Showing posts with label and. Show all posts

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Bokeh Kiddies and a Limerick winner

Hi there!

Sunny Sunday down here!

Went to Brighton for the day

and had a lovely mooch through the lanes with Dave.

Got a couple of gifts and soaked up the atmosphere.

If you’ve never been to Brighton,

put it on your Places-to-visit list.

It is fabulous.

SO ARTY!!!!!

I’ve come away wanting to get out my sewing machine,

start painting, get into mixed media and buy a kiln!

Anyway...

Here’s a quick step-by-step i did last week,

showing off the Bokeh technique with water.

Ready?

White emboss the Jayne Nestorenko children

from the new Stamp set:

also available individually.

I used Versamark ink pad + detail white embossing powder.

Place the tag on a Blending mat.

Using the mini blending tools and a selection of Dye-based Artistry ink pads, start working in the colour with the tool, in off the blending mat.

Start with the lighter colours.

If you’re not sure which ink pads to start with,

I have put together a set of my faves

which is a very good starting place.

click here

Use a good paint brush and water to lift the colour out of the two little figures, and allow to dry.

Using a clean foam pad let’s create this so-called Bokeh effect.

I spritz a little water into a little container,

then soak up a little water.

It’s all about NOT TOO MUCH WATER.

Place the round damp foam disk on the coloured card,

hold in place press lightly, and then lift.

Blot the sponge getting rid of the colour, and go again.

Use the same ink, diluted with a little water

and using the good No. 6 sable hair paintbrush to reintroduce colour into the childrens’ clothes.

Run a matching promarker pen around the edge,

and we’re done.

Oh Joy!!

We have a limerick winner.

I did have to laugh.

Some of you took the close shave so literally!

So thank you thank you for joining in the fun.

Although I would like to send a £50 gift voucher to every single enterer of the competition - there can only be one winner.....

drumroll......

Craftychris!

You won on the laughometer

There once was a farmer called Dave,
Who one night had a very close shave.
He tried milking the bull,
Cause hed had a skin full
And almost landed up in his grave!

Very good. Very funny.

Let us know your address and we will get your prize out to you this week. xxx

And now it’s time to get creative.

I’ve got the Brighton Bug!

Available link for download

Bilski and Biotechnology An Update

A host of amicus briefs critical of the Federal Circuits "machine-transformation" test for patent eligibility, as recently set forth in the courts en banc Bilski decision, will be filed this week with the US Supreme Court. Some of these briefs reflect concerns of biotechnology industry, particulary with respect to patentability of diagnostics and personalized medicine, I will post some of these briefs as they become available to me. Briefs supporting affirmance of Bilski will be filed later this summer.

In the meantime, those interested in some of my thoughts on the subject might want to check out an article I recently posted on SSRN, you should be able to access it at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1424493&download=yes, but if you have problems please let me know and I will get you a copy.

Available link for download

British and American Spy Agencies Hacked Israeli Military Drones

Spy Agencies Hacked Israeli Military Drones - picateshackz.com

Israeli soldiers with an IAI Eitan, also known as the Heron TP, a surveillance unmanned air vehicle on display at Tel Nof Air Force Base near Tel Aviv, February 21, 2010.
Photo: Gil Cohen Magen/Reuters/Newscom

In a joint surveillance program, the US intelligence agency NSA (National Security Agency) and the British intelligence agency GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) hacked into, decrypted, and tracked live video feeds of Israeli Military Drones and Fighter Jets.

This could be one of the most shocking and embarrassing disclosures for Israel, who is the United States’ ally and prides itself on its technical capabilities.

Published by The Intercept, the newly released documents from the former NSA contractorEdward Snowden revealed that in an operation dubbed "Anarchist," UK and US intelligence officials have been…

...regularly accessing Israeli drone cameras, allowing them to watch live video feeds from drones and fighter jets while Israel bombed Gaza and spied on Syria.

But, how the intelligence officials were able to do so.

How did the Intelligence Agencies Hack into Israeli Drones?

The Documents revealed that British Intelligence agency has installed Military-grade Interception systems at Royal Air Force compound in the Troodos Mountains (Cyprus), which is geographically very near to Israel and Syria.

These Surveillance tools are capable of intercepting analog video feeds from Israeli and Syrian drones.

With the help of some open-source software like Image Magick and AntiSky, agencies were able to decrypt and convert scrambled data from remotely piloted aircraft in order to track the movement of drones.

The report includes several snapshots of Israeli drones collected in 2009 and 2010 that clearly indicates that Israel has drones with missiles and attack capabilities, which Israel doesnt publicly acknowledge.

One snapshot revealed by The Intercept shows an Israeli IAI Heron Drone — a high-altitude strike drone with 350 kilometers range that is capable of carrying a weapon of a 1-ton load and staying aloft for more than 40 hours.

Despite these leaked images offer the first direct public evidence that Israel flies attack drones, they provide rare visual evidence to support reports that arent clear enough to conclude anything right now.

For in-depth information, you can read the detailed report here.

BIO and PhRMA File Amici Brief Urging En Banc Reconsideration of Ariosa v Sequenom

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have jointly filed an amici brief curiae brief urging the Federal Circuit to grant en banc rehearing of Ariosa v. Sequenom. The brief is available here. I am the counsel of record.

BIO and PhRMA are concerned that the development and commercialization of a range of biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovations will be impeded if the Federal Circuit does not address the mounting uncertainty currently afflicting patentable subject matter jurisprudence. The brief points out the critical importance of effective patent protection for biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovators, and the current unprecedented level of uncertainty with respect to the scope of patent eligible subject matter. This uncertainty is affecting both the patent user community and the PTO, which has responded with an ongoing stream of revised and re-revised non-final and interim guidance documents. With each new PTO Guidance, BIO members have observed an increasing rate of claim rejections, affecting a diverse range of biotechnology, including novel antibiotic molecules, industrial enzymes, diagnostic processes, and crop production products.

The unsettled state of the law has also created doubt as to whether issued patents will be able to withstand challenge. The brief points out that the vast majority of judicial decisions addressing patent eligibility under the recently articulated standards have resulted in a determination of ineligibility. For example, Appendix 3 of the recent PTO “July 2015 Update: Subject Matter Eligibility,” identifies 24 post-Mayo subject matter eligibility cases decided by the Federal Circuit, of which 22 held allof the challenged claims to be patent ineligible.

The brief urges the court to clarify the contours of both Step I and Step II of theMayo two-step test for patent eligibility. It posits that the Supreme Court would not have articulated a two-step test if it did not intend the first step to serve some meaningful gatekeeping function, but that under the standard applied by the panel it is difficult to see how any analytical or detection method would ever not satisfy Step I, so long as that method is designed to detect something that occurs naturally. With regard to Step II, the brief asks for clarification with regard to the proper application of the “inventive concept” and “preemption” standards of patent eligibility. As an example, the brief discusses the practical challenges facing the inventor of a new diagnostic test under the new patent eligibility jurisprudence.

In its recent decisions the Supreme Court apparently assumed the existence of limiting principles that would maintain patent eligibility for truly meritorious inventions (this was Judge Linn’s characterization of Sequenom’s claimed invention in his concurring opinion), even if that invention can be deconstructed into a combination of natural phenomena and conventional technology. The brief argues that en bancreconsideration would allow the Federal Circuit to address the nature of these limiting principles suggested in Mayo. Alternatively, if the court finds that Supreme Court precedent does not provide for limiting principles that provide a meaningful opportunity for patenting important biotechnology innovations, that would suggest a need for the Supreme Court to readdress the contours of patent eligibility in the context of biotechnology. Ariosa v. Sequenom would be an appropriate vehicle for alerting the Supreme Court to the urgent need for this clarification.

Available link for download

Birthday Mothers Day and Citrus All In One

So this is my attempt at digital painting. I decided a while back that I would do a series of paintings for my mom for her birthday/Mothers day (which are only two weeks apart). The theme of the series is her with our dog (Maui) going about their daily activities at our lake house. That seems to be where they both are happiest and that is how I like to think of them. I initially started painting them on watercolor paper, but I got so frustrated with the results that I decided I needed to try something new. And here is the first completed piece created completely in photoshop.... enjoy! I will post the rest of them as I finish them.

For those of you who know my mother (ahem, Lainey) please dont say anything to her about what Im up to. I am getting this one printed and will be taking it home to her next week, so until then keep this hush hush. I am fairly certain that my mom doesnt get online for anything uless it is completely necessary, so Im hopefully safe there. If not, Happy Birthday/Mothers Day, Mom!

And finally, since I havent posted to Illustration Friday in FOREVER, I thought that I would make this fit into this weeks topic: citrus. The palette is "citrusy" right? And also, this is a painting of morning at the lake, and I gaurantee that later on this particular afternoon my mom will make margaritas, which are made with lime juice, which is a citrus fruit. So there.

Happy Wednesday!

Available link for download

Breast Cancer Cells Eliminated with Oil of Thyme and Chamomile

Before lung cancer surpassed it in the nineteen-eighties, breast cancer was the leading cause of cancer-related death among women and remains a serious threat to women’s health today. This threat is in spite of the public health campaign teaching women about breast-self exams and the importance of regular mammograms. Oftentimes, breast cancer is not detected until it is well-advanced, leaving women with fewer options for treatment.

Fortunately, it appears that research into more natural treatments for eliminating breast cancer has come up with some very hopeful preliminary findings, such as studies which have looked at the ability of essential oils of thyme and chamomile to eliminate breast cancer cells.

The Current Study

The current research coming out of China is part of a growing body of evidence to support the use of essential oils of herbs like thyme and chamomile for use as a more natural treatment for breast and other cancers. Cancer treatments today, revolving largely around chemotherapy and radiation, can carry some devastating side effects, including nausea and vomiting, mouth sores, and burns and irritation of the skin from radiotherapy. It is little wonder, then, why the search is one for natural treatments which will target cancer cells without damaging healthy tissues.

This study actually used a wide variety of herbal essential oils, including the essential oils of chamomile and thyme, but also of ginger, lemon, mint, lavender and lemon to test their efficacy as medicinal agents. The study looked at not only the antimicrobial properties of these oils, but also pitted them in vitro against lines of several different types of cancer cells, including the MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

It was found that at a concentration of 0.2%, most of the oils were somewhat effective at treating the cancer cells; however, it was found that the essential oils of thyme and chamomile really stood out for their ability to eliminate the cells in vitro. Chamomile oil was shown to eliminate around 93% of the cells, while thyme oil did even better, eliminating 97%.

What Other Research has Shown

This current studies appears to be backed up by past research of a similar nature. One study, for instance, found that chamomile essential oil had powerful antioxidant properties and that, even in comparison with other essential oils like those of rosemary, sage, peppermint, and winter savory, the chamomile appeared to have the highest antioxidant content. This would make sense in the context of the recent Chinese study, since antioxidants have been linked repeated to anti-carcinogenic effects.

In short, the evidence to support the use of essential oils for breast cancer and other forms of this disease appears to be growing. This recent study only confirms what naturopaths and similar practitioners long have known: that natural medicinal treatments like those based on essential oils can be far more effective at treating serious diseases without the harmful side effects of conventional treatments.

Sources:- sott.net, healthy-holistic-living.com, globalresearch.ca

Available link for download

Brisbane WikiLeaks Party Comedy Show Fundraiser and Information Night! Poster FB banner

Visit the Facebook page for this event.

Updated August 11: Poster has been revamped with a fantastic addition to an already great line-up in the form of Damien Power, one of 4 young comedians nominated for Melbourne International Comedy Festivals Best Newcomer Award this year. Here he is dealing with a confused heckler.

Web image

DOWNLOAD PRINT READY PDF OF THE A3 POSTER

DOWNLOAD PRINT READY PDF OF THE A5 FLYER (2xA5 on A4)

FB banner

Available link for download

Blood and Taxes

Nothing is certain, but blood pressure does increase in the end of winter and beginning of spring. According to Aurametrix users and google statistics. As a matter of fact, it highly correlates with tax fever - as found by Google Correlate algorithm comparing millions of web queries - see the figure on the right with searches for property taxes shown in red. Or check it yourself!

But the reason for raising blood pressure is not always taxes. Seasonal variation in blood pressure was noticed and described more than 50 years ago and was connected to periods of decreasing outdoor temperature. It happens to healthy individuals and those who suffer from high blood pressure, especially in the elderly.

The figure shows fluctuations in blood pressure observed by French researchers in a large study of 9294 65+ old residents of Bordeaux, Dijon, and Montpellier. Both systolic and diastolic parts of blood pressure as well as heart rate measurements significantly differed across the seasons with a clear trend for increase in colder months. And decreases following warmer weather - the higher the temperature, the larger the blood pressure decreases. Changes in blood pressure relative to outdoor temperature were largest in the elderly (80+ years old). On average, for a 15°C decrease in outdoor temperature, Systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased 0.8 mm Hg in those aged 65 to 74 years compared with 5.1 mm Hg in the oldest group (?80 years). For a 15°C increase in temperature, SBP decreased 9.9 mm Hg in the youngest group vs 13.8 mm Hg in those 80 years or older. Winter increases in blood pressure did not seem to be caused by increased alcohol consumption and decreased activity. Neither were they dependent on the indoor temperatures - spending over 12 hours in warm rooms did not help.

The inverse correlation of blood pressure and outdoor temperature is even stronger for "apparent temperature"- aka the perceived coldness derived from the combination of temperature and wind. And it was observed all over the world - as documented in studies performed in US, Denmark, China, Japan... Possible explanations include direct thermoregulation-mediated vasoconstriction, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis (HPAA) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation, sodium/volume retention and impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilatation. Reduced sleep duration or quality could be also contributing.

Environmental hypertensionology is a very young science. Many things in our environment can cause high blood pressure. The exact mechanisms are not well understood, but systems like Aurametrix could utilize the wealth of empirical evidence and use it for prediction and prevention.

The high blood pressure season is almost over. Fortunately, many critically ill people made it through and, hopefully, learned more. Lets gear up to make the next time easier.

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REFERENCES

Alpérovitch, A. (2009). Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Outdoor Temperature in a Large Sample of Elderly IndividualsThe Three-City Study Archives of Internal Medicine, 169 (1) DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2008.512

Halonen, J., Zanobetti, A., Sparrow, D., Vokonas, P., & Schwartz, J. (2010). Relationship between outdoor temperature and blood pressure Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 68 (4), 296-301 DOI: 10.1136/oem.2010.056507

Brook RD, Weder AB, & Rajagopalan S (2011). "Environmental hypertensionology" the effects of environmental factors on blood pressure in clinical practice and research. Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.), 13 (11), 836-42 PMID: 22051429

Available link for download

breakfast tacos and mochi waffles for valentines day brunch

Valentines Day is coming up, and Ive got two great recipes for a "Date Brunch In" with your significant other on Crate and Barrels awesome blog (you can also read about me and Erlend arguing about brunch, but lets be honest — were all here for the tacos and waffles).

For savory brunch eaters, Im going all the way back to my Texas roots and giving you a classic Tex-Mex breakfast dish — breakfast tacos filled with crispy "smashed" potatoes, bacon, cheesy eggs, and all your regular taco fixings:

For sweet brunch lovers, Ive got a really incredible recipe for these beautiful heart-shaped (Or maybe flower-shaped??? Its almost like a Rorschach test or something) mochi waffles. The mochi in the waffles makes them extra crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside; no regular waffle can ever compete. And when topped with warm, fresh cherry brandy compote?

Its the perfect brunch treat:

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LINKS

Breakfast Tacos with Crispy "Smashed" Potatoes, Bacon, and Cheesy Egg

Mochi Waffles with a Cherry Brandy Compote

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Available link for download

Black and White Online Class

Finally, I have figured out an online workshop on Working in Black and White. It begins next summer, July 19 (sorry I could not squeeze it in sooner).

I am very much drawn to the simplicity and austerity of black and white, neutrals, and shades of gray, even though much of my own work relies on color. Color is a powerful language, and it’s often the element we relate to most immediately in a painting. Because it is such a strong element, we sometimes neglect other possibilities of richness and subtlety in our visual expression. Read more here.

Here are a few previous blog posts on working in Black and White: Black and White and Shades of Gray; Happy New Year (2015), which includes a video; and Black and White Studies. Since it is a while before the class starts, I encourage you to do your own studies in black and white. See what happens!

Available link for download

Bollywood Actress Mallika Sherawat Tear Gassed And Hit In Paris

Only Weeks after Kim Kardashian was robbed another infamous attack is making rounds in news and CRB Tech Reviews update you with the happenings.

It is reported that Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat attacked along with her French partner. They were tear gassed and beaten by three masked intruders outside his Paris flat in an apparently careless case of robbery

Bollywood Actress Mallika Sherawat Tear Gassed And Hit In Paris

In that attack, the 40-year-old Indian actress and partner Cyrille Auxenfans, 45, were set upon with tear gas and he is thought to have been hit. This occurred only weeks after reality TV star Kim Kardashian was robbed at gunpoint in the French capital.

The reports say that they were assaulted when the pair arrived at Mr Auxenfans residential building in the fashionable 16th arrondissement of Paris at 9.40pm.

But the attackers fled empty-handed, according to Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre of the Paris prosecutors office, leaving a shocked Ms Sherawat and her friend to call upon the emergency services.

A report has been filed and a criminal inquiry has been opened into the incident.

According to Le Parisien, the Paris’ daily newspaper, the criminals wore scarves across their faces and without uttering any words sprayed on them tear gas before hitting them.

Both Ms Sherawat, 40, and Mr Auxenfans, are thought to have inhaled tear gas fumes and officially it has been declared that he was little harmed but contrary to earlier reports, the actress who is also an international model got away with only minor injuries.

Mallika whose real name is Reema Lamba, is a familiar face to France and has also graced the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival.

Even reports say that Mallika has previously spoken out against the attacks on women in her home country, India and also voiced against honour killings and gang rapes.

The attack came weeks after Kim Kardashian was robbed at an exclusive hotel by a gang of five robbers who managed to escape with millions of pounds of jewels on October 3rd.

Ms Kardashian and a night concierge were tied up at gunpoint by the gang, who have not yet been traced up.

The Paris news of attacks are making international headlines and prompting Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo to officially insist that the capital is a safe place for celebrities.

It is know that Paris is a popular tourist destination in the world but after the Islamic terrorist attack a year ago, is seeing a drop in the number of visitors.

We conclude now.

Stay connected with CRB Tech Reviews for more news and updates.

Available link for download

Boomerang Make and Race APK

Make a Boomerang racer and test your driving skills against classic cartoon characters!

ON YOUR MARKS…PICK YOUR FAVOURITE BOOMERANG CARTOON!
Pick a Boomerang cartoon and create your unique racing car. Choose from Scooby-Doo, Tom and Jerry and Wacky Races.

GET SET…CUSTOMISE YOUR CAR
Decorate your Boomerang racer with wheels, spray paint, stickers and fun accessories.

GO…LET THE RACE BEGIN!
Dodge the obstacles and collect the coins to beat other Boomerang racers to pole position.

KEEP RACING TO GET UPGRADES
Unlock new cars and accessories by winning races and collecting coins!

*******

This game is available in the following languages: English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Russian and Spanish (Latin American).

If you’re having any problems with this app, feel free to contact us at apps.emea@turner.com. Tell us about the issues you’re running into as well as what device and OS version you’re using.

******
PRIVACY INFORMATION:
Your privacy is important to us at Cartoon Network, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. This game collects and uses information as described in Cartoon Network’s Privacy Policy linked below. This information may be used, for example, to respond to user requests; enable users to take advantage of certain features and services; personalize content; serve advertising; perform network communications; manage and improve our products and services; and perform other internal operations of Cartoon Network web sites or online services. Our privacy practices are guided by data privacy laws in the United States. For users residing in the EU or other countries outside the U.S., please note that this app may use persistent identifiers for game management purposes. By downloading this application, you accept our Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement, and you give permission for such uses for all users of your device. The Privacy Policy and End User License Agreement are in addition to any terms, conditions or policies imposed by your wireless carrier and Google, Inc. Cartoon Network and its affiliates are not responsible for any collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information by Google or your wireless carrier.

APK

GOOGLE PLAY

Available link for download

Bigg Boss 10 Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor’s chemistry on the show is crackling – view pics

Did we say what a crackling chemistry Vaani Kapoor and Ranveer Singh have on Salman Khan‘s Bigg Boss 10 house? We shall repeat it again but this time with proof in the form of pics. Yesterday, we had shared a small snippet of how Ranveer did Salman’s impression in the controversial house. However, now we got a little heads up on what a crackling chemistry Vaani and her Befikre co-star Ranveer share in the house. We got hold of some pics that confirm the riot and craziness that Singh caused at the Bigg Boss 10 stage with his mad energy. The Bigg Boss 10 handle on Twitter shared some pics from inside the house where Mr Singh is seen going crazy. Well, there hasn’t been a single promotion or moment when the Befikre actor has let us down in terms of entertainment. Perhaps he has come to spice up the Bigg Boss 10 house that is lacking a bit of drama.

Ranveer’s chemistry with his Befikre co-star Vaani Kapoor is mighty sizzling! While yesterday, we had shared a picture of Singh donning the 50 year old’s Wanted film avatar, now you get to see how he wooed his co-star with it. Wearing a gangi, checkered shirt and of course, the trademark bracelet that doesn’t need any explanation, Singh burned the stage, quite literally. We had seen in the preview that Singh will be doing impressions of various Bollywood actors including Sanjay Dutt and Shah Rukh Khan. In today’s episode though, we’ll see some banter between Khan and Singh. Oh not just that, them singing and dancing to Baby Ko Bass Pasand Hai too! Too much fun, no? You can see pics of the same below.

Ranveer Singh Vaani Kapoor Bigg Boss 10 house (3)

Ranveer Singh Vaani Kapoor Bigg Boss 10 house (4)

While yes, the show isn’t all that bad but just that’s is quite boring now. The TRPs of Bigg Boss have also fallen. The craze for Bigg Boss seems lacking in this season but it’s nice to know how Salman continues to enthrall and entertain fans with his weekend twists! Not to forget the gyaan that goes hand in hand with his disses at people. Tonight in the episode, we’ll see Ranveer and Vaani showing their crazy side on national television. Apart from that, we’ll also see Om Swami evicted from the house because of the humongous amount of cases slapped at him. He’ll be told to leave the house and like always, Swamiji will cry a river! (ALSO READ: Bigg Boss 10 4th December 2016 episode 50 preview: Ranveer Singh and Vaani Kapoor enter the house while Om Swami is asked to leave – find out why)

Stay tuned to this space and we’ll bring you HOT updates on Bigg Boss. All the live developments happening in the house will be posted here so don’t miss this space.

Available link for download

Bigg Boss 10 Bani J and Gaurav Chopra Turn Villains Against Housemates !

After the exit or throwing out of Priyanka Jagga from Bigg Boss 10 house, the house is in need of a new villain. And the news is that the house got not only one but two in the name of Bani J and Gaurav Chopra. In this blog piece by CRB Tech Reviews we tell you what actually happened.

Bigg Boss gave a new task that was solely dependent on Bani and Gaurav, who were called inside the confession room and told that they gonna have a live chat with the viewers of the popular TV reality show. But the truth was something different; they were actually answering the questions that were given to them not by viewers, but the other housemates. One question that was asked to both was what they think about their fellow contestants. While Bani targeted her enemy Lopamudra Raut and said she couldn’t accept her apology and she doesn’t want to know her as a person.

On the other hand, Gaurav talked about Mona Lisa and said although she likes Gaurav as a person and keeps lot of expectations from him, but she gets easily disappointed when he doesn’t support her. These replies didn’t do well with the majority of the housemates, due to which Bani and Gaurav have now become the villains of the Bigg Boss house.

Once Gaurav Chopra and Bani J were out of that confession room, the other housemates were asked if their answers were genuine. Besides Rohan Mehra, all the housemates came with a common “NO” as an answer. Hence, the housemates lost the luxury budget task for the 4th consecutive week.

News is that Bani J and Gaurav Chopra share an unconventional friendship. Some days they spent without talking to each other, and then there are some days when they can’t stay without each other. They have gone through phases of lot of ups and downs in their friendship. Even there were times when things were not right between the duos. And what triggered when Gaurav nominated Bani instead of promising her to be by her side. Since then Bani J has been giving him a cold shoulder, but owing to wisdom, Gaurav ultimately realised his mistake and apologised to Bani in the cutest way. Though Bani refused to accept the apology and continued to be mad at him unless host Salman Khan sorted the matters between them.

What do you think, about gaurav and Bani’s unusual friendship? And do you think Bani and Gaurav are being attacked with some purpose? Let us know your opinion and keep touch with this space of CRB Tech Reviews for more Bollywood updates and gossips.

Available link for download

Broccoli and Red Pepper Quiche

As mentioned I had a Christmas party last weekend and made lots of festive food. This is one of the savoury vegetarian options along with a pesto, cherry tomato & pine nut pasta salad. I chose broccoli and red pepper mainly for the festive colours and it worked beautifully. I also made a fig, lardon and dolcelatte tart (recipe coming up soon) but quite a few preferred this vegetarian quiche. Im not a huge fan of peppers but I have to say that this was delicious. I loved having the cheese at the bottom as it melts into the pastry and adds to the flavour. Instead of using double cream, I used Carnations Cook With It which I received in my Degustabox. It made the quiche healthier than using double cream but it did not detract from the taste.

Im sending this to the Vegetable Palette hosted by Shaheen from A2K - A Seasonal Veg Table. The theme this month is Festive and Christmas Vegetables and I think this red and green quiche looks very festive indeed!

Im also sending it to Eat Your Greens hosted again by Shaheen from A2K - A Seasonal Veg Table. The idea behind it is to encourage you to use a green vegetable in your cooking. I rarely get a chance to enter as I mostly bake sweet stuff so Im really pleased to join in this month.

My Barbers cheese is still going!

cook the broccoli and red pepper first

add a layer of grated cheese on the cooked pastry

add the sauteed vegetables and cover with the egg/cream mixture

It disappeared quite quickly at the party!

For the pastry
280g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
140g cold butter, cut into pieces
8 tablespoons cold water

For the filling

100g grated Cheddar cheese

1 large broccoli with stems removed

1 red pepper, de-seeded and sliced

4 eggs

300mls Carnation Cook with it or double cream

4 eggs

seasoning - salt, pepper and garlic or onion powder if you have them

To make the pastry using a food processor - place the flour and butter and blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add the water one tablespoon at a time until a dough forms.
Alternatively, rub the butter and flour together until it resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add water one tablespoon at a time until a dough forms.
Roll into a ball, wrap with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line your tart tin.
Use a small ball of pastry scrap to press the pastry into the corners of the tin.
Chill in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Line the tart case with kitchen foil or baking paper and fill with baking beans.
Blind bake for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and foil/paper and continue baking for 5 - 10 minutes until the pastry is light brown.
In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Add the broccoli and red pepper and cook until just soft.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and add in the Carnation cook with it and seasoning.
Once the pastry is ready and slightly cooled, pour the grated cheese on to the pastry and level it.
Add the cooked vegetables.
Finally add the cream mixture
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and set.

Available link for download

blueberry peach and lavender perfect pie

Guys.

I did it.

I made a pretty, all-butter, lattice FREAKIN' pie.

One that didn't have shrunken crusts or sides that slipped down the pan. One that didn't have tears in the lattice, misweaved braids, or bumpy crusts. Instead, this pie checks all the qualities in my definition of a perfect pie:

A flaky, flavorful all-butter crust that doesn't get soggy at the base. Check.
A pretty lattice crust that isn't shrunken, uneven, or torn in any way, complete with a beautiful, golden-brown finish. Check.
A fruit filling that takes advantage of the seasons, isn't too sweet, and sets properly. The pie should be easily divided into several slices without spilling out into the pan when initially cut. Check, check, check, and check.

Well, sirs and madams, I'm pretty sure that this blueberry, peach, and lavender pie matches all above criteria.

SQUEE.

If you've been a long time reader of my blog, you'll know that this pie has been years in the making. Pie, in general, has been my least favorite thing to make because for a long time, pie and I were at war with each other. No matter what recipe I tried — whether it be Deb's savory cream cheese crust, or that famous Cook's Illustrated pie crust with the vodka, or even Four & Twenty Blackbirds' apple cider vinegar one — I just never quite got it. There was always, always something wrong.

I was all "oh yeah, I can make a good pie, don't even worry about it" for a while, but the truth is, I was a big, fat, phony FAKE. I whipped up a variety of tasty but not-pastry-based fruit pies. This passionfruit cream pie? Used a shortbread cookie crust instead of traditional dough. This banana cream pie? You guessed it — chocolate cookies. And key lime pie, one of my favorite desserts? One of the reasons I love it so much is because it uses graham crackers to make its crust. All three are very, very, very delicious, but when examined together, pretty indicative of my former fear of making and using all-butter pie dough.

What motivated me in the end? I don't even really know. Maybe it was the countless berries and stonefruits I kept seeing week after week at the farmer's markets. Maybe it was all the beautiful pies on Yossy's and Erin's instagram feeds. But it was time to learn how to do it right, how to do it well. Since mid-July, I've been making a pie almost every other week, trying to get it down to a tee. I used the same Four & Twenty Blackbirds all-butter pie crust recipe over and over again, to the point where I could recite its ingredients and instructions in my sleep. Gradually, progress emerged. There was this almost-there bourbon and brown sugar peach pie that was worth sharing. And finally, there's this pie. Which, to me, is perfect.

I hope you think so too.

Some baker's notes:

To give my pie a lavender flavor, I used this lavender extract from Hatchery. You can also find lavender extract online at Amazon, or in specialty baking stores. Alternatively, make your own! Combine about 1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers and 3 tablespoons high quality vodka in a small glass jar, and shake, shake, shake. Keep in a cool, dark place overnight to allow the vodka to soak in the lavender flavor and fragrance. Strain out the lavender flowers before using, and voila! Homemade lavender extract.

I still stand by this guide that I wrote a few months ago filled with all my best pie baking tips. Remember the basics — use a metal pan, keep your ingredients and your equipment as cold as possible, don't be scared to use tons of flour when rolling out, and don't panic.

When crimping the edges of the pie with a fork, I find it's best to slide the fork out from the dough as opposed to pulling it upwards. This will help mold the pie dough onto your pan and in general, helps keep the crimp of the edge better.

get the recipe »

Available link for download

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