Word combat is everywhere - especially in politics and business. Put the right words and phrases together and you control the story, or even win the election or turn your newest product into the next sensation. There is much at stake where wordplay is concerned.
Politically, republicans are better at this than democrats. (For the record, I'm a lifelong registered independent.) Democrats tend to be policy wonks offering professorial explanations of their policy positions. Republicans are more issue- and talking-point driven, more focused on word choice. Republicans also have a knack for boiling their positions down to simple principles.
A good example if the estate tax. The republicans hate it because it falls in a big way on the rich, a key component of their voter base. So they reframed the discussion by rebranding the levy the "death tax" - the implication being that the feds even tax you for dying. An appalling, if misleading, notion to everyday people. The strategy is working. The "death tax" was temporarily killed in 2009 and is currently not in effect, though it is scheduled to make a Lazarus-like comeback in 2011. The battle will rage on.
When democrats protested big tax cuts for the rich while the middle class got modest reductions, GOP members accused their rivals of promoting "class warfare," pitting Americans against one another. They made democrats look like troublemakers.
When assistance is extended to the poor republicans tag it "wealth redistribution," an allusion to socialism, which some claim is the democrats' secret agenda. Republicans have also got lots of mileage using the phrase "government takeover," particularly since President Obama was elected and went to work on health-care reform and new regulations for the financial industry.
Not that the democrats don't score their own points with word combat. Bob Dole's ill-fated run for president against Bill Clinton was sunk in part by the Clinton campaign's repetitive claims that the Dole platform included a "tax scheme" that would "blow a hole in the budget." People don't like schemes. It's a pejorative word that reminds them of Ponzi schemes and other fraudulent acts of financial betrayal. No one wants to be associated with that.
While running for president, Barack Obama made allusions to John McCain's age and potential for declining mental agility by constantly referring to McCain as "erratic," particularly after he had flip-flopped on a couple of his positions.
Democrats also scored big when they told voters that the "limousines are circling the White House" in an attempt by the rich to get the executive branch to veto legislation that would have made incursions into their bank accounts. That was a particularly visual reference, which always adds extra power.
All of those are examples of using the language in ways that increase the blow being delivered, to convey negativity. But even more often language is obfuscated or reframed to soften the impact of an organization's actions.
The military speaks of "collateral damage" rather than saying they accidentally "killed innocent people." It's simply too ugly, and too likely to turn the American populace against military action.
During the 1980s business quit using the word "fired" in favor of the more neutral "downsizing." Then they took it a step further by calling it "rightsizing," as if firing people was actually the right thing to do under the circumstances. The list goes on and on. No doubt you have a few of your favorites. The lesson is to choose your words carefully. They have power. They can spell victory or defeat.
Mike Consol is president of http://www.MikeConsol.com which provides corporate training seminars that teach verbal communication/presentation skills, business writing skills, and PowerPoint presentation skills. Consol spent 17 years with American City Business Journals, the nation's largest publisher of metropolitan business journals with 40 weekly newspapers across the United States.
Book marketing experts know that authors who get excited about landing an interview may lose sight of the goal, which is not to gain media interviews, but to sell their books, their products, their services or their point of view. And it's sad, but true that an interview does not automatically generate sales. Effective interviews generate sales; ineffective interviews merely produce entertaining or idle talk.
The author who can generate sales from a television or radio interview is the author who knows how to communicate to any audience listening to that show. A book, a product or a point of view is sold when one listener "connects" with the guest because there is recognition of a common want, need or experience. Multiply those clicks of recognition and you multiply sales.
But, just the act of writing and publishing a book, a product, a service or a point of view does not successfully bring you to this point. There are steps to take.
The first step is Publicity; you need exposure; you need press releases, newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews and guest spots on Nationally Syndicated and local talk shows all over the country. Now you are out there. All dressed up and now what! Oops, now you have to be in front of an audience and talk and you now get your first interview!!!
And you prepare yourself. Of course you know that an interview is an acquired skill. It is a process with a strategy working toward a fixed finish line. You have to create your message in a way that is real for your audiences. They have to see and feel themselves in what you say. You now have to say it in a way that the audience can relate to, a way that allows your audience to experience themselves in your interview message. You now speak to your audience, "one person at a time" and to think of your interview as an intimate conversation with a friend and not a lecture to thousands. You speak to your audience…not at them and learn to always make sure that the effect or the result of your message will match the intent you have going in. You now go into an interview prepared for any question and be armed with the ability to bridge back to message no matter what is presented to you. Your audience is there to be informed. They are there to be persuaded and most of all to be entertained… if you don't, you will be talking to an empty microphone. And always, always leave them "wanting more".
Michael Dresser's Communication Training will give you, the authors or the experts, the skills to learn how to use the media, and how to effectively convey your message. You will learn how to leverage interviews to create book sales, how to feel more comfortable on the air and how to relieve the stress and anxiety that can come with interviews. The secrets behind creating effective presentations whether it is on radio, television or a live venue are available and learnable. The consultation is free…the knowledge is invaluable!
· Don't bury your message in entertaining talk.
· Always leave your audience wanting more!
It's a common dilemma. You have a really important document to write and the deadline is looming. You sit down at your computer to write it and - guess what - you're completely at a loss where to begin.
It's not as if your manager has suddenly sprung this task upon you or that you haven't given it any thought at all. In fact, you've proactively allocated time to write it, but you're already struggling and you haven't written a word yet.
There are two main causes of writer's block: fear and lack of information.
Let's deal with the fear factor first. People often approach putting finger to keyboard with trepidation - as if somehow once your words are on the computer screen they are cast in stone. Far from it. If you approach a writing task with the idea that it's better to get something on screen than not to write a single word, then you're likely to make some progress. It doesn't matter if what you write isn't perfect first time. You can always play with it later (although of course it always pays to plan your work; see 'practical tips for kick-starting your writing' below).
It's far better to get an imperfect report written today than to delay for another six weeks to achieve what you consider to be perfection. By then you'll have infuriated your manager, spent more time than necessary writing (and rewriting) and potentially lost the business.
It may be that you simply don't know what to write, because you don't have all the information you need. So go out and find it.
If this kind of formal approach isn't for you, then simply ask some of your readers - or those close to them - some targeted questions. Often the responses you get may help to cristallise the issue for you and get to the heart of your document.
Make sure you've thought through your subject matter thoroughly. Brainstorm all the ideas and information you know already and then highlight where you need to do some more research.
But don't forage for information unnecessarily. You may be over-complicating the issue and you could tie yourself up in knots.
Once you've worked out what's preventing you from writing and have filled any information gaps, you're ready to get going. Here are a few pointers to get you started.
* Write a rough plan. This helps separate your thinking from your writing and creates a logical structure for your document. It's also a great way to ease yourself into the actual writing.
* Do something different. Sometimes if you sit in front of your computer scratching your head for too long, you'll simply confuse yourself more and increase your frustration. So make yourself a cup of tea, have a chat with a colleague, even pop out for ten minutes if you can. It's amazing how a change of scenery can refresh your thought process. Who knows, while you're away from your computer, you might even get a flash of inspiration about how to start your document. Time out also helps to get you into 'action mode' for once you return.
* Set a time to start writing and stick to it, whatever happens. As this time approaches, you should feel a sense of anticipation and be ready to get going.
* Think about your intro. Often it's the first paragraph of a document that's the most difficult to write. So if you can think of an engaging way to start your writing, for example, using a historical info that contrasts what used to happen last year or last decade with what's happening now, that will kick-start the rest of your document. It will also grab your reader's attention and encourage them to stick with you.
* Impose a time limit on your writing. This usually works if all the above have failed. Say to yourself, I'll write for five minutes - and five minutes only. How bad can five minutes be, after all?
This method is amazingly effective, because often people speed up their writing and get into the 'flow' just as their five-minute limit is approaching - which obviously stands you in good stead for writing the rest of the document.
You need to be honest with yourself, however, if this method is going to work. Stop writing after five minutes if you're not getting into it and set another time to write for another five minutes. It won't take many more five-minute sessions before your writing truly starts to flow. We promise.
Emphasis is the UK's leading organisation dedicated solely to business writing training and consultancy.
For more information visit: http://www.writing-skills.com today.
Rob Ashton is Chief Executive of Emphasis. Emphasis is the UK's leading organisation dedicated solely to business writing training and consultancy. As the leading business writing company in the UK, their trainers and business writing consultants provide adept, in-company writing training and consultancy to a huge range of private and public-sector organisations.
"Most everyone will agree that the getting started part is the most challenging stage in the writing process. First paragraphs, first thoughts, and first sentences are almost never the final ones that appear in your published manuscript. As you begin the writing process, it's important to remain patient while maintaining vigilance and focus. Your dedication will pay off in the end.
As you sit down with paper and pen in hand, think about your writing goals. Why are you writing, what are you writing about, and who is your audience? While you're tapping out words on your laptop, write to document your persuasions, your discoveries, your beliefs, and your greatest ideas. Write to influence, to inform, and to persuade.
While you're brainstorming your first book, I have a few suggestions to help get the creative juices flowing. Take a piece of paper and answer the questions listed below. Your answers will show what topics you should focus on as you write.
- What do you think about?
- What do you talk about the most?
- What challenges have you overcome in life?
- What problems you have solved?
- What topics do you know well?
- What is God speaking to you about?
Are you excited about influencing children, restoration, faith, love, music, or marriage? What subject do you think about the most? Every author should write a book on his primary focus.
If you could talk to anybody about one thing, what would it be about? If you have five minutes left on the earth and you could talk about one thing, what would it be? This subject that you are passionate about is what you should write about.
Always type your document - handwritten work is not acceptable.
Make sure you use a single, clear serif font such as Courier or Courier New rather than Arial.
The font size should be 12 point - not smaller or larger.
Use double spacing - size two.
Use only black text on a white background. Any other colours will make your text harder to read and will also look unprofessional.
Many people submit their work electronically via email, but if you are printing out your manuscript, ensure you use good quality paper and only print on one side of each sheet.
Make sure your name and contact details are at the top of the first page on the left hand side. Include the word count also (make sure this is accurate) at the top right hand side and put the title of your work half-way down the page in the centre. You need to write your name underneath the title. Then commence the document.
If you use a pseudonym, write it beneath the title but keep your real name in the top left hand side of the first page.
Ensure that your name, the document's title and page number (in that order) are on each subsequent page as right-justified headers. If the title of your work is long, you can usually just use a key word or two from the title instead of repeating it in full.
All paragraphs must be left-justified and all right margins must remain unjustified.
There needs to be a least a two centimetre margin all the way around your text. This is so that annotations can be written on the printed out copy.
Do not insert any extra lines between your paragraphs - you want your text to be clear and easy to read.
Indent the first line of each paragraph by one centimetre.
If you wish to indicate a blank line in your text, insert the blank line and then add a further line with the # (hash) character in the middle. Then follow this with another blank line.
Do not use any bold or italic fonts. To emphasise a piece of text you should underline it instead. Do not use any other unusual formatting.
Insert the word "End" after your text. Place it centred on a separate line.
Do not staple your pages together if you are submitting your work on paper. Ensure you package your work sufficiently so that it doesn't arrive at the agents or publishers crumpled and damaged.
Agents and publishers receive many manuscripts each week. Competition is high and can be made worse if you send your work to an agent or publisher that does not handle your niche of writing. For example, you would not send a science fiction or romance story to a publishing house well known for its historical publications. Make sure you research agents and publishers thoroughly.
Once you have selected your potential agent or publisher, check whether there are any specific formatting requirements for manuscripts for their particular market. If they state "standard manuscript format", this guideline can be followed.
Always, always, proofread your work before submitting it! Spelling errors and unnoticed word omissions or sloppy grammar could seriously hinder your literary ambitions.
The suppressed, honor physics student within me stirred as I began to read Wondering About. Strumfels provided an engaging perspective regarding science, philosophy, and our involvement in this concoction known as life.I don't agree with all of Strumfels' conclusions.However, I enjoyed the stimulation of thought and found myself adjusting some personal beliefs.Questioning what you believe is a surefire method for solidifying one's resolve.
Strumfels encourages us to return to the curiosity of our youth.Regardless of your preferred area of scientific study, you will find something to enjoy in this smorgasbord of analysis and rhetoric.The content includes imaginative prose covering organic chemistry, astrophysics, quantum mechanics, philosophy, and even forecasting what might be.While the material is dense, you will most certainly make discoveries that will rekindle fascination and wonder heretofore dormant within your mind.
Like Strumfels, my discovery of and interest in the sciences began at a young age.Strumfels' curiosity continues.At one time I was going to pursue a career in electrical engineering.My life took a different path.Strumfels has renewed my passion for and curiosity with the plethora of paths to pursue that is science.It is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and forget the magnificence surrounding us.
David reminds us. Only 100 years ago, mankind was ignorant of things we now take for granted. Very recent scientific discoveries have brought us computers, the internet, atomic power, jet travel, space travel, and the eradication of disease.We can't help but wonder how the discovery of DNA alone will affect the next 100 years.What a privilege to wander with David through this tome of science, philosophy, and humanity sure to be enjoyed by student and professor alike.
The product description mentions David's battle with Asperger Syndrome. While I don't discount the reality of this condition, I choose to believe David has maintained an innocent awareness of the world around him others have abandoned for inanity. I challenge you to meander through the pages of Wondering About and the unusual mind of David Strumfels.
Occasionally, writers suffer from what I call "writing pauses," which can be both annoying and frustrating. Note that I don't call them writing "breaks," which has a more permanent feeling to the term, as in a complete stop of writing efforts. I call them pauses because they are temporary. The challenges that cause the pauses must be dealt with and will be eventually overcome, but understanding the pauses can help you, the writer, get through them more easily.
Writing pauses are the result of external forces in a writer's life, ones over which the writer has little or no control. An otherwise productive writing time with great momentum can suddenly come to a crashing halt for any number of reasons.
Maybe you must suddenly move, requiring time to pack and move rather than write. The energy focus has shifted, and writing is not included in that focus. Or perhaps you must take care of an ill or injured loved one. Or maybe the 9-5 job suddenly demands weekends and evenings to complete the work, eliminating your usually sacred writing time.
Or maybe your home or family is involved in some natural disaster. Let's face it: when your house is under water or in rubble around your feet, you're probably not thinking about writing your next article or chapter for which you have a book contract although your writer's mind will send you ideas saying, "This could make a great article, if I survive it." But then, you might sneak in a few hours of writing as a relief from the overwhelming events in your present reality, just to save your sanity.
A writing pause is NOT writer's block or any other internally generated work stoppage. Nor are the pauses voluntary; they must be endured until the challenges can be overcome and writing resumed.
The first action you can take is to determine the percentage of time taken, the severity and estimated duration of the writing pause. Does this challenge require a full time effort, or can you sandwich some writing time in among the required tasks? Will the challenge take a few days at most to solve, or are you looking at weeks or months? If it will be a short, tolerable pause, you can accept it and deal with the challenges at hand, knowing you'll return to your writing soon.
If, however, the pause may be a longer duration, you can take other actions. First, ask yourself if you can eliminate or delegate any of the tasks required in dealing with the challenge. See if you can free up even a few hours a week to write: these few hours may save your sanity.
Second, if you can't free up any time at all, which is understandable in some situations, especially if the challenge is emotionally exhausting, then you need to simply accept the idea that your writing will be on hold for a while. Once you stop struggling against the writing pause and take care of the challenge you are facing, you will have one less frustration to cloud your mind.
In the meantime, set up a file folder, computer file, or shoebox for notes of ideas you receive during this down time. Write out the idea and date the page, then slip it into your filing system, to be dealt with when you return to your writing. You can then evaluate these stray ideas for their value and usefulness, and you won't have lost them forever.
One last idea - an important one - is that you should not beat yourself up about not writing during a writing pause. The challenges faced are usually not of your making, but you must participate and overcome them to return your life to as near normal as possible, so you can return to your writing.
When (not if) you are confronted with one of these writing pauses, stop and evaluate the situation and give yourself permission to stop writing until the challenge is resolved. Then return to your writing with new experiences to use in your work. Remember, everything can be used in your writing. Everything.


Our Australian call centre agents are professional, mature and experienced. With one of the highest staff retention rates in the industry, we have created a stable, high-performing team that delivers consistent results for our clients. Many of our agents have been with us for several years and our clients have confidence we can deliver results over the long term.
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If you have a great phone manner and love talking to people, this could be the perfect career for you. We provide full sales training and support to ensure you are successful in achieving great results and we recognise and reward our agents for their contribution to the success of the company.
We are always looking for outgoing and talented people with a positive attitude to join our team of call centre agents. Please get in touch if you would like to join us.


text:
var Box2D = require('box2dweb-commonjs').Box2D;
var constants = require('./../../../base/constants');

// Aliases
var b2Vec2 = Box2D.Common.Math.b2Vec2;
var b2PolygonShape = Box2D.Collision.Shapes.b2PolygonShape;
var b2FixtureDef = Box2D.Dynamics.b2FixtureDef;

/**
 * Provides a whisker sensor that returns a high (1) value
 * on contact and low (0) otherwise
 * @class Whisker
 * @namespace Sensors.Base.Pressure
 * @constructor
 * @param {Object} agentObject The Agent object the sensor will
 * be attached to
 * @param {Object} specs Contains the specifications of the
 * sensor. The mandatory fields are:
 *
 *   - id: Identifier to store the sensor value
 *   - pos_x: x offset from the main body center
 *   - pos_y: y offset from the main body center
 *   - angle: angle with the main body
 *   - width: width of the sensor
 *   - height: height of the sensor
 */
function Whisker(agentObject, specs) {
  var sensorId, posX, posY, angle, width, height, whiskerShape;

  // Sensor specs
  sensorId = specs.id;
  posX     = specs.pos_x;
  posY     = specs.pos_y;
  angle    = specs.angle;
  width    = specs.width;
  height   = specs.height;

  whiskerShape = new b2PolygonShape();
  whiskerShape.SetAsOrientedBox(height, width, new b2Vec2(posX, posY), angle);
  whisker = new b2FixtureDef();

  whisker.shape = whiskerShape;
  whisker.isSensor = true;
  whisker.userData = {
    onBeginContact: function() {
      agentObject.setSensor(sensorId, 1);
    },
    onEndContact: function() {
      agentObject.setSensor(sensorId, 0);
    }
  };

  // Initial value
  agentObject.setSensor(sensorId, 0);

  // Static objects only
  whisker.filter.maskBits = constants.MAP_OBJECT;

  agentObject.body.CreateFixture(whisker);
}

module.exports = Whisker;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
(Laura Collin-Hughes's article appeared in The New York Times, 1/6; via Pam Green. In a Broadway production of "Our Town," Helen Hunt, right, played Emily Webb with Jason Gedrick, left, as George Gibbs and Don Ameche as the Stage Manager.Credit…Brigitte Lacombe, via Lincoln Center Theater.)
With a history of the Thornton Wilder classic coming soon, we talk with performers who found personal inspiration in the play's beating heart.
Life is a quiet affair in Grover's Corners, N.H. Its citizens don't do drama or fuss. But Thornton Wilder's "Our Town," set amid the mountains there, is no folksy paean to simplicity. It's a boldly experimental play about the beauty of the everyday, and human beings' tragic propensity to look right past that.
When that realization lands, late and joltingly, it arrives by way of a character we may have underestimated: Emily Webb, the brainy daughter of the town's newspaper editor. She vows that she'll make speeches all her life, then falls in love with George Gibbs, the boy next door. If the storytelling Stage Manager is the play's marquee role, Emily is its beating heart — and a rare complex canonical part for young actresses just starting out.
After "Our Town" made its premiere on Jan. 22, 1938, at the McCarter Theater in Princeton, N.J., it swiftly moved to Broadway, and won that year's Pulitzer Prize for drama. In the decades since, it has gained a reputation for fusty sentimentality, a misperception that Howard Sherman's new oral history, "Another Day's Begun: Thornton Wilder's 'Our Town' in the 21st Century" (out Jan. 28 from Methuen Drama), debunks through discussion of a dozen productions.
The New York Times chatted recently with eight actors who have played Emily: on Broadway and Off, in London and regional productions — two of them bi- or multilingual. Lois Smith, now 90, did "Our Town" a mere dozen years after its debut, on a college stage. Their thoughts on the role suggest just how capacious Grover's Corners can be. These are edited excerpts from those conversations.
posted in Commentary, Current Affairs, History
← HERE ANNOUNCES IN-PERSON AND ONLINE PROGRAMMING FOR WINTER AND SPRING 2021 BELARUS THREATENS TO KILL TWO UK DISSIDENTS →

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I'm glad you could stop by to check out some fall tablescapes. These are Simple and Easy Festive Fall Tablescapes perfect for the season!
The tablescapes above are from my friend Janine over at Happy Happy Nester with her festive autumn table. Candles white pumpkins and those cool Orange lumpy pumpkins are my favorite kinds! Using candles always does the trick to warm up a space. She styled this so perfectly. Now I'm ready to come on over for some tasty dinner!
Now doesn't this look cozy? Ashley at Modern Glam styled her autumn table with colorful pumpkins. Do you see those cute napkins that say yum? oh my word!! She has some great tips to get this same, simple but gorgeous look! Be sure to check her out!
This is one of my favorite Fall tablescapes I have created. It is simple and light, but still gives a simple Fall look. Be sure to pin this for later.
Liz Marie has this stunning Fall table! This rustic garden look is simple and is very in season. Just simply lay some moss out and layer your pots with greenery and pumpkins.
Leslie at My Hundred Year Old Home has a lovely table setting for Fall! The tall centerpiece adds drama to the space with just a few white pumpkins. The China plates help create a look for autumn that is cozy and inviting.
Dining outdoors is one of my favorite things about fall. Our weather is warm during the day and gets chilly at night so having company is so fun. I am often asked about bugs and I can say that living out here in the PNW really doesn't have a bug problem.
I love this table that Dreaming of Home Making made! It makes me ready for the Fall weather and all the pumpkins! These pumpkins she added to the table are amazing. The burlap adds that farmhouse touch.
Pumpkins always work for making the home more festive! My Vintage Porch does a wonderful job at decorating her home for Autumn. I love the metallic pumpkins she added to her table, they really pop!
Here is one of this seasons Fall table spaces that I created for company. You can check out my Instagram for all the craziness that goes on here at HallstromHome! and stayed tuned in for next week to see all the fun we had on this tablescape!
I also want to include my friend Kim at Todays Creative Life where she shows how to create this EASY Fall Table Decor! Aren't all these pumpkins so fun to create for a autumn/fall vibe.
Great choices of fall tables, Rhonda!!! I always love your tables and I'm swooning over here over your outdoor table decor! Can you come over and help me, girl I need a ton of help.
Im glad you could join in! Thanks it means a lo. I would love to come visit!!
Oh my gosh, there are so many great tablescape ideas on your post. Thanks so much for sharing.


For another taste of our Fall 2016 issue before it flies on 9/22, here's "artemis," one of five sizzling poems in the issue written by the incomparable Monica Lewis. To read all five– plus poetry & prose by 15 more of the planet's flappiest writers– you can buy a digital (PDF) copy of FLAPPERHOUSE #11 for $3US, or a paper copy for $6US.
a goddess to earth – one incapable of ever splitting herself into two.
MONICA LEWIS lives in Brooklyn, New York and holds an MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts. Her fiction and nonfiction appear or are forthcoming in The James Franco Review, The Margins,and Bird's Thumb, and her poetry in Rust + Moth, The Boiler Journal, Yes, Poetry, Breadcrumbs, the Shade Journal, among others. She is a VONA/Voices alumna and an assistant editor for NOON.


text:
Sesamum radiatum Schumach. & Thonn.
by Ms. Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas
Sesamum radiatum
Black Sesame
Naturalized
Ms. Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas & Dr. Lee Su See
Mr. Abdul Razak Mohd Nor Rasid, Ms. Ajla Rafidah Baharom & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin
Pedaliaceae; Sesamum; radiatum; bijan;
Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas (2016, October). Sesamum radiatum Schumach. & Thonn.. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://www.mybis.gov.my/art/159.
Sesamum radiatum Schumach. & Thonn. is a flowering plant that belongs to the family Pedaliaceae and is the same genus as sesame (S. indicum), known in Malay as bijan. Sesamum is derived from the Greek word sesamon while radiatum is coined from the Latin word radiare meaning radiating which refers to the straight ribs that radiate from the centre of the seed. The species has its origins in Africa (Bedigian, 2004) and is reported to be distributed in Malesia from Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak). In Malaysia, this species was first recorded in 1885 from Melaka. It appears to have been naturalized, as has occurred with S. indicum throughout Peninsular Malaysia (Yao, 2010).
Commonly known as Black sesame, Black benniseed and English wild benniseed (Burkill, 1985), S. radiatum is a hairy erect herbaceous plant that can grow to 1.2 m tall. The leaves are simple, opposite, mainly ovate, deep green in colour with sunken veins on the upper surface that are alternately arranged towards the top of the plant. The petioles are about 0.5–3.4 cm long. The bell-shaped flower has a pink to purplish corolla, sometimes white, produced solitarily at the leaf axils and measure up to 3.0 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. The fruit is cylindrical, erect and dull green, up to 3.2 cm long and contains brown or black seeds roughly 3.0 mm long and 2.0 mm wide (Yao, 2010).
In Peninsular Malaysia, this species can be found at roadsides and in abandoned tin mining areas. The plants are usually overrun by ants, probably attracted by the extra-floral nectaries. It leaves a strong foetid smell when crushed (Yao, 2010). Sesamum radiatum resembles S. indicum in habit, but it can be distinguished by its testa structure which has sub-horizontal ribs compared to smooth reticulate ornamentation in the latter.
Most people in Malaysia do not know the uses of this species. It is one of the many neglected and underutilized leafy vegetables despite its numerous nutritional benefits. Sesamum radiatum with its high protein, vitamin and mineral content can be a good supplement to the predominantly starchy diets of the people of the tropics. It also has several medicinal and cosmetic uses.
Burkill, H.M. (1985). The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Volume 4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom. pp. 969.
Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004). Vegetables: Plant Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA), Volume 2. PROTA Foundation, Netherlands. pp. 465-467.
Kiew, R., Chung, R.C.K., Saw, L.G., Soepadmo, E. & Boyce, P.C. (2010). Flora of Peninsular Malaysia, Series II: Seed Plants, Volume 1. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Malaysia. pp. 329.
Updated by Mr. Abdul Razak Mohd Nor Rasid, Ms. Ajla Rafidah Baharom & Mr. Yasser Mohamed Arifin. Published on October 31, 2016	and latest update on October 31, 2016 • 1802 views
Keyword :- Pedaliaceae; Sesamum; radiatum; bijan;
Citation:- Nurfarhana Hizan Binti Hijas (2016, October). Sesamum radiatum Schumach. & Thonn.. Malaysia Biodiversity Information System (MyBIS). Retrieved January 20, 2020, from https://www.mybis.gov.my/art/159.


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Lithuanian MoD: NATO fighters escorted Russian aircraft over the Baltic five times last week
Tuesday, June 28, 2016 9:21:57 AM
NATO jets escorted Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea on five occasions last week, BaltNews reported with reference to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense.
On June 23rd, NATO fighters escorted a Russian IL-20 cargo plane flying in international airspace from the Kaliningrad exclave. The aircraft was following its flight plan, but its transponder was turned off. A Russian Tu-134 cargo plane was also intercepted on Thursday for the same reason.
On the same day, a Russian Su-27 fighter …
NATO fighters intercepted three Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 10:23:00 AM
Fighters of NATO's air defense mission in the Baltic states have intercepted three Russian military aircraft near the Latvian borders. This was reported by the Latvian National Armed Forces via Twitter.
"On the 14th of June, jets patrolling the airspace of the Baltic states intercepted two Russian Su-27 aircraft and one AN-26 aircraft near the borders of Latvia. The jets then escorted them over the Baltic Sea," the tweet said.
Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine, and the subsequent …
Financial Times: Poland and the Baltic States plan to create a regional air defense system
Monday, June 13, 2016 10:12:34 AM
The Minister of National Defense of Lithuania, Juozas Olekas, stated in an interview with the Financial Times that Poland and the Baltic States are negotiating the creation of a regional air defense system for protection from Russia.
According to Olekas, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are discussing this initiative in response to the strengthening of Russian military forces in Kaliningrad and on the western borders.
Such an air defense system is expected be commissioned in two to three …
Lavrov: Russia will react to NATO's activities in the Baltic region
Tuesday, June 7, 2016 10:19:00 AM
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Kremlin will take certain measures in response to increased NATO activity in the Baltic region. According to Reuters, he said this at a meeting with Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timo Soini, in Moscow.
Lavrov said this on the same day as NATO's large-scale BALTOPS 16 exercises began. These involve NATO troops landing on Finnish soil for the first time.
"We do not hide our negative attitude towards the fact that NATO is moving their …
NATO exercises begin in the Baltic Sea
Saturday, June 4, 2016 12:22:29 PM
The Naval exercise, BALTOPS 2016, led by NATO started on June 3rd in the southern part of the Baltic Sea near the coasts of Sweden, Denmark and Poland, Delfi.lt reports. BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) exercises have been carried out since 1971. In 2016, training will be held from June 3rd to the 18th. They began on Friday in the Estonian waters of the Baltic Sea.
A total of 50 ships from 18 NATO nations and alliance partners will take part in the maneuvers, as well as 60 aircraft, helicopters and …
NATO Saber Knight exercise begins in Estonia
As reported by ERR, the press-service of the First Infantry Brigade declared that on Monday, May 30th, the Saber Knight international military exercises began in Tapa. More than 600 military personnel are participating.
Staff exercises will continue until the 9th of June. Their main task is to practice planning and conducting military operations in the Baltic states. These exercises will involve readiness to repel an attack from a simulated state called "Botnia," the statement said.
Military …
Media: British soldiers, tanks and artillery will be deployed to the Baltic states
For the first time, British soldiers will be stationed in the three Baltic states within the framework of NATO's new strategy to deter potential aggression from Russia, as reported by The Times, citing sources in the UK Ministry of Defense.
At the NATO summit in Warsaw, Britain will reportedly offer to deploy 1,000 troops as well as tanks and artillery to the Baltic states.
The Alliance's preliminary plan is to deploy 4,000 troops to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The specifics will be …
Visegrad Four Defense Ministers agree that NATO should strengthen its eastern flank
According to Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, the Visegrad Four countries agree that NATO needs to strengthen its eastern border, Radio Polsha reported.
"Strengthening of the eastern flank of NATO should be a priority for the Alliance. The Visegrad countries agree that NATO forces should be placed in Poland and the Baltic countries," Macierewicz said on May 27th after meeting with the defense ministers of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
"Poland has the responsibility for …
NATO 'Saber Strike 2016' exercise begins in the Baltic states
The large-scale NATO exercise Saber Strike 2016 have begun in the Baltic states, which are aimed at improving interaction between member states in a wide range on military operations.
10,000 soldiers from 13 member states and partner countries are participating in the exercise.
As stated on the US Army-Europe's website, "Saber Strike 16 features allied and partner-nation ground forces conducting live-fire, command post, and cyber/electronic warfare training, plus the integration of U.S. close- …
NATO jets were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft 9 times in a week
Last week, aircraft from the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic States were scrambled to identify and escort Russian military aircraft nine times. Estonian daily newspaper Postimees referred to the Estonian Ministry of Defense as their source. On the 16th of May, Russian IL-20s and AN-26s flew in the international airspace over the Baltic Sea towards the Kaliningrad region.
On the 17th of May, fighter jets were scrambled to identify and escort more IL-20's and two Su-27 fighters. The IL-2 …


Urban photo shoot in downtown Albuquerque (New Mexico) with two crazy cats, Dion Jae & Rico Rich.
Need I say we had a fantastic time? Looking back through my blog posts, I find that I always say, "I had a fantastic time" as obviously I love what I have the opportunity to do; however, when you find yourself with two strong characters with engaging personalities, a photo shoot can turn into quite the adventure.
Looking for these guys to hit the local music scene, quite soon.


and can go back further if you wish.
OK. Bear in mind that any info I give looks the most likely match but you would still need to double check it with entries in parish registers etc.
Between 1823 - 1844 there are 9 baptisms listed for children of Francis and Ellen Crowder, all in Mansfield.
Likely marriage for Francis and Ellen BINCH at Mansfield on 13 April 1823.
There was a Francis Crowder bapt to George and Susannah Crowder in Mansfield in 1803 -- the second of 7 children bapt between 1798 - 1819. George was listed a labourer, abode wwest gate, on the last two baptisms. George Crowder m Susannah Best in Mansfield on 24.4.1797.


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Patriots QB Mac Jones called out for 'dirty' ankle twist on Brian Burns
Jon Conahan
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones made a dirty play after being sacked against the Carolina Panthers.
Burns takes down Mac Jones and Luvu recovers
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/htMtFu50P2
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 7, 2021
Jones was sacked and while the play was still happening he turned his body, while on the ground, and pulled a Panthers Defender leg. He grabbed it and pulled it to try to get him back down. This is a play that could cause a severe injury.
The Patriots won this contest. They beat the Panthers 24-6. Mac Jones didn't do anything special. He threw for only 139 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
New England is now only one game behind the Buffalo Bills. The Bills lost a game that they should have never lost, losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Joe Pearson of the Panters reported,
Haason Reddick on Mac Jones' ankle twist on Brian Burns: "I thought it was completely dirty. Hopefully it's something the league addresses."
It's clear that the Carolina Panthers and their players are not too happy about what Jones did. It is tough to tell if Jones was just trying to get him down so he couldn't make a play or if he did it out of pure frustration.
The league will most likely look into this and it's going to be interesting what they say about it. Luckily nobody got hurt during this incident so Mac Jones might get a pass on this one.
JUST IN: 3 Broncos takeaways from shockingly dominant Week 9 win over Cowboys
Related TopicsMac JonesPanthersPatriots


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Wrote best-loved Broadway musicals
Browse Song Catalog: ASCAP
Inductee
1931 2019 Born/Died
1982 Inducted
Wrote "Hello, Dolly" and "Mame", won two Tonys and Kennedy Center Honors (2010)
Jerry Herman first burst upon the Broadway scene as the young creator of music and lyrics for Milk and Honey in 1961, a musical which later was nominated for both a Tony and Grammy Award.
Next came the phenomenal Hello Dolly came next in 1964, resulting not only in a Tony Award but also winning the Variety Awards for Best Composer and Best Lyricist. Louis Armstrong's single record of the title song became one of the most successful ever to come out of a Broadway musical, and Carol Channing's original cast album brought Herman a Gold Record and a Grammy.
Jerry Herman was born in New York City on July 10, 1933. As a child, he taught himself the piano and other instruments and most of his formal musical training happened after his proessional career had already begun. After attending the University of Miami where he studied drama, Herman began playing the piano in cocktail lounges and soon began writing a series of small revues. His first successs came in 1958 with a revue called Nightcap.
Following the success of Dolly, Herman was asked to to musicalize the Lawrence and Lee play, "Auntie Mame." The play starred a then-unknown Angela Lansbury whose career would catapult with the help of Herman's score. Mame won another Variety Award for Best Lyricist, another Gold Record and another Grammy for himself.
The show, Dear World, in 1969, won Angela Lansbury her second Tony Award in a Herman musical and made Herman the only composer-lyricist to ever have three productions running simultaneously on Broadway. Mack and Mabel, starring Robert Preston and Bernadette Peters, his own personal favorite score, opened in 1974, followed by The Grand Tour, with Joel Grey in 1978. Herman also contributed songs to Tommy Tune's A Day in Hollywood, in 1980.
La Cage Aux Folles, which opened at New York's Palace Theater in 1983, broke the all-time box office record at the theater and produced an Outer Critics Circle Award and Tony Award for Best Musical. Herman also won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for Best Score.
In the late-1980's, Jerry's Girls, a revue of Herman's work, began playing on Broadway and in every major American city. Some of the stars who have been spotlighted in this wonderful compilation of Herman's hit music are Carol Channing, Leslie Uggams, Chita Rivera, Dorothy Loudon, Andrea McArdle and Jo Anne Worley.
Scroll to Discover Jerry Herman Connections
Alan Bergman Anthony Newley Bobby Darin Charles Strouse Cy Coleman George M. Cohan Lee Adams Leslie Bricusse Marilyn Bergman Alan Bergman Anthony Newley Bobby Darin Charles Strouse Cy Coleman George M. Cohan Lee Adams Leslie Bricusse Marilyn Bergman
Buy Sheet Music by
Jerry Herman at:


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REVIEW: Mean Girls @ The Academy Of Music
Mean Girls, the 2004 smash teen romcom written by Upper Darby's Tina Fey and starring pre-demise Lyndsey Lohan, is a cautionary tale of a teen's need for validation in order to compete in the perpetual popularity contest that is high school. It's the story of Cady Heron, who just transferred to North Shore High after growing up in Kenya. Because she was homeschooled for the first 16 years of her life, Cady lacks the social skills it takes to fit in at her new school. Mercifully, two high school outcasts, Janice and Damien, befriend her. Janice and Damien's sworn enemies are a clique of cruel but glamorous girls — Regina George, Karen Smith, and Gretchen Wieners — they call "The Plastics."
When Regina makes an insincere overture of friendship to Cady, Janice and Damien sense an opportunity to divide and conquer from within and insists that Cady join their clique. Cady agrees to Janice and Damien's sabotage plan, but seduced by the social perks and privileges of being in The Plastics she switches allegiance to the titular mean girls. She pretends to be dumb––despite being quite the mathmatician — to impress Aaron Samules, Regina George's off-limits ex-boyfriend. Predictably, Regina decides she wants back when she finds out Cady has a crush on him.
Regina and Cady go back and forth from one tortuous plot to the next trying to deceive one another. Cady tries to make Regina fat, Regina makes out with Aaron Samuels in front of Cady––you get the idea. Infuriated by Cady's rise to high school fame, Regina shares her "Burn Book" with the school principal. The book includes insulting lines about nearly every female at North Shore High, including the allegation that Cady's favorite math teacher, Ms. Norbury, is a "drug pusher," provoking a full-on catfight.
An assembly is called, and Ms. Norbury demands that all of these women must unify and apologize to one another. It doesn't go well, and Regina storms out of the school, followed by Cady who tries to apologize. Distracted by the torrent of insults she is hurling at Cady, Regina is hit by a bus. Feeling guilty, Cady takes full responsibility for the burn book and is suspended and banned from North Shore's momentous Spring Fling. Upon Cady's return to school, Ms. Norbury decides her personal punishment for Cady will be forcing her to join the mathletes for finals, and she wins it for the team––because everybody loves a happy ending. It's probably no coincidence that Spring Fling falls on the same night as the mathletes' finals. Grateful to Cady for the win, Ms. Norbury pulls some strings and gets Cady into the dance where she is crowned Spring Fling Queen. Her acceptance speech is wise and mature beyond her years. To show the worth of each and every self-conscious/self-loathing girl in the room, Cady breaks her crown into pieces and dispenses a piece to each girl while explaining why their lives matter.
Fast forward 15 years, and Mean Girls is now a stage musical that had its premiere last night at the Academy Of Music. Everything is pretty much the same as the movie, except there's this thing called social media that is making everyone's lives worse– spreading rumors, sowing chaos, and creating unrealistic expectations of perfect, airbrushed lives. Nevertheless, everyone breaks into song and dance at every chance imaginable. The choreography and set changes are seamless, but chopped into song and dance numbers the plot is hard to follow, even for someone like me who has seen the film more times than I care to admit.
As with the movie, the supporting cast steals the show. Damien (Eric Huffman, the "too gay to function" best friend of Janice, is hysterical. Karen Smith (Jonalyn Saxer), one of The Plastics, is equally as hysterical with her stupidity and bluntness. And Ms. Norbury – played by Tina Fey in the movie and Gaelen Gilliland in the musical – has some of the best quips, as does North Shore High School's Principal Duvall.
My only other complaint is the musical's messaging seems tad heavy-handed compared to the light, but no less pointed, touch of the film. By the end of the film, it feels like you've just watched Tina Fey poking fun at the awfulness that is teenhood with just the right ratio of snark and tar-black humor. The Broadway version feels like a highly professional high school musical that's trying a little too hard to teach you a lesson. Still, the nostalgia factor was a blast, and Tuesday night the Academy of Music was packed with females who were teens and tweens of 2004 reliving the cringe-worthy but life-defining melodramatics of high school rendered in song.
MEAN GIRLS THE MUSICAL NOW PLAYING @ ACADEMY OF MUSIC THRU DEC. 1
This entry was posted on Thursday, November 21st, 2019	at 2:40 am	and is filed under News	. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
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The judge's decision lets MWRD continue with its proposed timeline for building reservoirs that would store stormwater and sewage overflow. Under the agreement, MWRD shall complete its Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, or "TARP", in 2029 with the completion of construction on the last of the three proposed reservoirs.
MWRD started construction work on TARP in 1975, and has completed work on 109 miles of tunnels, but just one of the three planned reservoirs. The public works project has cost taxpayers more than $3 billion so far.
In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency sued MWRD, alleging the agency's wastewater treatment practices and discharge of pollutants violated the Clean Water Act. MWRD immediately filed the proposed consent decree setting the timeframe for TARP implementation.
Environmental organizations, including the Environmental Law and Policy Center and Natural Resources Defense Council, intervened in the case and requested that a judge reject the consent decree. They argued that MWRD should be required to complete its signature flood-control project prior to 2029 because the Chicago area experiences flooding issues every year.
But Northern District Court of Illinois Judge George M. Marovich wrote that the timeline made sense. "In a world of on-demand movies and text messages, it might seem unreasonable to wait until 2029 for the completion of TARP, but the project is huge and, like Rome, cannot be built in a day," Marovich stated in his ruling.
St. Pierre noted that the ruling specifically lets MWRD advance its green infrastructure projects, as well as review the agency's often-contentious real estate policy.
Environmental groups who intervened in the case are "weighing the options for what to do next," according to Jessica Dexter, a staff attorney at the Environmental Law and Policy Center. Options include a possible appeal, Dexter said.
Dexter explained that the district's current plans provide inadequate safeguards against flooding prior to 2029, adding that MWRD could develop a better green infrastructure plan to deal with stormwater runoff.
According to St. Pierre, MWRD is in the formative stages of green infrastructure projects on the Chicago and Calumet rivers and is developing a partnership with the City of Chicago to work on the initiatives. Asked to give an example of a possible green infrastructure project, St. Pierre mentioned putting in new asphalt at Chicago Public School playgrounds.


I've given birth as promised (welcome Morgann Rose!), so I can't make any short-term promises regarding when I will get books back to people, or when I can have a not-yet-reviewed available book ready for trade. Therefore, no further requests for trades, ABCKs (they aren't random if they're requests, right?), etc. I need to catch up with my prior obligations and take some time to set my own reading list. I may on occasion, offer some availables via the fora, but I am not yet willing to assign deadlines for my TBR holdings.


Smoking is one dreadful habit that could ruin your life to the worst. Given below are a few tips by which you can stop smoking.
The first step is to make a list of reasons on why you wish to stop smoking and keep it with you. Whenever you tempt to light up the stick, think about the list, which you have made. Well, you might like reading books that totally focus on the positive ways by which you can stop smoking. This is one prime example on why smoking is harmful for you and how could be benefited with it.
Plan on a date to stop smoking and when you do, put a full stop to it. Few of the people favor more on the thought of cutting it down slowly but surely. On the other hand, a new study has shown that if you smoke fewer cigarettes in a day than what you do, you are likely to smoke more during the day. If you smoke one or more than that, the levels in the nicotine remain the same. As a result, one best solution is to stop it completely and at once. Be firm in your decision and cut the temptation to smoke.
Give the latest updates to your friends about quitting smoking. Nothing falls first but your family and friends who are always ready to help you when in need. If you are really trying very hard in quitting smoking then try to be with a set of people who motivates you every time. You are the only defender of your own battle. If this habit is hereditary then make those people understand on the hazard effects of smoking and how it could nearly take up one's life. Put your efforts and you will surely succeed in your attempt.
Be conscious of the situations where you know that you will end up smoking. This will make you alert and you will likely refuse to enter that area. With smoking, drinking alcohol too is likely associated at the same time. Begin your day by telling yourself that you will neither smoke nor dink today. Bring a change in your routine for the first few days. For instance, forget about hitting the pub with your friends. Replace your drinks with herbal teas like green or lemon. Keep yourself hydrated all the time by sipping at least 2 to 3 liters of water every day. Fruit juices too are a way to boost your health and regain the lost energy in you.
Do not work with much stress as this can make one's life go haywire and this could even attack an individual's life to the worst. If out of stress you tend to burn the stick then this could have an adverse effect on your lifestyle. Well if you face major problem with this, you must not feel embarrass but talk with your family members instead to find a solution. Lighting up the cigarette stick is not the only solution left to you when it comes to cutting down the stress levels.
Exercise enough. Many health experts say that fifteen minutes of brisk walking in any time of the day, ten minutes of cycling or a jog can be very fruitful in helping you quit smoking. It is said that doing this, changes in the brain activity caused by physical exercise can lend a hand in not falling for the temptation of smoking cigarettes. Even though it is still not clear but daily workouts uplifts the mood that reduces the craving of burning a cigarette stick.


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Delicious Steamed Asparagus Recipe
Before we get to the recipe of preparing a Steamed Asparagus, let us first see what an Asparagus is and also some of its benefits.
What is Asparagus?
Asparagus is known by various terms like garden asparagus or sparrow grass.
It is nothing but a perennial flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus.
Its young shoots are used as spring vegetable. These are the same types of shoots that we are going to use in our recipe.
Asparagus has around 300 species and most of them are long-living perennial plants understory similar to liana, bushes or climbing plants. Some other members of the genus , such as asparagus densiflorus, are grown as ornamental plants.
Asparagus also grows flowers which are bell shaped and are greenish white to yellowish in color.
The fruit is small, berry like and comes in red color. This fruit is said to be poisonous for humans.
Some Scientific Facts
Plants that are native to the western coast of Europe are treated as asparagus officinalis subsp. prostratus corb.
Asparagus has been used as a vegetable given to its distinct flavor, and in medicine due to its diuretic properties and its purported function as an aphrodisiac.
How Is Asparagus Eaten In Other Countries?
In the ancient times, it was also known in Syria and Spain. Greeks and Romans ate it fresh when in season and stored and dried the vegetable for use in winter.
Roman Epicureans froze its sprouts high in the alps for the Feast of Epicurus.
Why Young Shoots Of Plant Is Important?
The young shoots of the plant has the finest texture palatable and least bitter taste.
But as the plant grows more mature and begins to branch, it becomes too bitter to be considered as palatable. Only the young shoots are eaten, once the buds start to open, the shoots quickly turn woody.
Some Nutrition Information
About 93% of the asparagus is composed of water. So it is very good for hydration purpose.
Asparagus is also low in calories and very low in sodium.
It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamine, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, potassium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, and selenium, as well as in chromium too.
Some Ways To Prepare Asparagus?
Shoots of Asparagus are prepared in various ways all over the world.
Asparagus is also used as an appetizer or vegetable side dish.
Cantonese restaurants often serve stir fried asparagus with chicken, shrimp, or beef.
It can also be grilled, and is also used as one of the ingredient in some stews and soups.
It is also eaten raw, as a part of salad, in the recent years.
Asparagus can also be pickled and stored for several years which is also labelled as marinated.
How is Steamed Asparagus Beneficial To Your Health?
Eating steamed food is good for your health.
We all are aware of the various cooking methods like, grilling, frying and etc., usage of these methods to cook our food does make it tasty but all the nutrition, the vitamins and the minerals that the food is supposed to give are lost.
Steaming ensures that these vitamins and minerals are not lost and the food still contains them and remains healthy.
It keeps the food fat-free and so is also advised by dietitians.
That's the reason why steamed asparagus is considered as one of the most healthiest food all over the world.
Now, as you have become aware of Asparagus and it's nutrition values, let us start with our recipe.
How To Make Steamed Asparagus?
Recipe 1
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 15 Minutes
1 bunch asparagus spears
So, now let's discuss the steps involved in making this amazing dish:
Step 1: Place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Add salt and butter, and bring it to a boil.
Step 2: Trim the dry end off of the Asparagus. Place them in the top half of the steamer pan set. Steam for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Steam until it becomes tender.
That's It! You have made the perfect steamed asparagus.
Pro tip: The bottom portion of the asparagus generally contains sand and soil particles, so you have to wash it and cleanse thoroughly before cooking.
Now let's look at the second recipe of making steamed asparagus.
This recipe is for those who wish to use micro oven.
1 bunch asparagus
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
Step 1: Clean and cut the Asparagus. Place it in a microwave safe-glass container with a lid. Pour water in it.
Step 2: Roll lemon on a flat surface to release the juices, slice it in half then squeeze each half over the Asparagus. Sprinkle with pepper and garlic powder.
Step 3: Cover container and place in the microwave. Cook until tender-crisp. Drain and let stand before 5 minutes of serving.
It's ready!
How To Identify The Right Stems For Use?
The stem thickness determines the age of the plant. More thicker the stems, more older it.
Older and thicker stems are woody, so you will have to peel the asparagus if it has got thicker stems.
Peeling the asparagus would also help it poach faster. Thinner stems are young and not woody, so you won't need to do the extra work of peeling the Asparagus.
1 pound Asparagus stalks trimmed and peeled
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt (kosher preferred)
Step 1: Pour 1 inch of water in a large saucepan, set upon a collapsible steamer inside. Bring the water to boil, lay the asparagus in the steamer, cover it, and steam until crisp-tender, for about 4-5 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer the asparagus to a heated serving dish, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Step 3: Garnish with lemon and serve immediately.
What To Serve It With?
Top with grated parmesan or pecorino cheese for an elegant flair.
Add slivered toasted almonds for crunch.
Top with feta crumbles for a Mediterranean flair.
Add to a grain bowl with quinoa or farro, and top with tahini sauce.
Serve with sautéed shrimp-like garlic bread shrimp for a quick and easy meal.
Steamed Asparagus
Asparagus is known by various terms like garden asparagus or sparrow grass.It is nothing but a perennial flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus.Its young shoots are used as spring vegetable. These are the same types of shoots that we are going to use in our recipe.
Place water in the bottom half of a steamer pan set. Add salt and butter, and bring it to a boil.
Trim the dry end off of the Asparagus. Place them in the top half of the steamer pan set.
Steam for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness. Steam until it becomes tender.
I hope you loved this recipe. Please share your feedback in the comments section.
Salata Recipe
Hot Water Cornbread
Filed Under: Vegan
Tags: asparagus, steamed asparagus, vegan
The Best Hot Water Cornbread


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Posts Tagged 'War of the Roses
On This Day, 8-22-2008: Althea Gibson
Tags: Althea Gibson, America's Cup, Ann Franklin, Council of Blood, Czechoslovakia, Duke of Alba, Harlem Globetrotters, Huey P Newton, Ion Antonescu, Ireland, Iron Guard, King Carol II, King George III, King Michael, Korea, Mark David Chapman, Michael Collins, Prague, Randy Weaver, Romania, Ruby Ridge, Soviet Union, United States Lawn Tennis Association, War of the Roses
Althea Gibson becomes first African-American on U.S. tennis tour
On this day in 1950, officials of the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) accept Althea Gibson into their annual championship at Forest Hills, New York, making her the first African-American player to compete in a U.S. national tennis competition.
"Althea Gibson becomes first African-American on U.S. tennis tour." 2008. The History Channel website. 22 Aug 2008, 08:22 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=52841.
1485 – The War of the Roses ended with the death of England's King Richard III. He was killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field. His successor was Henry V II.
1567 – The "Council of Blood" was established by the Duke of Alba. This was the beginning of his reign of terror in the Netherlands.
1762 – Ann Franklin became the editor of the Mercury of Newport in Rhode Island. She was the first female editor of an American newspaper.
1775 – The American colonies were proclaimed to be in a state of open rebellion by England's King George III.
1851 – The schooner America outraced the Aurora off the English coast to win a trophy that became known as the America's Cup.
1910 – Japan formally annexed Korea.
1951 – 75,052 people watched the Harlem Globetrotters perform. It was the largest crowd to see a basketball game.
1989 – Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panthers, was shot to death in Oakland, CA. Tyrone Robinson was later convicted and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for the killing.
1990 – Angry smokers blocked a street in Moscow to protest the summer-long cigarette shortage.
1998 – Mark David Chapman said that he did not want any of the money that would be made from the sale of the signed "Double Fantasy" album that John Lennon signed for him the same day he was killed. Chapman was currently serving sentence for the December 8, 1980 murder.
Michael Collins assassinated
Irish revolutionary and Sinn FÉin politician Michael Collins is killed in an ambush in west County Cork, Ireland.
In the early part of the century, Collins joined Sinn FÉin, an Irish political party dedicated to achieving independence for all Ireland. From its inception, the party became the unofficial political wing of militant Irish groups in their struggle to throw off British rule. In 1911, the British Liberal government approved negotiations for Irish Home Rule, but the Conservative Party opposition in Parliament, combined with Ireland's anti-Home Rule factions, defeated the plans. With the outbreak of World War I, the British government delayed further discussion of Irish self-determination, and Collins and other Irish nationalists responded by staging the Easter Rising of 1916.
"Michael Collins assassinated." 2008. The History Channel website. 22 Aug 2008, 08:19 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=5283.
Romania captured by the Soviet Union
On this day in 1944, Soviet forces break through to Jassy, in northeastern Romania, convincing Romania's king to sign an armistice with the Allies and concede control of his country to the USSR.
As early as 1937, Romania had come under control of a fascist government that bore great resemblance to that of Germany's, including similar anti-Jewish laws. Romania's king, Carol II, dissolved the government a year later, but was unable to suppress the fascist Iron Guard paramilitary organization. In June 1940, the Soviet Union co-opted two Romanian provinces, and the king searched for an ally to help protect it and appease the far right within its own borders. So on July 5, 1940, Romania allied itself with Nazi Germany. Later that year, it would be invaded by its "ally" as part of Hitler's strategy to create one huge eastern front against the Soviet Union.
King Carol would abdicate in September 1940, leaving the country in the control of fascist Prime Minister Ion Antonescu and the Iron Guard. While Romania would recapture the territory lost to the Soviet Union when the Germans invaded Russia, it would also have to endure the Germans' raping of its resources as part of the Nazi war effort.
As the war turned against Germany, and the Soviet Union began to run roughshod over Eastern Europe, Antonescu started looking west for allies to save it from Soviet occupation. At this stage, King Michael, son of the late King Carol, emerged from the shadows and had the pro-German Antonescu arrested, imploring Romanians, and loyal military men, to fight with, not against, the invading Soviets. The king would finally sign an armistice with the Allies and declare war against an already-dying Germany in 1944.
King Michael would, ironically, be forced to abdicate by the Soviets, who would maintain a puppet communist government in Romania until the end of the Cold War. The king had virtually destroyed his nation in order to save it.
"Romania captured by the Soviet Union." 2008. The History Channel website. 22 Aug 2008, 08:13 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=6559.
Czechs protest against Soviet invasion
In the streets of Prague and in the United Nations headquarters in New York City, Czechs protest against the Soviet invasion of their nation. The protests served to highlight the brutality of the Soviet action and to rally worldwide condemnation of the Soviet Union.
"Czechs protest against Soviet invasion." 2008. The History Channel website. 22 Aug 2008, 08:01 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=2767.
Incident at Ruby Ridge
In the second day of a standoff at Randy Weaver's remote northern Idaho cabin, FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi wounds Randy Weaver, Kevin Harrison, and kills Weaver's wife, Vicki.
"Incident at Ruby Ridge." 2008. The History Channel website. 22 Aug 2008, 08:10 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=5284.


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NEWSCABAL > fashion > Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman Split: Relive Their Four-Year Romance
Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman Split: Relive Their Four-Year Romance
A break up no one saw coming: Zoë Kravitz and Karl Glusman have called it quits.
Just two days before the Christmas holiday, the Big Little Lies star filed for divorce from the 32-year-old actor on Dec. 23, 2020. However, the news didn't break until Jan. 2 with People confirming their split through court records and Zoë's rep.
That same day, the High Fidelity star shared a cheeky meme on Instagram Stories, in which a person dubbed "The Universe" was throwing out a trash bag into a dumpster that was labeled, "People places and things that no longer serve my greatest and highest good." Zoë captioned her post, "MOOD."
Hours later, she uploaded an image of the night sky to her main feed and wrote, "new year/ little things."
News of the couple's divorce comes just 18 months after they tied the knot at Lenny Kravitz's Paris estate in June 2019. To celebrate their first year of marriage, the 32-year-old actress shared a romantic wedding portrait of her and Karl. "One Year," she wrote on Instagram last summer.
READ The royals' favourite makeup artist spills on how to perfect your wedding makeup (and how to make it as an MUA)