzler Schmidt durch Kohl, 1982
Oct 01 Malvin
Oct 01 День дипломатического работника
Oct 01 День милиции
Oct 01 День победы русской армии под командованием Петра Первого над шведами в Полтавском сражении (1709 год)
Oct 01 День Макоши
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Today in History
Sep 30 Red Jack kills 2, Elizabeth Stride (#3) and Catherine Eddowes (#4),
1888
Sep 30 The first tooth is extracted under anesthesia in Charleston, Mass, 1846
Sep 30 The verdicts of the Nuremberg trials are announced, 1946
Sep 30 Botswana Day in Botswana
Sep 30 Queen's Birthday (WA)
Sep 30 Bonne fête aux Jérôme !
Sep 30 À la saint Jérôme,
Hoche tes pommes.
Sep 30 Jeromos
Sep 30 День пожарной охраны
Sep 30* День машиностроителя
Sep 30 День памяти жертв политических репрессий
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
1888
Sep 30 The first tooth is extracted under anesthesia in Charleston, Mass, 1846
Sep 30 The verdicts of the Nuremberg trials are announced, 1946
Sep 30 Botswana Day in Botswana
Sep 30 Queen's Birthday (WA)
Sep 30 Bonne fête aux Jérôme !
Sep 30 À la saint Jérôme,
Hoche tes pommes.
Sep 30 Jeromos
Sep 30 День пожарной охраны
Sep 30* День машиностроителя
Sep 30 День памяти жертв политических репрессий
#history @History
http://tonyb.us/today
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