Film At Eleven...
I hope that it isn't really dead because I have a bunch of photos that aren't on the other machine...but...she wouldn't boot up this morning.
Thus the lack of words, pictures, and commentary.
Stay tuned to this station, if you will.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
An Exclusive Revelation
I've Identified The Seventy-Two Virgins...
Did anyone but me see the antics of the whitehouse press corps this week when President Bush held his "open" news conference? What a truely stupid bunch of partisan idiots most of these elitist morons showed themselves to be.
Particulary rancid was the behavior of Helen Thomas as she delivered a rhetoric laced "non-question" that the President took a swing at and hit out of the ballpark.
Poor old Helen kept on spitting and sputtering and interrupting, forcing President Bush to interrupt her several times.
I think that she might have soiled here Depends in the process of the exchange.
I have every respect in general for people that manage to live to the ripe old age that Helen has, but she has fallen a long, long way since her days in the Kennedy White House in the early 1960's.
She's been a reporter since 1943 for God's sake. Why dosn't she just throw in the towel and find something else to do with her time rather than doddering into the White House press room only to spike her blood pressure a couple of times week.
I started thinking about ways that she could serve her country, and this idea came to mind...
Hey all you suicide bomber followers of Allah and Bin Laden...
COME AND GET 'EM!!!
(that image makes me shudder at my own creativity...)
Did anyone but me see the antics of the whitehouse press corps this week when President Bush held his "open" news conference? What a truely stupid bunch of partisan idiots most of these elitist morons showed themselves to be.
Particulary rancid was the behavior of Helen Thomas as she delivered a rhetoric laced "non-question" that the President took a swing at and hit out of the ballpark.
Poor old Helen kept on spitting and sputtering and interrupting, forcing President Bush to interrupt her several times.
I think that she might have soiled here Depends in the process of the exchange.
I have every respect in general for people that manage to live to the ripe old age that Helen has, but she has fallen a long, long way since her days in the Kennedy White House in the early 1960's.
She's been a reporter since 1943 for God's sake. Why dosn't she just throw in the towel and find something else to do with her time rather than doddering into the White House press room only to spike her blood pressure a couple of times week.
I started thinking about ways that she could serve her country, and this idea came to mind...
Hey all you suicide bomber followers of Allah and Bin Laden...
COME AND GET 'EM!!!
(that image makes me shudder at my own creativity...)
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Hospital Update
Slightly better...
On Monday I mentioned here on the blog that my beloved Grandmother was in very serious condition in the intensive care ward of a Florida Hospital.
I can report with guarded optimism that she has now been moved out of intensive care today--into a regular hospital room, but she still has a LONG way to go because she's developed a new condition as of the result of her bed confinement and we're still awaiting an actual diagnosis of what is wrong with her, if anything, besides her advanced age.
I am humbled by the the widespread response of support from my fellow bloggers and many total strangers here on the internet.
Of particular note is that my blog idol Steve H. over at Hog On Ice noticed my Prayer Request and referenced my family's situation with this link in his blog.
Thanks a zillion Mr. H. (BTW, you blasted my hit count up six fold today.)
Several other of my fellow bloggers including Val Prieto over at Babalu blog took the time to comment and offer support. I also noticed that my blogfriend Richthofin at Blind Chick Racing tossed me a link also.
This is the first time I've ever asked for anything on my blog other than the patience of anyone that happens by in enduring my ranting and sometimes irrational ravings.
I am overwhelmed with this outpouring of concern and kind words, and on behalf of my family and myself I offer a hearty
THANK YOU!
On Monday I mentioned here on the blog that my beloved Grandmother was in very serious condition in the intensive care ward of a Florida Hospital.
I can report with guarded optimism that she has now been moved out of intensive care today--into a regular hospital room, but she still has a LONG way to go because she's developed a new condition as of the result of her bed confinement and we're still awaiting an actual diagnosis of what is wrong with her, if anything, besides her advanced age.
I am humbled by the the widespread response of support from my fellow bloggers and many total strangers here on the internet.
Of particular note is that my blog idol Steve H. over at Hog On Ice noticed my Prayer Request and referenced my family's situation with this link in his blog.
Thanks a zillion Mr. H. (BTW, you blasted my hit count up six fold today.)
Several other of my fellow bloggers including Val Prieto over at Babalu blog took the time to comment and offer support. I also noticed that my blogfriend Richthofin at Blind Chick Racing tossed me a link also.
This is the first time I've ever asked for anything on my blog other than the patience of anyone that happens by in enduring my ranting and sometimes irrational ravings.
I am overwhelmed with this outpouring of concern and kind words, and on behalf of my family and myself I offer a hearty
THANK YOU!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Leg Of Lamb...Anyone?
Where's My Mint Jelly...
It would seem that strange things are happening in Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Belgium these days, as evidenced by this photograph (no, I didn't Photoshop it...)
This little critter was born there recently and has caused quite a stir in the local farming community.
I wonder if I could buy a franchise on ranching and distrubuting my own herd (or is it flock.)
Based on a 50% increase in the number of legs of lamb for sale, I'd say it could be a profitable (ad)venture.
It would seem that strange things are happening in Meeuwen-Gruitrode, Belgium these days, as evidenced by this photograph (no, I didn't Photoshop it...)This little critter was born there recently and has caused quite a stir in the local farming community.
I wonder if I could buy a franchise on ranching and distrubuting my own herd (or is it flock.)
Based on a 50% increase in the number of legs of lamb for sale, I'd say it could be a profitable (ad)venture.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Say A Little Prayer, Please
A Personal Request...
If you're inclined to pray, please pray for this little lady that is very dear to my family and I.
If you're inclined to pray, please pray for this little lady that is very dear to my family and I.
My Father's mother was born in 1913 and has resided the past week in intensive care down in Florida. She'd be 93 years old if she makes it to December.
Thing's don't look that good for that to happen.
The driving and time spent at the hospital yesterday has caused the posting to be rather light as a result.
I'll try to do better later today...
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Freedom OF Religion
Not Freedom FROM Religion
I actually have what I think is a valid point to make here, so bear with me while I ramble along mentally to get us to it...
If you are a non-blogger and/or causal internet user, you might not realize how far reaching Google’s influence has become. Besides making its co-founders famous and wealthy, it has also become a powerful guardian to the internet and internet access that can make or break blogs and commercial websites alike.
As I understand things today, Blogger.com, the company that hosts my blogs (for free by the way) is owned by Google. Recently I've learned that several prominent blogs have had trouble with their content being removed or otherwise censored for unexplained reasons, and the only recourse was for the blogger to go somewhere else for hosting.
I've thus far managed to stay out of that situation, but...hey...I'm always just one good rant away from insanity...
They (Google) spend a good deal of their time working on your and my behalf and they are the number one search engine on the internet.
I find their services to be indispensable in regard to my own web usage. They constantly refine search algorithms in order to ensure that the results you get when you peck in a topic in the search box are the best possible, but sometimes problems ensue
For instance, last year I found that doing a Google search for my name resulted in seeing me come up number one on their listing.
Woooo, hoooo, yeeeee, haaaa, with that and a buck I can get a cup of thermonuclear coffee at Waffle House.
But then, mysteriously, shortly after I discovered that ego enhancing fact, I also found that my ranking had virtually disappeared, falling down in the second or third page of search results.
It was no big deal for me commercially, but I have to admit that it hurt my feelings a little.
Not to worry, because today the sun is shining and the birds are singing, and my name again sits atop Google’s search results.
But do you know what else I just found out this morning?
Something sort of cool, but yet sort of strange at the same time.
One of my postings was prominently quoted in an article on the website about.com. What really caught my eye was that the category in which this article was published was Agnosticism/Atheism.
You can go here to read the text of the November 15, 2005 article entitled “Conservatives mobilizing against Atheists.
“What the heck” I first thought to myself. “Am I supposed to be flattered or outraged…”
It turns out that I just have to sit back and chuckle, because the posting that Mr. Austin Cline made was referencing my own blog rant entitled “Newdow, Old Tricks.”
I really thought that title was quite cleaver.
I was writing at the time about the meddling California Atheist father Michael Newdow that sued in court to stop his daughter for having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in the classrooms in public schools.
Mr. Austin takes umbrage with my simplistic reasoning, but he missed my point entirely in the process. I actually wasn’t trying to be that serious, I was just venting my feelings—one of the primary reasons that I write a blog.
Here is what he said (the text in green is quoted from me):
At least Doug Hagin mentions a couple of genuine issues. Virgil Rogers dispenses with such niceties and goes straight for the personal attack:
"In my opinion, Mr. Newdow is a truly bored, egotistical, useless moron. I wish I had the spare time and energy that Mike has, because I’d probably have solved some critical problem like finding a cure for the common cold or producing a vaccine for Avian flue or something USEFUL by now. I bet Newdow spent his twelve years in public schools with the other boys and most of the girls kicking his butt and wiping the floor with him."
Notice any attempt to argue that Newdow is wrong? Neither do I. Virgil Rogers insists that Newdow is “screwing” with his rights and civil liberties, but he doesn’t explain what “rights” or “liberties” would be overturned if the government ceased to officially endorse, support, or encourage particular religious beliefs. Do Hindus have fewer rights and liberties because their religious beliefs aren’t endorsed by the state? Do Shintos have fewer rights and liberties because their religious beliefs aren’t promoted by the state? Hardly. Yet so many Christians are certain that it would be a form of discrimination if the government ceased to support and endorse their beliefs.
It’s not rights or liberties that they would be losing, it’s privilege. Christians and Christianity have, through much of America’s history, been treated with special deference as compared to other religions. When most Americans were Christian, this was accepted and enjoyed — objections by religious minorities were simply dismissed. Now that America is more religiously diverse, however, religious minorities are becoming more vocal and more successful in their challenges to traditional practices.
Well Mr. Cline, let me say THIS about THAT.
I am constantly torn between writing serious commentary versus just “letting it all hang out” here on the blog, trying to be entertaining.
Maybe you're just pointing out that I have failed at doing either or both at the same time, BUT...with regard to the issue of Michael Newdow’s lawsuit about the words “one nation under God” in the Pledge of allegiance, there is an important detail that I failed to mention, and that you apparently fail to grasp.
Let me state it as simply as I can for you and my readers.
I believe that the government can ABSOLUTLELY stop promoting the pledge of allegiance when the government also stops confiscating my property tax dollars to pay for the mind mush mills laughingly called “public schools” and REQUIRING that our citizens send their children there for twelve impressionable years of their lives.
Last time I checked, it was AGAINST THE LAW to not send your kid to school. The police will come to your house, arrest you, and put you in jail if you let your kids sit at home playing Playstation and eating Poptarts all day long.
I say that when the government starts allowing parents to have freedom of educational choice and are allowed to home school or otherwise educate their little darlin’s in the private school of their liking, then you can send your own child to a school where they say a pledge of allegiance to the Devil or Elvis or even Howdy Doody if you want.
It's all about educational choice.
The only catch is that the goverment should pony up some cash, in the form of school vouchers, to help the parents pay for the alternative (read that REAL) education. After all, it's their (our) money that the government is currently using to pay for the drivel that they are teaching between 8 AM and 3 PM.
The wording of the Pledge of Allegiance should be the LEAST of our problems.
It seems to me to be an easy choice, yet we all still sit here today with crappy, underachieving schools and endless debates on test scores.
Until such time when parents have educational choices, and only then, I say that the VOTERS, not the courts, are entitled to decide what our kids are or are not taught. This means that Michael Newdow can't use the COURTS to override the VOTERS.
It's just that simple...
I actually have what I think is a valid point to make here, so bear with me while I ramble along mentally to get us to it...
If you are a non-blogger and/or causal internet user, you might not realize how far reaching Google’s influence has become. Besides making its co-founders famous and wealthy, it has also become a powerful guardian to the internet and internet access that can make or break blogs and commercial websites alike.
As I understand things today, Blogger.com, the company that hosts my blogs (for free by the way) is owned by Google. Recently I've learned that several prominent blogs have had trouble with their content being removed or otherwise censored for unexplained reasons, and the only recourse was for the blogger to go somewhere else for hosting.
I've thus far managed to stay out of that situation, but...hey...I'm always just one good rant away from insanity...
They (Google) spend a good deal of their time working on your and my behalf and they are the number one search engine on the internet.
I find their services to be indispensable in regard to my own web usage. They constantly refine search algorithms in order to ensure that the results you get when you peck in a topic in the search box are the best possible, but sometimes problems ensue
For instance, last year I found that doing a Google search for my name resulted in seeing me come up number one on their listing.
Woooo, hoooo, yeeeee, haaaa, with that and a buck I can get a cup of thermonuclear coffee at Waffle House.
But then, mysteriously, shortly after I discovered that ego enhancing fact, I also found that my ranking had virtually disappeared, falling down in the second or third page of search results.
It was no big deal for me commercially, but I have to admit that it hurt my feelings a little.
Not to worry, because today the sun is shining and the birds are singing, and my name again sits atop Google’s search results.
But do you know what else I just found out this morning?
Something sort of cool, but yet sort of strange at the same time.
One of my postings was prominently quoted in an article on the website about.com. What really caught my eye was that the category in which this article was published was Agnosticism/Atheism.
You can go here to read the text of the November 15, 2005 article entitled “Conservatives mobilizing against Atheists.
“What the heck” I first thought to myself. “Am I supposed to be flattered or outraged…”
It turns out that I just have to sit back and chuckle, because the posting that Mr. Austin Cline made was referencing my own blog rant entitled “Newdow, Old Tricks.”
I really thought that title was quite cleaver.
I was writing at the time about the meddling California Atheist father Michael Newdow that sued in court to stop his daughter for having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in the classrooms in public schools.
Mr. Austin takes umbrage with my simplistic reasoning, but he missed my point entirely in the process. I actually wasn’t trying to be that serious, I was just venting my feelings—one of the primary reasons that I write a blog.
Here is what he said (the text in green is quoted from me):
At least Doug Hagin mentions a couple of genuine issues. Virgil Rogers dispenses with such niceties and goes straight for the personal attack:
"In my opinion, Mr. Newdow is a truly bored, egotistical, useless moron. I wish I had the spare time and energy that Mike has, because I’d probably have solved some critical problem like finding a cure for the common cold or producing a vaccine for Avian flue or something USEFUL by now. I bet Newdow spent his twelve years in public schools with the other boys and most of the girls kicking his butt and wiping the floor with him."
Notice any attempt to argue that Newdow is wrong? Neither do I. Virgil Rogers insists that Newdow is “screwing” with his rights and civil liberties, but he doesn’t explain what “rights” or “liberties” would be overturned if the government ceased to officially endorse, support, or encourage particular religious beliefs. Do Hindus have fewer rights and liberties because their religious beliefs aren’t endorsed by the state? Do Shintos have fewer rights and liberties because their religious beliefs aren’t promoted by the state? Hardly. Yet so many Christians are certain that it would be a form of discrimination if the government ceased to support and endorse their beliefs.
It’s not rights or liberties that they would be losing, it’s privilege. Christians and Christianity have, through much of America’s history, been treated with special deference as compared to other religions. When most Americans were Christian, this was accepted and enjoyed — objections by religious minorities were simply dismissed. Now that America is more religiously diverse, however, religious minorities are becoming more vocal and more successful in their challenges to traditional practices.
Well Mr. Cline, let me say THIS about THAT.
I am constantly torn between writing serious commentary versus just “letting it all hang out” here on the blog, trying to be entertaining.
Maybe you're just pointing out that I have failed at doing either or both at the same time, BUT...with regard to the issue of Michael Newdow’s lawsuit about the words “one nation under God” in the Pledge of allegiance, there is an important detail that I failed to mention, and that you apparently fail to grasp.
Let me state it as simply as I can for you and my readers.
I believe that the government can ABSOLUTLELY stop promoting the pledge of allegiance when the government also stops confiscating my property tax dollars to pay for the mind mush mills laughingly called “public schools” and REQUIRING that our citizens send their children there for twelve impressionable years of their lives.
Last time I checked, it was AGAINST THE LAW to not send your kid to school. The police will come to your house, arrest you, and put you in jail if you let your kids sit at home playing Playstation and eating Poptarts all day long.
I say that when the government starts allowing parents to have freedom of educational choice and are allowed to home school or otherwise educate their little darlin’s in the private school of their liking, then you can send your own child to a school where they say a pledge of allegiance to the Devil or Elvis or even Howdy Doody if you want.
It's all about educational choice.
The only catch is that the goverment should pony up some cash, in the form of school vouchers, to help the parents pay for the alternative (read that REAL) education. After all, it's their (our) money that the government is currently using to pay for the drivel that they are teaching between 8 AM and 3 PM.
The wording of the Pledge of Allegiance should be the LEAST of our problems.
It seems to me to be an easy choice, yet we all still sit here today with crappy, underachieving schools and endless debates on test scores.
Until such time when parents have educational choices, and only then, I say that the VOTERS, not the courts, are entitled to decide what our kids are or are not taught. This means that Michael Newdow can't use the COURTS to override the VOTERS.
It's just that simple...
Strawberry Key Lime Pie
Don’t Anyone Get Between Me And My Key Lime Juice
(An Apology: I occasionally cross post things here on this blog that I also publish over on my cooking blog, The Redneck Gourmet, and this morning I find myself in the position of not having anything original worth saying so I took the opportunity to write up this pie recipe and dump it out on both blogs. You really aught to try making one for yourself and a few friends--its really quite yummy.)
Did you know that you can make a WHOLE Key Lime Pie in less than 30 minutes?
Did you know that you can make a WHOLE Key Lime Pie for about $6.00?
Further, if you are a cheep-skate like me and you don't mind making your own pie crust, did you know that you can cut the cost down to about $4.50.
That said, does anyone but me wonder why the heck a slice of Key Lime Pie costs you $5.00 in most restaurants?
Maybe they have to send someone to fly each day down to Key West and pick their own little Key limes and escort them back to their kitchen or something. That could explain the cost.
And why are these expensive pie slices colored GREEN?
The natural color of a Key Lime Pie comes out pale yellow when I make one.
Is the green color the result of radioactivity, or possibly food coloring?
Then again, maybe the high cost is due to labor.
I know from personal experience that juicing those little suckers (key limes) requires the patience of Job. The seeds are tiny and almost impossible to pick out of the juice without a fine mesh strainer, and it takes over a dozen of the little suckers to get an entire pie’s worth of juice.
I gave up juicing little limes last year once I found out that I could drive over to the grocery store and buy a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice.
This stuff is WONDERFUL.
One 16 fluid ounce bottle is said to contain the juice of at least 26 key limes. Based on my experience, it seems more like about 4 dozen of the tiny, tart citrus fruits.
Any way, I got bored last week and started thinking about doing something a little different with Key Lime Juice, and as usual—a trip to the grocery store was the answer.
What I found was that they are practically giving away Florida strawberries right now, so I bought two big packages of berries along with some other stuff, and a new form of Key Lime Pie resulted.
This recipe is EXTREMELY simple, so don’t blink your eyes or you’ll miss it.
All you need are these Ingrediants:
½ cup of Key Lime Juice
(1) 14 oz can Eaglebrand Sweetened Condensed Milk
(3) egg yolks
(1) cup pureed strawberries (drained well)
Sliced strawberrys and/or sliced kiwi fruit for garnish
A few leafs of fresh mint for garnish
(1) 8” or 9” pie crust (I used a Nabisco “Nilla” Pie crust)
You ready to make a pie now?
Step #1...Fire up your oven and set the temperature at 350 degrees F.
Step #2...Stir everything together, dump it into the pie crust, and bake for 20 minutes.
How simple is that?
When the dust settles, all that is left is to chill your pie in the fridge for a few hours, then slice it up, put it on chilled plates, and garnish it with the sliced strawberries, kiwi, and mint sprigs.
Now grab yourself a fork and EAT!
Enjoy Y’all,
The Redneck Gourmet
(An Apology: I occasionally cross post things here on this blog that I also publish over on my cooking blog, The Redneck Gourmet, and this morning I find myself in the position of not having anything original worth saying so I took the opportunity to write up this pie recipe and dump it out on both blogs. You really aught to try making one for yourself and a few friends--its really quite yummy.)
Did you know that you can make a WHOLE Key Lime Pie in less than 30 minutes?
Did you know that you can make a WHOLE Key Lime Pie for about $6.00?
Further, if you are a cheep-skate like me and you don't mind making your own pie crust, did you know that you can cut the cost down to about $4.50.
That said, does anyone but me wonder why the heck a slice of Key Lime Pie costs you $5.00 in most restaurants?
Maybe they have to send someone to fly each day down to Key West and pick their own little Key limes and escort them back to their kitchen or something. That could explain the cost.
And why are these expensive pie slices colored GREEN?
The natural color of a Key Lime Pie comes out pale yellow when I make one.
Is the green color the result of radioactivity, or possibly food coloring?
Then again, maybe the high cost is due to labor.
I know from personal experience that juicing those little suckers (key limes) requires the patience of Job. The seeds are tiny and almost impossible to pick out of the juice without a fine mesh strainer, and it takes over a dozen of the little suckers to get an entire pie’s worth of juice.
I gave up juicing little limes last year once I found out that I could drive over to the grocery store and buy a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice.
This stuff is WONDERFUL.
One 16 fluid ounce bottle is said to contain the juice of at least 26 key limes. Based on my experience, it seems more like about 4 dozen of the tiny, tart citrus fruits.
Any way, I got bored last week and started thinking about doing something a little different with Key Lime Juice, and as usual—a trip to the grocery store was the answer.
What I found was that they are practically giving away Florida strawberries right now, so I bought two big packages of berries along with some other stuff, and a new form of Key Lime Pie resulted.
This recipe is EXTREMELY simple, so don’t blink your eyes or you’ll miss it.
All you need are these Ingrediants:
½ cup of Key Lime Juice
(1) 14 oz can Eaglebrand Sweetened Condensed Milk
(3) egg yolks
(1) cup pureed strawberries (drained well)
Sliced strawberrys and/or sliced kiwi fruit for garnish
A few leafs of fresh mint for garnish
(1) 8” or 9” pie crust (I used a Nabisco “Nilla” Pie crust)
You ready to make a pie now?
Step #1...Fire up your oven and set the temperature at 350 degrees F.
Step #2...Stir everything together, dump it into the pie crust, and bake for 20 minutes.
How simple is that?
When the dust settles, all that is left is to chill your pie in the fridge for a few hours, then slice it up, put it on chilled plates, and garnish it with the sliced strawberries, kiwi, and mint sprigs.
Now grab yourself a fork and EAT!
Enjoy Y’all,
The Redneck Gourmet
