whatever else might be stewing that needs discussion

don’t know if you are ok with serious politics for this request but here goes, I am surprised THIS hasn’t been a topic anywhere on our consortium;

Last summer, former Abu Ghraib investigator ret. Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba said that the Bush administration had “committed war crimes” and needed to be “held to account.” Yesterday, 18 human rights organizations, former State Department officials, and former law enforcement and military leaders — including Taguba — signed onto a letter asking the President to create a non-partisan commission to investigate the Bush administration’s torture policies. In a new interview with Salon, he explains why:

I feel we have to come to terms with policies that have gained such notoriety and have been debated about whether they were in the best interest of our national security, and whether those who created these policies were pressured by their senior leadership. […]

[I support] a structured commission with some form of authority with clear objectives and a follow-on action plan. I’m not looking for anything that is prosecutorial in nature, unless a suspected violation of relevant laws occurred, which should be referred to the Dept of Justice.

bush used to boast about his reliance on “the military generals”

well there they are, military generals telling obama he’s doing this nation great harm unless he conducts investigation

Well – tonight’s dinner will be pasta with a sauce made from chestnuts and dried mushrooms (from a recipe published in the NY Times 12/31/1997 and available online). It’s interesting if only b/c it’s wholly vegetarian and, if you go with egg-free noodles (uck), its vegan. Keep the recipe handy for when you have veg friends coming over for dinner.

That will work out to costing about 25 or maybe 50 cents for the main course.

My biggest way of economizing has been cooking for myself, and keeping to peasant-style ribsticker food. That, and don’t buy anything beyond maintaining what you have.

Use the “savings card” at the supermarket, and stick to buying only those items that are marked down.

Buy meat that is going to hit its expiration date today. Those are the trays marked down really low, like 59 cents a pound chicken. There are usually one or two of those in the middle of the meat cooler. Before you buy it, give it a good once-over. When you do buy it, take it home, check it out and freeze it or use it immediately.

Learn how gravy stretches meals. Ditto cheap potatoes. Likewise strong spices like curry.

When buying citrus fruit, save the peel and candy it (the recipe is stupid-easy and is in any good cookbook). Candied orange peel and a couple dates in your oatmeal makes a wickedly flavorful breakfast.

Understand that convenience foods cost more b/c you are paying for time.

Chew slowly.

Make sure the washer and dryer are running full loads.

Walk more.

Recognize that a good book or the internets are probably better for your mind than cable TV. And cheaper, too.

Early to bed, early to rise. Works.

Here’s the link, and here’s the recipe:

PASTA WITH CHESTNUTS AND MUSHROOMS
Total time: 30 minutes

15 chestnuts
1 ounce dried mushrooms, preferably an assortment
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup peeled and sliced shallots
1 pound cut pasta, like ziti.

1. Using a paring knife, make a horizontal cut on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them in boiling water to cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water a few at a time and peel while still hot.
2. Soak the mushrooms in about 1 1/2 cups of very hot water. For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
3. Place half the butter in a skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and a minute later, add the shallots. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop the chestnuts into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks, then measure about a cup. Add them to the skillet, along with a little more salt.
4. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts deepen in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water; strain and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms, and add them to the skillet; cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the strained liquid. Turn the heat to low, and season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.
5. Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. If the chestnut sauce is too thick, add a little of the pasta water to it when the pasta is nearly done. Stir in the remaining butter.Drain the pasta, and dress with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Yield: 3 to 6 servings.

This will freeze and keep, so you can multiply the recipe and make it in larger quantities.

No Rights for Detainees in Afghanistan
http://www.truthout.org/022109Z
Nedra Pickler and Matt Apuzzo, The Associated Press: “The Obama administration, siding with the Bush White House, contended Friday that detainees in Afghanistan have no constitutional rights. In a two-sentence court filing, the Justice Department said it agreed that detainees at Bagram Airfield cannot use US courts to challenge their detention. The filing shocked human rights attorneys.”

Another blow for human rights advocates!
I hope that its just that the Obama administration is only a month old, and that these horrible decisions will change.

Bob in HI

Recognize that a good book or the internets are probably better for your mind than cable TV. And cheaper, too.

Where do you get free books on the internet?

oops, misread that.

Although there are free books on the internet through Project Gutenberg (and others)

Prices are so high that I have completely changed my shopping habits for the necessities.

I have the small preferred customer key tags for each of the grocery, drug stores where I shop. Also, have a file box with monthly dividers where I store coupons.

Here in NC, the drug store circulars are the Sunday paper and the grocery sales are in Wednesday’s. It could drive one crazy.

However, there’s help online. Sue Stock in the Raleigh, NC paper compiles a weekly list of the specials and also pairs it with recent coupons. The grocery chains may not be the same ones as in your area but the drug chains are everywhere. This is a terrific help. She also has marvelous teaching tools about how to save money when shopping. It’s definitely a site worth bookmarking.

http://projects.newsobserver.c…..y_deals_60

Here’s how I’m saving money and still going on vacation. We’re renting a magnificent condo in Myrtle Beach with another couple. Some of my children may show up, some of the other couple’s may also. It’s impossible to pin down the 20 somethings. If they come, they’ll crash on the couch or wherever.
It will cost each couple $450 for the week. If our incomes crash, we’ll make our own drinks and cook our own meals. But we’ll do it as we gaze at the beach.
This may not exactly be as conservative as coupon clipping but we’re pretty excited that we don’t have to give up vacation.

We put a clothesline up in the back yard about 4 years ago, and try to use it instead of the dryer (although weather doesn’t always cooperate) for clothes. We were amazed by how much our power bill dropped when we stopped using the dryer.

We bought a programmable thermostat. We don’t heat/cool the house during the day when no one is home, and my husband put a limit on how high it can be set, so the kids can’t come in and crank it to 80 when we aren’t around. 68 in the winter, 72 in the summer. The house is an older one, with three huge trees that shade it in the winter, so we rarely run the AC.

Unfortunately, all that lovely shade means there really isn’t anywhere that gets enough sun to successfully grow much of our own food. I tried with tomatoes last year, and didn’t have much luck but we’re going to try again this year, in a different spot.

As far as food goes, I’ve found that a big thing is to cook myself, avoid convenience foods, and make enough so there is something for lunch the next day. The buying lunch out is a killer on the finances.

I also think that our very own Aunt Toby has a great site: http://www.kitchencountereconomics.com/

The recipe for using leftover mashed potatoes to make tuna patties was a huge hit in this household. I was amazed.

I’m re-reading my post and it sounds more cavalier than I intended. And insensitive to those who are struggling more than I. I apologize. I’m not struggling yet, though I know that it may be right around the corner (husband works for GM). We talked about no vacation this year (a 20yr tradition) since we live in such uncertain times. It’s our only weeklong escape and hubby has lots of stress. So, we came up with this plan and since we have a kitchen, we can spend nothing but grocery money if need be.
Again, I’m sorry for the way that post sounds.

A friend of mine put a timer on their hot water heater also. No kids in the home, though, and they both work. So the hot water comes on in time for morning showers, then off for the day and on again for a few hours in the evening for dishes. She said it’s a real saver. It must be electric. Can’t do it for gas heaters.

Quick question. Are you driving or flying? If driving, thought you might want to know that Costco in South Myrtle sells liquor in addition to wine. That’s not possible here in NC. People drive down there just to stock up.

OH…and never apologize for taking care of yourself and DH. *g*

Driving. I’m not familiar with CostCo. Is the liquor cheaper there?

It’s the warehouse store Costco. One can also order online from them…escept of course alcohol. From what I understand, the liquor is cheaper at the SC store.

They are a marvelous, employee friendly (and Blue) company.

We don’t have CostCo where I live but now I’ve googled it and see that it’s similar to our BJ’s but at a much grander scale. I’ll check it out. Are you from Myrtle Beach? It’s where we hope to retire (if we ever retire).

Nope. Live near the NC coast. Visited Pawley’s Island, SC in October. Was the first time I had been in the MB area in years. Was astonished by the growth.

Also, if you decide to do a lot of cooking while in MB, Costco has great prices on groceries.

I see that. It could help me avoid WalMart.

LOL. I will do anything to avoid a WalMart. Their entire corporate ethos simply offends me to my core.

Add McDonalds to your
http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..431/700300

Best cost saver I know is creating a menu every week. I started out using savingdinner.com menus and now use my own. It saved our family $200 a month — and that’s with eating out one day a week. You end up buying a lot less at the grocery store and wasting a lot less at home, too. I end up making 5 meals a week with one night for leftovers and one night eating out. It’s really not too bad.

One reason I went to my own menu is that I’m buying local foods through a CSA and a side of beef in the freezer. It’s kind of odd purchasing a year’s worth of food in one shot, but it really cuts down on the trips to the grocery store and results in fresher, healthier food and a bigger savings. It’s taken us 2 years to get to this point and I’m not looking back!

I use my Sunday morning trip to the farmers’ market as the basis for the weeks menus. Much of Sunday is then spent puttering about the kitchen, rattlin’ the pots and pans. We use a clothes rack for drying – mostly because the spouse fears dryer shrinkage of his shirts.
I have been very fortunate to have gotten a very secure and well paid job negotiating and enfocing Union contracts (IUOE!), and am trying to balance saving/paying down debt with spending in my community to circulate dollars locally.
This year, we told our families that we were not planning on exchanging gifts. Instead, we went to New Orleans and blew a wad on their economy including massive tipping of hotel house-keeping staff, waiter persons, street artists and the like. One of the most memorable events was a free concert at the St. Louis cathedral featuring the Ellis Marsalis quartet – beyond standing room only. Prior to starting the music, Mr. Marsalis welcomed the attendees and asked for a show of hands of who were visiters. Perhaps 70% raised their hands. He graciously thanked us for coming to his City and encouraged us to come back, encourage others to come and, “bring money.” Not a dry eye to be seen.
I received a end of year bonus. I gave it away – split between the staff at the Rubicon Brew Pub and the rest to Loaves and Fishes and the Animal shelter.
I am convinced that careful spending is every bit as important as saving and dollar stretching.
We will get through these hard times together.

laurastrand, chances are you won’t read this very late reply under this posting but did want to tell you how much good your generosity does for my tightwaddish inner me. You live large and give large, and must have so much fun and satisfaction. To give a bonus away rather than keeping it (wonder if the guys on Wall Street ever do that?) is a lovely act.

And Christy love your new home and personal posts almost as much as PUAC. Of course your excellent and well written posts otherwise, have become ones I look forward to and read carefully. Goodluck with your busy family and really do take care of yourself as well as you take care of Mr.RH, Peanut and FIL etc.

Just did the drive from Athens ohio to D.C. again. That warm week sure brought out the early budding of maples etc. Could see the beautiful hardwood forest tipped with an olive green and soft shades of spring buds. Sure to get hammered again from winter storms