tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27291820623631414542024-03-13T08:35:00.606-04:00The Durham Bull PenDurham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-14159528582316959712014-12-30T23:30:00.001-05:002014-12-30T23:30:24.265-05:00Cherry Yum Yum. Possibly my favorite dessert.My Aunt Margie used to make a dessert that I loved as a kid, and still love. She called it "Cherry Yum Yum" and it is so good. My Aunt is long gone now, but my mother still makes this every Christmas and I've made it a few times myself. It's not complicated but oh-so-good. It can be made with blueberries instead of cherry filling, but I've always loved the cherry the best. Recipe below.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWaaP6e8DEY/VKN4Y4KAOYI/AAAAAAAABYg/ml2qVKC7SNg/s1600/cherry.yum.yum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yWaaP6e8DEY/VKN4Y4KAOYI/AAAAAAAABYg/ml2qVKC7SNg/s1600/cherry.yum.yum.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>From this past Christmas, a serving of Cherry Yum Yum.</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here's my Aunt Margie's Cherry Yum Yum recipe. It needs a few hours to chill thoroughly so make sure to make it in plenty of time to chill, preferably even overnight.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<b>Aunt Margie's Cherry Yum Yum</b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
3 cups graham cracker crumbs</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1 1/2 sticks margarine (or butter), melted</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1 1/2 cups sugar</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1 can cherry pie filling</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1 large can crushed undrained pineapple (cooked & thickened with 3 T. cornstarch)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
1 large pkg. cream cheese (8 oz)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
12 oz. whipped topping</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Combine cracker crumbs, 1/2 c sugar & margarine. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Blend cream cheese & 1 cup sugar; fold in whipped topping. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Spread half of graham cracker crumb mixture in bottom of 9 x 12 baking dish. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Add half of cream cheese mixture. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Spread on cherry pie filling and pineapple; add remaining cream cheese mixture. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Top with remaining crumbs. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Refrigerate several hours before serving.</div>
<br />Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-18256239719933584792012-09-14T21:04:00.002-04:002012-09-14T21:44:40.896-04:00(Super Easy) Corn & Black Bean SaladI am all about easy cooking. This one doesn't even require cooking come to think of it. Going to a late afternoon cookout tomorrow and need a good and easy--and tasty--side dish to take. Even I can't screw up this one. Mix the following--listed below--ingredients together in a bowl and that's it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDztHlhUACg/UFPRaFsaxUI/AAAAAAAABVE/ptjzksUnJzw/s1600/corn.blackbean.salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDztHlhUACg/UFPRaFsaxUI/AAAAAAAABVE/ptjzksUnJzw/s320/corn.blackbean.salad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Corn and Black Bean Salad</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Here's what you mix together:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
can of corn, drained</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
can of black beans, drained</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
chopped small onion</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
chopped medium sized tomato</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
chopped jalapeno pepper (seeds and veins out)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
2 tablespoons lime juice</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
4 tablespoon olive oil</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
salt and pepper to taste</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
and a little cilantro (if you like it) fresh or dried</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The above picture doesn't do it justice. It really is a pretty mixture of colors and textures, and a lot of great flavors that compliment one another.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-37619302854612478212009-10-24T20:55:00.002-04:002009-10-24T21:04:24.119-04:00So much like every morning here . . .<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w0ffwDYo00Q&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w0ffwDYo00Q&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div>A few more are on the cartoonist's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/simonscat#p/u/1/I1qHVVbYG8Y">youtube page</a>.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-78316081362918632662009-05-09T13:44:00.007-04:002009-05-09T13:53:13.698-04:00Baby birds today<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SgXBpMot9XI/AAAAAAAABSY/68Sb-wVw1o4/s1600-h/DSC_0199.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SgXBpMot9XI/AAAAAAAABSY/68Sb-wVw1o4/s400/DSC_0199.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333882247201027442" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:78%;" >(Double-click to get a bigger picture)</span><br /></div><br />I discovered the cutest little baby birds tucked into a nest just off the front porch. I didn't want to get too close so the mom-bird wouldn't get nervous. She was constantly bringing food to the nest today. Check out the fuzzy heads--you can best see the fuzzy head on the bird on the right side.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-67604386417715387602009-05-05T15:12:00.006-04:002009-05-05T16:04:35.044-04:00A word about "Mother's Day"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SgCUqq4EwAI/AAAAAAAABSE/Gr1SyCjXJ2I/s1600-h/mothers_day.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SgCUqq4EwAI/AAAAAAAABSE/Gr1SyCjXJ2I/s200/mothers_day.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332425419591565314" /></a> I recently learned of "Mother's Day" origins and it now has an additional meaning to me. "Mother's Day" was originally conceived as a day to inspire people to work for peace. I don't think Hallmark has a card with those sentiments for your Mother, sadly.<br /><br />It began with American abolitionist and suffragist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Ward_Howe">Julia Ward Howe</a> who was horrified by the death and destruction wrought by the Civil War in the U.S. In addition to helping bring about what she called "A Mother's Day for Peace," she is also know for penning the lyrics to "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic">The Battle Hymn of the Republic</a>"--which is an abolitionist song, by the way.<br /><br />Howe wrote her "<a href=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_Proclamation">Mother's Day Proclamation</a>" in 1870 and wished it to serve as a rallying point for women to oppose war, to promote peace, and encourage other women to take hold of their families' futures. <br /><br />Howe, a pacifist, worked with widows and orphans during the Civil War, and witnessed first hand what war inevitably brings to innocents, forever disrupting their families' well-being.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><blockquote>Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation / 1870<br /><br />Arise, then, women of this day!<br />Arise all women who have hearts,<br />Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears!<br />Say firmly:<br />We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,<br />Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage,<br />For caresses and applause.<br />Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn<br />All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy, and patience.<br />We women of one country<br />Will be too tender of those of another country<br />To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.<br />From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with<br />Our own. It says, "Disarm, Disarm!"<br />The sword of murder is not the balance of justice!<br />Blood does not wipe out dishonor<br />Nor violence indicate possession.<br />As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war.<br />Let women now leave all that may be left of home<br />For a great and earnest day of counsel.<br />Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.<br />Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means<br />Whereby the great human family can live in peace,<br />Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,<br />But of God.<br />In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask<br />That a general congress of women without limit of nationality<br />May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient<br />And at the earliest period consistent with its objects<br />To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,<br />The amicable settlement of international questions,<br />The great and general interests of peace.</span></blockquote></span></span><br />Ms. Howe presented her poem around the world, particularly focusing on the terrible aftermath of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War.<br /><br />Howe wanted Mother's Day to be a time when women would come together to mourn their losses to war, to urge more peaceful solutions to conflict, and to educate the world about how war ruins futures, lives, and families for years and years after a war has officially ended.<br /><br />"<span style="font-style:italic;">The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war.</span>" -- Ralph Waldo EmersonDurham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-63200175453507441452009-05-01T01:21:00.004-04:002009-05-01T01:27:03.463-04:00Piedmont Farm Tour - Day 2 SlideshowOn day 2 of the <a href="http://durhambullpen.blogspot.com/2009/04/hey-want-to-tour-some-local-farms.html">Piedmont Farm Tour</a> last weekend, we visited Timberwood Organics, Fickle Creek Farm,Chapel Hill Creamery, Pickards Mountain Eco Institute and Four Leaf Farm:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617541006850%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617541006850%2F&set_id=72157617541006850&jump_to="></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617541006850%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617541006850%2F&set_id=72157617541006850&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br />If you'd like to see which farms are which, and some captions, you can see the Flickr set <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/durham_bull_pen/sets/72157617541006850/detail/">here</a>.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-50744198372015578122009-04-30T00:46:00.003-04:002009-04-30T01:01:31.795-04:00Slideshow of Piedmont Farm Tour - Day 1I previously blogged about the <a href="http://durhambullpen.blogspot.com/2009/04/hey-want-to-tour-some-local-farms.html">Piedmont Farm Tour</a>, which was held last weekend. I went both days, enjoyed myself thoroughly, and took some pictures. These farms sell flowers, produce, herbs, meat and eggs to our local farmers markets.<br /><br />Below is the slideshow from the first day (last Saturday) and we visited several farms in northern Orange County: Maple Spring Gardens, Wild Hare Farms, Captain J.S. Pope Farm, Anatoth Community Garden, a farm not on the tour (a friend knew the farmers) and we saw llamas and alpacas there, and the last farm visited was Whitted Bowers Farm, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodynamic_agriculture">biodynamic</a> farm.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617407045643%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617407045643%2F&set_id=72157617407045643&jump_to="></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617407045643%2Fshow%2F&page_show_back_url=%2Fphotos%2Fdurham_bull_pen%2Fsets%2F72157617407045643%2F&set_id=72157617407045643&jump_to=" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Tomorrow I'll put up some pictures of the Day 2 of the Farm Tour.<br /><br />If you'd like to see the captions of the pictures in the slideshow, detailing which farms the pictures are from just <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/durham_bull_pen/sets/72157617407045643/detail/">click here</a>.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-39301469569222346852009-04-23T20:49:00.005-04:002009-04-23T22:16:49.312-04:00City slicker raccoonsI live close in to city center in Durham. Nevertheless we get plenty wildlife encounters. Bunnies eat my lettuce in my tiny garden down to a nub. Squirrels try to make a home in my attic. A hoot owl makes haunting owl calls far up in the trees late at night. But the raccoons! They practically ring the doorbell and ask for leftovers. Here's a picture my neighbor snapped early one morning of some raccoons near my garbage can:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SfESdyLt8vI/AAAAAAAABR0/HS23FLEGBBQ/s1600-h/raccoons3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SfESdyLt8vI/AAAAAAAABR0/HS23FLEGBBQ/s400/raccoons3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328060137052435186" /></a><br />Cute, yes. But up to something no doubt.<br /><br />Last week one was banging around trying to--I guess--lift the top of the tall green rolling trash can. That's what it sounded like anyway.<br /><br />When I came home from work day before yesterday, I found out one had been on my front porch. There are the raccoon tracks, right there in the yellow pollen on my front porch:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SfESeGsAp5I/AAAAAAAABR8/5htzikd9iFU/s1600-h/racoontracks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SfESeGsAp5I/AAAAAAAABR8/5htzikd9iFU/s400/racoontracks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5328060142556587922" /></a><br /><br />A friend suggested maybe with all the pollen, he was looking for Benadryl. Perhaps.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-41376215011197544562009-04-05T20:32:00.004-04:002009-04-05T21:02:20.241-04:00Hey, want to tour some local farms?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/images/stories/farmtourbuttforweb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 235px; height: 224px;" src="http://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/images/stories/farmtourbuttforweb.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />This upcoming Farm Tour definitely looks like something I'm going to participate in, and I'm surprised I didn't know about it before now. That's one big reason why I'm posting about it, to get the information out there in case you want to participate too.<br /><br />If you've read books like <a href="http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/">Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</a> or <a href="http://www.michaelpollan.com/omnivore.php">The Omnivore's Dilemma</a>, you might be more interested than ever in being acquainted with exactly where your food comes from. I am. And if you shop at your local Farmer's Market whenever you can, do you sometimes wonder what these farms look like, or how they operate? You should consider taking part in the <a href="http://www.carrboro.com/htmls/farmtour.html">14th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour</a> on the weekend of April 25 & 26th from 1pm to 6pm. A pdf map with lots of useful information can be found <a href="http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/docs/09PFTmap.pdf">here</a>.<br /><blockquote>This year’s Piedmont Farm Tour will bring together consumers, farmers, and producers in one of the largest farm tours in the country. It is a great time to go exploring in the North Carolina countryside. With over forty farms to choose from, you and your family can craft an exciting day visiting and learning about farming and agriculture. <br /><br />If you’re looking for some animal action you can pet goats, hold chickens or rabbits and get up close to cows and sheep. Plant lovers can learn about growing flowers, vegetables, fruits, and berries. See how farmers manage their land with hoop houses, traveling chicken coops, irrigation systems, and greenhouses. Learn how prawns are saving farmland at Stagg Creek Farm, new to the tour this year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">There will be lots of opportunities to buy meat, eggs, poultry, and prawns, so bring a cooler.</span> One button buys a carload of people two days of touring. </blockquote><br />The above from <a href="http://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=315&Itemid=409">Weaver Street Market</a>.<br /><br />You can buy the button for admission (for a carload of folks) referenced above <a href="http://carolinafarmstewards.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=23">here</a>.<br /><br />A list of participating farms at the pdf above or <a href="http://www.weaverstreetmarket.coop/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=315&Itemid=409">here</a>.<br /><br />Hope there's good weather that weekend. Sounds like a fun time to me.<br /><br />Thanks to my pal Jack for letting me know about this tour.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-81881133915197195672009-03-26T16:42:00.006-04:002009-03-26T18:43:07.374-04:00On the big screen . . .<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.carolinatheatre.org/resources/images/films/godfathe200.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 264px;" src="http://www.carolinatheatre.org/resources/images/films/godfathe200.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />You may've noticed that I'm a bit of a movie fan, and I think sometimes it's a real treat to re-visit older movies on the big screen, at the theater, the way they were intended to be seen. In Durham we have the ability to take advantage of doing so at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=The+Carolina+Theater+Durham&sll=36.001028,-78.901684&sspn=0,359.986181&ie=UTF8&ll=36.000316,-78.902349&spn=0.007239,0.013819&z=16&iwloc=A">The Carolina Theater</a> from time to time.<br /><br />In fact, I did that with one of my favorites, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_Bride_%28film%29">The Princess Bride</a>, when it was shown a couple of years ago for its 20th Anniversary. <br /><br />A few more are coming up at The Carolina that you might want to see again on the big screen, with a box of popcorn and giant soda. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/">The Godfather</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071562/">The Godfather Part II</a> will be showing in May for one week only (May 8 - 14). <br /><br />If you've never seen those two, now's your chance to see them at the theater. How cool is that?<br /><br />Also for Star Trek fans, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092007/">Star Trek IV</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117731/">Star Trek First Contact</a>, will be shown 4 days only, April 20 - 23.<br /><br />Details are <a href="http://www.carolinatheatre.org/onscreen/comingsoon.html">here</a>.<br /><br />It's an <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4KRDVsSsKE">offer you can't refuse</a>. (Sorry . . . I couldn't help it.)<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-54446032837327733862009-03-23T12:07:00.008-04:002009-03-23T13:01:13.535-04:00Cool color illusion.Instructions: Look at the black dot in the picture below. Stare at the dot until the countdown ends, and the black and white picture should look like it’s in color . . . until you move your eyes!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/Res_Ipsa/imagescolor-2dbw-20castle.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 720px; height: 494px;" src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y140/Res_Ipsa/imagescolor-2dbw-20castle.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I've loved these little optical illusions ever since I was a kid.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-63132540742049507682009-03-17T22:44:00.007-04:002009-03-18T00:06:45.206-04:00Sliced Bread FAIL.So, I haven't ever encountered this before. Regular, sliced loaf of bread from the grocery store. Open the bag to grab a couple slices to make a sandwich. No slices. Just one unsliced loaf. Times are hard, I tell ya.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/ScBhPqyX6iI/AAAAAAAABRk/ooJVf4vDmGw/s1600-h/DSC_0459.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/ScBhPqyX6iI/AAAAAAAABRk/ooJVf4vDmGw/s400/DSC_0459.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314354482108688930" /></a><br />Okay, not necessarily all that interesting. Mainly just odd. Wonder how many loaves went out the door that day before someone flipped the slicer machine to the 'on' position. D'oh!<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span></div>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-86096666034660688622009-03-10T23:13:00.006-04:002009-03-11T11:27:52.511-04:00Ani DiFranco gives Red Letter performance at The Carolina<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sbc7KYnQRUI/AAAAAAAABRc/iuabAYN_FUY/s1600-h/ani2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sbc7KYnQRUI/AAAAAAAABRc/iuabAYN_FUY/s320/ani2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311779335098615106" /></a><br />Tonight was the first time I'd seen <a href="http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/">Ani DiFranco</a> live. She's one of my all-time favorite singer-songerwriters and I regularly listen to her music, never tiring of my favorite tunes. I missed her a couple of years ago when she was at <a href="http://www.carolinatheatre.org/">The Carolina Theater</a> and I'd been kicking myself ever since for not going. <br /><br />Just like her music, she is high-energy and rambunctious on stage. And her loyal fans were there filling every seat, soaking it all up, knowing all the words, dancing in the aisles, screaming "we love you Ani!" between songs.<br /><br />I especially enjoyed how when she's wailing on her guitar, she bobs and weaves around on the stage, like a fighter, using her body to punctuate a guitar riff, practically levitating on the stage with her energy. Often when she really punches a chord on her guitar, she lifts her left leg in the air as if she's kicking it out to us in the audience. If you're a fan and never have seen her live, try to catch her next time. You won't be disappointed. <br /><br />She appeared tonight at The Carolina with only two other musicians, drummer Allison Miller and Todd Sickafoose on upright bass. Their sound was huge and beautiful.<br /><br />The show was to promote her new CD <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.righteousbabe.com/ani/redLetterYear/ani.html#press">Red Letter Year</a></span>, a review <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/rmdp/">here</a>, and she, of course, played many songs from it and many of her older songs too, like <span style="font-style:italic;">Shameless</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">You Had Time</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Both Hands</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">As Is</span>.<br /><br />The song I liked best that she played from her new CD was <a href="http://www.danah.org/Ani/Others/PresentInfant.html">Present/Infant</a>. I already have her new CD and I think I'll be listening to a lot more of it now that I've seen her perform the songs live.<br /><br />Keep on keeping on, Ani. You're just getting better all the time.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-63443309045814860672009-03-07T20:40:00.010-05:002009-03-07T21:44:44.324-05:00Hike on Cabe Lands Access & Eno QuarryWe took advantage of the 80 degree day and hiked down to the old Eno Quarry. I'd never seen it before and it had always sounded intriguing to me, especially after I read <a href="http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid:154740">this article</a> in the Indy recently.<br /><br />A little about the area is <a href="http://www.trailsofnc.com/hiking/eno_river/cabe_lands/overview.html">here</a>.<br /><br />As you enter, you can pick up a map and see a some items of interest on a covered bulletin board (click to make the pic larger):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMjZqcgRUI/AAAAAAAABQc/_DOGOxGGHVQ/s1600-h/DSC_0004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMjZqcgRUI/AAAAAAAABQc/_DOGOxGGHVQ/s400/DSC_0004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310627309397493058" /></a><br /><br />Much of the trail is rooty and rocky, but my hiking partner did okay in her tennis shoes. There is a fair amount of uphill/downhill but nothing too strenuous. The trail is considered "moderate."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMmk1S--XI/AAAAAAAABQs/1_pKM14d2mQ/s1600-h/DSC_0103.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMmk1S--XI/AAAAAAAABQs/1_pKM14d2mQ/s400/DSC_0103.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310630799823796594" /></a><br />After a while, you'll get to the big scary warning sign about the Quarry:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMmkN8oTEI/AAAAAAAABQk/WvWmAA1CgcI/s1600-h/DSC_0027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMmkN8oTEI/AAAAAAAABQk/WvWmAA1CgcI/s400/DSC_0027.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310630789261052994" /></a><br /><br />Continue on down the trail and soon you'll hear frogs and crickets loudly singing. Water is close. The Quarry is close.<br /><br />Right before the payoff of seeing the Quarry up close, you have to stone-step over a little creek. The stones looked mighty slippery to me and I was worried about slipping and falling and breaking my leg far down a trail, but I finally got over to the Quarry side (to the steps) safely and snapped a picture. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMolHdoeXI/AAAAAAAABQ0/aoznqsrfdzk/s1600-h/DSC_0061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMolHdoeXI/AAAAAAAABQ0/aoznqsrfdzk/s400/DSC_0061.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310633003723553138" /></a><br />The Quarry was lovely. I was going to circumnavigate it because a trail does go around it according to the map, but I got my shot of the Quarry and headed back. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMqw-UFtDI/AAAAAAAABQ8/-_TBP_cIj50/s1600-h/eno.quarry.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMqw-UFtDI/AAAAAAAABQ8/-_TBP_cIj50/s400/eno.quarry.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310635406449292338" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">above, Eno Quarry 3.7.2009<br /><br /></div>Hiking out we saw some teenagers hiking in quite obviously going for a swim. I wondered about how cold the water must surely be since earlier this week the temps were 13 or so degrees a couple of nights.<br /><br />A few other shots from the hike:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMtKiUPDsI/AAAAAAAABRM/PzujfOcWT30/s1600-h/DSC_0049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMtKiUPDsI/AAAAAAAABRM/PzujfOcWT30/s400/DSC_0049.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310638044633566914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMtHKXHT6I/AAAAAAAABRE/46-J-rbCK9A/s1600-h/DSC_0018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMtHKXHT6I/AAAAAAAABRE/46-J-rbCK9A/s400/DSC_0018.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310637986663583650" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMug2JzLhI/AAAAAAAABRU/8kJyV3H1yEE/s1600-h/DSC_0010.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbMug2JzLhI/AAAAAAAABRU/8kJyV3H1yEE/s400/DSC_0010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310639527427255826" /></a>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-64224051973790439052009-03-06T12:18:00.006-05:002009-03-06T13:40:53.847-05:00Great Blog: "North Carolina Miscellany"I've really been enjoying the blog "<a href="http://www.lib.unc.edu/blogs/ncm/"><strong>North Carolina Miscellany</strong></a>" so I wanted to give it a shout out here. From the blog:<blockquote><br />North Carolina Miscellany is a blog produced, edited, and maintained by the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The North Carolina Collection, located in historic Wilson Library, is the state’s premier collection of published materials documenting the history, literature, and culture of the Tar Heel state. The collection is free and open to the public.<br /><br />The North Carolina Miscellany will include regular posts discussing new and upcoming books on North Carolina topics, state history in the news, treasures from the stacks of the North Carolina Collection, and general “Tar Heelia.”</blockquote><br />Really great stuff there.<br />.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-36278825836763845022009-03-05T22:08:00.002-05:002009-03-05T23:39:45.203-05:00Easy Crustless Spinach Quiche<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbCoaWiBwdI/AAAAAAAABQU/4jz7SRQK5u0/s1600-h/quiche.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SbCoaWiBwdI/AAAAAAAABQU/4jz7SRQK5u0/s400/quiche.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309929131348181458" /></a><br />Not sure I've ever even made a quiche before but I made this one for dinner (and probably lunch tomorrow too).<br /><br />I used:<br /><br />1 med. onion<br />1 10 oz. pack of frozen spinach<br />5 eggs<br />Pre-shredded cheese<br />Garlic powder<br />Salt and pepper<br /><br />I'm not a precise cook, but here's what I did:<br /><br />Dice up a medium sized onion and sautee with a little olive oil and garlic powder until the onion begins to turn brown (carmelize)<br /><br />Microwave a frozen 10 oz. pack of spinach until thawed (3 min. approx) and drain and throw into the pan with the onion for a couple of minutes.<br /><br />Break 5 eggs and whisk them. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />Add some shredded cheese of your choice in with the eggs (2 to 3 cups, depending on how cheesy you like it) and stir.<br /><br />Mix the eggs/cheese mixture in with the spinach/onion mixture.<br /><br />Scoop it all into a lightly greased 9 in. pie pan. Bake for 30 min. at 350.<br /><br />I threw in a small handful of crumbled bacon I had, but if you wanted it vegetarian, don't do that. :)Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-21849052024433892112009-03-04T12:31:00.000-05:002009-03-04T12:32:24.940-05:00Icicles<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sa67KLqv5RI/AAAAAAAABQE/hxQ2nA00aZ8/s1600-h/%3D%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDA3MDYuanBn%3F%3D-744943"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sa67KLqv5RI/AAAAAAAABQE/hxQ2nA00aZ8/s320/%3D%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDA3MDYuanBn%3F%3D-744943" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309386794321569042" /></a></p>Bye-bye snow and ice. Even this afternoon, though, we still had this impressive one on our gutter.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-73418047576115784642009-03-01T13:10:00.002-05:002009-03-01T13:13:09.271-05:00Ben Folds at the DPAC<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SarPzZTrNHI/AAAAAAAABP8/K8SiGg5qr0I/s1600-h/%3D%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDA2NDcuanBn%3F%3D-785041"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SarPzZTrNHI/AAAAAAAABP8/K8SiGg5qr0I/s320/%3D%3Futf-8%3FB%3FSU1HMDA2NDcuanBn%3F%3D-785041" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5308283592683238514" /></a></p>At the "historic venue" as he jokingly called our new DPAC, Ben Folds played for 2 solid hours last Wednesday night. Many songs from his new album "Way to Normal" but plenty of his older songs that the crowd enthusiastically sang right along with him--"Annie Waits" "Zak and Sara" "Not the Same" "Rocking the Suburbs."<p>The sound at the DPAC is fantastic, by the way.<p>Folds apologized for being too full of Mama Dip's banana pudding and patted his stomach appreciatively. He talked wistfully of moving back to Chapel Hill, but it might've been the banana pudding talking.<p>The Lorelei's from UNC and a band from Phoenix called Miniature Tigers (and sounding a bit like Fleet Foxes) opened.<p>(This blog posting is also a test to see if I can post successfully from my mobile phone.)Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-47158692028094915242009-02-26T19:28:00.007-05:002009-02-26T19:49:11.045-05:00Stuff to do to that gets you out of the house.Spring is around the corner, right? Tons of stuff always going on through <em>The Eno River Association</em>.<br /><br />Reading groups, star-gazing nights, various hikes, bird-watching excursion, night-time hikes, hikes for tots, and even a parents-night-out hike.<br /><br />Here's <a href="http://www.enoriver.org/eno/parks/Monthly.htm">the monthly calendar</a> with all the dates and details.<br /><br />Love <a href="http://www.enoriver.org/eno/River/index.html">the Eno</a>!<br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sac2UVfjatI/AAAAAAAABP0/-Zo4tTDwoTk/s1600-h/P1200125.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307270408874191570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/Sac2UVfjatI/AAAAAAAABP0/-Zo4tTDwoTk/s400/P1200125.JPG" border="0" /></a> </p><p></p>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-4978022112636918122009-02-20T17:50:00.004-05:002009-02-20T17:59:52.329-05:00Ten minutes on Durham."10-minute Introduction to Durham, NC. Originially created by CurrentRutledge for Duke Law recruitment . . . "<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2jSnztwKvjM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2jSnztwKvjM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br /><div><br />Good stuff. <br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 255);">.</span></div>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-54438048424450968012009-02-17T18:31:00.005-05:002009-02-17T19:06:49.270-05:00Thank goodness for my Neti PotUnfortunately, I <span style="font-style:italic;">didn't</span> manage to avoid the current cold ripping its way through the population of Durham. A terrible head cold this thing is. Today my head was miserably stuffy, despite dosing with cold meds and Advil. Then I remembered my Neti Pot, and foraged through the shelves in the pantry and found it there in its box from when I used it last--maybe 2 years ago when I had my last headcold.<br /><br />If you haven't heard of one, just let me say I was a skeptic at first too. And let's face it, there's a bit of a 'yuck' factor too. <br /><br />It's a little pot that looks like a genie's lamp. Mine looks like this, purchased from Whole Foods for less than $10:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SZtM4hvPMvI/AAAAAAAABPk/qpHAC3tonvc/s1600-h/pot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SZtM4hvPMvI/AAAAAAAABPk/qpHAC3tonvc/s400/pot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303917520171774706" /></a><br />Fill it with a quarter teaspoon of salt and warm water to make a saline solution. Then lean over the sink with your head turned, pour the warm saline through the top nostril (remember your head is turned)--miraculously (or more like gravity) the saline travels through to your bottom nostril and comes out. Do it with the other side, and then you can BREATHE again. No, it doesn't hurt. Not at all. Yes, you can easily breathe through your mouth for the few seconds it takes.<br /><br />Here's sort of what it looks like in action:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SZtM49uj4YI/AAAAAAAABPs/4Vyb9wW4HSw/s1600-h/nostrilirrigation.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SZtM49uj4YI/AAAAAAAABPs/4Vyb9wW4HSw/s400/nostrilirrigation.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303917527685128578" /></a><br />Here's an online demonstration I found on youtube:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/j8sDIbRAXlg&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/j8sDIbRAXlg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />I only use it when I have a headcold and it's always been easy for me to use. It's supposed to be good for people with sinus trouble or allergies, but I'm not a doctor so you'd have to ask your doctor about that I suppose.<br /><br />There are some drops of herbal medicines for sale you can put in it if you want, but mainly the saline and warm water do the trick for me. I do it several times a day when my nose is uncomfortably stuffy.Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-91995476411628491342009-02-08T23:23:00.003-05:002009-02-09T00:01:54.456-05:00Pres. Lincoln's 200th birthday is Thursday.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SY-4Bu2e_ZI/AAAAAAAABPU/u6tyyk31Cbo/s1600-h/manhunt.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300657626334297490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 136px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SY-4Bu2e_ZI/AAAAAAAABPU/u6tyyk31Cbo/s200/manhunt.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I've been reading a lot of Lincoln books lately. One of the best books of the ones I've read is <a href="http://www.jameslswanson.com/"><em><strong>Manhunt: The 12 Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer</strong></em>.</a><br /><br />Even if you know already know something about the topic, this book won't disappoint. The author makes it all seem like it just happened--urgent, suspenseful, well-written, well-researched. Once you pick it up, it's truly hard to put it down until you've read it to the end.<br /><br />Our Durham library has a copy or two.<br /><br />At the website I linked above, you can see a few accolades for the book, including historian Doris Kearns Goodwin who says:<br /><blockquote><p>"James Swanson has written a terrific narrative of the hunt for Lincoln's killers that will mesmerize the reader from start to finish just as the actual manhunt mesmerized the entire nation. It is a triumphant book." </p></blockquote><p>The author, James Swanson, is a bit of an odd duck, or at least that's the impression I got from <a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/03/15/features/lincoln.php">this article</a> about him.<br /></p><p>You can hear Mr. Swanson discuss his book at this <a href="http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=3862">link</a>.<br /><br />On a related note, the History Channel has been replaying its <a href="http://www.history.com/content/civilwar/the-hunt-for-john-wilkes-booth">The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth</a> which is interesting to watch after reading the book.<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span></p></div>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-4294256590630596352009-02-02T13:35:00.004-05:002009-02-02T13:40:27.876-05:00What's in the proposed Stimulus Bill for NC?The website below purports to detail what is proposed as the Bill stands now.<br /><blockquote><h2>Projects in North Carolina</h2><br />Below are the "shovel-ready" projects for which the mayors of this state have requested federal stimulus funding. You can click on a project to read (and add to) its description. You can also discuss the project and vote on whether you believe it is critical or not. </blockquote>Link ---> <a href="http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state/NC">http://www.stimuluswatch.org/project/by_state/NC</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.stimuluswatch.org/home/faqs">FAQ </a>of the site.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-64518282292401161292009-01-30T21:44:00.008-05:002009-01-30T22:38:58.083-05:00Speed reducing measures coming soon for Gregson & Duke Streets?I found out this week after seeing some city surveying crews around Trinity Park that some traffic calming measures may soon be coming to Gregson Street and Duke Street. Drivers use those streets, right through pedestrian heavy neighborhoods, like freeways--at least in terms of speed. Several proposals have been made for slowing down the dangerous speeding, including returning the streets back into two-way traffic, which was met with mixed reviews from the neighborhoods.<br /><br />What's going to be placed up and down Duke Street and Gregson Street is apparently like what's on Anderson Street, if you are familiar with that. If not, I took some pictures today of what Anderson Street has. It has traffic islands on the side of the road, marked with black/yellow signs (you can click the pictures to enlarge them):<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SYO_WlAkmkI/AAAAAAAABPM/dkloIQaD4xA/s1600-h/DSC_0146.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SYO_WlAkmkI/AAAAAAAABPM/dkloIQaD4xA/s400/DSC_0146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297287981330373186" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SYO_WS478XI/AAAAAAAABPE/KlTACgpw5Z4/s1600-h/DSC_0145.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SYO_WS478XI/AAAAAAAABPE/KlTACgpw5Z4/s400/DSC_0145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297287976466510194" border="0" /></a><br />What these traffic islands do is to make drivers feel a little squeezed, less wide-open like a freeway, and that has been shown to slow the traffic down. The more narrow a driver perceives a road to be, the less likely he is to accelerate.<br /><br />The thing I liked on Anderson Street too is the permanent sign that gives drivers feedback on how fast they are going and what the speed limit actually is (seen in the first picture).<br /><br />We've seen numerous close-misses, actual wrecks, and even fatalities, directly attributable to drivers speeding on Duke or Gregson Streets. Because there are slight hills on these two streets, drivers often top a hill traveling at speeds greater than their visibility allows. Thus, if someone is turning into their driveway, or a pedestrian is crossing the street, the speeding car doesn't have enough time to stop to allow for that and an accident occurs. While I don't think these medians will cure all speeding related accidents, I hope they help address the problem.<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">.</span>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2729182062363141454.post-70055470018219893752009-01-20T16:53:00.007-05:002009-01-20T19:37:41.804-05:00Snow Day for us on Inauguration Day<div align="left">In this newly "blue" state of NC, we got a rare snow day on this Inauguration Day.<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">My car's back window at 10:00 am on 1.20.09. Believe!</span></strong></div><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SXZI6RxWH6I/AAAAAAAABNo/EOQDsc_mQk4/s1600-h/DSC_0108.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293498578060582818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SXZI6RxWH6I/AAAAAAAABNo/EOQDsc_mQk4/s400/DSC_0108.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">The "Snowbama Man" my niece made. Nice cap!</span></strong><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SXZI6oC48zI/AAAAAAAABNw/2oCWwKA3Vvw/s1600-h/snowbamaman-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293498584039748402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 322px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PvkQAh9NQWc/SXZI6oC48zI/AAAAAAAABNw/2oCWwKA3Vvw/s400/snowbamaman-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Wonderful, memorable day.</p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">.</span><br /></p>Durham Bull Penhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14620183029333203284noreply@blogger.com0