N.L. couple claims $21 M Lotto prize

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I wonder if Linton & Olga realize that I am their long-lost cousin who drifted away on an iceberg many, many years ago? :-)   (Regardless, congratulations to them both!!!)

Newfoundland and Labrador's newest millionaires arrived in a limousine to pick up their $21 million cheque.

Linton and Olga Barnes won the multi-million-dollar Atlantic Lotto draw this past weekend.

They heard on the radio that a winning ticket had been sold in their home town, Conception Bay South.

The couple received their cheque on Thursday at a presentation in St. John's on the George Street concert stage.

Fabulous Flying Fingers

Howdy, at long last.

Posting here seems to be a major challenge the last few weeks.  Feel a bit like Government Funded Blogger who talks about his blogging challenges.  I'm facing just as many.  Wish I had the energy of John Meany, Brian Williams and the Wildly Wicked Web Wommin but I don't got it. So, here's another musical interlude from my favourite guitar player of all time - the great Australian Tommy Emmanuel.  Just drink in the magic of his fingers.

A few months ago, Tommy asked Reddit to suggest songs for him to arrange on guitar. The response was huge and very friendly!

So here is the first arrangement: Satisfied Mind by Joe "Red" Hayes and Jack Rhodes, based on Jeff Buckley's version.

(these were made for fun, sort of as a gesture of appreciation to all music lovers out there!)

Crosby breaks headshot barrier: Cammalleri

Montreal Canadiens sniper Mike Cammalleri says having superstar Sidney Crosby speak out about headshots will help other NHL players voice opinions on what used to be a taboo subject.

"What the immediate effect is for me is that it allows other players now to come out and say 'OK, it's not uncool to say what I really believe, and that I'm not a soft player because I don't think we should have headshots. I'm not a player a general manager won't want on his team. I'm now going to voice that opinion,"' Cammalleri said Wednesday as the Canadiens gathered for their annual charity golf tournament.

"I think it's very good of Sid to be able to do that. He's under a big microscope, the biggest in our game, and I commend him for doing that. I think that it's important that we don't be ignorant to what's going on in our game."

Crosby has been out of action with concussion symptoms since early January after taking shots to the head in consecutive games. While the Pittsburgh Penguins centre is optimistic he will be able to play again, no date has been set for his return.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/3p5h4f6

Facebook more important to Brits than flushing toilets

What couldn't you live without? Is Facebook more important to you than a flushing toilet, showers and fresh vegetables? A surprising poll shows it is for the Brits.

A poll conducted on behalf of the London Science Museum asked a representative sample of 3,000 adults to list the 50 things they can’t live without. The information was collated for the museums project on water which is looking into how important water is. Surprisingly the obvious picks such as water and money were not the number one priority as the sun starved Brits opted for sunshine.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/311462

An Open Letter to the Chefs of Tomorrow

I’ve been amazed over the last few years at the increasing popularity of the Food Networks on TV, featuring celebrity chefs trying to out-celebrity one another. As an amateur foodie, I have a few favourites among the TV chefs and try to catch their shows when time permits. I seldom think of it beyond that though – in the kitchen, preparing another great meal and that’s it.

Who better to champion the cause of organically grown, local, quality food? Chef Michael Smith from PEI comes to mind as do others. Now, some of the top chefs in the world, the eight members of the International Advisory Board of the Basque Culinary Center have issued what they call the “Lima Declaration”, reflections they hope will serve as a reference and inspiration for the young people who will become tomorrow’s chefs.

In the seven point declaration, they say cooking is not only a response to the basic human need of feeding ourselves; it is also more than the search for happiness. They go on to say cooking is a powerful, transformative tool that, through the joint effort of co-producers—whether chefs, producers or consumers — can change the way the world nourishes itself.

Read on …

Dear chef,

To all of you, we direct this reflection, entitled ‘An Open Letter to the Chefs of Tomorrow’ and signed in Lima on September 10, 2011.

In relation with nature

1. Our work depends on nature’s gifts. As a result we all have a responsibility to know and protect nature, to use our cooking and our voices as a tool for recovering heirloom and endangered varieties and species, and promoting new ones. In this way we can help protect the earth’s biodiversity, as well as preserve and create flavours and to elaborate culinary methods.

2. Over the course of thousands of years, the dialogue between humans and nature has created agriculture. We are all, in other words, part of an ecological system. To ensure this ecology is as healthy as possible, let’s encourage and practice sustainable production in the field and in the kitchen. In this way, we can create authentic flavour.

In relation with society

3. As chefs, we are the product of our culture. Each of us is heir to a legacy of flavours, dining customs and cooking techniques. Yet we don’t have to be passive. Through our cooking, our ethics, and our aesthetics, we can contribute to the culture and identity of a people, a region, a country. We can also serve as an important bridge with other cultures.

4. We practice a profession that has the power to affect the socio-economic development of others. We can have a significant economic impact by encouraging the exportation of our own culinary culture and fomenting others’ interest in it. At the same time, by collaborating with local producers and employing fair economic practices, we can generate sustainable local wealth and financially strengthen our communities.

In relation with knowledge

5. Although a primary goal of our profession is to provide happiness and stir emotions, through our own work and by working with experts in the fields of health and education, we have a unique opportunity to transmit our knowledge to members of the public, helping them, for example, to acquire good cooking habits, and to learn to make healthy choices about the foods they eat.

6. Through our profession, we have the opportunity to generate new knowledge, whether it be something so simple as the development of a recipe or as complicated as an in-depth research project. And just as we have each benefited from the teaching of others, we have a responsibility, in turn, to share our learning.

In relation with values

7. We live in a time in which cooking can be a beautiful form of self-expression. Cooking today is a field in constant evolution that includes many different disciplines. For that reason, it’s important to carry out our quests and fulfill our dreams with authenticity, humility, and above all, passion. Ultimately, we are each guided by our own ethics and values.

Ferran Adriá, Yukkio Hattori, Massimo Bottura, Michel Bras, René Redzepi, Gastón Acurio, Alex Atala and Dan Barber.

Tommy Emmanuel from the MDA telethon (fixed, video now viewable)

I don't want to turn this into a music blog since there are enough of those in the blogosphere; however, I came across this video today of Tommy Emmanuel's performance on the MDA Telethon over the Labour Day weekend.  Halfway through this video, he's joined by stellar guitarists Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo who provide some great accompaniment.  It's yet another example of why Emmanuel is the world's top finger picker.  Enjoy!



(Grammy nominated Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel performs "Guitar Boogie" & "Avalon" at the 2011 MDA Telethon, Sunday, Sept. 4, live from the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. The show's theme this year was "Make a Muscle, Make a Difference" for MDA.)

Crosby still in recovery - not ready for training camp

From the Penguins website: http://tinyurl.com/3taz7zm

Wednesday, 09.07.2011
by Sam Kasan

Penguins center Sidney Crosby, general manager Ray Shero and concussion experts Dr. Michael Collins and Dr. Ted Carrick held a media conference Wednesday afternoon to update Crosby’s status as he recovers from a concussion suffered in early January.

There still is no timetable for a return, but all parties were optimistic and convinced Crosby will return and have a long NHL career. In fact, Crosby said he didn’t think a lot about retirement, and when asked if there is a chance he’ll never play again, Crosby responded: “I wouldn’t bet on that.”

Dr. Collins added that he is “optimistic Sid will have a very long, fruitful career.”

More to come from the media conference, but here are some quick key quotes.

Crosby:
“Mentally I feel the best I’ve felt. It’s been a tough road. I did not give a lot of thought to (retirement).”

Dr. Collins:
“I anticipate Sid returning to hockey and playing well in the future. He’s made significant progress, but he won’t play until he’s 100 percent.”

“We’ll introduce contact in a systematic, careful way. The prognosis is excellent that he won’t have long-term problems from the injury.”

“I’m optimistic Sid will have a very long, fruitful career.”
Shero:
“(Sid) is worth the wait. He won’t be rushed. We’re pleased with his progress.”

Happy Labour Day!

"Today, as we mark Labour Day, it’s healthy to look back at where we came from, and not forget the sacrifices made by organized labour that have contributed to the quality of life that not just members of unions, but all of us enjoy today; everything from paid holidays and sick leave to pensions and workplace safety standards. None of these rights we now all take for granted were handed to us. They were all won after hard fought battles. Organized labour has a proud history, but it’s just that – history. And while it’s important to understand it, it’s even more important to look ahead.

"Priorities have changed with the times and as with any organization, change is necessary to remain relevant. In the case of unions, there have been many changes over the years and it has been no different with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. When the I.B.E.W. was founded, its priority was improved safety measures because at the time, one out of two electrical workers died on the job from some sort of workplace accident. But that was more than a hundred years ago. Today, we’ve helped create safer workplaces and it isn’t saving lives but improving quality of life that defines what we do.

"Working co-operatively with our employers, many of our members, like employees in many organizations, now have Employee and Family Assistance Programs, flexible work hours, job-sharing options, family leave, wellness programs and any number of initiatives aimed at improving the workplace, creating a better work-life balance and at the same time improving productivity.

"These are just some of the ways that organized labour continues to play a role in creating a better standard of life in our society. Keep in mind that while unionized employees tend to get paid better than non-union people, and enjoy better benefits, all workers tend to benefit over time as other employers realize they have to do better by their non-union workers to retain them. As a result the employees do better, but so do the communities they live in, because of the increased tax base and increased economic activity."

Ross Galbraith is the Business Manager for Local 37 of the IBEW.  You can read the rest of his Labour Day article by clicking here.