I've had it up to well past my courtesy level. The IOC needs to be taken down several pegs and drop-kicked into Vancouver Harbor. And I'd like to volunteer to chain their ankles to a cannon before it's done. We can make a new olympic sport of it. And from the growing growl of others who are fed up with being pushed around by these assholes, I know I'm not the only one thinking that.
The International Olympic Committee wants the giant boxing kangaroo flag at the Olympic Athletes Village in Vancouver to come down because it's not an "official Olympic flag." Well, boo hoo.
They're getting, in return, a hefty dose of finger-"pointing" in their direction. Bouquets and singles, all in a row. Even the mayor is on board.
Whose town is this, anyway?
So, here's my support for the Land Down Under: As soon as I can lay my hands on a boxing kangaroo flag, I'm gonna join the parade of fed-up-to-the-teeth CITIZENS of this town against the IOC and its evil intrusions into our lives, and I'm gonna cheer on the Aussies.
And for those who wanted to get me on board for the olympics? There's a saying: Be careful what you ask for; you might get it.
You got it.
UPDATE: Kangaroo can stay, says IOC
Good choice!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Demystifying Paganism Video by Chris Rogers - MySpace Video
I "found" this (it wasn't really lost) posted to a covenmate's Facebook page. A sermon on Paganism by a Catholic priest who actually knows what he's talking about, and who speaks plainly and clearly on the subject without getting all emotional about it.
Set aside about twenty-five minutes -- with your lunch, maybe -- and watch and listen. Learn from a Christian if you won't learn from a Pagan.
Demystifying Paganism Video by Chris Rogers - MySpace Video
Set aside about twenty-five minutes -- with your lunch, maybe -- and watch and listen. Learn from a Christian if you won't learn from a Pagan.
Demystifying Paganism Video by Chris Rogers - MySpace Video
Monday, January 18, 2010
PAT ROBERTSON VOODOO DOLL!
Proceeds Go To Haiti relief.
Oh, my! :lol:
I have no idea how long this will remain posted on EBay, so better go grab a look while it's still there.
As I post this, the bidding is up over $1,000.00. American funds, I assume.
H/T to WarriorWitch and MoriTherapy on Twitter!
UPDATE: It has been removed, after reaching $1,200.00. Googlecache shot here. Apparently, somebody thought it was "insulting" to insult the king of the religious and cultural insult.
Oh, my! :lol:
I have no idea how long this will remain posted on EBay, so better go grab a look while it's still there.
As I post this, the bidding is up over $1,000.00. American funds, I assume.
H/T to WarriorWitch and MoriTherapy on Twitter!
UPDATE: It has been removed, after reaching $1,200.00. Googlecache shot here. Apparently, somebody thought it was "insulting" to insult the king of the religious and cultural insult.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sweet Curry Something
It's a dip. It's a spread. It's a relish. It's a dressing. It's...whatever you need it to be. Best of all, it's easy.
I don't usually measure by regular teaspoon/cup kind of volumes. I eyeball it, and if it looks good, I use it. But that doesn't translate well for most people, so I'll use various types of balls for measurements and see how well that works. And keep in mind that my method of cooking is open to interpretation and the personal touch.
First, you really need a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. And wooden stirring impliments.
a golf ball of finely chopped red or yellow onion (not sweet)
oil/ghee to cover bottom of pot
two baseball sized tomatoes, finely chopped
two heaping coffee spoons of masala*
a golf ball of honey
Heat the dry pot to medium, then add oil when pot is hot. Add onion immediately, stir with wooden spoon, and keep stirring occasinally until onion starts to caramelize and turn brown.
Add tomatoes, cooking and stirring for about five minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and go mushy.
Add the masala. Cook and stir another five minutes until the mixture feels thick and smells wonderful.
Add the honey. Mix well. Wait till it starts to bubble, then put the lid on, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and let simmer about forty minutes without peeking. It's not going anywhere.
After forty minutes, do a taste test. If it's too spicy, add a little more honey to adjust the flavor. If it's too sweet, add a little more masala (but if you do this, you need to let it keep cooking at least another ten minutes; raw masala is not recommended for your digestive system).
It should be thick-ish, and dark red/brown in color. If you think it's too thin, you can let it cook a little longer with the lid off to reduce it; but it will also thicken a little more as it cools.
You can use it hot or cold on meat, vegetables, rice, pasta, bread -- just about everything except ice cream (and I won't make any bets about that, either).
*Masala is an Indian spice blend. You can get powder blends and paste blends; and they come in hot, medium, and mild. Which one you use is up to you. For my first batch, I used an MDH brand powdered chana masala blend (it's fairly hot). You can also use any of Patak's curry paste blends.
This "recipe" is only a guide. Adjust it to your own tastes.
Enjoy!
I don't usually measure by regular teaspoon/cup kind of volumes. I eyeball it, and if it looks good, I use it. But that doesn't translate well for most people, so I'll use various types of balls for measurements and see how well that works. And keep in mind that my method of cooking is open to interpretation and the personal touch.
First, you really need a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. And wooden stirring impliments.
a golf ball of finely chopped red or yellow onion (not sweet)
oil/ghee to cover bottom of pot
two baseball sized tomatoes, finely chopped
two heaping coffee spoons of masala*
a golf ball of honey
Heat the dry pot to medium, then add oil when pot is hot. Add onion immediately, stir with wooden spoon, and keep stirring occasinally until onion starts to caramelize and turn brown.
Add tomatoes, cooking and stirring for about five minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and go mushy.
Add the masala. Cook and stir another five minutes until the mixture feels thick and smells wonderful.
Add the honey. Mix well. Wait till it starts to bubble, then put the lid on, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, and let simmer about forty minutes without peeking. It's not going anywhere.
After forty minutes, do a taste test. If it's too spicy, add a little more honey to adjust the flavor. If it's too sweet, add a little more masala (but if you do this, you need to let it keep cooking at least another ten minutes; raw masala is not recommended for your digestive system).
It should be thick-ish, and dark red/brown in color. If you think it's too thin, you can let it cook a little longer with the lid off to reduce it; but it will also thicken a little more as it cools.
You can use it hot or cold on meat, vegetables, rice, pasta, bread -- just about everything except ice cream (and I won't make any bets about that, either).
*Masala is an Indian spice blend. You can get powder blends and paste blends; and they come in hot, medium, and mild. Which one you use is up to you. For my first batch, I used an MDH brand powdered chana masala blend (it's fairly hot). You can also use any of Patak's curry paste blends.
This "recipe" is only a guide. Adjust it to your own tastes.
Enjoy!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Vindaloo...
...and how I make it. Hint: I take short cuts. You can, too.
The word "vindaloo" actually comes from Portugal, like the original dish. It means, "cooked with wine and garlic." Several decades and added variations from local cooks later, it has come to mean much, much more than that. These days, it means intense, concentrated, and focused flavor, full of wonderfully aromatic spices.
And you can get those spices in a jar. At least, that's where I get them.
Patak's brand is a friend of mine. Most grocery stores with international clientelle will stock them. There are verly likely other brands. This is the one I like. You can use the one you like.
So, on to cooking...
You really do need a dutch oven with a heavy bottom and tight-fitting lid. If you don't have one, you might try using what you've got, but be prepared for some burning and bitterness.
While you're rough-chopping a couple of medium-sized cooking onions, start the heat (medium) under the dutch oven. When it reaches temperature (and not until then!) cover the bottom with a cooking oil that has a high smoking point. I use olive oil exclusively. You use whatever you like, including ghee, which is traditional. (I do not recommend using canola or corn oils!) Dump the whole pile of chopped onions into the pot immediately after the oil -- do not wait for the oil to heat up. That would cause burning.
Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until they start to go golden brown. Meantime, chop up some fresh tomatoes (about four to six medium) and set them aside. Then chop some vegetables. I generally use carrots, rutabaga, and potatoes. Sometimes broccoli, green beans...whatever is handy and fresh and fairly firm, anything that can stew over time without falling apart (squash, for example, would not be something I'd choose to put into it, but cooking is an individual thing, and if you like squash, go ahead and use it).
How much? Oh...that's the part that's gonna be totally up to you. I used four large carrots, half a fairly large rutabaga, and two really big baking potatoes, cut up in bite-sized chunks.
If you don't like rutabage, you can leave it out and add more carrots or potatoes or something else entirely. Ignore what your mama told you: PLAY with your food!
So. The onions are turning golden brown, and it's time to add the spice paste. For a full batch in a dutch oven, I use about half a jar. That makes it fairly hot without being impossibly hot. Use less if your mouth isn't acclimated. Add the paste and mix it really, really well with the onions and oil for a couple of minutes. Inhale the steam and appreciate what your nose tells you. Aaaaaaahhhhh...
Now add the veggies, a little at a time or all at once; it's up to you. I generally chop and add as I go -- carrots first (because they take longer to cook), then rutabaga, then the potatoes. Mix well to coat everything thoroughly with the spice mix.
Then add the tomatoes. Stir to mix. Then, when it's all covered with that wonderfully aromatic blend, add only enough water to barely cover everything. Turn up the heat to high in order to start it boiling. When it reaches a boil, put the lid on.
Now...this is the reason for the tight-fitting lid...spin the lid. If it does not spin freely, wait a few seconds and try again. Keep trying until that lid spins freely, riding on a cushion of steam generated from the boiling liquid inside the pot. Then, and only then, turn down the heat to a minimum simmer and go do something else for an hour.
After an hour (and leave it alone until then), test the veggies for doneness. I usually find them to be al dente, which is fine. If you prefer them to be softer, continue cooking awhile longer.
At any rate, this is the stage where I dump in a can of drained and thoroughly-rinsed chick peas, and just let them continue to cook for another half hour or longer. You can skip this, if you like. You're the cook, which means you're the boss.
I ladle this stew over a pile of rice and serve with any kind of bread, salad, and condiments happen to be available.
Enjoy!
Afterthought: Yes, you can use meat. In fact, most people do use meat. I made this for a potluck where food sensitivities can sometimes be an issue. If you do use meat, add it right after you put in the vindaloo paste and just before you add the vegetables.
The word "vindaloo" actually comes from Portugal, like the original dish. It means, "cooked with wine and garlic." Several decades and added variations from local cooks later, it has come to mean much, much more than that. These days, it means intense, concentrated, and focused flavor, full of wonderfully aromatic spices.
And you can get those spices in a jar. At least, that's where I get them.
Patak's brand is a friend of mine. Most grocery stores with international clientelle will stock them. There are verly likely other brands. This is the one I like. You can use the one you like.
So, on to cooking...
You really do need a dutch oven with a heavy bottom and tight-fitting lid. If you don't have one, you might try using what you've got, but be prepared for some burning and bitterness.
While you're rough-chopping a couple of medium-sized cooking onions, start the heat (medium) under the dutch oven. When it reaches temperature (and not until then!) cover the bottom with a cooking oil that has a high smoking point. I use olive oil exclusively. You use whatever you like, including ghee, which is traditional. (I do not recommend using canola or corn oils!) Dump the whole pile of chopped onions into the pot immediately after the oil -- do not wait for the oil to heat up. That would cause burning.
Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until they start to go golden brown. Meantime, chop up some fresh tomatoes (about four to six medium) and set them aside. Then chop some vegetables. I generally use carrots, rutabaga, and potatoes. Sometimes broccoli, green beans...whatever is handy and fresh and fairly firm, anything that can stew over time without falling apart (squash, for example, would not be something I'd choose to put into it, but cooking is an individual thing, and if you like squash, go ahead and use it).
How much? Oh...that's the part that's gonna be totally up to you. I used four large carrots, half a fairly large rutabaga, and two really big baking potatoes, cut up in bite-sized chunks.
If you don't like rutabage, you can leave it out and add more carrots or potatoes or something else entirely. Ignore what your mama told you: PLAY with your food!
So. The onions are turning golden brown, and it's time to add the spice paste. For a full batch in a dutch oven, I use about half a jar. That makes it fairly hot without being impossibly hot. Use less if your mouth isn't acclimated. Add the paste and mix it really, really well with the onions and oil for a couple of minutes. Inhale the steam and appreciate what your nose tells you. Aaaaaaahhhhh...
Now add the veggies, a little at a time or all at once; it's up to you. I generally chop and add as I go -- carrots first (because they take longer to cook), then rutabaga, then the potatoes. Mix well to coat everything thoroughly with the spice mix.
Then add the tomatoes. Stir to mix. Then, when it's all covered with that wonderfully aromatic blend, add only enough water to barely cover everything. Turn up the heat to high in order to start it boiling. When it reaches a boil, put the lid on.
Now...this is the reason for the tight-fitting lid...spin the lid. If it does not spin freely, wait a few seconds and try again. Keep trying until that lid spins freely, riding on a cushion of steam generated from the boiling liquid inside the pot. Then, and only then, turn down the heat to a minimum simmer and go do something else for an hour.
After an hour (and leave it alone until then), test the veggies for doneness. I usually find them to be al dente, which is fine. If you prefer them to be softer, continue cooking awhile longer.
At any rate, this is the stage where I dump in a can of drained and thoroughly-rinsed chick peas, and just let them continue to cook for another half hour or longer. You can skip this, if you like. You're the cook, which means you're the boss.
I ladle this stew over a pile of rice and serve with any kind of bread, salad, and condiments happen to be available.
Enjoy!
Afterthought: Yes, you can use meat. In fact, most people do use meat. I made this for a potluck where food sensitivities can sometimes be an issue. If you do use meat, add it right after you put in the vindaloo paste and just before you add the vegetables.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Remembrance
A new ballad by Shelley Rabinovitch, paying tribute to those who have gone before:
Is there someone who still speaks your name with regret?
Are there flowers for you on this shore?
Is your name whispered soft on Remembrance Day?
I swore then he'd lie lonely no more.
Crosses on stone, tears mixed with bone.
Go. Read.
Wear a poppy until 11:00 am on 11 November, then retire it to a field of honor.
And thank your ancestors in whatever manner your heart tells you. Thank all of them. Even the ones you didn't like or those with whom you disagreed. Because without them, and what they did with their own lives -- whether they did good or bad -- you would not be here as you are now.
Is there someone who still speaks your name with regret?
Are there flowers for you on this shore?
Is your name whispered soft on Remembrance Day?
I swore then he'd lie lonely no more.
Crosses on stone, tears mixed with bone.
Go. Read.
Wear a poppy until 11:00 am on 11 November, then retire it to a field of honor.
And thank your ancestors in whatever manner your heart tells you. Thank all of them. Even the ones you didn't like or those with whom you disagreed. Because without them, and what they did with their own lives -- whether they did good or bad -- you would not be here as you are now.
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