G+ Migration Blog

I finally convinced people to try the new Iraqi/Turkish restaurant, and it was closed for a kitchen fire, or something. So we went to the Bosnian place I've been unable to get them to try. It's really good, the portions are enormous, and if you don't eat meat there are a few things, but not much. Also, there's cheese or a variant of sour cream on most things. Don't ask why I describe it this way, it's inescapable with my family. Anyway, the ajvar is delicious, they have a cheese that they describe as feta but it's much fresher and creamier than the usual feta. Their version of borek, which they call pita, is light and fluffy and eggy and delicious. The meat things were all juicy and tasty and the bread, whose name I forget, is crispy on the outside and absorbs the awesome, meaty juiciness on the inside. Nom. The portions are enormous, so we not only brought a bunch of food home, we didn't try any of the desserts or coffee, which are a tribute to the cros...

Interesting in regards to a post elsewhere on the topic. (I'm not a lawyer, so I don't know if this is an unassailable analysis. My impression is that nothing in legal stuff is unassailable, but ye legals would know better.) http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/analysis-hillary-clinton-commit-crime-based-today/story?id=36626499 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/analysis-hillary-clinton-commit-crime-based-today/story?id=36626499

Once again, a cool google doodle.

Ugh, yes, I'm up, alright?

Really long article with some interesting info about chickens, eggs, and what is or isn't the best environment for laying 'em. For example, did you know chickens will cannibalize each other? I didn't. Sounds kind of gross. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/is-the-free-range-egg-trend-really-just-a-shell-game/article29797385/ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/is-the-free-range-egg-trend-really-just-a-shell-game/article29797385

Somebody's just making this up, right? http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-hairball-awareness-day-last-friday-in-april/ http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-hairball-awareness-day-last-friday-in-april

Something else to panic about. Or not. Just take the recommended precautions against getting tick (or other bug) bites. The alert in Canada is because there have been cases in the US. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/powassan-virus-prompts-officials-to-expand-tick-monitoring-1.3036326 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/powassan-virus-prompts-officials-to-expand-tick-monitoring-1.3036326

I really shouldn't be laughing at this. #nottheonion   http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/aggressive-grouse-canmore-hikers-1.3555310 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/aggressive-grouse-canmore-hikers-1.3555310

For anyone that hated that ice cream truck jingle (you poor shriveled soul of a human), you may experience some schadenfreude. http://www.npr.org/player/embed/476124477/476124478 " width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> http://www.npr.org/player/embed/476124477/476124478

He may officially disavow them, but apparently they think they're part of his coalition. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-04-29/journalist-barraged-anti-semitic-threats-after-profiling-donald-trump-s-wife

I though all of this was lost. Thank goodness some of it was saved. http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-04-28/thanks-some-librarians-parts-timbuktus-cultural-heritage-was-saved-extemists http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-04-28/thanks-some-librarians-parts-timbuktus-cultural-heritage-was-saved-extemists

Other things I find out on NPR - there's a math movie opening today! The reviews are "it's ok", but how often are there math movies? Unfortunately, it isn't playing around here until mid-May, but at least it'll be here. http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/04/29/irons-patel-new-film http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/04/29/irons-patel-new-film

Trigger Warnings Hashtag MoreThanMean - You might have seen or heard about this already. I heard it on NPR today. It's harsh and absolutely covered with trigger warnings. I did go find the video and it's very powerful and very horrible. Then again, I'm amazed there are people who don't know or refuse to believe the nastiness that is spewed all over the internet at women. This time, it's about women reporting or commenting on sports. The NPR broadcast had both Sarah Spain and Julie DiCaro on, but it also had call-ins from people whose stories just kinda make me want to give up hope on humanity. That said, at least this seems to be getting as much positive as negative response. Maybe the fact that this exists is already a tiny difference in the world. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/28/morethanmean-a-graphic-lesson-for-men-in-the-everyday-harassment-of-women-in-sports-media/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/28/moret...

Not a good trend. Otoh, I have no real info on how often this happened in past wars. Is it really different, or do we just know about it, now? http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/28/476064028/syria-hospital-bombing-are-the-rules-of-war-blowing-up http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/28/476064028/syria-hospital-bombing-are-the-rules-of-war-blowing-up

I would totally go see this, esp. since I am familiar with the music of Eubie Blake and William Grant Still. http://www.vulture.com/2016/04/theater-review-shuffle-along.html http://www.vulture.com/2016/04/theater-review-shuffle-along.html

Um, ok. http://nypost.com/2016/04/28/teacher-fired-after-saying-vagina-in-class/ http://nypost.com/2016/04/28/teacher-fired-after-saying-vagina-in-class

One of the myriad selections of woman cards on the internet. http://www.notabletechnicalwomen.org/product/notable-women-in-computing-playing-cards/ P.S. I'll bet you could get one of those special plastic holders that fits in a 3-ring binder. Then you could have a binder full of women cards. http://www.notabletechnicalwomen.org/product/notable-women-in-computing-playing-cards

I think people sometimes send things because they don't have money to send. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-disaster-relief-brings-anything-but-relief/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/when-disaster-relief-brings-anything-but-relief

Stranger than fiction. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-tv-station-evacuated-after-man-in-lobby-claims-to-have-bomb/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-tv-station-evacuated-after-man-in-lobby-claims-to-have-bomb

- much locked - I am deeply, deeply, deeply fried, right now. You're all shocked, aren't you. There's a lot of fsck life, fsck the universe, fsck everything going on right now. Much of this is that I am ever so tired of fighting to exist and succeed at existing. I am pretty sure that I did not feel this way prior to age 5, life-threatening medical emergency notwithstanding, and, you know, I obviously lived.

So peeved with the DMV right now.

If it is legitimate to vote for a candidate based on their position on abortion, or 'being tough on crime' (aka locking up black people), or sharing bathrooms, why is it not legitimate to vote for a candidate based on gender? This came up when Clinton was running against Obama, too. You shouldn't vote for a woman just because she's a woman. Oh, ok. I guess there are no gender issues of importance, then, that might have political or legal avenues of address. I do not mean that you should turn your brain off and just vote for people on single issues; it's preferable not to. However, if you are going to make decisions on single issues, why isn't gender and its treatment in society a legitimate issue? Women were basically not legally people under the laws when the US Constitution was written. They couldn't vote until 1920 (technically I think NJ gave them the right to vote originally but it was overturned by laws passed in the early 1800's). Scalia didn'...

I have unkind words about the NYS DMV and their making a mistake that is costing me time and money. A typo, no less, that there is seemingly no national database check on so you can apparently type practically anything into a computer and it becomes immutable truth. Also of note, nobody bothers to look at the VIN plate in your window in the same stupid place that the inspection and registration stickers go when they inspect your car. Another quality control point in the system that fails. There are no consequences to the DMV if this isn't fixed, but there are significant consequences to me. Let's just say I am less than pleased.

I have mixed feelings about Take Our Offspring to Work Day. There have been times when some parents simply brought their children with them to work, regardless. I don't know how common that still is. It continues to be true that girls are not encouraged or supported in many fields while boys are, so I think a concerted effort to do so is entirely valid. I have little sympathy for all of the outcry over Boys Left Out! It suggests that TOOTWD is the only future career/job related activity that any children are ever exposed to, and that is simply untrue in the general privileged corners of the world. There were, and still are, valid reasons to support and encourage girls apart from boys. The hue and cry suggests an awful lot of the sort of stuff that comes up any time somebody suggests girls should get special treatment, so to speak. My familiarity with it is based on a structured half-day or whole-day program, supported by the company or workplace. It therefore does not allow random ...

donwanna

Apparently Yotam Ottolenghi has made some cooking/travel shows. And I can't figure out how to get to watch them all. These are the only episodes, one each from two different series, that I can find online in any form. It's not that I want to slavishly copy his stuff, but these two are super informative about things for which I have no prior input. Like, I knew there was this pastry called brik, but only that it was sort of like phyllo. I had no idea what they did with it, or that it was street food. And the homemade harissa. Apparently, it can be as basic as dried chiles, garlic, and salt through a meat grinder.  So, yeah, I want to see the whole set of series! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7iR-0FOk0U (Tunisia) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA8zfxj4fRU (Crete) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7iR-0FOk0U

This is going to be the most heinous presidential election I have ever been through. Ugh.

G+ has just informed me that there is a group called Electromagnetic Universe - Halton Arp's Quasars. Ok, g+, you might get me to look at that one out of curiosity. Maybe.

Prompted by other people posting: The part of the day where I think I could not completely give up carbs for eating is breakfast. I mean, I don't have to have them every day, but I do not think I could eat totally non-carb foods for breakfast every day, forever. The rest of the day could be done, unless you get super obnox about it and include all the starchy veggies and all the legumes and all the fruit and basically everything except kale. Then you can forget it. I can't eat like Posh Spice.

Well, just watered the base of the trees so hopefully the cold temps won't be evil to them.

- mildly  locked - Fu, universe. No, really. He's got 2 bone marrow cancers and my dad was finally scheduled for a hip replacement to deal with that fun and exciting side damage, after he had to have surgery on his back because spine damage, and he developed problems with tooth/bone, which required surgery, and now they think there's a freaking salivary gland stone and we don't want him to have to cancel the hip surgery because insane pain as well as dysfunction but now they want to send him for another freaking CT scan and you know what? I have no answer anymore when he says he just wants out.

Not a precise understanding of the concepts, and I think they are not usually applied to people, but I think they could be and they are beautiful conceptions of how messed up life can really be. Japanese wabi-sabi and kintsugi. Imperfection, things as they occur in the world not as we want to make them, value and beauty in signs of daily existence, even in what our culture would consider damage.

- locked - Things I try to tell myself sometimes: screw you universe I will get healthy and take care of myself in spite of you. I'm not saying it works, just that sometimes I get feisty.

Awesome experiment. Sadly not widely practical at present. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/04/24/pilot-lands-solar-powered-plane-after-risky-flight-across-pacific-ocean/83462522/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/04/24/pilot-lands-solar-powered-plane-after-risky-flight-across-pacific-ocean/83462522

Ow. Did the exercise walk thing, did the plant things, move things, clean things, got mom's requested 3 large bags of stuff for gardening**. Per mom gee I forgot how heavy these were. However, she assisted in the relocation of said items from my trunk into the garage so neither of us is crippled. This also involved using a for realz little red wagon. ** They got into my trunk via the guys who pick things up for you. They got to those guys via my clever use of a flat and low to the ground hand cart and gravity, also careful application of minimal amounts of leverage and friction. Still do not recommend.

Arguments I have with myself: 1. Ever being allowed to feel negatively about anything. work, growing up --- I am tired of fighting. I am tired of taking the wrong and advice and making the wrong decisions because I was never taught or supported in just plain thinking about me first. While you should always get input from others because (why), don't do it because you aren't confident in yourself. Don't let it undermine your thoughts and feelings.

Omg, my dad got my mom to (grudgingly) go to the immigrant development initiative place with the little shops and food stands and I got her to eat dim sum and bao! Dad got her to try one of the Laotian fried dessert thingies. She actually said she liked some of it!! Then she bought something from one of the ladies with a little shop (a shawl and a skirt). Amazing.

Shakespeare's like, old or something: O, how I faint when I of you do write, Knowing a better spirit doth use your name, And in the praise thereof spends all his might To make me tongue-tied speaking of your fame.

There was a story about this on the radio the other day. I had no idea there was so much abuse and it carried on until so recently. This is appalling. It might have been the worst, but Ireland wasn't the only place these "institutions" existed. http://littleatoms.com/penance-industry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_laundries_in_Ireland https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdalene_asylum http://littleatoms.com/penance-industry

I think I might have mentioned I thought this was awesome when I had it last year. Well, it's back and it's still awesome. One of the nice things about TJs is they occasionally get in really interesting and totally legit cheeses. This stuff also makes a beeyootiful grilled cheese. http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/formaggio-lagorai http://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/formaggio-lagorai

Happy Passover to those who celebrate.

Oh, lordy, the luddites are out. http://www.gmwatch.org/news/latest-news/16706-argentine-and-brazilian-doctors-name-larvicide-as-potential-cause-of-microcephaly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyriproxyfen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyriproxyfen

I don't remember learning about this, then again, it's probably at some advanced level of chemistry I never studied. Why would I look it up, then? Because I'm five and the title of this article made me giggle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsole http://www.eurekaselect.com/79391/article#sthash.yZmVDCN8.dpuf http://www.eurekaselect.com/79391/article#sthash.yZmVDCN8.dpuf

I guess if the government won't, the insurance companies will. (I know it's not that simple.) http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HIGH_DRUG_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_HIGH_DRUG_PRICES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Today is turning out to be a real winner in the experiences department. I shall only share one more with the wide world of sports, aka tiny tolerant circle. I have been programmed from youth that "polite" meant you basically never challenged the salesperson or customer service person or whatever. In general, you're never supposed to get upset, or be demanding, etc. You should at all costs apologize for taking up their time or imposing on them. So why am I torturing you guys with this? Because there is a commentary running through my head that you should always give people second chances, and that everybody has a bad day, and that you shouldn't let one bad experience erase a bunch of good ones, etc. And there are times that is true. But I am starting to learn that it is, in fact, ok to expect better of people, and to expect them not to treat you poorly and yet have you come back for more. I'm allowed to judge people and to not make excuses for them and to stand up ...

locked AUGH. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR EMOTIONS. Thanks. I just needed to say that. I mean, I really need to say it to the person in question, but they can't hear that sort of thing. I mean I literally think that this type of sound pattern hits their auditory cortex and produces an out of cheese melon melon melon error. Not to mention their consummate artistry at triangular relationships that uses third parties who were not and should not be involved. Bah.

The google doodles are really pretty today.

Hello, tiny circle of the tolerant. Thankfully, Cathoilc Charities offers proper counseling for people without large disposable incomes. So that's a thing I am doing. Which is pertinent because I still feel pressure about being supposed to be perfect, and high profile, and super successful with lots of money, and so forth** . Which, it turns out, is also a great way to completely shut people down. Because if you aren't perfect, you're a failure. Also, you should just quit, because why do anything if it isn't perfect? So, yeah, this messes with me a lot. Even with stupid things. It is a particularly awesome combination with the bam at age 12 when you start to physically turn into an adult and all of a sudden there's something wrong with how you look. And people try to be "helpful" by taking you to diet classes, and criticizing what you eat in front of other people, and discussing how to make you thinner with friends and acquaintances. P.S. I was a competiti...

Some really good clips embedded in here. http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11481084/prince-revolutionary-performance-style http://www.vox.com/2016/4/21/11481084/prince-revolutionary-performance-style

I cannot believe what bikes cost. A used one that is checked out and mechanically verified is $200+! And you should see what a Schwinn costs. Yeesh. It used to be just a bike . Plus, there are the uber-privileged bikes, like the linky - built-in cup holders, leather seats and hand grips. Man, I'd be afraid to get dirt on it! http://www.momentum-biking.com/us/bikes/street/red-pearl-white http://www.momentum-biking.com/us/bikes/street/red-pearl-white

The guitar is what I'll always remember the most, even though there isn't enough of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCAk7pJaTYM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC34ZcDiCag (with Lenny Kravitz) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCAk7pJaTYM

You might want to skip right to about 3:30. I have something in my eye. (Edit: it's not showing but this is Prince at Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame playing on "While my guitar gently weeps" which, just, I'm all verklempt, again.) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

I don't need a chocolate chip cookie.

Have not read original papers, but do not doubt the potential associations. It's already been shown that oral health and heart health are linked. AND YET dental care is STILL not considered important enough to just roll into health care coverage.  People can die from an untreated oral abscess, although these days they mostly end up in the hospital via the emergency room requiring surgery and i.v. antibiotics. Oh, but that's their fault for not brushing their teeth. Yeah, actually, even people with good tooth care can have problems, although obviously they have fewer in general.  Not to mention that it is still culturally rampant to teach everyone to fear the dentist, or to consider them somehow not trained healthcare providers. Look at the picture in the article. Is that encouraging you to go to the dentist? They really aren't barber-surgeons anymore, not in this country, anyway. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/04/20/these-oral-bacteria-might-incr...

Motivation vs. inertia. Maybe I should just roll for initiative.

Other things we did this week: - Tried new yoga class (sigh - I want the one I liked back) - Emptied gas from snow blower and put away - Bought new sprayer head thingy for hose 'cuz the plastic bit inside that holds the screw for the spray selector thingy broke. - Did laundry - Made effort to get back to trying to sew things (smh) Edit: And made generically levantine ground lamb stuffed phyllo thingies with tomatoes, parsley, toasted pine nuts, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, onion, garlic, and sumac mixed into the lamb filling. Still up and functioning, so yay.

And some puppies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHJ4O6Q9FsM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHJ4O6Q9FsM

Here, have some penguins: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/apl-african-penguins http://www.ustream.tv/channel/apl-african-penguins

Voting is so hard . http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-0419-primary-registration-20160419-story.html http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-0419-primary-registration-20160419-story.html

Science. http://www.arrl.org/news/view/on-the-air-activity-to-highlight-international-marconi-day-on-april-23 http://www.arrl.org/news/view/on-the-air-activity-to-highlight-international-marconi-day-on-april-23

You looked bored. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/474943913/utah-declares-porn-a-public-health-hazard http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/474943913/utah-declares-porn-a-public-health-hazard

Sigh. Yes, it's helpful to have snapshot info, but not if it isn't usefully informative. Besides, it's not like patients have a choice too often anymore about what hospital they are sent to. It's insurance (or lack), proximity (esp for emergencies), or specific care needs (like a NICU) that determine this. So if it's supposed to help consumers/patients, I'm not sure how? Plus, I have some non-PC regional and cultural observations about where the patient surveys that are part of this gave lots of high ratings versus lots of low ratings. If you guess, you will probably be at least half right. And measures like how many people die at this hospital are much too crude to be anything other than a scare to people. Unless they are so grossly obviously messed up that you shouldn't need a star rating to tell you something is extremely wrong. That's a tool for regulators and insurance companies to leverage. Which again leads to questions about how concerned they ar...

Ugh. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/474973779/5-former-new-orleans-police-officers-enter-guilty-pleas-over-danziger-bridge-kil http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/474973779/5-former-new-orleans-police-officers-enter-guilty-pleas-over-danziger-bridge-kil

Sigh. My dad is getting really bitter.

Unofficial local results (2 districts, one much larger than the other): 50,199 Clinton 49,387 Sanders Sanders actually won the smaller district, 55% to 45%, but he lost the larger one 48% to 52%. Still, he got surprisingly close. Trump got over 60%. -_-

Wow. Erie County is 50/50. I really wonder where that will end up. Sanders got so close, here, in spite of the immense amount of effort by the machine that did so well elsewhere (Rochester, Syracuse). I don't think anyone thought he'd take Downstate, though, and that meant he wouldn't win unless he won all the other cities.

I'm not gonna stay up and wait, but I am curious to see which districts Sanders won. My guess is they will not be the ones where the machine still more or less operates, i.e., big cities. I don't know if there will be info available to see which parts of the cities went for Clinton or Sanders, although everybody can probably guess correctly, at this point. (Yes, while it may look different, there is still a machine, whether anyone wants to acknowledge that, or not, in this area.)

What the hell, Republican New York? I mean, it's not like you had stellar choices, but do you really think Trump's gonna get you that living room set for cheap 'cuz he knows a guy, with a truck, off of which things might fall from time to time? Also, since he likes to reference his Floyd de Rosa The Wall in the context of China's Great Wall, you might like to know that the Manchu invaders eventually conquered and ruled China in spite of the wall. In fact, they were the last ruling dynasty. The whole wall thing didn't actually work out in the long term. Besides, were you seriously going to take that job washing dishes or picking fruit?

Just heard comment on radio that there might be as much as 45% turn out for the primary in our county. That could be a record!

Whatever. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/donald-trump-mistakenly-refers-9-11-7-11-buffalo-article-1.2606309?cid=bitly http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/donald-trump-mistakenly-refers-9-11-7-11-buffalo-article-1.2606309?cid=bitly

O ye of the DDFS, I am considering visiting somewhere between May 25 and June 1, or thereabouts. This is pending several things, including my dad having surgery on May 17. Will you guys be around then?

Offs. It turns out I have access to The Paper. My head hurts just skimming it, which doesn't mean it's bad or anything, just that it's one of those. Immediate takeaway points: - In all probability, none of the high-end, non-sedating antihistamines you are taking were actually being taken by the study participants. Don't Panic. - The paper acknowledges its limitations. This is very different than the reporting which is popping up all over. The better quality reporting is saying that this is not new news, just confirming things we already knew. - It is a longitudinal study, so there's that. Of course, it's basically all white people, too, so there's that. Will try to sit down and properly read at some point.

If you really want to get bored/more detailed information: http://neuroscience.uth.tmc.edu/s1/chapter11.html http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/gcrc/ad_center/2005Pharm501AutonomicsPDF.pdf http://neuroscience.uth.tmc.edu/s1/chapter11.html

Don't know what time really fell asleep last night, 12? 1? Gota  5 am wake-up call from the birds (thanks, birds) tried to go back to sleep multiple times. Gave up. Woo. Ion, sinuses still not completely clear.

The polls are open from 6:30a-9:00p tomorrow. I wonder if they are always open that long, or if they are expecting a crowd?

I know the campaigns don't pick the music that gets played at their rallies, but playing [Pavarotti singing] "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot among the tunes at the end of Trump's rally is either brilliant or twisted or both. Or dumb luck.

It's amazing how many ads for his projects, holdings, events, revenue streams, etc. Donald Trump manages to work into his stump speech. That, and how he manages to magically inflate his ability to produce profits of exponential amounts.

Well, I didn't like Rex Ryan, anyway. Introducing Donald Trump at his rally just means he's an even less likable person than a coach.

Argh. Want to get a simple bike, but yikes, expensiveness.

Inexplicable marketing encountered in the wild: Cro-Muffins. No, these are not the anthropological antecedents of Modern Muffins. Cronut came from a combination of croissant and donut, relatively straightforward. These are some form of croissant dough rolled in a circle, a la cinnamon roll, and baked in a muffin cup. While you could have just called it a puff pastry cinnamon roll, no. At least be consistent, then, and call it a Cruffin. It will even allow you to continue the painful alliteration of a Cruffin Craze. Cretins.

Have drunk enough coffee that am vibrating, yet still feel tired. 'Splain, plz, mind-body y u do this?

Ok, seriously, I have not been actually sick for more than a sufficient period of time for my sinuses to have cleared themselves out. Enough already. Out, out, foul humors! Out, I say!

Things I miss watching: House of Cards.

Dinner tonight: Winter Veggie Shepherd's Pie Hittin' the last of the winter veggies, nom. Wanted to try this idea up with which I came. Is verrrry tasty. Would like to work on proportions a bit so that there is more of a 2:1 filling to topping ratio, because is tasty. Couldn't find any celery root at this point, so tried the sunchokes, which obviously had no similarity in taste, but the best time to work with a completely new ingredient is while you are creating a new recipe, right? Right?! Topping: Mashed Rutabaga - rutabagas, ~1 cup cream, ~3/4 stick butter, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, nutmeg Sauce: olive oil, lots of finely diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, ~2Tbls flour, ~2Tbls tomato paste, ~1 cup chicken broth, ~1 cup tomato puree, ~2 tsp Worchestershire sauce, splash of red wine, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, fresh rosemary, dried thyme, dried basil Filling: small dice parsnips, carrots, turnips, sunchokes, squash, radishes; a little oli...

For my own reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPzlMv4tMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgPzlMv4tMg

Today I - washed, and filled tanks on two cars - went for a walk - ate a good breakfast - sprayed the fruit trees - looked sadly at the lettuce that was returned to the outside and seems sad now that it is sunny and warm - watered stuff - cooked and prepped food - took garbage out - cleaned kitchen, including put away dishes and reload dishwasher - reviewed schedules with mom Pretty good, for a day.

I was hoping there'd be cheese oozing down the sides like it was exploding, or something. Otherwise, it's just vertical potato skins. Have to approve the bacon wrap, though. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/littlethingscom/volcano-potatoes-are-a-pe_b_9592934.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/littlethingscom/volcano-potatoes-are-a-pe_b_9592934.html

Cuteness counts (needs sound). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1283223/Stubborn-golden-retriever-puppy-won-t-sleep-dinner.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1283223/Stubborn-golden-retriever-puppy-won-t-sleep-dinner.html

Another in a series of catching up since New Year's posts (not really that far back). Homemade peppermint straciatella ice cream. In theory, you could do this without adding any oil to the melted chocolate. Since it was the first time I tried it, I went ahead and did the tiny bit of oil thing. What it does is keep the chocolate from ever completely hardening without messing up the taste. I don't know if you could still get the broken up shards as you mix it in, but I kind of like the texture of chocolate "chips", so if I ever did this again, I think I would experiment to see if it works without the oil. Otherwise, I used peppermint oil not extract, and worried myself about not making it too harsh, so I also added vanilla. It works very well to soften the mint without losing the peppermint flavor, so if you don't like strong peppermint, that is one option. Otoh, I thought it was almost too soft, since I wanted the sensation of a cool breeze billowing through my ha...

Things I regret - this. Well, spending money on it. I went to the mothership of the ramen place, where they serve more than ramen. The chef does specialty things each month. This month one of those was smoked duck breast yakisoba. It sounded really good. In the event, I will say that the portion sizes are more than generous, including the amount of duck. I will also say that there are definitely flavors (and sometimes textures, although not here) that I find very challenging in Japanese food. For whatever reason, this just wasn't good. It was funky, but I couldn't even figure out why. The smoked duck breast was very good, so was the pickled ginger, so were the bits of cabbage. And I did something I never do; I asked for soy sauce. Which didn't help, as their soy sauce is home brewed and tastes very brewed, whatever that means. It didn't add much salt at all, and I should have known better, as there were bonito flakes and seaweed (kelp?) shreds in abundance, so lack of s...

Well, today was 1/2 successful? I mean, I left the house and did things, although they did not achieve that miraculous level of success I might have been hoping for.

Bummer. Penzey's Kashmir saffron was apparently the real deal but they don't have it anymore. :( I see no signs of our deal with Iran loosening up supplies of that, either, although I really really really liked the Kashmiri stuff. Either of those, though, have delicious flavor.

Well, that was fun. Putting gooey stuff in the engine of my car because it is old and needs love and viscosity.

We have tacos! Real, honest to goodness Mexican tacos! It's in a grubby-looking, hole in the wall, supposed "grocery/market" called La Divina. Everything is made from scratch, tortillas, fillings, all the choices of stuff to put on them. The hot sauces are to die for, and the fillings are really good. I got al pastor (pork and pineapple), lengua (beef tongue), and veggie (veggie). The al pastor was tasty, but the tongue was excellent. If it's cooked poorly, it gets rubbery and tough; this was meltingly tender. The veggies this day were basically potatoes and black beans, which were nicely flavored. They are quite large and well filled, so two would have been plenty, three I was very full. You could get crema and/or cheese for extra, so I got crema on everything and cheese on the veggie, which was a good choice. Toppings at the topping bar included radish, onion, pico de gallo, cilantro, some other stuff, and 4 salsas. The mild one was avocado based, the medium one was...

Another reason I have to go back and visit more of BCs coast someday. (They have Goats on the Roof. It's a thing. I think that name is even trademarked. That picture? It's their roof.) http://www.oldcountrymarket.com/market.php http://www.oldcountrymarket.com/market.php

I supposed staying up 'til midnight might be why there's little impetus to get up while it's still morning.

Went out for dinner with both parents tonight to try the new Burmese restaurant and it wasn't totally miserable. P.S. Since I was the one who instigated this, after we got home I thanked people for going and my mom's response was basically it was nice to spend time with my dad and I that wasn't totally miserable. There's a critical qualitative difference there, but it's the closest to something nice she's said in a while.

I can haz healthy eyes, per examinationing.

tl;dr Congress is Stupid about Zika, or Public Health Measures are for Poor People (and they don't fund our campaigns, also, they are icky). This is a pretty well written article on the importance of public health to issues of infectious disease at the population level, as well as the individual level. Normally, I get truly irritated at loaded language, omgomgomg we're all going to die, zombie plague! presentations. Mostly because they distort necessary factual understanding of things that really don't ever have the impact in this country that they tend to elsewhere. However, it's also because I don't think aw, it's just a little bunny mosquito! or what have you, and understand the impact of a new disease on a naive population. Public Health is generally agreed to have had a great, probably the greatest, impact on medical care since it coalesced in the 20th century. Generally successful impact, as well. Meanwhile, it always seems less shiny than "real...

In the category of things that should never bother to be made healthy by modern standards, I give you Chicken Wild Rice Pot Pie. Basically, I took a quart of the chicken wild rice soup I made ( https://plus.google.com/107085665537347703493/posts/hSCbo8y7bag ), strained it, used the resulting broth to make the veloute, and used the chicken, wild rice, and veggies as the filling which was mixed into the veloute. That mixture was then used to fill an unbaked pie crust lining a 9" pie pan. Which was covered with another unbaked pie crust, edges overlapped and crimped, vents in top. Baked at 425 F for about 45 minutes (this could have gone anywhere from 30 minutes on up). I covered the edges to prevent burning about 15 minutes in. Recipe for the veloute/gravy: 1/3 cup butter 1/3 finely chopped onion 1/3 cup flour 1/2 tsp smoked sea salt (this adds awesomeness) 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 cup chicken broth from the soup 1/2 cup heavy cream Melt butter in saucepan Add onion, cook until soft/t...

Things I am not brave enough to try: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDk-qJ3CU0O/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BDk-qJ3CU0O

It is possible that yesterday will be the last snow, and this morning will be the last frost of this winter.

Ok, so I picked a non-1920's vocal recording because a lot of the original ones are severely racist. But really, this is supposed to be a jazzy 1920's tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hsJCt4Azu0&nohtml5=False https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hsJCt4Azu0&nohtml5=False

Back when I was saying I was surprised and not particularly chuffed about g+ choice of photo and effects from my cherry blossom pics? Did one myself I like better. (original included for comparison)

More food catch-up post: local, fresh-made whole wheat pasta shells with walnuts, cambozola, and fresh parsley. Trader Joe's had this stuff called cambozola in the cheese section, described as a cross between camembert and blue cheese (gorgonzola). I figured it was one of those Trader Joe things, but it turns out it's an actual European cheese. Hm. I like exploring the different flavors of blue cheeses, and I luuuuv camembert, so had to try, right, but what to do? A-ha! Pasta! So I put chunks of the cheese on hot pasta with chopped toasted walnuts and fresh chopped parsley. It turns out I like camembert and gorgonzola, not cambozola. I mean, it's ok, but a blue cheese cream sauce would probably have been much tastier. So, you know, note to self. P.S. The pasta is great. I would totally use this any time I might have used shells. It is a little heavier, obs, than not whole wheat pasta, but it is not so heavy that I regretted life decisions, which has been my experience with ...

For Liz Waddle, Kenneth Cavness, Alistair Young and anyone else who saw that other post that inspired this. (to "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka ) Come with me and you'll be In a world of pure administration Take a look and you'll see Inefficient administration We'll begin with a spin To ensure dis-orientation What we'll see Will defy explanation If you want to view paradise Simply take this pill and see it Any questions on your remit? Sorry, HIPAA says we can't discuss it Get in line Did you sign For the income verification Any charge authorized Will cost more than cremation

You who purvey Magic Beans are corrupters of men's souls. That is all.

Or not. At least it isn't the Beetlejuice version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMigXnXMhQ4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMigXnXMhQ4

Long version (extra super annoying):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFukyIIM1XI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFukyIIM1XI

Short version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeRDHjD7wUg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeRDHjD7wUg

There's a lot of reasons why it is important to credit people for their work, although the only one that seems to motivate action is money. However, this and the Robin Thicke/Marvin Gaye thing are really making me wonder about where we are and what really constitutes plagiarism versus what a lawyer can convince people is too similar. For example, if this attitude had been prevalent during the Baroque and Classical eras of classical music, which was the popular music at the time, we wouldn't have half of the great music we did. We certainly wouldn't have had a tremendous, bitingly sarcastic collection of music, as well as written commentary (they really knew how to do snark in those days). Taking something a colleague/competitor had done and deliberately taking it in whole or in part and then going them one better, or reconfiguring it to mock them, or just quoting it as a tribute to them was an acceptable and encouraged thing to do.   So you could say that even if "Blur...

Yay! We have water! Now we are letting it flush all the yellow looking ook and sludge by opening the taps and flushing the toilettes! Also, I am wondering if this suggests an interesting science question. That is, if you run a high enough voltage current through the pipes when a water main breaks, do you increase the coating of oxides on the pipes, or do you manage to release some of the lead ions because the water wasn't in the pipes enough to prevent them from heating due to the electricity? Inquiring minds wish to know!

Oh, good. The people working on the buried electrical lines on the main road near here just busted a water main. There is no water for several blocks. Which means you can't use the toilette. Also, because we noted that the pipe in our house to the water meter was hot, we went and spoke with the gentlemen, who came to our house and said that, yes, one of their workers had gotten shocked, so the power lines might be in contact with said water main break, and was our house grounded? It is, fyi. We have a nice copper thingy. Thrillsville.

This sounds like legalese wrangling, but it's still not cool. I also find it bothersome that the articles both use "abortion" throughout.  While it is technically correct that any pregnancy termination, spontaneous or otherwise, or anything that fails to complete its development or growth is termed an "abortion", iirc these were women who were having miscarriages, or had had incomplete miscarriages, and the appropriate care for that includes a D&C, which is a procedure where you have to surgically remove any remaining tissue so it doesn't become septic and harm the mother (or kill her, although that fortunately rarely happens now in the US). Unfortunately, the same technique can be used to end a viable pregnancy, at least early on, so apparently it has become lumped in under the heading of anything that involves touching the uterus. As far as forcing people to act against their religion, do you really want everyone to start demanding that their religion ...

Many years ago, Dutch Elm Disease wiped out beautiful old trees all over the greater Buffalo area. Now, they are starting to have to take trees down in at least one city park due to the Emerald Ash Borer.

There were semi-officially at least 10,000 people at the Sanders rally, and possibly 11,000 or more. That's kind of a lot.

Drag Race spoilage d a h l i n g Ugh. Whyyyyyy did Ru keep Derrick on the show? His whole lip sync was just one of his Britney routines and Michelle is right, he does the same costume every time. Soooooo over him. Also, barf on that little I'm so grateful speech.

It's all about the love (luv?). So 60's. Man, for an old guy, he has more stamina than I do. He spoke for about 15 minutes outside, then an hour inside. Now, they're actually letting people come up and meet him as he's trying to leave. Which means he can't leave because they are a sea of bodies blocking all egress. He certainly seems to back up the rhetoric with trying to interact with real people.

These people are gonna eat somebody.