Remember New York made a gallant effort to get the games.

But back to the 86th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton issued an official statement on the occasion.

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as you celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s official birthday this June 16. The United States has long viewed the Queen and her service to her nation with the deepest respect. In this Diamond Jubilee Year, her tireless dedication is a beacon of hope to peoples and countries around the world.

Our nations have a special history of friendship and close cooperation based on shared democratic values and respect for the rule of law. I am looking forward to the London Olympics where the international spotlight will shine on your country’s culture, commitment to democratic principles and human rights. Our nations are united in the pursuit of a more just and democratic future and these Olympics will give us the chance to once again come together in celebration of these values.

I send Queen Elizabeth II and the British people my most heartfelt congratulations on this special day. Best wishes for a year of peace, prosperity and happiness.

Just walking around New York City, I notice how many new skyscraper have been built in the last two years. I’m going to have to relearn the skyline soon!

Back in I think 2004 I looked at an apartment in Long Island City, Queens. Great view. But I didn’t feel enough was happening. (No Duane Reade? How would I survive?) I went back in 2009 to take some headshots and I noticed some cute restaurants and coffee shops and wondered how much that apartment with the great view was going for then.

So I recently received a press release about the Seventh Annual Taste of LIC being held Tuesday, June 5th at Gantry State Park.
More than 50 restaurants and 100 restaurants are coming together to show off what the area has to offer. It’s also in support of The Chocolate Factory Theater.

I had not heard of this theater, and no it doesn’t make chocolate. It has dance, music and multi-media performances, but sounds rather unique. Click on the above link for more information, but the some of the work showcased is summed up as “multi-disciplinary collaboration combining movement, music, video and text to devise a means of storytelling that is immediate, collage-like, highly visual, and dependent on new technologies.”
Click here for a list and links of restaurants participating in Taste of LIC.

If you use the subway, Take the 7 to Queensboro Plaza. You know this is basically the area behind that famous Pepsi Cola neon sign.

So I looked at that apartment in 2004. If this is the seventh annual event, that means it started one year after I was browsing around.
Which also brings in another part of the event. According to the press release, Taste of LIC is co-sponsored by TF Cornerstone, a real estate development firm that is developing residential and mixed use community along Long Island City waterfront.

LIC has views of Manhattan. I wonder if there will ever be a day when someone in Manhattan has the better view?

You can read about the event at BistroAwards.com.

This year Kaye Ballard was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and to my surprise her friend, journalist Liz Smith, was there to accept. Smith also spoke with Ballard live via satellite from Ballard’s home, talking a little about their history together.

Smith had the audience laughing with the various things she said, including some “being from Texas” comments and the statement “I’m the only intellectual left who was fired by the New York Post.”

Click here to watch a clip from the night’s festivities. Or watch below.

You can watch a portion of the event by clicking here.

The video is about five minutes long. I put two of his stories together and call them the “Napkin Diaries.”

The New York Press Club events page describes Miller:
A TV reporter in New York City during the 1970′s and 1980′s, John Miller’s subsequent career has swung regularly between journalism and law enforcement. A former NYPD deputy commissioner for public information, Miller also worked for the Los Angeles Police Department in anti-terror. Between police postings, he was an ABC News correspondent, co-anchoring “20/20.” While at ABC, Miller landed an enviable scoop: an interview with Osama bin Laden. His career has also included roles at the Justice Department (FBI) and in the office of the director of national intelligence.

Now a senior correspondent at CBS News, John Miller reports for all CBS News platforms and broadcasts, including “CBS This Morning,” the “CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley,” and occasionally for “60 Minutes.”

GORDON SMITH KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT NAB SHOW 2012

Las Vegas, NV — NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith presented the annual NAB State of the Industry address during the 2012 NAB Show. Below is a transcript of his remarks as prepared for delivery.

***
Good morning and welcome.

I must say that the energy surrounding this year’s NAB Show is palpable.

More than 90,000 people from all corners of the globe are here this week, celebrating technology, connectivity and the remarkable media marketplace on display.

No matter where you travelled from, we thank you for being here.

Seeing all of you, I am reminded of a story about Winston Churchill addressing an audience in America.

A gushing woman asked him, “Doesn’t it thrill you, Mr. Churchill, to know that every time you make a speech the hall is packed and overflowing?”

“It’s quite flattering,” Churchill replied, “but whenever I feel this way I always remember that if instead of making a political speech I was being hanged, the crowd would be twice as big.”

I’m happy to report that I’m not giving a political speech this morning.

“And I hope you don’t hang me at the end of this speech.

But what I do want to talk about is broadcasting’s vibrant future, and how radio and television can remain the indispensable media – even in a world of digital dashboards, tablets and smartphones.

But first let me say a few words about the state of our trade association – the National Association of Broadcasters.

When I first arrived at NAB, we were fighting passage of the Performance Rights Act, a bill to levy a fee on local radio that had the momentum of a fast moving freight train.

But because of some very smart leaders in both the radio and TV business, NAB was able to thwart this piece of legislation that could have devastated the financial model of free and local radio.

On the TV front, this year we worked successfully with our friends in Congress to shape a piece of spectrum legislation that allows television stations to participate in a voluntary auction, but ensures that those not participating are held harmless.

Working in unity – small and large market stations … networks and affiliates… together with radio stations across the country – we averted a spectrum grab from misguided friends who would have you believe that broadcasting is yesterday’s technology.

Ladies and gentlemen, NAB is back…

And we are keeping our eyes on the future.

NAB has been blessed to have a unified board of directors, a remarkably competent and dedicated staff, able state association executives and industry visionaries who recognized two years ago that we would either hang together or hang separately.

We have embraced a new advocacy approach that has moved NAB away from a perception of being the “House of No” to becoming the “House of Engagement.”

We need to be realistically engaged in the issues confronting us.

Everett Dirksen, the former senator from Illinois, also summed up this approach, proclaiming, “I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, and one of those principles is flexibility.”

We have demonstrated that through engaging the other side, through our unity and by using all our tools, we can change the course of legislation that threatens the public’s access to local radio and TV.

Others have taken a lesson out of our playbook.

Earlier this year, we witnessed a debate that pitted the content community against the technology community – you may have heard of SOPA and PIPA, they became household names overnight.

The idea behind SOPA and PIPA was simple and straightforward: Don’t steal our creative content.

But it didn’t matter.

The technology community – the Googles and Wikis – used their medium just as we did – to create a powerful megaphone to change forever how battles are won, or lost, inside the Beltway.

Like us, they used every tool at their disposal to sway public opinion.

They changed the debate.

Shockingly, “Thou shalt not steal,” became “Do not censor the Internet.”

I share this to remind you that while we have been successful on two major issues facing broadcasters, we should never rest on our laurels.

Our recent victories were indeed game-changers.

They elevated the stature of NAB in Washington.

But that can all change with the next issue, the next fight.

We still have some challenges that remind us to remain vigilant.

Recent press reports quote the telecommunications industry saying the spectrum legislation passed by Congress is only the beginning – a “down payment” of what they’re seeking in terms of access to the airwaves.

They want us out of this game.

We can’t let down our guard.

The American people need broadcasting and depend on what we do for our communities.

As we look to the next phase of the process, our mission is to work with the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that viewers’ access to free, local broadcast programming is not harmed.

I don’t envy the Commission; implementing the legislation that Congress just passed will be daunting, incredibly complex, and will take years to complete.

But rest assured, we are committed to working with the FCC, and we will continue to protect the rights of all viewers who depend on their local TV stations as a lifeline for news, emergency information and, of course, entertainment.

We’re also fighting to ensure that viewers continue to have dynamic content choices, by retaining a free market retransmission consent process.

Stations deserve to be allowed to negotiate for compensation of their highly valued programming.

Unfortunately, some cable and satellite companies don’t want to pay a fair rate for the signals of local stations.

But that’s what viewers want the most – their local news and the great content that broadcast TV offers.

In fact, of the top 100 primetime shows, 95 of them are on broadcast TV, not cable networks.

The other side says the market is broken, but with nearly all retransmission consent deals being completed successfully, the cable and satellite lobby’s notion of “market failure” is simply false.

The current system is fair and benefits viewers.

We say, if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

As president of NAB, I pledge we will use every tool to protect your interests on behalf of our listeners and viewers.

That will involve traditional lobbying on Capitol Hill, on-air advertising, and yes, leveraging technology to carry our messages through social media.

We must continue to fight for our future.

We are harnessing the power of technology in Washington, D.C.

My question to you is, are you prepared to do the same in the marketplace?

I’m going to challenge you today. Because, I don’t think you hired me to sugar coat our issues.

So here’s the question, where do you want your businesses to be in 5 years?

In 10 years?

In 20 years?

A recent Wall Street Journal article had the headline “Don’t Look Now: A Car That Tweets.”

The article said that Ford already allows drivers to send and receive Tweets, stream Internet music and access podcasts.

And soon, drivers of other vehicles will be able to check Facebook and buy movie tickets.

How does radio fit into this scenario – what do we see as radio’s future – is it streaming or over the air… or both?

Some believe streaming is the future.

Others believe it does not grow the bottom line – that stations should focus on bringing in more traditional revenues.

Are you feeling pressure to jump into streaming?

Perhaps you are sensitive to criticism that if radio doesn’t get into streaming, you will be left behind or seen as resistant to change.

Only you know the right answer for your business, but whatever path radio decides to take, NAB will be there to advocate on your behalf to help ensure a robust future for many decades to come.

On the TV side, we need to be aggressively pushing mobile and ultra HD.

I was thrilled to hear just this morning that more stations and networks have joined the effort to launch mobile in 35 markets.

Delivering live, local and national news, sports and our great shows to viewers on the go – this is where our business is going.

We must continue to look for ways to integrate the power of broadcasting and broadband to improve the viewer experience.

Our adversaries – your competitors – are doing this.

They’re smart.

They’re ruthless.

And they are well-financed.

I have always heard broadcasting described as ubiquitous.

But ubiquity yesterday meant a radio being on the dashboard, in the kitchen and on the nightstand.

Ubiquity meant a television in every living room – these days, almost every room in the house.

But ubiquity tomorrow must mean broadcasting’s availability to all people at all times in all places and on all devices.

The current broadcasting model can be undone by technology… or government… or some unintended consequence from either.

It says in the book of Proverbs, “Without a vision, the people perish.”

I genuinely believe if we have clear-headed thinking and proper vision, our business will continue to prosper.

And I have no doubt about what that vision is: to educate, inform and entertain viewers and listeners through our one to many transmission… again, to all people, at any time and on every device.

The wireless industry wants to replicate what we do.

In fact, they are developing their own mobile-TV network…but they say they need more spectrum.

And they could get what they want… pending approval from the government.

So let me get this straight.

Wireless carriers want to roll out a mobile TV service, just like ours.

And they are asking the government for more of our spectrum to do it.

And their service, most assuredly, would not be free.

It seems to me that the government could be in the position of picking the wireless industry as the winner and the consumer as the loser.

Here’s the problem: Even with all the spectrum in the universe, the wireless industry’s “one-to-one” architecture could never match our ability to broadcast voice and video to the masses.

Broadband can never replicate the lifeline role of the local broadcaster.

Broadcasters are always on… always there when you need them.

Especially in an emergency.

As a pea picker and a recovering politician by trade, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have all the answers.

But it seems to me that Charles Dickens could have written the script for today’s broadcast business: It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times.

It’s the best of times because even today, broadcast radio and TV are where the ears and eyeballs are.

After all, more than 241 million people listen to free radio every week.

Even in an era of Pandora and Spotify, local radio is by far the number one source for new music.

And this is just using our existing business model.

Radio has new opportunities including on mobile phones.

This is a standard feature on cell phones in Europe and Asia.

Many phones in the U.S. already have this capability, but the carriers don’t make that known and may refuse to activate the chip. Why?

Some say because they have a vested interest in charging consumers with fees for data streaming.

But given the certain failure of mobile phones in a lifeline situation, we’re hopeful that over time, carriers will come to understand and appreciate the importance of having an activated radio tuner in these devices, and to off load their ever congested airwaves.

Turning to television, more than 46 million viewers rely exclusively on over-the-air TV.

A Wall Street Journal article recently began with the sentence, “It’s cool to have rabbit ears again.”

Generation Y gets it.

They know that digital, over-the-air TV affords viewers more choice and a clearer picture than their father’s TV.

That’s why in the past 18 months, the number of American households wired with only broadband and broadcast TV jumped 23 percent.

But naysayers might say we’re in the worst of times, because competition for our audience is relentless.

But despite the tired claims of our misguided critics, broadcasting is a robust business.

Both radio and TV have cycled out of the worst advertising recession in history.

Yes, there are challenges, but broadcast revenues remain strong and growing.

And the future is bright.

We’re evolving onto new platforms.

And it’s not just on mobile phones.

We also need to be on tablets, laptops and game consoles and on mobile devices not yet developed.

We expect our newly-launched NAB Labs will be at the forefront of this initiative to push the limits of broadcasting.

We will provide a platform for innovation and for testing new technology.

Our adversaries would like people to believe that the best days of broadcasting are over.

We will prove them wrong.

I am honored to be president of this great organization at this moment in broadcasting’s history.

It’s my view that our greatest challenge is not the FCC or the Congress.

It’s not the internet, satellite, cable or the wireless carriers.

Our greatest challenge is to have the courage to challenge ourselves.

Challenging our existing business models, looking around the corner and adapting to a media marketplace where only the technologically nimble will survive.

It is said that every moment can be golden for those who have the vision to recognize it as such.

What if this is broadcasting’s new moment to flourish?

Will we have the vision to recognize it?

Will we have the courage to seize and invest in it?

Think big: We have what everyone else wants –airwaves, content and a local connection.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that people only see what they are prepared to see.

Ladies and gentlemen, are we as broadcasters prepared to see what is open to us?

I believe that we are.

And I pledge to you that we at NAB will do everything in our power to help our members see and realize that vision.

Thank you very much.

About NAB Show
NAB Show, to be held April 14 – 19 in Las Vegas, is the world’s largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums. With more than 90,000 attendees from 151 countries and 1,500+ exhibitors, NAB Show is the ultimate marketplace for digital media and entertainment. From creation to consumption, across multiple platforms and countless nationalities, NAB Show is home to the solutions that transcend traditional broadcasting and embrace content delivery to new screens in new ways. Complete details are available at www.nabshow.com.

About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age.

By Achilles Schiano
If anyone thought that women were the weaker sex, they would be rethinking their bias after hearing four international journalists trade experiences at a panel discussion about war coverage, held at the New York Times and sponsored by the Asian American Journalists Association, the Asian Heritage Network of the Times, The Online News Association of New York, and the New York Press Club .

Edith Lederer, 46-year veteran of the AP and UN Chief Correspondent for the past 13 years, had the 80-some audience members in stitches with her memories of Vietnam and worldwide coverages. After Egypt invaded Israel and a peace accord was eventually signed at Kilometer 101, The UN checkpoint along the Cairo–Suez road, she explained how she almost missed it. It seems another AP reporter was assigned to do the main story, and she the color. They boarded a giant transport via the tail ramp but the UP representative and others complained that the AP had two reporters. She was invited to exit the plane. So as she stood at the end of the ramp on the runway, she noticed a hand from the cockpit waving. She circled the nose and the pilot had opened a side cockpit door and invited her along. When it came time to land, he told her to get off first and wait at the tail as the ramp came down. She was there to greet her colleagues, no doubt scratching their heads wondering how she got there.

The Press Club’s own Stephanie Gaskell, founder and editor of The War Report, jokingly asked if the pilot had asked for her phone number. Gaskell, herself a veteran of two Afghanistan and an Iraq tour, and Lederer shared one common experience: High military officers giving them interviews while Public Information Officers would stand behind them giving hand signals on what to answer or not.

Lebanese-born and American citizen Raghida Dergham, columnist and senior diplomatic correspondent for Al Hayat, said while motherhood impelled her to cover the diplomatic beat, nevertheless the war came to her. She detailed a situation where she was marked for assassination, following the murder of colleagues, and made sure she was surrounded by “big” soldiers while moving about.

A NJ born, North Dakota raised Iranian-Japanese journalist named Roxana Saberi, enthralled the audience with her story of being jailed in Iran on trumped up espionage charges. This was after freelancing in iran for six years, and doing extensive interviewing for a book she was planning. She was held incommunicado and finally allowed to call her parents in Fargo, ND but she was not to reveal her location, and was told to say that she was arrested for trying to buy booze. Saberi advised steps to take when reporting in dicey areas, such as lining up a good lawyer ahead of time, leave whereabouts information with friends, and also have a “code.” She explained that she tried–unsuccessfully–to alert her father that something was amiss when she asked the father to wish her Japanese grandfather a happy birthday. But in the confusion, the father didn’t pick up on it. It seems the grandfather had deceased years before.

Gaskell chimed in that it was a good idea to have a “code’ even here in the States. Journalists and photographers have been arrested across the United States while covering stories and the NY Press Club has taken a leading role in exposing that.

Saberi, writing her second book and working in radio and TV, in 2010 penned Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran. As for the “espionage” charge, after four months imprisonment, the accusation was tossed and she was freed.

What’s it like to be a woman in a war zone. Gaskell said many service people were helpful and didn’t even consider the feminine aspect. She felt the pros and cons even out. One interesting observation she made was how male colleagues would confide in her. One guy wouldn’t tell his wife or mother that he cried because of the horrible things one sees.

The ratio of women vis a vis men now in foreign and war reportage was pegged at about 50-50. It was not always like that, Lederer noted. She started with AP in 1966 and was one of a handful of women. A few years later however, Wes Gallagher, president of the AP, called her directly in San Francisco where she was then bureau chief, and asked if she would like to go to Vietnam,Yes, she said. Gallagher’s action bypassed the traditional way of becoming a foreign correspondent for AP. The then foreign editor who came from the old school, required someone to work on the foreign desk before even being considered for overseas posting.

What’s a young person desiring to freelance overseas to do? The panelists mulled that over and the best advice seemed to be to line up your contacts ahead of time, not while already in a war zone.There also are costs involved which Gaskell pegged at several thousands of dollars, such as armor vests, air fare and the use of expensive satellite phones. Moderator at the recent event, was Rogene Fisher Jacquette, Assistant news editor at the Times.

It was a terrific presentation by four talented and gutsy ladies.

Scroll down for recipes from several chefs.
Passover Recipes by Jamie Geller, author of Quick & Kosher cookbook series and cooking show host.
@JoyofKosher
Steak with Red Wine Glazed Carrots, Parsnips & Mushrooms
Servings – 4
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skirt steak
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch sticks
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch sticks
½ cup mushrooms, quartered
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add steak and sear until nicely browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove and let rest. Add parsnips and carrots and sauté 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly browned and beginning to soften. Add mushrooms and sauté 2 minutes. Add stock and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and sauce is reduced and thickened. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Thinly slice steak against the grain and return to pan for 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through and coated in sauce. Divide between 4 shallow bowls.

Gefilte Fish Cakes with Horseradish Sauce
Times
Prep time: 10
Cook time: 20+ 30 minutes chill time
Ready time: 30 min
Servings – 8
Ingredients
1 loaf frozen gefilte fish, defrosted (22-ounce)
½ cup diced red bell pepper
1 small red onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1½ cup light mayonnaise, divided
4 tablespoons chopped dill
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
1 cup coarsely crushed matzo
canola oil for frying
1 lemon, juiced
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Directions
In a large bowl combine gefilte fish, peppers, onions, celery, ½ cup mayonnaise, dill, salt, pepper, egg and matzo and stir well to combine. Using slightly wet hands, scoop ¼ cup and form into patties. Place on a sheet pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Fry patties in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. (Can be kept warm in the oven at 250° F).

In a small bowl, combine remaining 1 cup mayonnaise, lemon juice and horseradish and stir. To serve, plate 2 cakes on a small plate and garnish with a tablespoon of horseradish sauce.

Spinach Mushroom Kugel
Ingredients
1 (1-pound) package frozen spinach, defrosted
1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 eggs separated, whip the whites
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons onion soup mix
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
Pour into a 9-inch round baking dish and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Tip: Ingredients can also be placed in an uncooked, defrosted pie shell if desired. Bake as instructed.

Chicken Ratatouille
Servings – 2
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1-pound
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 can stewed tomatoes (15-ounce)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from pan and place in a lightly greased baking dish. Add zucchini and garlic to sauté pan and cook 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in olives, tomatoes and salt. Pour sauce over chicken in baking dish and bake about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is bubbling. Season to taste with pepper. To serve, place one chicken breast on each plate and spoon sauce over chicken.

Accordion Potatoes
The secret is the red-skinned potatoes: they hold their shape well and are creamier and slightly sweeter than russet potatoes. Crisp chopped garlic, coarse flake kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and quality olive oil finish off this superb show-stopping side.
Servings – 8 to 10
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds medium sized red potatoes, scrubbed
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.Carefully slice each potato crosswise, about 8 times or every 1/8-inch, but not slicing all the way through to the bottom, leaving about ¼-inch intact on the bottom. Place potatoes on a large rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle garlic evenly over all potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until tender and browned.

PASSOVER Recipes from Susie Fishbein
Reproduced from PASSOVER BY DESIGN by Susie Fishbein
Artscroll/Mesorah Publications
Wild Mushroom Velouté  Soup
MEAT, DAIRY, OR PARVE • MAKES 8 SERVINGS • NON-GEBROKTS
A velouté is a thickened soup, similar to a bisque. It is quick-cooking and so simple to prepare. In some markets, the wild mushrooms are packaged together. You can just buy 18-20 ounces total of the assorted packages.
I love the covered crocks pictured here. I use them often for soups and stews but my favorite use is for serving individual portions of cholent on Shabbos.
Heat oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes. Sprinkle in the thyme. Add the margarine or butter and melt. Slowly sprinkle in the potato starch. The mixture will form a sticky paste called roux. Slowly add the stock and simmer; whisk well, scraping the bottom. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes to cook out the starchy taste.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (about 4 ounces) sliced shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
2 cups (6-7 ounces) sliced oyster mushrooms
2 cups (6-7 ounces) sliced crimini mushrooms
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1 small onion, cut into
1⁄4- inch dice
1⁄8 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter
1⁄4 cup potato starch
7 cups chicken or vegetable broth, warm
1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Season with salt and pepper.

Smoked   Turkey   - Mango  Salad
MEAT • MAKES 6 SERVINGS • NON-GEBROKTS
16 ounces smoked processed turkey, 1-inch thick chunk, not sliced
1⁄2 ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
DRESSING:
juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 tablespoons apricot preserves
1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup roasted cashews, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh minced cilantro leaves
1 scallion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2⁄3 cup baby arugula leaves
GARNISH:
2-3 fresh plums, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
4-5 fresh or canned apricots, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
6 scallion brushes

Cut the turkey into 1⁄2-inch lengthwise slices. Stack the slices and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Place into large mixing bowl. Add the mango.
Dressing: Place the lime juice, mayonnaise, and apricot preserves into a quart-sized container or bowl. Using a whisk or immersion blender, mix to form a smooth dressing.
Toss the turkey and mango with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cashews, cilantro, and scallion. Toss to combine. Mix in the arugula leaves.
Garnish: Arrange 6 plum and 6 apricot slices in an alternating overlapping design on each plate. Place a mound of turkey salad in the center of each plate. Garnish with a scallion brush.

Chef Jeff Nathan’s Passover Recipes
Executive Chef and Co-Owner at Abigael’s on Broadway
1407 Broadway, at 39th Street, NYC 212-575-1407
Veal Chop Milanese with Tomato Salad and Arugula
Tomato Salad
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, preferably 2 red and 2 yellow, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut in thin ribbons
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces arugula, washed and dried, torn into bite-sized pieces

Two 12-ounce bone-in veal chops, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup matzo flour (also called matzo cake flour)
1 cup Jeff Nathan Passover Panko flakes, or 1/2 cup matzo meal & 1/2 cup matzo farfale
2 large eggs, beaten with 2 teaspoons water
1/2 cup olive oil (regular or extra-virgin)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
2. To make the tomato salad, whisk the lemon juice and oil in a medium bowl. Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano, and rosemary and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, while preparing the veal.
3. Place the chops between sheets of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Using a heavy mallet or rolling pin, pound the meaty part of each chop until about 1/2-inch thick, to create chops with a thinner flap of meat attached to the thick rib bone. (In Milanese restaurants, the veal is pounded very thin and wide, but at home, practicality demands that you pound the chops to a size that will allow for two chops to fit into the skillets.) Season the chops with salt and pepper.
4. Place the matzo flour in a shallow dish, the egg mixture in a second shallow dish, and the Passover Panko or matzo meal mixed with the matzo farfale in a third shallow dish. Coat each veal chop with the matzo flour, then the egg wash, and then the Panko or matzo meal.
5. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chops and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Place the browned chops on a large baking sheet. Bake until they feel firm when pressed in the centers, 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Just before serving, add the arugula to the tomato salad and mix. For each serving, place a chop on a dinner plate, and heap the tomato salad on top. Serve immediately, with a wedge of lemon.

Recipe Courtesy of Jeff Nathan’s Family Suppers, by Jeff Nathan
Poached Apricots with Lemon and Thyme
Pareve -Makes 6 to 8 servings
We have most of these ingredients on hand as pantry items, so it’s a simple matter to make this dessert when the mood strikes. The taste of thyme in a dessert may be surprising, but it is as delicious as it is aromatic. And be sure to use freshly grated nutmeg (is there any other kind?). We often serve the apricots without the ice cream as a compote.
1 lemon
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 pound dried apricots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
A few gratings of fresh nutmeg
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Lemon zest, cut into julienne, for serving
1. Mix 2 cups water, the orange juice, honey, sugar, lemon zest and juice, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Add the apricots and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Partially cover the saucepan with the lid, and simmer until the apricots are tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and add the thyme and nutmeg. Cool until warm (or cool, cover, and refrigerate until chilled). Serve, spooned over ice cream and topped with long thin strips of lemon zest, if desired.

PASSOVER RECIPES BY Levana
WIld Mushroom Soup
Almond-Stuffed Salmon
WIld Mushroom Soup
Roasted Turkey with Jasmine Chocolate Sauce
Almond Wine Cake
Chocolate Espresso Bark
Watch for Levana’s New Cookbook: THE WHOLE FOODS KOSHER KITCHEN: Glorious Meals Pure & Simple.

NOW be sure to enter the New York Press Club Journalism Awards if you haven’t already. The deadline is Friday, April 6th.
Click here for details.

Even if you aren’t entering this year, check out how tech savvy my friends at the Press Club are! Click on “Tech Specs.”
You can do everything online. Plus look below at the term “MULTIMEDIOGRAPHERS.”
Love it! Definitely not a term when I took my first job in the biz 16 years ago. I think it sums up what all journalists must become.
The awards are summed up by the Press Club website:
An enduring tradition in New York media, the annual New York Press Club Awards For Journalism honor excellence in the craft by writers, reporters, editors, producers, shooters and multimediographers.
Entries close: Friday, April 6th, 2012.
Entry fee: $75; Press Club members: $50.

Winners will be announced in early May. Presentations will be made June 11th at our annual Journalism Awards Dinner.
Entries are considered in more than 20 categories of reporting from material submitted by New York metropolitan area news organizations and individual journalists.

Good Luck!

However, I’ve found my weapon to help choose best “Animated Feature Film,” “Supporting Actor” and so forth…. THE BAFTAS.

This February, two weeks prior to the Academy Awards, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) held its film award equivalent to the Oscars. Many of the categories are the same, and many of the same films are nominated. Okay, mostly the same films are nominated in mostly the same categories. And for the most part, the winners are the same.
You can compare. Here is the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (OSCARS) website and click here for the official Bafta site.

But here is a quick comparison: “The Artist” won the BAFTA for BEST FILM.
“The Artist” won the OSCAR for BEST PICTURE.

Jean Dujardin won the BAFTA for LEADING ACTOR.
Jean Dujardin won the OSCAR for ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE.
(All nominees were the same except one.)

Meryl Streep won the BAFTA for LEADING ACTRESS. Meryl Streep won the Oscar for ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE.

Guess who won the BAFTA for SUPPORTING ACTOR and OSCAR for Actor in a Supporting Role?
Yes, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER. He beat out Jonah Hill and Kenneth Branagh on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to this article,
Plummer also earned a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award for this role. (They didn’t mention the BAFTA.)

And of course Octavia Spencer won the BAFTA and OSCAR for her supporting role in “The Help.” She also won the Golden Globe, SAG and Critics Choice Award.

Here is an exception: The Artist won the BAFTA for ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY. “Midnight in Paris” won the OSCAR for Writing (Original Screenplay.)
“Bridesmaids,” one of my favorites this year, was nominated against both “Midnight in Paris” and “The Artist” for the Original Screenplay category for an OSCAR and BAFTA.

It didn’t win- but it’s kinda the reason I’m writing this blog post..
Living in London I somehow missed the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards and Critics Choice Awards. I might not have caught the Academy Awards had it not been for an email from a public relations contact. I used to host a cooking show and she was offering a recipe for a drink in honor of Bridesmaids two OSCAR nods. ( I only then looked it up to find the movie also had the same two BAFTA nominations.)
SO cheers!!!
(Oh, and scroll down- I also got a recipe from the UK to celebrate “The Artist.”)
I’m not one usually to write to promote- but had I not received the email, you might not have won your Oscar Poll next year. You could have instead read a post on Syria or elections or … Anyway-

The Bridesmaid
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
4 oz Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC, chilled
Combine ingredients in a fluted glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Created by Allen Katz, Mixologist Southern Wine & Spirits
Using the same Mionetto Prosecco-
THE GEORGE CLOONEY
2 oz Vodka
¼ oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1 oz Pear Nectar
½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC, chilled
Shake the first four ingredients over ice and strain into a collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with Mionetto Prosecco Brut and garnish with a gooseberry.
RECIPE FROM THE UK- G’VINE DU JARDIN– in honor of BAFTA & OSCAR winner Jean Dujardin.
G’Vine is a premium gin crafted in Cognac, France from grape spirit and flavoured with the elusive vine flower.

G’Vine du Jardin (from the garden)
Ingredients :
1 quartered strawberry
2 basil leaves
3/6 lime
1/3 part Agave nectar or simple syrup
1 part G’Vine Floraison
2/3 part White grape juice
Method :
Muddle the first four ingredients in a shaker. Add G’Vine Floraison, the white grape juice, ice, shake and serve in a special cocktail glass. Garnish with half a strawberry and a basil sprig.

Strange feeling.

But then I realized- Gary Carter!
Correct me Mets and Red Sox Fans if I’m wrong- but hearing his name brought you back to the 1986 World Series.
The Mets won- Gary Carter was a Met.
We’ll forgive him for going into the Hall of Fame as an Expo. (He wanted half Expo/half Met.)

And please forgive me for continuing to write this- but somehow it seems Gary Carter is connected to every random baseball posting I made in the post I was just writing about. (Okay, so probably not really- but I’m about to look it up and see what I can come up with. It’s how I learn.)
My blog post starts out with my constant writing about whether people in southwestern Connecticut should be a Met, Yankee or Red Sox fan.
Gary Carter was a Met from 1985 to 1989. Yankee fans love to hate Red Sox fans; but there is also a huge cross town rivalry of Mets/Yankees.
I’m sure Met and Yankee fans banded together to cheer on Carter as the Mets won that 1986 World Series against the Red Sox. In game four he hit two home runs in Boston.

AND…. (skip down a bit in my blog- I’ll come back to the Cooperstown writing & Cracker Jack.)
I write of how I’ve cheered for the Astros for 30 years and was lucky to go to the Astrodome.
Just so happens- in 1986- the Mets beat the Houston Astros to go to the World Series. NL East Champions New York Mets versus NL West Champions Houston Astros.
Carter was up to bat and hit a RBI single to win Game 5. He also had some hits in Game 6- at the ASTRODOME- in that famous game that lasted 16 innings.

When I wrote my blog I guess I didn’t know about that 1986 between the Mets and Astros, because I only mention that the Astros almost went to the World Series in 1980 but lost to the Phillies. But I think I mentioned Phillies because I was trying to name stadiums I’d been to before they were replaced. I was trying to make my rantings news! The approval to build a new Yankee stadium was recent headlines.

But back to Gary Carter and my old blog post.
After writing about Astros/Phillies I have a picture of me with the Bridgeport Bluefish mascot and my closing line is
“The Bridgeport Bluefish play their home opener against the Long Island Ducks May 3rd at 7:05 pm. See you there!”

Had you gone to any Long Island/ Bridgeport games in 2009, you probably would have seen Gary Carter. He was the manager of the Ducks for that year.
The Ducks mascot is called “QuackerJack.”
I wrote about Cracker Jacks briefly replaced by Crunch N Munch at the old Yankee stadium. (Okay- so this one is a stretch:)
Moving on…. back to the Phillies. In 1981 as an Expo, Carter helped beat defending champs Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs.
And I mentioned Pete Rose a few times in my blog- in 1981 Pete Rose played for the Phillies.
In 1975, Carter made his first All Star Appearance as a defensive replacement for Pete Rose.
In 1984, both Carter and Rose played for the Expos. The both left the Expos after the 1984 season. Carter returned for the 1992 season.

Okay- I realize I could have written about any team and drawn parallels. But at least now I know a little more about the man called “KID” who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 and died February 16, 2012.

After living here through all four seasons, I’m not sure if I’m supposed to let in on reality. I guess it also depends on if I’m answering friends from New York or Texas. There hasn’t been any snow this season. And the amount of snow that shut down airports LAST season in London wouldn’t have even caused LIRR or Metro North delays.  

Plus it hasn’t been cold (New England standards.) As for rain- oh that London rain!!! If it falls, it’s for a brief period followed by gorgeous crisp sunny skies. ( I guess like Florida.)

And get this- a common term used by weather people on TV here- is CHANGEABLE.  That’s the forecast. Not mostly sunny or partly cloudy. Changeable. (I guess like Florida and Texas… and …. )

Since it’s Ground Hog day, and since winter hasn’t really began yet in London (New England standards) I thought I should report that Denis Dog saw his shadow in the UK.

I’ve read there is a bit of controversy in the states whether there will be six more months of winter or an early spring since Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow (six more months) and Staten Island Chuck did not see his shadow (early spring.) I read it on a breaking news email alert from ABC 7.  I’m still subscribed. Here is the link. 

As for my former station, News 12 Connecticut,
I can’t really tell if my favorite weather man Paul Piorek saw his shadow, but he did wear photojournalist Lori Golias’ groundhog hat. Lori and I spent several years covering the big event, usually checking in with Bridgeport’s Beardsley Bart.

(If and when I find a copy of that piece I’ll post it here. I like a good laugh at myself now and then.)

I don’t know of any ground hog celebrations here in London, but then I have to admit I didn’t really dig around. I did find that next Monday the movie Groundhog Day is showing  at The Prince Charles Cinema.
 It’s part of the cinema’s “double BILL season.” Following Groundhog Day is Animal House.  It doesn’t just mean Bill Murray. Clerks and Clerks 2 is coming up- and so is Dirty Dancing with Flashdance.

Quite a good find- if you are in London you can see movies you’ve already seen elsewhere. Just kidding. This looks like a place to keep an eye one, especially for independent film makers. I’m glad I googled groundhog day London.

BY: Achilles (Archie) R. Schiano

It was 48 years ago on Nov. 22 when our 35th president, John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas.  I recently visited Dealey Plaza and retraced the last few blocks of the motorcade route when the fatal shots were fired from the Sixth Floor of the Texas School Book depository.

Statue of George B. Dealey, well-known Dallas newspaperman.

The Warren Commission concluded that a lone gunman–Lee Harvey Oswald–fired three rifle shots from the  SE (far corner) window of the Book Depository. Numerous conspiracy theories immediately popped up and continue to this day. Very affable volunteers of sorts, including at least one man who said he was there at the age of 13, either hawk a well-written souvenir journal for $5, or graciously accept a small gratuity as they point out key areas to visitors, while airing those theories.

The book depository, now a county administrative building. The SE window is on right corner on the main entrance side.

JFK’s motorcade came down Main St., flanked by cycle cops and Secret Service personnel. Crowds cheered as the president’s limo passed Griffin, then Lamar, Austin and crossed Market Street. This put the motorcade just minutes from Oswald.  At Main and Houston St. was the majestic Red Courthouse with its great tower. Houston St.  today is a one-way street, taking traffic away from Elm St. where the Depository building stands. But in 1963 Houston was a two-way street. The plan was to make a right turn off Main into Houston, drive the short distance to Elm, make a sharp left turn in front of the Depository and head down towards the Stemmons Freeway.

The old Red Courthouse today, a big historic attraction.

Motorcade turns right where yellow cab is, towards Depository. A sharp left turn and down incline towards green signs.

The motorcade headed towards the freeway. Guesstimating a distance of maybe 150 yards or so, three shots came from that sixth floor corner window of the Depository. The shots came from behind and I suppose gave the shooter a better target since Vice-President John B. Connally sat in front of JFK, both of the right or sidewalk side. Their wives sat next to them to their left. The president was declared dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Oswald was captured and, soon afterward was shot dead in Dallas Police HQ by Jack Ruby, a lowlife who later died in prison from cancer.

The scene today. The Depository building, lighter color, in background and traffic approximates JFK’s position. To the left , the infamous “Grassy Knoll.”

Did Oswald act alone? Were there other shooters at the infamous “Grassy Knoll” behind the picket fence? Was a shooter concealed in a small sewer along the curb when the motorcade rolled by?
A special House panel years later said scientific acoustical evidence established “a high probability that two gunmen” were involved, but discounted involvement by groups touted by conspiratorists.

The Grassy Knoll and picket fence today. The fence parallels the highway and makes a 90-degree turn back.

Here, a volunteer and visitors eye the scene. Guides claim two shooters were by the fence.

Just before approaching car, a sewer can be seen under the curb. It’s small but the claim is made that a shooter could have waited there and then escape through a drain.

Today, the Depository houses the Sixth Floor Museum. Many exhibits and film clips outline JFK’s presidency. Poignant memories come back when his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech is replayed. But eventually a visitor gets to the windows facing Dealey and can look down at the roadway where tragedy struck. The window where Oswald lay in wait  ”the spider’s nest,” is protected behind glass. Photography is not allowed.  In a book of remembrances, I write something like,  ’God help us, Never again.’ An historic, but very somber experience.   —Achilles (Archie) R. Schiano

The Spider’s Nest
All photographs copyrighted 2011
by  Achilles R. Schiano

(Hundreds of books have been written about Nov. 22, 1963. One good website to check is the National Archives operated by George Washington University and listed on the New York Press Club’s web. Another good one is www.JFK.org where you can read up on the Sixth Floor Museum as well as keep up to date on current lectures. A webcam from the Spider’s Nest overlooking Dealey Plaza is available HERE.

Enough of my rant. But it did make me laugh when one of the panelists from the opening session of The New York Press Club Foundation 19th Conference on Journalism said: “have LOTS of pockets!”
The discussion was PARACHUTING IN: LESSONS IN COVERING A CRISIS WHEN IT’S NOT IN YOUR BACK YARD.”
The pocket comment did come when speaking on what to bring or wear when going to a foreign country or being embedded in a war zone, but I still want a pocket even if I’m covering a local fire or sales of a lemonade stand.

Other than pockets, panelist Charles Hanley spoke on what reporters should have with them when “parachuting into a story.”
It was the correspondent’s first day of retirement from the Associated Press. According to the Press Club’s itinerary, Hanley reported from some 100 countries over the past 30 years winning numerous awards.
Some of Hanley’s suggestions:
SMALL BINOCULARS. He says in 1982 he was stuck in Beirut and no one could see what was going on- the action was too far away.
SMALL LIGHT. To read when waiting around in the dark.
IDIOT CAMERA and CABLES. For use when the photographer isn’t around.
MAGNIFYING GLASS.
GOOD MAP. And he says don’t depend on getting a map once you arrive.
And of course LOTS OF POCKETS- but he says leave military style garb behind. He also suggests learning the translation for “journalist” so a road block doesn’t think you are a spy.
He also reminds us not to put notes in checked baggage.

Hanley opened his portion of the panel discussion by reading from a list by famous war correspondent
Richard Harding Davis, who covered the Spanish-American war of 1898.
Extra pair of Gators.
Folding Bathtub. Water.
Grey shorts- they show the least dust.
Extra pair of old comfy shoes.
A housewife. (sewing kit)
Books, cards and a REVOLVER with 6 cartridges.

You can see from the partial lists how times have changed. Hanley says while new equipment makes it easier to file stories, editors know that- and expect more and more– more quickly.

Another panelist, CBS News Correspondent Jim Axelrod, gave advice on arriving at the scene and being able to tell the story within 40 minutes.
RUN MY MOUTH: He says he talks and talks. To the photographer. To everyone around. He talks about what the story is, constantly refining, staying focused.
BUMPER STICKER FORM: He says define the story in a few words. Then work to hang meat on the bones of your statement.
HUMAN ELEMENT. Tell the story through the eyes of someone affected.

The third panelist, CNN’s Mary Snow, said one key is to make friends with locals and build contacts immediately. She admitted she hadn’t been overseas like the other panelists, but she says the advice works anywhere.

Axelrod also spoke on “Fixers.” How they are locals who crews rely on to find subjects, get supplies, or even sometimes keep them alive. He told a story of how one producer likes a bathtub of Heineken- and works well that way– explaining how a good Fixer could fill that tub with beer even in a country where alcohol is prohibited.
As for my pockets- I guess instead of a Fixer, I just need a Tailor.

Actually I have a soft spot for the store after living above a 24-hour Duane Reade for more than eight years when my day began at 3am.
If I needed pantyhose. Check!
Water, beer, chips, energy drinks or aspirin. Check!
Emergency mascara and dog food. Check!
New York City themed holiday ornaments and snacks. CHECK!
(Friends out of state loved these- plus it was all way cheaper than Barney’s.)
DR doesn’t have coffee- but the 24-hour corner deli next door does- and if you visit every day at 3:30 am they’ll have your coffee waiting for you- sometimes with a size upgrade.

ANYWAY- so once you click on the email link the deal is “Quench your thirst for Fashion….” Buy two FIGI waters and get 200 points. (For anyone reading outside of New York area- Duane Reade is like an Eckerd’s and has one of those club cards.)

My other soft spot is I got married just south of Duane street and Reade street – (well it’s not officially City Hall) but the clerk’s office.

I promise I have not taken a PR job for Duane Reade
But I have to mention the other “offers” on the email. You can celebrate Fashion Week at the Look Boutique at the Duane Reade on Broadway and 63rd through September 15th with complimentary skin care analysis, product demos and mini facials. If I remember correctly Look is DR’s own line of products? The store does have it’s own line of makeup, food and snacks.
Once I clicked from the email to follow on Twitter, I saw they’re also celebrating the “re-grand openings” of DR’s at Amsterdam and 78th and 4 Columbus Circle.

There was more, but I got distracted by my Twitter feed. The most recent post reading “US Scrambling to Avert Palestinian Vote at U.N.”
Of course now that I’ve taken a trip to Egypt I’m all over trying to figure out what I’ve been reporting on in the Middle East and Africa all these years.

On a lighter note- here is a link to my dog’s fashion faux-PAW a few years ago. I put her in a t-shirt and knotted up the waist like in the 80′s!

While the majority of email reading by me comes directly from the Mail icon on the bottom of my iphone screen, at least once every other day I log on via computer. But of course before you can get to your email, you have the news of the day and … well it’s a full page but off the top of my head I can’t remember. I never pay attention because typically the top three news stories are about some diet fad, the hottest celebrity taboo and some cute animal.

Quite frankly, since I moved to London, when I log on, I get UK aol, and I don’t even know WHO the celebrity is that is apparently that day’s talk of the town. (Did you hear the twitter link I sent a few months ago- I’ll look for it and post it here… ) When you log onto AOL in UK, it doesn’t say, “You’ve Got Mail.” It says in a female British voice- “You Have E-Mail.”
It’s strange to me, but I think it’s proper English.

Today I noticed some of the news connected to AOL is from the Huffington Post.
Here is a link to one of the top news stories on AOL UK- titled
“Phone Hacking Scandal: Britain’s Media Likely To Face New Rules.”

But first look at these pictures. They are screenshots of the project called The Wembley 360. You can zoom in to see the faces in each seat- then tag yourself or a friend on Facebook.
Try it here.

You can create your own panoramas with your iPhone with a free app called Photosynth. Search in your app store- it’s the one by Microsoft.
(However don’t expect the pixel quality to be anywhere near the zoom worthy 10-pixel of Wembley’s project.) Plus it’s takes a bit of practice. But look, you can even post it on a blog- or Facebook- and therefore tag your friends. Here is my terrible attempt at the London Zoo. Click on picture to scroll around-but be sure to click back arrow to come back to blog post:)
I’ll keep trying.

US NOTES:
ESPN 3D first broadcast in June of last year with the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

A content syndication relationship between ESPN and Sky made it possible for viewers at home in Europe to watch the FA Cup Final in 3D. ESPN 3D produced the game- it was shown live in 3D on Sky 3D in homes and in pubs.
News Corporation(as in Murdoch) is the controlling shareholder of Sky.

These panoramas at Yankee stadium came first, they just aren’t as zoom worthy- yet.

Remember the Alamo and other Texas Tidbits
By Achilles R. Schiano. All photos by author

I recently returned from two weeks in Texas, and it was my first “sleepover” in The Lone Star State.
I now consider myself an honorary Texan.
First and last impressions–Texans are doggone hospitable and just, plain friendly.
I first found this out in a small town about 45 miles north of Austin, in the Hill Country. I went to shoot a friend’s wedding celebration for the home folks and I was welcomed as someone bearing a $50m cash stimulus from Washington.
While used to the Rockies of Colorado, the Arches of Moab, Utah, and the sheer beauty of Sedona and the Chiricahuas in Arizona, this Texas section is green (albeit suffering from drought) tree-lined, quiet pastures, some distant plateaus and scattered oil rigs on private properties. Austin is a nice college town with a beautiful Capitol building and shades of…the East Village.

Paths leading to 1836

Then down I35 to San Antonio, one of the vintage mission cities in the Southwest and home to the Alamo. I don’t know if The Alamo is studied much these days and of course the big John Wayne movie now on DVD, is constantly played in the gift shop.
What isn’t there, frankly, is much of the original Alamo walls. Actually little remains and I had trouble discerning what went back to the heroic, fabled 1836 stand and what’s rebuilt. That in no way denigrates its history, and impressions it made on me and hundreds of visitors.

We tend to forget that the Alamo was one of the early missions, with church, convent, plazas, and walled off–but not designed as a military fortress as such. So Davy Crockett, William Travis and almost 200 other heroes held off Mexico’s Santa Ana’s assault for 13 days. They all died. The remains of some women and children that survived, rest in a small marble casket in the San Fernando Cathedral. The Alamo paved the way to Texas Independence and a brochure notes: “. . .a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. For this reason the Alamo remains hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty.”

Another shrine is the above-mentioned beautiful Catholic Cathedral of San Fernando, dating back to 1731. I went there on Good Friday and to my surprise, found that an annual Passion Reenactment was in progress, culminating in the crucifixion scene on the steps of the church. The religious network televised the event and–surprise–caught me resting on a wall, yellow shirt, WTC white cap and camera gear. While I’m at it, a reporter from the San Antonio News overheard me mentioning to some cops that I was from New Jersey and interviewed me. So I was quoted the next day. What hams we journos can be!!!

 

 

 

 

Enormous old oak at Alamo, with 50-ft.long branches

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, appointed only a few months earlier, took part in the re-enactment and afterwards, I photographed him. On Easter Sunday I ran into him before Mass, and as we shook hands, he said “I remember you.” Must have been my WTC cap. He’s 55, naturalized citizen of Mexican origin, lean frame, quiet looking and first impressions: a man of the people.



 

 

 

A barge cruises RiverWalk

You cannot go to San Antonio and avoid the RiverWalk which is the San Antonio river vending its way, one level below street grade for about five miles through downtown, and walkways on both banks. My first impression was a contrived, touristy shopping mall. Well it is kinda–but actually quite nice as you keep gravitating towards it, with scores of varied food eateries, boutiques, smartly designed hotels forming canyon walls to the river below, birds chirping, trees and flowers. You can walk or ride a barge.



 

 

 

 

 

Author/photog enjoys

Heading back to Austin, I diverted to Johnson City, home of the LBJ National Historical Park (a state park is several miles away). The LBJ park has a rustic feel, as befitting our 36th president. Walk the Settlement Trail as I did in 95 degree weather and get that feel. Placards placed in a hall describe the people and land. One notes that President Johnson enjoyed retelling stories of his frontier grandparents–”Indian raids, domestic toil, hardships of the trail.”



 

 

 

A visitor at LBJ National Historic Park

Joe Alsop was a well-known columnist years ago, and a placard quotes him about Johnson:
He was our last frontiersman-President…the frontier ways and attitudes still survived in his corner of the world when he was coming to manhood.They even marked his speech until the day of his death, so if he wished to praise someone, he would say:”He’s a good man to go to the well with.”
I think Texas must have a lot of good people to go to the well with. I would be remiss in not telling this story. One day it must have been 98 in San Antonio, an easy city to lose you way, and it felt that I walked three miles. I saw a government employee who had parked his marked car and I asked for direction to my motel. He said he would drive me and it was on his way. I got in (car marked, looked legit) and he gave me a bottle of water. I downed half before you could crank an engine.A few minutes later I was at the motel. I offered a dollar-bill for the water. “No sir, it’s a blessing.” I said well God Bless you and your family and I will return the blessing.I did when some unfortunate people asked me for some money.
Remember, don’t mess with us Honorary Texans.

No wonder as this American is learning about English soccer, I’m feeling as if I’m seeing fairy tales play out.
This kind of stuff just can’t happen in ordinary American pro-sport life. The Bridgeport Bluefish would NEVER play the New York Yankees. Sure, individuals can move up through leagues, but not usually entire teams. Okay so that’s baseball.
But even just looking at soccer, the English football league system and the American soccer league pyramid operate very differently.

So here is the fairy tale I’m watching right now play out as I understand it.
AFC Wimbledon is in a position where it could possibly move up into Football League Two.
Huh?
I’ll have to take a step back.
Once upon a time there was a team called Wimbledon FC. Over the years it worked it’s way up through the league system, even beating Liverpool in 1988 to become FA Cup champs. Then came the day they needed a new stadium and were to move 56-miles away from Wimbledon to Milton Keynes. (Wimbledon FC is now known as the Milton Keynes Dons.)
Some fans were outraged! How could their local team move so far away? So they started up their own club and held tryouts in Wimbledon Common for anyone who wanted to play. That club became AFC Wimbledon in 2002.
Here is what as an American I struggle to understand: somehow the new team was allowed in the system and has been promoted through the leagues.

If AFC Wimbledon wins the matches it needs to this month and moves up to League Two, it will be only one league behind the MILTON KEYNES DONS, currently in League One! (Here is an article about AFC Wimbledon in today’s Evening Standard.)

Imagine starting from scratch: from anyone trying out on a commons, to possibly going all the way to the top.
It’s a fairy tale I’m told is quite common in the game known as Football.

Understanding this (or at the verge of trying to understand the complexities of Football) I now realize why my British-life long football fan-husband kept questioning me about my loyalty to sports teams.

Born in Houston, Texas, I was a Houston Oilers Football fan. I have pictures of me in pigtails wearing a light blue “Luv Ya Blue” blue with the number 7 on the back for quarterback Dan Pastorini.

He asked, when the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in the 1990′s, what did the fans do?
My answer- uh, well I wasn’t going to become a Tennessee fan- Tennessee is more than 800 miles from Houston! I had moved to Dallas and was working in the media there covering the Dallas Cowboys and so… erm… maybe picked up a liking to “America’s Team.”

Plus I had moved to New York long before Houston was brought it’s new team, the Houston Texans. (I still can’t figure out how that system works, but it was created from players already in the NFL and it’s draft picks all from colleges.)

At least in learning about Football, I’m starting to understand American sports better. I’ve always enjoyed sports, the history behind the teams, and cheered for my favorite players. And I will continue!
As a plus, it now seems by having hope for AFC Wimbledon, I’m enjoying sport on the level of living out real life fairy tales- even if it’s only because the stories aren’t the ordinary  tales I’m used to reporting.

Sure, the celebration in America is consumerism, but it’s also a recognition of culture and heritage. People of all backgrounds join in to celebrate just as we do on St. Patrick’s Day or Chinese New Year or at a Puerto Rican Day parade.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Battle of Puebla over French forces in 1862. It’s a story of a small Mexican army defeating a mighty French force more than double it’s size.
Read more on Cinco de Mayo here.
Click here for my favorite Mexican restaurants in New York City.

Cinco de Mayo is a National Holiday in Mexico, but the big patriotic celebration is Mexican Independence Day, September 16th. On the night of September 15, 1810, a Mexican priest rallied the people to fight against Spain. The next day, the fight for independence began. It was an 11-year-battle with victory finally in 1821.

I’ll have to return to Tacubas to see if they celebrate in September. The front of the menu mentions Mexico’s Aztec Warrior history.
It was in the year 1500 when Spain conquered Mexico- forcing many of the native Mexicans, Mayas and Aztecs into slavery. Independence Day didn’t come for more than 300 years.

Now that I’m living in London, I’m starting to learn about culture here and national pride. Football, of course is rooted in history, and so it was interesting when researching Aztec Warriors to find an ad likening football to tribal times. The ad features Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez – who was just last year the first Mexican signed to Manchester United.
I will definitely be watching Chicharito play- as Manchester United is a big rival to my husband’s lifelong passion- Chelsea. The two clubs are set face off this weekend in an important match.
Ay-Yi-Yi! Maybe I’ll have to cheer with a cider instead of a margarita.

The night before the Royal Wedding, Kate Middleton is staying at the Goring Hotel in London. The UK Press Association reports a canopy has been put up over the front of the hotel to make sure no one sees her dress before she arrives at Westminster Abbey Friday.
As you can see here, people and press are trying to get as close as they can to the hotel, despite barricades and street closures.

My interest in this part of the Royal Wedding stems back to my early days as a reporter (when quite honestly I made a screaming fool of myself.)
In 1997 I was an early morning anchor/producer at USA Radio Network News in Dallas. For what seemed like months, we were running this story promoting Princess Diana’s dress collection touring US museums. I was a fairly new journalism graduate full of ideals of what should be news and frankly I was sick of hearing about Diana’s dresses. I would rant why that story wouldn’t be in my newscasts.

As I walked into the news room to start my early morning shift on August 31st 1997, I asked out loud, “what’s our lead story?”
I thought the answer, simply “Princess Diana,” was a joke, so I started my rant again of how she wouldn’t be in my newscasts that day. I saw terror on my colleagues faces and then quietly began my shift that spanned into the announcement she had died.

Ever since the engagement was announced, I’ve seen Kate’s outfits compared to Diana’s. Even when I walked into work with a new white coat, someone said, “that’s like Kate’s! Everyone wants a white coat!”
How had I missed that? After a google, whew. Mine didn’t have black buttons.

However, Kate is now a leader. Which also makes her a fashion icon. If those magazines are selling to the masses- and they’re buying- it shows respect for the new royal. People are looking for leadership and why should someone like me dismiss clothes as part of the big picture.

Outside the chaos of central London, here is a residential street that I’m told could echo much of the country. On the eve of the wedding, a quaint display of national pride and respect.