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22 Mar 2016 in Food ~ read.
Did you know craft chocolate is a thing? It has been for a few years now (...) and it's slowly, rightfully growing. The goal of the movement is to promote chocolate as an artisanal food product worthy of connoisseurship - much like wine, beer, coffee, cheese, olive oil, any number of things - while making the world better by improving the lives of cacao farmers and their communities.
We won't get into that last part here. This continuously updated post simply focuses on my favorite chocolate bars.
But firstly, let me explain why it's the perfect obsession for me, and make the case for you to dive in:
It's inexpensive.
(Relative to wine and cheese). An average craft chocolate bar runs $8-12, with the most expensive (not necessarily the best) at $18 or so.
It's healthy.
In moderation, of course, and only if dark. Cacao contains flavonoids and antioxidants and flavonols and oh, let's be real now, I don't really care about any of that, I just want another excuse to further rationalize my binging.
It really helps you lose weight!
It's tasty.
Things that taste good are generally worth obsessing over, and if you disagree with this, then why are you still reading these posts? Sheer boredom, perhaps, in which case I'm flattered that this rather inane post won over all the other content on The Internet you could be absorbing right now. Or you're masochistic like that.
It's an aphrodisiac.
No, it actually isn't. But keep on believing it is and you have yourself a viable placebo.
Secondly, a little education is in order: %X + %Y = 100%, where X is [cacao mass + cocoa butter] and Y is [sugar + other ingredients]. All percentages listed below, per industry standard, refer to X.
Finally, before we get started, it'll be supremely helpful for you to understand how my friends see me:
This might be more accurate:
Now we binge.
Cacao Hunters Arhuacos 72%
Enchanting micro-batch bar. Aroma is deep tobacco, darkly brewed coffee. But when you break off a piece, the aroma changes! Sniffing this activated that fun tingly feeling some refer to as ASMR.
The taste is exceptionally spritzy and bright - almost juicy - melting smoothly with notes of pear, fudge, huckleberry, and, I kid you not, balsamic vinegar. With severe regret, I ate the whole bar in a single sitting. Too bad, really, as it's probably the only one I'll ever get the chance to eat...
Amano Dos Rios 70%
The description on the back is perfect: Haunting. Its aroma, incredibly unique among any bar I've consumed, is a powerful and riveting siren song of bergamot orange (a fruit which I've never eaten) with a secondary lavender note you'll have to sniff a little for.
Flavor is similar to the aroma, melts smoothly, enhanced by a trace of whole vanilla beans. Amano also makes a 60% version with cardamom and black pepper which is super fun to eat, with its mini-crunchiness.
Marou Heart of Darkness 85%
Joseph Conrad never reveals how Kurtz convinces African tribes that he's a god in his seminal novel, but I'll tell you. Kurtz simply gave them some of this magic:
This stuff is ambrosia. Nectar of the gods. I smell nutmeg and coconut. Ostensibly dark and powerful, the flavor is an incredibly distinct honey graham cracker which lingers throughout the melt and afterwards. It warms the soul much like a hot bowl of soup. Not to be eaten lightly; even I can, must restrain myself to eating just one tiny piece every day because this is a true pièce de résistance.
Again, just two ingredients: cacao (beans from Vietnam's Tân Phú Đông island) and sugar. No nutmeg, no coconut, no cinnamon or flour or honey or anything else.
And I got the last bar being sold at the Northwest Chocolate Festival! You can still find it online though, so hurry up, best ten bucks you'll ever spend, trust me. If you don't want it this dark (you should), Marou's Treasure Island bar uses the same beans at 75%.
David Bacco Peru 68%
The first thing you notice is its slightly spicy aroma. How can chocolate be spicy? Well, you can put chili powder in it - cayenne, ancho, pasilla, bhut jolokia... but that would make it an infusion bar, which this isn't. Like most on this list, it's a single-origin bar, which means all the beans come from one particular region. This bar smells spicy in the sense that if you've ever tried smelling hot chocolate powder, then some of it gets in your nose and tickles your nose hairs - but it's the character of this Pervian cacao that gives it this effect, not tiny dissolved particles. I also smell light vanilla.
This bar is partitioned into uneven little triangles, looking like cracked desert soil, so you can control the quantity you eat (I can't), and is rather thick. Only upon biting in did I realize the thickness was intentional, and why so. The chocolate almost feels hollow, as if there were air inside, although it obviously isn't. It melts quickly and smoothly, tasting initially of vanilla then cherries and finally coffee beans with some baked fudge throughout.
I chatted with David Bacco at the 2015 Northwest Chocolate Festival: "Why 68%?" He said, "I tested it at higher percentages and it felt too thick and creamy. At lower percentages it was too sweet and the sugar overpowered the cacao." He also mentioned these beans were the same ones Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert examined in their Peru Parts Unknown episode.
Rogue Porcelana 80%
The artist's bar. Colin Gasko is the Leonardo da Vinci of bean-to-bar chocolate makers, and everyone in the industry knows it.
Firstly, this bar is exactly 5 millimeters thick. I know this because I measured it with a tape measure. Secondly, the bar has no decoration whatsoever. It's just a slab of darkish brown chocolate, melted into a flat rectangle and wrapped in a transparent piece of plastic.
Okay, so maybe he's more like Steve Jobs. Keep it simple but make it good. What this bar lacks in appearance it more than makes up in complexity. None of the other bars on this list changes flavors as it melts - this one does. Several times. It hits your tongue - the bitterness of a coffee bean. It melts about a third. A sharp, short-lasting note of peach. Now it's a thick creamy mousse of coffee with macadamia nuts. Next, an even brighter infusion of peach, this one much longer lasting. But no hint of that in the aftertaste, which is a mix of pure cacao nibs and whole milk.
Akin to a fine Merlot, this chocolate is one I can appreciate but is not my personal cup of tea.
Domori Guasare 70%
As soon as I opened the foil package I broke off the piece and took a whiff. Whisky. Alcohol. Fermented grapes.
This slow-melting, smooth chocolate at first tastes like Cabernet Sauvignon, but transforms through the melt to taste more and more like simple white grape juice - almost a reverse fermentation. This is the first bar (after eating dozens) for which I could really appreciate why the percentage was set at what it was. A higher percentage would have been too tannic, perhaps bitter, definitely too slow to melt. A big hats off to Domori for skillfully evoking the critical points of this particular Venezuelan cacao.
Areté Puerto Quito 70%
Fruity and bright. Light raspberry fragrance, raspberry through the melt with hints of pear. For some reason reminds me of a rosé (but only in character and not in flavor).
I like this company. Let me transcribe what's on the back of this box:
Areté [ah-reh-'tay]
Excellence, virtue
Striving to live up to one's fullest potential
Reaching for the stars in all that you do
Okay, somewhat cheesy, but I have a soft spot for emotive foreign words :)
Note: Arrêter means "to stop" in French and is both a homonym as well as what I should've done while consuming this bar.
Friis Holm Chuno 70%, Double Turned
Chocolate maker Mikkel Friis-Holm from Denmark has done a fantastic job with this bar. Holding one of these you'll notice the thickness immediately; this chocolate has weight.
It melts like a toffee, long and rich, giving you time to savor all the different flavor notes: pepper, nuts, hints of black olives, some occasional brightness, a little bit of sourdough at the end (due to fermentation I'd imagine).
Beans from Nicaragua.
Fruition Hispaniola 68%
Smells like a green bell pepper tastes.
It's pretty, no?
Tastes nutty, slightly peppery. Not spicy. Even though this is 32% sugar (with some vanilla bean), the Dominican cacao does a great job of hiding the sweetness. Melts like fudge.
Soma CSB Chama 70%
This intrepid chocolate strikes you with a certain ferocity as you try to plumb its flavor. Some bars are made by mixing different kinds of cacao; this bar is made from a single kind of cacao, the bean itself being a hybrid rather than the mixture. Ocumare and Porcelana, two of the most prized cacao varietals, both from Venezuela, genetically crossed to create what one would hope to be something even greater.
The aroma is complex, like a perfume; breaking it down into its individual elements is better left to a sharper nose than mine. I think of sea moss and pirate coves. The melt is smooth and slow, revealing notes of heavy cream, then cashew, then finally a sweeter fig with a pleasant roasted aftertaste. You may note that what I taste reflects the label's tasting notes, which suggests either:
That I am influenced by expectations
That Soma's chocolate makers and I have similar taste profiles
Both must be true to some extent, as there are bars which taste very different to me than their tasting notes indicate, even after I've read and tried tasting for them.
Rogue La Masica 75%
I'm going to pretend to be a competition judge for this one:
Aroma: Raisins, prunes.
Flavor: Grapefruit, dark rye bread
Melt: Smooth (like a criminal, like a supervillain, like Lex Luthor)
Aftertaste: Celery
Break: Snappy, even
Akesson's Madagascar 75%
Actually, all Akesson's bars use cacao from Madagascar. This one is 2% voatsiperifery pepper, so it gets classified as an inclusion bar - a bar that isn't just cacao and sugar. The pepper, which only grows in Madagascar, tastes ancient. I think of the phrase "Promethean fire." Rusty and smoky with just a touch of warmth, promising spice but delivering none; the effect is, in a word, tantalizing.
Neither complement nor counterbalance, this quality fuses instead with the smooth and fruity Madagascan cacao, producing an otherworldly flavor that is uniform and distinct, one best described not as a combination but something altogether original; an accomplishment which merits the award trifecta it so proudly displays.
Durci Corona Arriba 70%
Reviewed 11/18/16
Rediscover chocolate, it says. A slogan fit for those coming off Hershey's and Nestlé, definitely; Theo and Green & Black's, perhaps. But for those of us comfortably ensconced in the bitter abyss of chocophilia? Even if not so much, I must admit this new maker from Utah is in it to win it. I liked their samples so much I picked up three of their bars.
Corona Arriba is Spanish for "The Crown Above," which would be super badass if not for the fact that I remember a hyperactive kid from middle school who, much to the annoyance of basically everyone in his direct vicinity, would screech "ARRRIBA! ARRRRRRRIBA!" every time the bell rang to signal the end of the class period; I'm sure he'd be pleased knowing he's remained in my memory since then.
Durci scoured the Ecuadorian highlands for this bar's bean, which has obvious floral overtones both in scent and flavor. And while it is by far the most powerful floral chocolate on the list, it never reaches a point of oversaturation – an impressive accomplishment given its 30% sugar content. To my palate it develops into a whisper of tangerine as it melts.
As to the character of the blend, graceful and airy come to mind. I imagine strolling around in one of those baroque, manicured gardens in Kubrick's Barry Lyndon. Which, to be clear, is not remotely close to my personal sensibility – for a closer likeness refer to the Marou bar above.
Lillie Belle Farms Perfect Illusion 65%
Reviewed 1/13/17
The first word that comes to mind when biting into a chunk of this: meaty. Kind of like a sirloin steak. Or maybe beef jerky. It's even hard to break at room temperature, owing perhaps to the cacao varietal or to the design of the chocolate mold – a solid bar without the usual little squares that guide fracturing and moderate consumption – but not to the thickness of the bar itself.
The aromatics are, in strict honesty, less than savory, evocative of many standard public lavatories (albeit in a clean state), with a hint of the ash that succeeds burnt tobacco. None of this, strangely, fortunately, is present in the much more agreeable flavor, a constant mix of sugar and brownie fudge with a spot of leather.
Of greater note is the long melt length, characteristic of the white Marañón bean from Peru from which maker Jeff Shepherd derived the bar's "Perfect Illusion" name (cacao beans are typically brown or black). The notable density enables you to bring this chocolate on a hike or a survival expedition.
Note: Lillie Belle puts "Limited Edition" on virtually all its bars, but they actually seem perennially available. If it works as a sales tactic, it does not to promote moral integrity in the industry.
Harper Macaw Atlantic Forest 74%
This chocolate (read: wrapper) is here for the same reason Marshawn Lynch is here: to look pretty (so he won't get fined). Its flavor was as one-note as the response Marshawn gave to his annoying sports reporters (except the latter was at least funny). Style over substance is a great heuristic for social media poseurs, but not for this your humble epicurean connoisseur.
Amedei Blanco de Criollo 70%
Italy's job growth has been stagnant for years, but that doesn't matter to me so long as I get my chocolate bars. "You sound like Marie Antoinette." Okay, but understand geopolitical speculation is a fashionable way for precocious young college grads to signal learnedness to each other without knowing what they're talking about and without actually accomplishing anything. Amedei is at least helping, you see, as by proxy am I, creating demand for their product and maybe persuading you to buy a bar with my luxuriant description to follow:
This creamy blended cioccolato smells of vanilla bean and cinnamon, but more importantly like I'd imagine J.K. Rowling's Honeydukes candy store to smell (the version you imagine when reading her books, not the manufactured version by Universal Studios). It takes about a minute for each square to melt on your tongue, which to some may feel like an eternity. I recommend taking it as a meditative aid. Chewing it into smaller bits will cause it to melt faster, but you miss some of the flavor (mostly plum and macchiato) by doing so.
One must ask, what is the point of spending more money (this bar is the most expensive here at $18) on a product that you to have to expend even more effort to enjoy? Why not just spend 5 bucks on Ghirardelli squares and pop them in like potato chips? I'll be giving a long answer in a later blog post – the answer is perhaps more melancholic than you'd expect – but your intuition is right: it's not inherently justifiable.
Madre Solomon Islands 73%
Once upon a far less civilized time, hunting exotic game maintained a certain aspect of romantic heroism, today nothing more than the remnants of an archaic affect, and perhaps (but only so) for good reason.
The mistake is to consider, on the grand scale of things, that our times are somehow more ethical (although they must be according to the current scales by which we measure such things), and that "civilization" possesses inherent worth, and even that the existence of such a concept is useful. Possible it is that with time plant suffering will transform itself from a laughing to a serious matter. What would become of us then, each and every one of us complicit in the cultivation of genocide?
Luckily, we are not at such a point, I am not a saint, and a saint is something which I do not wish to become. So with delight and relish do I approach the fact that a whole conspiracy of confectioners, patissiers, restaurateurs, chocolate makers, and cacao farmers are on a worldwide hunt for the most exclusive, the most exotic, the most exquisite Food Of The Gods that can be discovered within 30 degrees of 0 longitude. Because eating chocolate is socially sanctioned, and because I happen to be a capitalist zombie who thinks not – zombie are unconscious – a whit about the moral implications of his consumption patterns, I will continue my rabid, brainless xocophagia.
The Solomon Islands were named after the biblical King Solomon, famed for his wealth, though the country's GDP is less than a hundredth of Amazon's revenue. But it certainly has some virgin cacao, which we all know has to be the tastiest since no one's ever had it before. Madre – kudos to them – doesn't put much effort into the graphic design of the packaging, which is a good sign that they take the actual crafting part of the chocolate seriously, and I'm happy to report that they do.
Aroma: mild green pepper. This smooth bar opens with a symphony of coffee, toffee, and cherries, morphs into a brief, bright burst of kiwifruit, and fades into a calm fudge with bits of residual brightness. Super hard to resist consuming in one go, so I suggest pairing it with a different bar to pace yourself.
Fruition Wild Bolivia 74%
Like butter. Roasted macademia nuts. Warmth. But the first thing that hits you is the original bitterness. Not that the variety of bitterness is original per se, but it's like you're experiencing the flavor of bitterness for the first time, biting into your first piece of dark chocolate as a kid. Bitter batter butter bitter. But I like it because it is bitter. And because it is my heart.
Mindo Ecuador 77% Cacao Nacional
First of all, there is not even a speck of English on this packaging. You can trust me - as someone who speaks English - on that one. Not even a speck. What this means is either that Mindo Chocolate flew to Seattle just to showcase their bars at the fair, or that they're really damn good at marketing and know how to target.
Now I'm not so clueless as to have to Google words I don't know. I picked up some Spanish just by training my powers of deduction on the nutrition facts. Those three bars on the back? Azúcar means sugar, grasa means fat, sal means salt. Bajo means low. And alto means high. Just like altitude. But notice how much bigger and bolder the ALTO font is. How much longer those red bars are. It looks like the Ecuadorian government insists on pointing out how much of a challenge this bar represents to your health. As challenging as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, maybe. But not Everest. For that the SAL bar would have to be ALTO and ROJO and LARGO too (okay, these I googled).
But then you look at the numbers. This bar, 60 grams in mass, is broken into 2 servings with 7 grams of sugar each. So 14 grams total. A standard 12 ounce can of Coca-Cola has 39 grams of sugar. Does Ecuador have an EXTREMO label? No. Methinks they need to recalibrate their scales. Or just admit they have very little mountain climbing experience.
An intense, earthy, prickly spice hits your orthonasal receptors as soon as you open the plastic. You imagine this is going to be concentrated stuff and get excited. Break off a piece. Put it on your tongue. But it doesn't taste like it smells. Surprise! A smooth guava through the melt, with a bright burst of lychee as the last fragment dissolves. I love lychee, and so made sure to break this into tiny pieces so I could pop them in one at a time.
24 hours later, I was up and down Kilimanjaro.
Minimal Haiti 70%
This rare chocolate comes from Japanese confectioner Minimal and is an absolute delight to eat. Japanese food culture is all about precision; it screams: "Pay attention to what you eat!" If you're into narrative films, you need to watch Tampopo, and if you prefer documentaries, Jiro Dreams of Sushi is pretty much a requirement.
However, Minimal seems to have a philosophical disagreement with the way chocolate making is done in the West. Firstly, Minimal does not conche their chocolate. Conching is the process of grinding the chocolate/sugar mixture down so the average particle size becomes too small for your tongue to detect; below 50 microns, the tongue can no longer detect grittiness and so produces the sensation of a smooth texture. Minimal is proud of their 226 micron particle size, and it's noticeable to the point where you can even hear some crunching when you chew a piece. For reference, a grain of sand has a diameter of 63 to 2,000 microns.
Not only does Minimal eschew conching, they also design the mold to be a tutorial in eating. Observe the different cuts: some are rectangular, some are square, some are tiny, some are large, some have banding, some are smooth. Indeed, each individual piece produces a different sensation, eats as a distinct entity.
It is not a stretch to say that Minimal does to craft chocolate what Picasso did to painting.
Let us consider the difference between the bottom two pieces: one has lines, the other does not. The lines appear small on screen, but are incredibly palpable when you pop the piece in your mouth and lick its surface; if we think of each line as a canyon, it's probably around 2,000 microns from one edge to the other. Now the smooth piece has no canyons, it is just a flat landmass, its reduced surface area leaving your taste buds no room to explore while its increased mass leads to a fuller consumption as a totality.
Many will, upon seeing me dissect these differences in such minute detail, laugh at what they consider the utter futility of the project. However, I claim this difference between lines and smoothness symbolizes the very possibility of sensuality, the effect of which is as profound as any of Nietzsche's aphorisms. This ability to say, "It is this and not that," writ large, creates the universe. So laugh if you will, but know each hollow bellow is a repudiation of beauty itself.
Tastewise, it is as precise as its note: "Complex of Almond praline." One of the interesting effects of large particle size is how quickly and powerfully the flavor is delivered to you. Minimal's method reveals instantly what makes each bean exactly itself rather than leaving the interpretation up to the consumer. Subjectivity, nevertheless, is not slain outright, as I did perceive a clear strawberry note when munching on one of the long rectangular pieces.
My only regret is not bringing cash on the festival's first day, when they sold out of their Arhuaco bar. Of all the cacao in this post, the Arhuaco bean (see my first review) is only one of two I would consider legendary, and until Minimal I hadn't seen anyone source it aside from Cacao Hunters (who weren't at the festival).
Conclusio-
Wait, didn't I say this was a continually updated post?
Continually updated posts don't get conclusions.
← A meal at Benu Your Resting Place →


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2021 Pacific Classic (Del Mar) Predictions, Odds, Top Picks
Home/Horse Racing/2021 Pacific Classic (Del Mar) Predictions, Odds, Top Picks
Brian Zipse - August 19, 2021
If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Tripoli (5/1)
Best Horse Betting Sites
Post Position and Odds Pacific Classic
Check out our predictions and odds for the Pacific Classic at Del Mar!
1 TRIPOLI 5/1
BET NOW T J Pereira J Sadler
2 TIZAMAGICIAN 5/1
BET NOW F Prat R Mandella
3 DR POST 4/1
BET NOW J Rosario T Pletcher
4 ROYAL SHIP 7/2
BET NOW M Smith R Mandella
5 EXPRESS TRAIN 3/1
BET NOW J J Hernandez J Shirreffs
6 MAGIC ON TAP 20/1
BET NOW A Cedillo B Baffert
7 INDEPENDENCE HALL 5/1
BET NOW F Geroux M McCarthy
8 SHERIFF BROWN 30/1
BET NOW E Maldonado T Fincher
9 CUPID'S CLAWS 15/1
BET NOW U Rispoli C Dollase
Topped by the morning line favorite Express Train, a competitive field of nine older males are set to fight it out for the top prize in Saturday's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
Express Train comes into Saturday's 10-furlong test off a win in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap on opening weekend of the meet. Trained by John Shirreffs, the 4-year-old son of Union Rags has three wins and a second from four lifetime starts at Del Mar. Four of the horses he beat last time are back to try him again in the Pacific Classic
Tripoli, who rallied strongly for second in the San Diego in only his second career start on the main track, and the graded stakes-winning Brazilian-bred Royal Ship, who was third as the favorite, are also back to take another shot at the morning line favorite.
Dr. Post, invading from the East Coast for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, should also attract plenty of betting support. Twice a winner of Grade 3 stakes this year, the son of Quality Road finished second behind Tiz the Law in last year's Grade 1 Belmont Stakes
The Grade 1 Pacific Classic is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event for the $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic, to be held on the same track on November 6.
Best Bets for the Pacific Classic Top Picks
$10 Exacta Box – Tripoli and Dr Post = $20
$10 Exacta Part Wheel – Tripoli and Dr Post over Express Train and Tizamagician = $40
If you're playing only to win, go with my top pick Tripoli (5/1).
Bet on the Pacific Classic Here
How to Watch the Pacific Classic
Pacific Classic Race Information
What Pacific Classic (Grade 1)
Location Del Mar
Time Saturday, August 21 — 9:30 pm Eastern time
The winner of the Grade 2 San Diego last time, this son of Union Rags has put together a very good record at Del Mar dating back to 2019. Perhaps a little too far back early when third in the Hollywood Gold Cup two starts back, he seemed to appreciate the return to his favorite track. The Pacific Classic does present the challenge of distance, though, as he is previously 0-for-2 at the 10-furlong trip. Having said that, he was a good second in the Grade 1 Big Cap in March, giving up that lead late. He is a deserving favorite, but he will need to prove that he can beat strong horses at the classic distance.
Royal Ship
The beaten choice in the San Diego, this one was a major force on the turf in his native Brazil before coming to the U.S. He has only won once in seven starts in America for trainer Richard Mandella, but has turned in solid performances against good competition in his last three starts on the main track. Narrowly beaten in the 10 furlong Hollywood Gold Cup two starts back, he gamely won the Grade 2 Californian before that. Last time, though, he was only third best behind Express Train and Tripoli. He is certainly a threat in here, but his two efforts at Del Mar leave me liking a few others better.
Dr Post
Making his first start on the West Coast, this 4-year-old son of Quality Road will be in search of his first Grade 1 victory. He's tried three times before, including a second-place finish in last year's Belmont Stakes, but has yet to get the job done. The addition of blinkers last time seemed to help, as he turned in a solid performance to win the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup at 9 furlongs. We should see his best now with three races under his belt as an older horse. Rosario coming out to ride is a plus, as he runs a furlong farther than he ever has before. This seems like a good spot for him to prove that he is a Grade 1 horse. He has a big shot to win the Pacific Classic.
Tizamagician
This son of Tiznow has proven himself as one of the top dirt horses in the country at 12 furlongs. Those races generally do not attract America's best, though, and at shorter distances he has yet to break though. Still there are things to like on Saturday, including a recent win over the track and having the meet's top rider, Flavien Prat in the saddle. He has been a consistent type throughout his career, but it's hard to ignore his two clear cut losses to Express Train earlier this year. He's in with a chance here, but I prefer a few others.
Trained by John Sadler, this 4-year-old son of Kitten's Joy made his first 11 starts on the turf, where he was a consistent enough grass horse, but nothing special. Since transitioning to dirt two starts back, he won a sharp allowance race before running a very good second in the San Diego. Although he has never been the distance before, his pedigree says he should handle the 10 furlongs just fine. A winner of only 3-of-13 lifetime, he will need to prove that he can get to the winner's circle against good horses, but his career certainly seems to be on an upturn with the switch to dirt. In a wide-open affair, he will be my top pick.
Independence Hall
Once very highly regarded, this son of Constitution has flashed talent from time to time in his career, but has been unable to win a stakes race since January 1, 2020. In two previous tries in Southern California, he ran decently to finish fourth in the Big Cap and then faded to be a well beaten third behind Royal Ship as the favorite in the Grade 2 Californian. Freshened since that April defeat, he has been working well for his return. He won his only start previously at Del Mar, but that came in an allowance sprint. He is dangerous at his best, but at 5/1 on the morning line, the value is just not there for me. I am looking elsewhere.
Cupid's Claws
Claimed several times last year, this 6-year-old son of Kitten's Joy was able to step up and run a big one while winning last fall's Grade 3 Tokyo City. He has lost in his four races since and did not seriously threaten Tizamagican last time when second in the Cougar. Perhaps he is slowly rounding into form for trainer Craig Dollase, and is a long shot worth considering, but given his overall level of class, I like too many others better on Saturday.
Magic on Tap
This Bob Baffert trainee was able to win a graded stakes race two starts back, but that came going just 7 furlongs in a not particularly strong edition of the Triple Bend. In his two tries going two-turns against graded stakes company, he didn't do much. Still lightly raced after coming back from a long layoff earlier this year, he does have some talent, but at a mile and a quarter, this is not the afternoon where I expect him to make serious noise.
Sheriff Brown
A 5-year-old son of Curlin, this gelding came to California from Texas for his last race and was never involved in the San Diego. He ultimately passed one horse to finish seventh at odds of 52/1. His lone stakes win came in a minor race at Sunland Park last year. Once again, he looks to be a big long shot who I find very hard to recommend.
Best Odds for the Pacific Classic Here!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Deputy cleared in shooting that paralyzed unarmed Tampa teen
A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office internal investigation says Deputy Daniel Estanislau's actions were 'justified' in the March 26 shooting.
TAMPA — The deputy who shot an unarmed 17-year-old earlier this year, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down, was cleared by an internal investigation.
Deputy Daniel Estanislau's actions in the March 26 shooting were "justified" and "consistent" with agency policy, a shooting review board ruled Tuesday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
"These conclusions do not change that a tragedy occurred," said Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister in a statement. "We are committed to making sure the community has access to all of the information available, and we continue to be in touch with the young man's attorneys about this incident."
The internal investigation was the last official inquiry into the incident. Estanislau was cleared of criminal charges by the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office on Aug. 27.
RELATED: 'How'd I get him in the back?' New details in shooting of unarmed teen.
Estanislau, now 27, was investigating a report of domestic violence at about 7:45 p.m. at the Jasmine Terrace Apartments on Skipper Road when he encountered the teen. The 17-year-old was arguing with his family in the parking lot and threw his mother to the ground, causing her to suffer a head injury, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The deputy saw the teen and believed he was armed. He twice ordered him to "drop the gun, drop the gun," then fired twice. But the teen wasn't armed. All deputies found at the scene was his black cellphone.
"It's certainly tragic, but had the individual complied with the orders, none of this would have ever happened," said Estanislau's attorney Steve Romine.
Romine said Estanislau is looking forward to returning to serving his community. The deputy was placed on light duty during the investigation, and will now free to return to road patrol.
RELATED: Prosecutors clear Hillsborough deputy in shooting that left teen paralyzed
The Sheriff's Office and the family's attorney have declined to name the teen, who is now 18. A bullet collapsed one of his lungs, broke a rib and struck a vertebra, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down, according to the prosecutor's report.
The teenager's attorneys, which includes Michael Davis and Manuel Alvarez, issued a statement Tuesday criticizing the process, saying they received no notice that the shooting review board was meeting and were given no opportunity to address it before the ruling.
"It is shocking that no one with intimate knowledge of the facts was invited to speak on the teen's behalf, despite the Sheriff's personal knowledge that the teen was represented by capable counsel," the statement said. "We do not consider this to be a transparent process."
The attorneys said they weren't surprised by the internal investigation's findings: "Public records reveal that for the past five years, the Sheriff's Office has justified the use of deadly force in every instance, no matter how shocking and tragic the outcomes."
The teen has regained some movement in his arms, his attorneys say, but remains paralyzed from the chest down and confined to home.
RELATED: Deputy who shot Tampa teenager thought cell phone was a gun, attorney says
Prosecutors cleared the deputy of criminal charges after deciding he acted in self-defense because he thought the teen was armed.
"Deputy Estanislau mistakenly believed that the young man had a gun, but his belief was not objectively unreasonable," said a statement from the State Attorney's Office.
The agency noted that it is looking to equip its 1,200 deputies with body cameras, but said that decision is not linked to the March 26 shooting.
"While the evidence in this matter is clear, our agency is taking steps to help bring even greater clarity in the future when one of our deputies is faced with a dangerous threat and forced to deploy a service weapon," Chronister said in a statement.
Up next:'She was strong': Family remembers St. Pete woman who died in knife ambush
Caitlin Johnston
Breaking News Reporter — Transportation


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Home North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein Wins $65 Million and Lifetime Pharma Ban Against "Pharma Bro"
Attorney General Josh Stein Wins $65 Million and Lifetime Pharma Ban Against "Pharma Bro"
North Carolina Editor • January 14, 2022 • Comments off
Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060
(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today won his lawsuit against "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Vyera (formerly Turing) Pharmaceuticals for price-fixing and conspiracy. The judgment requires Shkreli to pay nearly $65 million and bans him from the pharmaceutical industry for life.
"Today's win is an important one in our fight to make sure Americans can get affordable, live-saving medications," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "Martin Shkreli put profits over people's lives – it was unconscionable and illegal, and I'm pleased he'll never be able to work in the pharmaceutical industry again. Drug companies and executives should take note: if you illegally raise drug prices for your own financial gain, I will hold you accountable."
In early 2020, Attorney General Stein sued Vyera, Shkreli, and his business partner — former Vyera CEO Kevin Mulleady — for illegal and anticompetitive behavior that stifled competition and allowed the defendants to exorbitantly raise the price of Daraprim more than 4,000 percent overnight, to $750 per pill. Daraprim is used to treat the parasitic disease toxoplasmosis, and, until relatively recently, was the only approved source of this life-saving medication by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The high price and distribution changes limited access to the drug, forcing many patients and physicians to make difficult and risky decisions for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. A generic version was not available until March 2020.
Last month, Attorney General Stein secured an agreement that will require Vyera to pay up to $40 million and bans Mulleady from almost any role at a pharmaceutical company for seven years.
Attorney General Stein was joined in this lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of New York, California, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Governor Cooper and Attorney General Stein File Brief in Redistricting Case Urging Supreme Court to Ensure Fair Elections
North Carolina January 21, 2022 • Comments off
Raleigh Jan 21, 2022 Today, Governor Roy Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein filed an amicus brief in two cases…
Governor and State Officials Urge Caution During Winter Weather
Raleigh Jan 21, 2022 Governor Roy Cooper and state officials are advising residents to not let their guard down, as…
Attorney General Josh Stein Wins Three Price Gouging Lawsuits
For Immediate Release:Friday, January 21, 2022 Contact:Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060 NCDOJ Has Won More Than $1 Million in Price Gouging…
Consumer Alert: North Carolina's Price Gouging Law in Effect for Winter Storms
Thursday, January 20, 2022 North Carolina's price gouging law is in effect following Gov. Cooper declaring a state of emergency…
Governor Cooper Donates Blood Amid Nationwide Shortage, Encourages North Carolinians to Participate in a Blood Drive
Raleigh Jan 20, 2022 Today, Governor Roy Cooper donated blood at the American Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina and…
Governor Cooper Declares State of Emergency Before Second Winter Storm
Raleigh Jan 19, 2022 Governor Roy Cooper has signed a state of emergency in advance of the second winter storm…
Consumer Alert: Fend off Unnecessary COVID-19 Test Costs
Wednesday, January 19, 2022 As the need for COVID-19 testing remains high, our office's Consumer Protection Division has received several…
Attorney General Josh Stein Shares 2021's Top Consumer Complaints
For Immediate Release:Tuesday, January 18, 2022 Contact:Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060 (RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today shared the top 10…
Attorney General Josh Stein Continues Fight to End Facebook's Illegal Monopoly
For Immediate Release:Friday, January 14, 2022 Contact:Nazneen Ahmed (919) 716-0060 (RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today appealed a district court's…
Governor Cooper Urges Preparation in Advance of Winter Storm and Signs State of Emergency
Raleigh Jan 14, 2022 Governor Roy Cooper is urging people across North Carolina to prepare for a significant incoming winter…


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Avengers: Endgame Gets Powerful Attack on Titan Opening
Avengers: Endgame has brought Marvel's ten year Infinity Saga to a close, and it's lifted a huge weight off of fans' shoulders waiting to see how the story would all come to an end. In this way, it's very much a feeling that anime fans are all too familiar with as anime fans often spending the same amount of time waiting to see how their favorite stories come to an end too. This has inspired anime fans to put an anime spin on Avengers: Endgame in a cool way.
Artist Sam-One Entertainment (who you can find on YouTube here) is quickly picking up steam with their take on Avengers: Endgame as they have crafted a full anime opening for the film inspired by Attack on Titan's famous opening theme sequences. Check out the result in the video above!
With Avengers: Endgame now officially available on home video, now fans have access to the high definition footage to edit cool videos like these. There were a few anime inspired edits for the film floating around before, but they were admittedly working with…less desired material. But there's just a much greater impact to be had with higher quality video for sure.
Attack on Titan has some of the most memorable opening theme songs in the entire medium, and that's especially true of the song used here, "Shinzou wo Sasageyo" as performed by Linked Horizon. This served as the opening theme song for the second season of the series, and it's a perfect fit for Endgame's somber tones and high-octane action sequences.
This kind of duality is what made Attack on Titan such a hit with fans, and that's why they're waiting on the fourth and final season to debut next Fall. As for Avengers: Endgame, the film is now available for purchase on Ultra HD and Blu-ray/DVD. The film stars Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Evans (Captain America), Josh Brolin (Thanos), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk), Don Cheadle (War Machine), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie), and Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon).
Upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1, 2020, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in Fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, WandaVision in Spring 2021, Loki in Spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, What If…? in Summer 2021, Hawkeye in Fall 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021.
Exciting news, Pokemon fans — A Wild Podcast Has Appeared, the official Pokemon podcast of ComicBook.com, is here! Check it out by clicking here or listen below.
On today's episode, we're reminded just how big the Pokemon brand is. We're also talking Gene Simmons and what he had to say about his new Pokemon counterpart as well as what Pokemon we want to see get a regional form in Pokemon Sword and Shield! Make sure to subscribe now to never miss an episode!
Filed Under: General Tagged With: Anime, Anime (genre), Attack on Titan, Avengers Endgame, Marvel's The Avengers


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New Hot Pharma Stocks for your Portfolio
Biotech companies and pharmaceutical giants around the world work together to develop and manufacture a vaccine for COVID-19 that left more than 4 million people infected globally over the past four months.
Traders must be very much involved in this process because the stocks of the pharma companies hold great potential for profit. Here is the list of new stock available with FBS:
PFE (Pfizer Inc.) was on the list before, but it is also a big player. So, keep an eye on it.
The ready-made vaccine for the widespread introduction is said to be available in the second half of 2021. Some companies promise the vaccine to be ready for emergency use as early as September this year. So, you see that you have to be all ready to trade the stocks of the pharma companies involved.
Go to the list of trading instruments and chose your stocks! Check your commission options here.
Changes to trading session of AUS200 on January 26, 2023
Amendments to the FIBO Group Customer Agreement
New Indices are available for MT4 traders
Changes to trading session Chinese New Year period
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Announcement 2023
XM Donates School Equipment to Rohingya Children


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Chrissy Teigen is back on Twitter: 'I choose to take the bad with the good'
By Todd Spangler| 9 months ago
Well, that was a short time-out: Less than a month after Chrissy Teigen said she was quitting Twitter for good — she's back on the social network.
"turns out it feels TERRIBLE to silence yourself and also no longer enjoy belly chuckles randomly throughout the day and also lose like 2000 friends at once lol," Teigen tweeted Friday.
She added, "I choose to take the bad with the good!!"
READ MORE: Here's why Chrissy Teigen is quitting dieting
Teigen currently has 1.5 million followers on Twitter; she had more than 13.7 million when she disabled her account on March 24.
In response to someone Friday who asked her what she's been up to, Teigen drolly replied, "I've spent weeks just saying tweets to shampoo bottles."
The model, TV personality, author and entrepreneur — whose Twitter bio reads "de-motivational speaker" — had said she had grown weary of the relentless negativity on Twitter, after more than a decade on the platform. "For years I have taken so many small, 2-follower count punches that at this point, I am honestly deeply bruised," she wrote in a now-deleted Twitter last month.
Teigen had previously said her decision to leave Twitter wasn't the company's fault. "I believe they do all they can to combat relentless bullying [and] honestly, it's not the bullying!!" she wrote in an Instagram post. "You guys have no idea how much they've reached out and worked with my team and me personally. It's not the platform. It's not the 'bullying'. And it's not the trolls. The trolls I can deal with, although it weighs on you. It's just me. I have to come to terms with the fact some people aren't gonna like me."
READ MORE: Chrissy Teigen reveals the real reason she quit Twitter: 'It's not the bullying'
On Twitter, Teigen became well-known for sharing her political opinions — and for her regular needling of former President Trump, getting under his skin to the point at which he eventually blocked her — as well as recipes and photos with her husband, singer John Legend.
For a daily dose of 9Honey, sign up here to receive our top stories straight to your inbox
Celebrity throwback photos: Guess who!


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Bermuda 2020
Cruising The World
WUATA
Angel Wings Travel Blog
About Angel Wings Travel
Resources & CDC Guidelines
National Parks and Preserves
Sun and Sand
Michelle@Angels-Wings-Travel.com
Book Your Travel Now Find Your Next Adventure! Vacation Time is Any Time!
Drive-Thru Halloween: 10 Haunted Attractions That Are Adapting Their Scares for the COVID-19 Era
By Chantel Delulio
Even coronavirus can't cancel Halloween…entirely.
Halloween is going to look very different this year. No crowded parties where you try to explain your costume over the sound of Thriller blaring from the speakers. Pumpkin carving sessions held over Zoom. And what is trick-or-treating but a perfectly calibrated super-spreader event? But that doesn't mean one favorite tradition—haunted attractions—are entirely off the table. While some famous haunts, like Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights and Knott's Scary Farm, are shuttering their creaking doors for the 2020 season, some attractions are pivoting to coronavirus-compliant formats. Across the country, haunted mainstays and new attractions alike are finding new ways to ensure that you still can still (safely!) have a scary good time this fall. Whether it's with contactless drive-thru experiences, live-streaming events online, or taking every precaution possible, these 10 haunted attractions will be keeping the (socially distanced) thrills and chills coming.
The Haunted Road
Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Live Drive-Up Experience
WHERE: San Dimas, California
Every year, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride brings the mazes, escape rooms, hayride, and—of course—the ghostly denizens of Midnight Falls to Griffith Park. This year, the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride is heading a little further east to San Dimas where they'll be putting on a Live Drive-Up Experience. The experience will feature a story that plays out on a 40-foot screen that becomes even more immersive with sets and creepy cast members that will take over Bonelli Regional Park.
The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride Live Drive-Up Experience will run select nights from September 25 through November 1.
LA Haunted Hayride
WHERE: Orlando, Florida
This contactless drive-through haunted attraction in Florida will take guests on a journey through a world populated by terrifying creatures. Guests will drive from scene to scene (putting their cars in park first, of course) where they will find themselves immersed in a story that's told with the help of actors, lighting, special effects, and an accompanying soundtrack played over your car's radio (a la drive-in movies). A daylight hours family-friendly version will also be available on select weekends.
Night Tours at Eastern State Penitentiary
WHERE: Pennsylvania
Philadelphia's annual Terror Behind the Walls is one of the most famous haunted attractions in the U.S. thanks to its location in East State Penitentiary, a former prison. And while Terror Behind the Walls won't be taking place in its original format, you can still have a nocturnal autumn-time experience at East State Penitentiary this year. On select nights from September 18 through November 15, their Night Tours takes visitors through the prison's yards and cell blocks and includes exhibits about prisons and causes of mass incarceration, art installations, and an audio guide performed by Steve Buscemi. To ensure safety, advance tickets are required, staff and guests are required to wear masks, capacity will be at 25% to allow for social distancing, and high touch areas will be frequently cleaned.
courtesy of Eastern State Penitentiary.
WHERE: Denver, Colorado
The creators behind some of the Denver area's most popular haunted attractions are mounting a drive-in haunted attraction. Guests of City of the Dead: Drive in Haunted House will experience the haunt from inside their parked vehicles, immersed in terrors that will come from original multimedia projections as well as the city's ghoulish citizens.
City of the Dead/Facebook
Stranger Things: The Drive Into Experience
WHERE: Los Angeles, California
This immersive adventure, inspired by the Netflix hit series Stranger Things , takes visitors to Hawkins, Indiana circa 1985. Guests drive scene to scene as the terror of the Upside Down unfolds around them. The event will allow fans to experience locations from the show and the chance to explore new secrets without ever having to leave their car.
Stranger Things: The Drive Into Experience/Facebook
Panic Fest
WHERE: Kansas City, Missouri
Genre film festival Panic Fest is hosting a special virtual event over Halloween weekend this year. The "Tricks and Treats" online event will not only have feature and short horror, sci-fi, and thriller flicks for your at-home Halloween celebrations, they'll also be hosting live streaming events including podcasts, a live script reading of Halloween 3D , Q&As, and a few other spine-tingling surprises along the way.
Stream n' Scream
At Stream n' Scream, you'll be immersed in your own personal horror movie as you're transported back in time to 1997 for a night at the drive-in, only to find you're being pursued by someone—or something —lurking in the shadows. This Drive-Thru haunt is brought to terrifying life with fog, lighting, audio, and live performers.
Plus, you can take socially distanced photos (if you dare) with the terrifying Bog Queen and there's a (daytime) family-friendly Trick or Treat Drive that allows kids to have a contactless trick-or-treat experience. Looking for a unique, only-in-Florida Halloween experience? Take one of their Haunted Nighttime Airboat tours to learn about the creatures (both real and supernatural) that call the swamp home.
Haunted Drive
WHERE: Splendora, Texas
This Houston drive-thru haunt has extended their road in order to pack in more scares for motorists daring enough to brave the road's many thrills and chills. The drive will have themed areas where visitors will encounter ghoulish characters and animatronics. The Haunted Drive will be open starting September 25 and will run through November 1.
Virtual Ghostwalk
WHERE: Pleasanton, California
Museum on Main's popular Halloween walking tour will be taking its guided tour of Pleasanton's haunted locations to Zoom. Two ghosts will virtually bring the city's most chilling stories to life. Plus, your tickets will get you a customized ebook filled with recipes to further outfit your Ghost Walk experience.
Museum on Main
Dread Hollow
WHERE: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Extreme haunt Dread Hollow is taking numerous precautions to ensure both guests and employees are safe while scaring and being scared. Tickets and entry are timed, staff and guests receive health scans upon entering, are required to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth (which, as their FAQ points out, you can take this as an opportunity to show off your creativity and Halloween spirit). Hey, just because you're about to be scared out of your wits doesn't mean you can't be safe about it!
See more at Fodor's Travel
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Angel Wings Travel
4108812358 • Michelle@Angels-Wings-Travel.com


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William "Ed" Edwin Lipe
William ìEdî Lipe, 61, of Hendersonville, went to be with the Lord Saturday, June 7, 2014 at the Elizabeth House. A native of Asheville, he had lived the past 25 years in Hendersonville. He was the son of the late Herbert and Juanita Lipe.
Ed was employed by Fastenal Company in Arden for 21 years and was a sales manager. He was a member of Mud Creek Baptist Church and had served in the Air Force. He loved golf and when he was on the golf course he felt the closest to God. He enjoyed playing his guitar in his quiet time. Ed loved his family and cherished every minute with them. He loved being ìPapa Edî to Max and Julie. When he spoke of his Marie he called her his ìSweet Marieî.
He is survived by his loving wife of 16 years, Marie; his son, Joseph Brett Lipe and his wife Samantha and granddaughter Julie of Lewisburg, NC; his stepdaughters, Heather Milliken and her husband Mark and grandson Max of Hendersonville, TN and Hope Huntley of Charlotte; his brother, Herbert ìJrî Lipe and his wife Pat of Marshall; his sisters, Teresa Waldrop of Lewisville, TX, Cindy Blazek and her husband Tim of Guilford, CT and Mary Baskerville and her husband Ed of Bluffton, SC; six nieces and nephews, including a very special niece Tina, and three great-nieces and nephews. The family would like to especially thank Marc Ritz for being such a devoted friend.
A funeral will be at 2:00pm Wednesday, June 11, 2014 in the chapel at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, with Rev. Mark Hunnicutt officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service from 1-2:00pm. Memorials may be made to the Missions Fund at Mud Creek Baptist Church.
Tammy Gibson
My sincere condolences to you and your loved ones during this difficult time. Unfortunately, nothing can fully prepare us for the loss of a parent, a spouse, or a child. A tragedy may strike unexpectedly or unfold relentlessly. Whatever the case, the pain of death cannot be eluded, and its finality can be devastating. The Bible shares a wonderful resurrection hope for future. I pray that you find comfort in the wonderful hope of John 5:28, 29.
Cheryl Hensley
Marie,
We were saddened to hear of Ed's passing. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Cheryl & Bobby Hensley
Joan( Lipe) Roberts
I am looking for information on Lucinda Redman Lipe borned around 1820 she married Evan he had been married before they lived and he died in Montevallo Missiouri but can't find her death place she would have been a GGGgrandmother
Michelle Martin
Sending Marie and the family condolences and many prayers. Love you all!
Jackie Jamerson Goforth Lee
It was a pleasure to know Ed and spend time with him and Marie thru the last 16 years. I witnessed how much he loved her and how much he loved God—no one could ask for more. All my love,
Alton Connor
Marie ~ My heart goes out to you in Ed's Homegoing. I know he has been sick for a while, but still the loss is difficult … please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you in these days and weeks that lie ahead! I will always remember his big smile and kind ways when he called on us at IMOCO, and I will remember you guys as my neighbors for that period of time in Hyman Heights. May God bless, comfort and strengthen you and your family. My deepest sympathy ~ Alton


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HONG KONG – CHINA
Starting a press campaign against Tiananmen massacre denier Ma Lik
Hong Kong political party decides on a press campaign against pro-Beijing lwamaker who said that the Tiananmen massacre was an "invention." Pre-transfer pro-mainland advisors still working behind the scene of Hong Kong politics.
Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China is planning to run advertisements in newspapers on June 3, a day before the annual rally held in Victoria Park commemorating the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square crackdown, condemning Ma Lik for denying the event had ever taken place. For this reason, alliance leaders led by its founding chairman Szeto Wah, one of the rally's organisers, was out and about to raise money for the campaign.
The adverts will demand an apology from Mr Ma, chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, who said that the bloody repression inflicted on students and workers in Tiananmen was an "invention".
They will also call on Mr Ma, as a member of the National People's Congress, to ask the central authorities to release relevant documents for a public inquiry.
The controversy generated by Ma Lik's statement shows how, despite the Territory's return to the mainland in 1997, China's Communist Party has so far failed to silence Hong Kong's democratic voices. It is also an indication of the important role Hong Kong's Basic Law plays. Agreed to by both London and Beijing, the Territory's constitution is set to last for at least 50 years after Hong Kong's transfer to China.
Fearful of democratic unrest in Hong Kong, district leaders appointed by Beijing as advisers in the run-up to the handover are still working behind the scenes to help Beijing understand and especially manage the Territory's politics. But by their own admission their services are less needed since Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is doing such a great job.
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Card Zen: justice for the victims of June 4, vigils to keep the memory alive
Hong Kong to remember 4 June 1989, "On this, there is no doubt"
Legislative Council blocks motion condemning Tiananmen repression
Card Zen: Tiananmen memorial Mass for those who sacrificed themselves for freedom
Tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang rise as Cold War fears cast a shadow over Korea
China, 10,000 citizens forcibly repatriated since 2014
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GOP lawmaker introduces legislation to force Administration to reveal Obamacare enrollment
By Janet on October 27, 2013
On Tuesday, Sen Lamar Alexander announced that he plans to introduce legislation requiring weekly Obamacare status reports to Congress, the states, and the public.
Alexander announced his bill first on the Knoxville area "Hallerin Hilton Hill Morning Show," calling for more transparency in the new health-care law.
"As millions of Americans have sat frustrated at their computers and on their phones, wasting hours trying to fulfill the Obamacare mandate and enroll in the exchanges, the administration has refused to provide critical information about what's going wrong, or has dribbled out news through anonymous statements to reporters," Alexander, the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said.
The bill would mandate weekly reports on enrollment in the federally run exchanges, news on the progress to fix the problems with Healthcare.gov, and information about the organizations tapped as "navigators."
Alexander said no more hiding the facts, the people have the right to know.
Nebraska Republican Rep. Lee Terry is working on companion legislation in the House and will introduce it next week with Alexander's bill when the Senate returns, a Terry spokesman told to The Daily Caller.
Last week Alexander called for somebody to he held to account for the failures of Healthcare.gov.
"Somebody ought to be accountable for this mess, and if the president isn't going to resign, it's up to him to figure out who should," he said.
Posted in: Business & Finance, General, In the News, Politics	| Tagged: force Obama to reveal enrollment numbers, GOP, Nebraska Republican Rep. Lee Terry


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CBS Television Stations, Once Upon a Time Films, PCH Films
Blackout (2001)
Directed by James Keach
Genres - Thriller | Run Time - 120 min. | Countries - United States | MPAA Rating - NR
It is a strange conglomeration of humanity that is trapped together during a power outage in a suburban shopping mall. Among the "prisoners" are single mom/law student Kathy Robbins (Jane Seymour), her son Eric (Corin Nemec), and her daughter Blair (Alexandra Picatto). Fifteen-year-old Blair in particular has a lot to worry about when she is stalked by an unidentified psycho, who has armed himself in an abandoned sporting-goods store. By the time the audience is apprised of the identity of the would-be murderer, it is painfully obvious that Blackout can hardly be construed as "Family Fare." Directed by star Seymour's husband James Keach, this made-for-TV film first aired over CBS on January 24, 2001.
Trapped or Confined
blackout [power loss], mall


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Let SOS MEDITERRANEE save lives at sea: Sign our petition! #FreeOceanViking
After an eleven-hour port inspection, the Italian coast guard has detained the Ocean Viking late Wednesday evening in Porto Empedocle, Sicily. The authorities are prohibiting the Ocean Viking from returning to sea to continue its life-saving operations. Their reasoning? The Ocean Viking has carried more people on board than the number it is licensed to carry.
The main argument is that we carry to many rescued people. According to the Italian coastguard, people are not safe on board. It is very surprising considering the fact that the last three inspections only required minimal adjustments. The past inspection was even carried out by the same Italian coastguard that is now taking the Ocean Viking out of service. No changes in safety regulations could possibly explain the new measure taken by the Port State.
The only explanation we can find is: harassment. This is not the first time the Italian authorities have used the safety argument to prevent civilian Search and Rescue at sea. The Ocean Viking is already the fourth civil rescue vessel to be detained in three months and withdrawn from service by the Italian authorities because of alleged safety concerns or alleged technical defects. Italian authorities are currently preventing civil society from saving lives in the Mediterranean on a systematic basis. The past few months have shown that people continue to risk their lives by fleeing Libya on unseaworthy boats.
Join us now in demanding the Italian authorities for the immediate release of the Ocean Viking! Sign here
The fact that the Italian authorities have detained the Ocean Viking for carrying more people than she is certified for goes against the duty to provide assistance at sea, which is enshrined in international maritime law. According to this law, people rescued from distress at sea are not to be considered "passengers" but "survivors". When a ship rescues people in an emergency situation, it is in the nature of things that there are more people on board than the number of people indicated in the ship's papers. It is the duty of every captain to save people in distress at sea – no matter how many people the ship is approved for on paper!
The international regulations, which set minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships, also state: When authorities check whether the regulations are being observed on board, they must not take shipwrecked persons into account.
These unjustified blockades must end! Join us on calling for the immediate release of the Ocean Viking!
Sign the petition now!
#FreeOceanViking
22.07.2020 Press release
Ocean Viking detained in Italy: SOS MEDITERRANEE condemns a blatant administrative harassment manoeuvre aimed at impeding our lifesaving work
Mission report starting on June 22nd, 2020: All 180 survivors disembarked – Ocean Viking detained in Italy
18.07.2020 In my own words #57
"As days passed onboard with no news of a designated Place of Safety, he became increasingly depressed and anxious"
[3 QUESTIONS TO] Anne, Medical Doctor onboard the Ocean Viking


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Ready to Kick 2020 to the Curb? Here's the Best Pickup Trucks 2021 Has to Offer
Is there anything more American than apple pie? Yes. Pickup trucks. Our obsession with these rugged utility vehicles started at a young age – 1846, to be exact. Since then, it's been a never-ending love affair. Over the years, we've seen the rise of the classics: Ford's F series, Dodge's Ram series, and Chevy's reliable Silverados. But 2021 might be the best year yet. So, if you're ready to kick 2020 to the curb, let's look at the best trucks 2021 has to offer.
Jeep Gladiator – Hercules Edition
If there's one thing we know to be true, it's that Jeep's entrance into the pickup market with the all-new Gladiator took the world by force. Originally launched in 2018, the Gladiator has become a cult classic in an insanely short amount of time. For 2021, the Gladiator is getting a whole, new trim level: the Hercules Edition.
Rumor has it that the Hercules Edition Gladiator will pack a whopping twin-turbo, six-cylinder engine under the hood and all the accessories you can imagine. We also imagine it won't come cheap, but for those hardcore Jeep (or Gladiator) fans out there, you won't want to miss this new 2021 pickup truck.
Yeah, yeah, we know. The F-150 has been around for quite a while. But 2021 is bringing a fresh take to the F-150 with a hybrid and an electric version. With Tesla and Rivian bursting into the pickup scene with their all-electric pickup trucks, Ford couldn't resist the temptation to rise to their challenges.
Sure, it might not growl like a traditional V8, but Ford's new hybrid and electric engines more than makeup for it with torque and towing capacity. Boasting a 12,000 lb. towing capacity, you can take this truck on the tow road for miles – over 700 miles if you want to know. The new hybrid engine was integrated to help with fuel efficiency and for an extra boost of torque. The hybrid model releases first, and Ford will release the fully electric version later on in 2021 / early 2022.
Dodge Ram Dakota
Is bigger always better? The data suggests otherwise. Over the past few years, sales of compact trucks have skyrocketed. From Chevy's Colorado to Ford's Ranger, more buyers are looking for agility and flexibility. That's why Dodge's timing for reintroducing their Dakota model is perfectly timed.
Sure, the Dakota has been retired for almost a decade, but that's why it's the comeback kid of the bunch. Featuring a Pentastar V6, you'll get 285 hp and a sizeable 260 ft-lb. of torque, which is pretty good considering its petite stature. Plus, unlike the Gladiator, your buck goes a lot further with the Ram Dakota. We're expecting the pricing to start in the mid $20's for the base model. It's hard to see any downsides with the 2021 Dodge Ram Dakota, which is why it's one of our top picks out of the best pickup trucks 2021 has to offer.
Ah, the Ford Ranger. It's an oldie, but a goodie. Falling in line with the compact pickup truck trend, Ford's 2021 Ranger is packed with features and multiple trim options. But don't let its little size fool you, because it's proof that great things can come in little packages.
An extended cab version will get you a 6 ft' bed, which comes in handy if you're constantly toting things around. While there's only one, four-cylinder turbo engine option for now, Ford didn't skimp on the trim packages. If you don't need a full-size pickup truck, there are rumors that you can get the 2021 Ranger in a Raptor trim package.
GMC Hummer
This ain't your daddy's Hummer. What was once a military-grade vehicle (turned civilian monstrosity), has now become GMC's newest type of vehicle – the SUT (a.k.a. sport utility truck). The 2021 GMC Hummer is infinitely sleeker and bolder looking than its clunky counterpart.
Word on the street is that the new Hummer EV will pack a whopping 1,000 ponies under the hood (with three electric engines). That means it'll do 0 to 60 mph in under 3 seconds. But if you're not in it for the racing, it'll also tow nearly 12,000 pounds, which is why the Hummer EV made the cut on our list of the best pickup trucks 2021 has to offer.
Picking a favorite out of this group is no easy task. From modern amenities to classic staples, you can't go wrong no matter which one you go for. There's a pick for every budget and every need. While some come with all the bells and whistles, others are more pared down and rugged. 2020 has been one heck of a year, so why not start your 2021 off on the right foot with one of the best pickup trucks it has to offer.
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August Magazines
August 1 - vs CIN
August 6 - vs STL
August 8 - @ PIT
August 10 - @ PIT (DH)
August 11 - @ CHI
August 14 - @ NY
August 17 - @ NY (DH)
August 19 - vs SD
August 22 - vs SF
August 25 - vs LA
August 29 - @ SD
August 30 - @ SD (DH)
Reading Eagle - August 13, 1980
Schmidt Powers Phillies
CHICAGO (AP) – It's his kind of town, Chicago is.
"I don't know about Wrigley Field. I hit good in other ballparks. When you get right down to it I guess I just control my adrenalin a little better here," said powerhouse Mike Schmidt after collecting a pair of home runs and five RBI as the Philadelphia Phillies registered two victories Tuesday over the Chicago Cubs.
Schmidt, the National League long-ball leader, increased his total to 29 by hitting one home run in the Phillies' 8-5 suspended-game victory Tuesday and then another in the 5-2 regular game win picked up by left-hander Steve Carlton. Schmidt's two home runs brought his Wrigley Field total to six this season and 28 in his career.
Bob Boone drilled an eighth-inning homer in the regular game to snap a 2-2 tie. Earlier, in the completion of a game suspended Monday by darkness after 10 innings, Bake McBride singled in the 15th inning to send Larry Bow home with the tie-breaking run.
"I'm hoping the wins will relax us, and these guys know what they have to do for us to make a pretty good push," said Phillies Manager Dallas Green.
The fortunes of the two clubs passed like ships in the night. The Phillies entered the suspended game with 10 straight losses on the road, while the Cubs sought to halt a tailspin that has been boring them progressively deeper into the NL East cellar.
But Green feels the Phillies' ship may finally have found its course.
"Yeah, it does get frustrating. In that first game, the Cubs were lying all over the ground, and we're hitting shots and we just couldn't scratch a run," he added. "One we busted through that, I think we showed we're ready to go."
Carlton, 18-6, went the distance to register his eighth complete game of the season. He yielded eight hits, walked one and struck out five, reaching the 200-strikeout plateau for the sixth time in his career.
Boone led off the eighth in the regular game by slamming a 2-0 delivery off loser Mike Krukow, 7-12, for his eighth home run of the year. Two outs later Pete Rose ripped a single and came home as McBride tripled into the alley in rightcenter field. McBride then scored on a single by Schmidt.
The Phillies notched two runs in the fifth. Schmidt, whose 15th-inning triple in the first game produced two RBI, led off with his homer. Manny Trillo followed with a single and moved to third one out later on a single by Bowa. Trillo scored on a passed ball by Chicago catcher Barry Foote, but Carlton hit into an inning-ending double play.
What Has Happened To Good Old Baseball
By Hal Bock
Understand first of all that you are dealing with a traditionalist, a man who believes that baseball is supposed to be played on grass, not some manmade rug, by nine guys who carry around gloves in their equipment bags as well as bats.
So from the start, you know that baseball gimmickry like artificial surfaces and designated hitters will not receive a warm welcome from the keeper of this corner.
When Abner Doubleday, Alexander Cartwright and Casey Stengel invented baseball, they designed it as leisurely recreation for a hot summer's afternoon with no great concern about producing enough runs to compete with the scoring pyrotechnics of football and basketball. If a game ended 2-1, well, then that was the score. There were enough wrinkles – strategy, moves, close calls and the like – in every game to satisfy most true fans. You didn't need the artificial excitement of 10 runs a game to make baseball interesting.
And if it rained and the field turned muddy, well then you had a rainout and came back the next day to play again. There were no vacuum cleaners roaming through the outfield, sweeping up the water, creating five-hour rain delays like the one in Philadelphia a couple of months ago. Zambonis were for hockey rinks, not baseball outfields.
You know all that has changed. The American League has had a designated hitter for the pitcher ever since 1973. There are more magic carpets around National League infields than you'll find in the Arabian Nights. Call it better baseball through chemistry.
Now the National League, that bastion of baseball conservatism, is being asked to add the designated hitter to its games. The St. Louis Cardinals are spearheading a drive to introduce the 10th man to NL lineups and the subject was on the agenda of today's league meeting in Dearborn, Mich.
A simple majority of seven of the 12 teams would be sufficient to take the bat out of the hands of pitchers and add an extra hitter to NL lineups. The last time the subject was discussed in 1976, NL teams rejected the idea 9-3.
Undecided Will Decide
Besides St. Louis, four NL teams – Atlanta, San Diego, Philadelphia and the New York Mets – like the DH idea. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Chicago are solidly opposed. The issue seems to sit in the hands of the undecided – Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco and Montreal. Two of those four must join the pro-DH group, unless one of the teams opposed to the rule suddenly switches.
John Claiborne, the bright, young, executive vice president of the Cardinals, heads the pro-DH forces. He believes the rule belongs in the NL now.
"The key is that it generates more offense and the fans are more offensive-minded," Claiborne says. "That, and the fact that we have two different sets of rules right now, are the reasons why I think the National League should adopt the DH."
Don't argue with Claiborne on the basis of numbers. "I don't care what the statistics say, although I'm sure they support me," he said.


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COBIT 5 Capability Improvement - CMMI
A process-orientated approach to building organisational capability
The first Capability Maturity Model (CMM) was developed by the Software Engineering Institute of the Carnegie Mellon University. The aim is to assist organisations improve their processes by following an evolutionary path of improvement. Note that the phrase "maturity model" is copyright protected by the SEI and therefore the more common phrase is "capability model".
The maturity level of an organisation provides a way to predict the future performance of the organisation within a given discipline or set of disciplines. Experience of the SEI has shown that organisations do their best when they focus their process-improvement efforts on a manageable number of process areas that require increasingly sophisticated effort as the organisation improves. A maturity level is a defined in CMMI as an evolutionary plateau of process improvement. Each maturity level stabilizes an important part of the organisation's processes.
The maturity levels are measured by the achievement of the specific and generic goals that apply to each predefined set of process areas. There are five maturity levels, each a layer in the foundation for ongoing process improvement, designated by the numbers 1 through 5.
The first step in improving a process is to understand the boundaries of the process you are trying to improve. The process could be any process and it will comprise a combination of people, tools, technologies, and methods employed to accomplish a task. Some process have more and others much less people, process and technology - hence, they have different capabilities.
Once the operational entity is defined, a clear understanding of the operational entity's purpose and objectives must guide improvement efforts. Often the purpose and objectives are stated in strategic planning documents. A clear understanding of the purpose and objectives will keep improvement efforts aligned with strategic needs and will avoid expending critical resources on improvement efforts that don't contribute to those needs.
Along with understanding the operational entity's objectives, it's important to understand how to know if you achieve its objectives. It sounds good to say you intend to make your operation "world class", but how would you know when you're there? The objectives of an operational entity are stated first so that you can perform some level of verification to confirm that your improvement efforts move you closer to those objectives.
Once the operational entity requiring improvement is identified and its purpose is clearly understood, constraints and risks are more easily identified and addressed. The current state of the operational entity could be assessed against its objectives to identify current and potential barriers to meeting those objectives. Improvement plans would then be developed and implemented to address these barriers.
Operational process improvement using a CobiT type model is simply an organised approach to identifying and addressing these constraints and risks and helping the operational entity more effectively achieve its purpose.
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Will Definition:
A written statement, usually signed, made by an individual, which directs the distribution of their property when they die.
Related Terms: Testator, Executor, Personal Representative, Probate, International Law, Testamentary Capacity, Unnatural Will, Codicil, Holograph Will, Bequeath or Bequests, Testament, Suspicious Circumstances, Intestate, Lost Will, Administrator, Memorandum of Articles, Precatory Words
In a book by Virgil Harris, this quote is attributed to a "Mr. Remsen":
"A will is an ex-parte document and is written from one point of view; it is the expression of the wishes of the testator regarding the work of a lifetime; upon its legality depends the future happiness and welfare of the persons and objects most dear to the testator ; and whether viewed from a property or a family standpoint, it is often the most important document a man of large or small means is ever called upon to prepare."
In Del Grande v Sebastien (1999) 27 ETR 2d 295, the Ontario Court endorsed this definition:
"A will is a document which is of no effect until the testator's death and until then is a mere declaration of his intention and is at all times until such death subject to revocation or variation. The execution of a will leaves the testator free during his life to dispose of his property as he pleases and operates subject to any such disposition inter vivos; and, on the other hand, a person named as a beneficiary in a will takes no interest whatever under it until the death of the testator and he will not then take any interest unless he is alive at that time."
In California Jurisprudence, 3rd edition:
"A will is an instrument in or by virtue of which a qualified person legally and intentionally directs the disposition of his or her property, to become effective only following the death of the person."
In one 1911 case, Smith v Smith, Justice Cardwell of the Supreme Court of Virginia described a will as:
"The legal declaration of a person's mind as to the manner in which he would have his property or estate disposed of after his death; the written instrument, legally executed, by which a man makes disposition of his estate, to take effect after his death."
Jurisdictions intentionally define wills differently because some require that the testator engage in a series of formal procedures such as witnessing or notarizing; others are content to enforce even a holograph will.
For example, Montana's 2007 Code, Chapter 72 (re "Probate"; at data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/mca/72/2/72-2-522.htm), modelled on the uniform probate code of the United States, defines a will as follows (extract only):
"A will must be in writing, signed by the testator or in the testator's name by some other individual in the testator's conscious presence and by the testator's direction, and signed by at least two individuals, each of whom signed within a reasonable time after having witnessed either the signing of the will ... or the testator's acknowledgement of that signature or acknowledgement of the will.
"A will that does not comply with (the above) ... is valid as a holographic will, whether or not witnessed, if the signature and material portions of the document are in the testator's handwriting.
"Intent that the document constitute the testator's will may be established by extrinsic evidence, including, for holographic wills, portions of the document that are not in the testator's handwriting."
We refer again to Virgil Harris' 1911 book:
"In short, a will may be a man's monument or his folly. Prudence, therefore, demands that the testator plan wisely, and frame his testamentary provisions with great care. That is, he should, if possible, use such words that his plan shall not be misunderstood and shall be carried into effect without dispute or litigation, for unlike instruments between living persons, it is only after the testator is dead and cannot explain his meaning that his will can take effect, or be open to dispute."
Law professor Karen Sneddon of the Mercer School of Law penned these very accurate words in her 2013 article published in the Elder Law Journal:
"A Will is one of the most personal documents an individual ever executes."
See also codicil or probate.
California Jurisprudence, 3rd Ed.(West, 2006)
Del Grande v Sebastien, 27 ETR 2d 295 (1997)
Harris, Virgil, Ancient, Curious and Famous Wills (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1911), page 3.
Smith v Smith, 70 SE 491
Sneddon, Karen, The Will as a Personal Narrative, 20 Elder L.J. 355 2012-2013
Duhaime's Trusts, Wills, Estates and Probate Law Dictionary
Cippus Stone of Law, 600 BC (Italy)
If capital punishment is state murder, then imprisonment is state kidnapping and restitution is state theft. Don Feder, Boston Herald, writing about the execution of Timothy McVeigh in 2001.


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NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mary Frances Picciano, Ph.D.
Senior Nutrition Research Scientist
Mary Frances Picciano, Senior Nutrition Research Scientist at the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), died on August 29, 2010, after a long battle with cancer. The staff of ODS mourns the loss of our valued colleague, who was a proficient researcher, skilled educator, and even-tempered, fun-loving friend. She is survived by her husband, John Milner, Ph.D. (Chief of the Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute), daughter, son, mother, and two brothers.
ODS Director Paul Coates speaks for our office with his words: "Mary Frances was that remarkable combination of gifted scientist, committed teacher, and beautiful person whom you meet only now and then. She was always a strong proponent of bringing the best science to bear on our work, and nowhere was this more evident than with vitamin D."
Dr. Picciano first came to ODS in 1999 as a Visiting Scientist, then joined ODS in 2001 as a Senior Research Scientist and Director of the ODS Training and Career Development Program. Among her innovations was creation of an ODS Research Seminar Series as well as the Dietary Supplement Research Practicum, a five-day annual course to provide fundamental scientific knowledge of dietary supplements to academicians and their advanced students. Dr. Picciano also directed the ODS Vitamin D Initiative, a comprehensive, multifaceted effort to synthesize available research on this nutrient, identify research needs and challenges, and evaluate their application to public health policy. Earlier this year she received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Award "in recognition of exceptional leadership resulting in a broader understanding of vitamin D that will benefit the public health."
During her career, Dr. Picciano collaborated with dozens of investigators on scientific projects covering the full range of human nutrition science from very basic studies through human clinical trials. According to Dr. Johanna Dwyer, Senior Scientist at ODS and a long-time colleague, "Mary Frances was remarkably bright and generous, yet intellectually humble in spite of her encyclopedic knowledge of the field, and a great joy to work with."
Prior to joining ODS, Mary Frances Picciano was a Professor of Nutrition at Pennsylvania State University and, earlier, Professor of Nutrition in Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests emphasized nutrition and dietary requirements for pregnant women, infants, and children. She was a member of several professional organizations, numerous advisory boards and review panels, and on the editorial boards of four journals. Dr. Picciano co-authored a textbook titled Human Nutrition and co-edited two other books in her areas of research. She served on the National Academy of Science's Subcommittee on Nutrition During Lactation and was President of the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation.
Dr. Picciano was especially proud of opportunities to mentor graduate students during her career and to follow their careers in academia and in the public and private sectors. "I am continually impressed with the substantial weight keen mentoring imparts on career choices and sustained professional achievement," she wrote. Among her protégés is Dr. Regan Bailey, who was a doctoral student at Penn State, a postdoctoral research fellow at ODS in 2007-2009, and now a nutritional epidemiologist at ODS. "Mary Frances is one of a kind," remembers Dr. Bailey. "As a mentor, she not only imparted her scientific influence but also was a supportive, nurturing friend willing to go the extra mile to help. She worked tirelessly to promote learning opportunities for young scientists."
Earlier this year, Dr. Picciano received the David Kritchevsky Career Achievement Award in Nutrition from the American Society for Nutrition "in recognition of an outstanding career in nutrition." She was also awarded the 2010 Macy-Gyorgy Award from the International Society for Research in Human Milk and Lactation for "outstanding, original scientific contributions to the study of human milk and lactation."
"Outstanding" and "original" are truly words to describe Mary Frances Picciano as both a scientist and person. According to her friend and colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Yetley, "Mary Frances was a determined and effective proponent of sound science in the furtherance of public health nutrition, often having to delve into scientific areas that were new to her to fully develop the scientific basis for a public health issue. This is a rare, but much needed, commitment from a member of the scientific community, and her efforts were remarkably effective and much appreciated." Here at ODS, we will miss Mary Frances dearly, treasure the opportunities we had to work and socialize with her, and remember her as a shining star in the life of our office.
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Family puts focus on missions discipleship in the home
Arkansas Baptist News
Arkansas, Family, Featured, Latest News, Missions
(Photo courtesy of Arkansas Baptist News)
A world map hangs in the hallway of Tim and Caitlyn Robnett's home. Surrounding the map are pictures of missionaries with strings connecting them to where they are currently serving and sharing God's word.
The more than 20 photographs include missionaries living around the world, from North America to Cambodia. They comprise those Tim and Caitlyn know from their previous time in Asia, their school or their church, Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.
"[These are] missionaries that we know personally," Caitlyn said. "At some point or another, our kids have gotten to meet most of those people. They come through Little Rock, and we have them at our house."
The map is just one of the ways Tim and Caitlyn disciple their children — Scotty, 6, and Naomi, 4 — about missions.
As they pass the map on the way to bed, Tim and Caitlyn ask their children who they want to pray for that night, and they pray for the missionary and the people they are trying to reach with the gospel.
Additionally, at breakfast time, the couple reads to Scotty and Naomi from "Window on the World," a children's version of "Operation World," a volume of prayer information about the world.
"I feel like we're not great at these things, but there are natural times throughout the day when kids are naturally calmer and more in a frame of mind to listen, and that's at bedtime and mealtimes. I'd like to be more intentional at dinner time too," Tim said.
Participating in Mission Friends, a Woman's Missionary Union discipleship group for preschoolers from birth through kindergarten, at the church has also made an impact on their children.
Caitlyn said Naomi will often come home wanting to pray for people in Brazil, or whatever place she learned about that night.
Roles for everyone
Tim noted they also have been blessed with the opportunity to often have internationals at their home.
"We [eat] together and our kids play together. After they leave, we'll talk about it with the kids and pray for them," Tim said. "We try to teach our kids that they can have a role to play in it too."
Caitlyn said there are many opportunities and resources to bring missions discipleship into the home, but you must be intentional in doing it.
One resource is Woman's Missionary Union, which creates missions discipleship resources designed to help churches and Christian parents be faithful in equipping children and students to embrace the heart of God — a heart for missions.
Missions discipleship involves learning about missions around the world and in North America, praying for the nations and missionaries, giving to missions offerings and the Cooperative Program and doing missions by going and telling others about Jesus.
"We're just praying that the Lord uses those seeds one day," Caitlyn said. "… I think we've always wanted to teach them that the world is so much bigger than them and their needs and desires, and I feel like that is one of the hardest things as parents to do."
Debbie Moore, who serves on the Arkansas Baptist State Convention Missions Team as the Arkansas WMU executive director, said the Bible mandates that parents have the primary responsibility for discipling their children. Caitlyn and Tim take Deuteronomy 6:4–8 seriously as they model what making disciples at home looks like.
"When parents live for Christ as His disciples in every area of their lives, their children cannot help but take notice," Moore said.
Though the church partners with parents to make disciples of the next generation, churches cannot replace parents — and parents cannot be independent of the church, Caitlyn noted.
"It's still our job. If [our children] don't see us doing it, then why would they care," she said. "It's important to us. We want it to be important to them."
It is the Great Commission, she added.
"It is a command. It's not a suggestion" Caitlyn said. "I just feel very passionate about it. I don't want to just raise a good Christian kid. I want to raise a disciple who makes disciples."
EDITOR'S NOTE — This story was written by Mary Alford and originally published by Arkansas Baptist News.


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Grain-free food with big flavour
Tania Hubbard at the launch of her new gluten-free and grain-free cookery book. Contributed
3rd Nov 2011 6:00 AM
GOING without gluten and grain in your diet - either out of necessity or due to health - has long been synonymous with a lack of choice and flavour.
But Coast cafe owner and author Tania Hubbard is hoping to change all that with the release of her new cookery book, gluten free grain free - food we love.
The foodie is passionate about wholesome, delicious food and her cookery book, like her Nambour cafe Husk and Honey, has built a strong following among discerning diners.
Tania said her journey in developing great gluten and grain-free recipes began several years ago when, after suffering migraines, chronic fatigue and repeated bouts of pneumonia, she was diagnosed intolerant to the proteins in cereal grains.
According to the Coeliac Society of Australia, coeliac disease affects one in every 100 Australians, not including those with wheat and grain intolerances, with about 75% of those affected remaining undiagnosed.
"Since I made changes to what I was eating, all my symptoms stopped," Tania said.
"But I wasn't prepared to give up the great taste of food so I set to developing recipes for wholesome and yummy foods."
It started with a market stall at Caloundra market and then the cafe that Tania and her husband Eric opened in Nambour's Queen St three years ago.
It was there she developed her famous shortbread and hundreds of other recipes.
The couple then developed their own gluten-free, grain-free bake-at-home range of products and about a year ago Tania took things a step further and started work on her book.
"It has been bloody hard work but it is a labour of love," she said.
Gluten free gain free - food we love can be purchased from Husk and Honey Cafe for $37.50.
The book is also available online at www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au.
diet food gluten-free health
News Dead lifts and leg squats at a gym came to a painful end for one woman, who is now suing for more than $320,000. File Pic
Celebrity Original Wiggles member Greg Page suffered a blockage in one of the major blood vessels in his heart, causing him to collapse and go into cardiac arrest.
Tennis Australia's World No. 1 says she is happy with her lead-up to her home Grand Slam after claiming the Adelaide International title.