…
this disastrous Milton Friedman nightmare. The question is have we reached the climax?

Change is made when the course ahead is obviously going to be more painful than an alternative and in some cases it has to be significantly more painful else the desire to ’stay the course’ and wait for a better day could hold sway.

But, in our society the pain has to be noticed and felt by those who have the great power. Anybody else who complains just “isn’t serious”.

So, when will the powerful be feeling the pain?

So far they haven’t felt much of the Bushie pain. They’ve been profitting like gangstas.

If some of the mortgage industry junk starts bankrupting more banks, then there’ll be some attempt at corrective action. But, whether it hits really big is yet to be known.

Security wise America is fine. Nobody can overthrow this behemoth. Only we could do that. We might be nuked, but that’s destruction and not overthrowing. We might face terrorism, but that’s just a pinprick and not overthrowing. We’ll certainly see political change, but that’s not overthrowing.

What will get the attention of the Rich is only economic pain, which is why the Bush adventurism is only a gain for some of them and no pain to the others who enjoy tax cuts.

Actually, they’re more likely to rebel against a Dem president who tries to fix things by calling for an end to the Bush tax cuts. See, they don’t care about fixing most things and the tax cuts would definitely annoy them.

Now, some companies which have problems with health care costs are beginning to notice. Many cities and states are noticing health care costs, but they’re not so powerful.

Health care costs and mortgage industry problems combined is significant, but certainly fixable…and that’s what the Rich most want from a Dem activist president and Congress. More than that and they’ll begin to wonder.

However, there are clearly problems to be fixed which aren’t economic, so there might be some nose holding and playing along to let Dems fix some of these other things so long as they primarily take care of the “real” problems the Rich face.

What we down here wonder is whether the Rich understand the seriousness of the growing disparity in wealth and what effects it could have if Dems aren’t allowed to address it with systemic structural changes.

… My 8 year old got glasses so he can see the board at school – and he looks like a little Chinese Harry Potter!

Explain to me please, if Harry Potter and his friends have magical powers, then why doesn’t he fix his own eyesight.

Glasses are awful to have to wear. I hated them as a kid. Now I appreciate being able to see more than I worry about the annoyances. But, oh what I’d give to have the power to fix eyesight problems.

It makes me smile when I think of Mr. Graham, the Canadian journalist, saying “the Iraqis create scenarios for the Americans.”

When you live in a dictatorship, you get pretty good at painting the roses red, I guess.

Can you spell potemkin? Yes, I knew you could.

I wish every American could see this beautiful video.

http://www.lucasgray.com/video/peacetrain.html

kyl-leiberman, dick cheney and hillary clinton just luvvvv that video……….lotsa targets! lotsa targets! good times! good times!

He’s a terribly nice felllow, a really good actor and ONE FABULOUS BABE!!!!

Also my nomination for best use of the word “mommies” in a rock n roll song.

When the moment strikes, it takes you by surprise
and leaves you naked in the face of death and life.
There is no righteousness in your darkest moment.
We’re all equal in the face of what we’re most afraid of.
And I’m so sorry, for those who didn’t make it
for all those mommies who are left with their heart breaking.

About 10 days ago my son called: “Mom, they got me a press pass for the Washington game!!” He writes for the USC school paper, and usually covers home games. [Next year = away games.] So, much talk about flights up to Seattle, then hotel. I’m imagining him up there now, in the press box (so no problemo if it rains!). Game starts @ 5 Pacific Time. This is really heaven for him.

Mauimom, we’re thirty miles east of Seattle, and held Husky season tickets for fourteen years. I’m so happy to know that your son’s in the press box today, and having the time of his life!

It’s overcast and chilly today — perfect football weather. The game’s being shown on ABC, so hopefully, everyone will tune in!

-S

What’s making me smile: well, some time ago a friend agreed to help me redo the screen porch at our house. We’ve lived her 21 years and never used it. After much work -sanding off FIVE layers of horrible green, black and grey paint –we discovered red oak flooring underneath. Then a LOT of sanding, coating with polyurethane — and more sanding & coating, times three –, and voila!, we have the MOST beautiful floor. Next, more framing.

About 10 days ago my son called: “Mom, they got me a press pass for the Washington game!!” He writes for the USC school paper, and usually covers home games. [Next year = away games.] So, much talk about flights up to Seattle, then hotel. I’m imagining him up there now, in the press box (so no problemo if it rains!). Game starts @ 5 Pacific Time. This is really heaven for him.

And now, after a morning of work, I’m going to settle in and watch a LOT of football!

Oh, and tomorrow I’m co-hosting a fund-raiser for Josh Zeitz, who’s challenging Chris Smith [Mr. Anti-Choice] in the 4th District of NJ. We already have 73 folks coming.

In a while, it will be fund-raising for “my” guy, Andrew Duck (MD-6).

Adie @ 132

When you don’t want to craft a whole recipe or simply don’t have the time, just blanch the stuff, pack tightly (ziploc or such), LABEL (heh), & pop it in the freezer. Next winter when you have a few scraps of leftovers and no ideas for dinner, combine with some of today’s haul and some broth, even a can of great northern beans, or some rice or pasta, for some quick, scrumptious, homemade soup or stew.
Garnish with a little twizzle of herb or anything really fresh, and you’ll look like a regular Mahtha KosteyeraSTEWrt, with a fraction of the work. ;->

howdy adie!

i just made another (smaller) batch of ratatouiie, which is now (mostly) in the freezer. that took care of my tomatoes, zuchini, eggplant and some of the onion and garlic.

i’ve got a bunch of small-med sized cabbages, carrots, lbs of potatoes (i’ve got about the last 3 weeks worth in my fridge), 2-3 lbs of tender beets and beet greens, celery, leeks, winter squash, swiss chard, some other green i don’t know the name of, basil and cilantro. oh, and a couple dozen bulbs of garlic (but that keeps pretty well).

which of these do you recommend for your method of freezing? i was thinking of roasting some of the potatoes, carrots, leeks, and quash in the oven with olive oil and salt today… but that’s not for freezing.

the beets and cabbage have me stumped (probably ‘cuz there’s so much of them!).

Here’s a nice little beet salad recipe:

Make a dressing: combine and whisk 3 Tbs. olive oil, 2 Tbs. rice vinegar, 2 Tbs. orange juice, and 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest.

For the salad:

-4 two to three-inch diameter beets, unpeeled, scrubbed, all but 1 inch of tops removed
-1 Tbs. olive oil

-salad greens
-1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted
-4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled
-Thin strips of orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss beets with the olive oil and roast them until tender, around 45 min, or to taste. Cool beets; peel and cut in 1.2 inch wedges.

Mix salad greens, walnuts and dressing in large bowl-toss. Top with the beets, and sprink with goat cheese and orange zest.

Enjoy!