text:
Voices from Syria
Author: Keith Gentry
President Obama's decision to expand the offensive against ISIS by bombing targets in Syria brought me back to my field work last month with Syrian refugee children. I had a unique opportunity to travel to the Turkish-Syrian border with a graduate class at George Mason University. Twenty other graduate students and I spent eight days in Istanbul and southern Turkey, learning about the Syrian revolution, meeting Syrian activists, and working with Project Amal ou Salam to bring educational workshops to Syrian refugee children in schools and orphanages. My heart is heavy with thoughts of the critically injured Syrian refugees in Reyhanli, with the amazing and beautiful children in the orphanages in Reyhanli, Gaziantep, and Güveççi, and in the eager faces of the children in the refugee school near Esenyurt. While my work was incredibly difficult, I was inspired by the resilience and strength of the Syrian people, especially the children. Rather than bum everyone out with the darker aspects of my journey, I'd like to share some of the profound stories that I collected there, and how I was affected by them. These stories illustrate that, no matter how brutalized and battered, Syrian refugees have strength. They are resisting war all around them in ways large and small. The coalition bombing campaign, however, is actively hurting their efforts on the ground.
Westerners tend to view conflicts in other areas of the world at the macro level. It is easy to lose the human face of the conflict and overlook what small groups are doing to survive and protect themselves. Though the Syrian conflict is a convoluted mess of revolutionaries, an intractable dictatorial regime, and hosts of Islamists militia groups, it is also much more than that. The Syrian conflict is over a million children displaced by fighting, spread out over a number of camps and orphanages across the region. These children have names and personal narratives, and they will inherit the future of Syria – or whatever is left of it. Yet, the conflict also contains countless stories of Syrians rejecting violence and helping their neighbors the best that they can. To be sure, there are many victims of rape, torture, and other terrors – real people who have lost so much in these three years of fighting. But, when we focus exclusively on the victimization of the Syrian people, we tend to lose our ability to connect and empathize with them as human beings.
Sometimes we have to look at the worst in humanity to find the best. Many of the children we encountered have experienced unimaginable horrors, things that many of us cannot even bear to comprehend. These children themselves, they are absolutely amazing. They want to laugh, play, and simply be children. Seeing a little boy with burn scars all over his body and who had lost his father bounce around like a normal five-year-old was nothing short of miraculous. Many of the very young children have been "adopted" by some of the older kids. The sight of a ten-year-old girl dutifully comforting a nearly inconsolable four year old moved many of us. Many of these children are surviving, and some even thriving because of the incredible generosity of others, ranging from individual go-getters, to concerned NGOs, and foreign governments. Turkey, for instance, has shown incredible generosity in the face of a difficult and protracted refugee situation by establishing schools, camps, and providing medical assistance. I should note that more is needed to help the externally displaced, but Turkey is leading the regional effort to support them.
I feel compelled to talk about the strength of one young woman in particular. She is well connected, both politically and socially, inside and outside the Assad regime. Her status easily affords her the chance to live comfortably in Damascus, free of the horrors associated with the revolution. Instead, she has chosen to live a remarkably dangerous and clandestine existence. She has used her resources and connections to brave regime blockades in order to bring in urgently needed food and medical supplies to desperate people. She has evacuated people from regime-controlled areas when their safety was at extreme risk. I was particularly disturbed by one story she shared. The Assad regime systematically uses rape and torture to spread fear and attempt to deter revolutionaries. One of these regime units decided to "make an example" of two brothers for their seditious behavior. They brutally raped their young sister in front of them and their mother. As if the horror of the rape wasn't enough, the brothers felt compelled to try to murder their sister rather than bear the shame of her rape. The mother intervened, took her shattered little girl from their village, and gave her away to neighbors. They secretly moved her between towns until my friend was able to pick her up. Because of my friend, she was able to get medical care and is now safe, with a loving family.
Every morning marks the beginning of another day in hell for her and the people she fights to protect. She will wake up, alone, and do whatever she can to help her people. They are suffering immensely and feel largely abandoned by the world. This story could be dedicated, in its entirety, to her moral courage, but neither she nor her people seek accolades and recognition for their courageous acts of love and defiance. Rather, she would ask that we simply love her and her people. Rather than donate money or aid, she asked that we, the international community, show her people that we truly care about their suffering.
We visited a city called Gaziantep, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, a mere sixty miles from Aleppo, where the opposition President Obama wishes to support is fighting for its life not only against the Assad regime, but also the barbaric Islamic State, which has greatly complicated the already convoluted revolution. We had the immense pleasure of spending a day with roughly 150 refugee children, many of whom were orphans. Some were marred by burns, scars, or other evidence of the horrible brutality from whence they came. We were warned that some of the children might act coldly towards us for a few hours, if they ever engaged with us at all, but we were determined to do our best to give these kids a day they could remember fondly. Some of the kids took some time to warm up to us, and though the language barrier was frustrating, they were so incredibly happy to have a play day. We met them in a nice park with a playground and divided them into groups and planned activities for them to do at various stations. By the end of the day, we were all exhausted. As we were waiting for their caretakers to finish taking attendance, we sat in a big group and passed out juice boxes and snacks. The kids were full of smiles and they wanted to sit next to us and for us to help them put straws in the juice boxes. They were remarkably generous and offered to share their snacks when they saw we did not bring any for ourselves. They would not take no for an answer. After a surprising amount of hugs, the children boarded a few small buses to return to their lives – buildings that doubled as school and home. Before we departed, the Turkish administrator of the organization that cares for these children asked to speak with us. He was remarkably kind and appreciative of our presence. He told us that it was a bit of a rarity for outsiders to come and spend any time at all with the children. I was genuinely surprised by how much our small contribution meant to him and it was difficult for me to accept his gratitude. After all, I felt that we were essentially a group of spoiled Westerners who got to play with a bunch of cute kids, then roll back to our hotel. I didn't want him to thank me… Thank the activists who risk their lives helping people inside the destroyed cities and towns in Syria. Thank the people who really do something, not me. During the bus ride back, I wondered how great the sense of abandonment felt by these children and their caregivers must be if our tiny contribution truly meant so much.
Our next stop was Reyhanli, three miles away from the busiest crossing on the Turkish-Syrian border. We visited an orphanage there that is supported by the American Rescue Fund. The kids receive excellent care from a handful of amazing volunteers. The space is a little cramped, but is surprisingly comfortable – an important aspect during the sweltering heat of the summer. Just a block away from the orphanage is a rehabilitation center for Syrian refugees. I was incredibly apprehensive about this visit. As a veteran, I am used to seeing and hearing stories of fellow service members devastated by IEDs or other sorts of attacks, but this was considerably different. Many of the refugees that I met at the rehabilitation center felt alone and forgotten. I saw them lying in their beds waiting for their horrific wounds to heal, awaiting news about the prosthetics they desperately needed to replace their amputated limbs, and waiting for texts or phone calls from anyone that still cares. One story from the center absolutely shook me to my core. We met a man who I will call Mohamed. I won't detail his exact injuries to protect what family he has left in Syria, but they were severe. He had been injured a few weeks ago by a mortar strike in Aleppo. When our group was introduced as Americans, I expected a rather cold reception. I was surprised that Mohamed was quite eager to speak to us. He told us how he was recruited by his neighbors to fight for the opposition, how he was injured, and then passed around to different hospitals as he was evacuated from Syria. He even showed us a cell phone video of when he was first brought into the hospital after his injuries. He thanked us profusely for our visit and said that we had renewed his strength to continue his journey. He explained how no one from the various oppositions' political leadership or any of the other good guys could be bothered to check on him or anyone else in the center. He felt completely forgotten by those for whom he fought. This revelation was particularly upsetting as my group had just met some of the people he was referring to, in a posh Istanbul hotel no less, replete with elegant suits and extensive security details.
The Assad regime, however, has not forgotten. Mohamed's wife and son were just recently arrested by the Syrian intelligence services. He swore he would go on, for his family's sake, when he got out of the center. He had to find them, no matter the cost. He asked us to share his story to whoever would listen. Before walking out the door, I grabbed his hand and hugged him; it was the only way I knew how to promise him that I'd do my best. As for Mohamed, my Syrian brother, I will never forget his determination and his genuine surprise and appreciation that some Americans would travel so many miles to visit him when his own leaders had forgotten him.
This trip helped to remind me that we, as people living comfortably in the West, cannot solve the crisis at the micro level. Nevertheless, there are things we can do to help: donate toys, money, or clothes to the orphanages located on the Syrian border; (the American Rescue Fund, UNICEF, and other smaller groups fund many of these places); encourage your friends and family to critically analyze the situation in Syria; and personally visit the refugee camps in Turkey, Jordan, and Lebanon. There are a number of organizations that visit Syrian camps and orphanages. It'll change your life. Take a moment, especially if your Arabic is passable, to write to some of the people recovering in the rehab centers. The notion that strangers from far away are thinking of them is powerful and truly makes a difference.
The situation on the ground in Syria will worsen dramatically as the coalition continues the campaign to destroy ISIS. The Assad regime has all but been given a free hand to intensify its indiscriminate bombing campaign against the Free Syrian Army in the northwestern parts of Syria. The intense media campaign dedicated to ISIS ensures that an increase of barrel bomb attacks will get little to no coverage. Moreover, our bombs are adding to the human misery in Syria. Not only are US warplanes targeting sites just a few miles from the children that we visited, but they are also attacking groups that have been protecting civilians from both the regime and ISIS. Finally, we will find that our campaign has been largely ineffective. ISIS has shown remarkable resiliency and the ability to adapt to our air superiority. Our bombs alone will not destroy ISIS, nor will they help those defending themselves against a murderous regime in Damascus.
I will leave you with this. In a moment of particular weakness, I reached out to a friend and explained what I had been witnessing and how it was affecting me. She told me a short children's story that I had never heard. In the story, a young man walks up and down a beach every morning to rescue starfish that washed up along the shoreline. He always did his best to take the starfish back to the sea. One day, an older man mocked him for his foolishness, saying that his actions will not matter in the grand scheme of things; there are simply too many starfish along the miles of beach. The young man responds, for the ones I do rescue, it means everything. Just as the young man in this story could not save every starfish, we cannot save every child, nor can we make every Syrian refugee feel loved; but for the ones we are able to reach, it means everything.
Bio: Keith Gentry is an MA candidate in International Peace and Conflict Resolution.
RefugeesSyriaTurkey


text:
Foreign Language Teaching Methods
Foreign Language Teaching Methods: Pragmatics
Dr. Dale Koike, Pragmatics Module Instructor
Introduction to the Pragmatics Module
Transcript-
Hi, my name is Dale Koike. I'm a professor in the Spanish and Portuguese Department of the University of Texas at Austin. My interests in research are in pragmatics and discourse analysis and the interface that these have in second language acquisition. I teach Spanish Applied Linguistics to teachers, which is a teacher training course at the undergraduate level and courses in Spanish pragmatics and applied linguistics and acquisition at the graduate level.
First of all, why is it important to have a module on pragmatics for these teacher training modules. First, pragmatics is, basically and broadly speaking, a representation of language in use. By that definition, it is central to the objectives of foreign language teachers and students who are, for the most part, trying to put language into use to communicate their intentions and to understand the intentions of others in that target language. It is also important to know how to react to those intentions and expressions. Pragmatics, then, is at the core of putting all the linguistic elements together to communicate and to understand. Secondly, pragmatics encompasses language not only at the linguistic level but also at the social and cultural levels. I believe that if teachers approach language learning via pragmatics, they can transmit a broader view of language to their students. It also creates a focus on communication instead of only discrete items alone. And third, pragmatics reflects quite closely an emphasis on the language functions in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century that are established as general benchmarks that we want our foreign language students in this country to reach. In this module I am just giving a specific shape to these language areas of pragmatics, which are embedded in our general goals.
A little bit about how I organized this module. In the first unit, I wanted to begin by defining what pragmatics is and presenting some of the concepts of pragmatics that are used in the modules. Other terms are seen in the glossary in different parts of the module. In the second lesson on pragmatics and second language learning, we move to problems of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural communication, which is a big issue that learners face when learning another language. In the third lesson, we go to the role of pragmatics in the second language classroom, and what teachers and learners can do to foster an awareness and use of pragmatics in the second language. We move in the fourth lesson to what can be expected from learners at various proficiency levels and what we might think about when assessing learners' pragmatic production. And finally, in the Workshop unit of "Putting It into Practice," we see what the student teachers in the class that was videotaped came up with when they were given various assignments in pragmatics.
1 Terms and Scope
Terms most relevant to discussing pragmatics.
2 Cross-cultural Communication
Pragmatics is relevant to L2 learning for issues of cross-cultural communication, as guided by norms of the L2 society.
3 Pragmatics in the L2 Classroom
Ways that pragmatics can be used in the language classroom.
4 Pragmatics and Proficiency Levels
Connecting pragmatic production to learner proficiency levels.
Dale Koike is Professor of Spanish and Portuguese Linguistics at the University of Texas at Austin, and specializes in pragmatics and discourse analysis, and second language acquisition.
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possibly a nickname from naso 'nose' (Latin nasus), denoting someone with a prominent, snub, or otherwise remarkable nose. habitational name from Naso in Messina province, Sicily.
Where is the Naso family from?
You can see how Naso families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Naso family name was found in the USA between 1840 and 1920. The most Naso families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1840 there was 1 Naso family living in Pennsylvania. This was 100% of all the recorded Naso's in the USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Naso families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Naso surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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In 1880, the most common Naso occupation in the USA was Turpentine. 100% of Naso's were Turpentines.
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There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Naso. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Naso census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
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What is the average Naso lifespan?
Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Naso life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Naso in 1951 was 45, and 87 in 2004.
An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Naso ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.


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text:
Massachusetts Executive Orders
Massachusetts Executive Orders 400-499
No. 446: Establishing Regional Competitive Councils
This is a part of: Massachusetts Executive Orders 400-499
Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci, 1997-2001
No. 400: Mass. National Community Service Commission will also be known as the …
No. 401: Governor's Task Force on Hate Crimes
No. 402: Creating an advisory panel to select a design for the Massachusetts qu…
No. 403: Integrated pest management for Massachusetts state agencies
No. 404: Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Employees Charitable Campaign (COMECC)
No. 405: Massachusetts managed care consumer protection measures
No. 406: Council on Youth Violence
No. 407: Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth
No. 408: Meeting the Year 2000 Challenge
No. 409: Latino-American Advisory Commission
No. 410: Establishing the Governor's design team on teacher professional develo…
No. 411: Amendment to Executive Order No. 355 (Judicial Nominating Council)
No. 412: To protect the privacy of personal information
No. 413: Creating a Workforce Investment Board for the Commonwealth
No. 414: Establishing the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve and Commission
No. 415: Amending Executive Order No. 387
No. 416: Integrating dispute resolution into state government
No. 417: Establishing a policy regarding adoption assistance to state employees
No. 418: Assisting communities in addressing the housing shortage
No. 419: Establishing the Governor's Economic Advisory Boards
No. 420: Judicial Nominating Council
No. 421: Comprehensive assessment of long-term care
No. 422: Services for mentally ill individuals under age 19
No. 423: The Governor's Task Force on Youth Mentoring
No. 424: Establishing standards for responsible parenthood programming in crimi…
No. 425: Establishing the Governor's New Bedford, Cape and Islands Ferry Servic…
No. 426: Establishing the Governor's Special Commission on Barriers to Housing …
No. 427: The Governor's Commission on School Readiness
Acting Governor Jane Swift, 2001-2002
No. 428: Establishing the Governor's Taskforce to Reform Adult Education and Wo…
No. 429: Governor's Commission on Mental Retardation
No. 431: Special Advisory Task Force on Massport
No. 432: Declaring a State of Emergency resulting from the terrorist attacks of…
No. 433: Establishing the Environmental Management Commission of the MMR
No. 434: Establishing the Governor's Joint Committee on Educational Policy
No. 435: Establishing the Governor's Bioterrorism Coordinating Council
No. 437: Governor's Task Force on Sexual Assault and Abuse
No. 438: State Sustainability Program
No. 439: Implementation of the Developmental Disabilities Act of 2000, P.L. 106…
No. 440: Establishing the Building Code Coordinating Council
No. 441: Establishing a commission to study the potential expansion of legalize…
No. 442: Establishing a policy of zero tolerance for workplace violations
Governor Mitt Romney, 2003-2007
No. 443: Prohibition of lobbying by relatives of Governor's Cabinet members and…
No. 444: Establishing within the executive branch the disclosure of family rela…
No. 445: Order reconstituting the Judicial Nominating Commission and establishi…
No. 447: Establishing an Executive Commission for Homeless Services Coordination
No. 449: Commission to advise the governor relative to further measures to prev…
No. 450: Establishing the Governor's Commission on Sexual and Domestic Violence
No. 452: Governor's diversity and equal opportunity initiative
No. 453: Promoting the consideration of small businesses in agency rulemaking
No. 454: Establishing the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Homelessness and…
No. 455: (Revised) Standards of conduct for notaries public
No. 456: Industrial Accident Board nominating panel
No. 457: Extending the Commonwealth's commitment to the statewide road and brid…
No. 460: A day of honor for the life of President Ronald Reagan
No. 461: Establishing the Department of Correction Advisory Council
No. 462: Governor's Committee on Physical Fitness and Sports
No. 463: Revoking Executive Order No. 392
No. 464: Revising the Regional Competitive Councils
No. 465: Establishing the Governor's Integrated Criminal Justice Planning Counc…
No. 467: Establishing the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Substance Abuse …
No. 469: Designation of the National Incident Management System as the Commonwe…
No. 471: Establishing the Governor's Special Panel for the review of the Haleig…
No. 472: Dissolution of Massachusetts Service Alliance Commission and designati…
No. 473: Revoking unnecessary Executive Order
No. 474: Establishing the Governor's Independent Safety Review Team and Special…
No. 475: Mandating Continuity of Government and Continuity of Operations exerci…
No. 476: Designating the Commonwealth Fusion Center as the Commonwealth's princ…
Governor Deval Patrick, 2007-2015
No. 477: Establishing a Code of Conduct for commission members and nominees to …
No. 478: Order regarding non-discrimination, diversity, equal opportunity, and …
No. 479: Establishing a policy for state employees to provide voluntary services
No. 480: Strengthening the level of partnership and collaboration between state…
No. 481: Order prohibiting the use of undocumented workers on state contracts
No. 482: Creating the Governor's Anti-Crime Council
No. 483: Establishing a Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans' Services
No. 484: Leading by example - clean energy and efficient buildings
No. 485: Coordinating agency regulations
No. 486: Establishing the Governor's Council to Address Sexual and Domestic Vio…
No. 487: Creating the Governor's Development Cabinet
No. 488: Establishing the Massachusetts Mobility Compact
No. 489: Establishing the Readiness Project
No. 490: Mandating preparation, review, updating, and electronic management of …
No. 491: Establishing a Policy of Zero Tolerance for Sexual Assault and Domesti…
No. 492: Reconstituting the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Homelessness a…
No. 493: Establishing the State Interoperability Executive Committee
No. 494: Establishing the Office of the Child Advocate
No. 495: Regarding the use and dissemination of criminal offender record inform…
No. 496: Re-establishing the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Substance Abu…
No. 497: Establishing the Massachusetts Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
No. 498: Establishing the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors
No. 499: Establishing a Joint Enforcement Task Force on the Underground Economy…
Executive Order No. 446: Establishing Regional Competitive Councils
Issuer:
Mass Register:
Amended by:
Revised by Executive Order 464
WHEREAS, the economic development of each of the Commonwealth's various geographic regions is critical to the overall health and competitiveness of the Commonwealth's economy; and
WHEREAS, better information concerning the economic challenges and needs faced by each of the Commonwealth's regions would assist the Commonwealth in providing more effective and targeted economic assistance to such regions; and
WHEREAS, better coordination among the various public and quasi-public entities providing economic assistance to each region of the Commonwealth would facilitate the delivery and maximize the impact of such assistance;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mitt Romney, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Supreme Executive Magistrate, do hereby order as follows:
Section 1. There are hereby established the Governor's Regional Competitiveness Councils (the "Councils," or, individually, "Council"), which shall advise the Governor on economic activities, issues and needs in the various regions of the Commonwealth, and which shall make recommendations to the Governor concerning strategies for better coordinating and targeting economic assistance to entities in such regions.
Section 2. There shall be seven (7) Councils, each focusing on one of the following seven (7) "regions" in the Commonwealth, or such other regions as the Director of the Department of Economic Development ("Director") may direct in writing: Greater Boston, Northeast, Southeast, Cape and Islands, Central, Pioneer Valley, and Berkshire. Unless the Director directs otherwise in writing, the geographical boundaries of each region shall be as set forth in the Commonwealth's 2002 economic development report, entitled "Toward a New Prosperity: Building Regional Competitiveness Across the Commonwealth."
Section 3. Each Council shall consist of the Director, or her designee, and no more than 35 members, appointed by the Governor for a term coterminous with the Governor, who shall be leaders in business, labor, economic development and education in the applicable region of the Commonwealth. Each Council shall be co-chaired by a Council member selected by the Governor and by the Director, or her designee. All members shall serve without compensation in an advisory capacity and at the pleasure of the Governor.
Section 4. The Governor shall appoint a Senior Economic Advisor to the Councils, who shall serve without compensation in an advisory capacity and at the pleasure of the Governor.
Section 5. Councils may call and rely upon the expertise and services of individuals and entities outside of their membership for research, advice, support or functions necessary and appropriate to further and accomplish their missions.
Section 6. Each Council shall meet at such times and places as established by the Council Chair, but no less than twice annually. The Councils shall, either individually or collectively, provide recommendations to the Governor concerning regional competitiveness no less than annually.
Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston this 13th day of February in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the Independence of the United States of America two hundred and twenty seven.
MITT ROMNEY, GOVERNOR
SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH
WILLIAM FRANCIS GALVIN
Contact for No. 446: Establishing Regional Competitive Councils
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This is part of: Massachusetts Executive Orders 400-499
No. 445: Order reconstituting the Judicial Nominating Commission and establishing a code of conduct for commission members and nominees to judicial office
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text:
New Climate Report Shows How Rising Temperatures Will Impact Different Parts Of Australia
By New Matilda on	 January 27, 2015 Environment
Australia could be headed for a dangerous temperature rise of more than 5C by the end of the century, according to a CSIRO report released earlier today.
The report's projections are the most comprehensive Australia has seen, and are consistent with past predictions of higher temperatures, more extreme weather events, and increases in sea levels and acidity.
The research, which is based on up to 40 global climate models, gives "very high confidence that hot days will become more frequent and hotter," CSIRO principal research scientist, Kevin Hennessy said.
"We also have very high confidence that sea levels will rise, oceans will become more acidic, and snow depths will decline," Mr Hennessy said.
The report warns that temperature rises could be as high as 5.1C by 2090, which would represent dramatic increase on the 0.9C rise Australia has already experienced since 1910.
This level of warming would be catastrophic.
Most policy makers have accepted that temperature rises must remain below a 2C increase on pre-industrial levels to avoid 'dangerous' global warming.
The 5.1°C increase is based on a 'high emissions scenario' which could avoided if governments act to cut carbon emissions.
A 'low emissions' scenario would see the temperature increase by between 0.6C and 1.7°C, according to the report.
The CSIRO report follows announcements earlier this month by the Climate Council that 2014 was the hottest year ever recorded globally, and the third hottest in Australia's recorded history.
All of the world's hottest years have occurred since 1998, and 2014 was the 38th consecutive year above the average global temperature, according to the Climate Council report.
"We are now halfway through the critical decade for action on climate change," the Climate Council's Will Steffen said in the report.
"To slow and then halt the warming trend, we must cut carbon emissions rapidly and deeply.
"2015 is the pivotal year to join global efforts in the lead up to the international climate negotiations in Paris to stabilise the world's climate and reduce the risk of more extreme weather events," Mr Steffen said.
The CSIRO report released today is the most comprehensive report on how Australia is likely to be affected by climate change, and provides detailed regional predictions.
You can view the full technical reports here.
Key findings of the report include:
• Southern and eastern Australia is projected to experience harsher fires. Projections for fires in northern Australia and inland are less certain.
• The number of tropical cyclones is projected to decrease but they are likely to be more intense and reach further south.
• More severe droughts are likely, especially for southern Australia.
• Overall, extreme rain events are projected to become more intense, even in areas where the average annual rainfall is predicted to decrease.
• Sea level rises are likely to be consistent with, or slightly greater than, the projected global average of 82cm under a high emission scenario.
The report also details significant changes to patterns of rainfall around the nation.
"We expect that extreme rainfall events across the nation are likely to become more intense, even where annual-average rainfall is projected to decline," Mr Hennessy said.
In southern mainland Australia, winter and spring rainfall is projected to decrease, but increases are projected for Tasmania in winter.
For the rest of Australia, naturally occurring fluctuations in rainfall patterns will dominate over trends due to climate change until 2030, after which the trends associated with climate change will begin to emerge.
By 2090, winter rainfall is expected to decrease in eastern Australia.
The CSIRO report joins a growing litany of scientific research and action on the political stage and will likely put Prime Minister Abbott under further pressure to commit Australia to stronger action on climate change at the Paris talks this year.
Last year the fifth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report concluded that emissions need to fall by 40 to 70 per cent by 2050 if the world is to give itself a good chance of staying within the 2C limit.
With European Union leaders having recently pledged to cut emissions by 40 per cent by 2030, and clear commitments from China and the U.S. over recent months, international pressure for Abbott to commit Australia to serious action is mounting.
At the Paris talks parties are required to show how their targets are "fair and ambitious", and in keeping with the goal of achieving a safe climate.
The detailed research published by the CSIRO today on how climate change will affect Australia relied on different global scenarios of emissions of greenhouse gases, aerosols and land-use change developed for last year's IPCC report.
This is the first time the IPCC modelling – which was the most comprehensive global study to date – has been applied to an Australian context.
Tags: climate changecsiroenvironmentipccnewsthom mitchelltony abbott


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Class template binding

boost::type_erasure::binding

Synopsis

// In header: <boost/type_erasure/binding.hpp>

template<typename Concept>
class binding {
public:
  // construct/copy/destruct
  binding();
  template<typename Map> explicit binding(const Map &);
  template<typename Map> binding(const static_binding< Map > &);
  template<typename Concept2, typename Map>
    binding(const binding< Concept2 > &, const Map &);
  template<typename Concept2, typename Map>
    binding(const binding< Concept2 > &, const static_binding< Map > &);
  template<typename Placeholders, typename Map>
    binding(const dynamic_binding< Placeholders > &,
            const static_binding< Map > &);

  // friend functions
  friend bool operator==(const binding &, const binding &);
  friend bool operator!=(const binding &, const binding &);
};

Description

Stores the binding of a Concept to a set of actual types. Concept is interpreted in the same way as with any.

binding
        public
       construct/copy/destruct

binding();

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

relaxed must be in Concept.

Throws:

Nothing.

template<typename Map> explicit binding(const Map &);

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

Map must be an MPL map with an entry for each placeholder referred to by Concept.

Throws:

Nothing.

template<typename Map> binding(const static_binding< Map > &);

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

Map must be an MPL map with an entry for each placeholder referred to by Concept.

Throws:

Nothing.

template<typename Concept2, typename Map>
  binding(const binding< Concept2 > & other, const Map &);

Converts from another set of bindings.

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

Map must be an MPL map with an entry for each placeholder referred to by Concept. The mapped type should be the corresponding placeholder in Concept2.

Throws:

std::bad_alloc

template<typename Concept2, typename Map>
  binding(const binding< Concept2 > & other, const static_binding< Map > &);

Converts from another set of bindings.

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

Map must be an MPL map with an entry for each placeholder referred to by Concept. The mapped type should be the corresponding placeholder in Concept2.

Throws:

std::bad_alloc

template<typename Placeholders, typename Map>
  binding(const dynamic_binding< Placeholders > & other,
          const static_binding< Map > &);

Converts from another set of bindings.

<col align="left" valign="top">

Requires:

Map must be an MPL map with an entry for each placeholder referred to by Concept. The mapped type should be the corresponding placeholder in Concept2.

Throws:

std::bad_alloc

binding friend functions

friend bool operator==(const binding & lhs, const binding & rhs);

<col align="left" valign="top">

Returns:

true iff the sets of types that the placeholders bind to are the same for both arguments.

Throws:

Nothing.

friend bool operator!=(const binding & lhs, const binding & rhs);

<col align="left" valign="top">

Returns:

true iff the arguments do not map to identical sets of types.

Throws:

Nothing.

Copyright © 2011-2013 Steven Watanabe

        Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
        file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
module ApplicationHelper

  def current_admin
    @current_admin ||= Administrator.find_by_id( session[:admin_id] )
  end

end


Last weekend we were invited to a special "Blogger Event" at Knott's Soak City. I was delighted to get the invite, because I've wanted to check out the park for a couple of years. Living in Anaheim, we receive annual passes to Knott's Berry Farm from family, and as I've heard, it is quite easy to upgrade our passes to include Soak City. My concern was if my munchkins were ready for this water park.
My kids, age 5 and 4, really aren't strong swimmers yet, even though we have a pool, so I packed up our swimmers vests and brought them with us. When we got to the park, I was pleasantly surprised they had life vests all over the park for all ages and size of children. In fact, children 42 inches and smaller are required to wear life vests for the Sunset River (a.k.a. "Lazy River").
Our first stop, the cabanas! If you are there with a group, or even just the family, the cabanas are a really nice touch. Available for rent, the cabanas have lounge chairs, SHADE, inner tubes for the Lazy River and Tidal Wave Bay, and food and beverage delivery service. It is the perfect touch if you're planning birthday or special occasion.
Our cabana overlooked Tidal Wave Bay, my kids' #1 favorite attraction. Safely in their life vests and inner tubes, the kids enjoyed riding the waves while giggling up a storm.
Family's second favorite attraction: Sunset River. What a great way to "semi-relax" while floating with the family down the lazy river. I must say semi-relax, because really, as a mom – or dad – do you TRULY relax when your kids (toddlers) are in the water?
Now, there is an area specifically designed for the guppies. Gremmie Lagoon is sure to entertain the youngest of water park goers with turtles, slides, submarines, fountains and more. And to make sure your little ones are as safe as possible, I recommend keeping their life vests on in this area too.
The rest of the park is designed for bigger kids and adults. You can find out more information of these attractions at: https://www.soakcityoc.com/.
Thank you Knott's for a wonderful day for our family! We will certainly be back!


text:
Q: Android: AppCompatActivity and textview inside the action bar I want to add an autocompletetextview component inside the action bar of a AppCompatActivity. My code is:
styles.xml
<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
    <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
    <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
    <item name="colorAccent">@color/colorAccent</item>
</style>

MainActivity.java
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        Thread.setDefaultUncaughtExceptionHandler(new GlobalException());

        Toolbar tb = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar_search);
        setSupportActionBar(tb);
}

layout/action_bar_search.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/toolbar_search"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
    android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
    app:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"
    app:layout_scrollFlags="scroll|enterAlways"
    app:layout_collapseMode="pin">

    <AutoCompleteTextView
        android:id="@+id/theSearch"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:ems="10"
        android:hint="@string/search_the"
        android:imeOptions="actionSearch"
        android:inputType="textAutoComplete|textAutoCorrect"
        android:textColor="#FFFFFF" >

        <requestFocus />
    </AutoCompleteTextView>

</android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar>

When my app opens, I see a blank white screen and after several seconds, it becomes a blank black screen that stays this way forever, until I stop it manually. Any idea?
Apparently, after Toolbar tb = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar_search); tb is null

A: Your Toolbar XML is not included in your R.layout.activity_main so findById will not work. This results in the Toolbar staying null and crashing your application. You can include layout resources with an <include> tag. In your case: <include layout="@layout/action_bar_search"/>.

A: Below is the example code for AutocompleteTextView:
AutoCompleteTextView text;
String[] languages={"Android ","java","IOS","SQL","JDBC","Web services"};

 @Override
 protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
  super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
  setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
  text=(AutoCompleteTextView)findViewById(R.id.theSearch);
  ArrayAdapter adapter = new ArrayAdapter(this,android.R.layout.simple_list_item_1,languages);
  text.setAdapter(adapter);
  text.setThreshold(1);
  }

I hope that will help you....

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This training will make you discover your Efficy support and customer service management solution. Throughout this training session, you will learn how to manage the different communication channels (inputs and outputs) to ensure customer relationship follow-ups. This training will emphasize the creation of tickets, assignments, delegation and follow-up tasks. It will also show you your Efficy extranet interface, which offers a dedicated customer view.
All users dedicated to your support, helpdesk (complaint department) or after-sales service. Few months of experience of your Efficy CRM are strongly recommended.


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This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. All data is encrypted and kept in a secure facility.


text:
Where can I find the best boarding schools for troubled teens near Kansas?
The boarding schools near Kansas for troubled teens have proven to have a positive effect on troubled teenagers. Essentially, boarding schools for troubled teens work. Students in the best programs see academic improvements, emotional growth, and improved behavioral management (making better choices). The time and investment a parent and child may place into these schools seem to be worthy of the cost. Meaning, there is story after story, testimony after testimony, that these schools work. The best schools save lives. For immediate help researching your options call and speak with our Educational Consultant. We can help you find the best boarding school for troubled teens near Kansas. Perhaps we can help you receive a discount on tuition, a scholarship, or find a way for your insurance to help cover your cost. Call 866-439-8112.
Help me find a boarding school for troubled teens around Kansas
In addition to boarding schools for troubled teens near Kansas there are ranch style programs and Military academies. Both of these types of programs are considered to be similar in function and operation to that of a boarding school. Each of the various types of boarding schools are represented in some states with some notable exceptions. Essentially, there are no boarding schools for troubled teens in "child right's states. To find any other troubled teen boarding school your search will have to extend to other states, most notably Utah.
Life Quotes: "I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers." Helen Keller
"It is our duty still to endeavor to avoid war; but if it shall actually take place, no matter by whom brought on, we must defend ourselves. If our house be on fire, without inquiring whether it was fired from within or without, we must try to extinguish it." Thomas Jefferson
Derby (KS), Dodge City (KS), Emporia (KS), Garden City (KS), Great Bend (KS), Hays (KS), Hutchinson (KS), Junction City (KS), Kansas City (KS), Lawrence (KS), Leavenworth (KS), Lenexa (KS), Libera (KS), Manhattan (KS), McPherson (KS), Newton (KS), Olathe (KS), Pittsburg (KS), Prairie Village (KS), Salina (KS), Shawnee (KS), Topeka (KS), Wichita (KS),
Teen Cutting: What A Parent Should Know
Bullying and Parental Intervention: What Can Be Done


text:
Canzano: Pac-12 transfer QBs jockey for position
Some Sunday musings...
Bo Nix played well in Oregon's spring game.
I'm interested to see what happens with the sea of Pac-12 transfer quarterbacks this season. What will USC's Caleb Williams and Oregon's Bo Nix look like with their new college teams? Will Jayden de Laura be as effective at Arizona as he was at Washington State? And speaking of the Cougars, everyone is raving about the play of transfer QB Cameron Ward. He'll lead the charge with WSU's return to the Air Raid next season.
Florida transfer quarterback Emory Jones is at Arizona State with Herm Edwards now. Washington got Michael Penix Jr. from Indiana. And Cal has Purdue-transfer Jack Plummer in its quarterback room.
That's seven — 7!! — new transfer quarterbacks who could step in and start next season in the Pac-12. Meanwhile, Utah returns starter Cam Rising (a transfer from Texas two seasons ago), UCLA brings back Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Stanford has Tanner McKee. The prevailing thought is that Oregon State will start Chance Nolan (a JC transfer in 2019) again this season and Colorado will bring back starter Brendon Lewis. But the rest of the conference has likely turned to new transfer starters.
My way-too-early ranking of the Pac-12's new transfer QBs:
1. Caleb Williams, USC
2. Bo Nix, Oregon
3. Cameron Ward, WSU
4. Michael Penix Jr., UW
5. Jayden de Laura, Arizona
6. Jack Plummer, Cal
7. Emory Jones, ASU
Williams is reunited with coach Lincoln Riley at USC and they've surrounded him with gifted skill-position players. He's easily the top transfer QB. After that, it's a bottle neck of talent. Nix has big-game experience and he'll need it in Week 1 when the Ducks go to Atlanta to play defending national-champion Georgia. I went to Oregon's spring game wondering who would start the season opener — but left it 100-percent certain that Nix is the guy for first-year coach Dan Lanning.
I may be over-valuing Ward by putting him in the top three, but I think WSU's return to the Air Raid is going to make him shine in 2022. And Penix Jr. should see a nice resurgence under coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington.
Arizona's de Laura feels like the biggest wildcard. He was sensational at times in Pullman, but I'm wrestling with how much of that was due to Nick Rolovich's offensive scheme and presence. Coach Jedd Fisch at Arizona could end up looking smarter than anyone if he can take de Laura to the next level.
Plummer, now at Cal, played really well for Purdue in the opener against Oregon State last season, but lost the starting job four games later. He's tall and mature. I rated him No. 6, but Bears coach Justin Wilcox will know just what to do with Plummer. ASU's Jones was alternately dangerous/erratic at Florida. He's a gifted runner (750+ yards last season), but threw 13 interceptions vs. 19 TDs.
FATHER'S DAY WEEKEND: Worlds of Sport is happening next weekend (June 18-19) at the Oregon Convention Center. It's a 90,000 square-foot celebration of sport. All the teams you root for, all the brands you love, combined with an astounding series of sports-themed activations under one roof.
Kick a field goal? Make a putt? Run the kids through a cool obstacle course? Throw a fastball with a radar gun tracking it? Play pickleball? Shoot a basket on the Blazers' court?
There will be lots of giveaways, prizes, VIP meet-and-greets and a DJ. The main stage will include industry-themed panel discussions with experts, insiders, and ex-NFL athletes and current Pac-12 college athletes. Also, there will be blue-chip sports-memorabilia dealers, vendors, a beer garden and a hands-on E-sports gaming center.
I talked with Dr. James Beckett of the Beckett trading card empire about Worlds of Sport and he told me, "It's like Disneyland for a sports fan. The biggest challenge is going to be explaining it to people because it's a first-year event."
The good doctor is correct.
How would you explain the Disney Tea Cups and It's a Small World and Space Mountain to someone who had never seen it before. I guess you'd just tell them to go check it out and thank you later. It would be an excellent activity for the family on Father's Day weekend. I'll be there. If you see me, say hello.
Among the sports entities participating: Trail Blazers, Thorns, Timbers, Winterhawks, Hops, Oregon Ducks, Oregon State Beavers, Kabuki Powerlifting, Hood to Coast and more.
There's been tremendous buy-in from a variety of parties who all want to see a large-scale, positive, fan-facing event at the Oregon Convention Center. The event benefits local charities, including the 501c3 Bald Faced Truth Foundation.
Hours: Saturday (10a-7p) and Sunday (10a-5p).
Where: Oregon Convention Center.
Tickets: WorldsofSport.com (promo code: "PDX22" for a discount).
RESER STADIUM: Oregon State's $153 million rebuild of the West side of Reser Stadium appears to be progressing well. I visited the stadium on Saturday and snapped a few photographs.
The project won't be completed in time for the 2022 football season. The Beavers will use the North, South and East sections of the stadium with a temporary capacity of 26,407. The squeeze is bound to create demand for tickets if OSU plays well this season. I'm told there is already high demand for games vs. Boise State (Sept. 3), USC (Sept. 24) and Oregon (Nov. 25). Also, "Parent's Weekend" is Nov. 12 vs. Cal.
Right now, the stadium is very much an active construction site, but you can see the pillars and "Beaver Street" concourse beginning to take form on the West side. I was at Reser Stadium for the spring game in mid-April. The West side was completely blown out at that point. I watched and wondered if playing in a half-finished stadium would make the atmosphere feel odd. But now that I see pillars and beams rising and the shape of the bowl beginning to form, I think it's going to look fine.
Reser Stadium is amid a large-scale renovation.
OSU's team bench is located on the East sideline of the stadium. I weighed whether coach Jonathan Smith ought to flip sidelines and force the opposing team to have a sea of hostility behind its bench. Apparently, conference rules prohibit placing a student-section directly behind the opposing team's bench. So Oregon State would have to relocate students, who currently occupy the front-row seats on the East side.
Early in the project, Smith told me he mulled flipping sidelines for 2022, but decided to stay where he currently is. I'm interested to see if there's any psychological impact on the visiting teams. Their players will walk into Reser Stadium and have concrete and silence behind them. They'll stare across the field at OSU's team and entire fan base looking back.
The actual football played by OSU will have a far larger impact on the games. Still, it's something I'm thinking about as we push into summer.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate all who have supported, subscribed and shared my new independent endeavor with friends and family in recent months. If you haven't already — please consider subscribing.
This is an independent reader-supported project, with both free and paid subscriptions. Those who opt for the paid edition are providing vital assistance to bolster my independent coverage. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to have full access to all of my posts.
Barbara Cameron
Jun 12, 2022Liked by John Canzano
Can't help but wonder what all this transferring is doing to the teams. Doesn't seem to allow for any continuity…I guess time will tell. I'm just hoping for OSU to have a breakout season. It seems the school, the fans and the coach deserves it.
Kiwiduck
Jun 12, 2022·edited Jun 13, 2022Liked by John Canzano
We in uncharted waters now, what with the transfer portal and NIL. Players not getting playing time or who feel they aren't getting their share of financial rewards will be gone. How long you figure it will take Ty Thompson to bolt after Bix is named the starter @ Oregon?


text:
Team d|part
Home / Team d|part
Dr Jan Eichhorn
Jan is a founding partner of d|part and the think tank's research director. He coordinates the development and implementation of d|part's research projects and organises the coordination with external partners. In his research Jan mostly uses large-scale survey data to investigate political attitudes and behaviour of people, often in comparative projects and with a strong interest in the engagement of young people.
In addition to the research itself, Jan has engaged extensively in advising political institutions (such as parts of the German, UK and Scottish governments), civil society organisations and political foundations. He has also run a range of civic education workshops and programmes and has been a frequent contributor for print and broadcast media in several countries.
Beyond his work for d|part Jan also holds a post as Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh. He has a BA in Integrated Social Sciences from Jacobs University Bremen and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Edinburgh.
Contact: j.eichhorn@dpart.org
Christine Hübner
Christine is a founding partner at d|part. She guides the team in questions of study design and choice of research methods. She is also an Early Career Research Fellow at Nottingham Trent University, where she explores the views of young people on citizenship, political participation and democratic renewal. Christine has published widely on the young people's political views, on the changing nature of civic and democratic engagement and on questions of political legitimacy.
Christine has several years of experience as a consultant in commercial research, where she led large-scale survey projects and worked with a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods. She holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, UK, an MSc in Business Administration from Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and a BA in Social Sciences from Jacobs University Bremen, Germany.
Contact: c.huebner@dpart.org
Dr Götz Frommholz
Götz works as a policy analyst at the Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI) and leads the political advocacy of the Open Society Foundations (OSF) in Germany. He studied sociology in Bielefeld, Germanz, and received his doctorate in the same subject from the University of Edinburgh. Götz is a founding partner and Managing Director of d|part. He is also a lecturer at various universities and foundations.
Götz works at the interface of science and practice. Developing practical recommendations and expanding scientific knowledge are central aspects of his work. Götz builds on his many years of international work experience at universities, in adult education and in political communication.
Contact: gh.frommholz@dpart.org
Dr Luuk Molthof
Luuk is a Senior Research Fellow at d|part and the head qualitative researcher for the Voices on Values project – a joint project between d|part and the Open Society European Policy Instititute (OSEPI) exploring people's views on the open society and its values in 6 European countries. Since January 2019, Luuk also oversees the project's research outputs.
Luuk completed his PhD in Political Science at Royal Holloway, University of London. He holds an MSc in Modern Chinese Studies from the University of Oxford, an MA in International Relations from the University of Warwick, and a BA in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Maastricht University.
Contact: l.molthof@dpart.org
Sascha Nicke
Sascha is a Research Fellow at d|part and supports the team as engagement officer for the Voices on Values project. Sascha is currently working on his PhD on national and European identities in a historical context at the University of Potsdam. He is also engaged with the grassroots ThinkTank Polis180 on a voluntary basis.
Sascha obtained his BA in History and Philosophy and an MA in History of the Early Modern Times, both from the University of Potsdam, Germany.
Contact: s.nicke@dpart.org
Magali Mohr
Magali was a Senior Research Fellow at d|part until July 2019. As head of impact and engagement in our Voices on Values project, she was also responsible for liaising with external partners and organising d|part's outreach activities.
Before joining d|part Magali worked as a business consultant in a market research company in London, where she conducted qualitative and quantitative research, amongst others in India, Egypt, Singapore, Italy, Germany and the UK. Magali also worked as a project coordinator at the Foundation FUTURZWEI where she conducted research on young people's attitudes towards the future.
Magali holds a BA in European Studies from Maastricht University and an MSc in Global Migration from University College London.
Viktoria Kupsch
Victoria was d|part's Project Lead for the Voices on Values project until February 2019.
Before joining d|part, she worked as Programme Officer at the European Democracy Lab, of which she is also a co-founder. Previously, she worked for the European Stability Initiative (ESI) in Istanbul and Berlin. Victoria holds degrees in Communication Science, Politics, and International Relations from the University of Erfurt (Germany) and Bogazici University (Turkey) as well as an MSc in Democracy and Comparative Politics from University College London (UK).
Dr Anne Heyer
Anne is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for History at Leiden University in the Netherlands and a founding member of d|part. Anne's research focuses on the history of political participation and mass politics in Europe (Germany, Netherlands, Britain and Spain), which she approaches from an interdisciplinary and transnational perspective. At d|part, Anne was involved in several research and knowledge dissemination projects, among others in the publications on European populist parties and on young people's political attitudes ahead of the Scottish independence referendum.
Anne obtained her doctoral degree at Leiden University, Netherlands, for her thesis on the emergence of the first democratic parties as political organisations, connecting social science approaches with historical source analysis. She was a postdoctoral researcher at the Horizon 2020-funded research project TRANSPOP at the Juan March Institute for Social Sciences at Carlos III University in Madrid, Spain, to analyse the development and adaption of popular politics in Europe. Anne holds an MA from the University of Edinburgh and a BA from universities in Bremen, Germany, and Tartu, Estonia.
Jakob Hensing
Jakob was one of d|part's co-founders in 2011. He has contributed in particular to the development of the think tank's strategy and organisational structure, as well as to its research on political participation beyond the nation-state.
Jakob is currently a consultant with McKinsey & Company in Berlin. He holds a doctorate in Politics and an MPhil in International Relations, both from the University of Oxford, as well as a BA in Integrated Social Sciences from Jacobs University Bremen.
Dr Ann-Kristin Kölln
Ann-Kristin is a political scientist at Aarhus University in Denmark. She joined d|part as a Fellow in 2014 and specialises in party membership and public opinion.
In Aarhus, Ann-Kristin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science. Previously, she has worked at KU Leuven in Belgium, the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and the University of Twente in the Netherlands. She received her doctorate from the University of Twente (the Netherlands) for her thesis on the effects of party membership decline on party organisations. Her main research interests are in party politics, public opinion, survey methodology, and theories of representative democracy.
She was part of the European Social Survey Netherlands team at the University of Twente. Funded by the Dutch research council, she was involved in the design and analyses of several population-based survey experiments that answer methodological and substantive research questions.
Ann-Kristin holds a BA in politics and law from the University of Münster (Germany) and an MA in politics from Warwick University (United Kingdom).
Jan Liebnitzky
Jan Liebnitzky is a psychologist by training. He has extensive experience in evaluation and monitoring of international development projects. Jan became affiliated with d|part in 2013, supporting our project work and evaluations and he has contributed to research on the political participation index.
Jan currently focuses on data analysis and visualisation as a consultant and developer. He has a keen interest in bringing research evidence into the policy context. For this he likes to explore interactive online tools or engage with stakeholders in workshops.
Jan holds a degree in Psychology from TU Dresden (Germany).


At Melwoods Chartered Certified Accountants, we have a team of professional accountants who pride themselves on offering accounting services that give your business support it deserves. We offer a comprehensive range of accounting services to clients throughout Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas. We believe in blending our traditional accountancy values with a modern approach, and through this we are able to take businesses in the right direction.
With a team of qualified accountants, we are able to provide advice, guidance and support to help your business grow and succeed. We treat all of our clients on an individual basis, and that's one of the reasons our accountants tailor our services around you. When you choose Melwoods Chartered Certified Accountants, we'll work with you to ensure the decisions you make are the best financial one for your business.
We offer a comprehensive range of accounting services to clients in and around the Hemel Hempstead area. Our services cover everything from bookkeeping to business plans and much more. When you choose Melwoods Chartered Certified Accountants, we'll work closely with you to ensure that your finances are in order and the books are balanced. With one of our accounting healthchecks, we can look over everything from VAT to tax; to ensure that you're up to date and your books are in order. Should any problems arise during the healthcheck you choose, then one of our trained accountants will guide you through the next steps to get you back on track. We have been providing accounting services to clients throughout Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas for many years.
Outsourcing your accounting services to a professional accountant can help your business to grow. When you choose Melwoods Chartered Certified Accountants, you own dedicated accountant will work with you to help your business grow and succeed. We work with many clients throughout Hemel Hempstead and the surrounding areas and cover all of their accountancy needs. Having worked with many clients, we have developed a well-known reputation for the service we provide.
As one of the leading accountancy firms in Hemel Hempstead, we are able to provide a range of accounting services to both individuals and businesses throughout the local area. All of the accounting services we provide are designed to help grow your business in the right direction, whilst helping to manage the day to day finances of the business. If you're looking for a new accountant in Hemel Hempstead, then get in touch and we'll be more than happy to assist.


If you've ever looked for a beer color chart, here's a great one! It also has the beer style and SRM, the standard reference method, which is a scientific means to describe the lightness or darkness of beer color. I took it on the Maui brewing company tour.


In 2018, the crab goes a bit against the grain. Rather than hiding yourself from the world, this is the time where you ditch the wall flower act and embrace the spotlight. This year the stars have given you what you need to create a year of fun and exuberance. Embrace it! We all know that creativity is born from those special moments, the moments where you are living one hundred percent in that experience. Enjoy them, and know that magical moments birth creative content.
However, just because this year is filled with excitement, that doesn't mean smooth sailing is guaranteed. We know it sounds like a cliche, but nothing easy is worth having, this is especially true in the case of your star sign, dear Cancer.. Change is good, but change brings challenges. Lean into the challenges. Have faith, and know that at the end of the journey you will walk away with skills which will serve you well.
Move over tinder, cupid is here now. We don't know what it is, but this year you have got it in spades! With Jupiter in your fifth house, lust-filled new attractions plus your certain je ne sais quoi make you the most popular gal in town. But, casual isn't really what the stars have in mind, and things can get serious quite quickly.
Apparently Uranus has been weighing you down the past couple of years (we know the feeling lol), but finally things are looking up! Professionally you should start to see some traction, new opportunities, and more stability. This doesn't mean boring, far from it. With new found stability you may decide to change things up, like trying out this whole digital nomad thing and seeing how it fits, or finding yourself an awesome collaborator. Whatever it is, if you trust your instinct, things are bound to work out!


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Lying 5km from Citrusdal, at the foothills of the Cederberg, Wolfkop is a 450ha reserve featuring privately-appointed cottages.
Each Cottage is Individually decorated where the main bedroom features a Queen-size bed with cotton percale bedding, as well as an indoor and outdoor hot shower. The kitchen is open-plan and well equipped, including fresh orange juice in season and fresh coffee beans and grinder for the perfect cuppa.
Stepping into the lounge area which boasts high ceilings, deep sofas for that obligatory afternoon siesta, and an open fireplace to accompany a fine glass of plonk in winter. Double doors open to a terrace fitted with hammocks and a candle lit Jacuzzi while to the back there's a dedicated jungle-gym for the kid in you. Canoes are available for each cottage to use on the dam.
Activities include mind boggling hiking trails, swimming and braai areas at the dam.
Got no tent? Can't camp? No longer a problem! - To set the scene on a 100ha citrus-buchurooibos farm located about 20km from Citrusdal, a campsite located on grass right on the banks of the Olifants River.
We pitch everything up for you with a complete check list. You only bring food and clothes. Canoe, swim and fish on river, bird watching and star gazing are also on the list.
Remember that Jurgens caravan gramps used to drag down to Margate behind the beige Valiant for the December holidays? The smell of hard-boiled eggs and hot vinyl seats?
Take a 1970's Jurgens, pimp it up, swop the ancient leaking tent for a funky Bedouin stretch one, and Voila! You've got a Wolfkop Caravan! The fun doesn't stop here. Each of the three caravans has nature-themed interiors - In The Forest, On The Clouds and Love Bug - achieved by floor-to-ceiling photographic wallpaper. Set on lovely green lawns above the river and equipped with aircon, lighting, fridge/freezer, linen and towels, the experience is far removed from your average Jerry Springer trailer-park.
Each caravan sleeps two in a queen size bed with memory foam tops, with the option of setting up an extra tent or two outside for friends of yours overcome by a similar nostalgic urge. Maximum 6 per caravan village.
Elephant Leisure, a long treasured destination for the traveller who seeks the road less travelled and some solitary bliss, has new owners and management.
Situated at the foot of the Olifants mountains it boasts majestic views of the Olifantsriver valley and the Cedarberg. As company you'll have a multitude of bird species happily singing their songs, while a lazy breeze may rustle the fynbos and trees. There's much to discover, but we'll leave that up to you to set your own pace.
In need of a beautiful marquee tent with dance floor, fairy lights and lamps for your wedding/venue? We can provide all of this at very competitive prices. We will beat any other written quote with 5% discount! We have tents in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban and can set up tents within a 600km radius of each city.
Can't find that perfect, comfortable cottage with a fireplace and swimming area for a weekend away? We have a big collection of over 10 different Farm Cottages in and around the Cederberg Mountains to choose from. Most of them Star graded by TGCSA. Some are situated in the mountains and some next to the river. All of them have fire places and you can also swim in either the river, pool or jacuzzi with options of hiking trails and canoe riding on the river or dam.
Wolfkop Weekender started as an intimate gathering and music event, and managed to remain a best-kept secret; hidden by the valley itself and the locals of Citrusdal for close-on five years. In January 2014, this jewel of a venue and its penchant for a well-seasoned celebration and rolling bassline were revealed to a new group of unassuming revelers, who'd come to the valley under the guise of experiencing, 'a different kind of weekend away'.


SmartCity Kochi (SCK) is a joint venture between Tecom Investments, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding and the Government of Kerala.
About 12 lakh bellow poverty line (BPL) families will be given free internet connection. KFON is a highly scalable network infrastructure that provides on-demand, affordable broadband connectivity of up to 100 Mbps for organizations and households.
A sunrise sector with high consumption pattern, high level of exports, huge demand for ethnic foods etc.
Major players in the State include SFO Technologies, KEL, V-Guard, FCI-OEN etc.
Sector which holds a very high growth potential.
Readily available domestic market and export opportunities exists.
Availability of Skilled and highly productive workforce, potential to become a cost / quality competitive market player are the advantages the state holds.


Geppei is the literal Japanese translation for mooncake.
When I was in Hawaii, I saw many bakeries and stores selling mooncake, getting ready for the Moon Festival, which I think starts today.
Anyway, in Hawaii, the price for one was kinda shocking...US$4 or $5?!
I found one here at the supermarket and apparently they have this all year round.
It was a little smaller than the ones I saw in Hawaii and this one was only 69 yen!
The insides are sweet bean paste and walnuts. The texture reminded me of steamed manju. Maybe not traditional, but it was delicious.
This one was marked "tokusen" or special. I think it was a little bigger and a little fancier than the first one I tried.
The price was a little more too at 115 yen.
The inside seemed like the same type of filling with the sweet bean paste and walnuts.
I had this one with some green tea. Delish!
I don't think we'll be able to see the moon tonight because there is supposed to be a typhoon approaching, so if you can see the moon where you are, enjoy it!
Earlier this year, Oreo in America turned 100.
Well, Japan's Oreo is also celebrating though they've only been in Japan for 25 years.
They recently came out with a chocolate cream filling to celebrate...whoo!
Can you believe it?! Boy, does time fly or what?!
I still can't believe I've kept this journal going for so long.
To everyone who reads this blog...THANK YOU!
Here's to more adventures in the kitchen and many more travels.
p.s. It's Friday (boy did the week fly by too), have a nice weekend!
The other day I found this "canned" corn.
Dunno which is better for the environment, canned or this type of "canned".
At 98 yen for 380 grams, I think this version is nice on the pocket.
I've seen beans in these boxes, but this was the first time seeing corn.
Are "canned" items cheaper where you live?
Soon after I left for Hawaii, the postcard for a sample of Mariage Frères' 2012 summer tea came in the mail.
This year's tea is called Havana, a green tea with hibiscus, pomegranate & goji berries. This one is quite fruity, but really refreshing as an iced tea.
Satoshi was nice enough to go to Kobe and pick up a can of their Happy Queen tea so that I could receive the free sample of Havana.
Happy Queen is a green tea base with pomegranate, citrus and peony. Not as fruity as Havana but just as delicious.
Gotta love the hot pink tin that it comes in too.
Before leaving for Hawaii, I noticed these juice bottles at Seijo Ishii.
I thought, weird, why would you name a juice ZAK and then I remembered that pomagranate is "zakuro" in Japanese.
We recently tried the mixed version, pomagranate + blueberry with breakfast...yum!
It had been 8 years since we checked out Flat (pronounced eh-flat) Cafe (pre-blog).
Since then, they moved the cafe from their spot a couple of streets down and brought it right above their bakery.
Pre-blog, they only made 80 rolled cakes a day. Not sure if that is how many they make these days.
The cafe traffic was really light, just my friend Hiromi, me and a separate group of women.
The curry was way too salty for my liking, but the carrot salad was dressed with a nice citrus dressing, very refreshing.
Dessert was a slice of their rolled cake...420 yen.
The picture doesn't do it justice. It is 1/3 of the roll!
Light, airy, the texture was like chiffon cake and not too sweet, filled with fresh whipped cream. I was happy that they hadn't lost their touch.
Don't think I would go back for lunch, but would happily go back for tea time!
While I was in Hawaii, I had some time to look through different cookbooks.
I also had some time to borrow a couple of books from the library.
One called "Paradise Preserves" by Yvonne Neely Armitage had all sorts of interesting recipes.
A particular recipe that stood out was her recipe for "Fig Chutney".
This past week, the weather was crazy humid and hot, but I still managed to make a batch of this chutney.
Fig Chutney adapted from "Paradise Preserves"
NOTES: I wasn't too sure what to do with the lemon, so instead I zested it and juiced it.
I shouldn't have added the 1/2 cup raw turbinado sugar because my cider vinegar actually had some honey added to it.
The chutney came out a little sweeter than I expected, but it was still quite delicious with a steak.
Found this recipe by Ellie Krieger in the USA Weekend back in June.
I adapted it, kinda "eye balled" some things like the corn and edamame so the measurements are kinda "iffy".
Tastewise, it reminded me of the 3 bean salad my mom makes.
Since I used marmalade and not fruit preserves as the original recipe uses, I didn't add the sugar that the original recipe calls for.
I would make this again, maybe using other veggies and upping the ginger.
While in Hawaii, an anonymous reader asked whether "no veggies" was typical of bento in Hawaii.
"Yes", is what I replied.
According to Wikipedia, bento in Hawaii started with the plantation days.
Since most sugar cane workers were mainly from Asia, rather than sandwiches for lunch, most would bring leftovers to share with each other and eat with some rice out in the fields.
Veggies were usually in the form of some type of pickle to withstand the heat of the day.
After the plantations closed up, bento could also be seen in the form of plate lunch and were served from lunch wagons (aka food trucks) to mainly laborers and construction workers.
A typical plate lunch in Hawaii would consist of a protein, macaroni salad and 2 scoops of rice.
Nowadays, almost any casual food establishment serves plate lunch and or bento.
Also these days, tossed salad is an option, as well as brown rice and mini-portions.
Though some places "penalize" you for choosing the "healthy choices"--tossed salad & brown rice by adding on an extra charge.
Bento in Japan is no different, there are many bento that do not serve veggies, just a lot of fried items, some pickles and white rice.
Those that do include veggies have simmered/cooked types like nishime.
Other items are either cooked or fried to prevent the foods from spoiling.
These days, more creativity and more colorful foods are being used.
Black rice or purple rice can be seen more readily in Japan these days too.
I think the word "bento" is always evolving. It is definitely becoming a household word all over the world.
Each country & household making their "bento" their own...definitely a good thing.
I had wanted to try falafel after seeing it on many blogs.
The falafel was quite dry and crumbly while the hummus was creamy.
But after eating 2 falafel with some hummus and flat bread, it felt as if I ate a whole bottle of salt!
I don't really like to waste food but threw out the remaining 3 falafel.
Dunno what I'd try if I go back, so if you know what is good there, please tell me.
Also had an an (sweet bean paste) doughnut from Watanabe Bakery (across the Food Court from Mary's).
This was WAY better than that malasada the other day...ahem.
We checked out Tatsuo's during one of our errand running.
Located at the beginning of Sand Island Access Road, turn right as soon as you see America Carpet One...or you'll have to U-turn and start all over...trust me, that's what happened to us.
A tiny hole-in-the-wall, Tatsuo's has a pretty extensive menu.
Mom chose the Tats Teri Plate...US$9.99 + tax, this came with a generous slice of teri beef (it is actually folded into thirds), 3 kalbi ribs, 1 chicken thigh & 1 pork steak.
All except the chicken were flavored well. A little on the sweeter side, but everything was moist and tender.
Mom says their mac salad was...meh!
Definitely a couple of meals from this plate lunch.
I chose their Kim Chee Burger...US$3.50 + tax.
A nicely charred burger with lots of kim chee (which I think was homemade) and a leaf of lettuce...delicious.
Despite being hard to find, we'll be back!
Everything "liquidy" has to be packed into the bag that you check-in. Everything.
So, of course, mine is packed to the gills.
So intricately packed to the gills is my bag that I'm pretty sure everything would "fly out" if you unhooked those straps.
"They" opened my suitcase, shuffled everything around, even opened my mango chutney.
I'm thankful nothing was confiscated.
I know, I know, because I headed back to Japan everyone was ready to go on a diet, right?!
I still have a few more places to blog about so bear with me.
I had this deliciously messy chili cheese dog from Sam's Club.
Oozy cheese, the hot dog was a polish one if I'm not mistaken and the chili had just the right amount of kick.
Best part was that it was US$1.99 + tax....mmm!
I've said this before, but I started this blog back in 2005 as a way to update my family and friends without overloading their email inboxes.
Since then, I am amazed at how many virtual friendships and "real life" ones have blossomed from it.
I know when most of us blog, it is mostly on a specific topic and most times we are all still very private about "life".
Last August, you may remember I had a medical emergency.
Truth is, we were 10 weeks pregnant, unbeknownst to me. Can you imagine finding out in the emergency room?!
Unfortunately, it was ectopic and baby had to be removed, so did part of my tube.
We were bummed no doubt, because of my age, because having an ectopic apparently puts you at a higher risk of having another ectopic.
It was bittersweet because we were pregnant, just in the wrong place.
Fast forward to 2012, in February, my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Yeah, the things you read online about this cancer aren't too encouraging.
I came back in March, thanks to my Aunty's miles, just in time to be with her for her 1st chemo treatment.
I gotta say she's always rolling with the punches and tries to always be very positive.
After her first chemo treatment, it was hard to watch a "foodie" not be too enthused about food.
She still has more treatments to go, her appetite is up and we are still very hopeful.
In April, my brother came home to help out.
Most times when he has come home it wasn't for a long period of time, so I think it was a good chance for him to bond with my parents.
He's now in the process of moving back from the mainland, so it'll be nice to have him around.
Then in May, Satoshi had an irregular heartbeat. He was hospitalized for about a week and is now on meds and seems to be okay.
He has to watch his sodium intake as well as calorie intake, which makes cooking for him, as well as eating out an interesting challenge.
Looking back, talk about being scared! It felt as if everything around me was crumbling.
I mean, even if I speak some Japanese, medical vocabulary is rough, even in English, so you know it must've been 10x scarier in Japanese!
With everything going on, I was feeling a bit helpless at this point.
And then, if that wasn't enough "excitement", at about the same time, my Dad, went in for emergency surgery.
Where his abdomen and intestine are supposed to be connected, he apparently was born with a "pocket" and somehow part of his intestine lodged itself into the pocket and caused him lots of pain.
The emergency surgery was to unblock the pocket and I think, sew the pocket up so that it wouldn't happen again.
To make matters more challenging, he has Parkinson's and was off his meds for close to a month, so I think it had advanced, making his swallowing very difficult and dangerous.
Until he can swallow safely, they put in a feeding tube in his stomach and for awhile he had been receiving liquid nourishment and some physical/occupational/speech therapy at a care facility.
In July, he came home so we've (Mom and I) been taking turns giving the feedings, which are a challenge because they are about every 5 hours 4 times a day!
He was going for rehab to get stronger in swallowing, but he's not back to eating "real food" yet.
Every time I've come back to Hawaii, I've slowly noticed my parents getting a little smaller, their meds increasing. Not to mention they move a little slower.
It's their little idiosyncrasies that you'll get to see when caring for someone 24/7 and if you don't laugh it off or find ways to relieve the stress, it will probably drive you crazy or eat away at you.
I know that aging is something that everyone goes through and that most of my generation is running into having to take care of their aging parents.
It is tough watching your parents go through these things and having some roles be reversed.
I am thankful I don't have to work full-time, that I can spend the time taking care of my parents, it is the least I can do to give back for what they have done for me.
So, this trip home, even if it looks like I've been having fun (and I have had some fun), I've kinda been "working".
Having only done this for the past 3 months was pretty tough, I give credit to those who do this type of work full-time.
While I was here, most of my days were long starting at 5:00 and ending around 21:30.
During the day I juggled things...caring for Dad & Mom (mostly Dad), taking them to doctor's appointments, while also trying to do some of the chores around the house, I usually got to sneak in a nap when Mom & Dad did (though I usually spent my time on the internet...).
Though I must add that when we did cook, it was in big amounts to freeze for heating up at a later date.
I was torn because I was not taking care of Satoshi while I was in Hawaii, but am grateful that he has been understanding in letting me spend a lot of time here.
I've also tried to keep blogging, I think writing and photography are some of my passions these days.
Even if I wasn't able to comment on all the blogs I read, I enjoyed being able to stay connected to all of you.
So, while my blogging is mostly about eating and other random things, there are "real life" things going on in the background too.
To say that the past year has been an adventure would be an understatement, and I'm trying to stay positive.
I didn't write this for you to feel sorry for me, I don't feel sorry for myself, nor am I angry at the world or the higher powers around us for all of this "excitement" and "drama".
I do think writing this post has helped me work through some of my feelings.
And I really appreciate all the prayers, emails, comments and words of encouragement, they really brighten up my days.
With everything going on in the world, I just hope the remainder of 2012 will be kinder to us all.
While I wasn't able to visit nor tell all of my friends what was going on, and while I wasn't able to meet some virtual blog friends IRL (in real life), I am pretty sure when they read this, they'll understand.
Talk to you from the other side of the world. Be well, everyone!
In Hawaii, when it rains, you will almost always see grandmas wearing these rain bonnets to protect their hair-dos.
Though I think this is more a cultural thing for the outer island grandmas than the ones on Oahu.
My 96 year-old grandma always has one of these in her bag. Always.
For those sudden showers that Hawaii sometimes has.
Last week, the weather was a little "wintry" in Hawaii.
Lots of rain and dare I say a little "cool".
Even though the rain stopped and sun came out, Wen and I checked out Shiro's Saimin Haven for lunch on Sunday.
Dare I also say that it was my first time there...gasp!
See, after studying abroad in Japan, I used to be a "snob" thinking ramen was "better" than saimin.
But after coming back to work in Hawaii, then living abroad in Japan since 2001, I have come to my senses in recent years.
Reconnecting with foods from my past.
You can't beat the broth, it's neither oily nor heavy like ramen broth can be and has just the right amount of salt.
Paired with a teri beef stick (and the won bok from Wen's saimin) this was the perfect comfort food lunch.
Though the sauce on the beef stick was a bit too sweet and goopy for my liking, the meat was very tender.
After lunch, we checked out Zippy's.
They advertised "made to order" and "hot and fresh" malasadas...pffft!
Yeah, I also think there is fine print on that ad.
Because the Zippy's we were at had these malasadas in their display cases and I didn't see anything being "made to order".
I also didn't ask why they weren't being "made to order" probably because my mouth was wide open in shock as I watched the girl behind the counter putting it into a bag.
We also tried their banana andagi which was also advertised on that same ad.
Probably because they are stored in that same display case.
Plus, the banana was flavoring not real (no flecks).
Utter disappointment...I knew I should've stuck to my favorite Champions.
Oh well, at least the company was good and weather beautiful.
If you like checking out the vendors in Chinatown, but maybe don't like the parking situation there, then check out the Chinatown Marketplace located in the City Square Shopping Center in Kalihi.
This place opened recently and there is lots of free parking and quite a number of vendors. An eating area is also in the works.
There is no main phone line and I think each vendor has their own hours and days off.
Lunch from Tanioka's the other day.
Only US$6.50 + tax for this bento.
Some rice with furikake, some fried noodles (with bits of char siu), couple pieces of teriyaki beef (very tender) & a couple pieces of mochiko chicken (very moist).
Totally filling and pretty cheap eats.
Remember the other day I talked about green mango?
Well, another food item we put them in is mango chutney.
Since I had 4 mangoes left, I cut them up and tried making mango chutney for the first time.
The hardest part was peeling the mango and slicing them.
After that, I just followed my mom's recipe.
So...I added the spices and other ingredients, then cooked everything down for about an hour.
The results were pretty good, as I got approval "from the luna (Hawaiian for supervisor)".
I ended up with 13 ounces (the Bonne Maman jar) + a little less than 1/4 cup (about half of the furikake jar).
Mom and I tried the one in the furikake jar with some steak. It was a little more jelled than the one my mom makes, but it tasted good.
I couldn't believe how easy the whole process was. I'm taking home the bigger jar and can't wait to share this with Satoshi.
Did you know it took us 3 tries to get a chance to try Mitsu-ken's?
The first time...we went on the day they were closed...no wonder we found parking on the street...ha!
The second time...we went on the day that they having construction done on the street in front and weren't gonna have any water, so they were closed...boo!
The third time...we went after trying to order take out at another place, only to find out they didn't have what we wanted.
So we stood in Mitsu-ken's l-o-n-g line. The line is long because there really is no "shop" to go into, just a cart with hot foods pushed in front of the doorway "creating" an order window.
We ordered their Mitsu-ken bento...US$6.25 + tax.
3 generous pieces of their garlic chicken, teri beef, a shoyu weiner and shoyu spam, lots of rice and an egg omlet (that's how it is spelled).
A ton of food but their garlic chicken is delicious. Very crispy. Driving home, the garlic smell was strong, but not so overpowering while eating it.
Their teri beef was gristly, a bit on the tough side but well soaked.
There is no parking unless you find some on the street, but I'm glad we got to try this place.
A generous slice of Ted's chocolate haupia pie.
Reduced for whatever reason from US$2.79 to US$1.
In Hawaii, a lot of us eat green mango as a snack.
Some eat it with shoyu, others with vinegar, some both.
We got some green mango recently and I needed something for our salad....so I chopped it up and drizzled on some ginger sesame dressing.
Wasn't too popular with my Mom, but I liked it.
Went back yet again to Palama Market, this time I tried their bulgogi bento, only US$5.50 + tax.
The meat was kinda gristly, but the serving was plentiful.
Yet again, sour kim chee (boo!) but this one also had some cucumber kim chee which was delicious.
Also in the bento were 2 mandoo and some sauteed cabbage.
They also have a snack area now, at the back of the store, here you can order plates (even bowls of noodles), which were a little higher priced than the bento.
They also have some chairs and tables to eat your food at or sit and wait for your order.
Most of us in Hawaii love poke (po-kay).
Pieces of raw fish, usually some type of onion, some limu (a type of seaweed), a little shoyu.
There are many variations today, lots include mayo.
My cousin P made these two types the other night for our pupu (appetizer).
This deconstructed poke, she said she had something similar at Stage restaurant.
The sauce for this one was on the sweeter side.
Besides the fish, this one had sliced avocado, red onion, cilantro and limu.
She also made this shoyu poke with a little cilantro, limu and red onion.
The seasoning for this one was more standard--not sweet at all.
Found this while looking through a cupboard the other day...Kikaida!
Growing up, my brother, cousins and I used to imitate and pretend we were these Japanese superheroes!
Also came across these comic books.
Since my cousin P and her family were visiting, we picked up plate lunches from Queen Street Cafe & Grill for lunch the other day.
This time around, I tried their guava smoked pork & onions. Think pipikaula (smoked meat) sauteed with a slightly sweet-salty sauce (kinda like char siu sauce minus the food coloring) and onions.
This was good, the meat was tender with lots of flavor though their brown rice was a bit too soft for my liking.
By the time this posts, cousin P's vacation will be over, but I hope my cousin and her family enjoyed lunch as much as we enjoyed spending time with them!
See you next year P & family!
I've been seeing this on the web lately and had to give it a try, I adapted this recipe.
Refrigerator Oatmeal : 1 serving adapted from "The Yummy Life"
NOTES: I used this brand of "milk", it is really good, or as the label says "so delicious".
Since the milk was already sweetened, I didn't add any honey or any other sweetener to my oatmeal.
I didn't have rolled oats and just used old fashioned oats.
For winter months, warm/hot oatmeal is nice, but for summer this version is good!
I'm making this again using this Almond Coconut milk (which a reader, Marisa, told me was good)...you know it's gonna be just as good!
Went back to Palama Market to try their meat jun bento.
The meat jun was lightly seasoned with soy, sugar and some sesame oil. It came with 2 fried mandoo (potstickers), broccoli rabe (rapini), cabbage and some sour kim chee (blah!).
Everything was good (except for that kim chee).
Way too much rice for me, lots of veggies and only US$5.50 + tax, a price you can't really find nowadays....true "cheap eats".