Daily Archives: June 16, 2009

Whew!

Back when I converted the blog database to MT 4, I ran the upgrade scripts on an old set of blog entries. Thus I lost the date/time stamps on everything from August 2007 to June 2008.

Sure, I could have just knocked out re-editing all those hundreds of entries, but where to find the time? Answer? There never was any time.

So, I finally did it. A few every odd day or so, plus a concentrated push during lunch breaks and conference calls over the past couple weeks and I finally knocked out the edits. It wasn’t hard, just time consuming. So they are back and searchable. Dead links and bad grammar untouched of course as I don’t do revisionist history unless I really, really screwed up and need to make amends and give a mea culpa.

Anyway, more entries for you to ignore.

Lifehacker – Food Week Roundup: The Best of in Delicious Bites – Food Week

The folks over at Lifehacker had a nice food overview week last week. Here are some of the highlights of the week and I will link some personal faves that may or may not have made their list so seriously check that last link just in case.

Equipment-wise, they link to an article on how to properly season a cast iron grill. Also, articles on the bare minimum of utensils you need, as well as a list of tools for the best kitchen.

That said, the last list there tends to imply you can skimp on the pots and pans. Honestly, mostly through our wedding presents and by checking sales, we’ve collected a decent set of All-Clad pots and pans and could not be more pleased with the results. Yes, some of this stuff *does* cost money, but when you get the right stuff, it is so worth it.

Do as I say, not as I do

This is about right. Every time I see Ukrainians rising up and Iranians fighting for their right to a fair election, I think about how pathetic our country is to have allowed Bush to serve two stolen terms.

When it comes to walking the talk of democracy, we suck.

Amid Ignorance And Fear, Anti-Semitism Thrives : NPR

I heard this when running Mono to the groomer on Saturday. Basically, Scott Simon calls out what our media talking heads and politicians refuse to mention: namely, that we still have a LOT of very angry racists in this country.

Paul Krugman momentarily makes sense and discusses the same problem and takes it a step further: calling out the conservatives for fueling said angry terrorism.

Frank Rich follows in a similar vein.

NPR takes a look at the issue, as does Alternet and Media Matters.

The problem, however, is that you can look at it all you want, but until something is done about this brand of hate, nothing will change. I know the President wants to hear all sides, and that the media slows to a crawl without showing debate shows, but some voices are just plain wrong.

Killing someone you don’t agree with in a house of worship has been wrong in just about every culture.

Assassination as a debate strategy is wrong.

Racism, for whatever reason, but particularly as a motivation to kill, is wrong.

Why do THESE asshats get to have a say? Why do we condone this kind of thinking? Because we do. Every time you do not round up these pricks and imprison them for being treasonous anti-Americans, you are quietly endorsing them. Every time some Bill O’Reilly or Hannity or Limbaugh or Savage-type cretin lets these people on their shows or doesn’t call them out, they feel supported. Every one of these animals who got positive reinforcement from a Sarah Palin rally thinks that they hate they believe in is okay.

And yes, it is the GOP giving the most aid and comfort to these terrorists, but many a spineless Democrat is just as guilty.

Call hate what it is, tell those who believe it that THEY are WRONG, and you get us further down the road to that “more perfect union” we should be striving for.

CIA chief believes Cheney almost wants US attacked | U.S. | Reuters

It is nice to now that *someone* in the government has the balls to call out Cheney, even if it was a tad wishy-washy.

That said, the old bastard HAS been running around preaching we should torture brown people and lustfully wishing some terrorists (non-white, of course) would blow up something under Obama’s watch so he can yell “I told you so!”.

In short, what an asshole.

Listening to women’s voices

I’ve noticed some real good advice and some real honest opinions from women in the media lately.

On Rachel Maddow awhile back, she interviewed Jennifer Boulanger, Executive Director for the Allentown, PA Women’s Center, who gave some chilling descriptions of the “compassionate conservative” scumbags who assault her staff, her clinic’s patients, and herself. Even if you do not approve of abortion (and, really, who does?), I would like to think you’d be appalled at the level of hate so-called Christians have on this issue.

At one point, she tried to appeal to our nation’s better nature. Unfortunately, there isn’t much of that around anymore.

On the same subject is Rozalyn Farmer Love, a third year medical student who plans to practice in women’s health. She explains how and why she came to the conclusion that should she be confronted to have to perform an abortion, she will do her job. Yes, she grew up in a religious family, but dogma will not overcome he need to act in her patient’s best interests. It is a pretty powerful read from someone about to be thrown into the front lines of a very touchy subject.

Lastly, some VERY no-nonsense economic advise from 93-year old Dr. Anna Schwartz. This was a delight to listen to, even though it was harsh medicine to swallow.

We need to stop listening to the misogynists in the GOP who hate women except when they can use a random beauty pageant winner as a prop to spread hate and fear and actually listen to the female voices in our society.

Unemployment | Marketplace from American Public Media

Marketplace had a great series recently on the subject of unemployment and how it is handled from state to state.

You’d be surprised on how valued it is in progressive states and how ignored in the southern, anti-union, anti-worker states. I mean, you would expect certain trends, but not the true disparity that exists between, say, Oregon and South Carolina.

In short, conservative “red” states suck.