When I first do a version of a classic dish like paella, I try to use a minimum of number of ingredients and steps so we focus on the technique. So, while you experienced paella makers will probably find this quite unremarkable, it really is intended for the first-timer. 

Real paella is not baked, but cooked on top of a fire, which results in a similarly textured rice to what you see here, except a layer caramelizes onto the bottom of the pan, and those gloriously crunchy bits are considered the best part. So, basically I’m telling you we left out the best part.

The trade-off is that this method eliminates most of the finesse and monitoring required by the traditional method. Consider this a gateway paella, and the first step to a serious, lifelong addiction. Besides the method, ideally you’ll use a wider variety of ingredients; things like clams, mussels, squid, chicken are all very commonly used, and will make your rice that much more interesting.

No matter how you cook you paella, one thing you must try to include is the saffron. Besides the short-grain rice, this is probably the most key addition. Unfortunately, the flavor and aroma are almost impossible to describe, so you really need to experience it yourself to fully understand. I’ve heard it described using things like “earthy metallic honey,” and “rusty champagne,” but these really don’t do it justice.

Anyway, if you’ve never tried to make paella before, I really hope this inspires you to give it a go. The Arborio we use here is easy to find in the big grocery stores, and as long as you stick to the liquid/rice ratio, there’s not a lot that can go wrong. And like I said in the video, stay tuned for my future attempt at a more classic version. In the meantime, I hope you give this quick and easy paella a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

(best to use a 12 or 13 inch wide skillet)

For the saffron broth:

2 tsp olive oil

reserved shrimp shells from 1 pound of jumbo shrimp

1/2 to 1 tsp saffron threads, depending on how strong you want the flavor

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

*Simmer for 20 minutes, strain and reserve. Be sure to season generously with salt, or your rice will be bland.

For the paella:

1 tbsp olive oil

8 oz sliced chorizo sausage, or any smoky, spicy sausage

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/3 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup green peas

1 tsp regular or smoked paprika, optional depending on how much was in the sausage

2 cups (exactly) hot saffron broth, or just plain hot chicken broth

1 pound peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp

1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips

salt and cayenne to taste

garnish top with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and freshly chopped Italian parsley

lemon wedges, optional (some love lemon, I prefer without, but give it a try and see)

*Bake at 425 degrees F. for 20 minutes, then finish over med-high flame until rice is just tender. It will be firm and slightly sticky. Don’t burn it, but you can leave it on the flame a little longer to try and get the rice to caramelize and crust onto the bottom of the pan, like the classic version. Be careful.

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by Salman Hameed

Eid Mubarak to all! 

I wanted to point out that apart from the beautiful calligraphy, the crescent side is accurate here for a waxing Moon (image from here). Waxing crescent is the one that determines the beginning of the new Islamic month, and is visible close to sunset. Here are the phases of the Moon: 

Most flags of Muslim countries, such as Pakistan's or Turkey's, show a waning Moon (visible close to sunrise - not at sunset). Here is a collection of flags of Muslim countries: 

Only Turkmenistan has the waxing crescent (and Mauritania takes an cautious middle path). But of course, while the crescent is right, they placed stars inside the Moon - as if parts of the Moon disappear when they are not lit by the Sun (flags of Malaysia, Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistani and Mauritania do the same). But of course, flags are not meant to be scientifically accurate (stars don't have 5-corners either!), but I thought I'll add some random bit of science to the Eid message.

Here is the Turkmenistan flag - which I think is quite pretty:

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...we'll be moving to the UK some time this winter.  

If you know of a ward near Leicester that's in need of a chorister, let me know.  :)

And, if you're from the UK, drop me a line.  I'll be flying over from Amsterdam for the first time in a couple of weeks and I have lots to learn!

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To read the content of this post, please click on the link below:
http://www.inspiremeasap.blogspot.com/2013/08/i-mustache-you-question.html
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Salman Hameed

Ehsan Masood has an article in this week's Nature that talks about the promise of scientific development by the Muslim League, that won the recent elections quire handily. I did not know that, but the Muslim League explicitly placed science at the center of their governing strategy. Alas, the reality has turned out to be a bit different:

Few general-election manifestos devote an entire chapter to promises in science and technology, so the campaign documents from the centre-right Pakistan Muslim League

stood out. In its bid for power earlier this year, this party of landowners and industrialists did something unexpected: it pledged to put science and technology at the heart of its governing strategy. 

It promised one million new high-tech jobs in the next five years. It talked of new funding agencies for biotechnology and nanotechnology, of new programmes in fuel cells and small satellites, and of revamping agricultural research. And it included a promise that the state would not interfere in the appointment of university vice-chancellors. 

If kept, the promises would mark a step in the right direction for Pakistan, helping it to shed its reliance on international aid and edge towards economic independence and stability. But they seemed a little too good to be true.

But Ehsan is disappointed by the choice of the new Minister of Science:

The latest incumbent, Zahid Hamid, is an unpromising choice for science minster. The position was his reward from the Muslim League for switching political sides — and it is questionable whether he has the vision or the experience to effect the changes promised by the league. 

Hamid also faces a political challenge that could see him exit the ministry as quickly as he arrived. He once was loyal to the former military dictator General Pervez Musharraf, who is now awaiting trial and may be charged with treason. If Musharraf goes down, it would undermine Hamid and leave him ripe for replacement. 

There is no shortage of candidates to take his place — people who have a record of building successful institutions at the interface of knowledge and commerce, despite the poor track record of Pakistan's science ministry. Any one of these would be well placed to turn the promises of the manifesto into reality. 

Science does have the ear of the new prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. The man who was instrumental in placing science at the heart of the league's manifesto, Ahsan Iqbal, is minister for planning and development and a member of Sharif's inner circle. Should Hamid depart, Iqbal would have a golden opportunity to push for a widely respected and heavy-hitting science minister.

I have not been following the details of Pakistani political scene, so I don't know about the potential choices. However, Ehsan has some ideas - and they look good:

One candidate is plant geneticist Kauser Malik, founding director of the National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in Faisalabad and one-time chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Malik has experience as both bench scientist and high-level administrator. He also has plenty of international connections and a record of delivering results. Alternatively, the government could look to the next generation and appoint Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, director of the HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry at the University of Karachi, which is among the largest such facilities in Asia. 

A wild card would be Asad Umar, former chief executive of Engro, which he grew from a mid-size company to one of the continent's largest conglomerates, spanning agrochemicals to energy. Young, cricket-mad and popular with the public, Umar quit his job to join former cricketer Imran Khan's political party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, which in May came from nowhere to become the country's third electoral force. 

Umar's decision to leave business for politics is part of a bigger trend among younger, middle-class and highly networked voters to become politically active. Unusually for Pakistan, many queued for the best part of a day to cast their votes in May's elections. Even if Hamid stays in his post, the government might consider appointing a heavy-hitter to take charge of the science-for-growth strategy, and have him or her report to Iqbal in the Planning Commission. That person could then get on with the task of dragging Pakistan into the twenty-first century.

Asad Umar sounds like an interesting bet and he may bring some energy to the science policy. Furthermore, it will be good to have a federal minister from outside the ruling party. That will be another sign that the government is taking their words about the importance of science seriously.

Read the full article here.

P.S. I know that Ehsan takes quite a positive view of a past science minister, Dr. Atta-ur-Rehman, who indeed increased the science budget tremendously and reformed higher education. However, the effectiveness of such a strategy, without building a strong infrastructure has also been questioned - and the legacy of Atta-ur-Rehman remains very much in the air (for example, amongst its Muslim cohorts, Pakistan's scientific publications are still way behind Turkey, Iran, Egypt, and Malaysia). But I was also dismayed by Atta-ur-Rehman when he wrote a highly dubious article that stoked conspiracy theories about US controlling the weather in Pakistan! There is plenty to critique about the US policy towards Pakistan, but it is a bit problematic when a prominent scientist uses highly dubious pseudoscientific claims to make his point. See my post from 2010: A Prominent Pakistani Scientist is Stoking Conspiracy Fires.

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I usually don’t mention the time of year during these videos, since I have no way of knowing when someone will actually view them, but when it came to this goat cheese and peach tartine, I couldn’t help myself. For me, this is summer on a slice of bread. My apologies to those of you reading/watching this in February.

August is national goat cheese month (no, I don’t know who decides these things), and what better way to enjoy chèvre than by topping it with sweet, ripe, impossibly juicy peach slices? Mix in a little thyme and black pepper to keep things interesting, and you’re looking at a very special treat. Just make sure to use stale bread.

As I bemoaned in the clip, I used a fresh loaf, which while perfectly delicious, wasn’t perfect. Staler bread would have produced a crunchier stage for our co-stars, as there’s more then enough moisture provided by the cheese and fruit.

By the way, if you don’t have any day-old bread, but still want to enjoy this post haste, simply toss the toasted, olive-oiled slices into a 350 F. oven for a few minutes, to dry out and crisp up before you top with the cheese. Either way, you're in for a significantly tasty summer treat. I hope you give this a try soon (while it’s still summer!). Enjoy!

Ingredients for each Warm Goat Cheese & Peach Tartine:

1 thick slice French bread, sourdough or not

1 tbsp olive oil, or as needed

2 oz fresh goat cheese

3 slices fresh peach

fresh thyme leaves and freshly ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste

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Foto dan Biografi ERSA MAYORI - Ersa Mayori, rasanya lebih banyak yang kenal daripada tidaknya ketika nama tersebut disebutkan, meski mungkin hanya kenal muka via televisi atau mungkin di majalah-majalah. Artis cantik sekaligus model dan juga presenter kelahiran 34 tahun silam tersebut terkenal dalam sinetron Tuyul dan Mbak Yul, Tersanjung 5, dan Tersayang. Tentu sudah tak perlu diragukan lagi kemampuannya dalam berakting bukan, meski belakangan ini Ersa Mayori lebih sering tampil menjadi presenter.

Foto dari KapanLagi.Com

Bagi yang masih belum tau detail tentang Ersa Mayori berikut adalah Foto dan Biografi Ersa Mayori yang di copy dari: http://selebriti.kapanlagi.com/indonesia/e/ersa_mayori/

Lahir di Jakarta, 14 Mei 1979 dan beragama Islam.

Ersa Mayori adalah seorang bintang akting sinetron, model dan presenter televisi, kelahiran Jakarta, 14 Mei 1979. Kemampuan aktingnya ditunjukkan lewat sinetron komedi TUYUL DAN MBAK YUL, TERSANJUNG 5 dan TERSAYANG. Namun belakangan ia istirahat dari aktifitas sinetron dan hanya menjadi presenter.

Sebagai presenter, mantan Gadis Sampul membawakan sejumlah program acara televisi, di antaranya acara musik September di TPI dan Seleksi Musik di TVRI. Ersa kemudian juga menjadi presenter untuk program gosip Insert yang ditayangkan di TransTV.

Dalam perjalanan karir Ersa juga pernah disibukkan dengan even organizer, PT Jakarta Entertaiment Network, yang dikelolanya bersama penyanyi Tia Ivanka dan presenter Emma Warokka.

Ersa sendiri adalah istri dari Otto Satria Jauhari anak dari bankir Dicky Iskandar Dinata. Dengan demikian Ersa juga saudara ipar dari sutradara kondang Nia Dinata. Dari perkawinannya tersebut Alumni Fakultas Psikologi Universitas Atmajaya ini dikaruniai dua anak, Aiska Fairana dan Talula Malaika.

Selepas melahirkan anak keduanya, Ersa kembali aktif di dunia entertainmet. Di awal tahun 2009, Ersa didapuk menjadi pembawa acara DREAM GIRL yang tayang di Global TV. Ini adalah acara bagi ibu-ibu muda untuk eksplorasi bakat mereka.

Nah diatas adalah Foto dan Biografi Ersa Mayori? Gimana udah lebih kenal ? Naksir kah? hehehe
Sayang dia udah punyanya orang hihihi :p
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Arus Balik, Mudik, dan Macet Lebaran 2013 - Alhamdulillah, saya selaku pengelola blog Olah Warta telah mudik sampai kampung halaman tiba dengan selamat. Seperti yang sudah-sudah arus mudik idul fitri selalu diwarnai dengan yang namanya kemacetan. Perjalanan mudik yang biasanya bisa ditempuh dalam waktu 11-12 jam, akhirnya harus ditempuh dengan waktu kurang lebih 25 Jam dengan waktu istirahat jika di total memang cukup lama juga yaitu sekitar kurang lebih 3-4 jam. Namun istirahat tersebut juga kami ambil seringkali dalam kondisi macet yang cukup panjang dan sangat padat.

Arus Balik Lebaran 2013 nanti bukan tidak mungkin akan sama macetnya. Pengalaman 2 tahun yang lalu ketika kembali lagi ke Jakarta, kami harus menempuhnya dalam waktu kurang lebih 36 Jam. Untuk Arus Balik tahun kemarin, saya sendiri memang tidak mengalami kemacetannya karena memang kebetulan sedang di Pulau Borneo, tidak mudik ke Pulau Jawa. Cukup melelahkan terjebak dalam kemacetan yang cukup panjang seperti itu, bahkan boleh dibilang membuat sangat melelahkan.

Memang dengan perkembangan teknologi sekarang ini, info kemacetan arus balik lebaran 2013 nanti bisa lebih mudah didapatkan seperti halnya dengan info arus mudik yang lalu. Info tersebut dapat kita dapatkan melalui akun-akun jejaring sosial milik pribadi, maupun akun jejaring sosial resmi dari instansi-instansi seperti jasa raharja, jasa marga, dan lain-lain.

Namun begitu informasi dari akun-akun jejaring sosial tersebut tidak bisa kita jadikan patokan seutuhnya. Bisa saja update yang diberikan dari akun tersebut berbeda dengan kenyataan di lapangan, karena dalam situasi arus balik lebaran maupun arus mudik lebaran, setiap menit jumlah kendaraan yang melintas di jalan raya sangat banyak sekali. Bisa saja 5 menit sebelum kita sampai di lokasi kita dapat informasi bahwa lokasi tersbut lancar, namun setelah kita tiba di lokasi tersebut sudah terjadi kemacetan yang panjang.

Pemilihan waktu dalam melakukan perjalanan menempuh arus balik lebaran 2013 mungkin bisa dijadikan salah satu cara mengantisipasi agar kita tidak terjebak kemacetan arus balik lebaran. Namun untuk yang berstatus karyawan, hal tersebut mungkin cukup sulit untuk dilakukan, karena biasanya hari libur yang didapatkan hampir sama dengan karyawan-karyawan dari perusahaan lain, dan biasanya semua ingin memaksimalkan waktu liburnya di kampung halaman. Dan ketika akan kembali ke Jakarta, mereka secara serempak meski tanpa aba-aba akan membeli tiket untuk perjalanan kembali ke Jakarta untuk hari keberangkatan yang sama.

Tidak sedikit juga yang menggunakan kendaraan pribadi pun memilih waktu untuk menempuh perjalanan kembali ke Jakarta dihari yang mepet, yang berbarengan dengan para pengguna kendaraan umum. Jadi wajar saja jika arus balik lebaran 2013 nanti rasanya akan diwarnai kembali dengan kemacetan yang dapat menguras konsentrasi dan tenaga, karena jalanan penuh dengan kendaraan para pemudik yang tengah melakukan perjalanan balik ke Jakarta.

Nah segitu aja dulu, semoga perjalanan arus balik lebaran 2013 yang anda tempuh nanti lancar dan aman tanpa halangan apapun. 
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Guest post by Lisa Regan

On August 20, Eric will sit down with developer and Hut8Labs co-founder Dan Milstein for a webcast you can join to discuss “Getting Engineers Into the Lean Startup Cycle.” This conversation will be a great opportunity for engineers and engineering managers to learn more about implementing Lean Startup ideas. It’s also for founders who want to think about how engineering and the rest of the business team can realign around a shared set of goals. This webcast is the first of a series held by The Lean Startup Conference and will take place on August 20th at 10am PST/1pm EST; it’s free—you just need to register in advance.

The conversation will be free-ranging, and it will include live Q&A with attendees, so we don’t know exactly what will happen. But there are a few themes Dan and plan to hash out. Dan comes to this conversation as an engineer, product developer, and startup veteran with a career-long interest in how people interact with the complex systems they themselves build. He investigates the peculiar conditions present in a startup, where, by definition, everyone, including the engineers, is operating in extreme uncertainty. He is interested in asking, given that environment: How can the team measure progress? How can engineers establish benchmarks or make predictions? Should they even try? How do you move the business in the right direction—and how do you find out what that direction might be? All of which amounts to: How do you reduce that inherent uncertainty? Dan and Eric will also talk about how engineers can contribute to containing uncertainty—including in the way they interact with leadership.

These issues don’t lend to easy answers. Indeed, at a startup, the entire business is one big question: “Can we offer a product that fills the customers’ needs such that they’re willing to pay for it?” As Dan described in an interview last year, many businesses inadvertently turn away from this question by splitting the teams for product, marketing, and engineering apart from each other, with each pursuing a tailored set of questions. But this often allows everyone to run from the problems of risk and failure. Instead, Dan says, all of the teams, as well as leadership, need to collectively accept that “in conditions of extreme uncertainty, you’re going to get things really badly wrong,” so it’s important to learn to “focus on the risks rather than pretend they aren’t there.” To do this, you’ll need to overcome basic psychological and structural barriers—ones that Dan and Eric will discuss—and rethink the way engineers and leadership communicate.

For a specific example of how Dan’s been thinking about those barriers in his own work, check out his presentation from the 2012 Lean Startup Conference, in which he broke down the way he runs a Five Whys post-mortem following a product or process failure. As Dan described in his talk, post-mortems are hindered by our human sense of guilt, shame, and blame. Because, he notes, even as we are asking, “Why?”, we are also putting a focus on, “accusing, identifying villains, punishing. And this is going at it all wrong.” We’ll let Dan talk directly about his experiences, but among his solutions is changing the question itself. For example, instead of using a Five Whys to find out, “Whose fault is this?” or even “What was the root cause?”, use it to ask yourself, “What were the multiple contingencies that led to this problem, and which of them can we efficiently address right now?”

How can engineers and leadership (and product and sales) realign around the right questions? What human limitations and structural hindrances will they need to overcome to do so? And, how will they achieve this? On August 20, join Dan and to discuss these issues. Register today.

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First, don't forget to enter to win a custom portrait in my Etsy giveaway.

To review "A Child's Prayer," or other two part songs, print the document below, cut out the pieces and draw them from a bowl one at a time.  Have the children decide which category they fit (most closely) into and have them sing the song accordingly.  Use this activity as an opportunity to discuss that we are all different and Heavenly Father knows and loves all of us.  Don't allow the activity to turn into a competition.   

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Hello there! I wanted to share two cellphone shots I took this weekend, along with a couple of announcements. When I posted our watermelon agua fresca video last week, I got a bunch of comments on YouTube saying that cantaloupe makes an even better one. So, I had to immediately test one out, and...it's a tie. Both melons make marvelous agua frescas! 

Also, I've started playing around with the "cronut." This croissant/doughnut hybrid has all the food fetishists in a tizzy, and I was encouraged by this first attempt. Not sure exactly when it might make its official appearance, but stay tuned!

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by Salman Hameed

Our usual Film Autopsy is on hiatus for the summer, so I thought I'll suggest a few films to save you from summer monsters and superheroes. Some of these films have a tengential connection to the blog but two are relevant for their connections to politics impacting the larger Muslim world.

So here we go:

Science Fiction
Europa Report:
At a time of big-budget but dumb science fiction films, Europa Report is a breath of fresh air. I have a review coming up later, but I should say that the filmmakers have done their work in terms of science and they present a (relatively) realistic scenario of a mission to Jupiter's moon, Europa and the potential of life there. Europa, of course, is one of the best (or perhaps the best) locations in our Solar system to find life. We know that there is a salty liquid water ocean under the ice sheet of this Jovian moon. Furthermore, there are underwater volcanoes that may provide the necessary energy for lifeforms to survive and thrive. Some of these  conditions mimic the underwater volcanoes here on Earth.

The film uses a mock-documentary format to present us with details of this mission to Europa. This is a low budget film but they have done a good of creating Europan landscapes and of utilizing images from the Galileo spacecraft. The tone of the film is a bit dour and some better developed characters would have helped. But these are small quibbles for a good science fiction film that embraces the spirit of scientific discovery. Here is the preview of the film:

Relevant for the current geopolitical debates:
Dirty Wars:
This is a documentary that follows accomplished journalist, Jeremy Scahill. The movie is centered on night raids in Afghanistan, missile and drone strikes in Yemen, and the mercenary war in Somalia. This is not a sensational demonization of the US government nor does it contain exaggerated claims. Instead, it shows how Scahill pieces his reports together and finds out about US military operations that are often not reported in the newspapers.

The film opens with a case in Afghanistan and it has a chilling conclusion. But worse, Scahill finds that such operations are taking place 30-40 times a night - with accompanying civilian casualties. In Yemen, he tracks down the damage of one of the first missile strikes - with casualties including mostly women and children. A Yemeni reporter who wrote about it, ended up in jail. Scahill also interviews the father of Anwar al-Awlaki - the first American citizen targetted and killed by a drone strike - both before and after the killing. Even more chillingly, Anwar al-Awlaki's 16-year old son was also killed in a drone strike soon after the killing of his father.

Dirty Wars is rich with information and avoids the pitfalls of being polemical. However, it is unnecessarily stylized by the director. I think the strength of the documentary is in its material and its stylization as a spy-thriller becomes somewhat a distraction. Nevertheless, this is a fantastic and important documentary. Here is the preview of the film:



We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks
This is all the more relevant because of the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden and the recently concluded trial of Bradley Manning - the source behind the Wikileaks documents. Directed by Alex Gibney, the documentary focuses on the founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning. While Assange comes off as a quirky anarchist (my favorite scene is with Assange talking in the phone while casually jumping on a trampoline at an estate outside of London), it is the story of Manning that is at the heart of the film. And what a story! Manning was not really meant for the military and never got adjusted to it. He also wanted to be a woman and was planning on a sex change operation in the future. And amidst all of that, he was anguished by the actions of the US government, and inspired by Sagan's Pale Blue Dot, he provided Wikileaks with top secret documents, starting with a video that showed the killing of a Reuters journalist in Iraq by a US gunship, and followed it up with US diplomatic cables. It is absolutely heartbreaking (and outrageous) to know that after his arrest, Manning was placed in a solitary confinement for almost a year and treated in a sub-human way.

Like Dirty Wars, this is also an important documentary for this time. Here is the preview of the film:



Fruitvale Station: 
This is not a documentary, but it is based on a tragic shooting of a 22-year old African-american by the police at a Bart station in San Francisco. The film traces the last day of the life of Oscar, and it does so in a delicate and nuanced way, without emotionally exploiting the subject. Race and class issues in the US, obviously, are at the heart of the film. This is a superb film with fantastic performances. Here is a preview for the film:




Just a great film from this summer:
Mud:
This is the best movie I have seen this summer. It is directed by Jeff Nichols, who also directed the superb 2011 film, Take Shelter (check out our Film Autopsy here). Set in Arkansas on the banks of the Mississippi river, this is one of the best coming-of-age films. But it also has abstract shades of religion, superstition, and mythology - and that combines to make this a powerful film. The director is only 35 years old. He has written and directed three films. I have not yet seen Shotgun Stories, but I absolutely loved Take Shelter and Mud. Perhaps more excitingly, Jeff's next project is a sci-fi film and I can't wait to see it.

In any case, here is the preview for Mud:

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Kata Kata Mutiara Lucu Gokil yang ada di Belakang Truk - Setelah sebelumnya sharing seputar Tebakan Humor Lucu Gokil kali ini ada tulisan atau kalau boleh disebut kata-kata mutiara yang tak kalah Lucu dan Gokil yang biasanya ada di bagian belakang kendaraan terutam paling banyak kita temui di kendaraan truk.. Sebetulnya sudah sangat sering kita melihat tulisan-tulisan tersebut, namun tidak ada salahnya Olah Warta mencoba menuliskan kembali kata-kata tersebut.

Nah berikut adalah beberapa Kata Mutiara Lucu Gokil di yang ada Belakang Truk:

1. Beratnya Rindumu Tak Seberat Muatanku
2. Pergi Pagi Pulang Petang Penghasilan Pas Pas-an
3. 2 Anak Cuku, 2 Istri Bangkrut
4. Putus Cinta Soal Biasa, Putus Rem Mati Kita
5. Pulang Dimarahi, Ga Pulang Dicari

Sebetulnya masih banyak lagi kata-kata mutiara lucu dan gokil seperti itu yang sering kita temui dijalanan. Namun karena tidak terlalu memikirkan jadi ya cuma numpang lewat aja kata-kata tersebut, di inget-ingetpun susah. Jadi ya untuk sementar baru 5 kalimat diatas aja yang dapat Olah Warta bagikan untuk saat ini. Kalau temen-temen pembaca ada yang mau nambahi silakan langsung aja tulis di kolom komentar dibawah tulisan ini, nanti akan ane tambahin ke list diatas.

Atau yang mau bantu cariin gambar gokil tulisan atau kalimat-kalimat diatas, boleh juga nanti tak tambahin biar lebih ngakak. Karena mungkin kalo cuma dengan tulisan masih kurang greget dibanding kalo ditambah dengan gambarnya. Saya sebagai pengelola blog Olah Warta untuk saat ini belum sempet menambahkan gambarnya karena pas nulis ini pun juga dalam kondisi cepet-cepet coz lagi beres-beres barang, persiapn mudik hari ini nanti hihihi (jadi curhat).

Udah dulu ya, mo mudik hihihi.


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As I review this month's song, "A Child's Prayer," I want to reinforce to the children that Heavenly Father wants to hear from us no matter what we are doing. To prepare for the activity, print the document at the bottom of the page.  Cut out the pieces and write the song and page number on the back of each card.  You might choose not to use the songs I've suggested.  

Begin by singing "A Child's Prayer" and ask the children to watch for five different types of prayers that are shown in the pictures.  As they name them, post the pictures on the board and sing the corresponding song.  Many of the songs will probably be unfamiliar to the children, but most of them are very short.  I suggest simply singing the song line by line and having the children repeat line by line.  It is not important that they remember the words to each song at the end of the day.  This activity is meant to merely expose them to the songs.  If you have extra time, you might choose one to memorize.

including Family Home Evenings, Family Councils, nightly prayers, etc.

Song:  Teach Me to Walk in the Light, p177

or Family Prayer, p189

or Love is Spoken Here verse 1, p190

Asking blessings for someone else or understanding how to help someone else.

Song:  Where Love Is, p138

or A Prayer, p22

or Thank Thee, Father verse 2, p24

Praying before meals.

Song:  For Health and Strength p21

Personal bedtime prayers.   

Song:  Children All Over the World , p16

flipchart here

or I Love to Pray verse 2, p25

Prayers for inspiration and understanding.

Song:  Search, Ponder and Pray, p109

or Seek the Lord Early, p 108

Priesthood blessings, father's blessings, etc.

Song:  Father Up Above, p23

Asking for help knowing what we should do.

Song:  I Need My Heavenly Father p18

or Heavenly Father, Now I Pray, p19

Prayers for help in overcoming trials, getting out of difficult situations or asking for blessings you may want.

Song:  We Bow Our Heads verse2, p25

or I Pray in Faith verse 2, p14

Sacrament meetings, primary meetings.

Song:  Reverently, Quietly, p26

Personal morning prayers.

Song:  I Love to Pray verse 1, p25 or

I Pray in Faith verse 1, p14

Blessing the sacrament, performing baptisms, etc.

Song:  When I am Baptized, p103 (not about prayer, but a good chance to review)

Prayers to ask for forgiveness of our sins.

Song:  The Fourth Article of Faith, p124

Prayers to thank Heavenly Father for our blessings.

Song:  Can a Little Child Like Me p9

or My Heavenly Father Loves Me verse 2,  p228

flipchart here

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This is the chicken dish I make every year for Rosh Hashanah, the jewish new year but of course it's delicious for anytime of the year. It is traditional to cook with honey for Rosh Hashanah because it is sweet and symbolizes that we should all have a sweet new year. This recipe combines honey and dried fruit and is always a crowd pleaser.

Ingredients:

1 3 1/2 to 4 lb chicken cut in 8ths

2 carrots, peeled and sliced into discs

1 onion, sliced

1/2 C golden raisins

1/2 C pitted prunes

1/3 C dried apricots

1/4 C dried currants

1/3 C oil

1 C honey

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees.

Place chicken pieces in roasting pan.

Combine carrots, onion, golden raisins, prunes, apricots, currants, and oil in a large bowl. Spoon mixture evenly around and over chicken.

Pour honey over chicken and vegetable/fruit mixture, lightly coating chicken pieces.

Bake for 30 minutes, baste, and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour, basting occasionally, or until chicken, vegetables, and fruit are tender and golden brown.

Linked to Everyday Mom's Meals

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Tebakan Lucu - Humor Gokil - Beralih sebentar dari hal-hal yang berbau-bau mudik dan lebaran. Berawal dari FB, iseng-iseng ngasih tebakan lucu dan ternyata responnya sangat diluar dugaan, jadi kefikiran buat nyalin kumpulan sms tebakan lucu yang biasa aku buat tebakan di FB tersebut. Enak juga main tebak-tebakan di FB, banyak yang jawab ngaco, jorok, dan aneh-aneh. Ga berasa saking asyiknya waktu terus berputer n akhirnya tau-tau dah sore aja :D

Image From: www.europeword.com

Tebakan Humor Gokil karya dari orang-orang yang kreatif memang selalu membuat hidup serasa ga pernah ada susahnya. Selalu dan selalu menghibur dan membuat ketawa. Apalagi kalau habis ngelakuin rutinitas keseharian, rasanya pasti asyik banget tuh kalo langsung dihibur dengan Tebakan Humor Lucu dan Gokil. Tapi semua juga kembali kepada pribadi masing-masing, kadang kan ada juga orang yang selera humornya biasa-biasa aja, jadi bisa aja kata-kata lucu yang keluar sebagai jawaban dari tebakan lucu yang dilontarkan ga mampu bikin orang tersebut ketawa :D

Nah langsung aja disimak, dibawah adaalah 20 Tebakan Humor Lucu dan Gokil Banget, semoga bisa bikin perut anda semua terkocok dengan humor gokil tersebut.

20 Tebakan Humor Lucu dan Gokil banget

1.    Gede, item kecoklat-coklatan, berbulu dan lemas......apa hayoo?
Mike Tyson puasa 3 hari

2.    Kenapa kentut laki2 lebih keras daripada kentut perempuan?
Karena laki2 punya mic

3.    Apa bedanya sekretaris baik sama sekretaris seksi?
Sekretaris baik "selamat pagi pak"
Sekretaris seksi "sudah pagi pak"

4.    Item, lonjong, panjang, terdapat di selangkangan, apaan?
Rem becak

5.    Dikocok, tegang. Hayo apaan?
Ibu-ibu arisan.

6.    Panjangnya 15 cm, kemerahan,ada kepalanya, dan membuat cewek tergila-gila.
Duit seratus ribuan

7.    Apa beda jantung pisang dengan jantung pria?
Jantung pisang terletak di bawah pisangnya; kalo jantung pria terletak di atas pisangnya

8.    Apa bedanya burung cendrawasih dengan perempuan?
Burung cendrawasih adalah burung surga, sedangkan perempuan adalah surga burung

9.    Benda apa yang kalo dilihat kotak, tapi kalo dipegang bulat?
Lambang OSIS di baju anak SMU cewek

10.    Apa beda macan dengan wanita?
Kalo macan, ditembak dulu baru tergeletak; kalo wanita tergeletak dulu baru ditembak

11.    Apa bedanya ban mobil dengan kondom?
Kalo ban mobil bocor, nyawa bisa hilang; kalo kondom bocor, nyawa bisa nambah

12.    Apa perbedaan kolor maradona sama kolor lo ?
Kalau maradona main kolornya di pakai; kalo lo 'main' kolornya di buka

13.    Apa bedanya sepak bola dengan pengantin baru?
Kalo sepak bola masukin dulu baru berpelukan,
kalo pengantin baru berpelukan dulu baru masukin

14.    Kenapa Maradona pake nomor 10?
Soalnya kalau pake 36B kegedean.

15.    70 hal apa saja yang disenangi wanita?
1 Shopping, yang lainnya. 69

16.    Bagaimana cara membedakan antara zebra jantan dengan zebra betina?
Kalau zebra jantan warna aslinya hitam bergaris2 putih. Kalau zebra betina warna aslinya putih bergaris2 hitam.

17.    Apa bedanya kapal terbang sama rok mini?
Kalau kapal terbang, makin tinggi makin nggak keliatan. Kalau rok mini, makin tinggi makin keliatan

18.    Apa beda gadis baik-baik dan gadis nakal?
Gadis baik2 hanya punya SATU kartu kredit dan JARANG DIPAKAI, gadis nakal hanya punya SATU BH dan JARANG DIPAKAI

19.    Apa perbedaan celana kolor dengan balon gas?
Kalo balon gas talinya lepas naik keatas Kalo celana kolor talinya lepas turun kebawah.

20.    Apa persamaan celana dalam pria dan hotel?
Sama-sama punya ballroom

Tebakan diatas disalin dari: http://senamperut.blogspot.com/2010/01/tebak-tebakan-17.html

Nah gimana apa 20 Tebakan Humor Lucu Gokil diatas sudah dapat membuat anda setidaknya ketawa-ketawa sendirian pada saat membacanya? Jika jawaban anda tidak, mungkin anda mesti sedikit waspada, hihihi :D
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“Agua Fresca” translates to “Fresh Water,” which is kind of funny, since it’s made mostly from fresh fruit. Sometimes I do extensive research into why something has a certain name, but this time, because it's too nice to stay inside surfing on a computer, I’m just going to speculate.

I’m guessing that back in the day before modern plumbing and refrigeration, water may not have always been the best tasting beverage around. Drinking wine and beer all day is a fantastic alternative, but not necessarily when you have things to do, and empires to build.

So, they took some stale, tepid water, and freshened it up with some nice cold, sweet fruit. You have to admit, that sounds pretty plausible. Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The bottom line is, there’s really nothing quite as restorative and refreshing on a sweltering summer day. I hope you give this delicious agua fresca a try soon. Enjoy!

To make 2 quarts Watermelon Agua Fresca:

5-6 cups freshly scooped watermelon

2 cups cold water

enough simple sugar syrup to sweeten to taste (recipe as follows)

Simple Syrup:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

(you can make any amount by simply using a 1 to 1 ratio, and heating until the sugar dissolves)

View the complete recipe

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رابط الحفظ

MEDIAFIRE

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“Akhi, kalau ana guna kereta Vios, ok ke berbanding Nissan Sunny?”

“Antum nak guna untuk apa?”

“Dah namanya kereta, takkan nak guna untuk menyelam. Guna untuk jalan di jalan rayalah..”

Berderai tawa antara kami. Hasif yang sedang menyedut air epal susunya hampir menyemburkan isi mulutnya.

“Memanglah, antum nak guna untuk pergi mana?”

“Kalau antara rumah ana dengan UTP je? Minyak jimat ke?”

“Sebenarnya akh, kereta ini dia ikut macam mana kita bawa. Kalau dari UTP ke rumah antum, tapi bawa macam ana bawa, sekejap je minyak habis.”

Sekali lagi berderai tawa kami. Akhi Firdaus, sememangnya terkenal dengan cara pemanduan F1. Mottonya, ‘Biar cepat, asal selamat.’ Walaupun keselamatan pemanduannya diragui oleh ramai ikhwah-ikhwah lain. Tetapi dia tetap yakin dengan cara pemanduannya.

Persoalannya bukanlah jenis kereta yang dipandu

Ya, tetapi ia  bergantung kepada siapa yang memandu.

Dan yang lebih penting, bagaimana cara dia memandu.

Begitu jugalah dengan diri kita. Untuk mencapai destinasi, ramai antara kita diberi ‘kereta’ yang hebat. Namun, berapa ramai yang menggunakan ‘kereta’ mereka dengan sebaiknya?

Masuk ke universiti sebagai ‘kereta’ untuk menambah ilmu dan menambah kenalan. Namun berapa ramai yang menggunakan ‘kereta’ itu untuk bermaksiat?

Tubuh badan yang sihat sebagai ‘kereta’ untuk beribadah kepada Allah dan menambah pahala, namun berapa ramai yang mengkufuri nikmat tersebut dan memandu ‘kereta’nya ke arah menjauhkan diri daripada Allah?

Dan yang paling hampir dengan kita, Ramdhan sebagai ‘kereta’ untuk menuju taqwa. Berapa ramai yang menggunakan ‘kereta’ ini untuk mencapainya? Atau ‘kereta’ ini hanya digunakan sebagai peluang untuk berbisnes di bazar Ramadhan, tempat berpura-pura bertaubat dan kembali bermaksiat di bulan seterusnya?

Bahkan yang lebih teruk, ‘kereta’ ini langsung tidak dipandu untuk menuju destinasinya.

Tepuk dada, tanya iman.

Ramdhan yang telah berlalu, bagaimana kita menyikapinya?

Ramdhan yang masih berbaki, apa rancangan kita untuk memaknainya?

Pandulah ‘kereta’ Ramdhanmu.

Salam sejahtera buat para pemburu Lail Al-Qadr.

p/s: Saya sudah ada fanpage. Jemput lawat: https://www.facebook.com/shotulikhwah?ref=hl

~End Of Post~

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Sms Ucapan Selamat Lebaran - Idul Fitri 2013 - 1434 H. Sudah masuk di bulan Agustus 2013, dan berarti sudah semakin tambah dekat lagi dengan 1 Syawal 1434 H. Jika pada tulisan-tulisan sebelumnya banyak membahas mengenai tradisi mudik, kali ini Olah Warta masih membahas seputar tradisi ketika menyambut datangnya hari raya idul fitri, yaitu mengenai tradisi mengirimkan atau mengucapkan SMS Ucapan Selamat Lebaran Idul Fitri 2013 - 1434 H.

Menjelang berakhirnya bulan ramadhan dan menyambut datangnya hari kemenangan idul fitri, pasti ramai sekali baik dari kalangan muda/mudi maupun orang-orang yang sudah dewasa saling mengirimkan Sms Ucapan Selamat Lebaran. Jika dulu mungkin ucapan-ucapan tersebut dikirimkan melalui kartu lebaran, seiring perkembangan tentu sekarang ini lebih banyak yang mengirimkan ucapan selamat lebaran terseubut melalui sms, atau chatting via bbm maupun media-media online lainnya.

Perkembangan teknologi yang kian pesat tersebut tentu sangat membantu sekali, karena lebih memudahkan orang-oang yang ingin saling berkirim ucapan selamat lebaran. Suatu keuntungan tambahan bagi para operator seluler, namun bisa juga dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang membuat kartu lebaran menjadi ditingglkan, meskipun tentunya belum sepenuhnya ditinggalkan. Karena tentunya masih banyak yang lebih suka mengucapkan ucapan selamat lebaran melalui kartu lebaran.

Untuk sebagian orang yang mungkin tidak pandai dalam merangkai kata-kata namun tak ingin ketinggalan untuk mengucapkan ucapan selamat lebaran, tentu tak perlu khawatir. Karena lagi-lagi dengan perkembangan teknologi sekarang ini, melaui internet pun kita dapat banyak menemukan contoh ucapan-ucapan selamat lebaran. Ada contoh ucapan selamat lebaran dalam bahasa jawa, ucapan selamat lebaran idul fitri dalam bahasa sunda, dan ada pula contoh ucapan selamat lebaran idul fitri dalam bahasa inggris.

Dan berikut sedikit contoh kalimat ucapan selamat lebaran idul fitri 2013 - 1434 H, yang disalin dari: http://spoityf.com/kata-kata-sms-ucapan-selamat-idul-fitri-2013-terbaru.html

Tiada gading yg tak RETAK
Tiada tuyul yg tak BOTAK
Tiada bisul yg tak BENGKAK
Tiada luka yg tk KOYAK
Met Lebaran Idul Fitri yah..
Maaf lahir batin..
**
Mohon maaf..
Bila ada perkataan-ku yg menyakitkan.
Bila ada tulisan-tulisan-ku yg gak enak dibaca.
Bila ada kelakukan-ku seperti lupa usia.
Semoga kita diijinkan untuk menikmati indahnya Idul Fitri.
Mohon Maaf Lahir & Bathin.
**
Beningnya embun memberi kesejukan.
Mengiring kegembiraan dalam menyongsong Idul Fitri
Mohon dibukakan pintu maaf atas kesalahan dan kekhilafan.
Setulus hati mengucapkan..
Selamat Idul Fitri 1434 H.
Mohon Maaf Lahir & Bathin.
**
Mata bisa salah lihat.
Kuping bisa salah dengar.
Mulut bisa salah bicara.
Hati bisa salah sangka.
Di hari yg fitri ini.
Mohon maaf lahir dan bathin yah..
**
Kadang..
Sikap, perkataan, hati dan perasaan membuat kesalahan.
Baik disadari maupun tidak.
Dihari yg Fitri ini..
Adalah hari sangat baik untuk saling memaafkan.
Minal Aidzin wal Faidzin.
Mohon Maaf Lahir & Bathin.
Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1434 H.
**
Waktu mengalir bagaikan Air.
Ramadhan suci akan berakhir.
Tuk salah yg pernah Ada.
Tuk khilaf yg sempat terucap.
Pintu maaf selalu kuharap.
Met Idul Fitri..
**
Di beningnya hati ada keruhnya prasangka.
Disantunnya sapa ada celanya kata.
Mohon Maaf Lahir & Bathin bila itu pernah terasa.
Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1434 H.

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I made this breakfast sandwich the other morning using leftover crust less asparagus quiche that I had made the day before.  My kids LOVED it. 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

for crust less quiche:
7 eggs
1 bunch of asparagus
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

for grilled cheese sandwich:
2 slices of any kind of cheese you like (I used American cheese)
2 slices of any kind of bread you like (I used whole wheat bread)
butter or margarine, softened

Preparation:

Cut off bottom 1/3 of asparagus and discard.   Cut asparagus into small bite size pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl and add a tablespoon of water.  Steam in microwave on high for 60 seconds.  Meanwhile, beat eggs with milk in a large bowl.  To egg mixture add chopped sage, salt and pepper to taste.  Now add steamed asparagus pieces and shredded cheese.  Mix everything together and pour into a small casserole dish that has been greased with non-stick cooking spray.  Bake at 375 degrees F. for 45 minutes, remove from oven and let cool slightly.

To assemble sandwich; cut a small square of quiche and set aside.  Spread softened butter or margarine on one side of each slice of bread.  Place a small frying pan on stove on med/high heat.  Add one slice of bread butter side down in hot pan.  Next, add one slice of cheese, then a square of crust less quiche, another slice of cheese and lastly add the second piece of bread butter side up.  Brown bread for a minute or two and flip and then brown the other side of bread.  Watch this carefully so you don't burn the bread.  Once both sides of bread are brown and cheese is melted remove from pan and cut sandwich in half or quarters and Enjoy!

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