I must have had a few good hours of sleep last night because I was industrious today.
I made a double batch of Jim's Apple Muffins today and Italian Bread.
Apple muffins:
1 1/2 cups grated (McIntosh) apples
Mix together:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Crisco (or canola) oil
Add the above to
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar (I use 3/4 cup)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (and a dash of pumpkin spice)
Mix until all is moist and put into 12 large muffin tins (or 2 small loaf pans)
Topping: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sugar
Sprinkle topping on each muffin before baking
Bake at 400 F for 25 to 30 minutes (a bit longer for loaf pans)
And then there's the bread. Because there is no good Italian bread in New Mexico. So I have to make my own at least every two weeks.
Water, yeast, sugar, salt, flour.
It's all the same.... but oh so different depending on hydration (proportion of flour to water), rise time, oven temperature, steam. This was one of my best crusty, light texture breads yet. High hydration. I think it was about 70% or slightly higher. A very soft sticky dough. Like focaccia or ciabotta dough.
Going through some old posts and relegatingthem to the Draft category...for reasons...came across this:
Friday, April 8, 2011
Republicans are Just Too Despicable
I don't often do "political" commentary, but this is one of those occasions.
The Republicans in Congress are just too despicable for words. Their
tactics are nothing short of extortion, holding America hostage to their
narrow minded religious ideology and their dangerous objective of
destroying any and all government programs that serve ordinary people
and the poor. Yet they insisted on keeping tax cuts for the wealthy -
tax cuts that just about every sane and reasonable person views as not
only illogical, but counter-productive.
What is so difficult about balancing a budget: it takes both spending
cuts and increasing revenue. The Republicans want to do it only by
cutting spending. It doesn't work.
When you think how the wealthy not only get richer by the minute off the
backs of the working poor and middle classes (whoever they are) and are
also siphoning off wealth/dollars from the general economy, it is no
wonder that there's not enough cash to run the country. Couple that
with the Bush era spending on war - spending that did not go into our
economy but instead drained it, it's no wonder there's no money to run
the country.
The wealth of the super-wealthy for the most part contributes nothing
to the economy - they're certainly not spending it at "Mom and Pop"
stores, at Sears, or in any significant amounts on American goods and
services. They "amass wealth" and "amass more wealth" but put nothing
back.
Even a child playing Monopoly (if they still do) can tell you that if
one player gets all the money and all the property the game is OVER -
everyone loses. There's no more fun to be had. The real object of
Monopoly is that the game goes on and on. Taking all the money is
subversive.
And the super-wealthy in these times are more than greedy, they are
truly subversive. And the Republicans are like ass-kissers hoping to
get their payoff from these untouchables - those who, no matter how bad
things get - never get touched by hard times. The Republicans are
deluded and delusional. They are too despicable for words and just as
subversive.
And
the working people just keep on voting for the fascist theives, time
and time again. I suppose on the principle that it's not rape if you
enjoy it, eh? Because God knows they certainly aren't getting a dime's
worth of benefit for all their seig-heiling, are they?
All that's lacking here is a charismatic leader with nationwide appeal. Pray it doesn't happen.
PS
- If you have Netflix, try FDR: American Experience (PBS show). He was
up against *exactly* the same bloated moneyed interests in his day too.
Exactly the same stuff was going on. And even St. Roosevelt couldn't
do all that much to fight them. Plus ca change . . . .
Great post! What makes the Republicans and especially the Teabaggers so
despicable, is that they were willing to shut down the government just
to get rid of Planned Parenthood and the Environmental Protection Agency
so corporations can dump as much crap into our waters and air as much
as they please. And if your so against abortion, shouldn't you support an organization that provides contraception? They make no sense. Your
absolutely right about the budget. You cannot sustain an economy or
anything for that matter without more revenues coming in. The tax cuts that the rich in this country keep getting to amass their wealth just infuriates me to no end.
I live in the suburbs near where some of the Wall Street'ers that
commute from here in Jersey to Manhattan and I see the cars they drive
and the McMansions they live in here in Middlesex and down in Monmouth
and Ocean counties. Towns like Holmdel and Colts Neck. Let me tell you
it's let the good times roll for them!
So right. A friend of mine just commented on facebook: "Remember when
teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, NPR and PBS crashed the
stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money,
spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses,
and paid no taxes? Yeah, me neither."
President and Jill Biden will host a display of portion of the AIDS Quilt on the White House lawn today in commemoration of World AIDS Day. Of course this will not be a prominent news story today, and we should expect that World AIDS Day will never be mentioned again by the incoming administration for the next four years. This is the only "news" story I can find today:
HIV/AIDS was, perhaps the only disease to be totally ignored by government and even "celebrated" by those who considered gays, sex-workers, drug users and other minorities sinful, deserving of a deadly disease and dispensable. It was, perhaps the first politically charged epidemic.
And while HIV/AIDS is now largely a manageable infection, the disease of homophobia, bigotry and hate still rages unchecked.
Some photos hubby Ranger Leon sent from "The Office" today. Out with some co-workers patrolling the wilderness and a cave.
The YANG:
Me, on the other hand, not so great. Still exhausted from four horrible nights of not sleeping due to pain of one limb or another, acid reflux (we went to a pot luck), phlegm in my throat, anxiety about not sleeping, etc.
So when my cousin called and asked how I was doing...I hesitated and she asked again.
"Well, I'm just tired."
So she tried to be both sympathetic and dismissive.
"Yeah, I'm just so tired. Tired of everything. Haven't slept in four nights. And if you must know, just so tired of politics and the fucking republicans who are going to ruin this country. And we gays will all be marched off to concentration camps."
She tried being reassuring, puzzled about why I was so upset. And trying to tell me it couldn't be that bad. And asking where I am getting this from (like it is all left wing propaganda or something)
And I yelled at her telling her not to even try to argue with me. And more. But I won't bore you all with that.
Not feeling great about going off on her but we don't ever talk politics. She is, I believe, single issue, anti-abortion. So you know what that means. So I think I took the opportunity to attack her indirectly without accusing her of voting republican (though I'm pretty sure about that).
Kind of like, "you'll see, just wait." I just will never understand the other side and how they justify their beliefs.
Drove into town and back listening to some old songs on my thumb drive in the car. A whole bunch of memories and emotions.
Here is a sample of my playlist for today: (The video will auto-play the next song in the queue)
San Francisco - Scott McKenzie
California Dreamin' - Mamas and Papas
What A Fool Believes - The Doobie Brothers
Sounds Of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel
I've Never Seen Love Like This - Orpheus
Lay Down Candles In The Rain - Melanie
Look What They've Done To My Song Ma - Melanie
Poetry Man - Phoebe Snow
Under The Boardwalk - Rickie Lee Jones
Can't Find The Time To Tell You - Orpheus
Imagine - John Lennon
So In Love - k.d. lang
A Song by gay artist Jeff Krassner that I could not find on YouTube or anywhere on the internet so I will attempt to upload my own video:
“I Hear the Angels Sing” Jeff Krassner
I can’t believe they don’t understand ‘bout the love I feel for you When you touch me baby I feel the angels sing
They tell me it’s wrong That the devil is loose They think he’s draggin’ us under But they don’t have a clue
‘cause when you touch me baby I hear the angels sing And when you give yourself to me Honestly, I hear the angels sing
What makes them think I would turn you away In this world filled with madness and sorrow I won’t sell my soul Or hide any longer I won’t love you in darkness Just to make them feel stronger
‘cause when you touch me baby I hear the angels sing And when you give yourself to me Honestly, I hear the angels sing
And you remind me that life can be sweet Though the world says we don’t belong So let them preach some old ancient rules But I know in my heart It’s the judgment of fools
‘cause when you touch me baby I hear the angels sing And when you give yourself to me Honestly, I hear the angels sing Over and over I hear the angels Over and over I hear the angels Over and over I hear the angels sing
__________________________________ A few more photos just for good measure and some lyrics from Melanie:
Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)
Song by Edwin Hawkin Singers and Melanie
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
We were so close, there was no room We bled inside each other's wounds We all had caught the same disease And we all sang the songs of peace
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
So raise the candles high 'Cause if you don't, we could stay black against the night Oh, raise them higher again And if you do, we could stay dry against the rain
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
We were so close, there was no room We bled inside each other's wounds We all had caught the same disease And we all sang the songs of peace Some came to sing, some came to pray Some came to keep the dark away
So raise (raise) the candles high (up high) 'Cause if you don't we could stay black against the sky Oh, oh, raise (raise) them higher again (up high) And if you do, we could stay dry against the rain
Lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown (You gotta) lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown (Oh, you gotta) lay down, lay down, lay it all down Let your white birds smile up at the ones who stand and frown
Look What They Did to My Song, Ma
Song by Melanie
Look what they've done to my song, ma
Look at what they've done to my song, ma
It was the only thing I could do half right And it's turning out all wrong, ma, look What they've done to my song
Look what they've done to my song, ma Look what they've done to my song, ma It was the only thing I could do half right Turning out all wrong, ma Look what they've done to my song
Look what they've done to my brain, ma Look at what they've done to my brain Well, they picked it like a chicken bone And I think that I'm half insane, ma Look what they've done to my song
Oh, I wish that I could find a good book to live in Oh, I wish that I could find a good book Well, if I could find a real good book I'd never have to come out and look at What they've done to my song
But maybe, it'll all be all right, ma Maybe, it'll all be okay Well, if the people are buying tears Then I'm gonna be rich girl some day, ma Look what they've done to my song
Look what they've done to my song, ma-ma-ma
Look, look what they've done to my song You know, they tied it up in a plastic bag And then turned it upside down, oh ma-ma Look at what they've done Want to look at what they've done, oh ma-ma Look what they've done to my song
I am going to try real hard to take a break from the news. I know it’s going to be difficult as I am a JMG addict. And forgive me if I’m not always checking in and or commenting on your blogs.
I’m certain there will be a resistance movement of some kind. I will assess at some point what part I can play in such a movement. One of my neighbors suggested we take down our rainbow flag, which flies prominently at our front entrance. I said no NEVER.
I may be taking a break, but I am not retreating or God forbid going back in the closet.
From the Hawkeye Beacon: This post-election analysis is from Professor Christopher Robichaud, Senior Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy, Harvard: “I'll say this, and then I likely won't be saying much more on here for quite some time, to the relief of some, I'm sure. But my farewell warning is this. Everyone in the days and weeks ahead will use this loss as an opportunity to seek validation for their own hobby horse complaint. Harris lost because she campaigned with Liz Cheney. Harris lost because she didn't embrace Gaza. Harris lost because she didn't choose Shapiro. Harris lost because she wasn't progressive enough (possibly my favorite one). Take a good hard look at the map, my friends. Trump has won the popular vote. Trump ran the table. Explaining that with your hobby horse issue isn't going to cut it, tempting and consoling as it may be. The problem isn't the electoral college. The problem isn't that we didn't have a full primary. The problem isn't Harris. The problem isn't that Dems didn't have the right message. The problem isn't even inflation or the border. The problem is so much worse than any of those things. Those are all technical problems, with straightforward expertise fixes. If only it were so! No, our problem is not technical. It's very much adaptive. A party that embraced the Big Lie, supported an insurrection, and has been selling conspiracy-addled madness for years was widely and enthusiastically embraced. Voter turnout was profound! People didn't sit this out. Simply put, the problem--as some of you have rightly posted--is cultural. America, culturally, has completely abandoned a politics of decency and respect and has embraced instead a politics of resentment, revenge, false nostalgia, and bullying. And if you look at the demographics, you also won't be able to comfort yourself that it's just a white thing, or a working class thing, or an education thing. It's multi-class, multi-gender, multi-educational and multi-racial. That's what winning the popular vote means. That's what running the table amounts to. A culture that has descended to this level of debasement is not easily fixed. In fact it may not ever be fixed. The timeline for changing something like this is decades--at best--not two-to-four year election cycles. You can extend that in this case, because with the GOP likely controlling all branches of federal government and the courts, they will ensure that mechanisms are in place to keep them in power long after their popularity has waned. You can count on that. The GOP evolved into a party of rage, lies, and revenge--and it correctly diagnosed that there was and is a large appetite for that. That's what the country wants. At least, enough of the country wants it to ensure broad appeal and widespread electoral success. The old GOP will never return, and the Dems have nothing to say to American culture at the moment. Nothing. They've been speaking to a country that's gone, like dust in the wind. And that's my final thought, which my posts last night alluded to. The America I knew and loved is gone. This new America--nah, I won't even bother. I will say that cultural change is less likely to occur in politics, or in the academy. You're not going to get people to see how vulgar they've become through a clever argument or a nice campaign speech, that's for sure. This would be time for the arts, broadly understood, to step in. The arts can change hearts and minds. Too bad the arts have been systematically dismantled in education in this country, and on the other end, the tech industry's assault on the arts through AI is sure to hollow out any good-faith efforts that might emerge. And for the rest of the world, America's rightward lurch is, I'm afraid, bad news for you too. I know you know this. Because it's not isolated, is it? It's just at the moment the most prominent example of a burgeoning trend. And this will embolden others in other countries, to be sure. We need not speculate what happens when countries become mired in lies, embrace resentment, and savor bullying. We know exactly what happens. Bloody conflict and global destabilization. The first quarter of the 21st century will therefore in hindsight be viewed as the seed-planting stage for the absolute shit show that's about to unfold globally over the next two and a half decades. Count on it. Adopt whatever coping and endurance strategies you have available. You're going to need it. I think that's all I've left to say.”
I remember the four years of horror and the next four will likely be worst for so many of us: women, immigrants, gays, lesbians, transexuals, democrats, sick, elderly, children, the poor,...
His list is long and the authors of Project 2025 are salivating. Ready to destroy everything we have fought for.
As a gay man I am terrified of what could happen to us. I am still in denial, still hoping for some miracle; a "deus ex machina" like in Greek tragedies.
Leon and I fantasize about Biden resigning and letting Harris become President #47, if only for a short time. Perhaps she will have a plan and she will have "IMMUNITY" to carry it out. To save the country. I want desperately for all of us to RESIST but I don't know how to go about doing that.
Back in the day we marched and protested. I'm not sure I have the energy to do that. Or whether marching and protesting will really make any difference now. Amen.
I guess we needed this diversion to keep our minds off of other things. Leon and I just got finished shoveling our driveway and clearing off the cars so that he could get to work. And now our power is out in our town.
Whenever we have guests from out of state we like to take them to see Leon's "Office" in the New Mexico wilderness. We spent the day on Saturday wandering around BLM land in the high desert. Lots of Rocks. Some scenes may look familiar as I've posted similar photos before.
Cactus growing in the rock crevices
This is the area Leon calls "Mars" but perhaps "Moon" would also describe the terrain.
Leon overseeing his territory.
Later that evening we dragged out some old VCR video tapes that we hadn't looked at since they were filmed in 1993.
We were on a trip to California to visit a friend Tommy and as the movie unfolded with views of the California coast Leon and I were both puzzled by our complete lack of recognition of what we were seeing.
Neither of us recognized the location, the buildings, the scenery, or the entire experience itself.
I swore that I was not actually there, that Leon must have gone alone...but he didn't recall any of the scenes depicted in the video either... until I heard my voice on the tape and soon enough, my own image!
How is it possible that such a trip that we took together in 1993 has been erased from our memory?
We did recall some of the events that occurred later in the video, but without the details that we were seeing.
We did remember that we rented a car in California and drove to Arizona and the Grand Canyon. I will not forget my experience of seeing the Grand Canyon early in the morning just after sunrise before any crowds had arrived.
But so much of the rest of the trip...Vanishing memories...scary.
