Q: I want to use those mini loaf pans to bake individual cakes and/or breads as gifts but recipes usually only give me baking time for a specific type of pan.
I assume that I would need to cut down baking time for a smaller pan, but by how much? Is there a formula I can use?
Sent by Jennifer
2009Dec19: Main points of the Copenhagen Accord, the deal reached between the US, China, India, Brazil and South Africa, at the UN Climate talks in Copenhagen: contains no reference to a legally binding agreement; contains no deadline for transforming the accord into a binding deal; recognizes need to limit global temperatures rising no more than 2C above pre-industrial levels; does not identify a year by which carbon emissions should peak; countries are asked to announce by 1 February 2009 their pledges for curbing carbon emissions by 2020; promises to deliver $30 billion of aid for developing nations over the next three years; outlines a goal of providing $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poor countries cope with the impacts of climate change; establishes a green climate fund which will support projects in developing countries related to mitigation, adaptation, capacity building and technology transfer; developing countries will submit national reports on their emissions pledges; and the implementation of the Copenhagen Accord will be reviewed by 2015 (BBC).
Reference: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8422307.stm
Read the Copenhagen Accord http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/ext/_auto/-/http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/l07.pdf
Image Description: COP15 logo. Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. Image Location: COP15 http://en.cop15.dk/about+cop15/logo Image Permission: Media may use the logo editorially in articles/stories on COP15.
Q: So I’m thinking of making one of those baked good in a jar kits for a Christmas present (like these) and was wondering how long they would keep?
Is there any good reason sugar, flour, and other dry ingredients wouldn’t keep as well in a jar together as they would seperately?
Sent by Katharine
Q: I’m looking for some cheap, homemade ideas for Christmas gifts. I was thinking flavored salts or olive oils, but am not extremely cooking-savvy, so also want it to be fairly easy.
Was hoping for some ideas from the many creative readers out there — and if it can be easily shipped, that would make it even better. We are going to be on a plane, so the less we have to fly with, the happier we will be.
Sent by Brie
Q: My family was thinking ahead to Christmas and my cousin brought up the subject of eggnog and how much he loved my homemade version. But the problem is that he is lactose-intolerant and could only drink so much.
I know there is not lactose in goat and sheep milk and was looking for recipes that use that. But they are few and far between.
Q: I’m making a fancy dinner for my husband and parents for Christmas. I’d like it to be both delicious and impressive.
I’m a bit stuck on what to make for dessert. My mind leaps toward chocolate of some kind, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be that. The menu so far consists of blue cheese gougeres, arugula salad with prosciutto and pine nuts, and chicken (or maybe veal) marsala with fresh pasta.
Do you have any suggestions for a dessert that would be festive, fancy, and go with the rest of the meal?
Sent by Claire
Q: As a consummate baker I have been asked my partner to bring a dessert to Christmas which can A) travel nicely (as we are driving 2 hours) and B) be diabetic friendly.
I have done a quick internet and book search, and apart from making a normal dessert with a sugar substitute, everything sounds just awful. Not one dessert I can find stands to be something that can be revealed post-Christmas dinner. Please help!
Sent by Matthew
Q: A senior coworker gave me a Ball jar with a frozen “pudding” inside and a container with warmed sauce and a tiny bottle of brandy. I forgot about it and left the whole thing sitting out overnight and into the morning. I’m afraid it may have spoiled, but I’m also not even sure what it is.
What is this called-pudding-but-looks-like cake stuff? What’s the sauce (dark brown, runny, firmed up in fridge)? What do I do with the brandy, and could the pudding or sauce have spoiled overnight? Don’t make me ask the gift-giver — I’d be mortified!
Sent by Jessica
Hopefully I will not be too much of a pain in the $%^ with all of my questions.
the eighth week of so you think you can dance season 6, here is the sensational contemporary routine choreographed by dwight rhoden & desmond richardson, performed by kathryn mccormick & jakob karr. the song is “at this moment” by michael bublé.
another favorite routine is lyrical jazz choreographed by sonya tayeh, performed by ashleigh di lello & russell ferguson. the song is “angel standing by” by jewel.
related :
By Darryl D’Monte
COPENHAGEN, Dec 19 (IPS/TerraViva) – Many countries treat Bangladesh as a country that is so afflicted by calamities that it is incapable of pulling itself out of dire poverty. Yet, it has blazed a trail in drawing up blueprints for community-driven climate adaptation strategies.
Part of this blueprint is to revive traditional farming practices that could withstand extreme weather changes.
“People used traditional farming practices,” notes Prof Ainun Nishat, a former academic, now senior advisor for climate in Asia to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Dhaka, told IPS. “We had 5,000 varieties of rice which could withstand this variability, but have now been lost.”
Non-government organisations and the IUCN have for several years been encouraging people to revive such practices. In undivided Bengal, before the partition of India in 1947, for instance, it was common for people to set aside five percent of their land for a pond to breed fish and irrigate paddy.
He cites a programme reintroducing water-tolerant species as well as those that can survive in floods, drought and salinity, a breakthrough. There is a species of rice that can be submerged under water for 15 days without deteriorating. The new government is also implementing a project to resuscitate river networks.
Since Bangladesh receives up to two billion tonnes of sediment from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers every year, it is encouraging communities to maintain the age-old networks of small rivers and canals, which have fallen into disrepair. Traditionally in Bengal, these were excavated by manual labour under the supervision of the local community and this valuable practice is being revived.
“This initiative is community-based,” he says. “It is both top-down and bottom-up. Collectively, we sensitise the government.”
“Bangladesh is nature’s disaster laboratory,” says Prof Nishat. “Apart from volcanoes, we have every type (of disaster),” he adds, stressing the urgency of adopting mitigation measures, particularly at the community level. He is particularly worried about the erratic monsoon, which can give rise to drought-like conditions.
A decade ago, experts realised that to help people combat climate variability, they had to find alternative means of generating incomes. One way was to harvest the troublesome hyacinth weed in ponds and pile it to grow seedlings. IUCN and non-government organisations introduced these methods in two coastal islands of Bhola and Hatiya.
A. Atiq Rahman, the well-known executive director of the Bangladesh Centre of Advanced Studies, who took part in the just concluded climate talks in this Danish capital, organised three international workshops to synthesise the lessons drawn from efforts to explore alternative sources of income. The Bangladesh government expressed an interest in the proceedings. When it had to formulate plans to cope with climate change in 2003-2005, it did away with the normal route of hiring consultants and created seven task forces, half of which were headed by non-government experts, including Prof Nishat.
The government allocated 200 million U.S. dollars for this purpose, for which 12 to 15 projects were shortlisted. Importantly, the task forces were not put under a ministry or directorate but operated with a high degree of autonomy. “This was because of the cross-cutting nature of these problems: every ministry was involved.”
“A key issue is food security,” he says. “The seal-level rise is less worrying than the ingress of salinity.” By 2100, it is estimated that salinity may travel 89 metres inland, and this will affect people’s livelihoods.
Experts are also monitoring “storm surges” and cyclones, which have increased in intensity and frequency. Between 1960 and 2009, there were 15 major events; from 2007, there have already been four. “The sea is also growing rough and preventing fishermen from venturing out on certain days,” Prof Nishat reports.
In 2007, then Environment Minister C.S. Karim asked officials and NGOs to contribute to a report in the build-up to the Copenhagen conference. To operationalise the Bali Action Plan – the so-called “road map” to a new global climate treaty – the government was fully engaged in drawing up an adaptation strategy, which attracted the attention of donors.
Funding for the strategy came from the British government, the World Bank and the British Department for International Development. The resulting ‘Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009’, was published in September or three months ahead of the Copenhagen talks.
There are six themes: food security, social protection and health; disaster management; infrastructure; research and knowledge management; mitigation and low-carbon development; and capacity building and institution strengthening.
“This is an open-ended document in the making, not a finished product,” Prof Nishat clarifies. “Low-carbon growth is an important component. We hope to add people’s responses to the projects listed under each theme.”
The new government, headed by Sheikh Hasina, has instituted a task force to review these activities. “She has strengthened the political commitment to tackle climate change,” he says. “It was in her election manifesto.”
Go Saints!
We have all seem HTC’s H1 2010 Windows Mobile roadmap leak, and the overwhelming feeling is rather one of disappointment due to the lack of truly high-end devices
There is however some reassuring news in the same B3ler3fonte thread, who by definition is pretty trustworthy, given the details information he had produced so far. First confirmation that the leaked devices is not the full gamut of HTC devices to be released in the first half of 2010, but only devices to be released on T-Mobile.
In order to be more specific and stop the rumours around, as these keep on coming crazily as far as I can see… People, what was presented to you as i have stated clearly on the 1st post, is HTC’s list for 2010 and what TMO will definitely choose in global basis, UNLESS something else changes ( coz you never know with all those Operators-Vendors marketing agreements as something can be blown away as a project sooo easily and a phone can easily be "buried") and some other products you were all anxiously expecting to be released, maybe there but on other brochures, for other Operators and/or other countries, which I do not possess and of course I do not know! So yes, I highly do not doubt about other HTC products which may be under developing but these kind of info hasn’t reached my hands yet and maybe never, if we take into consideration that HTC makes special deals with Operators and releases devices which won’t be released by anyone else, the what we call, "exclusivities".
Whatever is the result of such an assumption will have to truly declare (based on HTC’s future portfolio) HTC’s 180 degrees turn, to a more consumer-based phones on some handsets coz that’s the segment which the company aims for next year and seeks for (mass market segment), without of coz, leaving aside and underestimating what HTC initials stand for… So definitely, do expect, apart from those devices shown exclusively and for the 1st time around the net, here on xda’s, better and more advanced devices which aim to the majority of those who want something more than a simple voice/data feature handset.
The second is more interesting, and states that HTC is planning to release a Windows Mobile 7 handset either in late Q2 or early Q3.
Anyway’s…I have truly fresh news to share with you which absolutely make sense why in HTC’s portfolio there are no such WM7 phones…and just simple QWERTY or not, WM6.5 ones.
Microsoft, as many of you already know…moved back, the primal release of WM7 and chosen HTC as strategic vendor to launch the first HTC WM7 device late on Q2, start of Q3 2010 (September), so everything up to now, is under discussion and will be finalised till End of April of 2010.
While this does not change our conclusion that its better to buy the HD2 now than wait for the mostly mediocre Windows Mobile handsets in Q1 and Q2 2010, it is highly likely that HTC’s first Windows Mobile 7 handset will really push out the boat and make up for the uninspiring first 6 months.
Are anyone encouraged by this information? Let us know in the comments below.
in reply to WWF_Climate #Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, GM
Word on the street is that the Auto Task Force was pushing hard for General Motors and Chrysler to to dump dealerships during bankruptcy. In all, some 2,150 dealers got the axe, reportedly saving the struggling Detroit automakers big bucks while helping to ensure that remaining dealers were healthier. But while the government’s Auto Task Force may have been the driving force that kicked dealers to the curb, the U.S. Congress, in an effort led by Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), is looking to put those same dealers (read: donors) back in business.
The $446 billion spending bill President Obama signed earlier this week contains new legislation requiring GM and Chrysler to send out letters to every rejected dealer informing them of their rights to arbitration. Dealers interested in filing arbitration will then have 40 days to submit their intention to file. From there, arbitration must be completed within six months. Automotive News reports that the new law is substantially more dealer-friendly than the old law, and requires GM and Chrysler to spell out exactly why each dealership contract was terminated.
In an earlier report, Automotive News reported that it could cost dealers up to $12,000 in arbitration filing fees and up to $100,000 in arbitration depending on the complexity of the case.
[Source: Automotive News sub. req’d | Image: Spencer Platt/Getty]
Obama bill signing enacts arbitration process for rejected GM, Chrysler dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It went from Copenhagen to “Hopenhagen” to in the end “Brokenhagen”.
The UN climate change conference in Copenhagen is still going on after world leaders jetted in over the past few days and reached a “Copenhagen Accord” that was agreed by the US, China, South Africa and India, however as early as this morning it is still unclear which other countries are willing to support and sign it.
The last minute push certainly is looking more like the “mother of all photo-op’s” than a real honest effort to broker a deal. If this really is the single most important conference for the future of the globe, then certainly you would think leaders of the world would have spent more time at the conference, and not take off early worrying about “the weather” back in Washington.
“It is great that a small group of leaders gets together and tries to advance the process. But ultimately the way things work here is it has to be acceptable to every country” said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UN Climate Change Secretariat. “If this makes it through the meeting in a few hours, then I see it as a modest success. We could have achieved more” he added.
The so called Copenhagen Accord confirms the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It sets a maximum of two degrees Celsius average global temperature rise and states that a review by 2016 should consider if it will be necessary to limit warming to 1.5 degree Celsius.
On financing the accord states developed countries commit collectively to providing 30 billion US dollars in new additional funding for developing countries for the 2010-2012 period. It also says developed countries support a “goal of mobilizing jointly 100 billion dollars a year” by 2020 from a variety of forces.
Criticism for the accord was quick to come in. Greenpeace criticized the accord for not having “targets for carbon cuts and no agreement on a legally binding treaty”. Oxfam International called the deal “a triumph of spin over substance. It recognizes the need to keep warming below two degrees, but does not commit to do so. It kicks back the decisions on emissions cuts and fudges the issue of climate cash”.
Talks continue, but look for more promises to meet, than any substantial agreement.
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Some of our readers may have notices the festive dusting of snow on WMPU. Mylostblog is doing some work to get your smartphone in the Christmas spirit too by releasing some Christmas themes for current generation Windows Mobile smartphones.
The themes are free and can be downloaded here.
Thanks Kelly for the tip.
His name was Stjepan Radic. He was my great grandfather and the leader of the Croatian Peasant Party (CPP).
June 20, 1928. During the assembly of parliament, Punisa Racic, a representative of the Serbian People’s Radical Party, gave an inflammatory speech. His words evoked angry responses from the assembled members. Many of who rose, made violent gestures, and shouted insults. Stjepan, however, sat like an insect, watching and listening, but making no reply.
Ivan Pernar, a member of the Peasant-Democratic Coalition, furious, rose and shouted at Punisa Racic, “Thou plundered beys!” Translation: ‘You made a deal with the rich, elite intellectuals. Traitor!’ Pulling a revolver from his jacket, Punisa Racic shot Pernar. Then, swinging his weapon, shot Stjepan and three other CPP representatives. He would have shot more, but he ran out of bullets.
Everyone screamed and shouted. Five men lay dead or wounded. Blood had sprayed everywhere. A crimson pool formed beneath my great grandfather, who, upon being shot, had toppled from his chair to the floor. At first, Stjepan was assumed to be dead.
The police arrived. They summoned the military in case further violence broke out. Ambulances arrived outside the building. Finally, a doctor came. After closer examination by the doctor, Stjepan was discovered to still be alive. Shot in the stomach, his condition was critical. Still conscious, he was carried to the hospital, where the surgeons decided they could do nothing for him. He was released to return home.
There, he died.
100,00 peasants, from all parts of the Balkans, attended his funeral. 
Stjepan Radic
He had lived 57 years, and is now a permanent resident of Mirogoj Monumental Cemetery in Zabreb, Croatia.
My great grandfather, Stjepan Radic, has been accused of being a demagogue, a smooth operator, an opportunist, ready to switch sides whenever it might serve his self-interest. And that is all true. He chummied up to liberals, Serbs, Muslims and Communists. He adopted the flexible Jesuit philosophy “that the end justifies the means.” And Stjepan’s end was an independent Croatian nation.
He was guilty of opportunism. For he dreamed of a free, sovereign Croatia governed by Croatians. He was also guilty of bigotry because he despised the Serbs and their regime. Guilty, too, of political collaboration.
But he was not guilty of silence in the face of repression, or of apathy or of cowardice. In a strict, technical sense, I would suggest, he was true to his dream – the dream of becoming a free Croat.
Imprisoned more than once for his desire, in the end he died for it. Political assassination.
Ultimately, though, his dream became reality. For there now stands, since 1991, a free and independent Croatia – a country born out of guns, violence and blood.
Randall Radic is a former Old Catholic priest. After a midlife crisis, he spent time behind bars. Today, he has emerged a changed man. As the author of Gone To Hell: True Crimes of America’s Clergy (ECW Press/ Oct 2009), Radic aims to warn the public of the sins committed behind the walls of churches every day. Randall Radic is also author of A Priest in Hell: Gangs, Murderers and Snitching in a California Jail.
Copyright © 2006-2010, Basil & Spice. All rights reserved.
Chowder is different things to different people. Some insist that the word “clam” come before it or that potatoes be involved, some like a creamy broth (New England-style) and some like a broth flavored with tomatoes (Manhattan-style). We prefer the broad definition found in most culinary dictionaries that declares chowder to be “any thick soup containing chunks of food.”
The Arctic Char (or Wild Salmon) Chowder recipe sent in by Mike Cheliak for the Primal Blueprint Cookbook Challenge meets this definition and will undoubtedly unite both lovers of creamy broths and tomato based broths. Filled with generous chunks of fish and tomatoes, it is chowder that will satisfy your hunger and your need for Omega 3s and powerful antioxidants like lycopene. The bit of cream added at the end provides a delicious, rich texture but is entirely optional, as the chowder is just as flavorful without it.
Mike suggests using wild Arctic Char for this chowder, a fish that is related to both trout and salmon in looks and flavor. Its natural habitat is the icy waters of the ocean and higher altitude lakes in North America and Europe.
Unless you’re lucky enough to be Mike and have a brother who brings home wild-caught Arctic Char from his station in Canada’s Arctic North, the Arctic Char you’ll buy in a store is most likely farmed. Before you write off farmed Arctic Char completely, consider that two trusted sources, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Environmental Defense Fund list Arctic Char as a best choice for seafood consumption. It is a fish that provides high amounts of Omega-3s and is farmed in an ecologically responsible way, which minimizes contaminants. However, if you decide that farmed Arctic Char isn’t for you, or you can’t find it in your local seafood department, wild-caught Alaskan salmon is an even better choice and equally delicious in this chowder.
With a few simple steps – chop up vegetables, add canned tomatoes, broth and fish – you’ll have a pot simmering on your stove that is filled with rich flavors. We think you’ll be hard-pressed to find a chowder lover who doesn’t fall in love with this variation on a comforting classic.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Make sure all bones are removed from the fish and typically for chowder, it’s best to also remove the skin. You can do this by using the tip of a sharp knife to separate the meat from the skin, or ask to have it done for you when you buy the fish. Cut the fish into 3/4 inch cubes and salt and pepper lightly.
Melt butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf.
Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the fish and cream. Mix to incorporate cream and then simmer, covered or uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf. Adjust the seasoning if needed and if you have any fresh herbs on hand (tarragon or thyme are especially good) add a bit for extra flavor.
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