Good morning. Yes, I’m going to enjoy the weather this weekend. It’s supposed to be gorgeous.
We have a bushel of clams which we will eat raw.

That’s it for my recipes.

Morning!

I’d like to have United Steaks. ( cooked, tho ;)

Morning Christy, gorgeous day here in the Great Lakes State, ground zero of the Republican created 2nd Depression. Of course they had plenty of help from Democrats. Although OT I wanted to ask your legal opinion of legislation that could well require citizens to purchase health insurance from a for profit corporation. Couldn’t this spark a class action suit and/or a Supreme Court challenge.

Good morning! Weather in NW Indiana is going to be glorious, daughter and family coming up from Indy, we’re going to take the girls to the zoo, grill out, and enjoy the weekend.

Raw clams? NOMMY!! We’re just cooking chicken and steak — picky eaters in the house this time.

Morning all. Looks like another gorgeous day here today, too. Mercifully, the coffee is almost done brewing…

I just made a recipe I haven’t had since I was a kid: cinnamon toast.

1) Make toast.
2) Butter it.
3) Spread sugar and cinnamon on it.

You can think of it as recession cinnamon rolls. :)

Good morning all. Cloudy here. There was some rain last night. I could hear all the blades of grass singing their joy. It’s been drought here and I’m hoping for more rain. What’s giving me joy is looking out my window and see whatever’s coming through – snakes, coyotes, deer, rabbits, road runners, cardinals, bluejays. The hummingbirds love my orange bells. I’m going tonight to a performance of Irish music. Yum!

Still deciding if I’m going this morning to a training that Lisa Fithian is putting on. I’m leaning towards going. Must get ready.

Love to all…..

I think it’s even better than cinnamon rolls.

The Peanut has been on a cinnamon toast kick of late, too. I made some homemade oatmeal bread this week and it’s been a fave for her.

Gazpacho
Use homegrown or Farmer’s Market veggies, and leave it a little chunky instead of pureed. I use the Cuisinart and it takes about 10 minutes tops!

4 cups finely chopped tomato
1 cup each (finely chopped) green pepper, celery, cucumber
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (one small)
4 tsp snipped parsley
2 tsp. snipped chives
1 clove garlic, minced
tomato juice or V8, to desired thickness
6 Tbsp. wine or tarragon vinegar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
3 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
generous splash of Tabasco, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, chill at least 4 hours. Serve topped with croutons and a dollop of sour cream, in chilled cups or bowls. Serves 8, but easily cut in half, and you don’t have to be terribly precise with the ingredients. This keeps several days in the fridge.

Wow. Memories. I used to make those when I was a kid. I toasted one side of the bread in the broiler, then buttered and sprinkled my cinnamon-sugar mixture on it, put it back in the broiler til it was bubbling a little. Once it cooled off, it made a nice crunchy cinnamon sugar crust.

OOPS. The bold was supposed to be only the title!!

Off to the farmer’s market. Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Morning Christy,

We’re going to smoke some meat – stick it out the kitchen window for a few hours, let it marinate in the brown, ashy haze . Kidding, but we can’t barbeque if tomorrow is anything like today. The dogs will only go out for a few minutes at a time and come back sneezing and covered in ash.

Ah, fire season in California. We’ll probably go to a movie then hole up inside for the duration.

I do hope yours is much better.

I was in Panera Bread earlier in the week, and I saw that they are selling bite-size chunks of cinnamon bagels in a cup. I think I’m going to stop by and pick up a cup or two for the granddaughters!!

We’re having a problem in my neighborhood. We are being visited by coyotes. Yesterday (during the late afternoon) my son saw one in our yard. He said it was huge. Add to that the fact that my dog was attacked by a fox last winter and it’s getting scary.
Last year the village cut down a lot of trees in our wooded areas. I don’t know if that has caused the problem or not but we’ve never had such scary critters before.

mornin’ all.

not sure what I’m gonna pull out of my gourmet recipe bag (ahem), but Number One Son is here in town somewhere this weekend. He came in to talk to IU’s ROTC program – was told to just put in the paperwork and he’s in. If he can get direct admittance into the Business School (Forbes ranks #5 in the country, I believe), he’ll probably go there.

A couple of weeks ago, West Point contacted him, and they want him bad. The guy there told him to apply to IU and to West Point, and in the interim, he was going to make it his personal mission to convince him that West Point is the better choice.

Two excellent choices are wide open – I’m pushing like heck for West Point, but – he’s a hard-head who makes up his own mind, thank you very much. I may have to start a guerrilla campaign, enlisting all his family and friends to also push the West Point choice.

Oh yeah – the weather here is great, and the Labor Day parade should be cranking up here shortly.

Gosh Elliott that steak looks like a heart attack waiting to happen. We’re going to throw some elk on the grill.

Wow, that would be scary for your dog’s safety. We saw a coyote a couple years ago here — first one I’d seen out in the open in ages here. But it hasn’t reappeared anywhere near our house since that first sighting.

Might be something worth talking to a local DNR (department of natural resources here in WV — other states have different names for them, but they are the fish and game folks) to see if there are steps you can take to protect your property while not harming the wildlife.

they probably already know that their grandma is the best, but just in case, those little bagels can’t hurt!

We actually have a cinnamon sugar shaker; it looks like a giant salt shaker with pretty good sized holes in the screw-on lid. You mix your sugar and cinnamon and then fill the shaker. Toast bread (preferably the cottage white bought at our local farmers market), liberally apply actual butter, place on paper plate, shake on the cinnamon-sugar, and move to second paper plate. Pour overage from first plate back into the shaker. Pour coffee and spike with sugar-free vanilla Coffee Mate, look out the window at the bird feeders in the back yard and consume. Repeat until the coffee runs out.

Yeah, now that you mention it, that’s the way we used to make it when I was a kid. We had a small toaster-broiler so you wouldn’t have to heat up the oven broiler. But you can make do with just a toaster.

Well, that stinks. I forget how much impact humongous fires have on people for miles around. We were in Big Sky, MT during the Yellowstone fire long, long ago. Ash and hazy sky and smell of smoke even that far away. And did I just read that the LA fire started as arson? Sick bastard(s). Oh. Good morning, everyone.

Send me some! No, don’t. South Beach police would smack me down. Send farmer’s market goodies, then, okay?

FWIW, West Point’s campus is absolutely gorgeous. Especially this time of year should he want to tour it. *g*

With this SCOTUS it’s likely that they too are in the pocket of the insurance industry.

Morning Christy et al.

Last weekend before the church year starts up in ernest. Gonna enjoy the weather but no particular plans. The new opera Gonzales Contata is in Philly today and tomorrow and I’d like to see it but whether or not we’ll make the trip in is a question.

Meanwhile we went to a Sestak town hall last night and I have to say it was scary. Probably 70% of the people there were teabagging loonies. How he managed to not want to punch some of them out is beyond me. It started at 7 and we left at about 10:15 and he was still going having pledged to answer every question.

I cannot recall a time when I was surrounded by such selfish, angry, ill-informed, hate-filled, obstinate people. That church will have to be smudged before a worship service can take place there again (though of course the parishioners there, I’m sure, wouldn’t know what I was talking about)

I truly fear that there’s going to be some nasty violence not too far down the road. The first time someone shows up with a gun at one of these or an Obama event and the cops DO try to take away their 2nd amendment, it’s anyone’s guess what will erupt nation-wide.

Sorry to litter the thread with such negativity, but last night was an eye-opener. It’s one thing to see the crazies on teevee, it’s another to be surrounded by them.

I don’t know if coyotes are dangerous to people. I have a friend in AZ who says they don’t hang out in packs like dogs and they leave people alone for the most part. But I know they could attack small dogs. I think they would have a hard time catching a cat– the cat would just climb a tree.

Wow, I hope you convince him.

Solai – we’ve had a problem with coyotes down here in the Southern Tier for years. Leaving pets outdoors is basically a no-no. And I don’t now what is causing it either – if it’s the whole thing with the deer population exploding or what.

Unfortunately, my dog died. Two weeks after the fox attack, she had a stroke. We blame the trauma of the attack. She was 12yrs old.

We have a huge list of things to do this weekend; luckily the weather looks as if it will cooperate:
Take the honey off the bee hives
Clear out a patch of the garden that is beyond its best, dig up and plant fall lettuces.
harvest the cabbages, cut up in chunks and freeze.
Wash blankets and hang outdoors in the sun
BBQ with the fam

we lost a cat to a coyote several years ago. She was my honey—nicest easiest cat I ever had. Kept them all indoors since.

Having a salad for Labor Day, myself.

And as to cinnamon sugar toast, the really oldfashioned toaster had a shelf that held the toast, one side at a time toward the burner, that’s how we did that one, my kids loved it.

Toby, did you see Arcuri on Hardball? Chris Matthews tore into him big time.

We don’t get tv at our house; I’ll have to try to find that episode at MSNBC. If Tweety ripped him a new one, that’s fine with me – Arcuri is awful.

thanks – me too.

did I mention that he has a very hard head?

I truly fear that there’s going to be some nasty violence not too far down the road. The first time someone shows up with a gun at one of these or an Obama event and the cops DO try to take away their 2nd amendment, it’s anyone’s guess what will erupt nation-wide.

Most of them are all talk, no action. Any eruption nationwide will just be more hissy fit, and they’re already pretty much maxed out on that one.

Oh, gosh, remember the toasters with the hinged, drop sides? Many’s the toast-scraping moment from those long-ago days. Had one at the family cabin for decades. Not retro. Just indicative of Depression-era parents who used and repaired and used some more until things were beyond resuscitating.

I misread that and thought you were going to BBQ the family

Good morning everyone! I’ll be working around the house this weekend ’cause wintah is comin’. :-) As usual, I will most likely work on Labor Day but won’t complain, because as a self-employed single Mom…..gotta keep the money coming in! Not worky, no money. :-)

I agree…..so what do we do? I’ve written him till my fingers are numb and he keeps writing back absolute drivel. I’m thinking that if he wins one more term he may be in for life…..and that scares me.

I’m sorry– that’s really sad. I love cats.

I’m going to the Kerrville Folk Festival like I do every year at this time. That is unless it’s storming. I’m not going to drive all the way out there so I can huddle under a tarp with a bunch of sweaty hippies, though I am often a sweaty hippie myself.

foothillsmike is throwing some elk on the grill.

What made him go on teevee is a mystery. He seemed totally out of his league.

I hope you’re right on that. But there’s an awful lot of anger that’s been drummed up by Beck, Hannity, BillO and of course, Rush. It’s amazing that grown-ups are so easily manipulated, but then again, why am I surprised.

The one thread that ran through them all last night was “I’ve got mine, I want it protected, and I don’t give a damn about anyone else. If they want health care they had better earn their own way and pay for it. Just don’t touch mine!” “Oh, and those brown people who come from somewhere else? Send them back on a cattle car”

That’s the subtext—and not always so sub—of what I heard last night.

LMAO! Sadly, I don’t have enough family members left to make a full meal. I wonder if Christy will invite me to help enjoy hers?

My brother used to play there almost every year. It was one of his regular gigs.

for months, i had a pack of coyotes howling behind my house in the middle of the night. the last time i saw one, a couple weeks ago, it had something big in its mouth. i couldn’t tell if it was a rabbit or a cat. i was told by the neighbors when i moved in here that if i had cats to keep them indoors because of the coyotes.

and about 3 nights ago, after months of not hearing them, but seeing them one or two at a time on the hiking trails, i heard the pack again howling at 2 am.

Make that elk steaks

Some years ago in Pasadena a 2 year old eating cookies with her dolls was snatched from her front yard by a big coyote. Mom whacked the coyote with a rake before he got to the next house, but she was injured pretty badly. They tend to go for the throat. There were more than 60 incidents of coyotes attacking pets, kids and adults in CA from 1978-2003.

We are destroying their habitats and they have no choice but to integrate into human populations if they want to survive. They are not benign critters in populated areas. We’ve lost 2 cats to them in the last two years from our yard and see them trotting down the street at all hours of the day and night. Last summer, in the middle of a bad heat wave, I saw a coyote lying panting on the grass about 20 feet from a couple of bunnies doing the same.

I think they are beautiful, myself.

So, are you afraid of them? Everytime I get out of my car at night I’m a little spooked. And, what about them being around during daylight….is that unusual?

Tasty salad:

mixed spring greens
red pears (sliced)
feta cheese
pecan halves

Balsamic dressing (mix up ahead of time to blend):
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/8 c. olive oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

The thing that I’ve learned is that it’s not usually the mouthy ones that ought to worry us. They are often a lot of talk and not much action. It’s the quiet ones — the loners, the ones that plot in the shadows, that worry me.

And there have been far too many of those through the years for my comfort.

I haven’t made it to the main festival in years, which takes place during and just after Memorial Day. I much prefer Little Folk which takes place over the Labor Day weekend and has been described as “a staff party that other people show up to help pay for”. Lots of fun and good folks. :-)

I’m certain you’d be more than welcome. It’s not our picnic — it’s a friend of ours who has it every year. But her philosophy is always “the more, the merrier.” :)

Well, that answered my question.

Mornin’, Christy, pups

My gramma made cinnamon toast by first buttering the bread, then a layer of sugar, then a layer of cinnamon. Put under broiler and heat til the butter bubbles. At one point in my life I had a toaster oven. Cinnamon toast was the only thing that ever got made in it. Now I have to use the oven. Better than sticky buns.

On the grill it’s gonna be jumbo shrimp, butterflied. Marinated in Italian dressing for about 20 minutes and cook on grill 3 minutes a side. I put aluminum foil on the grill for even cooking. Hmmmmm, good.

RieszFisher. Check out Caturday on Seminal tomorrow around noonish.

Good Morning All.
I’m with (or at least near) Mommybrain. Smoked meat. Ha! It has cleared up a bit though, and I actually have opened the living room windows.
Kay in Maine. Winter’s coming? Not out here. Hot as hell.
Me? I’m going shopping for a MOB dress with my sister today. I should wear a bra and heels probably, right? If I want to have any idea of what stuff will truly look like. Any tips from former mother of the brides? The wedding is 4 weeks from today.

the only time they worried me was once when two were trotting across a wide expanse in the greenbelt towards me. i turned toward them and picked up a rock just in case, but they stopped probably 30 yards from me and we looked at each other for a while and then they trotted away. i basically like seeing them. and like hearing them.

i had an all night retreat here last year with my sufi friends and most of us were outside when the coyotes started. everyone just loved hearing it.

Good For you….sounds like fun. Though the rain may come…

We had a genuine hard rain/thunderstorm last night; it was wonderful. It has been so dry and permanently hot…this morning still overcast and hints of fall.

Im having a make over during the next few days…a special opportunity from work to participate in fundraiser….you folks will not even recognize me…;)

I’m picturing him wrestling a full grown elk who’s a bit reluctant to go on the coals.

Looks like Obama is having cooked goose.

My gramma had one of those well into the 60s. I used to call it charcoal toast.

I swear I thought you were writing here about coyotes!

Even in MN, there have been coyote problems. Had one literally cross my path maybe 10 yards ahead whilst out for a walk (on a ‘burb street). Cheeky devil.

Aloha Ya’ll! It’s a working weekend for me, and the family is on the north shore of Oahu attending a Salvation Army family camp…!

The underlying racist nature of what is going on is quite stark. I take comfort in believing that it’s mostly the crazies who show up for these events because of their paranoia and greed. The good people who are serving others and the common good are doing what they do and not taking the time to come and yell and shout. At least that’s what I choose to believe.

Just a reminder for everyone — Tom Ridge will be here for Book Salon this afternoon at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT. Ought to be a lively one (that’s putting it mildly!), so I hope you all can make it.

I’m hosting today…

Thanks Christy! How sweeet and I’m sure it was meant even though I’m all the way down in central Texas. Nah, again, I’m going to try to make it to Little Folk but if the weather doesn’t cooperate, I’m not going to put myself through it. I almost never eat beef but if I wind up staying home, I’ll grill on Mr Foreman instead.

mine was in the burbs of Boston. They’re everywhere.

Time to get on with the day. Things to do in the sunshine!

Did you ever see the movie “The Guardian”? It’s about a druid tree witch (played by the lovely Jenny Seagrove) in California who had a pack of coyotes under her direction. There was the obligatory attempted rape scene where a couple of lowlifes came upon the witch out in the woods. She ran away and sicced her coyotes on them.

I’m sure he’ll continue the backtracking he did with Rachel about the ‘politicization’ of the terror alerts….! ;-)

We’ve talked before….get a dress you really like and keep wearing. Just a tip….when my dau. got married, the other mother wore a sort of cocktail dress that was a silvery, gunmetal gray….I’m telling b/c I think that is unusual, and it was georgeous….get something you like.

I think smoke alarms closed that toaster chapter.

I should wear a bra and heels probably, right?

Reminds me of my 92yr old aunt who I helped prepare for a family wedding. I know how much she’s into comfortable clothes so I told her she needn’t wear pantyhose, that they were out of fashion, that no one would have them on. She liked that immensely, thought about for a few seconds, and then said “How about a bra?”

Aloha
how’s the beach house coming?

Hey Demi! The fire has circled back around behind us, smoke worse than ever. We’re not in danger, it is several ridges away.

Bra is a must for trying on MOB dresses, imho. Sorry.

Do we have to be nice?

Konichiwa, CT.

A lot slower than anticipated… Btw, it’s not on a beach, it’s at least a few miles from the nearest one…! ;-)

I was going to ask you about that. I’ve been trying to think of questions, but I can only think of one. Why should I buy your book, Tom, when you can’t even be honest about the Nothing we did was politically motivated, one week before the election? I’m afraid I’d say something like, when and where you do a [number two] one week before an election is politically motivated.
Will you be having all of the mods pulling duty today? hee hee.

I have a set of 4 questions I got from Rob Lorei, News Director for WMNF. He went to the same high school as Ridge, later class. Seems Ridge came back from Nam and did a talk at the school supporting the war.

Guten tag, SD…! *g*

Is there a pool on whether Ridge will stay for the duration? I will be there to find out ! Good luck, Christy.

15 second delay on all comments recommended!

It’s both racism and an attempt to entirely discredit him, to make him not “us”. I agree with Christy though in that it’s always the ones you don’t notice, the ones who plot in secret who are dangerous but what truly disgusts me are the elected members of congress who are actively trying to marginalize Obama. I remember when MoveOn.org was condemned in congress for call Patreaus, “Betrayus” and what people like Barton, Inhofe et al have been doing makes that look like quite a gentle rebuke. With great freedom comes great responsibility and the Republicans seemed to have missed that boat a long time ago. They preach responsibility but refuse to practice it, just as they preach pious behavior while exempting themselves from it. If the media truly was Liberal, this wouldn’t be happening because they would be treated like MoveOn.org was.

Demi, winter is coming! Just not where you are. LOL

On Sunday, my friend Suzan and her sister are coming to my neck of the woods and we’re going to do some gem digging in the quarries.

http://diggems.com/

If we open a huge vein of rare Maine tourmaline, I just want to say it was nice knowing all of you! I will be starting my early retirement. :-)

Happy weekend here. Our oldest is back on her first trip home from college and the football season starts on TV. Here’s something I threw together this week after consulting a few different recipes. Not particularly healthy but tasty:

One pound penne cooked al dente.

One medium onion and 2-3 cloves garlic sauteed in in 3 T butter. Take off burner and allow to cool. Add half a small bag of frozen peas (I thawed them a couple of hours) and allow them to warm. Add 1 C ham (I used sliced brown sugar cured) cut into small bits and allow to warm. (The gourmets used prosciutto, but I wanted something sweeter for my younger child).

Allow one egg and one C cream to come to room temperature. Mix egg and cream. Grate several ounces of Pecorino Romano cheese (I used a chunk about the size of the egg) and 1/4 C Parmesan.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot while still hot. Add onion/pea/ham mixture and stir. Add cream and cheeses and mix well to melt cheese. Grind black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Sounds complicated but is very easy. C’mon jayt, I know you have your home-ec badge–you could do this.

When driving down the road in the Black Hills about five coyotes came out of the ditch and four of them were fighting against one – totally oblivious to all of the traffic on the road.

There’s a lot of contradiction about that back and forth in the book itself. I do think that one quote has been blown out of proportion when you look at the book as a whole.

Especially because he says several chapters earlier that it was impossible for there to be a change in the terror alert system without unanimous agreement among the various agency heads — that it wasn’t set up so that it could be changed by order of one or two people or executive agencies. Even the President couldn’t change the alert system on a single order — which is a good thing to know. I hadn’t realized it was set up that way.

Doesn’t mean it couldn’t be gamed, though, or that people didn’t try to do so. But Ridge takes the glass half full view on that, I think, naively or perhaps wistfully — just not sure what the motivation might be.

But the fact that it was put in there says to me that he truly did have questions at the time about that one, particular incident. He just chose to resolve them internally as “I know these folks are decent and wouldn’t do that.” I can understand that, but I think he’s wrong in terms of misplaced trust.

But then, I’m a cynic. *g*

Heh, Jayt could burn water…! ;-)

I’ve cleared my social calendar to ensure I’ll be here for the whole shootin’ match.

Oh, hell. Maybe I’ll go all out and buy a new bra! Har, har. Daughter sent me lots of links for dresses she like to see me in. I’m leaning toward the cocktail type dress (Christy had suggested and Revbev too).
I wish my daughter could go shopping with me, but my dear sister has consented to join me.

Okay, without meaning to get anal, it’s “konichi wa”, which very loosely means Good Afternoon. “wa” being a particle word rather than a suffix. “Ohayo Gozaimasu” would be much more appropriate for the current time of day in the western hemisphere though. Just FYI. :-)

me too
have to decide what to drink with my popcorn.

The rule — as with all book salons — is that you have to be polite. Ask away on the tough questions, just no name-calling or rude behavior. We’d like a conversation where he’s confronted with tough questions — I know I have a lot of them — but doesn’t feel like he’s dealing with an insane screaming mob of asshats.

Frankly, I’d rather it stays civil because we’re more likely to coax information out of him that way, eh? It’s the “more flies with honey” strategy my granny taught me growing up. *g*

Someone up-thread wrote that she lives a few ridges away from danger. Make that Ridges and it’s a mighty metaphor of some kind. My well-developed inner cynic is very dubious about anything TR has to say. If I come back this afternoon (guests for dinner — no, wait, guests coming to eat dinner here), I will lurk. If I de-lurk, I will behave. It is the new me.

Sounds like a blast, good luck!

Unanimous agreement…? Wow, it’s a wonder that it was changed at anytime…! Btw, I think you’re more pragmatic than cynical…!

Heck, if I could afford to retire, you’d all be seeing much more of cyber me. Not only would I have more time but I would be able to afford to stay connected anytime, anywhere. :-)

i’m off to the activist training this morning with lisa fithian. have fun.

The entire idea of having a color-coded terror alert system was designed to keep Americans terrorized. So, manipulating it was a natural outcome of a bad idea. Am I clear in my meaning? What was the motivation to having such a stupid system in the first place? Israel doesn’t have one. Someone said the only people that would check the status would be terrorists and they didn’t feel tipping them off was productive.

Yes but they have a competent intelligence sevice.

Rachel and your granny must know each other *g* I thought her interview was tough but stirred with a spoonful of honey.

But what he said at the end made me throw my shoe at the TV – that old bit about “if everyone could sit down and have civil discourse like we just did, we’d all be better off.”

Why is it that’s always mouthed by the people who call you a scum-sucking liberal traitor and much much worse behind your back?

Gonna fix this for you so it’s not inflammatory:

The entire idea of having a color-coded terror alert system was designed to keep Americans terrorized safe. So, manipulating adjusting it was a natural outcome of a bad stellar idea. Am I clear in my meaning? What was the motivation to having such a stupid forward-looking system in the first place? Israel Iceland doesn’t have one. Someone The crazies on the left said the only people that would check the status would be terrorists and they didn’t feel tipping them off was productive.

When in Japan I was taught that konichi wa could be used informally in lieu of the more formal Ohayo Gozaimasu with friends and associates at any time. With strangers, business people and on more than casual occasions the more formal salutation is proper.

Because they’re cowards? Just a thought.

an insane screaming mob of asshats.
How, us? You’re just too cute, Christy. More like a pack of teeth-bared snarling, yipping firecoyetes.
Aren’t you a little nervous?

Its the same equivelency argument that is made by these people. Tom Tancredo made me want to throw my own shoe when he told Ed Schultz that Democrats also had called Bush a Nazi, though when pressed he couldn’t name a single elected official who ever called Bush fascist. Generally I like Ed Schultz but he deplores all of the hate and venom being put out by the right and then gives some of the worst offenders a platform from which to disseminate it.

I agree with you. It’s not the loud- mouthed, overt morons I worry about. It’s the odd, loner, murderous types. The mouthy cowards have almost given a license, or made it a contest, for one of the others to act at some point. I’ve never before seen it quite like this.

I just read that the local schoolboard in my Texas county will tape Obama’s Tuesday speech for those students who want to watch at some point. The superintendents are between a big ignorant rock and a small democratic hard place. I have to remind myself that, by about 60 to 40, they would have welcomed Jeff Davis and not allowed Abe Lincoln into the classroom.

Ah well, sorry for the negativity. Cinnammon toast is good! Have a nice weekend.

Happy International Bacon Day!

Good morning y’all! It is a glorious day in Central IN. Heading to the farmers market to get some ingredients for gazpacho (MsMolly, great minds think alike). Gonna grill some steaks, corn with lime butter and the gazpacho along with a nice red wine. Mix liberally with an overdose of college football and you have the makings of a perfect day. Go Blue!

Very nervous, actually. I hate dealing with confrontational ick — I really do. It may not seem like it, but it’s the bane of my existence. I’m much more of a solution person than a conflict person.

And yet? I’m hosting this anyway. *g* Go figure…

This is my point:
Using the system to frighten Americans was a feature, not a bug.

Why is it that’s always mouthed by the people who call you a scum-sucking liberal traitor and much much worse behind your back?

Speaking of which, did you catch this?

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) believes that President Obama is bent on turning the United States into a totalitarian state and already has all the tools he needs for the purpose.
“He has the three things that are necessary to establish an authoritarian government,” Broun told a meeting of local Georgia Republicans on Wednesday, citing the creation of a private army, a ban on gun ownership, and complete control of the press.

Once the speech hits the intertoobz the school officials are prolly gonna have a lot of egg on their face.

“You made a big deal out of THIS?” or something to that effect. That said, the state pretty much went along with Perry appointing a creationist as head edumacator.

Truly konichi wa is a bit of a generic, informal greeting but Ohayo Gozaimasu is used where we would say “good morning”. I don’t claim to have the full grasp of the language as the vocabulary is easy but the grammar is tough. Also and possibly more importantly, I didn’t have the opportunity to learn much Nihongo when I was there, I learned much later in the United States in hopes of being able to visit again someday. I have decided that I can’t die until I see the Hokkaido Snow Festival :-)

I think it’s shrill of you to point that out.

You are absolutely the best person to be moderator of this. The tone is generally respectful on your watch without your needing to be heavy-handed. But just in case?

I would argue that it was, in fact, the object of the system, rather than a feature or a bug.

I have been interested that almost all commentators I have heard think it’s OK to show the speech….that kids need to learn about the Pres, current events, etc….sort of a non-disputable good. That included David Brooks and someone “subbing” for Sean.. Obviously the true believers are not convinced.

I fantasize about all African-American High School footballers threatening to boycott games next Friday night if the speech isn’t availiable live.

I was in and out of the country for about 6 years. Absolutely loved it. Sadly, my language skills have deteriorated over the decades.

Gosh, hon, I asked because I’m even nervous for you. Have you asked for Hazard Pay?
My guess is that most firedog regulars will be good. (We’ll wear out bras, pearls and take our valerian root capsules before hand), but there might be newbies who don’t have the concern for our firedog reputation that most of us do. Or, am I being naive again?

That’s why I’m going to be planted in front of my TV watching football and will review the thread many hours after it’s over…

Man! While I think high school football should be banned, THAT would be funny!

Wouldn’t that be akin to a revolution in Texas? Hmmmm….

Naive? Oh, honey, that’s my territory! Howdy, braless wonder!!

The day after Obama was elected Olberman quoted someone as saying that “all African-Americans are walking an inch taller today”. How far we’ve sunk since that day.

For some strange reason the trolls knock off on Friday afternoon. I guess they don’t like all this chummy chat.

Yep. Japanese, like most other languages is a use it or lose it proposition. I haven’t been there since 1988 myself and I didn’t get to see nearly as much as I would have liked, having spent most of my time just in Osaka and Myagi ken, both of which a very heavilly westernized.

Yeah. I don’t know exactly what would happen, but it would certainly roll the dice.

This is a great idea for me, too. I’m in.

HA!

I made gazpacho this week to honor the passing of Sheila Lukins, who along with Julee Rosso authored ‘The Silver Palate Cookbook. One of my favorite 80s cookbooks.

They’re all operating from their workplace?

Wow, that Brown guy is completely delusional…oh, right, that’s not news, is it?

A ban on gun ownership? Where?
Bush’s private army?
Control of the press?

ROFLMAO.
not. Teh stupid is approaching critical mass, it feels like it’s gonna blow at any minute.

I’ve been reading Fred Clark at Slactivist, who, as he puts it, speaks fluent evangelical, about cynical manipulation, which is what these guys are doing. The promoters don’t believe it for a minute, most of them, but they know the uncritical thinkers in their midst will not examine anything they hear that hits them in the gut but instead will begin to bray loudly. “You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers etc.”, even though this time no one has said boo about guns, as far as I can tell.

Wow.

Sooners don’t play until 7: ET

Hi ya, other blondie.
Shall we bring fly swatters this afternoon?
Southerndragon, are you going to pull guard duty for Christy this afternoon?

I brought my wife over in late 68. She did much more traveling than I was ever able to do. I’d spend 6 months in Nam, come back to Japan for a few weeks and back to the bush. Spoke Japanese way better than I ever did. She loved riding the trains. We watched the moon landing on a colour TV in a Japanese neighbor’s house.

Ah, ha! So, we should start the Salon with a Big Group Hug!
Christy, we’ve got it figured out. :)

Sorry, couldn’t resist. *g*

But who is going to be the new William F Buckley that is going to be able to discredit and dismiss the wingnuts as he was able to do the John Birch society? There are some out there who see what the party has become and deplore it but every time any of them make a peep about taking on the nutbars, they are snapped back into line by their fear of Rush et al.

Gators are 7, also. But there are some great “appetizers” on earlier. The Georgia –Ok State game should be very interesting.

What lovely memories….

Oh, I think Christy can take care of herself. She is the host, after all. If I got on a troll it would prolly try to hijack the thread.

Good conversation this morning as every Saturday. I’ve got to get started though if I am to decide whether to risk the storms to get ny hippie fix. See you all next Saturday at the latest. :-)

Have you all read Larry Flynt’s article about a general strike. I’m waiting for that to go viral on Twitter but so far, nothing.

So maybe they will just keep at it until they become extinct…I work with someone who still have a W/Dick sticker. One just has to wonder….

She is the hostess with the mostess. I was just thinking it would be great if she could focus on the guest and questions and not have to deal with the commenters. That’s all.

And we’re transitioning to fall food tonight….

Chestnut Pasta with Braised Oxtail and Sage Brown Butter

Here’s the recipe for the Chestnut Pasta

1/2 cup chestnut flour
1/2 cup AP flour
1 egg
water

Combine the 1st three ingredients in a food processor, pulse and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Wrap it with plastic and let it rest for 1/2 hour. Roll with a pasta roller and cut to the desired shape. I cook most in salted water but reserve a bit to deep fry and put on top for a bit of crunch.

week ends are for paintball

Mornin’ All !

Take care, Margaret. Man, what I’d give to stand out in a storm right now.

I think that is a good line of inquiry for Ridge this afternoon.

I had a Petri 35mm SLR and had thousands of slides from Viet Nam, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Cambodia, all over. My house was burgled in 75, just before I got out of the Navy, and they took all but one box of slides, which had my wedding pictures and some scenes from the rivers. Good thing my memory’s still good cuz that’s all I’ve got.

LOL That is so apropos. I can just see these fools. LOL

That sucks. My parents house was burgled many years ago and they got the slide projector and all the slides – vacations, us kids growing up. Very sad and, who wants someone else’s family photos anyway?

Isn’t that an outrage….I’m sorry. But the memories are good. So infuriating.

OT: How well do you sleep? I have a cat who has discovered my bed…she is not hesitant to use some very sharp claws if I pay not enough attention…..

To make it even worse you know the burglars just threw them in the trash. Nothing worse than a liar or a thief.

I’m heading out to the gym. Enjoy your makeover, sweet pea.
As cbl2 says, made progressive love to all and see you back here for the Salon.

had the very same experience – and I was an International Gurl of Mystery afterall

I think until my kids saw one my sis had of me standing in front of the Great Pyramid arm and arm with the Dead and Kesey, they prolly thought ol mom had ingested a few too many tabs :D

Very sad and, who wants someone else’s family photos anyway?

I wonder if that could explain the behavior of guests every time I show the 8mm family films.

SD, I may have a new tiger cub to brag about at Caturday. Lil tuxedo gal needs a new home…will see today.

Nothing worse than a liar or a thief.

You really don’t like rethugs do you? *g*

Could be. lol

Dude! You are da bomb.

this is quick and easy –

chopped tomatoes, white beans, mozzarella or feta, basil or black olives. cooked or not,
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009…..d-caprese/

Heh heh. In the winter I have to fight for a spot in the waterbed and once settled there’s no moving until the alarm goes off. Couple or 3 on each side and it’s all over.

Angela sounds like she’s settling in. She’s still looking for reassurance but that should settle down after a bit. You’ve mentioned her claws a few times. I would suggest a visit to your vet and have one of the techs, not the vet, show you how best to trim claws by yourself. Usually at the vet there are 2 people dealing with the tiger and the poor thing is frightened anyhow so is usually compliant. Not that way at home. Most vets use a pair of clippers that look something like this. That’s fine if you can stand in front of the animal to work. I use this pair of clippers. I put the tiger between me and the recliner arm and clip from behind and above. I’m right handed. I can use my left forearm to keep him/her in place while holding the paw with my left hand. Expose the claw and clip just above the quick. I like the scissors type because I can see better and don’t have to try to get the claw through the hole in the other type.

That’s funny and got to be a great story.

Oh goody. Love baby stories.

Good morning all.

SlowFoods USA is having a National Day of Action to raise awarness of the upcoming renewal of the Child Nutrition Act. There are 299 eat-ins going on around the country so if you are still debating what to do on Monday, click here and find a local one to attend.

If you can’t attend, please click here to sign their petition to members of Congress to get real food into schools.

Assholes.

Thanks. Signed the petition. Nothing close enough to me. Damn.

Man, those white beans are hard as hell dried and uncooked. *g*

Good to see yuz. Haven’t been commenting but been doin’ some lurking. Need a few days to think about whether I should send the kids to school Tuesday. I’m afraid I might not ever see them again if they go. That’s what I hear. They’re gonna take your kids – the ones they deem fit enough – and send them off t’camps to be brainwarshed. The “unfit” ? Will get no health care – somebody’s gotta go without under Obamacare – and they will die even before they get to make their cases to the death panels.

All in all, seems t’be worth it. I think they’re fit enough and I can think of more than a few snot-nosed brats from the neighborhood I won’t mind never seein’ again. Hope they don’t miss the bus.

I’m easy. I just want macaroni salad. Plain ol’ macaroni salad. And watermellon. That’s it.

Thanks for signing it SD. They are a good organization. I was going to attend one but due to the budget restrictions of being unemployed, that’s out. Instead I’ll write a couple letters and send them to my reps.

Thanks..yes, we are due for a vet visit….On my list that seems to grow and not shrink…yep, she seems pretty settled/at home. She knows where to walk and sit exactly by the food stash….a funny critter….her spirit brings with her the peaceful, winsome spirit of the giver. And she has almost quit clawing the carpet. ;)) Thanks. You must have a very happy family.

Spoken like a true southerner.

Funny thing about settling in. The lady who gave Kismet to me said she cried all the time, driving her nuts. For the first 2 weeks she certainly lived up to her billing. Very vocal and very loud. The vet wanted to see her after 2 weeks of being on the Tapazole pill instead of the gel. Took her to the vet and I’ve never had a tiger howl like she did during the ride. The ride home was different. Some vocalization but not much. Since then it’s only when she wants attention or fed and not nearly so strident. I think that once she returned home she realized she was at home and everything was ok.

They seem to be happy. Little Nagi the Manx, however, is a terror. He’s a year old and into everything, worse than a kitten. If I had curtains or drapes they’d be in shreds by now. Little devil sits on the floor in front of the window and jumps straight up 4 feet onto the window screen.

Time to get off my butt and get some stuff done.

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things.

Namaste

Hey, “neighbor” — just got back from the farmer’s market. Bought corn, free range eggs, a little watermelon, some shrimp, chicken, and some wonderful grain bread.

Unfortunately the gazpacho isn’t on the menu. My daughter and son in law would never want to eat all of that (yuck) tomato and raw vegetable “stuff.”

Gonna go for a bike ride before the crowds for the ND game start obstructing everything.

Happy Saturday!

Good morning everyone. The weather here in Central Illinois looks a little iffy for the weekend. Overcast right now. I’ve been to the Farmers Market and came home with lots of good stuff. I’m making a garden harvest bread today using zucchini, carrots and pears. Our pear tree exploded with fruit for the first time in the 6 years we’ve had it so I have to put them to some good use. The local food bank has gotten tons of them. This is the recipe for anyone wanting to try it: http://find.myrecipes.com/reci…..id=1886431 and although it says “cake” it’s really a bread. I’m substituting the pears for the apples and will add a little flax seed for an experiment. I don’t know why that didn’t show up as a link. Sorry.

Have a wonderful weekend!

OK, obviously I’ve never linked to a page on this site. Should have known it would have showed up as a link automatically.

Whew, my head hurts — just finished my draft on the Ridge book salon post. I’m gonna need more coffee…

Good morning all – I’m kind of new to here, but hello from San Diego.
I just got my one row for the weekend in before the bay is overrun by water-skiers getting their last weekend of mayhem in.

Now I’m off to hang out at some health-insurance-reform rally/meeting that I heard about. (I’m kind of new to this political activism thing, too…)

Enjoy the weekend, BBQs, etc and I hope all your teams win their openers. (Yes, I realize that’s mathematically impossible, but it’s the thought that counts…)

Welcome — and let us know how the meeting goes, please!

Bless you for tackling both the book and the salon, including the post pre-salon. No small feat.

Finally made it through this thread, now time to work on making bread-and-butter pickles. Scant peppers and tomatoes from the garden this year, but a bumper crop of cukes, beyond sick of them now.

Should have worked out a veggie swap with Marcy, I guess.

As hard as I worked to stop them, going out early mornings and early evenings to pick snails, the little buggers ravaged my tomatoes this year. I think I got two.

Time to kick back, relax, and enjoy whatever it is we all enjoy together or separately.

Football!

I was up @ 6 am here in Hawaii to begin watching Ohio State [husband’s alma mater] vs. Navy, and will continue with USC [son’s current school] vs. San Jose State. Will continue throughout the day.

I LIVE for the fall!!!!

I really don’t understand how people can be arrested for wearing the wrong T-shirt or having the wrong bumper sticker on their car but we can’t touch their open firearms in a public meeting. Hands down which ‘offender’ is more intimidating. I’m glad democrats don’t do “free speech zones”, but sheesh!

I’m pushing like heck for West Point, but – he’s a hard-head who makes up his own mind, thank you very much

Well then clearly the strategy is that you should push for IU. Then he’ll “show you” and go to West Point.

Have you sent an invite to Rachel?