Apple Slice Bars

With fall just a few weeks away, I'm already getting anxious about making a few pies. My list of various kinds to make is continually growing but the first pie will most definitely be an apple pie. It's a classic pie flavor with so many variations. But until the fall comes, these Apple Slice Bars will hold me over. This is a recipe that was shared by a foodie friend of mine, Al. It's pretty much a pie baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan and sliced in bars. Even though it's not a traditional pie, it definitely was a hit at our recent Low Country Boil. Sliced fresh apples sweetly seasoned with cinnamon sugar are sandwiched in between buttery pie crusts. However, there's a little trick to keep the bottom crust crisp!...

I've made this recipe a few times now and loved it each time. Aside from apples, I've made one using fresh peaches, pears and even blueberries. It's super easy and the neat trick that I learned was topping the bottom pie crust with panko breadcrumbs before filling. The panko absorbs any juices from the fruit filling, resulting in a crisp bottom - no more soggy pies! I loved this trick and will be applying it many more times with the pies I make in the future.

Apple Slice Bars
 recipe from foodie friend, Al

1 cup Panko bread crumbs or crushed cornflakes

8 cups peeled, cored and sliced Granny Smith apples (about 6 large or 8 medium) tossed with two TB lemon juice

1 cup sugar mixed with 1 to 2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 TB butter
Egg wash
1 package refrigerated pie crust doughs (2 crusts) - can use homemade too

Glaze:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 TB milk

Preheat oven to 350°.

Divide pie crust dough into 2 pieces on a ratio of 6 to 4. Roll out the larger of the two pieces into a rectangle about 11" x 15". Place in a 9" x 13" cake pan. Push the pastry up the sides of the pan a bit to make a shallow container for the apples.

Spread the bread crumbs over the pastry.

Spread the apples over the bread crumbs and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and the nutmeg over the top. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the top.

Roll the remaining piece of pie dough into a 9" x 13" rectangle and cover the apples. Brush with egg wash.

Slash the crust 6 or 8 times to allow steam to escape. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while you prepare the glaze.

Combine the glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Adjust the ingredients to achieve the consistency you need. Pour over pastry.

Allow the icing to set before serving.

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Deep Gold Movie Press night @Resort World in 3D

I was one of the Bloggers that was invite for the press premiere of the movie Deep Gold which was shot entirely in Cebu, not only that it was shot in 3D. The Movie Event was held at Resort World last August 24, 2011



Details about the Movie:

Shortly after free diver Amy Sanchez breaks an important free diving record, her boyfriend - Air Force Pilot Tony - mysteriously vanishes together with a flight that was bringing millions of dollars worth of gold to the Central Bank.Determined to discover the truth, Amy goes off with her sister to find out.

Is Tony actually dead? Or if not, is the man she loved really part of the plot to steal the gold? But she has no idea that she is about to discover the unexpected, and entangles herself in a web of lies and deceit before she finds out that somebody used her for what turns out to become a much larger conspiracy.

Deep Gold was shot on location in Cebu and Palawan, Philippines. The film highlights some of the most stunning tropical and diving locales in all the world. Billed as an action adventure, Deep Gold also features some of the hottest upcoming talent in Asia anchored by Bebe Pham, the Vietnamese Supermodel turned actress in her first starring role. Others performances to note in the production include that of Laury Prudent as Lulu, Amelia, Jackson-Gray, Richard Magarey and Jude Moore.

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Highlands - The New Breed

I was invited to this event whch is the press launch for the new product form CDO which is the Highlands Corned Beef. It was held at Blue Leaf, Silk Pavilion, Mc Kinley Hill Village, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

They Showcase the new teaser TV Ad which will be launch on August 31, 2011. Highlands Corned Beef is from Angus Beef the premium corned beef.
The event was hosted by Angelicopter of Magic 89.9 fm. She so pretty and sexy. Wow! check out her FB page. http://www.facebook.com/angelicopter

The new breed of corned beef is coming on August 31. visit http://www.highlands.com.ph for more details.

The Premium Breed Breed of Corned Beef. With rich beef taste and no artificial flavoring.

There we're a lot of raffle items, like iPads and iPhone 4 and GC's, the event was was great and successful. They even gave us some samples of their product in different packaging.

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Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Article first published as Cajun Red Beans & Rice on Blogcritics.

A popular saying at our house is, 'It isn't a meal unless there's rice.' I'm not sure how it came about but because we're such a rice loving family, we're thankful that there's always some kind of rice dish we can incorporate into our meals. For our Low Country Boil, the appropriate rice dish to serve would be this Cajun Red Beans & Rice. Smoked sausage, red beans and the holy 'trinity' of onions, peppers and celery turn plain old rice into a flavorful side dish that can even work well as a main dish too...

When making this dish, I was especially excited to have a reason to purchase a ham hock. This isn't a common ingredient in my kitchen but when I do use it, I know that it will impart some serious flavor in the dish I'm making it in. This recipe was no exception. We really enjoyed this dish because of the flavor it had. Aside from the sausage and the 'holy trinity' of onions, bell peppers and celery, the ham hock gave this a slight smokiness and depth of flavor. You can certainly make the dish without it (if it's an ingredient not commonly found at your local grocery store or butcher) but if omitted, you'll miss out on that special something that makes this dish so delicious.

Cajun Red Beans & Rice
recipe adapted from Closet Cooking

2 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound beef smoked sausage, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced (
4 cups chicken stock
2 (19 ounce) cans red beans (rinsed and drained)
1 ham hock
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups cooked rice


Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.

Add the sausage and saute until lightly golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, and set aside.

Add the onions, celery and green pepper to the pan and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the stock, beans, ham hock, paprika, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 1-3 hours (You'll want the ham hock to be tender and any meat to fall off the bone).

Remove the ham hock, pull the meat from it, cut it into bite sized pieces and add it back to the pot if desired.

Add the rice to fully combine and serve.

For a freezer meal: Freeze the rice and the red bean/ham hock mixture separately and then warm up & combine when you're ready to serve. You can also wait to make the rice when you're ready to serve rather than freezing.

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Lion Recovery Disk Assistant Tool

The Lion Recovery Disk Assistant lets you create Lion Recovery on an external drive that has all of the same capabilities as the built-in Lion Recovery: reinstall Lion, repair the disk using Disk Utility, restore from a Time Machine backup, or browse the web with Safari.
Note: In order to create an external Lion Recovery using the Lion Recovery Assistant, the Mac must have an existing Recovery HD.

Requirements to use Lion Recovery Disk Assistant:

• Mac running OS X 10.7 Lion with an existing Recovery HD partition – if you have installed Mac OS X Lion you have this


• An external USB hard drive or flash drive with at least 1GB of free disk space to hold the Recovery drive

Download  Here

Creating the Lion Recovery Disk

After you download the Utility follow the instruction below:

• Plug a USB flash drive or external hard drive into your Mac


• Launch Recovery Disk Assistant and select the drive


• Wait about 5 minutes to copy the Recovery HD data over to the disk

When the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant completes, the new partition will not be visible in the Finder or Disk Utility. To access Lion Recovery, reboot the computer while holding the Option key. Select Recovery HD from the Startup Manager. 

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Mac OS X 10.7 Lion-Want to Reset Password!

Are you new to Lion 10.7 like me and would like to change the password well if you think it was easy like previous versions of Mac OS X would have a password reset tool easily accessible from the Utilities menu but that isn’t available anymore.

But don't despair there are still multiple approaches to resetting a lost user password in OS X 10.7, I found this walkthrough that cover wto kinds of approach methods, the first is unique to Lion and the second is a traditional workaround to reset a password.

1 – Reset a Lost Mac OS X Lion Password

You have to boot from a Lion Recovery drive, this can either be a recovery disk made with the Lion Disk Maker tool, or just by booting from the built-in Lion Recovery HD partition.

• Hold “Option” at boot and select the “Recovery” disk at the boot menu


• Wait for “Mac OS X Utilities” menu to appear, indicating that you are booted into recovery mode


• Click on the “Utilities” menu and select “Terminal”

2 – Delete AppleSetupDone and Create a New Administrative Account

Mac OS X 10.7 does share a more untraditional approach to resetting a password as past versions of OS X. In this case, you can still delete the AppleSetup file which forces the “Welcome to Mac OS X” setup assistant to run again, which allows you to create an administrative account. You can then login to that new administrative account and reset your original account password.

Get the Full details Here @ OSXDaily

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Cajun Coleslaw

Article first published as Cajun Coleslaw on Blogcritics.

When it comes to side dishes, I sometimes get a in rut with making the usual standbys. For the recent Low Country Shrimp Boil I hosted over the weekend, I was thankful when my friend Howard brought this lovely Cajun Coleslaw to accompany our meal. It's such a colorful and flavorful dish, I didn't realize how much I liked coleslaw. Well, this specific coleslaw at least! Perhaps the slight kick of heat and how it wasn't too creamy had something to do with it. Shredded onions, red cabbage and green peppers make this slightly spicy coleslaw a fine addition to any picnic meal!

For me, coleslaw can either be too creamy, too watery, too bland or too dry. This version is a far cry from previous coleslaw recipes I've made and tried. When I learned that this recipe is from the Cajun cook himself, Justin Wilson, I knew it had to be good. I remember growing up watching his show on PBS and giggling every time he said, "own-yowns" (onions) and when he "garontees" his dish is good! And who could forget his usual ensemble of dark blue jeans held up with red suspenders or that little Colonel Sanders-esque red bow tie? Ahhh, memories. But I digress. This coleslaw recipe is one to try because it really is good... I garontee! :)

Cajun Coleslaw

recipe from Justin Wilson

5 tablespoons mayonnaise (heaping)
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard (heaping)
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Lea & Perrins worchestershire
1 lemon - all juice from
3 teaspoons salt to taste
4 bell peppers, sliced
2 onions, shredded
1 large head of cabbage, shredded

Put mayonnaise and mustard in an extra large bowl. Whisk the mayonnaise and mustard until combined. Add the olive oil slowly, whisking to slowly emulsify and make the dressing.

Continue whisking until the mixture has the thickness and consistency of mayonnaise. Add the hot sauce and continue to whisk. Add ketchup and continue to whisk.

Add the salt and garlic salt, followed by the vinegar and worchestershire sauce. Continue to whisk, adding lemon juice as you do so. Taste for salt and pepper.

Add teh shredded cabbage, peppers and onions into the bowl. Toss to combine and coat everything with the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, although tastes better the next day.

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Low Country Shrimp Boil

Article first published as Low Country Shrimp Boil on Blogcritics.

What area of the country or where you live would you like to visit? Is there a type of regional cuisine that draws you in? For me, it's definitely the South. There's something about the hospitable vibe I get from the South and the stick to your ribs cuisine that appeals to me. But it'll be awhile before I get a chance to visit and experience true Southern cuisine. In the meantime, I can only get a taste of the South through food and cooking up Southern recipes. Over the weekend I hosted a Low Country Shrimp Boil, which is a popular past time especially around the Southern coastal regions. Little did I realize how much fun and how easy it was to throw a Low Country Boil and you don't necessarily have to be in the South to enjoy one!...

Low Country Boils are a very casual dining event where a large pot of seasoned water cooks an entire meal of potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage and of course, lots of shrimp or even other seafood like crawfish. This has to be the ultimate one pot meal for my husband because he loves (like really loves) shrimp! There are many variations to flavor up the broth that cooks up the meal for a low country shrimp boil. For ours, it was a super easy combination of water, sliced lemon, a few bay leaves and classic Old Bay seasoning. You can find old bay seasoning near the fish counter of your local grocery store or in the spice aisle. Some other ingredients I've seen used in the broth includes beer, other spice mixes, and aromatics. Have fun with this recipe any time of year. This makes for a great party and a tasty one at that!

Low Country Shrimp Boil
recipe adapted from Paula Deen

Old Bay seasoning - 2 teaspoons per quart of water
3 bay leaves
1 lemon, thinly sliced
12 red new potatoes
6 (4-inch) smoked sausage links, halved
6 ears corn, halved
3 pounds fresh shrimp (21-30), unpeeled & deveined

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all of the ingredients. Add the old bay seasoning, bay leaves and lemon slices and bring to a boil.

When the water boils, add the potatoes and sausage. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook for no more than 3 minutes. Drain and serve with warm bread.

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Canadian Government Funded Study Advice for Parents of Children with Autism: ABA Doesn't Work, Set Your Children Free and They Will Prosper!

A study funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has found, surprise, surprise, that ABA is of limited effectiveness in treating autism.  The Pathways in Autism Spectrum Disorders study led by Dr. Peter Szatmari, Dr. Dr. Susan Bryson and Dr. Eric Fombonne was established with the belief at the outset that ABA is of limited effectiveness in helping low and high functioning autistic children. It was also established, not surprisingly given its government financing, and the predispositions of the lead researchers, with a view to avoiding the expense associated with providing ABA intervention.

Reducing expense is an obvious concern of a federal government which has been under pressure to provide ABA coverage for autism under our national medicare scheme. Dr. Szatmari, Dr. Fombonne and Dr. Bryson signed on to the federal government initiative to discourage medical coverage of ABA many years ago as evidenced in their 2006 Brief to the Canadian Senate. Their opinions, as articulated in 2006, are also reflected in their recent 2011 video.  Plus ca change, plus ca rest la meme. 

In  the  2006 brief to the Canadian Senate the Pathways in ASD lead researchers declared unequivocally that autism is an entirely  genetic disorder with Dr. Szatmari dedicating his career to finding the genes in question:

"For example, we do know what causes autism. It is caused by genetic factors [20]. It is an inherited disorder. The answers to what is inherited and how it is inherited are not known. But, along with my colleague, Dr. Steve Scherer at the Hospital for Sick Children, we at the Offord Centre for Child Studies are leading an international team of scientists dedicated to finding the genes that cause this disorder." [emphasis added HLD]

What is interesting is that Dr. Szatmari professes great faith in an evidence based approach to autism interventions yet  when discussing autism causation is prepared to declare autism to be an inherited, genetic disorder without knowing what genes cause the disorder, what is inherited and how it is inherited.  Evidence based?  Of further interest when news broke of the California Autism Twins Study, (CATS), interpreted by most observers as debunking the myth that autism is entirely genetic, that autism probably results from gene environment interaction,  Dr. Szatmari took a much different view pointing to the study as being of significance  because it confirmed the importance of genetic factors in causing autism, a very strange view given the dominance of genetic based autism research,  over the previous two decades:

“This is a very significant study because it confirms that genetic factors are involved in the cause of the disorder but it shifts the focus to the possibility that environmental factors could also be really important."[emphasis added HLD]

In its 2006 submission while professing support for evidence based autism interventions the Szatmari, Fombonne and Bryson trio acknowledged that early intervention was necessary but immeidately set to work discrediting both ABA effectiveness and the struggle by parents to require government funded medicare coverage for our autistic children:

"It is true that early intervention makes a difference but it is not true that all children need exactly the same type of treatment [2, 21]. Not all children need incredibly intensive intervention that takes between 20-40 hours a week. Some children do respond, but some children do not respond to even that level of intensity and need another form of treatment. Others do not require that level of intensity and can do just as well with less intensive forms of treatment that are carried out in more naturalistic settings [23]. We do not know the relative proportion of those types of children but there is now more and more scientific evidence showing us that different forms of intervention can be adapted to different types of Autism Spectrum Disorder. More work needs to be done but we are much farther ahead today than we were even five years ago."

The 3 doctors do not elaborate on what interventions, other than ABA, can be fairly described as evidence based.  Like all critics of ABA they provide no real alternative.  Nor did they acknowledge the research summarized by US agencies like the office of the US Surgeon General, the MADSEC Autism Task Force, state agencies in New York and California which have reviewed the research literature and found  ABA to be the only evidence based effective intervention for autism.

The Szatmari, Fombonne, Bryson support for the federal government autism agenda is considerable. They diminish ABA as ineffective, contrary to US authorities, and expensive.  At the same time they attack the parents who advocated for government funded ABA characterizing their litigation efforts as founded on "ill will":

"The problem is that so much animosity and ill will has built up over the last few years that it is extremely difficult to engage all the stakeholders in constructive conversations in this environment. Is there any other disorder of childhood that has gone to the Supreme Court of Canada? This ill will and this variation from province to province is essentially the direct result of a lack of information, a lack of knowing what the best treatment for each child with Autism Spectrum Disorder might be. This lack of knowledge leads to a dearth of well-qualified practitioners, long waiting lists, and non-evidence based treatments all across the country." [emphasis added HLD]


Of course the 3 doctors mention that parents are involved as part of their consultations on autism strategy. I have commented in the past on the CIHR national autism strategy consultations which included the Dr.'s Szatmari, Fombonne and Bryson.  When the national autism symposium was postponed without compelling reasons the Autism Society Canada twice expressed its concerns over the direction CIHR and the federal government were taking autism consultations. My name as a delegate was rejected by CIHR despite being put forward by the Autism Society New Brunswick as a representative and was approved by two further references, one a registered nurse and mother of an autistic child and the other a clinical psychologist with an active autism practice in New Brunswick.  When I contacted CIHR for an explanation I was told that the names of delegates were those put forward by the Autism Society Canada (Even though the federal government position was that autism was a provincial, health care, issue). (a)(b)(c) (d) (e)

The truth was that the federal government and CIHR did not want parents at the consultations who were advocating for government coverage of ABA treatment for autistic children.   Doctors Bryson, Fombonne and Szatmari all participated at the autism "consultations" when they were finally held in November 2007.  While parental ABA advocates were excluded opponents of curing autism  like Michelle Dawson and Dr. Laurent Mottron were included. In the 2011 video Dr. Szatmari tells us that the study originated with parents and with the community. In truth they excluded discussions with parents seeking ABA for their children.

Now the federal agenda friendly team of Bryson, Fombonne and Szatmari,  has put a video online in 2011 which, as they did in 2006, the 3 doctors diminish ABA as an intervention.   Meanwhile the American Academy of Pediatrics published a directive in 2007 which described the gains made by autistic children who received early ABA intervention.  That policy directive was confirmed by the AAP in December 2010.  The Szatmari/CIHR video confirms the 2006 opinions of the 3 doctors presented to the Canadian Senate but ignores the AAP conclusions and research subsequent to 2006.

In the CIHR video Dr. Szatmari paints the study as parent and community driven.  In fact it is only those parents and community members who were not ABA advocates that were involved in this government financed, tightly controlled, manipulated and driven symposium/ consultation process.

In Canada parents looking for help for their autistic children have Bryson, Fombonne, Szatmari and their colleagues in arms in the battle against ABA, Mottron and Dawson, to provide guidance.  Fortunately though, hysterical and ill willed parents seeking real help for our autistic children are able to use the (gasp) internet and  we are able to access American authorities, like the office of the US Surgeon General, the MADSEC Autism Task Force, the Association for Science in Autism Treatment and the American Academy of Pediatrics,  who are not tied to our Canadian federal government anti-ABA agenda.

God Bless America!

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Τράπεζες μέσα και έξω

Οι συνταξιούχοι

         ΕΥΓΕΝΙΑ ΗΛΙΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ

 Πήγα στην Εθνική Τράπεζα . Εκεί στην Πατησίων. Για να διεκπεραιώσω μία εκκρεμότητα που είχα με ένα ταξιδιωτικό γραφείο. Ήταν  δέκα λεπτά πριν τις οχτώ .Το πρωί.

  Βρήκα είκοσι ανθρώπους μπροστά μου. Παρατεταμένοι κοντά στο κτήριο. Ο πρώτος είχε έρθει από τις έξι. Αναρωτήθηκα τι είχε συμβεί. Μετά κατάλαβα. Είκοσι δύο Αυγούστου, ημέρα πληρωμής των συντάξεων. Αρχικά σκέφτηκα να φύγω αλλά μετά το ξανασκέφθηκα  ό τι δεν θα μπορούσα άλλη ημέρα. Επέλεξα να καθίσω στην σειρά. Ρώτησα ποιος ήταν ο τελευταίος πελάτης της τράπεζας. Ένας υπερήλικας μου απάντησε ευγενικά ότι ήταν αυτός. Έκατσα δίπλα του ,άνοιξα το βιβλίο μου και προετοιμάστηκα για μία πολύωρη αναμονή.

  Στις οχτώ ακριβώς άνοιξαν οι πύλες του παραδείσου. Άρχισαν να μπουν ,ένας ένας από την πόρτα ασφαλείας της τράπεζας που απαιτεί τον συγχρονισμό ανάμεσα στα κουμπιά και την σηματοδότηση με πράσινο και κόκκινο φως .Η σκηνή θύμιζε βουβή κωμωδία. Οι πρώτοι έξι μπήκαν εύκολα ,μάλλον ήταν καλύτερα εκπαιδευμένοι. Άλλοι προσπάθησαν να μπούνε δύο και η πόρτα δεν άνοιγε. Μετά εγκλωβίστηκαν ,κατά σειρά ,οι υπόλοιποι τέσσερις και κάθε φορά ήρθε ο σεκιούριτι να τους βγάλει επειδή η πόρτα είχε μπλοκάρει. Έτσι η αναμονή μου ήταν ευχάριστη με απίστευτη δράση σε ένα χώρο που συνήθως σου προκαλεί μόνο πλήξη ή εκνευρισμός.

  Μπαίνοντας μέσα κόψαμε χαρτί προτεραιότητας  από το ειδικό μηχάνημα. Άρα υπήρχε καταγραφή των  ατόμων στο χώρο .Το προσωπικό ήταν πολύ εξυπηρετικό και γρήγορα έφτασε  η σειρά μου. Τι είχε συμβεί; Πέντε από τους συνταξιούχους είχαν ξεχαστεί στο χώρο. Η φωτεινή επιγραφή με το νούμερο τους, τους  ΄΄κάλεσε΄΄ αλλά οι ίδιοι δεν σηκώθηκαν και δεν  εξυπηρετήθηκαν. Οι υπάλληλοι δεν δυσανασχέτησαν επειδή δεν είχαν χρόνο να ελέγξουν τι και πώς. Κατάσταση τρέλας. Ρώτησα τον διπλανό μου για τι ήρθε στην τράπεζα και μου απάντησε ότι ήρθε αλλά δεν θυμάται τι έχει να κάνει εκεί. Ένας άλλος μπήκε και βγήκε δύο φορές  ενώ είχε περάσει η σειρά του. Πάλι καλά .

   Φεύγοντας είδα έναν άλλο συνταξιούχο να μετρά τα λεφτά του στο δρόμο. Πρόκληση για τον πιο κοντινό κλέφτη. Σκέφτηκα ότι  στην δική μας γερασμένη κοινωνία πρέπει να υπάρχουν  συνοδοί των συνταξιούχων .Ώς τώρα ξέραμε για τους jigolo ,συνοδούς των όμορφων και λίγο γερασμένων κυρίων ή τις call girl συνοδοί των ΄΄κουρασμένων΄΄ μα πλούσιων παλικαριών . Τώρα όμως υπάρχει ανάγκη να βρεθούν συνοδοί που να  προστατεύουν τους συνταξιούχους μας από την λήθη του μυαλού και από την πονηριά του ληστή.

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Medicare's Orphans: Autism and the Marinoiu Family

This third trailer for Medicare's Orphans, scheduled for release this fall, features the Marinoui family.  While on a previous Toronto visit I had the pleasure of meeting Stefan Marinoiu and his lovely family: wife Bernadette, daughter Lia and son Simon who is severely affected by autism.  Stefan has twice risked his life, walking in mid winter from Toronto to Ottawa, and engaging in a hunger strike,  to bring attention to the autism crisis in Canada and the need for a real National Autism Strategy, one  which treats autism like a health disorder and provides treatment to all autistic Canadians. The trailer shows some of the anguish of this caring and courageous family that has struggled to give Simon the best life possible and to bring attention to his challenges.  They are challenges shared by many Canadian families with a member severely affected by an autism disorder.   

The Medicare for Autism Now! information release accompanying the trailer is a call for your support to end health care discrimination in Canada:

Meet Stefan, Bernadette, Lia and Simon Marinoiu. They live in suburban Toronto, Canada. Simon has autism and no longer lives with his family. His devastating situation represents the fate of many autistic children in Canada who are being denied effective treatment. Simon and his family are featured in the just released third trailer advertising Medicare for Autism Now's upcoming documentary, Medicare's Orphans, scheduled for release in October.
www.medicareforautismnow.org

The film chronicles the stories of a number of families with autistic children from across Canada, each share the same problem - lack of access to effective autism treatment (ABA/IBI) via our "universal" health care system.

The film exposes some painful truths about who gets access to health care in Canada, the refusal to act by Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, and the Supreme Court of Canada's failure to protect our childrens' Charter rights, all of which rightfully brings Canada's reputation for fairness and human rights into serious question.

This film will be significant to both Canadian parents of children with autism as well as those living in other countries who live under the false assumption that Canada is a kinder and gentler place for people with disabilites. The film will also provide examples of what effective advocacy really is, what it has already achieved and what parents/supporters need to do in order to protect the gains others have made on behalf of their children, to move the cause forward, and to end health care discrimination in Canada in this generation.

To learn the history, the gains, the goals, and how to get involved in the autism treatment movement in Canada, go to: www.medicareforautismnow.org

Please forward this link, post it to your Facebook walls, and ask others to do the same. Also - very important - send it to your MLA and MP.

Thank you for your support.

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Sunday Fun Day Giveaway: S'mores Crunch!

Happy Sunday! It's been a wonderful weekend here, yet my thoughts and prayers were for all those on the East coast (including family and friends) dealing with the dangerous conditions of Hurricane Irene. I hope all those affected by the storms are safe and working through any destruction Irene may have caused. Here in Chicago, we've finally had our weather luck turn around so most, if not all of the city was out enjoying the sunshine. Last week, my friends at Eggland's Best eggs sponsored the giveaway with a generous prize pack. A lucky reader will receive a few coupons for free eggs, apron, whisk, spatula, ramekins, egg timer, eco bag and even a plush egg toy! A special thanks to Eggland's Best for sponsoring. Here's a big Congratulations to the winner of this past week's giveaway! Please shoot me an email at itsjoelen@gmail.com to claim your prize...

Eggland's Best Egg Prize Pack

Winner: Comment #60!

http://joelens.blogspot.com/2011/08/egglands-best-brinner-giveaway.html

So it's still summer but in a few weeks, it will officially end. One summer pastime that I have yet to do this season is to make s'mores. There's something special about toasting marshmallows on a stick and sandwiching it between 2 crisp graham crackers with a piece of milk chocolate. Pressing the little sandwich together and enjoying the warm, sweet flavors along with the gooey texture makes me giggle like a little girl again. Earlier this month, National S'mores Day was celebrated and I meant to bake up something inspired by s'mores then. But I figured better late than never, right?! I plan on making a S'mores Texas Sheet Cake this week and will be sharing the recipe next weekend. However this cake will not be including just your regular s'mores ingredients. For this cake, I'm going to use S'mores Crunch, a fun confection that was created in the Chicago suburbs!

S'mores Crunch is the first flavor from Crumble Ons, a local company that takes traditional flavors and turns them into little nuggets of sweetness to jazz up your favorite desserts. From mixing them into cake batter or cookie dough, to topping ice cream or cupcakes, or simply enjoying them as is, S'mores Crunch is fun and tasty! Here's a little story of how it all started...

Graham crackers? Check. Marshmallows? Check. Chocolate? Check. Campfire? No need!

A retired couple from the suburbs of Chicago has invented a way to bring the summertime feel indoors; they call it S’mores Crunch.  One night, after a lakeside bonfire complete with s’mores, Chicagoan Mary Jo Berglund chopped the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mixed them into pancakes for the next morning. They were an instant hit and prompted her to invent S’mores Crunch, which can be used as a confectionary condiment, or as an inclusion.

S’mores Crunch is comprised of miniature s’mores, featuring the crunch of toasted marshmallows sandwiched between milk chocolate and crisp graham crackers.  They function in the same way as sprinkles, adding pizzazz to the sweet treats you already love-- glam up pancakes or bedazzle your ice cream!  (And yes, you can have s’more because they have 43% less calories than milk chocolate chips, 50% less fat and 39% less carbs.)

Thanks to my friends at Crumble Ons, they will be sponsoring this week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway! A lucky reader will receive some S'mores Crunch to play with and try out in their favorite recipes. Read on for more details...

Some guidelines:

- Giveaway is only for those who live in the United States - my apologies to my non-United States readers!

- You must check back in a week when winners are announced and email me to claim your prize if you win.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment answering: 

What tasty way would you use S'mores Crunch? Let's hear your ideas!

Deadline: Saturday, September 3, 2011 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 Sunday, September 4, 2011, within next week's Sunday Fun Day Giveaway. Good luck!

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FoodBuzz 24x24: C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil!

Living in Chicago has it's perks... the food scene, the urban vibe, the diversity and culture, etc. But despite all the wonderful things we have here, it would be nice to experience some fun times that other folks around the country do. With that in mind, we wanted to host a special meal that isn't very common up here in the Midwest, yet introduce something fun, different and delicious to our guests! My husband I gathered some of our friends and we brought a taste of the Coastal South to our little urban oasis. So C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil!

My husband is a big fan of shrimp and I wanted to prepare shrimp in a more fun way. Rather than resorting to the usual entertaining themes I've done, I looked to the South for some inspiration. That's when I learned all about Low Country Boils. Low Country Boils are a very casual dining event where a large pot of seasoned water cooks an entire meal of potatoes, corn on the cob, sausage and of course, lots of shrimp. Little did I realize how much fun and how easy it was to throw a Low Country Boil!

To make our event even more special, FoodBuzz is featuring our C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil! Party for their August 24x24 Food Event. The FoodBuzz's 24x24 Food Event showcases food blog posts from 24 Foodbuzz Featured Publisher bloggers of 24 unique meals occurring around the globe during a 24-hour period. I was thrilled to be featured this month!

 

We originally wanted to host our Low Country Boil outdoors, but due to the unpredictable weather here in Chicago, we decided it would be best to have the party indoors with air conditioning. I would love to do this again outdoors next time!

For our table setting, I wanted it to be casual yet elegant. Traditional low country boils are served directly on newspaper or in large platters, often on festive red and white checkered tablecloths. Well, I combined the two ideas by lining the end of our dining table with newspapers and the center of our dining table with a neutral tablecloth. I used red plate chargers for each place setting, which gave a pop of color. There wasn't a need for any centerpieces, since the food was the main attraction on the table.

Presented in traditional fashion down the center of the table, we served up our low country boil on large long platters, all mixed up and had garnishes of lemon halves and cocktail sauces nearby.  The side dishes were scattered across the table and everything was served family style. In the background, we even had country music playing to add to the ambiance.

While we waited for all our guests to arrive, the rest of our guests hung out in our living room and enjoyed the stuffed mushroom appetizers I made. We also set up a separate drink station where we had sweetened iced tea and freshly squeezed lemonade available. Having a separate drink station was convenient and worked out well since our dining table was full of so much food!

Finally, all our guests arrived and it was time to eat! After much tweaking, I decided on a few side dishes to accompany our Low Country Boil and serve our party of 8. Technically, a Low Country Boil is a meal in itself but I added a few side dishes including...

Stuffed Mushrooms

 
Cajun Coleslaw

Red Beans & Rice

Apple Slice

So if you have a hankering for a unique meal to serve up for friends and family, try a taste of the Coastal South with a Low Country Boil. It couldn't be any easier with cooking everything in one large pot and having everyone dig in! Stay tuned all this week for recipes from our C'mon Y'all... It's a Low Country Boil! Party...

Full Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a stipend from FoodBuzz for hosting this event.

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"Αγαπητοι Ελληνες Φίλοι...."

«Αγαπητοί έλληνες φίλοι...»

Του LAURENT CORDONNIER
Οι οικονομολόγοι δεν πληρώνονται για να κάνουν μαθήματα ηθικής (άσχετα εάν αυτό, ακριβώς, κάνουν όλη την ώρα) και δεν έχουν τη φήμη του αισθηματία (άδικα ίσως).

Συνεπώς, εάν ένας οικονομολόγος σας εκδηλώσει τα φιλικά του αισθήματα, τότε...έχετε δύο επιλογές:
είτε να θεωρήσετε το γεγονός τόσο σπάνιο, ώστε να αντιμετωπίσετε τη φιλία ως κάτι το πραγματικά ξεχωριστό, είτε να παραμείνετε επιφυλακτικοί, επιδεικνύοντας μια δυσπιστία που δεν ει από εκείνη των Ινδιάνων Σιού.

Εάν ήμουν Ελληνας, δεν θα ήξερα πώς θα έπρεπε να αντιμετωπίσω την επιστολή με τίτλο «From a friend of Greece and of the Greeks» που απηύθυνε στον ελληνικό λαό ο διακεκριμένος γάλλος οικονομολόγος Ζακ Ντελπλά, μέλος του Συμβουλίου Οικονομικής Ανάλυσης.
Η επιστολή, η οποία δημοσιεύθηκε στα αγγλικά στην ηλεκτρονική σελίδα της γαλλικής εφημερίδας «Les echos», άρχιζε με το «My dear Greek friends» και παρουσιαζόταν ως «Α French Friendly Suggestion on how to Save Greece from Default and Collapse» (Μια φιλική γαλλική πρόταση για το πώς μπορεί να σωθεί η Ελλάδα από τη στάση πληρωμών και την κατάρρευση).
Οι προτάσεις της επιστολής μπορούν να συνοψιστούν στο εξής:

για την Ελλάδα υπάρχει μονάχα μία λύση και αυτή συνίσταται στην αποπληρωμή του χρέους της.

Το λέει και το συμβόλαιο! Και το λέει απερίφραστα:
«Η αλήθεια είναι ότι εμείς, στην υπόλοιπη ζώνη του ευρώ, είμαστε έτοιμοι να τη βοηθήσουμε εάν η ίδια βοηθήσει τον εαυτό της. Αυτό είναι το ευρωπαϊκό συμβόλαιο. Εμείς θέλουμε και έχουμε μεγάλο συμφέρον να κρατήσουμε την Ελλάδα στη ζώνη του ευρώ, υπό τον όρο όμως, ότι κι εσείς θα εκπληρώσετε τις υποχρεώσεις σας, που απορρέουν από το συμβόλαιο. Ομως, εάν εσείς δεν επιθυμείτε τα χρήματα και το πρόγραμμα του ΔΝΤ και της Ευρωπαϊκής Ενωσης, δεν θα υπάρξει βοήθεια από εμάς και τότε θα πρέπει να γνωρίζετε τις συνέπειες».


Αντιδρώντας σε αυτό το κείμενο, ένας αναγνώστης έκανε το εξής εντυπωσιακό σχόλιο στην ιστοσελίδα:
«Αδυνατώ να κατανοήσω τον πραγματικό ορισμό της λέξης φίλος που χρησιμοποιείτε. Νόμιζα ότι ένας φίλος μοιράζεται τις χαρές και τις λύπες. Μάλιστα, όταν λυγίζεις κάτω από τα βάσανα, ο φίλος είναι εκείνος που βάζει πλάτη και σου επιτρέπει να ξανασηκωθείς και να συνεχίσεις. Επίσης, όταν πεινάς, ο φίλος είναι εκείνος που μοιράζεται μαζί σου το φαγητό του: ακόμα κι αν δεν χορτάσετε με αυτό το λιγοστό φαγητό, χάρη σ' αυτό θα επιβιώσετε και οι δυο σας».

Ακόμα και στις περιπτώσεις όπου επιθυμούμε να κάνουμε έκκληση στο συναίσθημα, διαπιστώνουμε ότι είναι πολύ πιο δύσκολο για έναν οικονομολόγο να χρησιμοποιήσει αυτό το ημισφαίριο του εγκεφάλου του απ' ό,τι για ένα «συνηθισμένο» άτομο.
Ισως επειδή πιστεύει ότι, κατά βάθος, τα συναισθήματα μπορούν να τον παρασύρουν μακριά από τον δρόμο της λογικής.
Παραμένει πεπεισμένος ότι, αυτή τη στιγμή, οι Ευρωπαίοι βοηθούν τους Ελληνες.
Ακριβώς κατά τον ίδιο τρόπο που ένας μεγάλος αριθμός συμπολιτών μας πιστεύει, γεμάτος συγκαταβατικότητα, ότι βάζουμε το χέρι στην τσέπη για να συνδράμουμε ένα διεφθαρμένο, αναποτελεσματικό και υδροκέφαλο κράτος, στο οποίο ζει ένας τεμπέλης και διόλου προνοητικός λαός.
Αξίζει τον κόπο να υπενθυμίσουμε ότι, για την ώρα, κανένας Ευρωπαίος δεν έχει βάλει το χέρι στην τσέπη για να «βοηθήσει» την Ελλάδα.
Τα χρήματα, που δανείζει στο ελληνικό κράτος ο ευρωπαϊκός μηχανισμός στήριξης, προέρχονται από δάνεια με την εγγύηση των ευρωπαϊκών κρατών και όχι από τους φόρους που πληρώνουν οι γάλλοι, οι γερμανοί ή οι τσέχοι πολίτες...

Αυτοί που δανείζουν σήμερα - με έμμεσο τρόπο - την Ελλάδα, αγοράζοντας τους τίτλους που εκδίδει ο ευρωπαϊκός μηχανισμός στήριξης, το κάνουν με την απόλυτη θέλησή τους και... θα αποζημιωθούν από τα κράτη που έχουν εγγυηθεί τους τίτλους, στην περίπτωση όπου η Ελλάδα κηρύξει στάση πληρωμών.

Ωστόσο, δεν έχουμε φτάσει ακόμα σε αυτό το σημείο.
Για την ώρα, τα ευρωπαϊκά κράτη στηρίζουν κυρίως τους μετόχους των τραπεζών, δεδομένου ότι υποκαθιστούν σταδιακά τις τράπεζες στην κατοχή τίτλων του κρατικού χρέους, ενώ ταυτόχρονα βοηθούν και τους νέους δανειστές, καθώς τους προσφέρουν τίτλους που δεν εγκυμονούν κανένα ρίσκο.

Εάν, λοιπόν, κάποια μέρα εμείς οι Ευρωπαίοι αναγκαστούμε να «πληρώσουμε» για την Ελλάδα, θα το κάνουμε για να σώσουμε την περιουσία των μετόχων των τραπεζών και τα περιουσιακά στοιχεία των εύπορων αποταμιευτών ολόκληρου του πλανήτη.

Υπό αυτήν την οπτική θα πρέπει να ερμηνεύσουμε και την απόφαση του τελευταίου Ευρωπαϊκού Συμβουλίου.

Η πραγματική ένδειξη φιλίας απέναντι στους Ελληνες θα έπρεπε μάλλον να συνίσταται στο ακριβώς αντίθετο από εκείνο που κάνει ο Ζακ Ντελπλά:
να τους ομολογήσουμε, ότι η κατάστασή τους δεν μπορεί με τίποτα να γίνει χειρότερη, από εκείνη στην οποία επιθυμούμε να βρεθούν πολύ σύντομα, όταν ισχυριζόμαστε ότι μπορούν να αποπληρώσουν το χρέος τους. Μια στάση πληρωμών της Ελλάδας θα σήμαινε αναγκαστικά την έξοδο από το ευρώ και κολοσσιαίες οικονομικές δυσκολίες.
Ομως, αυτές οι δυσκολίες θα είναι άραγε χειρότερες από εκείνες με τις οποίες βρίσκονται ήδη αντιμέτωποι οι Ελληνες και τις οποίες θα συνεχίσουν να υφίστανται, εάν ο μοναδικός τους ορίζοντας είναι η κόλαση της λιτότητας, της οποίας έχουν ήδη αρχίσει να γεύονται τους πικρούς καρπούς;

Ενας πραγματικός φίλος της Ελλάδας θα έπρεπε να θυμηθεί, ότι η γενιά των Ευρωπαίων μιας κάποιας - ώριμης - ηλικίας που δίνει σήμερα μαθήματα στους Ελληνες, είναι ακριβώς εκείνα τα άτομα που επωφελήθηκαν κάποτε από την Ελλάδα.
Πράγματι, αυτά τα πλήθη Γερμανών, Ολλανδών, Βέλγων, Γάλλων κ.λπ., που ειρωνεύονται σήμερα τις χώρες του «Κλαμπ Μεντιτερανέ», ανήκουν στις ορδές με τα σακίδια που αποβιβάζονταν - πριν από ένα τέταρτο του αιώνα - στις Κυκλάδες για να περάσουν ονειρεμένες διακοπές, τις οποίες οι αστοί γονείς τους δεν μπορούσαν καν να απολαύσουν στον δικό τους τόπο.

Ημουνα κι εγώ ένας από αυτές τις ορδές με τα σακίδια.
Θυμάμαι ότι πληρώναμε το γεύμα μας στο εστιατόριο τρεις φορές φθηνότερα απ' ό,τι στη Γαλλία.
Θυμάμαι ότι στα ταπεινά και πεντακάθαρα σπιτάκια όπου μέναμε, οι ιδιοκτήτες ήταν πέντε φορές πιο ευγενικοί απ' ό,τι τα γκαρσόνια στο παρισινό ξενοδοχείο «Terminus du Nord».
Θυμάμαι εκείνον τον ξενοδόχο στη Σάμο ο οποίος βρήκε - κάτω από το στρώμα του φίλου μου του Ολιβιέ - το αεροπορικό του εισιτήριο και του το έστειλε έγκαιρα με τον κουνιάδο του, που ήταν καπετάνιος σε πλοίο της γραμμής, ο οποίος και το παρέδωσε στη νύφη του που εργαζόταν στη νυχτερινή βάρδια σε ένα ξενοδοχείο στην Αθήνα (αυτά τα πράγματα φαντάζουν υπερβολικά ακόμα και για τους συγγραφείς αστυνομικών μυθιστορημάτων).

Θυμάμαι εκείνον τον συνταξιούχο οδοντίατρο στην Ικαρία, ο οποίος βραδιάτικα διέκοψε την παρτίδα χαρτιών που έπαιζε, για να θεραπεύσει έναν τρομερό πονόδοντο που με ταλαιπωρούσε επί μια εβδομάδα (και χωρίς να μου ζητήσει ούτε μία δραχμή).
Θυμάμαι ακόμα τους φίλους μου Μπερτράν και Ντορίν που γνωρίστηκαν σε μια ντισκοτέκ της Ιου κι εξακολουθούν να ζουν μαζί ευτυχισμένοι.
Ούτε και ξεχνάω ότι, από την εποχή των διακοπών μου στην Ελλάδα, τρώω χωριάτικη σαλάτα τρεις φορές την εβδομάδα.

Εάν ήμασταν πραγματικά φίλοι των Ελλήνων, θα έπρεπε να τους ρωτήσουμε σήμερα:

«Πόσα σας χρωστάμε;»

ΚΥΡΙΑΚΑΤΙΚΗ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΟΤΥΠΙΑ 14-8-2011

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Caramel Banana Pie with Shortbread Pecan Crust

Article first published as Caramel Banana Pie on Blogcritics.

What are some of your favorite ingredient combinations? Naturally, there are some ingredients that just go perfectly together such as peanut butter and jelly. Another tasty pairing is chocolate and peanut butter. But for me, almost anything with caramel will have my vote. There's caramel and chocolate, caramel and apples, and even caramel and bananas. No? Not familiar with that combination? Well, I assure you it's an amazing concoction, deliciously displayed in this Caramel Banana Pie with Shortbread Pecan Crust. A buttery pecan crust holds a creamy, smooth filling made with a caramel banana sauce and custard. It's an amazing variation of a banana cream pie that's sure to impress!...

This pie was shared at a recent dessert event with friends. Probably one of the biggest pie fans I know, Jenny, prepared this pie and it was outstanding. I've had caramel and banana together before but this pie takes to a new level. She adapted a banana pudding recipe to create this pie and paired it with a crust recipe from another source. Together, it's a great combination and super easy to make. In fact, the pie only requires 15 minutes of bake time for the crust. However, the hard part is waiting 4 hours for the pie to set up in the refrigerator. This would be a great pie to prepare the night before and serve the next day...

Caramel Banana Pie with Shortbread Pecan Crust
recipe adapted from Salon & crust from GroupRecipes

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of salt
6 tablespoon butter, melted

Banana Caramel
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
2 medium to large bananas, ripened so the skins are fully browned

Filling
1¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon milk, divided (I used 1%)
½ cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
¼ teaspoon vanilla
sweetened whipped cream, whole pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

For the crust, combine flour, pecans, ¼ cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Pour in melted butter; stir until combined. Press onto bottom and up sides of prepared pie plate. Bake crust 15 minutes or until golden brown. Do not overbake. Cool completely.

For the caramel, combine 1 cup sugar and water in medium heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Do not stir. When mixture is golden, gently swirl pan to evenly distribute. Reduce heat to medium-high. Remove from heat when color is deep golden brown.

Meanwhile, purée bananas until they are the consistency of pancake batter. When the caramel has reached a deep golden brown color, slowly pour in puréed bananas, whisking constantly. Reserve ½ cup mixture in heatproof measuring cup; set aside to cool. Pour remaining banana caramel in small heatproof bowl; set aside to cool. Clean saucepan.

For the filling, combine 1 cup milk and cream in cleaned saucepan; bring to a boil over low heat. Meanwhile, combine remaining ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk and cornstarch in medium bowl; whisk until well blended. Whisk in eggs, 6 tablespoons sugar and salt until well blended. Slowly pour in milk mixture; whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Clean bowl.

Return saucepan to heat; increase heat to medium-low. Add butter, whisking until incorporated. Continue whisking until mixture is thickened and coats back of spoon.

Remove from heat; pour mixture into cleaned bowl. Stir in vanilla and reserved ½ cup banana caramel; stir gently until fully incorporated. Pour into cooled crust. Press plastic wrap onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate 4 hours. Refrigerate remaining banana caramel for another use.*

Prepare sweetened whipped cream; pipe along edge of pie. Decorate with pecans.

*There's enough for two more pies. Or leave some out at room temperature and use to drizzle over individual slices. The caramel itself is amazing!

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Canada Versus Autistic Children: Chilliwack Man's Daughter Denied Entry Because of Autism

Canada is at it again keeping immigrant families separated because one of the family's children has an autism disorder.  A few months ago many residents of New Brunswick were shocked to learn that a hard working,  respected South Korean family, the Maeng family,  that had been living in  Moncton, New Brunswick for several years would either all be deported or would be separated because one of their children had an autism disorder and epilepsy. That case ended well for the Maeng family when local residents and elected representatives in New Brunswick stepped up to the plate and intervened with the federal government. Now another family has actually been kept apart for two years even though the father is a productive manager of a helicopter transport operation in Chilliwack because a daughter is autistic.  

As reported by the Chilliwack Times, after a two year investigation Krishnan Balakrishnan, Transwest Helicopter's general manager, was  informed in June 2010 that his daughter would not be allowed to come to Canada because she had an autism diagnosis. The Chilliwack Times details Krishnan Balakrishnan business skills and history and the decision he will have to make about whether to stay in Canada or go home soon to reunite with his family.  The owner of Transwest Helicopter is not happy with the prospect of losing a valued senior manager and calls Citizen and Immigration Canada's decision cruel, bureaucratic and idiotic. 

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60 Essential Twitter Feeds for Following Autism Education

Jasmine Hall of Online Colleges informed me that they had composed a list of 60 essential twitter feeds for following autism education and that Facing Autism in New Brunswick is on it (No. 11).  For anyone tweeting or following tweets of autism education take a look.  It seems to be a pretty good sampling of perspectives on autism education issues, including some with whom I disagree on important autism issues.  Of course TannersDad, who is probably autism's biggest tweeter, was listed (No. 19). (I don't think the number a tweeter is listed at signifies status of any kind or TannersDad would have been listed much higher than mine).

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Παίρνουνε από την Αυτοδιοίκηση ΑΕΙ δίνουνε βορά στην Αγορά τα Πανεπιστήμια

Το κριτήριο για μια μεταρρύθμιση στα ΑΕΙ

Του ΝΙΚΟΥ ΚΟΤΖΙΑ Συγγραφέα, καθηγητή του Πανεπιστημίου Πειραιώς nkotzias@otenet.gr

Διαβάζω με προσοχή τη δημόσια συζήτηση που γίνεται για τα ΑΕΙ.

Διαβάζω, επίσης, τις συνεχείς ύβρεις που εκτοξεύει σε βάρος των διδασκόντων η πολιτεία, καθώς και οι αρθρογράφοι του κόμματος του μνημονίου. Η συζήτηση έχει πάρει στραβό δρόμο, όπως στραβά κτιζόντουσαν τα ελληνικά πανεπιστήμια επί υπουργίας πολλών σημερινών μελών της κυβέρνησης, του πρωθυπουργού συμπεριλαμβανομένου.

Ενα ερώτημα είναι κατά πόσο τα πανεπιστήμια που ιδρύθηκαν την τελευταία δεκαετία ήταν πανεπιστήμια με την πλήρη έννοια της λέξης, ανάλογα με εκείνα που ιδρύθηκαν στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του εξήντα (Πάτρα και Ιωάννινα); Είχαν ως ύψιστο κριτήριο δημιουργίας τους την παραγωγή παν-επιστημονικής γνώσης; Και πώς να γίνει αυτό όταν, επί παραδείγματι, το Πανεπιστήμιο Πελοποννήσου εκτείνεται μεταξύ Σπάρτης, Καλαμάτας, Τρίπολης και Κορίνθου, ενώ εκείνο του Αιγαίου (ένα εξαιρετικό ίδρυμα) «διένεμε» τις σχολές του σε Ρόδο, Σάμο, Χίο, Μυτιλήνη και Σύρο (ναι! Και Σύρο!). Τα πιο πρόσφατα ιδρυθέντα δεν είναι με επάρκεια, παν-επιστημονικοί δημόσιοι χώροι. Χώροι όπου συναντώνται καθημερινά οι πιο διαφορετικές επιστήμες, επιστήμονες και φοιτητές. Τέτοιοι, όπως τους απαίτησε ο Ι. Καντ στην «Διαμάχη των Σχολών» και υλοποίησε ο Χούμπολντ.
Στην Ελλάδα των τελευταίων είκοσι ετών, οι πολιτικοί «ξέχασαν» ότι η έρευνα και η μόρφωση προηγούνται των πελατειακών σχέσεων. Ας κάνουν, λοιπόν, πρώτα επ' αυτού και άλλων πολλών αυτοκριτική και μετά ας τα βάλουν με εκείνες τις πλευρές των ΑΕΙ που είναι κατώτερες των περιστάσεων και τις οποίες εκείνοι νομοθέτησαν.

Ανάλογο πρόβλημα εντοπίζεται, αν εξετάσει κανείς τη διάταξη πολλαπλών «φτηνών» σχολών. Επί παραδείγματι, μόνο τις δύο τελευταίες δεκαετίες ιδρύθηκαν δεκάδες σχολές σε ΤΕΙ και ΑΕΙ που παράγουν λογιστές και άλλους οικονομολόγους. Το ίδιο συμβαίνει αντίστοιχα με σχολές κοινωνικών επιστημών. Αυτές οι σχολές φτιάχτηκαν διότι το κόστος τους είναι μικρό, ενώ παράγουν «υπερπληθυσμό». Δεν κοστίζουν τόσο όσο σχολές για τη νανοτεχνολογία και τη βιογενετική.
Οσες μεταρρυθμίσεις και αν γίνουν στα διοικητικά, που μάλιστα αυτές που έχουν προγραμματιστεί κάθε άλλο παρά είναι οι καλύτερες, το πρόβλημα ουσίας και προσανατολισμού των ΑΕΙ θα παραμένει. Ο νέος νόμος, δηλαδή, αγνοεί ότι το πρωτεύον δεν είναι η διοίκηση των πανεπιστημίων, αλλά η στρατηγική διασύνδεσης ανάμεσα στα πανεπιστήμια που χρειάζεται η Ελλάδα και στο παραγωγικό πρότυπο του 21ου αιώνα.
Το νομοσχέδιο της κυβέρνησης για τα ΑΕΙ, όπως και εκείνο για τον «Καλλικράτη», έχει αποσυνδεθεί από το τι Ελλάδα καλείται να υπηρετήσει. Γι' αυτό δεν έχει όραμα. Δεν προσανατολίζει το Πανεπιστήμιο στην ανάπτυξη της κοινωνίας, αλλά στις επιθυμίες της αγοράς. Παραγωγική ανασυγκρότηση και ενίσχυση της αγοράς (συν ιδιωτικά πανεπιστήμια) δεν είναι το ίδιο. Επιπλέον, κάθε άλλο παρά αποτελεί πρόοδο η μείωση της δημοκρατίας εντός των πανεπιστημίων και η κατάργηση των επιστημονικών τμημάτων. Διότι αν λάβουμε σοβαρά υπόψη μας τα επιχειρήματα της κυβέρνησης ενάντια στη δημοκρατική συμμετοχική δομή των ΑΕΙ, τότε πρέπει να καταργήσουμε και τη δημοκρατία γενικά ...

Συνολικά, το νομοσχέδιο καταγράφει γραφειοκρατικά προβλήματα με τρόπο διαχειριστικό. Αδυνατεί με αφορμή πραγματικά προβλήματα στα ΑΕΙ να δώσει νέα πνοή στην τριτοβάθμια εκπαίδευση. Δείχνει να μην κατανοεί ότι τα υπαρκτά προβλήματα δεν δικαιολογούν τον οποιοδήποτε νόμο. Αντίθετα, τα ΑΕΙ χρειάζονται νόμους που δημοκρατικά να τέμνουν την ουσία των προβλημάτων και όχι τη γραφειοκρατική εκδοχή τους.

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Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites

Article first published as Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites on Blogcritics.

I'm not a fan of uni-taskers. You know what I'm talking about, right? It's those kitchen tools or gadgets that were only created to serve one purpose. But that's not to say I don't own any because I do have a few. (Like  my iced tea maker, for example.) But today I wanted to talk about something that most people would think of as a uni-tasker - the mini muffin pan. Sure, you can use these pans to make mini muffins, even mini cupcakes. But aside from those obvious things, I love using it for bite sized appetizers. One appetizer I made recently using a mini muffin pan includes these Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites. A savory filling of roasted garlic, caramelized leeks and crispy bacon fill mini pie shells for the perfect, tasty bite...

These appetizers were inspired by a pizza recipe I found on the Serious Eats website. Rather than making the pizza (which I'm sure is quite tasty), I wanted smaller bites that would be easier to eat. My son loved them too especially because they were small enough for him to pick up and enjoy. This recipe is just an example of how to maximize the use of mini muffin pans so feel free to experiment and be creative! You can use any filling you'd like so don't limit yourself to garlic, leeks and bacon. And with the holidays coming up in a few months, you can tuck this recipe for later or come up with other filling variations to prepare for those festive parties...

Roasted Garlic, Caramelized Leek & Bacon Bites
recipe adapted from Serious Eats

1 package prepared pie crust dough (or homemade if you prefer)
2 heads garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
4 thick slices smoked bacon
1 medium leek
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Coarse sea salt

Heat oven to 350°F.

Season garlic with kosher salt and pepper and coat with olive oil. Wrap in aluminum foil and bake until soft, about 1 hour. Squeeze each head of garlic through a ricer to remove skins and create a paste, or squeeze out garlic flesh from each clove by pressing with the side of a chef's knife.

Slice bacon into lardons and sauté in a small skillet over medium-low heat until crispy, about 15 minutes.

While bacon cooks, julienne the leeks and throw away the dark green tops. Submerge the cut leeks in cool water and swirl to clean off all dirt and grit. Drain and dry thoroughly with a salad spinner or paper towels.

When most of the bacon fat has rendered, add leeks to skillet, still at a medium low heat. Season lightly with kosher salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and sweet, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Prepare the crusts for a mini muffin pan by rolling a small piece of pie dough into a ball the size of a quarter. Place the ball of dough into each well of the mini muffin pan. Carefully press the ball of dough into the well and up the sides of the muffin pan to create the crusts.

Place a small dollop of the garlic paste into each mini muffin well. Top with half of the leeks and bacon and half of the mozzarella.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from oven and serve slightly cooled.

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Parents and Teachers Should Not Be Misled: Autism, For Now, Includes Those With Intellectual Disability

The author of Autism and Oughtisms has posted a guest comment on the site Teaching the Teachers, Educating an Autistic Child is an Opportunity,  in which, like many other parents and professionals, she includes a commentary which distances autism disorders from intellectual disability:

"There is nothing inherent in autism as a condition, that limits a child’s intelligence or makes them impossible to teach. My own son for example (who has a diagnosis of classic autism) is clearly intelligent and incredibly eager to learn. There are however aspects of autism that will get in the way of learning; it is after all a developmental delay and learning disability."

The author's comment covers a lot of ground.  In the paragraph above I agree with most of what she says. What I disagree with though is the statement that "There is nothing inherent in autism as a condition, that limits a child’s intelligence".  That statement is correct in so far as the definition of autism in the DSM-IV does not require a finding of intellectual disability in order to determine that a child has an autism disorder.  It is true also in the sense that 100% of children with autism do not have an intellectual disability.  But it is misleading in  so far as there is a very clear association between classic autism, or DSM-IV Autistic Disorder and Intellectual Disability.  Parents and teachers should know at the outset that as many as 80%, or the vast majority,  of those with an Autistic Disorder diagnosis will also have an Intellectual Disability.  My sources for that assertion are set out in italics following this comment.   

While it is no longer acceptable to use the term "mentally retarded' to refer to those with intellectual disabilities or to openly mock them, it is still politically correct to exclude the intellectually disabled from consideration for inclusion in many discussions and contexts.  It has happened with the DSM-5 and the New Autism Spectrum Disorder, which will exclude from an autism diagnosis those with an Intellectual Disability, and should more accurately be called Asperger's Spectrum Disorder. It is also true with parents who want the world to know that although their child has an autism spectrum disorder they are not one of those with ... an intellectual disability. 

For the record my son has a diagnosis of Autistic Disorder and he is assessed as having "profound developmental delay".  He has an intellectual disability.   He too, like many autistic children, with or without intellectual disability, is also incredibly eager to learn notwithstanding his autistic disorder and his .... intellectual disability.   


Autism and Intellectual Disability Sources:

1) Canadian Psychological Association Autism Brief to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology November 9, 2006:


""Definition: Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder, first identified by Kanner in 1943. Decades later, Autism came to be viewed as the more severe of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) which also include Asperger’s Disorder. ASD is a heterogeneous disorder that includes a range of developmental impairments in the areas of social skills, verbal and non-verbal communication as well as restricted or repetitive interests or behaviours.


Symptoms and Impairments:


• Cognitive impairment is present in about 80% of persons diagnosed with Autism and
general intellectual functioning is most often below average. Persons diagnosed with
Asperger’s Disorder have average to above average intellectual functioning.""


2)Department of Health & Human Services - Center for Disease Control Counting Autism NOTE: The CDC surveys indicate the percentages of persons with Intellectual Disability and any Autism Spectrum Disorder including Aspergers.


""CDC’s most recent data show that between one in 80 and one in 240 children with an average of one in 110 have an ASD. This is a prevalence of about one percent of children. These results reflect data collected by CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network in multiple communities throughout the U.S. in 2006.


Estimates are based on health and education records from participating communities, which includes eight percent of the U.S. population of eight year olds. All children in the studies were eight years old because previous research has shown that most children with an ASD have been identified by this age for services.


...


Cognitive Functioning (from the pdf version)


2004


From 37.9% (Arizona) to 63% (Alabama) (overall average: 43.8 %) of the children identified with an ASD also had an intellectual disability (an IQ ≤70, at the sites that had test results on intellectual ability for at least 75% of the children identified).


2006


From 29.3% (Colorado) to 51.2% (South Carolina) (overall average: 41.0 %) of the children identified with an ASD also had an intellectual disability (an IQ ≤70, at the sites that had test reults on intellectual ability for at least 75% of the children identified)""


3) CDC Autism Expert Dr. Yeargin-Allsop noted that in the 60's and 70's ... before the DSM changes that added Aspergers (which excludes persons with Intellectual Disabilities) the "vast majority of persons with autism had intellectual disabilities. Not a simple majority ... the vast majority:


CDC Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Marshalynn Yeargin-Allsopp - CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)Interview


"But the autism umbrella has since widened to include milder forms, says Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, a medical epidemiologist at the CDC. For example, it now includes Asperger syndrome, where the sufferer is socially impaired, but experiences typical language development.


Another difference between past and present autism diagnosis involves the presence of intellectual disabilities, adds Yeargin-Allsopp. During the 1960s and 1970s, the vast majority of those diagnosed with autism had an intellectual disability but today, only about 40% have one."


4) The ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural DisordersWorld Health Organization, Geneva, 1992


F84.0 Childhood Autism


A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour. The disorder occurs in boys three to four times more often than in girls.


...


All levels of IQ can occur in association with autism, but there is significant mental retardation in some three-quarters of cases.




F84.1 Atypical Autism


A pervasive developmental disorder that differs from autism in terms either of age of onset or of failure to fulfil all three sets of diagnostic criteria. Thus, abnormal and/or impaired development becomes manifest for the first time only after age 3 years; and/or there are insufficient demonstrable abnormalities in one or two of the three areas of psychopathology required for the diagnosis of autism (namely, reciprocal social interactions, communication, and restrictive, stereotyped, repetitive behaviour) in spite of characteristic abnormalities in the other area(s). Atypical autism arises most often in profoundly retarded individuals whose very low level of functioning provides little scope for exhibition of the specific deviant behaviours required for the diagnosis of autism; it also occurs in individuals with a severe specific developmental disorder of receptive language. Atypical autism thus constitutes a meaningfully separate condition from autism.


Includes:
* atypical childhood psychosis
* mental retardation with autistic features


5) Autism and intellectual disability: a study of prevalence on a sample of the Italian population.


La Malfa G, Lassi S, Bertelli M, Salvini R, Placidi GF.
Psychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Florence, Hospital of Careggi, Florence, Italy. gplamalfa@videosoft.it
Abstract




BACKGROUND: In 1994, the American Association on Mental Retardation with the DSM-IV has come to a final definition of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), in agreement with the ICD-10. Prevalence of PDD in the general population is 0.1-0.15% according to the DSM-IV. PDD are more frequent in people with severe intellectual disability (ID). There is a strict relationship between ID and autism: 40% of people with ID also present a PDD, on the other hand, nearly 70% of people with PDD also have ID. We believe that in Italy PDD are underestimated because there is no agreement about the classification system and diagnostic instruments.


METHOD: Our aim is to assess the prevalence of PDD in the Italian population with ID. The Scale of Pervasive Developmental Disorder in Mentally Retarded Persons (PDD-MRS) seems to be a very good instrument for classifying and diagnosing PDD.


RESULTS: The application of the PDD-MRS and a clinical review of every individual case on a sample of 166 Italian people with ID raised the prevalence of PDD in this population from 7.8% to 39.2%.


CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the relationship between ID and autism and suggests a new approach in the study of ID in order to elaborate a new integrated model for people with ID.""

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