We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
You have to feel a little sorry these days for professors married to their former students. They used to be respectable citizens—leaders in their fields, department chairs, maybe even a dean or two—and now they’re abusers of power avant la lettre.
Who Wants to Live in Detroit? Four decades after 'white flight' began, tens of thousands of African-Americans have now left as well. What does that mean for the city's future?
Racism! Patriarchy! Sexism! Rape on campus! Christianity's bigotry! The reactionary average American! Republicans' hate speech and hate thought! US history, a litany of racism and oppression! All the founding fathers, hypocritical sonzabitches! All our ancestors, imperialist mongrels! Oppression of women, and gays, and transgenders!
(The only person, the only people, who come out positive in this (self-serving) world view are — surprise, surprise — the drama queens themselves! Also known as the wise men, and the wise women, arriving as knights in shining armor on their white steeds to fight for the victims and the martyrs of the world.)
Ginsberg and Breyer care more about leftist policy than about the Constitution. They are rather open about that, but it's not their job. Thus I have no respect for them.
Here's a tip when watching Pat Condell videos: Watch them on Youtube and click on "SHOW MORE" under the video to see links to all the articles he uses for the video.
Illegal immigration is a huge factor in this issue. It is unlikely ( I suppose) that the left has intentionally sabotaged Medicaid and welfare by allowing and encouraging massive illegal immigration (some estimates are that there are about 35 million illegals in the U.S. today). But that is going to be the end result and I would argue what would be different today if the left was intentionally sabotaging Medicaid and welfare? When your state spends well over half of their budget on Medicaid and welfare and that percentage increases every year in spite of increasing and repressive taxes even a graduate from government K-12 can predict the future. But being able to predict the coming collapse is not the same thing as being able to prevent it. The left has set in motion a self fulfilling prophecy in their welfare programs. It attracts more and more to a system of "free stuff" and requires more suppression and repression of anyone and anything that is productive. The goal of the left may not be to intentionally crash the system (Saul Alinsky's rules for radicals) but again, what would be different if that was their intent? Massachusetts ran out of other people's money from within the state 6 years ago and the federal government has been quietly shipping them billions of dollars to prop up their socialized healthcare program. It is literally impossible for the federal government to subsidize every state to the same extent it subsidizes Massachusetts but that is what will be required once Obamacare is fully implemented. It is difficult to know exactly what role illegal immigration plays in this but estimates are that the welfare/Medicare cost of illegals is roughly 1/3 of the entire states and federal spending for these programs and could well be more. This will only get worse until it all does indeed crash the system.
As a Tigers and Lions fan, I suppose I shouldn't be saying this, but who cares what happens to Detroit?
So what if it shrinks to Fargo size.
That's just a return to equilibrium.
While everyone has been leaving or fretting over Detroit, Phoenix has grown huge.
There is no use fighting the laws of physics. Detroit is shrinking b/c it has no reason to stay large. We're all better off letting nature take its course.
There is an Asian market close to my house. It's stacked to the rafters with sacks of Uncle Ben's Converted Rice. I once asked the owner why she only sold Uncle Ben's. She said: It's the best and it's what my customers want".
Strange Asian market, I've been to many asian groceries in the Boston and Cambridge area and never seen a box let alone a bag of Uncle Bens.
On the other hand I don't read Japanese or Chinese writing so, who knows?
The important point about rice I learned from having a Japanese father-in-law was that there are different types of rice, use them! The sticky short grain for Donburi, brown rice as a side dish with pickle slices and sliced smoked eel and basmati with raw egg for breakfast.
If I'd known how hard it is now to buy a good Rice Cooker I'd have plunged back into the flames to recuse my (made in Japan) Panasonic Rice Cooker we received as a wedding present.
Today, after going through several models and too much burned or ruined rice, I have a decent Korean made Zojirushi Rice Cooker. A little small but works well.
#4.1
John the River
(Link)
on
2015-03-06 10:34
(Reply)
I to have trouble with my rice cooker burning the rice and boiling off the water before the rice is fully cooked. I also have a steamer that can steam vegetables and has a kind of a bowl for rice. The rice prepared in the steamer is always perfect. Worth looking into.
#4.1.1
GoneWithTheWind
on
2015-03-06 16:24
(Reply)
You can steam rice beautifully in a heavy saucepan as long as you wrap the lid in a towel. Excess moisture is absorbed, and the rice grains are distinct, perfectly cooked and never mushy.
One wonders if party leaders paid a visit to Hillary, asked her not to run for president and received a negative reply. Are we now seeing an attempt being made to force her out?
I don't know the answer.
I will be watching to see how well she can raise money. The Big Donors are the kingmakers. If they abandon her then I would cite it as proof the party wants her out.
If the donors stick with her they are obviously figuring this will all blow over and be lost down the memory hole by next Spring.
As for the illegal email accounts, has anyone heard the tiniest rumor that a criminal investigation might be started or does everyone just hear crickets?
To repeat what I wrote a day or so ago here, I would think the only question for Hillary that much matters is this one, courtesy of the National Review:
"At any time did these [@clintonemail.com] accounts send or receive FOUO [For Official Use Only], Secret, Top Secret, or Codeword documents?"
I just read (@ Never yet melted) that Heinleins "Moon is a harsh mistress" is to be filmed as a movie and Marc Guggenheim will adapt the book. He is the toad behind the Green Lantern movie and the TV series Arrow.
Gack!
Forbid it Almighty God, Forbid it!
#6
John the River
(Link)
on
2015-03-06 11:08
(Reply)
Like GMO's, saturated fats; eggs (yesterday) and bacon (yesterday) and "non-organic" food, coffee, and the other demon of the moment; sugar.
We in the first world have the most abundant, affordable,plethora of food on the entire planet, and some humans can't be happy and eat what the heck they want and let others eat what they want.
As far as the arsenic scare, I think it's just a play on people's gullibility for junque science.
"OMG, a light bulb broke, call HAZMAT, there's mercury in there!"
Dylan was a boy sleeping with Joan Baez when he wrote a lot of the politically radical stuff. I always thought she had an outsized influence on his early career, which he later outgrew and made his own observations. As for the Weekly Standard article, the focus on social standing was not an aberration and exception for Dylan vs the lefty folksingers of the day. It was meet and drink to them. They deeply resented the bourgeoisie having more status than they. Think about how disdainful "Little Boxes" is about the actual, rather than Socialism Realism fantasy of the "working man." Once your look for social envy, and the condescension that springs from it, you'll find it all over the Pete Seeger/Joni Mitchell/Phil Ochs left.
#9
Assistant Village Idiot
(Link)
on
2015-03-06 15:17
(Reply)
Joan Baez was astoundingly beautiful when she was young. How could she not have an outsized influence on her lover. I was in love with her myself when I was just a young man. I think I stll have some of her 78 rpm records somewhere.
Medicaid will continue to be a drain on state budgets. Despite lots of bold talk, legislators will grumble, pass the budget then collect those lovely packets from providers and testimonial dinners/free campaign appearances from the philanthropically inclined.
Have no problem with Consumer Reports stating their preferences just as I no problem ignoring it. BTW, didja know Arkansas is the largest exporter of rice in the US?
Sexual paranoia in academe? Reap what you sow, besides, quill and company ink come to mind.
Home for Purim - 
Tracked: Mar 08, 10:29