12/25/06
12/23/06
Felicity and Emma
We had some friends in from Winnipeg with their two year old daughter. Dora owns her soul too. :-)
What do you do all day?
Some times the days do stretch out when you are at home with a three-year-old and a baby. So kind of you to notice.
Advent calendar
This advent calendar came from her Uncle Bryce and Aunt Elisa. She gets the idea this year though is slightly frustrated by the linear process. Like all of those who like Christmas she wants to jump directly to the 25th. The stickers and finger puppets hiding inside each little box are quite a hit.
Baby warmer
Originally installed to warm one's feet when standing at the sink it doubles admirably as a baby warmer. You have to flip him every 15 minutes to get an even pink color but the end result is wonderful. :-)
Princess time (06-11-28)
Every girl needs a tiara, a magic wand and a pink feather boa at one point in her life.
The sports gal speaks (ESPN)
Then everything changed: She adopted Maddox, became a goodwill ambassador, started making normal movies and slowly made everyone forget that she was crazy. Next, she seduced and stole the husband of one of the most likable female celebs, adopted another baby with her stolen man, then had his biological child months before his divorce was even done. Now she travels all over the world in private jets wasting fuel and pretending to do nice things when we all know she's really a husband-stealing witch. But what really turned me into a full fledged Angelina hater was this month's Vogue article about her, with Angelina smugly pushing for peace talks between her and Jennifer Aniston, even having the gall to say, "That would be her decision, and I would welcome it." If I were Jennifer Aniston, I would welcome it, too. Then I would meet Angelina for lunch and repeatedly smash a chair over her head.
12/19/06
If Scrooge was a project manager
ON THE EDGE
A Business Justification for Christmas
by Ebenezer Scrooge, Project Manager
(Carl Pritchard, PMP, EVP)
A Business Justification for Christmas
by Ebenezer Scrooge, Project Manager
(Carl Pritchard, PMP, EVP)
12/16/06
Edwards Family Turkey Recipe
Equipment you'll need:
Timing:
Napa Valley Roast Turkey
Marinade:
§ 16 cups (4L) orange juice (I use from concentrate)
§ 2 cups ( 500mL) rice vinegar
§ 2 cups apple cider vinegar
§ 1 cup packed demerara sugar
§ 1 cup coarse pickling salt
§ 6 garlic cloves, crushed
§ 1 cup chopped cilantro
§ 1 cup sliced green onions
§ ¼ cup sliced fresh ginger
§ 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
§ 1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
§ 1 tbsp whole cloves
§ 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
§ 12 whole star anise
12 lb (5.4 kg) turkey
½ cup butter, melted
freshly ground pepper
1. For the turkey, estimate approx 1 lb (0.45 kg) per person. It's important to buy a non-basted, unstuffed turkey. To thaw frozen turkey in refrigerator, allow 10 hours/kg. If thawing in cold water, allow 2 hours/kg (place turkey in a large container, cover completely with cold water and change every hour). Although it will continue to defrost in the marinade.
Cooking times here are for a 12 lb (5 kg) bird.
2. Combine marinade ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Let it cool (can be made and refrigerated one day in advance).
OR
For a faster, self-cooling method:
Use frozen orange juice concentrate.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add everything but the orange concentrate and vinegar, and simmer for 45 mins. Take off the heat.
Add the vinegar, 3 cans of frozen concentrate, and 3 trays of icecubes plus ½ cup of water (equivalent of 6 ½ cups of water). This method also has the advantage that it doesn't stink up the house as much or attract all the fruitflies in a 5 km radius.
3. Remove neck and giblets from the turkey (set aside for soup if you like). Thoroughly rinse and dry turkey inside and out. Place in container, pour in brine, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning bird over halfway through.
4. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels and truss. Discard brine. Brush turkey with melted butter and sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper. Place turkey on its side ( i.e. on the drumstick) on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Pour in ½ inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Add more during roasting if the juices are drying out.
5. Roast turkey uncovered at 325F (160C) for 1 hour. Using oven mitts wrapped in foil, turn turkey onto other side and roast for another hour. Turn on back (breast up) and roast for 30 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork. Meat thermometer should read 185F (85C) in thigh, 170F in breast.
Transfer turkey to cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let stand 30 minutes before carving. Spoon accumulated juices over sliced turkey, or use to make gravy.
- A plastic container large enough to hold the turkey and marinade. Make sure it fits in the fridge. If you don't have something big enough, line a cooler with double garbage bags and use ice packs to keep it cold overnight.
- A shallow roasting pan (preferably with rack insert), large enough to hold the turkey. No lid necessary, since the turkey is cooked uncovered.
- An instant-read thermometer to test when the turkey's done (we have one).
Timing:
- T-4 days: If using a frozen turkey, start defrosting in the fridge. Exact timing depends on turkey size (see step 1).
- T-2 days: make marinade, cool overnight (alternatively, use fast method and make on T-1).
- T-1 day: place turkey in marinade for 24 hours. Flip the bird over halfway through.
- T-day: For 12 lb bird, start cooking approx 4 hours before dinner to allow for heating, carving and making gravy.
Napa Valley Roast Turkey
Marinade:
§ 16 cups (4L) orange juice (I use from concentrate)
§ 2 cups ( 500mL) rice vinegar
§ 2 cups apple cider vinegar
§ 1 cup packed demerara sugar
§ 1 cup coarse pickling salt
§ 6 garlic cloves, crushed
§ 1 cup chopped cilantro
§ 1 cup sliced green onions
§ ¼ cup sliced fresh ginger
§ 2 tbsp whole black peppercorns
§ 1 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
§ 1 tbsp whole cloves
§ 2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
§ 12 whole star anise
12 lb (5.4 kg) turkey
½ cup butter, melted
freshly ground pepper
1. For the turkey, estimate approx 1 lb (0.45 kg) per person. It's important to buy a non-basted, unstuffed turkey. To thaw frozen turkey in refrigerator, allow 10 hours/kg. If thawing in cold water, allow 2 hours/kg (place turkey in a large container, cover completely with cold water and change every hour). Although it will continue to defrost in the marinade.
Cooking times here are for a 12 lb (5 kg) bird.
2. Combine marinade ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Let it cool (can be made and refrigerated one day in advance).
OR
For a faster, self-cooling method:
Use frozen orange juice concentrate.
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add everything but the orange concentrate and vinegar, and simmer for 45 mins. Take off the heat.
Add the vinegar, 3 cans of frozen concentrate, and 3 trays of icecubes plus ½ cup of water (equivalent of 6 ½ cups of water). This method also has the advantage that it doesn't stink up the house as much or attract all the fruitflies in a 5 km radius.
3. Remove neck and giblets from the turkey (set aside for soup if you like). Thoroughly rinse and dry turkey inside and out. Place in container, pour in brine, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning bird over halfway through.
4. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels and truss. Discard brine. Brush turkey with melted butter and sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper. Place turkey on its side ( i.e. on the drumstick) on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Pour in ½ inch of water into the bottom of the pan. Add more during roasting if the juices are drying out.
5. Roast turkey uncovered at 325F (160C) for 1 hour. Using oven mitts wrapped in foil, turn turkey onto other side and roast for another hour. Turn on back (breast up) and roast for 30 minutes longer, or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork. Meat thermometer should read 185F (85C) in thigh, 170F in breast.
Transfer turkey to cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let stand 30 minutes before carving. Spoon accumulated juices over sliced turkey, or use to make gravy.
12/14/06
Work in progress
Felicity can be a little withdrawn when she first arrives at daycare in anticipation of the coming parting.
This sometimes can throw off some of her little friends who were happy to see her arrive. We had been talking about being nice to our friends and saying nice words when we see them.
We're driving the other day and she pipes up from the back seat: I used nice words with my friends, Daddy.
I praise her and ask her what she said.
Response:
No, Alyssa, that's mine. I play with it! You don't play with it!
We may need to revisit the issue. :-)
This sometimes can throw off some of her little friends who were happy to see her arrive. We had been talking about being nice to our friends and saying nice words when we see them.
We're driving the other day and she pipes up from the back seat: I used nice words with my friends, Daddy.
I praise her and ask her what she said.
Response:
No, Alyssa, that's mine. I play with it! You don't play with it!
We may need to revisit the issue. :-)
I'm brave, I'm brave
A bit of context:
I have been reading a book to Felicity called "The tunnel" which involves a sister and a brother that do not get along. There mother sends them out of the house with orders to play together down to the vacant lot. Brother finds a dark tunnel and goes through it and disappears.
Sister is nervous but overcomes this and is brave and goes through the tunnel, into the wood, passes through the forest with lions, tigers and bears and finds brother who has been turned to stone. She hugs him, he revives, they pass back through the forest etc. and arrive home for lunch with a shared understanding.
We talk a lot about being brave as being able to do things that make you nervous or afraid.
Earlier this week Felicity and I were talking about the book and she looks at me and says I'm not scared in the tunnel because I know where my daddy is. I must admit it got a little dusty in the room for a moment. :-)
Back to the main narrative. I pick her up from daycare yesterday and we go to the swimming pool. The pool has a 3 story water slide that begins fully enclosed and completely dark as you drop for 6 or 7 seconds. That was a shock the first time we did it last year.
So we climb the stairs for the first time and talk about the tunnel and the slide. We drop in and I tell her she is doing very well as we round the turns in the dark.
The next time up we sit down, 1,2,3 and we plunge into the tunnel. Suddenly I hear this little voice in the darkness going:
I'm brave, I'm brave, I'm brave. :-)
I have been reading a book to Felicity called "The tunnel" which involves a sister and a brother that do not get along. There mother sends them out of the house with orders to play together down to the vacant lot. Brother finds a dark tunnel and goes through it and disappears.
Sister is nervous but overcomes this and is brave and goes through the tunnel, into the wood, passes through the forest with lions, tigers and bears and finds brother who has been turned to stone. She hugs him, he revives, they pass back through the forest etc. and arrive home for lunch with a shared understanding.
We talk a lot about being brave as being able to do things that make you nervous or afraid.
Earlier this week Felicity and I were talking about the book and she looks at me and says I'm not scared in the tunnel because I know where my daddy is. I must admit it got a little dusty in the room for a moment. :-)
Back to the main narrative. I pick her up from daycare yesterday and we go to the swimming pool. The pool has a 3 story water slide that begins fully enclosed and completely dark as you drop for 6 or 7 seconds. That was a shock the first time we did it last year.
So we climb the stairs for the first time and talk about the tunnel and the slide. We drop in and I tell her she is doing very well as we round the turns in the dark.
The next time up we sit down, 1,2,3 and we plunge into the tunnel. Suddenly I hear this little voice in the darkness going:
I'm brave, I'm brave, I'm brave. :-)
The Mother Jones Iraq War Timeline
In this timeline, we've assembled the
history of the Iraq War to create a resource we hope will help resolve
open questions of the Bush era. What did our leaders know and when did
they know it? And, perhaps just as important, what red flags did we
miss, and how could we have missed them?
12/10/06
12/6/06
Canada's documentaries lost to copyright
Canada's taxpayer-funded National Film Board has underwritten many
brilliant documentaries that are no longer available due to the
prohibitive cost of re-licensing the copyrights for the materials they
incidentally feature. The Documentary Organization of Canada has
released a new white paper
detailing the many Canadian treasures that are lost due to the greed of
rightsholders and the spike in copyright liability insurance.
Thanks to spiralling copyright licensing costs, payable to
whoever holds the copyright (unions, archives, creators, corporations)
-- and thanks, too, to the rising cost of insurance to protect against
copyright claims -- more and more public film footage is no longer
available to the Canadian public, nor for use by Canadian creators.
That's the message of the DOC's new white paper, released yesterday by
the 700-member organization.The Copyright Clearance Culture and Canadian Documentaries, written
by Ottawa copyright lawyer Howard Knopf, cites many eyebrow-raising
cases. An example: Quebec filmmaker Sylvie Van Brabant's film
Remous/Earthwalk has been withdrawn from public circulation because its
main character sings 30 seconds of a recognizable tune whose rights the
National Film Board has deemed too expensive to renew.
12/3/06
Do it yourself Planner
Thinking about setting goals for the new year. Check out:
DIYPlanner.com
We are a community
of people who see the value of paper as a medium for planning,
productivity, creative expression, and exploring ideas. We encourage
visitors to share advice and inspiration, and we love to see
submissions for templates, kit images and story articles. We are also
the official home of the free D*I*Y Planner kits. Please enjoy your stay, and make yourself at home!
DIYPlanner.com
We are a community
of people who see the value of paper as a medium for planning,
productivity, creative expression, and exploring ideas. We encourage
visitors to share advice and inspiration, and we love to see
submissions for templates, kit images and story articles. We are also
the official home of the free D*I*Y Planner kits. Please enjoy your stay, and make yourself at home!
12/1/06
Xmas gifts - a woman's perspective
There are two kinds of bad Xmas gifts: Copout Gifts and Just Plain Bad
Gifts. Every guy reading this needs to avoid them both. Some examples: (Scroll down to bottom right of page)
Gifts. Every guy reading this needs to avoid them both. Some examples: (Scroll down to bottom right of page)
30 Essential Pieces Of Free (and Open) Software for Windows
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/01/30-essential-pieces-of-free-and-open-software-for-windows/
What follows is a list of thirty pieces of software that are the cream
of the crop of open source software for Windows. Not only is every
piece of it free, almost all of them directly replace expensive
software packages.
What follows is a list of thirty pieces of software that are the cream
of the crop of open source software for Windows. Not only is every
piece of it free, almost all of them directly replace expensive
software packages.
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