Category Archives: Sealand

When Vern Luckhurst looks back on his time in the hospital following a heart attack last May, he remembers the reindeer stew.

"I think for a whole week I was there, every day I had reindeer stew," said Luckhurst. "They have it flavoured just like you'd be cooking it at home."

At the Alaska Native Medical Center, a 173-bed hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, Indigenous cuisine is front and centre on the patient menu. Depending on what's in season or what has been donated to the facility by hunters and fishers, patients might dine on seal soup, fiddlehead fig pizza or herring eggs with peas.

"They have excellent comfort foods for elders, or just for, you know, native people," saidthe 70-year-old Luckhurst. "Even if it was a low-sodium diet, you know, it still was really flavourful.

"They make really, really good salmon."

Hospitals aren't usually known for having memorable cuisine. But at this facility, the standard bland "tray food" has been set aside in favour of a restaurant-style approach complete with a menu that offers patients choice.

At least 60 per cent of those dishes incorporate Indigenous foods. Now the hospital's traditional native foods initiative is gaining attention as a model of what could be achieved at other hospitals in the United States and Canada.

The Alaska Native Medical Center is the only hospital in Anchorage and the state's only trauma centre. While the focus is onthe Indigenous population, the centre serves patients from all backgrounds.

When Vivian Echavarria took over as the hospital's assistant administrator, she saw just how much that tray food was missing the mark.

"As I was looking at how much food wasbeing thrown out because that's not the food that our people eat, I saw a lot of money going down the drain," said Echavarria, who is now vice-president of professional and support services at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, which includes the hospital.

When the food services contract eventually came up for renewal, she made a requirement that the next contractinclude an executive chef.

"It had to have someone who had the culinary depth, the scope, breadth to be able to prepare foods like you would see [on] these chef programs on national TV," she told Unreserved host Rosanna Deerchild.

Enter chef Amy Foote. Originally from Idaho, Foote worked seasonal jobs in Alaska starting as a teenager and met her husband there.

Then her career took themtorestaurants, hotels and lodges in Montana for about a decade, "all the while dreaming of how we could get back to Alaska," said Foote.

She jumped at the opportunity to pivot to the role at the Alaska Native Medical Center, a move that Foote said has been incredibly gratifying.

"You can cook a very nice steak at a four-star restaurant and it's a one-time experience," she said. "But when you're working in a hospital and you have this opportunity to get someone to eat that maybe hasn't eaten for a couple of weeks, or even a few days, and you help them on their path to healing, on their path back to home and back to their lives, it's a huge reward."

Cooking for Alaska's Indigenous people isn't a one-size-fits-all proposition, said Foote, given there are 229 recognized tribes in the state spread over a vast area.

"So if you're in the north, you're not going to eat the same food as you are in the southeast because the animals and the plants and the geography are different.

"And so that becomes a real challenge learning everyone's traditional ingredients, traditional methods of harvesting, traditional preparations and then actually figuring out how to get all of those ingredients to Anchorage."

Since many of the key animal products can't be bought through the usual food suppliers, the traditional food program relies on donations from hunters and fishers, and those have to meet strict food safety guidelines.

"Coming to Alaska, an animal that I hadn't worked with obviously would be seal.We don't have those in Idaho and Montana," said Foote. "So that was a definite learning curve."

She found guidance from some of the Indigenous women on the kitchen staff who have experience butchering the animal.

"Seal meat is very dense and it's almost like an organ meat and you can kind of look at it and see how nutrient-dense it really is."

Jessilyn Dunegan, a nutritionist at the hospital, said seal soup is her favourite traditional comfort food.

"There is something about seal oil that, once it hits your mouth seems to soothe you from the inside out."

"I think for some, that might be like Grandma's chicken noodle soup."

Providing foods that motivate patients to eat and regain strength is even more crucial given the distance many travel from home for treatmentand the visitor restrictions brought by the pandemic, said Dunegan.

The traditional foods themselves have properties that can help with healing, she said.

"So if we're eating seal oil or herring eggs or something like that, that's really high in omega-3 fatty acids, which gives you a really good anti-inflammatory properties and a lot of other health benefits."

A few Canadian hospitals havealso embraced traditional Indigenous cuisine. Hospitals in the Yukon have been serving traditional foods for 25 years.

And in Sioux Lookout in northern Ontario, theSioux LookoutMeno Ya Win Health Centre servesdonated wild game, which is prepared by elders in a separate kitchen.

At the Alaska Native Health Center, Foote said she's observed a kind of spiritual and physical healing in feeding patients this way.

"There's the act of giving, the beauty in being able to get someone to eat to give an elder who just wants a bowl of seal soup because it's the only thing that they could get down that day. So there's a lot of things that I love about my job."

Written by Brandie Weikle. Produced by Kim Kaschorand Erin Noel.

Original post:

Meet the chef who learned to cook with seal and other Indigenous foods at Alaska hospital - CBC.ca

SINGAPORE - With song, dance and the clang of a gong, the Malay Heritage Centre's last exhibition before it shuts for revamping was launched on Friday (Jan 28).

A two-hour ceremony held on its Kampong Glam grounds inaugurated the exhibition titled Cerita ("stories"in Malay), a retrospective of the tales the centre has told since its reopening in 2012.

Exhibits tell the story of Malays in Singapore and their inextricable links to the Nusantara, the Malay archipelago, beginning with the seal of Tengku Hussain Shah, who was installed by the British in 1819 as the king of Johor and through whom Singapore was ceded to the colonial power.

The disparate tale spans Kampong Glam's glory years as a seat of Malay royalty to its days as a hub for the thriving Hajj industry.

A printing press from the manufacturer Chandler & Price on display is a nod to Kampong Glam's history as a Jawi publishing centre.

Certain everyday objects will conjure up times past for some visitors - items that curators hope will spark conversations between young and old.

These include Fandi Ahmad's 1994 Malaysia Cup football gold medal, which the national striker has loaned the centre. This highlights an iconic moment in Singapore's sporting history, when thousands of Singaporeans drove up to Kuala Lumpur with their friends and family to catch the final and eventual triumph.

A model of a kolek, or a sailboat, also harks back to the 19th century. They were then a common sight around the coastal areas of Singapore, where races were regularly held off Siglap, Pasir Panjang, Katong and the offshore islands.The New Year Regatta held at the waterfront off the Padang also drew thousands at the time.

At the launch of Cerita, National Development Minister Desmond Lee said the Malay Heritage Centre has played a key role in telling the Malay community's stories to the wider Singaporean community and the region since its founding.

"Whether passed down through written and oral histories, artefacts or contemporary methods such as social media posts, tweets and TikTok videos - our stories help to shape and affirm our cultural identities, and chronicle the beliefs and practices of our diverse communities.

"The Malay Heritage Centre's programmes are anchored in an unwavering belief in sharing stories - from personal anecdotes, to community and even national accounts."

Read the rest here:

A king's seal and a football medal: Malay Heritage Centre exhibition tells stories that bind - The Straits Times

Cats are our best friends and worst enemies, with their fluffiness and aloof attitude seeing owners love and hate them in equal measure.

Known for their fondness of napping, cats can usually be found in the best seat in the house, be it the bed, the sofa or on your laptop.

One pet was enjoying a well-earned rest on the couch, perched on a comfy cushion, when their owner noticed the fabric pattern was creating a bizarre optical illusion.

Dr. Claire Hardaker, whose bio indicates she's a forensic linguist, shared a snap to Twitter on Wednesday, of her fluffy pet in front of a depiction of a deer.

"The old gods are rising again," she captioned the now-viral photo, which has since amassed more than 50,000 likes, and can be seen here.

The ears and antlers of the deer were aligned perfectly with the cat's head, making it appear as if the feline had sprouted fresh appendages.

Numerous people commented on the snap, pledging their allegiance to the new cat god, while also sharing similar snaps of their own pets channeling deities.

Jennifer Dawson wrote: "My daughter wants this as a profile picture. I'm going to need to find a pillow like this so she can recreate this with her own cat."

LittleMo joked: "'Cats were once worshiped as gods, they have never forgotten this' Terry Pratchett."

Funty Nutz of The Underclass thought: "If cats had antlers, they would [be] insufferable. Ok. Even more insufferable."

Deborah Schauffler wrote: "I for one welcome our antlered feline overlords."

SMijhailovic thought: "Very cool look, regal almost. That said, antlers would ruin the almost perfect design of the domestic cat... unless they are weightless and somehow perfectly retractable."

"All hail the Antler Queen!" @aprilataylor added.

Phil Good asked: "If a horned hare is a jackalope, is this a catalope?"

Also referencing the mythical creature, The Demon's Phantom mused: "The ever elusive cat-a-lope."

The jackalope is a fabled creature with the body of a hare, and antlers. Its legend is an integral part of Douglas, Wyoming, which issues "jackalope hunting licenses" and sell "jackalope milk."

The town square even features a giant statue of the creature, as does the Visitors Center, while there's also a 13-foot cut-out of a jackalope near the entrance to the city.

The city's official website links users to the "jackalope proclamation," detailing Douglas' longstanding history with the myth.

The website says: "Let the rest of the world take notice. Douglas, Wyoming is the one, true home of the rare, mysterious and elusive fearsome Jackalope, also known as the "warrior or killer rabbit", as trademarked by the State of Wyoming in 1965 and officially designated by the State in 1985.

"While the traveler is unlikely to have the opportunity to have an actual sighting of the rare and ferocious jackalope, they will witness its strong impact on the community. The jackalope is the prominent feature on the City seal and logo, which testifies that 'We know Jack.'

"It is a prominent feature of the City entrance signs, the impressive Yellowstone Highway bridge over the North Platte River, and numerous additional elements of the community; and is celebrated during Jackalope Days each June." Its notoriety in Douglas was immortalized in the 2006 film, Stagbunny.

An excerpt from the city's proclamation, from 1985, quotes the then-governor of the state of Wyoming, Ed Herschler, declaring Douglas is the official "home of the jackalope."

Newsweek reached out to Hardaker for comment.

Link:

Optical Illusion of Cat on Printed Pillow Hailed Online'Feline Overlords' - Newsweek

There is no denying that period dramas in Bollywood movies are larger than life sets, royal looks, heavy jewellery, and a taste of rich history. Period dramas are the best way to entertain your souls when modern-day stories dont. They bring to the fore rich stories, from relationships to social movements and even wars, to present hours of dreaming and diversion. When it comes to periodic dramas nobody does it better than the Bollywood film industry courtesy of the high and prestigious heritage and culture of India.

Bollywood movies have revisited history and rewritten it with grand characters and plots that take you back in time. But, Fashion also plays a very pivotal role in enabling these characters and in constructing, carving and conveying their identities to support the story. From Angrakha Kurta worn in historical time to multi-layered jewellery on top of it, it is a never-ending fascination for one.

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Hrithik Roshan has been a heartthrob for his fans! Why wouldnt he be? His mesmerizing blue-grey eyes and a body sculpted so perfectly is all the reason we need to drool. Starring Hrithik Roshan in the titular role, Jodha Akbar, fans saw him in a period dressing, still looking suave and thats a look not all can carry! Hrithik wore jama or coat also known as sarabgati (that which covers the whole body) by embracing a diverse ensemble of textures and fabrics.

Image Source - Instagram

Aditya Seals portrayal of Humayun in The Empire is incredibly captivating. Aditya wore a full-sleeved jama with an elaborate floral and leaf embroidery overlapping coat to emulate Humayuns style. Aditya received a lot of positive feedback from fans and critics alike for his performance and appearance, and he went on to become one of the most remarkable OTT debutants.

Image Source - Instagram

There is much to be said about Ranveer Singh dressing style who is an eccentric ball of energy. As crazy as his roles are, so is his dressing. But do we love it? Absolutely! Ranveer Singh surely nailed his period dressing to the T. To get into the character of Peshwa Bajirao, Marathi warrior, Ranveer wore Angrakha Kurta paired with Jama or coat embellished in Royal embroidery look.

Image Source - Instagram

Ajay Devgns period dressing surely got all the attention and for all the right reasons.. To play the character of Tanhaji Malusure, Ajay Devgn wore Angrakha Kurta topped with thick leather accessories and ethnic shoes along with headgear have left us wide-eyed.

Image Source - Instagram

Shahid Kapoor has always been the low-key hottie of Bollywood, with a really cool eye for fashion. To essay the role of Maha Rawal Ratan Singh, Shahid look regal as he sits with poise on his throne. Clad in violet and gold attire, the actor looks more royal than ever.

Image Source - Instagram

Also Read: Deepika Padukone To Alia Bhatt: 6 Bollywood actresses who got paid more than actors

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Hrithik Roshan, Ranveer Singh, Aditya Seal and others who aced their period drama look - Bollywood Bubble

SALMON A man has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection to the death of an Idaho Falls man last year in Lemhi County.

Tel Pethtel, 26, entered the plea during his arraignment Tuesday held virtually over Zoom. Pethtels charges stem from an Oct. 19, 2021, incident that resulted in the death of 32-year-old Jon Ryan Kesterson. Investigators have said Pethtel, an unnamed woman and Kesterson were involved in an argument near the Panther Creek Road area and multiple guns were fired.

Pethtel faces two felony counts of unlawful possession of a gun by a felon, felony failure to notify of a death and felony evidence destruction alteration or concealment. Prosecutors have also added a felony persistent violator enhancement on the case.

Lemhi County Prosecutor Paul Withers said during the arraignment he expects the trial to last anywhere from four to five days.

RELATED | Questions remain about death of Idaho Falls man after judge unseals part of case

The incident has been largely unreported since November when a magistrate judge sealed the entire case. EastIdahoNews.com continually searched for public records, but could not find any charges against Pethtel even though he has been in the Lemhi County Jail since Nov. 18 and was in the Ada County Jail prior, according to jail records.

On Jan. 3, EastIdahoNews.com inquired on the case. That same day, District Judge Stevan H. Thompson called for a hearing.

A status conference was held Jan. 6 at the request of the court upon learning that the file was sealed, Thompson wrote in an order to unseal last month. The Court raised concerns regarding the Order to Seal and the need to readdress the issue. Counsel were directed to investigate the issue and be prepared to address it more fully at the time of the arraignment.

RELATED | Idaho Falls man killed in rural eastern Idaho shooting

During the arraignment, Withers said his biggest concern with the sealing of the case is protecting the privacy of the victim and his family. He explained wants to keep a photo sealed that shows Kestersons body, which was introduced during the preliminary hearing.

Withers and Thompson also discussed the sealed affidavit of probable cause, which is typically made available to the public. Withers told the judge the investigation into this case is still ongoing, and they agreed that redacting some names in the document would be necessary.

RELATED | Man booked on charges in connection to fatal eastern Idaho shooting

The photographs which the court has reviewed I feel contain intimate facts or statements (about) a deceased individual (and) should be sealed from public view at this point, Thompson said. The remainder of the preliminary hearing documents will be unsealed.

The judge emphasized the probable cause affidavit would be unsealed, but that some names will be redacted to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

A trial for Pethtel is scheduled to begin June 27 at the Lemhi County Courthouse.

RELATED | Death investigation underway in Lemhi County

Although Pethtel is accused of crimes it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Read the rest here:

Man pleads not guilty to charges in connection to death of Idaho Falls man - East Idaho News

It was December of 2020. Stuck at home for hours on end in the dead of winter, in the middle of a global pandemic (sound familiar?), I decided to embark on a comfort food cooking project that was more complicated than my usual menu of bake-and-serve dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets for one. I asked my mom to send me a recipe for the pot stickers I used to make alongside her during childhood. I love grabbing pre-made frozen bags of these at the grocery store, but I felt like the walls were closing inI craved the freedom of some culinary creativity.

Decades ago, I remember long and lazy cold-weather Sunday afternoons spent sitting at the breakfast room table, filling dough with meat and folding everything by hand while my fathers televised football games blared in the background. Wed also whip up crab Rangoon and homemade cashew chicken to round out the weekend meala feast rivaling our favorite Chinese restaurant and their epic pu pu platters. My mom periodically enrolled in cooking classes when I was a kid, and this Asian fare was part of a group of recipes she picked up from a continuing education program at the local community college.

Exotic and very on-trend, circa 1984.

It seemed so fun and nostalgic, making dough from scratch and watching the snow fall while I created this home-cooked masterpiece (and used up the never-ending soy sauce packets accumulating in my kitchen drawera win-win).

Hours later, sweating, covered in raw meat and shellfish detritus and what looked like the aftermath of a flour bomb to the torso, it took me approximately two minutes to eat what Id spent hours preparing. And I even used special pot sticker-making tools! Tools! I was clearly not up to this edible endeavor.

NEVER AGAIN!! I typed, slamming my fingers against the screen of my phone as I texted my mother.

I swore to anyone and everyone for an entire year that I would never, ever make these again. Then, I signed up to write a food column. Its amazing how quickly one panics that they might run out of ideas.

So I headed into the kitchen to redo a recipe that requires ample patience and a sense of humor, with a side of self-deprecation.

This was written by Annie Wang from St. Louis Community College at Meramec. Just like my last Foodstuff column, my COOKS NOTE suggested tips are what I learned performing this kitchen nightmare a second time. And buckle up, Dear Reader, because Ive got a lotta notes. As with any recipe, you should read this entirely before beginning.

Yields 40

2 cups flour

cup boiling water

cup cold water

tablespoon salt

pound ground pork

pound shrimp, diced

10 ounces cabbage, shredded fine*

1 tablespoon chopped green onion

1 teaspoon chopped ginger root

2 tablespoon sesame oil

1 egg**

Place the flour in a bowl.*** Add slowly the boiling water, then salt, and mix. Add the cold water, mix well. Knead to form a soft dough (about 10-15 minutes); cover with a damp cloth.**** Let stand for at least 15 minutes.

In a bowl, place pork and shrimp, ginger root, green onion, cabbage, salt and sesame oil. Mix with hands until thickened.

Uncover dough, knead again until smooth (about 10 minutes). Divide the dough into approximately 40 pieces.***** Flatten each piece with hand and roll into a 2-inch round, thin pancake******. Put one tablespoon of filling in the center*******, then fold over to make a half circle and pinch edges together.********

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan until very hot. Place enough dumplings in the pan to cover the bottom without overlapping. Cook until bottoms of dumplings are golden. Add cup water, cover, and cook until water has evaporated.

Add two tablespoons sesame oil and cup of water to the side of the pan and fry another few minutes.*********

Remove from pan and serve. Many other types of stuffing may be used (finely chopped beef, lamb).

COOKS NOTES:

* They sell 10oz. bags of angel hair cabbage in the salad section of the grocery store, making this step easy. I suggest using eight of the 10 ounces (omitting approximately two small handfuls), or youll have too much filling.

** I added this to the ingredients list because you need it to seal the dumplings (see below).

*** During the very first step, I stupidly used the smallest possible bowl, immediately thrusting myself into a blind rage. Use a large bowl.

**** Maybe its altitude; the dough was very dry the first time I made these. On the second try, I had a half teaspoon measure handy and occasionally added small amounts of warm water (about three times) until this reached the right consistency. It made a big difference.

***** For those of you who hate math as much as I do, Im going to make this easier: take the dough ball and cut it into four equal pieces. Make four even cuts into those pieces (resulting in five smaller pieces). Cut those smaller pieces in half. Voila! 40 pieces!

****** Unless you like weird crescent moon or V-shaped pancakes, roll your 40 pieces into tiny globes in the palms of your hands before rolling out.

******* Brush one edge with an egg wash (one beaten egg and a splash of water), or these will not seal and are likely to tear. I learned this trick from watching hours of Ming Tsai on PBS, who once bought me a tequila at the Caribou Club during Food & Wine, then convinced me tequila doesnt cause hangovers. Trust Chef Ming about dumplings, not tequila.

******** I borrowed my friends stainless-steel dumpling press, coated in nonstick cooking spray, for this task. Get yourself a friend with copious cooking tools. This is also the point at which you can freeze these on a lined sheet tray, then transfer to an airtight container for future frying.

********* I performed this step the first time I made these and only succeeded in nearly burning my kitchen to the ground, as well as my eyebrows off my face. Skip it, theyre fine.

If youve made it this far, congratulations! The good news is, these are delicious and the perfect pu pu for your Lunar New Year festivities, celebrated for 16 days, from Chinese New Years Eve to the Lantern Festival (Jan. 31 to Feb. 15 this year). They also freeze well and can be enjoyed long after youve forgotten what a pain they are to make.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who found out after she wrote this that her mother always cheated and used store-bought wonton wrappers. She can be reached at robertskatherine@gmail.com

Original post:

Foodstuff: A Recipe Revisited | AspenTimes.com - The Aspen Times

Every driver should know how to clean headlights. While you can take your vehicle through a car wash, it unfortunately wont fix the fact that vver time, headlights will naturally grow dull, yellow and scratched even if you have one of the best electric cars. You only realize the effects when youre driving in the dark and notice your headlights arent as bright as they used to be, or maybe they look foggy in the daylight, which is a safety hazard you should deal with it immediately.

Before you go replacing your headlights, which can be expensive, you can clean and restore your headlights yourself. All it takes is a couple of household products and some elbow grease. Here, we will take you through exactly what to do to get your headlights beaming again.

What you'll need

Car wash soap and sponge

Masking tape

Microfiber cloths

Car wax

Toothpaste

OR

Baking soda

White distilled vinegar

The following methods are suitable for headlights which are just starting to dim and show signs of yellowing. If these techniques dont work, you will need to try a more abrasive method, such as one of the ones mentioned further in the guide.

1. Clean your headlights using soap and warm water with a sponge. If you dont have soap to hand, we recommend Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash Soap ($24.99, Amazon).

2. Rinse and then immediately move onto the next step.

3. Cover the edges of your car around the headlights with masking tape, to protect the paint from damage.

4. Squeeze a decent amount of toothpaste into a clean microfiber cloth and apply it directly to the wet headlight. You want to rub in circular motions and cover the entire surface. You can add more water as needed to help with the application and create a lather.

5. Dont be afraid to be firm as you apply the toothpaste. The idea is its abrasiveness should scrape off the residue which has built up on your headlight. You want to spend about 5-10 minutes per headlight.

6. Rinse each headlight with warm water. Make sure any residual toothpaste isnt left to dry on your vehicle as it drains off.

7. Leave the headlights to dry before buffing with a clean microfiber cloth.

8. Apply car wax to each headlight, such as Shine Armor ($19.95, Amazon). This adds a protective layer and will stop them from fogging up again so quickly.

If you dont have enough toothpaste to hand, you can also substitute it with white distilled vinegar and baking soda. Simply combine two parts of white vinegar with one part baking soda to make a loose paste (expect some fizzing!). Then apply using a microfiber cloth with the same method as above and rinse.

What you'll need

Car wash soap and sponge

Masking tape

Sandpaper of varying grit

Car polish

Microfiber cloth

Car wax

If this hasnt done the trick, then youre going to have to use something a little stronger. Using sandpaper can seem daunting because youre pretty much sanding off the top layer of your headlight, but it does work. And you can still seal and protect it afterwards, so it looks like new.

1. First, clean your headlights using warm soapy water as above and rinse.

2. Leave to dry and use masking tape to protect the surrounding area.

3. Now youre going to want to prepare to sand it down. Remember, the higher the number, the finer the grit with sandpaper. So you want to start with about 400. We recommend Miady Assorted Grit Sandpaper ($7.99, Amazon).

4. Start by soaking the sandpaper in water, and then work in a horizontal direction from side-to-side across the headlight.

5. Then switch to a horizontal motion using a finer grit sandpaper, such as 1,000. Keep rinsing as needed.

6. Next, move onto a 3,000 grit sandpaper and continue to use the same motions until the headlights feel smooth to the touch.

7. Rinse the headlights dont worry if they appear scratched at this stage; its completely normal.

8. Now, you want to rub car polish into the headlights using a microfiber cloth. Apply it in a circular motion with firm pressure until the shine returns. We recommend Carfidant Scratch and Swirl Remover ($19.95, Amazon)

9. Leave the polish to dry, then buff away any residue using a microfiber cloth. If you notice any spots still appear foggy, reapply the polish and repeat from step eight.

10. Finally, seal and protect your headlights using car wax.

Your headlights should now be looking crystal clear again. Remember, if youre uncomfortable sanding down your headlights, you can always ask a professional. Theres also headlight restoration kits available, although for those you should always follow the given instructions.

Now your headlights are looking great, you might want to learn how to jump start your car in case of an emergency. And if it's time for an upgrade, check out 9 essential tips for buying an electric car.

Today's best Turtle Wax FG7633 Green Line Original Car Wax deals

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How to clean headlights and get them beaming again - Tom's Guide

Real Madrid have not fared particularly well in the Copa del Rey this season, needing extra time to beat lesser opponents. Yet this year, there's a good reason to give it their all.Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

At face value, Thursday's hostile Copa del Rey tie -- when Real Madrid visit San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao (streaming live on ESPN+, 3:30 p.m. ET) -- is just another episode in Los Blancos' puzzling, underwhelming, love-hate affair with Spain's storied cup competition.

Viewed at a distance, Madrid's record of having won the Copa del Rey twice in the past 28 years makes absolutely no sense at all. They've often been domestically dominant across that time, boasting squads jam-packed with excellent players and, worst of all, they've had to suffer their most bitter rivals, Barcelona, make the competition their personal fiefdom over that quarter-century -- something that must chafe Madridistas badly. Thus it's a distinct oddity that since Madrid beat Zaragoza 2-0 in the 1993 final, Zaragoza, who have been adrift in the second division for the last nine seasons, have lifted the trophy three times, third-division Deportivo La Coruna have done it twice and so have Espanyol: in short, all three are modest outfits who've either equalled or beaten Los Blancos' Copa performance from then till now. (Barca have won it nine times.)

If Madrid are the club to make your heart beat madly, then there's perhaps some comfort in the fact that not only was Carlo Ancelotti the last Bernabeu coach to conquer this competition, doing it in the most dramatic fashion thanks to Gareth Bale's epoch-marking goal against Barcelona in the 2014 final, but the Italian is once again taking the task of winning this season's version extremely seriously.

Before every Cup game so far (Alcoyano and Elche away) Ancelotti's infamous caterpillar-like eyebrow has made a break for freedom, up and over his forehead, when asked if he's going to turn out a first-choice XI. "We'll field the strongest possible team," has been his standard answer, firmly delivered. "These matches are not an opportunity to 'give' minutes to inexperienced or under-used players: we want to win this cup." And despite resting a couple of superstars who truly needed the respite, not only has the Italian been true to his word, but his footballers have responded -- and hungrily, too.

2:41

Eder Militao scores an injury-time leveller to earn Real Madrid a point in a 2-2 draw against Elche.

They were 15 minutes away from suffering extra time against third division Alcoyano at the beginning of the month before erupting with a two-goal power play for the win. They had 10 men after Marcelo's red card and were losing 1-0 in extra time against relegation-threatened Elche two weeks ago before repeating the Alcoyano feat with two goals in seven minutes of the second period to advance. Ancelotti's players have picked up the beat their manager is drumming home -- "we want to win everything this season" -- which is where a second, extremely strange, anomaly emerges.

- Stream Athletic Bilbao vs. Real Madrid, Thurs. 2/3, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (U.S. only)- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access

The European treble is a footballing marathon that requires you to win your domestic league, the premier domestic cup competition and become continental champions all in the same season. Only a magnificent seven clubs have achieved the ultimate honour. (In chronological order: Celtic in 1966-67, Ajax 1971-72, PSV 1987-88, Manchester United 1998-99, Barcelona 2008-09 and 2014-15, Inter Milan 2009-10 and Bayern Munich 2012-13 and 2019-20.)

Across their history, as arguably the No. 1 club in European football, how crazy is it that Madrid are not on that list and, in fact, have rarely threatened to be? Given that no club has won either LaLiga or the European Cup/Champions League more often than Madrid, you'd be right in thinking that it's often the Copa del Rey that ruins any chance they have of adding their name to the exclusive treble-winning top table.

2 Related

A little glimpse at how frustrating this tournament can be for Los Blancos might, for example, come from 2008-09. Barcelona's treble campaign, their first season under Pep Guardiola and one that Xavi recently named his "favourite" ever in Blaugrana colours, could have been harpooned by Madrid if they hadn't drawn 6-6 across two games against Real Union and allowed the third division giant-killers to eliminate them with an 89th-minute away goal at the Bernabeu.

For the avoidance of doubt -- Madrid deployed one World Cup winner, Fabio Cannavaro, several World Cup finalists and a multitude of Champions League winners (Raul, Marcelo, Jerzy Dudek, Wesley Sneijder, Michel Salgado) and still conceded six goals to a third-division minnow. It's just an example, but a pungent one. All the more reason, it's arguable, to pay attention to the way Ancelotti and his Liga-leading squad took a solid blow to the chin from Alcoyano a few weeks ago and not only came back fighting, but administered the KO punches themselves.

Madrid's appetite for this grand old tournament, which often produces fights, sublime goals, drama, controversy and cup-final comebacks, has definitely returned, and "Hallelujah!" I say. Now, whether they'll be able to hold off Sevilla in the title race -- you'd say "probably," but the challengers have reinforced nicely in the January transfer market and have an armada of good footballers returning from injury or illness or the Africa Cup of Nations -- is one question. Another is whether Madrid's patent excellence in some parts of their squad is still sufficiently athletic and intense to cope with not only Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 of the Champions League, but (potentially) Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea or Bayern should they reach the quarterfinals.

Dan Thomas is joined by Craig Burley, Shaka Hislop and others to bring you the latest highlights and debate the biggest storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S. only).

Yet this is an era in which Madrid's ultra-ambitious president, Florentino Perez, is indisputably trying to sign-seal-and-deliver his stamp of all-time greatness at the club he's ruled over, with one short absence, for the last 22 years. He won't remove the name Santiago Bernabeu from the stadium where Madrid play and replace it with his own, but he is aiming at eclipsing -- rather than simply emulating -- his presidential forebear after whom the grand old arena is named.

Having presided over five Champions League successes (one short of what Bernabeu achieved while in charge), Perez has (ineptly) attempted to inaugurate a European Super League (to relegate the European Cup/Champions League concept, one that Bernabeu helped launch) and his stadium rebuild is an epic, exciting project. And one of the very few "grand" achievements left to Perez, one that Santiago Bernabeu's era never achieved, is Madrid winning a treble, or trebles.

You'd have to say that, given 65 years of being unable to achieve it, this season's Madrid squad, admirable though it is in some facets, doesn't look a convincing bet to change history. However, that 2008-09 Barcelona season -- and indeed the trebles achieved by PSV, Inter and United -- heavily emphasised that steely character, depth of squad, intense winning mentality and durability can sometimes be as important as possessing genius in the first XI or appearing to be, by far, the best team domestically and in Europe.

Is that, potentially, what Eder Militao, David Alaba, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Thibaut Courtois, Casemiro and Karim Benzema represent in Ancelotti's current squad?

Once again, it was the Italian who took Madrid closest to a treble in modern memory. The Italian's first term in charge at the Bernabeu saw them win ultra-dramatic finals (Barcelona and Atletico) in the Copa and the Champions League, but pick up only five of the last 12 points in LaLiga so that Atleti could become champions in their last match of the season.

Seven points, dropped in draws at home to Valencia and away at Valladolid, and a defeat to Celta, cost Ancelotti, Perez and Madrid so, so much. And now, here they are.

The immediate issues include the fact that a couple of Madrid's players (Casemiro, Rodrygo and Vinicius) will arrive back from Brazil after being on international duty about 24 hours before the Cup tie in Bilbao, jet-lagged, but hopefully injury free. Ferland Mendy is likely to be out, injured. Karim Benzema, scorer of four of Madrid's five goals against Athletic this season, is a big doubt, and getting Fede Valverde back from duty with Uruguay looks against the odds.

Madrid have dealt with Athletic by beating them four out of five times since Marcelino took over Los Leones -- including three times by a single-goal margin. However, this is a test against a club that's been the losing Copa finalists five times in the past 13 editions and having knocked Los Blancos out of the Spanish Supercup last season and eliminated Barca from the Copa del Rey last month, they look like gnarly rivals.

The intense Basque-Madrileno rivalry is at stake, as is Madrid's self-confidence, with Sevilla breathing down their necks in LaLiga. Up for grabs, too, for Los Blancos, is the fact that with Atletico, Barcelona and Sevilla already out of the competition, this is shaping up as a "winnable" Copa del Rey. But make no mistake about it: also at stake is the prospect of Real Madrid erasing an unwanted and almost inexplicable stain on their brilliant record by finally winning the fabled treble.

Visit link:

Real Madrid's treble dreams often end in the Copa del Rey - this season is their best shot - ESPN

Enjoy the Cover Reveal for Cold Fear!

Special thanks to Anne Speyer, our amazing editor at Random Houses Ballantine Books.

Pre-order 2 copies (one for you and one for dad) before Fathers Day to be eligible for a special cameo video to dad on Fathers Day.

Order COLD FEAR here.

Dive into the starkness of Iceland with Finn X (No Last Name).

Finns search for his memory of one fateful night leads him to Icelandonly to be followed by an unhinged assassin intent on stopping himin the riveting follow-up to Steel Fear, from the New York Times bestselling writing team Webb & Mann, combat decorated Navy SEAL Brandon Webb and award-winning author John David Mann.

Disgraced Navy SEAL Finn is on the run. A wanted man since he jumped ship from the USS Abraham Lincoln, hes sought for questioning in connection to war crimes committed in Yemen by a rogue element in his SEAL team. But his memory of that nightas well as the true fate of his mentor and only friend, Lieutenant Kennedyis a gaping hole. Finn learns that three members of his team have been quietly redeployed to Iceland, which is a puzzle in itself; the tiny island nation is famous for being one of the most peaceful, crime-free places on the planet.

His mission is simple: track down the three corrupt SEALs and find out what really happened that night in Yemen. But two problems stand in his way.

On his first night in town, a young woman mysteriously drownsand a local detective suspects his involvement. Whats worse, a SEAL-turned-contract-killer with skills equal to his own has been hired to make sure he never gets the answers hes looking for. And hes followed Finn all the way to the icy north.

THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP TO WEBB & MANNS STEEL FEAR (7/21), their first book with Ballantine Books, but IT CAN BE READ AS A STANDALONE.

BESTSELLING NONFICTION DUO: Collaboration between Webb (a former Navy SEAL) and Mann (+ sold 3 million copies worldwide) began with the NYT BESTSELLING memoir, The Red Circle (St. Martins, 2009), followed by a string of commercially successful nonfiction projects.

GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE: While Steel Fear (A Barry Award Nominee) had a unique locked-room element, Cold Fear sees two elite Navy SEALs go head-to-head in a deadly battle of wits and strength.

PRAISE FOR STEEL FEAR: On top of two starred reviews, Steel Fear was lauded by Lee Child, Brad Thor, and Robert Crais.

John and I will do a special promo for anyone who orders 2 or more copies before Fathers Day. I (and likely John as well) will do a special cameo video and email it to dads for Fathers Day.

Order COLD FEAR American Edition here.

Read Next: SOFREP Members Are Cordially Invited.

UK & EU Edition you can order here.

akka r fyrir!

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WEBB & MANNs Cold Fear Thriller: Bloody Busted Knuckle Navy SEAL vs. Navy SEAL Fight to the Death - SOFREP

Published:7:00 PM January 27, 2022

Visible from Suffolk's beaches, the 'micronation' of Sealand has had astormyhistory ever since the fortress was built during the Second World War.

Since the Maunsell fort was put in place, it has served as a base of operations for a pirate radio station in the 1960s, a family home for aself-proclaimed royal familyin the 1970s, and as a base of operations for websitesin the early 2000s.

Consisting of a floating base, a deck andtwo hollow concrete legs for the crew to live in, the fort originally called HM Roughs Tower was dragged into place over a sandbar and sunk in 1943.

During the war, it was used to defend nearby estuaries from German aircraft.

But in the 1950s the forts were abandoned.And bythe 1960s, they made tempting bases for people looking to set up pirate radio stations.

Roughs Towers being sunk/installed in 1942- Credit: Archant

One of those pirate radio broadcasters was Paddy Roy Bates.

Known as Roy Bates, he took over HM Roughs Tower in 1967 and went on to declare its independence and style himself Prince.

Michael Bates, the currentruler of Sealand,inherited the title of Prince from his father.

Speaking about Sealand's early piraticaldays, Prince Michael said: "When I was a boythere was no pop music on the radio. Transistor radios you could carry around were a fairly new thing and very expensive, but they were just coming into the mainstream.

"If you wanted to listen to pop music, you would have to tune into Radio Luxembourg, which would come in and out at night as it bounced off the ionosphere."

This gap in the market motivated a number of entrepreneurs, includingMichael's father, to set up privately run pirateradio stations on ships and platforms just off the coast.

Prince Michael said: "There isa bit of a misconception on the internet we never actually puta pirate radio station on Sealand. We had one on another Maunsell Fort the Knock John Fort off Essex broadcasting Radio Essex.

Prince Michael, and his father, the late Prince Roy on Sealand in 1979, next to a WWII anti-air gun- Credit: Principality of Sealand

"Whenthe governmentbrought in the Marine Offences Act (in 1967), it drew a line across the Thames Estuary and said everything inside it was British territory.

"Dad got closed down and started looking for somewhere else."

Thesearch led the family upthe coast, to HM Rough Towers the fortress which would become Sealand.

The Bates family in 1966 (LR Michael, Roy, Penny, and Joan)- Credit: Principality of Sealand

Prince Michael said: "We went out on Christmas Eve 1966 and took over the FortRoughs.It wasn't a radio station, but there were some caretakers on it from Radio Caroline.

"We just climbed up it was a really calm night andthey came out of the building."

Prince Michael claimed one person was armed with a rifle but there was "no violence".

"We just said we were taking them off," he said."My father and I then took them into Harwich."

Prince Michael and his men keeping guard over the fortress in 1978- Credit: Principality of Sealand

However, Radio Caroline attempted to take the platform back.

Prince Michael said: "There were sevenor eightdifferent attemptswhich are detailed in my book.

"What were they using it for? Nothing!

"The Marine Offences Act had just come in and Radio Caroline was using it as a resupply base for helicopters.

"I think the idea was they wanted somewhere to keep supplies, fuel, and stores to keep the radio station running.

"I was 14 when all this trouble was going on out there it was my dream really at the time.

"I was always brought up with a bit of Boy's Own Annual stuff. It was interesting to me to defend the place.

"I didn't really consider that I could gethurt at the time I was like my father I thought I was indestructible.

"A lot of my friends who've read my book said I should be dead."

Roy and Michael Bates on Sealand in the 1960s- Credit: Principality of Sealand

Since its pirate radio days, Sealand has gone on to havevarious uses.

The tower was used as a base of operations for web-hosting companies in the early 2000s.

In 2007, it was reportedly in sales talks with controversial Swedish website The Pirate Bay, which was looking for a new base.

The fortress has incredible views over the north sea. - Credit: Principality of Sealand

Prince Michael added: "Whatever we've done we've always tried to be aware of our responsibility to the outside world the international community.

"That's why we stopped issuing passports we don't want to give people a pathway to terrorism."

Sealand currently supports its continued independence through the sale of noble titles.

Via its website, people can pay to become a Knight, Lord, Count, or Duke of the principality.

For more information on Sealand visit its website.

Prince Michael of Sealand has also written a book on the principality'shistory.

Read more:

Prince Michael of Sealand on 54 years of independence - East Anglian Daily Times