Leslie's Blog

My Songs to Un-flake by - iMix on iTunes

2010-06-25T10:08:00.002-04:00

Love to find different music to de-stress and un-flake by. Start with a couple of jazz songs with a rainy theme to begin to wind down. A little “Dances with Wolves” to set the mood, followed by a sequence of new age songs intermixed with three meditations for your lower energy centers. Re-connect with the earth, feel the flow of life, and refresh your mind, body, and spirit.

Ruth Ottavi's Oriental Salad Recipe

2010-06-24T16:27:00.001-04:00

Ken and I love this recipe which his mother shared. Here is it is:

Ruth Ottavi's Oriental Salad Recipe

This recipe serves six, but you could cut it in half!

Salad:
1 – 16 oz package of Cole Slaw Mix
1 – Bunch green onion, chopped (optional)
1 – small package Planters Sunflowers Seeds (1 hand full)
2 – small packages sliced almonds (2 hands full)
2 – Packages Oriental Ramon Noodles, crunch up the noodles and keep the seasoning for the dressing

Dressing:

1/3 cup sugar (or substitute honey)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup gourmet white wine vinegar
Oriental seasoning

1. Bake the sliced almonds on a cookie sheet for 5-7 minutes until brown at 375 degrees. Allow to cool.
2. Mix the Cole Slaw Mix, crunched noodles, green onion, sunflower seeds and sliced almonds in a bowl.
3. Mix the dressing. Stir well and stir again before pouring on the salad.
4. Put the dressing on the salad right before serving. Mix well. Please note that this salad does not keep very well. It’s best to use as soon as it is mixed!

Leslie's New Meditation CD

2010-06-22T14:52:00.002-04:00

New Bike

2010-06-11T14:33:00.002-04:00

Wow, I have a new sport fitness bike (Giant Dash 1 0 white, teal, and gray). Pretty bike. Feet snapped into the pedals is a new experience. I am practicing riding just around the neighborhood and I have one fall under my belt. Hope it is the last! Tomorrow it is a ride on the Silver Comet Trial...yeah!

Book Discussion - The Elegance of the Hedgehog

2010-05-29T15:45:00.002-04:00

Our book club just read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. This book is a translation from French and the writing is beautiful. The first couple of chapters were intriguing right from the start because the chapters were written either from the view point of Renee, the concierge or Paloma, a young twelve-year old resident. The development of the story using this technique keeps one's interest fresh and it draws one into the story. Both Renee and Paloma hide their true nature from the unsuspecting world. The play between all the characters is very engaging as the reader discovers Renee and Paloma's true natures. Friendships develop and new possibilities arise.

There is some deeper philosophy presented in the book. Our book club group pondered whether or not this distracted or enhanced the story. The consensus of the group is that the philosophy didn't necessarily distract from the story, but it made the reader note that an investigation of some of the points should be done (which most of us did not do).

One of the most intriguing topic threads that is woven through the story is the definition of art. My favorite quote is "Because art is life, playing to other rhythms". You must discover these definitions as you read the book!

There is a twist of fate in the book which explores life emerging anew in the midst of death. It made me cry with a mixture of joy and sorrow. It is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend!

Leslie

Ducks – Bob, Carol, and Ted

2010-04-20T10:59:00.001-04:00

On my way to work out this morning, I noticed a male and female duck swimming in our complex’s pool. They seemed to be in the throes of “it’s spring time, let’s get together”. It made me smile that these clever ducks had left the park pond across the street from our complex to escape the dozens of other ducks who are competing for the right to mate.

I could still watch the ducks as I worked out on the elliptical machine through the window. I named them Bob and Carol. They swam around with the Carol leading and Bob following her wherever she went. Bob was very eager to make sure Carol wanted only him, so he would dip his head and rise up a bit and flap his wings. Carol seemed nonplussed, but she allowed Bob to stay close. Carol would hop out of the pool and Bob would hop out right behind her. Carol went in the pool, then Bob went in the pool and the cycle started over again.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw another male duck flying in toward the pool. This male duck I named Ted. Ted was also a clever duck. Just him, Bob, and Carol in the pool. He must have felt confident that he could worm his way into Bob and Carol’s relationship. He tried the “dip the head in the water, rise up and flap wings” move on Carol, but she turned her head. Bob moved toward Ted angrily, so Ted swam away with Bob bearing down on him. With Ted a good distance from Carol, Bob swam back to Carol to stay by her side. Back and forth they went, Ted approaching, Bob giving chase, Carol trying not to notice all the fuss.

Ted made one last effort to win Carol. As Bob gave him chase, he flew out of the water and over to Carol, almost landing directly on her. Bob responded quickly by flying out of the water and landing strategically between Carol and Ted. Carol sped off and Bob stood his ground against Ted. Eventually Ted realized that Bob and Carol were not to be separated. Ted took flight toward the park to find his Alice, as he was never meant to be with Carol.

Great entertainment for my workout this morning!

Leslie Ottavi

Advancing Health Care Reform

2010-03-17T12:02:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note. I was discussing the current state of health care reform after an appointment with my career counselor. He had previous worked in the health industry and when he left to start his own business he was faced with the daunting task to find health insurance in the individual market. It was difficult. He said something which struck me profoundly. It went something like this, "if the President wants to fix health care, then they should tell Congress that they no longer can get group coverage through the government for themselves and their staff. They must go out and find health insurance in the individual market".

Preexisting conditions, high premiums, and ridiculous deductibles would only be the start of rejections either by insurance companies or inability to pay for coverage that really doesn't do much. I think my career counselor has something here that would definitely get Congress' attention and action! We must start somewhere, or as individuals and small business owners, we will be priced and pushed out of the market and into the land of financial loss or worse, loss of life.

Understanding "Double Jeopardy"

2010-03-04T20:03:00.002-05:00

In the process of taking a legal and ethics class, I was fortunate to learn how to research and write Supreme Court case studies. Actually, I didn't feel fortunate at the time, but warmed up to it. Up until this time, I had never imagined that I would be writing this type of case study. You learn about the issues and perspectives of the court at various points in our history. It is quite fascinating to weave your way through the material because you gradually build your view and are able to make supporting statements for your view. Here is one of my case studies about the Fifth Amendment and Double Jeopardy.

I. GREEN v. UNITED STATES

II. CITATION: 355 U.S. 184 (1957)

III. FACTS:

Everett Green was indicted and tried on two counts; a charge of arson by maliciously setting fire to a house and a charge of first degree murder of a woman who died in the alleged arson. The jury was instructed by the trial judge that for the count of first degree murder it could find Green guilty of either first degree murder or second degree murder. The jury found Green guilty of second degree murder and was silent on the charge of first degree murder. The trial judge accepted the verdict, entered the proper judgments, dismissed the jury, and sentenced Green to imprisonment. Green appealed the conviction of second degree murder, the Court of Appeals reversed the conviction of second degree murder, and the case was remanded for a new trial.

Green was tried again for first degree murder under the original indictment. Green raised the defense of former jeopardy, but the court overruled. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death despite his former jeopardy plea. Green appealed. Relying on Trono v. United States, 199 U.S. 521 the Court of Appeals rejected his defense of former jeopardy and affirmed the conviction. The Supreme Court granted certiorari and considered his claim of former jeopardy. The Supreme Court ruled that Green’s second trial for first degree murder placed him in jeopardy twice for the same offense which violated the Fifth Amendment and his conviction was reversed.

IV. LEGAL ISSUES:

Is a defendant’s jeopardy ended when the jury is discharged at the conclusion of a trial, regardless of conviction, so that he cannot be retried for the same offense as protected by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which reads “…nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb”? Is the successful appeal of a lesser charge which was an improper conviction waive a petitioner’s constitutional defense of former jeopardy to a second prosecution on a higher charge for which he was not convicted and did not appeal under the Fifth Amendment?

V. COURT DECISION:

The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the conviction of the petitioner’s second trial for first degree murder by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in a 5 to 4 decision. Justices Black, Warren, Douglas, Brennan, and Whittaker were in majority with Justices Frankfurter, Burton, Clark, and Harlan dissenting.

VI. OPINION AND REASONING OF THE COURT: (by Justice Black, announced by Justice Douglas)

The majority opinion and decision of the court was delivered by Justice Black. The majority opinion is primarily based on four previous court rulings, United States v. Ball, 163 U.S. 662, 671 (1896), Wade v. Hunter, 336 U.S. 684 (1949), Kepner v. United States, 195 U.S. 100 (1904), and Trono v. United States, 199 U.S. 521 (dissenting opinion, 1905). In the cases of Wade v. Hunter, and Kepner v. United States, and United States v. Ball the defendants’ jeopardy ended with their original trial verdicts and the discharge of the juries which prevented a new trial under the established principles of former jeopardy. Also in the case Kepner v. United States the defendant’s appeal did not waive a defense of former jeopardy. In the case of Trono v. United States, the majority opinion found that the defendants had waived their plea of former jeopardy by appealing their conviction, however Justice Black argues that Trono applies in narrow terms to only the Philippine Islands, its recent annexation, and pre-existing Spanish practices that were opposed to the United States constitutional prohibition against double jeopardy as argued in Trono’s dissenting opinion.

The majority opinion reversed the conviction of Green for first degree murder by his second trial as it violated “both the letter and spirit of the Fifth Amendment” as commented in the Blackstone Commentaries: “that no man is to be brought into jeopardy of his life more than once for the same offence”. The opinion’s foundation is based on the design intent of the constitutional prohibition against “double jeopardy” to protect an individual from being tried for the same offense more than once whether acquitted or convicted. Green’s jeopardy ended when the first jury was “authorized to find him guilty” of either first degree murder or alternatively of second degree murder. Green was in peril of being convicted of first degree murder throughout the first trial and the jury chose, under no extraordinary circumstances, to convict Green of second degree without returning an express verdict on first degree murder, which implicitly acquitted him of first degree murder with the jury’s dismissal.

Green’s appeal of his second degree murder conviction did not “waive” his former jeopardy defense and was not a continuation of his original jeopardy. The Kepner v. United States case is quoted by the majority stating that “usually no such waiver is expressed or thought of” as a defendant would not forego his constitutional defense of former jeopardy on a first degree murder charge in order to secure a reversal of a lesser charge. The majority in Kepner is “completely in accord” with the principle that once a person has been acquitted of an offense he cannot be tried again on the same charge. As quoted by the majority, it is plainly stated in United States v. Ball, “The verdict of acquittal was final, and could not be reviewed, on error or otherwise, without putting [the defendant] twice in jeopardy, and thereby violating the Constitution”. The majority opinion in the case Trono v. United States cannot be expanded beyond pertaining to the Philippine Islands as the opinion is contrary to the United States Constitution, laws, and “overwhelming weight of American decided cases” as argued in Trono’s dissenting opinion.

The court’s duty is to ensure our rights under the Constitution of the United States. Our right to not be tried for the same offense more than once is a “vital safeguard in our society” which must not be applied narrowly. The conclusion of the court is that Green’s second trial for first degree murder did place him in double jeopardy which was contrary to the Fifth Amendment and unconstitutional.

VII. DISSENTING OPINION (by delivered by Justice Frankfurter, joined by Justices Burton, Clark, and Harlan)

The foundation of Justice Frankfurter’s strong dissent begins with the significance and scope of the Constitution’s prohibition against double jeopardy as derived from history. The significance of the double jeopardy constitutional protection is shown in Blackstone’s commentaries which stated "the plea of auterfois acquit, or a former acquittal, is grounded on this universal maxim of the common law of England, that no man is to be brought into jeopardy of his life more than once for the same offense". However, he states that the scope of the protection was not intended to serve “the interests of the accused in disregard of the interests of society”.

Justice Frankfurter laid out the history of United States cases where American courts granted new trials in spite of provisions against double jeopardy including United States v. Keen, 26 Fed. Cas. 686, 687-690 (1974). The court rejected the perspective that the constitutional provision “prohibited a new trial on the defendant’s motion after a conviction”. The decision in Palko v. Connecticut, 302 U.S. 319 (1937) held that the State in order to obtain a trial “free from the corrosion of substantial legal error” was able to permit the prosecution to appeal a second degree murder conviction and hold a retrial resulting in a first degree murder conviction. Justice Frankfurter extends this case which defined conduct permissible under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment as applicable to the scope of the double jeopardy provision.

In Trono v. United States, 199 U.S. 521, the principle of the case rested on the construction of the Fifth Amendment itself and not on the criminal procedure of the Philippine Islands with any consideration of Spanish law. The words in the Philippine Bill of Rights, 5 of the Act of July 1, 1902 are substantively derived from the words in the Constitution, “that no person shall be put twice in jeopardy for the same offense”. The Court affirmed the judgment that the plaintiffs’ appeal of their lower offense convictions in order to secure a reversal did not bar a conviction of a higher offense in a new trial.

Another case from the Philippines, Kepner v. United States, 195 U.S. 100, underscores the significance and scope of Trono as Kepner was decided only a year before. The prohibition against double jeopardy was construed in the light of the system of law prevailing in the Philippines before they were ceded to the United States and under that system of law, the proceedings in the Supreme Court were regarded as an extension of the first court’s proceedings resulting in one continuous trial. Justice Frankfurter wrote that in United States v. Ball, 163 U.S. 662, 671 the double jeopardy provision does not prevent a second trial when a conviction had been set aside as the first degree murder charge was by the jury in Green’s first trial. The Court in Stroud v. United States, 251 U.S. 15, 17-18 (1920), specifically relied on Trono to affirm the judgment where a defendant was indicted for murder, convicted without capital punishment, judgment reversed, and was convicted of murder with capital punishment in a new trial.

Justice Frankfurter clearly states that Trono and the cases that have relied on Trono for over half a century set precedence that the majority opinion for Green has overruled. The history presented by Justice Frankfurter demonstrates that if a defendant appeals his conviction and obtains a reversal, he may be retried for the same offense without “doing violence to the purposes behind the Double Jeopardy Clause”. In Green’s case, the defendant himself called into question the propriety of the original proceedings and so re-examining the issues is “appropriate and not unjust”. Green’s appeal of his second degree murder waived his former jeopardy defense.

X. PERSONAL OPINION BY STUDENT

I agree with the majority in this case. The intent of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and its history of development is clear “that no man is to be brought into jeopardy of his life more than once for the same offence” as recorded by Blackstone. Green’s first trial jury was authorized to find him guilty of either first degree murder or second degree murder. The jury chose second degree murder and judgment was issued. Green’s appeal on the second degree murder charge did not waive his constitutional defense of former jeopardy to a second prosecution on a first degree murder charge for which he was not convicted and did not appeal. The law should not place a petitioner in such a dilemma that he must barter his constitutional protection as a price for a successful appeal of a lesser offense against a second prosecution for an offense punishable by death for which he was not sentenced. It is the Court’s duty to ensure the safeguards that have been put in place by the Constitution remain valued by society so that the “letter and spirit of the Fifth Amendment” are upheld.

Great Lemon Caper Sauce

2010-02-16T08:44:00.002-05:00

This Lemon Caper Sauce is buttery rich. It goes great with fish and I even like it drizzled over my vegetables. If you are trying to watch the butter, try margarine.

1 diced white onion
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon caper juice (I just measure it right into the lemon juice)
2 tablespoons chopped capers
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Begin by melting the butter and saute the onion in the butter until the onion is tender. Next, reduce the heat and add the next five ingredients (lemon juice, caper juice, capers, salt, pepper). Cook the sauce until it is heated. Just before serving, add the Parmesan to the sauce and stir in well.

We just had this sauce with salmon that was prepared simply in the oven as follows:

Salmon fillets, skinned
Fresh squeezed lemon juice (couple or lemons)
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Lawry’s Seasoned Pepper
Crushed Garlic

Place the salmon fillets in an appropriately sized pan. Pour the lemon juice over the fillets. Add garlic, seasoned salt and seasoned pepper. Let sit for a bit. Sometimes I let it sit for an hour or so in the refrigerator covered.

Bake at 375 uncovered for 16-20 minutes (depends on the thickness of the fillet, so you will have to watch the fillets for doneness).

Enjoy!

Book Discussion – Raise Shit! Social Action Saving Lives

2010-02-11T15:51:00.002-05:00

Book By Susan Boyd, Donald MacPherson, and Bud Osborn

My brother, Bud Osborn is a writer, poet, and activist. His new book, in collaboration with Susan Boyd and Donald MacPherson, is a written documentary of the events that unfolded in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver (DTES) in a fight to help the community. When I would visit with my brother or we would talk on the phone, he would describe activities and events that were occurring in his life. The founding of VANDU and the effort to create safe injection sites to lower the rate of deaths, HIV and other diseases, are two examples of events that I heard about from my brother. This book puts all those discussions I had with my brother in a timeline that helps me to see how the efforts of social action can save lives. Read the book and you too can be enlightened by the efforts of this community’s actions to save lives. It is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Raise-Shit-Social-Action-Saving/dp/1552663272/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265921360&sr=8-1.

The Right of Self-Defense of Person and Property

2009-12-16T14:24:00.003-05:00

In the process of preparing for a final exam in my Legal and Ethics class, I had to write about self-defense. I have found this topic of interest when I have pondered what I would or would not do if someone broke into my house. So here is the information I gathered for my class.

You have the right to defend yourself and your property, but it is not unrestricted and the rules vary by state. Some guidelines include:

You can meet force with force.
You can only use deadly force to protect yourself from deadly force.
You can’t use deadly force if there is an alternative which means you must “retreat to the wall” if possible.
Inside your home you do not need to “retreat to the wall”.
You may not harm an intruder unless there is a real threat from the intruder.
You can’t harm a trespasser outside your home unless threatened.
You can’t set traps in or out of a building.

Several considerations are important regarding the right of self-defense. First, as implied in the above guidelines list, the extent of the right of self-defense is based on the level of violence threatened and an attempt by the person being threatened to dutifully use any measures to prevent the attack. For instance, if your attacker can be stopped by shutting and locking a door, you should do that to preserve peace. Second, if you have taken precautions to keep the peace and you are still attacked, then you may repel force by force. For instance, an unarmed assailant enters your home to rob you, does not threaten anyone or manifest an intention to harm anyone and there are several people, who can secure him, then he should be secured without doing him injury and the police should be called to deal with him. However if the thief attacks while robbing your home and it is impossible to determine to what extent the attacker will push his force, you can respond with the force necessary to secure yourself from harm. You may also defend and protect near relations like a spouse or child and a master and servant.

Living Proof Day 5

2009-12-05T11:29:00.002-05:00

My hair sometimes gets over conditioned if I use a conditioner every day, so today I just used the Frizz shampoo and styling spray. I hate to say it, but the hair looked good all day long. I will continue monitoring how the product does for the next nine days, but I will only post if there is an anomaly to report. Otherwise, it looks like this may be my new best hair product!

Living Proof Day 4

2009-12-05T11:26:00.001-05:00

It is a beautiful sunny day here in Atlanta and I have used my regular shampoo, regular conditioner, and Frizz Styling Spray to see how the spray works when you use other shampoos/conditioners. My hair begins the day looking great and ends the day the same way. This product may enter my "amazing" category.

Living Proof Day 3

2009-12-03T11:27:00.002-05:00

It is still raining here in Atlanta. I have used the shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray this morning. However, I have decided to let my hair dry naturally after a light low blow drying. It shapes up very well, however, this is not the way I like my hair best. I have some wave, but just not enough to pull off this look. This is not a fault of the product, just my hair. Anyway, I am naturally wavy and frizz free.

My hair did not get frizzy all day! But I still am not sure I like this natural wavy look when I wear it down. It's best up. I am happy that the product appears to be delivering on its promises!

Living Proof Day 2

2009-12-03T11:22:00.003-05:00

Well, it is a rainy and grey day here in Atlanta. I have used the shampoo, conditioner and styling spray again. I also used the blow dryer and round brush. I have to say my hair is starting out better than it usually does on a day like today.

I have spent the day in and out of the house, the mall, and other stores, so basically in and out of the rain. I am pleased to announce that my hair looks just as good as it did this morning and NO extra frizz. This really is starting to be a very promising product.

Living Proof Day 1

2009-12-03T11:17:00.003-05:00

Today is a sunny, beautiful day in Atlanta. I have used Frizz shampoo, conditioner and styling spray. The styling spray comes in wave shaping or hair straightening formulas. I am using the wave shaping because I want to enhance my natural body as much as possible. I have also used a blow dryer on low and then a round brush. My hair looks great.

My hair has stayed great all day, no frizz. Very exciting, but what happens when it rains or there is more humidity? We shall see.

Living Proof Discovery

2009-12-03T11:08:00.003-05:00

While I was at Sephora shopping for Christmas presents, I found a product by Living Proof that claims to be "the first new anti-frizz technology in 30 years to effectively block humidity for beautifully soft, smooth, frizz-free hair." Its no frizz formula features PolyfluoroEster as the new technology. My hair is sensitive to the weather and since I moved to Atlanta, I have had more frizz days than no frizz days. I have tried many products that are silicone or oil based which only weigh down your hair and if you have fine hair as I do, that is not a good thing. Check out Living Proof's website for more information.

So I purchased "Frizz" shampoo, conditioner, and styling spray to yet again try another product. It's been four days and I am going to blog about my daily hair experience for 14 days to see how the product stands up to their claims. I am on day four, but I'll post all my days separately.

Stuffed Green Peppers

2009-11-24T10:08:00.005-05:00

This is a recipe from my mother-in-law which I have modified for two using ground turkey instead of ground beef and egg beaters for a more healthy meal. It is quite yummy!

Vegetarians could use tofu and no egg beaters.

Ingredients

4 Green Peppers (medium sized)
1/2 cup cooked rice (1/4 cup uncooked rice prepared)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup eggbeaters
1/8 cup milk
1 small onion chopped fine
1 10-oz can tomato soup
3/4 can water

Remove seeds from the peppers and wash (just remove the tops).
Cook the ground turkey and the onions in a frying pan. Let cool a bit.
Combine the rice, salt, ground turkey, onion, pepper, egg beater, milk and 1/4 can of the tomato soup in a large bowl.
Stuff peppers lightly; stand side by side in a casserole, having only 1 layer.
Mix the remaining soup and water. Top the peppers with the soup mixture; cover.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the peppers are done.

Crying and a Runny Nose

2009-11-10T15:33:00.002-05:00

A little bit of trivia I just learned. When I cry I almost always exclaim "I don't know why when I cry my nose runs. Well, in my biology class today, I just learned why. Crying produces a runny nose because tears from the eyes drain into the nasal cavities by way of tear ducts. Viola! Not a defect, its a feature.

Salamba Sarvangasana – Whole Body Pose (Shoulder Stand)

2009-09-30T16:46:00.012-04:00

I went with a friend to her yoga class today and while I was in Salamba Sarvangasana I began to reflect on the pose and its benefits. Salamba Sarvangasana is known as the Mother of asanas. The translation begins with “alamba” which means a prop or support. Combined with “sa”, which means together or accompanied by, Salamba means supported or propped up. Sarvanga is the combination of “sarva” which means all, whole, entire, or complete and “anga” which means limb or body. The name “whole body pose” is appropriate since the whole body benefits from this pose.

The ancient sages bestowed upon the world a pose that strives to achieve harmony and happiness in our human system, just like a mother endeavors to have a harmonious and happy home. It has been spoken of it as a “panacea for most common ailments”. The thyroid and parathyroid glands in the neck region are stimulated so that they function properly and help to balance and develop the body and brain. The pose increases circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid around the neck and chest which can help people who suffer breathlessness, palpitations, asthma, bronchitis, and throat ailments. It can help to soothe nerves and ease headaches and colds. Insomnia and constipation can be relieved. If you regularly practice Salamba Sarvangasana you can feel renewed vigor and strength as the energy flows in your body and your mind. People who suffer from high blood pressure however, should not do this pose.

As I came out of shoulder stand, I experienced that sense of balance and energy flow that I have often told my students about in class. I was at peace, happy, and energized for my day. It was a fabulous reflection of how each pose we do in our yoga practice brings benefits to our body, our mind, and our spirit.

Below are some variations of Salamba Sarvangasana. If you have not practiced this pose before, be sure to get some direction from a yoga teacher who can help you find a beginning variation that is suitable and who can then help you to progress through other variations to whatever expression of the pose is best for you.

Interesting information from my Geology Hazards class

2009-07-17T10:06:00.003-04:00

Wow, it has been a long time since I posted! School, work and life have kept me pretty busy.

I know there are many accounts about how the Biblical plagues may have occurred. In a Geological Hazards class I am taking, the teacher (Dr. Donald Stierman) pointed out these interesting points on the subject.

The catastrophic volcanic eruption in 1400 BC on the island of Santorini which contributed to the fall of the Minoan civilization was responsible for a large tsunami that is recorded in the sediment history of Crete. Intriguing linkages possible between the effects of Santorini's massive volcanic eruption and the 10 plagues recorded in the Book of Exodus.

– 3 days and nights of darkness: ash fall
– Nile turns red: ash contaminates the river
– Plague of frogs: frogs leave contaminated river
– Plague of flies: frogs die, flies multiply
– Fire from the sky: pyroclastics
– Boils and skin irrigation: ash is acidic, burns skin
– Mysterious deaths in the night: CO2
– Sea withdraws (right before tsunami hit), allowing Israelites to flee. Egyptians in pursuit are smashed by tsunami.

Our mother earth has many natural processes that would have not been understood prior to science uncovering these natural processes and their effects. It makes me wonder about what mysteries we have today that may be explained through scientific discovery in the future. This Geological Hazard's class has been a wonderful and challenging learning experience.

Spring is Here!

2009-03-15T16:33:00.002-04:00

Just a note to share yGuide Yoga March 2009 Newsletter. Start your spring with a daily routine of breath work and stretching to get your digestion, mind and body fired up for the day. Our newsletter can be found on our blog at http://yguide.blogspot.com/2009/03/march-2009-yguide-yoga-newsletter.html.

November 2008 yGuide Yoga Newsletter

2008-11-24T15:38:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to provide a link to the November yGuide Yoga Newsletter at http://yguide.blogspot.com/2008/11/november-2008-yguide-yoga-newsletter.html. Topics include pranayama (breath work), jali neti (nasal wash) and a book recommendation (Science of Breath, A Practical Guide).

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Leslie

Mariano’s Bruschetta Recipe

2008-10-11T18:27:00.002-04:00

On a project in a city far, far away, we dined at an Italian restaurant on a weekly basis that served the tastiest bruschetta with their bread. My friend and co-worker, Mariano, who is a great cook began determining what the ingredients were and kept trying to recreate the magic. He eventually did and the entire project team was delighted. I have used this with bread, cheese and as a pasta sauce. It is a bit messy getting the seeds out of the tomatoes, but it is oh so good!

Mariano’s Bruschetta Recipe

8 Roma Tomatoes (medium)
7 Pieces Roasted Red Bell Peppers (about a 12 oz jar)
1 tablespoon Dry Sherry
1 teaspoon Fresh Parsley (or Basil)
2 cloves Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

De-seed and dice the tomatoes.
Dice the red pepper.
Mix the tomatoes and red pepper.
Press (or mince) the garlic into the mixture.
Add remaining ingredients. Add salt to taste.
Chill until serving (stir it occasionally).

Oriental Salad

2008-10-11T18:23:00.002-04:00

This salad recipe is so easy. My sister-in-law made it for us when we were visiting and my husband and I both enjoyed it. Give it a try!

Oriental Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Mixed Salad Greens
Sliced Strawberries
Chow Mien Noodles
Poppy Seed Dressing (regular only…no lowfat)

1. Mix salad greens, strawberries and chow mein noodles.
2. Add the poppy seed dressing. Mix well.
3. Serve salad!

Women Have Come a Long Way: Are We There Yet?

2008-10-11T12:35:00.004-04:00

This is a newletter I wrote for a college class I was taking a couple of years ago about Women in Buddhism. It was a very interesting class so I wanted to share this with you.

Women Have Come a Long Way: Are We There Yet?

Sifting through the maze of opposing views about the existence of gender differences in U.S. business, Leslie Ottavi presents how to apply Buddhist teachings to this complex issue.
__________________________________________________

Women in U.S. business have come a long way since the 1960s. Interpretation of study data by many researchers results in their expressing drastically different views on the current status of the “glass ceiling” and gender pay discrimination. But in all these different views, there is one statement that can be found: progress has been made as women have gained greater access to formal education and increased labor market participation. It is clear that the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 1970s Women’s Rights movement have all contributed to the rise in wages and lessening of the gap between male and female workers. Where are we now and how do we go forward?

Examples of Progress

Areas of substantial improvement are easy to demonstrate in the academic and business world. Women continue to enter fields of study previously dominated by men. Considering that women were almost entirely excluded from attending universities for 350 years (Wendand, 2005), it is astonishing that women have earned more than 50 percent of all bachelor’s and master’s degrees since 1982. In many fields, women are closing the education gap fast. In the fifties and sixties, women were awarded 2 to 3 percent of all law degrees, 5 percent were awarded in 1970 and 43 percent of the law degrees were awarded to women in 2005. If we look at dentistry degrees we see the same level of progress, starting with 1 percent of degrees awarded to women in the fifties, sixties and seventies, to 38 percent today. Doctoral and medical degrees are showing similar trends with women comprising 54 percent of the class admissions to Yale Medical School in 1996. (Furchtgott-Roth, 2006)

Women are starting their own businesses in record numbers. In 1972, 400,000 women started a business. In 2006, 8 million women started their own businesses. They employ more than 15.5 million people and they generate $1.4 trillion in sales. From 1987 to 1992, the number of businesses owned by women increased 43 percent. This means that women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men. (Furchtgott-Roth, 2006) In government, women are winning elective offices throughout the country. The state of California has two powerful female Senators; Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. For the first time in American history, we have a serious female candidate for President in 2008, Hillary Clinton.

The “glass ceiling” may now only exist because of the qualifications required to become a C-level executive in a corporation. Graduate degrees, 60+ hour work weeks and over 25 years of experience working those 60+ hour work weeks are fairly common requirements. In the sixties and seventies, women were receiving less than 5 percent of graduate degrees. These are the graduates who are now at the pinnacle of their professions. Women who are willing to choose the work ethic are making it to the CEO level. You may be familiar with Meg Whitman, CEO eBay; Patricia Russo, CEO Alcatel-Lucent; Anne Mulcahy, CEO Xerox; Andrea Jung, CEO Avon; Brenda Barnes, CEO Sara Lee. With women earning more graduate degrees since the seventies, it would seem reasonable to see more women at the CEO level in the future.

In addition to the advancement of women in education and business, there is an interesting phenomenon that has occurred to help the progress: the job market has changed to jobs which are more about information and communication, and less about physical labor. Women are good at the transfer of information and liaising with people (French, 2005).

Still Differences: What and Why

Yes, progress has been made, but there are still areas of inequity between men and women in the financial arena beginning with wages and continuing into retirement. Basically, women are less financially secure than men due to the persisting wage gap. In 2006, U.S. women’s median annual income was $30,100 and it was approximately three-quarter of men’s median annual income. If you look at the historical wage growth between men and women, women’s pay will not reach parity with men’s until at least 2051. (Lowell, 2006)

In 2002, the Department of Labor reported that women compose 46% of the US workforce. Women were also reported to be in jobs that were disproportionately lower paying jobs than men. Women are making up a larger percentage of graduates from higher education, but they are more likely to major in professions such as nursing, care work and education (18 percent vs. 6 percent). In contrast, men are more likely to major in business and management (26 percent vs. 19 percent), and engineering (12 percent vs. 2 percent). In the information technology industries, women continue to earn about one-third of the degrees and jobs available. In the doctoral and professional fields, men continue to outpace women (81 women for every 100 men), resulting in males dominating corporate board rooms, political power seats, highest positions in universities, etc.. The types of degrees more men are receiving often correlate to higher salaries. High paying occupations that do not require college degrees are in skilled trades and it is dominated by men. In this scenario, women need a college degree to earn roughly what men do with high school diplomas. (Wendell, 2005)

Living wages are difficult, especially in urban areas, so in most families, the mother and father both work. Even though there have been adjustments made in the family roles regarding the work model, women are still the primary caregivers. Another facet of the wage gap occurs because many women choose different jobs so that have more flexibility and less rigid work hours to care for the family. This means there is a larger pay gap. This alternative life style choice is preferred by 71 percent of women who want flexibility and benefits over higher wages. Nearly 85 percent of women who are offered flexible work schedules by their employers, take advantage of the offer. (Venable, 2005)

Different industries and types of organizations use a variety of methods to determine pay rates. Markets and institutional forces shape internal and external labor markets and rewards offered to workers. Research conducted by Marie Louise Roth of Wall Street professionals shows that controlling for human capital, market conditions and organization prestige, the gender difference in average compensation among financial professionals was an astounding $223,368 a year. These women graduated in the same top graduate schools in the same year, undergraduate achievement was comparable and work experience in an investment bank before and during school was the same. Controlling for variables in background and human capital, women earned approximately 29% less than comparable male peers in similar organizations and functions. The bottom line is that in the securities industry the gender gap persists in terms of total compensation.

What education you have, what industry you work in, what job you do, what lifestyle choices you make are all variables in the game of how much money you will make as a woman and as a man.

Going Forward

The women’s movement has experienced significant progress and we need to continue to push the boundaries to drive toward parity. Advocating for and supporting policy initiatives that continue to increase access to higher education, calling for a living wage and finding a commensurate financial value for the care of others. Buddhism offers us some tools to use as we move into the future including the practice of mindfulness and non-attachment, and understanding the nature of things.

On a personal level, women now have the opportunity to move into any field they like and they have choices about how they live their lives. Sandy Boucher talks about mindfulness as one of the most important elements of a Buddhist practice. It is a condition in which “we situate ourselves in this present moment, and we are paying attention to what is going on now” (Boucher, 1997, p. 25). Buddhism is not “an other-worldly path; it asks us to take care of business in the here and now” (Boucher, 1997, p. 26). At various points in our lives, we must make significant choices. When we make those choices, we should be mindful. We should meditate and focus, so that we can be in a relaxed, non-judging attentiveness, fully alive and awake to make the right choice for us at the time.

I remember taking my statistics class in college. From the same set of raw data, we sliced and diced the data in various ways so that we could prove just about any point we wanted. It was fun and eye-opening. It reminds me of the Cittamatr school explanation of the three levels of “truth”. We manifest and perceive things at the imagined level, the relative level and the perfected level. At the imagined level, it is how things appear to us and things are not really like that appearance. At the relative level, we perceive things as they are according to interdependency. At the perfected level, we would see that there is no subject or object, but only the flow of experiences.

Let’s apply these levels to the idea of a “glass ceiling” in business. There is a “glass ceiling” because there are so few senior female managers in business would be a perception according to the imagined level, because we only imagine it based on a small set of data about the broader pool of women in business. The second level or relative aspect would be the basis for perceiving that based on the pool of women who are currently qualified to be senior female managers, there are many in business. The perfected level would mean that we perceive the true nature of things. We wouldn’t see male and female persons, we would just see persons and of those persons, there are many senior managers. When we read about statistics, we should think about how we perceive them so that we can find our truth.

The last Buddhist concept I would like to present is the concept of detachment. It is not that we should not care about the future of the gender gap, but rather we need to not be attached to the outcome of how it develops over time. Be in the moment, aware of each work situation we may experience and choice we make. As we do this, we will contribute to the progress which has already been made by helping to “write more humane and sane rules” (Gross, 1993, p.231) for the workplace. Right livelihood, irrespective of gender, should integrate work into the rest of our life, bringing us a sense of balance and parity.

References

Boucher, Sandy. Opening the Lotus. Boston: Beacon P, 1997.

French, Nicci. "Feminism Has Benefited Men." Male/Female Roles. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. Opposing ViewpointsÂ®. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.

Furchtgott-Roth, Diana. "Women Do Not Face Discrimination in the Workplace." At Issue: Does Equality Exist in America?. Ed. Stuart A. Kallen. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.
Gross, Rita M. Buddhism After Patriarchy. New York: State University of New York P, 1993.

Lowell, Julie. "Women Face Discrimination in the Workplace." At Issue: Does Equality Exist in America?. Ed. Stuart A. Kallen. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.

Roth, Louise Marie. "Selling women short: a research note on gender differences in compensation on Wall Street *." Social Forces. 82. 2 (Dec 2003): 783(20). Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.

Venable, Denise. "Women Do Not Earn Less than Men Due to Gender Discrimination." Social Justice. Ed. William Dudley. Opposing ViewpointsÂ®. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.

Wendland, Joel. "Women Earn Less than Men Due to Gender Discrimination." Social Justice. Ed. William Dudley. Opposing ViewpointsÂ®. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Thomson Gale. Peninsula Library System. 13 July 2007.

Vegetable Soup Recipe

2008-10-11T08:54:00.003-04:00

This is my first post and I am excited about having a blog. A friend asked for some easy vegetarian recipes, so I thought I would start with my vegetarian version of my mother's vegetable soup recipe.

Leslie Ottavi's Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients

¼ cup salad oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 celery stalks sliced
2 medium carrots sliced
1 medium zucchini cut into chunks
2 large potatoes cut into chunks (can substitute ½ head cabbage cut for potatoes)
3 tablespoons parsley (fresh flat chopped is best)
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes
4, 14-ounce cans of vegetable broth
1 lb cut fresh green beans
2 teaspoons salt (more to taste as needed)
1 teaspoon pepper (more to taste as needed)
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon of Marie Sharp's hot sauce or another brand of choice (don't need to do this step, but it does add a bit of zest)

In a 5 quart Dutch oven over high heat, in very hot salad oil, cook onion, celery, carrots and zucchini until the vegetables are lightly browned, stirring frequently.
While doing above, peel potatoes and cut into chunks.
Add potatoes, tomatoes with liquid and remaining ingredients to the vegetable mixture.
Heat to boiling and then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or just until the potatoes are fork-tender. Soup is now ready to serve.

Enjoy!