When did American presidential campaigns turn into a combination of TMZ and any Kardashian? It is beyond depressing to see and hear grown ups acting like 2 year olds in a sandbox. I want to hear specifics - immigration? candidate says, "I will (fill in.)" "What do you think of taxation and most especially the proposed 65% death tax?"
Pious Hypocrisy
This latest brouha about what Trump said about his technique 10 years ago is irrelevant. It could be pointed out (but never, ever by the MSM) that Miz Hillary is known to family, friends and the Secret Service and White House staff to have a real toilet tongue. "Fuck" lives in her mouth nor are "kike" or "nigger" strangers there. Both of which I consider more damning than "grab 'em by the pussy" which would get most men a black eye. And deservedly so.
Incredulous Disbelief
And that is that any candidate so close to an election would bow out because something said, off mic, 10 years ago! How insane would that be? And then the candidate would go quietly into the deepening dusk and live a monastic life thereafter?
Are they crazy? Living in some kind of made up dream world where Gallantry Is All? A brief on every one of them that is oh so earnestly pleading for Trump to quit would provide some interesting reading. The Senate alone is a kind of not-yet-locked-up but guilty of: drunk driving with and without injuries to others, fraud, non-payment of income tax, spouse beating and more.
I can kind of understand Hillary and aide Huma's tight relationship due to the fact that they're both married to sexual deviants but they're deflecting the hate in the wrong direction. "Man up" (so to speak) I say, "and kick them to the curb after getting every dime or asset you can get your hands on. Don't bother us with your inability to deal with it. We're trying to elect a President here."
As far as Clinton's didoes, I said at the time and I still say now - I wouldn't care if he was doing the Democrat donkey on the Oval Room desk, but: He lied. That is what was wrong.
Let's get back to politics as they are meant to be done? Pack away the sand pails and the tiny little dirt-digging shovels, pull up your grown-up panties and get the hell on with what people want to hear, not this totally irrelevant vicious nonsense. You're hearing it from me: ludicrous, not productive and a real pain in the ass to have to listen to - stop it right now or you'll get sent to your rooms. I mean it! Don't make me get out the belt.
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Saturday, October 8, 2016
How Fast Do You Think We Can Make It to Waynesville, Ohio?
There is some urgency about this because the Waynesville, Ohio, 47th Sauerkraut Festival is today and tomorrow (10/9/2016) and gone.
Since it began in 1970 and is still flourishing today, we could calendar it for 2017 with some confidence that it would occur again. From a start (in 1970) with the sale of 528 lbs. of sauerkraut and only 1,500 people to sample it, the uptick has been yuuuge - seven tons of sauerkraut divided among 350,000 visitors as well as 450 craft booths, and 33 food stands featuring such as sauerkraut pizza, fudge, donuts, cookies, pies, German sundaes,* egg rolls, cabbage rolls, soup, pork and sauerkraut dishes and don't forget fried bologna with sauerkraut.
*German sundae is fancy for a stuffed potato. The "sundae" version according to the "Krauts" (German nationality nickname) is simply a baked potato with sauerkraut, cheese (hopefully Velveeta - this kind of dish requires cheesy in every sense of the word) sour cream, bacon bits and topped with a jaunty olive - green or black wasn't specified, but from an aesthetic point of view, I'd go with the black.
If we can't get there this year, we can all duplicate the German sundae. Maybe with a hearty meat loaf? Or, since the Santa Anas are blowing here and it's H O T, file the recipe for winter dinners.
Meanwhile chic up some bologna by frying it and then use it as a wrapping for a line of sauerkraut down the middle of the bologna; fasten shut with a festive toothpick - the kind with the frilly top - and serve with drinks. Perhaps a shot of moonshine?
Which leaves sauerkraut fudge, cookies, pies, and donuts to wonder at and to explore next year. Get out your calendars!
Since it began in 1970 and is still flourishing today, we could calendar it for 2017 with some confidence that it would occur again. From a start (in 1970) with the sale of 528 lbs. of sauerkraut and only 1,500 people to sample it, the uptick has been yuuuge - seven tons of sauerkraut divided among 350,000 visitors as well as 450 craft booths, and 33 food stands featuring such as sauerkraut pizza, fudge, donuts, cookies, pies, German sundaes,* egg rolls, cabbage rolls, soup, pork and sauerkraut dishes and don't forget fried bologna with sauerkraut.
*German sundae is fancy for a stuffed potato. The "sundae" version according to the "Krauts" (German nationality nickname) is simply a baked potato with sauerkraut, cheese (hopefully Velveeta - this kind of dish requires cheesy in every sense of the word) sour cream, bacon bits and topped with a jaunty olive - green or black wasn't specified, but from an aesthetic point of view, I'd go with the black.
If we can't get there this year, we can all duplicate the German sundae. Maybe with a hearty meat loaf? Or, since the Santa Anas are blowing here and it's H O T, file the recipe for winter dinners.
Meanwhile chic up some bologna by frying it and then use it as a wrapping for a line of sauerkraut down the middle of the bologna; fasten shut with a festive toothpick - the kind with the frilly top - and serve with drinks. Perhaps a shot of moonshine?
Which leaves sauerkraut fudge, cookies, pies, and donuts to wonder at and to explore next year. Get out your calendars!
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Insanity and Disappointment on a Thursday
Penn Jillette, of magic act Penn and Teller lost 100 lbs. and wrote a book about it.
Presto! How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and other magical tales by Penn Jillette Simon and Schuster 344 pages $26
Penn is somewhat insane himself - he and wife Emily (EZ) Zoltan married in 2004. Their children are son Zolten "Z" around the house and daughter Moxie Crime Fighter. Yeah, that's what you name a newborn baby girl - didn't you know that?
We saw the act in Las Vegas some years ago and walking out, I said to Richie, "He really needs some anger management courses..." Belligerent, bad language as normal language ... insulting... whew.
When he topped 330 lbs. at 6 ft. 7 in. and had to go in for several stents, his doctor (finally) threatened him with a "stomach sleeve." The doctor gave Penn a six month head start on losing weight and avoiding the stomach sleeve.
Enter an acquaintance at the time, a man named Ray Cronise, former NASA scientist and innovator who promptly put Penn on a diet of his own devising. It was what is known as a mono-food diet wherein the patient eats nothing but one food for 10 days. Penn was offered potatoes or beans and chose potatoes. Baked or boiled or mashed (with water no milk or butter.) If you want to know more about Cronise' very dangerous diet, Google him and proceed from there. I refuse to be any part of endorsing such craziness.
Eventually, Penn was able to add other items to his diet. Served on his 60th birthday:
ENDIVE WITH CREAMY CASHW PUREE AND ROASTED GRAPES
Make a dip in the Cuisinart of cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, and a touch of balsamic vinegar and chives, garnish with roasted grapes. Dip endive leaves and eat.
To save you from disappointment, this just in: Amazon, Walmart and Target have all pulled the Tranny Granny Halloween costume from their racks. This outfit - a house dress, amply padded at bust and butt with a matching head scarf with pink rollers attached - sells for $24.95 and is made by a firm calling itself Rasta Imposta.
It apparently was intended to replace last year's smash hit -" I am Caitlin" (in an outfit that duplicated her Vanity Fair magazine cover.) Arguably, it's heartening to see that sex changes are not yet out of fashion.
Still, if you are hellbent to go anywhere portraying Caitlin Jenner, hie ye over to the nearest Goodwill and pick out a roomy dress. Pad front and back with couch pillows, tie on a scarf to which you have sewn gigantic hair rollers, slide into your size 11 pumps and sashay off into the night. May only good adventures await you.
Presto! How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and other magical tales by Penn Jillette Simon and Schuster 344 pages $26
Penn is somewhat insane himself - he and wife Emily (EZ) Zoltan married in 2004. Their children are son Zolten "Z" around the house and daughter Moxie Crime Fighter. Yeah, that's what you name a newborn baby girl - didn't you know that?
We saw the act in Las Vegas some years ago and walking out, I said to Richie, "He really needs some anger management courses..." Belligerent, bad language as normal language ... insulting... whew.
When he topped 330 lbs. at 6 ft. 7 in. and had to go in for several stents, his doctor (finally) threatened him with a "stomach sleeve." The doctor gave Penn a six month head start on losing weight and avoiding the stomach sleeve.
Enter an acquaintance at the time, a man named Ray Cronise, former NASA scientist and innovator who promptly put Penn on a diet of his own devising. It was what is known as a mono-food diet wherein the patient eats nothing but one food for 10 days. Penn was offered potatoes or beans and chose potatoes. Baked or boiled or mashed (with water no milk or butter.) If you want to know more about Cronise' very dangerous diet, Google him and proceed from there. I refuse to be any part of endorsing such craziness.
Eventually, Penn was able to add other items to his diet. Served on his 60th birthday:
ENDIVE WITH CREAMY CASHW PUREE AND ROASTED GRAPES
Make a dip in the Cuisinart of cashews, lemon, nutritional yeast, and a touch of balsamic vinegar and chives, garnish with roasted grapes. Dip endive leaves and eat.
To save you from disappointment, this just in: Amazon, Walmart and Target have all pulled the Tranny Granny Halloween costume from their racks. This outfit - a house dress, amply padded at bust and butt with a matching head scarf with pink rollers attached - sells for $24.95 and is made by a firm calling itself Rasta Imposta.
It apparently was intended to replace last year's smash hit -" I am Caitlin" (in an outfit that duplicated her Vanity Fair magazine cover.) Arguably, it's heartening to see that sex changes are not yet out of fashion.
Still, if you are hellbent to go anywhere portraying Caitlin Jenner, hie ye over to the nearest Goodwill and pick out a roomy dress. Pad front and back with couch pillows, tie on a scarf to which you have sewn gigantic hair rollers, slide into your size 11 pumps and sashay off into the night. May only good adventures await you.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Online Learning - Frivolous and Serious
There are a lot of positive things about learning online in your own home - you pick the lesson time, you work at your own pace, you aren't seated in a stuffy classroom with coughing fellow students and there's no possibility of bullying because you're working on your own. What's not to like?
Let us begin with frivolous since we all like to be amused while absorbing bits and pieces of knowledge. The more exotic the better is a good thing.
Worst of McMansions (mcmansionhell.com) is one such site. An architect-run site, it shows a picture of a house with colored arrows pointing out exactly what is wrong with that particular house.
Additionally, you will learn architectural terms that will allow you to hold your own in any conversation with an architect. Hip roof, castellated, bay window aka oriel (often found in crosswords) and proportioning - what's good and what most definitely is not.
I learned that in a genuine mansion, the columns holding up a second story or balcony are made of genuine marble or wood. In a McMansion they are made of foam, treated to look like stone!
Seriously - trying to learn a new language - either for tourist purposes - or a genuine interest in the country whose language you are learning.
A lovely woman at our French Conversation classes told me about duolingo.com which is a free site that teaches: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Ukraine, Polish, Turkish and (whew) Esperanto!
Richie has been trying to learn French for some time, so he decided to give it a try. He likes it! And he is doing amazingly well after just a short time with it. He went from more-or-less extremely limited (Merci, S'il vous plait, un pression (tap beer) to seven percent fluent in a very short time.
Knowing that I needed to work very hard on my version of Spanish, I confidently logged on and asked for the Spanish placement test that decides at what level you enter the classroom. I flunked it. This was a tremendous shock to my amour propre and when I get tired of sulking I will go back and try it again. Don't hold your breath.
Let us begin with frivolous since we all like to be amused while absorbing bits and pieces of knowledge. The more exotic the better is a good thing.
Worst of McMansions (mcmansionhell.com) is one such site. An architect-run site, it shows a picture of a house with colored arrows pointing out exactly what is wrong with that particular house.
Additionally, you will learn architectural terms that will allow you to hold your own in any conversation with an architect. Hip roof, castellated, bay window aka oriel (often found in crosswords) and proportioning - what's good and what most definitely is not.
I learned that in a genuine mansion, the columns holding up a second story or balcony are made of genuine marble or wood. In a McMansion they are made of foam, treated to look like stone!
Seriously - trying to learn a new language - either for tourist purposes - or a genuine interest in the country whose language you are learning.
A lovely woman at our French Conversation classes told me about duolingo.com which is a free site that teaches: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Ukraine, Polish, Turkish and (whew) Esperanto!
Richie has been trying to learn French for some time, so he decided to give it a try. He likes it! And he is doing amazingly well after just a short time with it. He went from more-or-less extremely limited (Merci, S'il vous plait, un pression (tap beer) to seven percent fluent in a very short time.
Knowing that I needed to work very hard on my version of Spanish, I confidently logged on and asked for the Spanish placement test that decides at what level you enter the classroom. I flunked it. This was a tremendous shock to my amour propre and when I get tired of sulking I will go back and try it again. Don't hold your breath.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Site Unseen
But we are looking to go see it. The Virginia Robinson Gardens, 1008 Elden Way, Beverly Hills, CA 310-550-2087 visit@robinsongardens.org Adults $11, seniors $6 Well within the budget. Make note of the phone number because you have to make a reservation to visit and they have to round up a docent to lead you through it.
To say that this house and garden set-up is obscure is understatement. I lived in Beverly Hills for 14 years and never heard of it.
Who were the Robinsons whose home you will be visiting? Well! Sit down! His Daddy was founder and proprietor of the Robinson's department stores, a Southern California must shop store. The first store opened in 1915 at 7th and Grand, and seven-stories were added in 1923 (clearly business was booming) and in 1934, the façade was updated to Art Deco. The money must have been really rolling in.
Harry Winchester Robinson married Virginia Dryden (their families had been neighbors when the couple were toddlers) in 1903 and they promptly set sail for a three year honeymoon, visiting Europe, India and Kashmir.
On their return they needed a house so Harry bought a piece of land that measured 4.5 acres for $7,500 in 1911 and built a $25,000 house in the Italian Bungalow style, designed by Virginia's Daddy, a professional architect.. It was said to be the first mansion in Beverly Hills.
Harry only enjoyed some 11 years of living in the one-story, 12 room house as he died in 1932. Virginia took over the Robinson's stores and ran the business for the next 30 years, finally retiring at age 85. (85)
The couple loved planning the gardens on their now 6.5 acre site (Harry kept buying land around them) and socializing. She was known as The First Lady of Beverly Hills," my deah.
Virginia, born in 1877, died in 1977 prior to her 100th birthday. She had lived in the house for the past 66 years. In 1977 the house needed repairs to a leaky roof and a faulty wiring situation. The estate didn't have enough money to do these necessary repairs, so the mansion was left to LA County, who didn't want to spend the money so they off-loaded it to the LA County Botanical Gardens.
All of this sounds intriguing and I look forward to making an appointment to see it all at a time that would allow a leisurely lunch at Factor's Famous Deli. The corned beef is to die for, dahlings.
To say that this house and garden set-up is obscure is understatement. I lived in Beverly Hills for 14 years and never heard of it.
Who were the Robinsons whose home you will be visiting? Well! Sit down! His Daddy was founder and proprietor of the Robinson's department stores, a Southern California must shop store. The first store opened in 1915 at 7th and Grand, and seven-stories were added in 1923 (clearly business was booming) and in 1934, the façade was updated to Art Deco. The money must have been really rolling in.
Harry Winchester Robinson married Virginia Dryden (their families had been neighbors when the couple were toddlers) in 1903 and they promptly set sail for a three year honeymoon, visiting Europe, India and Kashmir.
On their return they needed a house so Harry bought a piece of land that measured 4.5 acres for $7,500 in 1911 and built a $25,000 house in the Italian Bungalow style, designed by Virginia's Daddy, a professional architect.. It was said to be the first mansion in Beverly Hills.
Harry only enjoyed some 11 years of living in the one-story, 12 room house as he died in 1932. Virginia took over the Robinson's stores and ran the business for the next 30 years, finally retiring at age 85. (85)
The couple loved planning the gardens on their now 6.5 acre site (Harry kept buying land around them) and socializing. She was known as The First Lady of Beverly Hills," my deah.
Virginia, born in 1877, died in 1977 prior to her 100th birthday. She had lived in the house for the past 66 years. In 1977 the house needed repairs to a leaky roof and a faulty wiring situation. The estate didn't have enough money to do these necessary repairs, so the mansion was left to LA County, who didn't want to spend the money so they off-loaded it to the LA County Botanical Gardens.
All of this sounds intriguing and I look forward to making an appointment to see it all at a time that would allow a leisurely lunch at Factor's Famous Deli. The corned beef is to die for, dahlings.
Monday, October 3, 2016
The Gentle Art of Spin
Recently there has been consternation on the part of a number of patriotic Americans who are outraged by a San Francisco football player named Colin Kaopectate or something like that.
He has refused to stand for our national anthem. Instead, he does a one-knee stance. Naturally, the patriots among us are horrified at such blatant disrespect.
But: we've got it all wrong! Kaopectate is kneeling to show his deep reverence for America! He is showing himself to be, literally, in thrall to America and our policies. How did we ever get it so wrong? Apologies to Kaopectate!
He has refused to stand for our national anthem. Instead, he does a one-knee stance. Naturally, the patriots among us are horrified at such blatant disrespect.
But: we've got it all wrong! Kaopectate is kneeling to show his deep reverence for America! He is showing himself to be, literally, in thrall to America and our policies. How did we ever get it so wrong? Apologies to Kaopectate!
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Exploring Insults and Various Threats
Readers with good short term memory will recall how I blissed out on Bill Bryson's thought-but-not-expressed remark about a surly shopkeeper, "Cheerless prick." When was the last time you heard "cheerless"? It seems to be used more often to describe bad weather - "A cheerless, dark afternoon typical in a New York winter" as example.
The Brits seem to have an edge on us Yanks when it comes to the appropriate descriptive phrase. Which thought naturally sent me scurrying around mentally (a short trip, didn't take any time at all) for comparable brilliance from Americans.
My own creation popped up first. Situation: you are babysitting for dear friends.
Problem: the kids are misbehaving with vigor. What can you do? Obviously, you can't give them a fast wallop across the butt, appealing as that may be. Parents react so hysterically! when someone else administers corporal punishment.
This has worked for me in the past: give the kid a stern look, slit your eyes for most impact and say, "If you don't stop that, (you don't need to spell it out) I am going to do something so terrible to you that all of your great grandchildren will be born with snow white hair."
This is so vague - yet menacing - that the kid will often stop the action to puzzle out what this could possibly be. At which point, you suggest that "Let's all sit down and have a cookie."
I read that "Don't you make me take off my earrings" is a classic warning from one black woman to another. Yesterday I saw one example of why. A trio of black women were at the next table at Eat at Joe's and one of them was wearing very solid-looking gold hoops; the diameter of which easily equaled that of a saucer. And I understood exactly why it was said. Great handholds for the enemy.
I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but "You really don't want me to let the werewolf out" shows great promise.
The Brits seem to have an edge on us Yanks when it comes to the appropriate descriptive phrase. Which thought naturally sent me scurrying around mentally (a short trip, didn't take any time at all) for comparable brilliance from Americans.
My own creation popped up first. Situation: you are babysitting for dear friends.
Problem: the kids are misbehaving with vigor. What can you do? Obviously, you can't give them a fast wallop across the butt, appealing as that may be. Parents react so hysterically! when someone else administers corporal punishment.
This has worked for me in the past: give the kid a stern look, slit your eyes for most impact and say, "If you don't stop that, (you don't need to spell it out) I am going to do something so terrible to you that all of your great grandchildren will be born with snow white hair."
This is so vague - yet menacing - that the kid will often stop the action to puzzle out what this could possibly be. At which point, you suggest that "Let's all sit down and have a cookie."
I read that "Don't you make me take off my earrings" is a classic warning from one black woman to another. Yesterday I saw one example of why. A trio of black women were at the next table at Eat at Joe's and one of them was wearing very solid-looking gold hoops; the diameter of which easily equaled that of a saucer. And I understood exactly why it was said. Great handholds for the enemy.
I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but "You really don't want me to let the werewolf out" shows great promise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
