Στη χώρα του μύθου η κρίση τους,εις βάρος μας!

E — ΕΠΙΛΟΓΕΣ. Νο 53
1. Η κυβέρνηση και η κρίση. Δεν έχουμε ηγέτες στη Γηραιά ήπειρο να επιβληθούν στις εξελίξεις αυτές που όλοι ονομάζουν Κρίση και ζητούν πάλι να φορτώσουν στο πλήθος των Ευρωπαίων πολιτών. Οι κερδοσκοπικές ελίτ έβγαλαν υπερκέρδη από την μία τσέπη τα έβαλαν στην άλλη αυτή των εξωχώριων εταιρειών, στους φορολογικούς παραδείσους μακριά από τη διαδικασία φορολόγησης των κρατών. Οπότε όλα τα δημοσιονομικά βάρη, λιτότητα και στη πλάτη σας κυρίες και κύριοι.
Συλλογική ευθύνη κοινωνικά ελεγχόμενη έλεγε ο Κέινς για ενέργεια, επικοινωνία, παιδεία και υγεία. Συναγωνισμός από τους πολιτικούς ταγούς στη συσκότιση.

Οι αιτίες της Κρίσης λέει ο καθ. Αδαμάντιος Πεπελάσης στο Σκαι είναι ότι "οι μηχανισμοί επαγρύπνησης δεν ανταποκρίθηκαν στις σημερινές συνθήκες " εύρυθμης λειτουργίας........

Ωραία λόγια για την κλεψιά και την εξαπάτηση.

Οι ελληνικές τράπεζες που μυξοκλαίνε τώρα αφού έχουν μοιράσει ΤΑ θαλασσοδάνεια στον όποιο περαστικό από το Καζαχστάν δήλωνε επιχειρηματίας στο γκισέ τους είχαν πέρσι το 2008 κέρδη από 1,5 δις έως 120 εκατ η χειρότερη μόνο στο τελευταίο τρίμηνο ενώ για το πρώτο τρίμηνο του 2009 προβλέπουν κέρδη από 860 εκατ. ευρώ έως 60 εκατ η ασθενέστερη. Το κλειδί της ρευστότητας δεν το κρατά ο Καραμανλής σήμερα και αυτό ας μας προβληματίσει.......
Η συνέχεια εδώ.
2. Ο Ντοστογιέφσκι κάπου φαντάζεται την κόλαση σαν έλλειμμα αγάπης, τους κολασμένους τοποθετημένους πλάτη με πλάτη να μην έχουν τη δυνατότητα να δουν τους συγκάτοικους τους στην αιωνιότητα στα μάτια......Στάση ζωής Μεγάλη Παρασκευή από το Διόνυσο. Η κρίση έχει ίδια πολιτικά χαρακτηριστικά το 1964 και το 2009 και ο ανθρώπινος ρόλος της μάνας.
3. Διαχρονική η διασύνδεση Siemens με το δικομματισμό. Πολλά τα δημοσιεύματα εδώ μια μικρή χρονολογική αναδρομή για να τα βάλουμε στη σειρά μέσα από δημοσιεύματα της Ελευθεροτυπίας 2002 και 2008. Σιωπή ο δικομματισμός λαδώνεται και η δικαιοσύνη κοιμάται.
4. Ενώ η Άνοιξη λανσάρει γλυκά μηνύματα ζωής και αναζωογόνησης ο καπιταλισμός μέσα από την κρίση που δημιούργησε εκεί στη πρωτεύουσά του, στο λίκνο της παγκοσμιοποίησης, των τοξικών ομολόγων και των 6,5 εκατ ανέργων μας στέλνει το φοβικό του πρόσωπο σε όλους τους τόνους. Έγκλημα εις βάρος μας χωρίς τιμωρία. Με σύγχυση λύσεων, διφορούμενες σε δύο κατευθύνσεις. Την συντηρητική και την προοδευτική. Συνετή η πρώτη, ακολουθεί την παράδοση και την κρατούσα ιδεολογία. Τολμηρή η δεύτερη, επιζητεί τη μεταρρύθμιση εκείνη που δεν θα επαναλαμβάνει τα λάθη του παρελθόντος. Εκπρόσωποι της συντήρησης η κυρία Μέρκελ, οι Ρεπουμπλικάνοι στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, οι Συντηρητικοί στη Βρετανία, ο Ζοζέ Μπαρόζο, ο Ζαν-Κλοντ Γιούνκερ, οι «Times» του Λονδίνου. Της μεταρρύθμισης ο Μπαράκ Ομπάμα, ο Γκόρντον Μπράουν, ο Πολ Κρούγκμαν, οι «New York Times». O Σαρκοζί αναγκάζεται να πει αλήθειες. Ο κ. Καραμανλής συντάσσεται με την πρώτη, τη συντηρητική, άποψη. Ο κ. Γ. Παπανδρέου απαντά με εκλογολογία και κινδυνολογία σε ένα ραντεβού στα τυφλά με την κρίση και επιστράτευση του Στίγκλιτς.
Εμείς μακριά από εντυπωσιασμούς και πολιτική παραφιλολογία αφουγκραζόμαστε μαζί φάσεις και πτυχές του προβλήματος που αντιλαμβανόμαστε στη πατρίδα μας με την ανεργία τους χαμηλούς μισθούς, την εργασιακή ανασφάλεια και την μεγάλη ακρίβεια στα τρόφιμα, στη βενζίνη, στη ΔΕΗ, στο κουτσό κοινωνικό κράτος.
6. Το κουτσό Εθνικό Σύστημα Υγείας του Δημήτρη Βαρνάβα στην Κ.Ε. της 22-2-2009 Ρουσφέτια, μίζες διαφθορά και κυβερνητικός δελφινισμός.
7.Φάρμακα πολυτελείας ή αποκλεισμός θεραπευτικής αγωγής;;;;;; του υποφαινόμενου Κόπηκαν τα ΜΥΣΥΦΑ φάρμακα έπεσαν 40% οι αγορές τους και αποδεικνύεται ότι ο λόγος των μικρών και αδυνάτων συμβαδίζει με τα δικαιώματά τους. Πενιχρά έως ανύπαρκτα.
8.Τα ΅θαύματα΅ της παγκοσμιοποίησης καταρρέουν του Τάκη Φωτόπουλου στην Ε της 28-2-2009. Ιρλανδία, Κίνα, Ουγγαρία, Λετονία και Ρουμανία. Ενας νέος τρόπος κατάκτησης χωρών δια υπερχρέωσης...και συμβουλών!
9.Η παγκοσμιοποιημένη κρίση: Αποκρυπτογράφηση ορολογίας και φαινομένου του Πέτρου Μηλιαράκη δικηγόρου στο ΣτΕ και το Ευρωπαϊκό Δικαστήριο. J.Galbraith, Νίκος Κοτζιάς Χάρης Παμπούκης και Alan Greenspan Πόσο παρεμβατικό κράτος και στις ζημιές γιατί δημόσιες εγγυήσεις;;;E της 7-3-2009.
10.Η κλιματική απειλή υποσκάπτει τον καπιταλισμό συνέντευξη στην “Ε” της 28/2/09 του καθηγητή Φράνκ Ακερμαν δρ Οικονομικών από το Harvard. Οι ζωές των εγγονιών σας είναι σημαντικές. Δηλαδή, πρέπει να δώσουμε μεγάλη αξία σε εκβάσεις μελλοντικών γενιών, ακριβώς όπως κάνουν οι οικογένειες.
11.Χώρες με έλλειμμα εμπορικού ισοζυγίου ή υποτιμούν το νόμισμά τους ή κόβουν χαρτί και το κάνουν πληθωριστικό νόμισμα. Συμβουλεύει η Αμερική την Ευρώπη να κάνει το δεύτερο γιατί έχει ήδη κόψει αυτή την ουρά της, έχει αφήσει το κοινωνικό κράτος στην αχαλίνωτη αγορά ιδιωτών και εκατομμύρια άστεγοι το ΅απολαμβάνουν΅ σε σκηνές και τροχόσπιτα εκείθεν του Ατλαντικού. Εμείς ενταγμένοι στην Ευρωζώνη δεν έχουμε περιθώρια τέτοιων ελιγμών. Έχουμε δημοσιοοικονομικό έλλειμμα, μεγάλο εξωτερικό χρέος ,δύο επιτηρήσεις στα 5 χρόνια από ΕΕ και το κυριώτερο ανίκανες αυτοδύναμες κυβερνήσεις ΝΔ και ΠΑΣΟΚ να βελτιώσουν την κατάσταση. Ετσι μέσα από σκυλοκαβγά του δικομματισμού ας ξεχωρίσουμε τι πάει μπροστά εμάς και τη χώρα ,τη χώρα της ασυδοσίας της επιπολαιότητας και του μη μέτρου. Χρειάζονται πολιτικές αύξησης ΑΕΠ και προστασίας της εργασίας. Αν το σύστημα σας τρομοκρατεί με την απαξία στον κόσμο της εργασίας ΤΡΟΜΟΚΡΑΤΕΙΣΤΕ ΤΟΥς και σεις στις ΕΥΡΩΕΚΛΟΓΕΣ με την ψήφο Σας.
12.Λύση η σύλληψη της φοροδιαφυγής του Θάνου Τσίρου της Ε την 1-3-09.Σε χώρες όπως η Γαλλία, η Ισπανία και η Νορβηγία οι φορολογικές αρχές έχουν άμεση πρόσβαση σε μια κεντρική βάση δεδομένων όπου καταχωρούνται όλοι οι τραπεζικοί λογαριασμοί.
13.Στα κέρδη μαζί, στην κρίση χώρια του Μωυσή Λίτση στην Ε της 28-02- 2009 Εκατομμύρια ευρώ έχουν ήδη δοθεί για μερική κρατικοποίηση (χωρίς ωστόσο το κράτος -δηλαδή εμάς, τους φορολογούμενους πολίτες- ουσιαστικό μέτοχο) στη γερμανική Hypo Real Estate, στη βελγική Fortis, στις βρετανικές Northern Rock, Lloyds, Royal Bank of Scotland και στις γαλλικές Banques Populaires, ΒΝΡ Paribas και Caisses d' Epargne.
14.Στο στόχαστρο τα Hedge funds απο Καθημερινή και Bloomberg την 27-3-2009 Διορθώνει τώρα ο Ομπάμα έναν από τους τελευταίους νόμους Κλίντον.
15.Τέλος εποχής για τους φορολογικούς παραδείσους από Καθημερινή Reuters and AFP. 17-03-2009 . Η Βέρνη ανακοίνωσε, άλλωστε, πως θα καταργήσει τη νομική διάκριση ανάμεσα στη φορολογική απάτη και τη φοροδιαφυγή, καθώς μόνον η πρώτη αποτελεί ποινικό αδίκημα στην Ελβετία. Έχοντας ανακοινώσει την απόφασή της αυτή, η Ελβετία έτυχε και της υποστήριξης της Βρετανίας στο αίτημά της να μην καταχωρισθεί στη μαύρη λίστα των φορολογικών παραδείσων στη συνάντηση της G20 που θα πραγματοποιηθεί τον Απρίλη στο Λονδίνο.
16.Γνωρίστε και ψηφίστε στην ψηφοφορία του ΣΚΑΙ τους 10 μεγαλύτερους Ελληνες. Μια δημοφιλία εποικοδομητική για όλους μας O Αλέξανδρος δίδαξε τους Υρκανούς τον έγγαμο βίο, τους Αραχώσιους τη γεωργία, τους Σογδιανούς να συντηρούν τους γέροντες γονείς τους αντί να τους θανατώνουν, τους Πέρσες να σέβονται τις μητέρες τους και να μην τις παντρεύονται, τους Ινδούς να προσκυνούν ελληνικούς θεούς, τους Σκύθες να θάβουν τους νεκρούς των, κατά Πλούταρχο. Στο μπλογκ των Ε-επιλογών υπάρχει και δημοσκόπηση για 8 πιθανές μετεκλογικές συνεργασίες μπορείτε να συμμετέχετε ανώνυμα στα πολιτικά δρώμενα, δημιουργώντας τάσεις και όχι εντάσεις.!

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Mediterranean Couscous & Lentil Salad

Every month I get together with friends to swap meals. We'll make a large batch of a dish, portion them out in containers and give everyone a container of our dish to enjoy. This month I prepared a couscous salad since it was something that I could make with limited ingredients and tools, since everything was packed up for our move.

This couscous salad is light, refreshing. I really like preparing couscous because it is a cinch to make and really has a nice fluffy texture that can also absorb whatever flavors you wish to combine it with. I made the recipe as written and added some additional ingredients such as bell peppers and roasted pork to make it a more filling dish.

Mediterranean Couscous & Lentil Salad
adapted recipe from Epicurious

1 cup lentilles du Puy* (French green lentils) or brown lentils
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup couscous
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
1 large garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 bunch arugula, stems discarded and leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped
2 cups vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 pound feta, crumbled (about 1 cup)
1 pound roasted pork, chopped
1/2 cup finely diced sweet mini bell peppers (red, orange, yellow & green)

In a small saucepan simmer lentils in water to cover by 2 inches until tender but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes, and drain well. Transfer hot lentils to a bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Cool lentils completely, stirring occasionally.

In a saucepan bring water to a boil and add couscous and salt. Remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and cool completely, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk together garlic paste, remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir lentils and dressing into couscous. Add the bell peppers and pork. Chill salad, covered, at least 3 hours and up to 24.

Just before serving, stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

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RISOTTO QUEEN

Who said Lemons?

I have always found Risotto to be the most sensuous of foods; smooth, creamy and luxurious. It can be flavored for any taste: cheese, seafood, vegetable even sweet vanilla or chocolate. Stirring it and watching it as it changes from individual grains of rice to one thick, fragrant pudding-like dish is watching magic happen before one’s very eyes.

Beautiful Arborio rice for Risotto like little pearls

A truly quintessentially Italian dish, risotto was traditionally a poor man`s food, a first course, “il primo”, filling up tummies before the more expensive and thus scarcer meat course. Yet now it is served up as such a luxurious, rich, romantic meal in itself, gorgeous snow-white rice all dressed up with deep red Speck or chunks of lobster or shavings of truffle served with a bottle of excellent wine. Or a simple, rustic family dinner studded with inexpensive seasonal vegetables or dusted in freshly grated Parmesan.

I mastered Risotto after several years living in Italy, learning from the best of the best; technique and recipes from Anna Del Conte`s fabulous cookbook I Risotti, the love, care and special Italian touch that goes into and transforms a list of ingredients into the perfect Risotto from our neighbor in Italy, Nonna Anna.

And how often do I make Risotto, whether Saffron or Parmesan, mushroom in winter or Risi e Bisi (Rice and Kisses) with fresh, delicate, sweet summer peas? So often and so beautifully that I have been dubbed (or crowned?) the Risotto Queen.


Zorra of Kochtopf has proposed a Lemon Day, a gathering of all of our favorite lemon recipes. And what timing! Little does she know, but Lemon Risotto is our family favorite. Beautiful in the winter, smooth and warming reminding us of sunnier days, perfect in summer, that tangy lemon flavor tickling the tastebuds, oh so clean and bright, accompanied simply by a cool, crisp salad dressed in a tart vinaigrette.


Zorra, here is a fabulous Lemon Recipe for you!

RISOTTO AL LIMONE
From Anna Del Conte’s Italian Kitchen I RISOTTI

Serves 4 – 6 as a first course or side dish or 4 as a main dish served with a mixed green salad tossed with a Balsamic vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette.

2 pints (1.25 litres) light chicken or vegetable stock, homemade if possible, or if not…. I use 2 broth cubes
2 oz/4 Tbs (60 g) unsalted butter
1 Tbs olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 branch celery, finely chopped
10 oz (300 g) rice for risotto (arborio or carnaroli)
½ unwaxed, untreated lemon
5 or 6 fresh sage leaves or 1 tsp dried sage
Leaves from a small sprig of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
1 egg yolk
4 Tbs freshly grated Parmesan
4 Tbs heavy or light cream
Freshly ground black pepper


Bring the stock to a boil and remove from heat. Some recipes say to leave it on a low simmer during the preparation of the risotto, but I never do.

This is a true Italian terra cotta Risotto dish with lid and accompanying paddle for stirring

Heat half of the butter and the olive oil in a large skillet, pot or terra cotta risotto dish. Add the chopped shallots and celery – what the Italians call the soffritto - and gently cook for a few minutes until translucent and soft.


Add the rice and stir to coat all of the rice well with the butter/oil. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes until the rice is translucent.


Pour a ladleful of the hot broth or stock over the rice, stir and allow to gently boil until the liquid is almost completely absorbed by the rice.


Continue to add the broth, ladleful by ladleful, or two at the most, over the course of the cooking period, stirring constantly, allowing each addition of broth to be almost completely absorbed by the rice before adding more liquid.

Meanwhile, grate the zest from the half a lemon and mix it into the finely chopped fresh sage and rosemary or with the dried herbs. Mix this into the rice halfway (about 10 – 12 minutes into the cooking.


Continue until the rice is meltingly tender to the bite and the risotto is thick and creamy. This should take more or less 20 minutes. Do not worry if you do not need all of the broth. Or if you do not have enough broth then add water at the end.


Squeeze the juice from the half lemon. In a small bowl, combine and whisk together the egg yolk, the grated Parmesan, the cream, the lemon juice and a generous grinding of black pepper.


When the risotto is cooked and the rice is very tender, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg, cream and Parmesan mixture along with the remaining butter. Cover the pan and allow to rest off the heat for 2 minutes before giving the risotto an energetic stir until well combined. Serve at once.


I usually serve this Risotto al Limone simply with a large, tossed salad dressed with a clean, tangy vinaigrette made with Balsamic vinegar and a good quality extra-virgin Italian olive oil. Add a loaf of fresh bread and maybe a plate of Italian cheeses or cold cuts and it is the perfect meal. Especially wonderful in the summer for some reason, maybe the tanginess and beautiful lemon flavor.

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On World Autism Awareness Day Remember the Invisible and Forgotten Ones

Two days from now, on April 2, the world will recognize for the second time World Autism Awareness Day. WAAD is the result of an outstanding initiative led by Autism Speaks and the State of Qatar.

As the father of a 13 year old boy with autistic disorder, assessed with profound developmental delays I thank both Qatar and Autism Speaks for this monumental step forward in facing the challenges of autism spectrum disorders around the globe.

Everyone with an autism spectrum disorder (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) by definition has serious deficits or challenges to face. For each such person their challenges are undoubtedly large and complex realities of their daily lives. There are different degrees or severity of autism disorders though and this is implicitly recognized in the DSM which in the definition section of Asperger's Disorder expressly excludes persons with clinically significant delays in language, cognitive development or age appropriate self-help skills. (Some of the very intelliglent, highly articulate leaders of the "autism" advocacy movements are in fact persons with Asperger's Disorder such as Ari Ne'eman and Alex Plank).

The mainstream media CBC, CNN, New Yorker Magazine for example tend to interview and present persons with Asperger's Disorder and higher functioning autistic disorder to the world as being representative of persons with autism. Very, very few features about autism focus on the invisible persons with severe forms of autism, the forgotten ones who live as adults in institutional care or very controlled community group homes. [The exception to this rule is the Vancouver Sun which provided the most comprehensive presentation of persons with autism from all points of the autism spectrum with its excellent Faces of Autism series. The Vancouver Sun, Pete McMartin, columnist, and Glenn Baglo, photographer, deserve full credit for daring to portray realities of life for persons from across the full spectrum of autism disorders and their families.]

The invisible autistic persons live in institutional settings because of the severity of their autism disorders. Some are violent towards themselves or others. Some lack the skills to function at all in the world without assistance. Simply closing such places is not an answer even if it makes the public feel better. For many, without institutional care they would have no where to live, no means of survival. For me such severely autistic persons are not invisible or forgotten. Unlike some of the dilettante, mainstream health "journalists" I have visited institutional facilities providing lifelong residential care and treatment to severely autistic persons. My son could well end up residing in such a facility after I am dead.

On World Autism Awareness Day I will think of all persons with autism disorders including my friends with Asperger's Disorder. And I will think of and remember the invisible and largely forgotten persons with severe autistic disorder. I will not ignore or forget them. I respectfully ask you to do the same.

It is my hope that World Autism Awareness Day continues in perpetuity and that long after I am dead people will be thinking of all persons with autism disorders, including the severely autistic, including my son, Conor Doherty.

Thank you for considering my request.

autism

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So you all know I live in Florida…

I love living in Florida and part of the reason is for the incredible diversity that you find throughout the state. One of my favorite places to go is to Kissimmee in the Orlando area. There is so much to do and I mean beyond the Theme Parks.

What about checking into your hotel and going on a beautiful hike through one of the nature parks scattered throughout the area? Did you know that Osceola County has the largest population of nesting bald eagles in the continental U.S. It’s also one of the country's few re-introduction sites for the endangered Whooping Crane. You can spot some of these awe-inspiring birds at Lake Lizzie Nature Preserve and the Osceola County Environmental Center, just to name a few. My youngest daughter has a huge fascination with birds in the wild so we have actually done this!

Another one of my absolute favorite things to do in Kissimmee though is to just hang out. Most of the hotels have resort like pool areas and the kids love just being there. Nothing like going away and just staying in!

So you see it is possible to go to the Orlando area and not go to the Theme Park but if you must SeaWorld is a blast!!!

Now you have a chance to live your perfect Kissimmee vacation! Enter the Kissimmee Freedom Sweepstakes to win your next Kissimmee getaway!

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HBOT Treatment for Autism? Avoid the Autism Hub, Read "Translating Autism"

Anyone reading blog commentaries about the latest HBOT study, or any other autism treatment study, should seek credible analysis from detached, professional sources if they want a proper understanding of the study in question. Any bloggers listed at the Autism Hub should be avoided unless you are simply seeking an example of the anti-cure element of the neurodiversity cult and the extent to which it colors their commentaries. If you are seeking balanced, objective commentary about the HBOT study avoid the AH-ND bloggers and check out Autism Research Blog: Translating Autism by Nestor Lopez-Duran Ph.D.

Nestor Lopez-Duran is a a clinical child psychologist and neuroscience researcher working at a large Midwest university-based child psychiatric institute. His Translating Autism blog is easily one of the best on the internet for obtaining rational, balanced and professional assessment of autism studies of any kind. I mention it frequently on this blog and believe it should be a bookmark for anyone with a genuine interest in autism disorders and autism studies. Mr. Lopez-Duran has commented on the recent Rossignol HBOT study in Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism: First controlled clinical trials and provides an assessment of the studies strengths and weaknesses including the perception that the authors of the study are in a conflict of interest - not as a way to trash the study but to point out ways the study could have been improved. He comments on the merits of the study:

"The authors found that hyperbaric treatment resulted in significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, and eye contact. These findings were affected by the age of the child, in that children over the age of 5 showed more improvement to the treatment than children under 5. In addition, the treatment did not seem to work for children with an initial ADOS score above 50th percentile. This indicates that the treatment is most effective with children with more severe autism (ADOS score below the 50th percentile).



In general, the study design was strong. The authors made great efforts to make sure that the two treatment conditions were nearly identical. That is, kids in the control condition were exposed to procedures that mimic the real hyperbaric treatment (being inside the chamber, etc). Thus, it is very unlikely that the results observed were due to a placebo effect. The study also moves in the right direction by presenting evidence for the efficacy of treatments that are usually considered controversial or untested. We need more research on alternative treatment interventions that will help us determine which interventions are actually effective."

By contrast to the objective, informed "translation" by Lopez-Duran of the Rossignol HBOT study, Autism Hub and Neurodiversity commentators simply mock this and any other study which suggests that an autistic child might benefit from a specific treatment for autism. The reason for the knee jerk, lock step reaction of AH-ND members to studies of autism treatments is simple - they are anti-cure, anti-treatment. They do not want to be treated for their autism, or do not want THEIR loved ones with autism treated, and they do not believe that parents and other caregivers should be permitted to treat or cure autism in their own autistic loved ones or patients. Any study which purports to show the effectiveness of an autism treatment is anathema to them. (Hence the hostility by AH-ND bloggers towards ABA, parents seeking ABA for their own children, and ABA practicioners).

Do'C at Autism Street is one of the leading AH-ND "scientific" minds. In a recent post about the Rossignol HBOT study he was kind enough to prepare a list of "skeptical" blog comments about the HBOT study. Several of the comments are at Autism Street and LB/RB, two Autism Hub blogs. You can tell by the titles that these comments are not going to be balanced or objective assessments of the HBOT study:

"Mild HBOT For Autism - A Brief Skeptical Guide


March 29, 2009 by Do'C Printer-Friendly Version Printer-Friendly Version


For readers who may be interested in a skeptical perspective with regards to “mild” hyperbaric oxygen therapy for autism, I’ve assembled a short list of links. These are articles that I’ve enjoyed reading, found interesting, or written myself.


In no particular order:


HBOT: Under Pressure
http://photoninthedarkness.com/?p=131


HBOT: Is it just a bunch of hot air?
http://photoninthedarkness.com/?p=127


Hyperbaric Oxygen for Autism
http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=496


Is there no end to unscientific treatments for autism?
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=249


Mild hyperbaric therapy for autism - Shh!…don’t say it’s expensive
http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=2041


Autism, HBOT, and the new study by Rossignol et al.
http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=1987


When High Does Mean Low: Autism, mHBOT, and Dan Rossignol
http://leftbrainrightbrain.co.uk/?p=686


Does Rossignol et al. show HBOT’s effective?
http://ebdblog.com/2009/03/21/does-rossignol-et-al-show-hbots-effective


Ridiculous Autism Treatment Statements - Part One - ICDRC Website on HBOT
http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=130


Hyperbarics and Hypotheses
http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=60


Nitpicking Sloppy Science
http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=40


Autism HBOT: First Look
http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=36


Hyperbaric Oxygen as a Treatment for Autism: Let the Buyer Beware
http://autism.about.com/b/2009/03/14/hyperbaric-oxygen-as-a-treatment-for-autism-let-the-buyer-beware.htm


Hyperbaric Oxygen for Autism? Not so fast
http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/swift-blog/492-hyperbaric-oxygen-for-autism-not-so-fast.html

As a parent of a severely autistic boy of 13 I am not prepared, on the basis of this one study, and notwithstanding indications of positive gains by severely autistic children in the study, to seek HBOT treatment for my son. I would want to see further studies done by other researchers, and I am not arrogant enough to believe that I am properly educated or prepared to assess these studies myself.

I will rely upon the information provided by informed, professional commentators like Lopez-Duran and credible, responsible agencies that review these studies. If further studies confirm the benefits suggested in the Rossignol study and if it is recommended by credible sources as an evidence based treatment then I would consult my son's pediatrician and consider HBOT treatment option for him. In the meantime though I will continue with ABA for my son which has helped him in so many ways and which has a solid evidentiary basis and overwhelming professional support for its safety and effectiveness. And I will give no weight to the Autism Hub and Neurodiversity commentators who are ideologically opposed to the development of effective treatments and cures for autism. Theirs is an ideological, not an evidence based, opposition to all possible autism treatments.

autism

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Foodie Freebie Friday: Foodie Fight Boardgame

Welcome back from the weekend! Hope you enjoyed the weekend and are ready for a new week. I'm most definitely ready and hope this week goes by faster than last. We're coming down to the last couple days before our move... which is in 2 days! I'm looking forward to unpacking and setting up my kitchen once again, as well as getting some good use out my stove and oven.

As I look around our home now, it's extremely empty and rather lonely. I can't help but think about all the wonderful memories we've created here and all the people who we welcomed over for meals. It's only natural that a part of me is sad to say goodbye to the place that's been a popular gathering spot every weekend for the past 2 years.

One of the things we enjoyed whenever friends came over was playing food & drink inspired boardgames. I have a decent sized collection of food & drink inspired boardgames, with my favorite being Foodie Fight. When you get my friends and I together playing this game, we can get pretty serious with a lot of fun trash talk! In tribute to all the fun times we've had playing Foodie Fight, a lucky reader will be receiving the boardgame for this week's Foodie Freebie Friday!

Calling all food lovers! This addictive trivia game allows players to strut their culinary stuff and prove who is the smartest foodie of them all. With over 1,000 questions on topics ranging from culinary science and celebrity chefs to food history and exotic cuisine, each player is bound to get a full serving of food knowledge. But think fast, because the first player or team to fill in their game board wins! Includes:

- Deck of trivia cards
- Six game boards
- Color die

This game will not only test your food knowledge but you'll also have a chance to learn quite a few things as well! Interested in getting your hands on the game? Read on!...

Some guidelines:
- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States. My apologies to my international readers!
- You must have a valid email address so that you can be contacted if you win.


To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering:
- What was your favorite childhood game/boardgame?

Deadline: Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 12 midnight CST.

One Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org's Interger Generator based on the number of your comment and will be announced on Friday, April 3, 2009. Good luck!

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Tourtiere or French Canadian Pork Pie

The other day T. and I were running errands and talking about food and things that I haven’t made in a while. He mentioned Pork Pie. This has to be one of our favorite meals. Funny though, it’s been well over a year since i have made it. Don’t you hate when that happens???

This is one of those incredibly fast and simple meals that really comes together in no time at all.

I usually make my own pie crust but this time I was kind of tired so I used store bought. Should have made my own…it was just a little too sweet to go with the savory pie. Lesson learned!

Tourtiere (This recipe is from - Janet is Hungry)

Double 9" Pie Crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable shortening and butter mixed
5-6 Tbsp cold water

Meat Filling:
1 1/2 lbs ground pork
1 onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup celery, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground summer savory
1/3 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup water
1 small potato, boiled and mashed
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp milk

Directions:

1. Prepare pastry: Cut cold shortening into cubes. Place butter/shortening in food processor with flour and salt. Pulse a few times.
2. Dump flour mixture out into a bowl and start adding water a tbsp at a time until mixture forms a dough that will hold together. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
3. Make filling: In a non-stick skillet with a cover, cook pork, breaking up the larger chunks.
4. Add onion, celery, garlic and cook until the onions are tender.
5. Add salt, savory, pepper, allspice, bay leaf and water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer 5 more minutes until most of the water is gone (it should still be quite moist).
6. Add mashed potato and remove bay leaf.
7. Roll out pastry (TIP: I roll my pastry out between two sheets of plastic wrap, when it is the right size, peel one sheet away and use the other to pick up the pastry and flip it over into the pie plate). Fill with meat mixture, cover with second half of pastry and seal edges. Cut a few vents in the top.
8. Brush top with a mixture of egg yolk and milk.
9. Bake at 425F for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

Youngest daughter was in a skating recital over the weekend. She absolutely nailed it...clever little girl!

As Always…

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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SEA BREAM WITH LEMON (DORADE AU CITRON)

CONFESSIONS: SEXY IS A MAN IN AN APRON

Call us the Cooking Avengers : she's groovy and mod, he may seem staid and serious, but what a cook! Together they are out to blast away the boring and usual and bring excitement and adventure into the kitchen

Or HOW OUR HERO BECAME A GREAT COOK

It all started in a northern suburb of Paris in the 1960s, a working class family living over the small corner grocery that they owned and ran. Papa worked 7 days a week from early morning until early evening, climbing the stairs only for meals or at the end of his working day. Maman divided her time between the shop where she helped the clients, hand-made cheese, stocked the shelves and weighed vegetables, and the apartment above, overseeing meal preparation, making sure homework was done and the baby taken care of.

My father-in-law in front of the family's shop and apartment, circa early 1960's

2, 3 and then 4 children sat around the long kitchen table doing homework. JP was the only son, about 10 years old, when it all began. His mother would start lunch, pot au feu or chicken and rice, peel, chop, add and stir, then fix the lid atop the pot and say “okay, as soon as it comes to a boil, come down to the shop and let me know.” Or “at 12:30 on the nose, turn off the heat and lunch will be ready.”

A year or two later, things had moved forward; everything started, she would get ready to head down to the shop and her clients and she would instruct the children, “When it comes to a boil, add the vegetables” or “when it comes up to a boil, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Then make the rice.” Little by little, the responsibility grew, the duties expanded. Preparing, chopping, stirring, adding…. But Maman still did the heavy work.

But as the old French saying goes : “Petit à petit, le petit oiseau fait son nid!” (Little by little, the little bird builds his nest!) By the time JP was about 13 or 14, the chicken or the veal would be on the table, the pot on the stove, the rest of the ingredients found down in the shop. Maman would now say “Today you make “Poule au Pot” or “Blanquette de veau”, intimating “you have seen me make this hundreds of times over the past few years, you know how by now.” So as the story goes, our hero was able to prepare anything his mom had been making, all of those French home staples, hearty one-pot meals, soups, stews, dressings.

But here-in lies the problem for a lover of good food like JP : his mom had a somewhat limited repertoire, only preparing the several dishes that her husband liked. Everything else he refused. The traditional Christmas turkey replaced with a capon? Sunday chicken replaced with guinea fowl? This was a man of habit, the man who expected the same menu every holiday, the same meal in front of him every Sunday noon, whether chicken, rabbit or beef, it had to be prepared in the usual way.

By 16, JP was ready to explore. Tired of the same old, same old, he pulled his mother’s Françoise Bernard Les Recettes Faciles out of the cupboard and set out on a personal challenge : as he (more or less) was now in charge of a certain numbers of meals, he decided to work his way through the cookbook, trying something new every week. All he asked for was enough money to run to the butcher’s shop across the square for whatever meat was involved, and the rest he grabbed from the shelves of the shop downstairs.

And the rest, as we say, is history. Our hero has done very well, having taught himself over this years’-long, self-imposed cooking challenge to make everything French from Rabbit Terrine to Beignets au pommes, from Daube to Crêpes, Ham-wrapped Endives baked in Bechamel to Potée to handmade mayonnaise.

Later, his repertoire grew. Two years living and working in Morocco, hanging about kitchens with the women, watching and learning, our years in Italy together as well as the cooking cultures I brought with me to the marriage and all we have discovered together.

Always fun in the kitchen

He loves cooking, loves eating, loves exploring and discovering cuisines. But he is also a man adamant in his belief of cooking with and eating only the freshest, only the seasonal and only the local, when possible. He leaves the pastry to me, but he still and always will find the greatest pleasure in putting together a fabulous meal!

DORADE AU CITRON (Sea Bream with Lemon)
Made as a surprise Saturday morning as I was at the supermarket with Simon

1 whole sea bream, about 2 lbs (1 kg); ask your fishmonger to clean it if you prefer
2 to 3 shallots
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
Parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), 1 bunch
1 lemon
Butter or margarine, about 2 Tbs (30 g)
Thyme, fresh or dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slice that lemon

Preheat oven to 420°F (210°C).
(Thanks Steve!!)

Generously butter a baking dish large enough to hold the whole fish.

Sea Bream

Scale, empty and clean the sea bream if not already done by your fishmonger. Rinse and dry it off.

Peel and chop the shallots and garlic, chop a large handful of the parsley or coriander. Mix together and then salt and pepper the mixture.


Stuff this filling into the open cavity of the fish, pressing it in so it is well filled with all of the filling.


Use toothpicks pushed through the skin to close the fish back up.


With a very sharp knife, make 4 or 5 incisions in the side of the fish which will be turned up in the baking dish.


Press a half-slice of lemon into each incision.


Salt and pepper the outside of the bream and dust generously with the dried or fresh, chopped thyme. Dot with butter.


Place the fish in the buttered baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes – check after 30 minutes to see if the fish is cooked all the way through by pushing apart and looking deep into one of the incisions. Do not overcook.

Serve hot out of the oven with rice or fresh tagliatelle, followed by a cool, green salad. Perfect!

Spoon a little of the juices from the baking over the fish

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