The Coalition of the Swilling

« July 2007 | Main | September 2007 »

August 31, 2007

Where We Went To Lunch Today

With apologies to Nightfly for not extending an invite, I had the day off and as my Bride missed our last trip to Genos Daughter and I thought it only fitting to end the summer with one last joyful artery-clogging Cheez Whiz-a-thon

We hopped in the car and toodled the 1:45 or so to Philly for some Orange Delight

The cheese steaks were excellent, and the fries unspeakably sublime. But I must add a word of caution. In a fit of manly exuberance I failed to heed this rather clear sign

And put a healthy slathering of sauce on my steak. Well, 'healthy' is really not the right word as it damn near killed. Sweet baby jeebus it was nu-kyu-ler.

But damned tasty.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:49 PM | Comments (5)

On This Day in 1980

Oh, yeah.

Aug. 31-the Gdańsk agreement
The MKS presidium added an appendix to point four-concerning freedom for political prisoners-with the names of individuals arrested over the previous two weeks. Jagielski stated that they all would be released in 24 hours. At 5 p.m. Wałęsa and Jagielski signed an agreement between the governmental commission and the MKS, which already represented more than 700 factories. This marked the first major success by an independent organization in confrontation with the regime in the whole communist bloc. The Western media wrote of a "historic moment" and Moscow expressed serious concern.

Swill Salute to the Blogfaddah and Lead and Gold.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:00 PM

And Friday 'Food for Thought' Photos

...from our drive along US 98. Bay St. Louis, MS lost something like 85% of it's structures.

What's left of these houses are about a block and a half from the little bluff that fronts the Gulf.
There's signs of life already...

...like here at the Sycamore House, right across the street. They told major dad the water rose up to the porch, came through the front door and just washed over the floor before draining back out. It's a dynamite place to eat and will be our 'headin' outta town' stop for any future New Orleans jaunts.

But there are also the things that are missing. Things we knew about personally, like the beautiful antebellum mansions along the drive in Biloxi. Now there're just slabs overgrown with weeds. Sometimes brick or stone columns and their ornate wrought iron gates still stand...leading to nothing. And then there are the things ~ like this sign gulfside in Bay St. Louis ~ that just make you sit back...

...and say "DAMN".

UPDATE: This is the sign's 'before' shot...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:31 PM | Comments (7)

It's Been Two Years and We've Been Wondering the Same Thing

How long do you get to live someplace else, but still vote in New Orleans?

NAACP Challenges Louisiana Voter Purge

The NAACP filed a civil rights lawsuit Thursday challenging a purge of Louisiana voters believed to have registered in other states following Hurricane Katrina.

In the federal court action, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People contends that the purge has already begun without the necessary pre-approval of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Because of its history of racial discrimination before the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, voting changes in Louisiana and other Southern states must be approved by federal officials.

On June 15, Secretary of State Jay Dardenne announced that his agency was mailing notices to 53,554 voters saying they must give up their registration in other states or risk losing the right to vote in Louisiana. Dardenne said the state had compared Louisiana voter roles with those of other states and identified people with identical names and dates of birth.

Voters were given one month to prove they had canceled their out-of- state registrations. After that, they had to appear in person at their voter registrar's office with documentation that their non-Louisiana registration had been canceled.

On Aug. 17, election officials said more than 21,192 people had been dropped—the majority from areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. Of those, 6,932 were from Orleans Parish, which was majority black before the storm.

I think the answer is as long as the Nagin and Jefferson types still want to keep their office staff. You can BET Nagin wasn't elected by people who'd actually returned to the city ~ I'm sure he had a helluva voting block come out of Houston/points beyond. (AND I'll bet a bunch of those voters are still there.) "All politics AND VOTING is local" is how it should be in New Orleans. If you're not suffering through the hard times alongside the folks in the city, you don't need to be casting votes deciding who their elected officials are gonna be.

We were there last month, for the first time since Ivan in 2004. Take this picture, for example. It's from the window of our room at the Hotel Monteleone on Royal Street. Pretty much the heart of the French Quarter.

The second and third floors of the buildings are empty. And it's not just that block. They're almost all empty. It's like a creepy fantasy village, where most of the street level shops on the main thoroughfares are open (it's a different story on sidestreets ~ two or three shuttered shops in a row at a time), but the floors above are a facade. People work there...but no one lives there.

We've been through devastation here in Bangla-cola and, from personal experience and what we'd seen on the telly, knew in our hearts that NOLA would be back, even though it would be a hundred times harder than our little success story. But now we've BEEN there. Now we've dropped down on the Irish Bayou side of the Pontchartrain I-10 bridge and SEEN NOTHING the whole way into the city. Miles upon miles of bleak abandoned apartments and condos and housing tracks by the thousands. There's nothing scarier than the small, derelict amusement park in horror films. Look to your left and there Six Flags sits...rotting. Those massive, empty rollercoasters black against the sky. It's all still standing ~ all the businesses, buildings, neighborhoods ~ all still standing. But now a ghost town of unimaginable scale. And for it to come back to life, it all has to come down first. UNIMAGINABLE scale. I could not stop the tears. Could. Not. From the interstate, you'll catch a glimpse of blue tarp, the glimmer of siding from a FEMA trailer, or the flash of TYVEC housewrap from the few intrepid souls trying to put their lives back together, but honestly, all you can think is

"WHO is the CRAZY motherfucker out there in the wilderness by themselves?!"

God bless them. Honestly. There are no utilities, no neighbors, no NOTHING. And the desolation runs right up to the back of the Quarter. Locals will sit at the Monteleone bar and ask "Where you from?" and shake your hand and thank you for coming. They will ask every single person in the bar, moving from table to table, stopping to chat, offer suggestions and shaking hands. From the bottom of their hearts.

Really. Before we went, major dad and I thought they'd be fine eventually. Changed, of course. But fine. Like us.

Now we don't see how and we love that city so much, it's visceral. The enormity of it washes over you like a big, grey wave and you cannot visualize where they would even start. Even if they had the resources and the talent and the political will and weren't their own worst enemies, WHERE do they start? WHO starts? Starts WHAT? Sweet Jesus, I wish someone knew, 'cause right now?.

We don't see how.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:16 AM | Comments (5)

August 30, 2007

You Can Almost Hear Him Choking On These Words

Our Swilling Bud JeffS sent us this article the other day; I'm sure you've seen it by now

GENEVA — There are nine guns for every 10 people in the United States, with about 270 million firearms in circulation, according to a report released Tuesday.

Worldwide, civilians now have access to 650 million small arms — from handguns to semiautomatic rifles — an arsenal that far outstrips what is held by police and militaries, according to the annual Small Arms Survey. It estimates that civilians account for about three-fourths of the 875 million such weapons in circulation.

"Civilian holdings of weapons worldwide are much larger than we previously believed," the director of the Geneva-based group, Keith Krause, told reporters.

But it is the United States that has the heaviest concentration of firearms.

It contains the usual 'civilians with guns are bad' sort of blather and statistics, but some of them force Director Krause to say this:

The figures dispel the idea that gun ownership and high levels of violence necessarily go hand in hand, he said.

"There's no clear relationship between more guns and higher levels of violence," Krause said, pointing to low ownership and high crime rates in Latin America.

But of course little inconvenient details like "no clear relationship between more guns and higher levels of violence" don't matter to those who wish to completely disarm us for our own supposed good. Criminals will always have weapons, no matter how many laws are passed to 'prevent' it. In the US all the gun control lobby has succeeded in doing is hinder citizens' ability to defend themselves.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:09 AM | Comments (4)

August 29, 2007

"A Lordship and Titles. Gold. That I Should Become Judas?"

Princess Isabelle: Peace is made in such ways.
William Wallace:

Slaves are made in such ways.

It's not the only way. I think the Scots could stand to see the movie again.

How Societies Commit Suicide
Scots and Italians surrender to Islam.

In an effort to ensure that no Muslim doctors ever again try to bomb Glasgow Airport, bureaucrats at Glasgow’s public hospitals have decreed that henceforth no staff may eat lunch at their desks or in their offices during the holy month of Ramadan, so that fasting Muslims shall not be offended by the sight or smell of their food. Vending machines will also disappear from the premises during that period.

Apparently the bureaucrats believe that the would-be bombers were demanding sandwich-free offices in Glasgow hospitals during Ramadan. This kind of absurdity is what happens when the highly contestable doctrine of multiculturalism becomes a career opportunity for the semi-educated and otherwise unemployable products of a grossly and otherwise unemployable products of a grossly and unnecessarily swollen university system.

A Swill Salute to Amy Alkon.

And honestly ~ keep telling those MN airport cabbies to piss off.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:54 PM | Comments (9)

Greek Fire

Once the secret weapon of the Byzantine Empire it now may be a new weapon in Greek politics

ATHENS — More wildfires broke out and others rekindled Tuesday as anger rose over the government's handling of catastrophic blazes that have laid waste to vast stretches of the Greek countryside and killed at least 64 people.

The fires are dominating political debate ahead of parliamentary elections set for Sept. 16. Criticism that the government failed to respond quickly enough — and its suggestions that the fires resulted from an organized attack — could hurt Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

... The devastation has infuriated Greeks, who already had been stunned by deadly forest fires in June and July and are complaining of an inadequate effort by the conservative government to confront the latest disaster.

The Sept. 16 ballot will be “the elections of rage,” the Athens newspaper To Vima said in a front-page headline.

... The government “has been woefully unable to deal with the major issue of the fires all summer,” said George Papandreou, the main opposition socialist leader. “Unfortunately, it didn't even manage to save people's lives, their property and their homes.”

The government's suggestions that the fires were the result of an organized plan of arson caused confusion and anger.

Public Order Minister Vyron Polydoras implied Sunday that a deliberate plan was in motion.

“We can say that this truly constitutes an asymmetric threat,” he said without offering any specifics. He said the Secret Service and anti-terrorism squad had joined police in investigating the blazes.

Mr. Karamanlis also implied arson was to blame, saying Saturday it could not be coincidence that so many fires broke out simultaneously in different areas.

The Greek Government is strongly implying that these fires are being set around the country by anarchists and socialists ahead of the upcoming elections, a horrific charge and one that really has awful implications for the Government if false and if true is even worse for the Left. It's one thing to blame others for your bureaucratic bumbling; it's quite another to kill for electoral gain.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:47 AM | Comments (2)

Is Your Science Exam Too Hard?

Well, then I guess you've got two options. 1 - Study more. Or 2- Get more multiple choice questions on the test:

Exam boards in England are planning to put more simple questions in science papers, the Times reports.

A document seen by the newspaper says that from next year, some papers should consist of 70% "low demand" questions, instead of the current level of 55%.

The document was prepared by the umbrella group of exam boards, the Joint Council for Qualifications.

There is concern that fewer students are taking science GCSEs, although there was a small upturn this year.

Since 1984, the number of people studying A-level physics has slumped by 57% and the take-up of chemistry has dropped by 28%.

Under the new proposals, exams would contain fewer tough questions requiring detailed answers and more that ask students to tick a multiple-choice box, the Times said.

Sounds like a brilliant plan to improve the quality of English science, it does.

And the students will feel better about themselves, which is really what matters most.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:30 AM | Comments (3)

August 28, 2007

I'd Like To Thank The Academy...

Here at the Swilling we pride ourselves on being Big Tent kinda folks who can't easily be placed into ideological stalls boxes and we also like to provide You, our Dear Reader, with as complete a Service as twenty bucks will get you these days possible.

With that in mind it gives me utmost joy to announce that in response to Google queers queries on the story below that we rank #3 on a Google search for "how to signal you want gay sex" and #1 for "gay under stall signals".

My heart is bursting with pride, and I can never thank you enough.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:19 PM | Comments (7)

Sniff Sniff Sniff...Something Stinks here

Much like Al Gore, Hillary's "China Syndrome" problem has nothing to do with lead paint

DALY CITY, Calif. -- One of the biggest sources of political donations to Hillary Rodham Clinton is a tiny, lime-green bungalow that lies under the flight path from San Francisco International Airport.

Six members of the Paw family, each listing the house at 41 Shelbourne Ave. as their residence, have donated a combined $45,000 to the Democratic senator from New York since 2005, for her presidential campaign, her Senate re-election last year and her political action committee. In all, the six Paws have donated a total of $200,000 to Democratic candidates since 2005, election records show.

That total ranks the house with residences in Greenwich, Conn., and Manhattan's Upper East Side among the top addresses to donate to the Democratic presidential front-runner over the past two years, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal of donations listed with the Federal Election Commission.

It isn't obvious how the Paw family is able to afford such political largess. Records show they own a gift shop and live in a 1,280-square-foot house that they recently refinanced for $270,000. William Paw, the 64-year-old head of the household, is a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service who earns about $49,000 a year, according to a union representative. Alice Paw, also 64, is a homemaker. The couple's grown children have jobs ranging from account manager at a software company to "attendance liaison" at a local public high school. One is listed on campaign records as an executive at a mutual fund.

The Paws' political donations closely track donations made by Norman Hsu, a wealthy New York businessman in the apparel industry who once listed the Paw home as his address, according to public records. Mr. Hsu is one of the top fund-raisers for Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign. He has hosted or co-hosted some of her most prominent money-raising events.

And don't think there aren't ties to John Huang and the Buddhists in all of this.

Update: Here's the pertinent info from the link above:

Norman Hsu--a $7,500 check was written on Sioeng
San Wong's account to Friends of Norman Hsu on March 11,
1995.90 Hsu is a former president of the Chinese-
American Association.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:22 AM | Comments (3)

No, I 'Da Ho!

So Idaho Senator Larry Craig was arrested in Minneapolis for lewd behavior in a men's room

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct this month after his arrest in a Minneapolis airport men’s room by an undercover officer who said Craig was sending signals that he wanted to have sex.

Craig said Monday his actions were misconstrued by police and that he should not have pleaded guilty to the charges.

Now, I love a good scandal as much as anyone, and a conservative republican getting hooked up in some gay sex solicitation in a public restroom is as juicy as a liberal democrat not wanting windmills 10 miles away blocking the view from his beach house in my book. Bring it on!

But when you read just exactly transpired here it sure seems like there's a very loose interpretation of what is 'lewd' going on here, and frankly I think we need to require a bit more substantial evidence before arresting someone for this behavior:

According to the police reports, a man, later identified as Craig, kept watching the undercover police officer through a crack in the stall. Craig then entered the next-door stall and placed his luggage against the opening under the stall door.

"My experience has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall," said the officer, Sgt. Dave Karsnia, in the report.

Alright, the 'kept watching' bit is odd. As for the rest of it with apologies to Officer Karsnia but my experience has been that individuals taking a dump also place their bags against the opening at the front of the stall because there's no other place to put them, fer crimminy's sake.

The report continued: "At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area."

Oh my God! He tapped his foot while taking a dump! He must want to scoff my chorizo!

"I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot."

This is the high standards of evidence that Minneapolis holds its police to? Are you kidding me? Do the Minneapolis Vice Police sing "Knock Three Times On The Stall Floor If You Want Me" along with Tony Orlando and Dawn during Talent Night at the Academy?

The report said Craig swiped his hand beneath the stall divider several times, and Karsnia showed his police identification under the stall.

Again, this is odd and weird, and for all I know he was interested in some stinky stall lust. But did he assault the cop? Did he verbally proposition him? No. Did he threaten him? No.

It is ridiculous that someone could be arrested on the basis of this.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:54 AM | Comments (16)

August 26, 2007

What I'm Drinking Tonight

Ho golly, have we got a good one here.

Continuing with Tim's most excellent 'go fugly' advice on Aussie wine advice may I present "Molly Dooker "The Boxer" Shiraz 2006"

A gorgeous deep purklely red in the glass, and the taste is simply divine: a soft sweet plum that finishes with a lot of chocolate. Simply amazing. I think it cost in the mid $20s, but I honestly can't be sure as the alcohol content is rated a Whoopadeedoopa stunning 16%, and that loverly level over the 2/3s of the bottle that I have consumed so far makes me much more interested in singing along with Beniamino Gigli at a very loud volume.

And as I'm a baritone and he's the bestest tenor ever, well, it's a good thing my Bride is drinking too.

Did I mention it was 16% alcohol?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:54 PM | Comments (4)

August 24, 2007

Vick's Plea Deal

I guess his lawyers looked at Pete Rose and "morality" clauses that NFL contracts must have because his plea deal to my mind effectively kills his career forever

(CNN) -- NFL star Michael Vick has admitted that he and two of co-conspirators killed dogs that did not fight well in papers filed Friday with a federal court in Virginia.

NFL star Michael Vick is set to appear in court Monday. A judge will have the final say on a plea deal.

Vick said he would plead guilty to one count of "Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture" in a plea agreement filed at U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia.

The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, "full restitution, a special assessment and 3 years of supervised release," the plea deal said.

Federal prosecutors agreed to ask for the low end of the sentencing guidelines.

"The defendant will plead guilty because the defendant is in fact guilty of the charged offense," the plea agreement said.

Now what his lawyers wanted clear I'm sure was this

In an additional summary of facts, signed by Vick and filed with the agreement, Vick admitted buying pit bulls and the property used for training and fighting the dogs but did not bet on the fights or receive any of the money won.

"Most of the 'Bad Newz Kennels' operations and gambling monies were provided by Vick," the official summary of facts said. Gambling wins were generally split between co-conspirators Tony Taylor, Quanis Phillips and sometimes Purnell Peace, it continued.

"Vick did not gamble by placing side bets on any of the fights. Vick did not receive any of the proceeds from the purses that were won by 'Bad Newz Kennels.' "

But I think they were so blinded by fear of gambling allegations that they really didn't realize the full potential of this

Vick also agreed that "collective efforts" by him and two others caused the deaths of at least six dogs.

Around April, Vick, Peace and Phillips tested some dogs in fighting sessions at Vick's property in Virginia, the statement said. "Peace, Phillips and Vick agreed to the killing of approximately 6-8 dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road and all of those dogs were killed by various methods, including hanging and drowning.

"Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts of Peace, Phillips and Vick," the summary said.

You know what? The American Public can forgive womanizing, drinking, hell gambling on games you play, whatever.

But no one will ever forgive a bastard who hangs and drowns dogs because they aren't vicious enough.

He will never play again.

He will never be a spokesman for anything. Ever.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:43 PM | Comments (4)

Now, Hang On a GolDang Second, Here

HILL: TERROR WOULD BE GOP BOOST

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday raised the prospect of a terror attack before next year's election, warning that it could boost the GOP's efforts to hold on to the White House.

Discussing the possibility of a new nightmare assault while campaigning in New Hampshire, Clinton also insisted she is the Democratic candidate best equipped to deal with it.

Cue "Howls of Scare Tactic OUTRAGE!!!!"

Wait. That would only be if a RePUBLICAN said something like that. Which one did. And then they did. (You know ~ HHOOWWWWWLLLLL.)

Cheney: Wrong Vote Invites Attack
Sees Danger 'We'll Get Hit Again' If Voters Make 'Wrong Choice'

Vice President Dick Cheney says the United States will risk another terrorist attack if voters make the wrong choice on Election Day, suggesting Sen. John Kerry would follow a pre-Sept. 11 policy of reacting defensively.

"It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today, on Nov. 2, we make the right choice, because if we make the wrong choice then the danger is that we'll get hit again and we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States," Cheney told supporters at a town-hall meeting Tuesday.

Democrats reacted quickly.

"Dick Cheney's scare tactics crossed the line today, showing once again that he and George Bush will do anything and say anything to save their jobs," said a statement issued by vice presidential candidate John Edwards.

But that was 2004 and this is Hillary, so I guess it's an ass horse of a different color.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:34 AM | Comments (2)

August 23, 2007

For Our Next Entry in the 'That Blows' Category

...I give you 'fish' vice the usual dwarf or Congressman.

Puffer fish sold as salmon kills 15, sickens 115

Chinese cans of the spiny little devils coming soon to a shelf near you! Just look for the leaping sock-eye and the word 'salmon' on the label.

Trei Tai Pei examines a freshly caught chub salmon netted by local, unemployed Cantonese toy industry workers. "We have turned to the sea for it's bounty in the difficult times caused by American Imperialist lies," local toy union boss Wan Hung Lo said Thursday. ©TPI

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:39 PM | Comments (6)

File This Under "Your Tax Dollars At Work"

Those eagle-eyed protectors of impressionable youth at the FCC strike again

THE call letters KUNT have landed at a yet-unbuilt low-power digital television station in Wailuku, Maui.

Alarmingly similar to a word the dictionary says is obscene, the call letters were among a
15-page list of new call letters issued by the Federal Communications Commission and
released this week.

The same station owner also received KWTF for a station in Arizona.

Imagine their advertising jingles.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 03:27 PM | Comments (5)

New Jersey

Never has there been a hive of more wretched scum and villainy. It's seductive, septic noxiousness is now seeping from anesthetized communities already wrapped in it's malevolent cocoon towards unsuspecting citizens...across state lines.

Town Upset With Police Trip to Hooters

DEERPARK, N.Y. (AP) - A trip to Hooters by a group of off-duty police officers has some leaders of an Orange County community upset because their town was left without local police coverage for the night.

Several off-duty officers, other law enforcement officials and residents went to the restaurant and sports bar 35 miles away in Franklin, N.J., on Thursday, town of Deerpark officials said.

Islamic fascism isn't the immediate problem, my friends...

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:15 PM | Comments (9)

More 'Inconvenient' Video

Newsweek: Angry Bill Clinton Claim of bin Laden Kill Order Not True

In a famous interview on Fox News last September, Bill Clinton told Chris Wallace he authorized a finding for the CIA to kill Osama bin Laden. "We contracted with people to kill him. I got closer to killing him than anybody has gotten since.” Today, Newsweek's Michael Isikoff told Andrew Breitbart, guest hosting on the Dennis Miller Show, that the new CIA watchdog report reveals that Clinton's claim tends to "stretch reality." The original video clip and the full Isikoff report are in the related links.

Damn, that man waggles his finger more than I guess he should, considering how it turns out to be bullsh*t more times than not.

Make a fist, Bill. Just put it away.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:16 AM | Comments (2)

"It's Not About the View...

...from Ted Kennedy's porch."

In HIS world, it is.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:58 AM | Comments (5)

What The Bonnie Glenn Wears At The Beach

The Instakilt

Dalbeattie-based Thistle Products - which also produces See You Jimmy hats - launched the Instakilt a month ago.

Since then sales of the tartan beach towel, which doubles as a kilt, have almost outstripped supplies.

I have to order one of these.

Heh. Not that I'm encouraging anyone with some Photoshop Skills to put a certain Puppy Blender's head on the above picture, mind you...

Update: Thanks Ken!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:37 AM | Comments (6)

Feel Free to Order

...as much as you like ~ just don't try this at home. (These people are experts.) It's for a good cause, it's good for the earth and I'm sure that Sheryl "One Sheet" Crowe would approve.

Hell, she's probably out there scooping as I write.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:27 AM | Comments (4)

August 22, 2007

Now, By God, That's EENUFF!!

Martin Designs Inc. Recalls SpongeBob SquarePants™ Character Address Books and Journals Due to Violation of Lead Paint Standard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

...Sold at: Retail stores nationwide from June 2006 through July 2007 for about $2.

Manufactured in: China

BAStards!!!

UPDATE: Oh, thank God. Maybe I can still get one!

Dangerous toys find second life on auction sites

Recalls don't prevent products from being sold on eBay, elsewhere

Posted by tree hugging sister at 07:08 PM | Comments (1)

When First I Read This, My Immediate Reaction Was...

..."BULLsh*t!!" I stand corrected.

Pigeon Dung Examined in Bridge Collapse

... Inspectors began documenting the buildup of pigeon dung on the span near downtown Minneapolis two decades ago. Experts say the corrosive guano deposited all over the Interstate 35W span's framework helped the steel beams rust faster.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 06:49 PM | Comments (5)

Let's Play "Tit...

...for Tat", shall we? You knew this was coming.

China says it has found problems with U.S. soybean exports

This time, China says tainted products are coming from the other side of the Pacific.

After China's export credibility was battered with recall after recall, China is now saying it's found pesticides, poisonous weeds and dirt in shipments of imported U.S. soybeans.

Yawn.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 12:11 PM | Comments (9)

Many Years Ago, I Contemplated Living Life

...as a brilliant, talented, drunken, drug addled genius. The common take is that, while someone who is dope FREE might be smart, an equally gifted dope FIEND is intellectually deep by virtue of his habits. I mean, I never wanted to make it to the 'head in the oven stage', but to have my tortured writings/paintings/warblings acclaimed by the world and, not coincidentally, filling my empty coffers? I would have enough to live in vast comfort, effect a reversal of my appalling downslide, become a beacon for hope, do good works and attend haute couture shows with first row seating after designers begged me to come. I was so there in my idyllic, girlish dreams. And dreams only. My earnest yearnings for the superficial caché awarded by unfortunate behaviours were swiftly truncated by the bald vanilla-ness of my life, to wit:

a. Talented, yes. But 'brilliant is as brilliant does' and I doubt I'd have the energy to convince the general public I was.

b. I never managed to keep pace with my toking peers to begin with, as I'm violently allergic to pot. That put a serious crimp in my high school years, not to mention my fledgling career as an addict. What a slacker.

c. When in that first flush of youth, drinking is relatively inexpensive if you're blonde and willing to accept the charity of strange men other revelers. (I know, I know. "WHAT a calculating BITCH!") But while I do less of it every year (more's the pity), the quality's significantly better, so it evens out. Like the fudge brownie/Diet Coke formula.

d. Even cheap drugs cost money and I would rather have shoes. (How shallow is that?) (It's NOT. It's common sense.)

e. My luck sucks. If I were in a squalid crack house hidden amongst twentyfive other drug addicts, the cops would invariably, inexorably and inevitably choose only me to haul off, stepping over (and dragging me across) the supine and unarrested multitude of bodies covering the floor.

It's the way my life is and I've come to accept it. But that doesn't mean I'm not just a teensy bit envious of those who never seem to run out of breaks...

Cocaine charges against Lohan may be dropped
If they are dropped, she will only face misdemeanor drunk-driving charges

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is disinclined to charge Lindsay Lohan with three drug-related felonies...

If it was me, days later they'd still be coming out with the charging matrix asking, "Can we get her for this, too?"

Damn. I would have made such a GOOD bad girl.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 10:26 AM | Comments (7)

Scandal! Outrage! How Dare They Punish...

Prisoners who break rules

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina's prisons director on Tuesday defended a policy of punishing inmates who perform sex acts by dressing them in pink, despite a lawsuit claiming the rule subjects prisoners to ridicule.

State Corrections Department John Ozmint said the two-year-old punishment deters inmates and protects female officers. His agency has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

"We don't believe the United States Constitution protects an inmate's right to publicly gratify himself," Ozmint said. "We're hopeful federal courts won't look into our Constitution and create such a right."

I'm with ya', Mr.Ozmint.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:37 AM | Comments (4)

August 21, 2007

Possibly More Tainted Products

From a Chinese source

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling two brands of dog treats in July, after customers voiced concerns that the Chinese products may have caused their pets to fall ill, but no recall has been announced, a company spokeswoman confirmed.

The world’s largest retailer started pulling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading on July 26, spokeswoman Deisha Galberth said late Monday.

Wal-Mart also placed a computerized block on all cash registers to prevent workers from selling the products, Galberth said.

As an aside I have to admit it's pretty neat that they can put a company-wide block on the registers to halt sales of a product.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:25 AM | Comments (5)

August 20, 2007

How Sucky Can Life Get?

Worse than you know.

British dwarf's penis gets stuck to hoover

A dwarf performer at the Edinburgh fringe festival had to be rushed to hospital after his penis got stuck to a vacuum cleaner during an act that went horribly awry.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 04:15 PM | Comments (14)

What The...

I don't even know where to begin with this one

A woman in Australia has been killed by her pet camel after the animal apparently tried to have sex with her.

The woman was found dead at the family's sheep and cattle ranch near the town of Mitchell in Queensland.

...On Saturday the woman apparently became the object of the male camel's desire.

It knocked her to the ground, lay on top of her and displayed what the police delicately described as mating behaviour.

The poor woman. Evidently there were warning signs, though:

The camel was just 10 months old but already weighed 152kg (336lbs) and had come close to suffocating the family's pet goat on a number of occasions.

Update: In other Darwin's Law related news

BELGRADE, Serbia (Reuters) -- A 23-year old Serb was found dead and half-eaten in the bear cage of Belgrade Zoo at the weekend during the annual beer festival.

The man was found naked, with his clothes lying intact inside the cage. Two adult bears, Masha and Misha, had dragged the body to their feeding corner and reacted angrily when keepers tried to recover it.

"There's a good chance he was drunk or drugged. Only an idiot would jump into the bear cage," zoo director Vuk Bojovic told Reuters.

Local media reported that police found several mobile phones inside the cage, as well as bricks, stones and beer cans.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:13 AM | Comments (5)

August 19, 2007

A Programming Note

In case you missed it the first time, the Travel Channel is re-broadcasting Tony Bourdain in Beirut at 10 p.m. e/p tonight. (9c) It's pretty terrific, not only for the heartbreaking realization of what the Lebanese people have lost as a result of Hezbollah's actions and, pretty much, their government's inaction, but as well for the turn-about in Bourdain's attitude when he finally walks into the welcoming arms of the U.S. Marines. To his great credit, he is emotional and eloquent.

If you have an hour this evening, we recommend it.

Highly.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 02:43 PM | Comments (1)

Frank, I Miss Ya

Close your eyes, and at 3 minutes or so in listen to the solo and see if you guess the instrument.

An amazing sound.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:05 AM | Comments (8)

August 17, 2007

There's No Forest Here Folks; Ignore All Those Trees

What else can one think about these dishonest creatures we have running our state here in New Jersey? Lawhawk has an excellent post up on the gyrations that Corzine et al go through to avoid addressing the key issue: if the existing immigration laws had been followed those 3 Newark residents, citizens, by the way, would still be alive today. Full stop. End of story. We don't need new gun control legislation, we don't need any new legislation. We simply need to enforce the laws that are on the books.

But I guess that's a bit much to expect from our Governor and Senators.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 12:57 PM | Comments (4)

The Top-Selling Horror Story In Australia...

Is a book called "The Signing"

Author Stephen King was mistaken for a vandal when he started signing books during an unannounced visit to a shop in Australia, according to local media.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said staff at the Alice Springs book store did not initially realise the writer was autographing his own novels.

Bookshop manager Bev Ellis said: "When you see someone writing in one of your books you get a bit toey [nervous].

I would like to thank the Beeb for translating the Australian for us, as well; I fear had I asked some folks what that meant I might have gotten a somewhat different answer.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:12 AM | Comments (1)

August 16, 2007

What I'm Drinking Tonight

When Tim and I went wine shopping the other weekend he gave me a helpful Rule of Thumb to follow when purchasing Australian wine: "Generally, the uglier the label the better the wine."

With that sage advice in mind I picked up a bottle of this

Slipstream 'Fastback' 2005 Shiraz, which comes in with a glorious 15% alcohol content. Yeah baby!

This is a wine that will taste very hot if you quaff immediately upon opening. But if you let it breathe in a large glass for 10 minutes or so it becomes very smooth and tasty, with a full velvety mouth feel and some very nice subtle blueberry flavors on the finish. Quite yum, and at around $5 very fairly priced for those special occasions.

And what dinner with your Bride is not a special occasion?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:36 PM | Comments (5)

The New Dean Scream

Yeeeeeee-aggghhh!!

OUTLOOK VALID 21/0600Z 20.0N 87.5W MAX WIND 115 KT...GUSTS 140 KT.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:25 AM | Comments (7)

August 15, 2007

"The Thing That We Do Extremely Well..."

"...is take care of each other."

OO-f*cking-RAH!!

Posted by tree hugging sister at 03:11 PM | Comments (3)

A Pox On Chinese 'Goods'

Enough already. This latest toy mess is just the last straw, given the contaminated pet foods and other products they've shipped of late. While I doubt it will do much to their economy I'm going to look at the origin of every product I buy and if it says 'China' I will do my absolute darndest to avoid it. I only hope that I can find a higher-priced made in the US of A product to replace it. Call it knee-jerk, xenophobic, yawn, whatever. I'm tired of this crap and the companies here that collude with them.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:06 AM | Comments (8)

I've Heard Of Swords-Into-Plowshares

But pitbulls into missiles?

Embattled NFL quarterback Michael Vick, facing federal charges related to his alleged participation in dogfighting, has been hit with a "$63,000,000,000 billion dollar" lawsuit filed by a South Carolina inmate who alleges the Atlanta Falcons star stole his pit bulls and sold them on eBay to buy "missiles from Iran," FOX News has learned.

Jonathan Lee Riches filed the handwritten complaint over "theft and abuse of my animals" on July 23 in the U.S. District Court in Richmond, Va.

Riches alleges that Vick stole two white mixed pit bull dogs from his home in Holiday, Fla., and used them for dogfighting operations in Richmond, Va. The complaint goes on to allege that Vick sold the dogs on eBay and “used the proceeds to purchase missiles from the Iran government.”

Sixty-three billion for 2 pit bulls? There must be something else to this sordid tale...ah yes, I knew it! There is

“Michael Vick has to stop physically hurting my feelings and dashing my hopes,” Riches writes in the complaint.

Who can put a value on hurt feelings? And just ask any Falcons fan if you want to hear about Vick and "dashed hopes", buddy.

Now, given the state of our legal system, let's assume that our dear Jonathan Lee "Richie" Riches wins this suit; should Vick just, say, write him a check? Well, our dear Mr. Riches has a rather unique payment request, due to his current living arrangements

Riches wants $63 billion dollars “backed by gold and silver “ delivered to the front gates to the Williamsburg Federal Correctional facility in South Carolina. Riches is an inmate at the facility serving out a wire fraud conviction.

Makes me wonder how much a lawsuit versus a certain well known Puppy Blender would bring...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:31 AM | Comments (4)

My Weekend At 'Bama's

Not surprisingly, most of the weekend consisted of this

combined with a lot of this

Mind you, those sad few whose joys are found in somewhat shallower pursuits were also not forgotten

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 05:57 AM | Comments (4)

August 14, 2007

It's Only A Flesh Wound

Those Japanese bikers are tough hombres

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- A Japanese biker failed to notice his leg had been severed below the knee when he hit a safety barrier, and rode on for 2 km (1.2 miles), leaving a friend to pick up the missing limb.

The 54-year-old office worker was out on his motorcycle with a group of friends in the city of Hamamatsu, west of Tokyo, on Monday, when he was unable to negotiate a curve in the road and bumped into the central barrier, the Mainichi Shimbun said.

He felt excruciating pain, but did not notice that his right leg was missing until he stopped at the next junction, the paper quoted local police as saying.

My knowledge of motorcycles is somewhat dated, but how did he shift gears or brake?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 09:48 AM | Comments (15)

It's Not Our Fault, Really

Sure, it may seem rather curious that this issue arises immediately after last weekend where for the first time in 25 some odd years all of us siblings got together. Myself, Treehugging Sister, Crusader and Mountainman all gathered together along with our better halves and the younger offspring in Northern Alabama to enjoy the lovely weather and see how much we could eat and how much alcohol we could consume. It turned out to be a surprising amount on both counts. But really, you can't blame this on us

ATHENS, Ala. - Voters have a chance on Tuesday to return this northern Alabama city to the days of Prohibition.

I don't think.

Hell, we did our best to make it a dry county; these folks should be thanking us.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:22 AM | Comments (20)

August 09, 2007

Whew! Thank Goodness!

Dave had me worried for a while...

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:09 PM

They Can "Censor" You All They Want To

You self-centered idiots, because they are a private company and not the government

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Pearl Jam fans and Internet watchdogs were up in arms Thursday after it was revealed that AT&T Inc. censored portions of the rock band's live concert cybercast on Sunday.

While performing "Daughter" during the annual Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, the band segued into a portion of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," during which frontman Eddie Vedder sang, "George Bush, leave this world alone" and "George Bush, find yourself another home." Those lyrics were missing from the broadcast.

Let's review, shall we?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Private companies can, and should be allowed to, censor whatever the hell they want when it is something they are paying for. If you don't like it then don't take their money.

"This event shows that companies like AT&T will risk the appearance of censorship by turning off the sound on a webcast that's being viewed by thousands of people, just because it works counter to their financial interests," said FOMC executive director Jenny Toomey.

No shit, Sherlock.

Should Coke pay for someone to espouse the joys of Pepsi?

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:41 PM | Comments (7)

Vote Now For The 2012 Election

This is so symbolic of how completely retarded our system has become

The first 2008 presidential votes may be moving into 2007 after all, making a race that has started earlier than ever even more intense.

South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson will announce that he is moving its primary date ahead of Florida’s Jan. 29 vote, to reclaim his state party’s “first in the South” presidential-nominating banner. But he will do so in New Hampshire, home of the first-in-the-nation primary. And he will be joined by New Hampshire’s longtime Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who alone has the power to set that state’s date for both parties, now tentatively Jan. 22.

If both were to move their dates up, that likely would force Iowa — always protective of its party caucuses as the first nominating contests of any kind — to consider moving its date from next Jan. 14 into pre-Christmas December.

We're talking about the process of choosing the President of the United States, and these bastards act like 3rd graders lining up for ice cream.

"I'm first!"

"No, meeeeeeeeeee!!!"

They absolutely disgust me.

I guess I missed the part in the Constitution where it says "Thou shalt not caucus before Iowa. Neither shall Thou primary ahead of New Hampshire."

We need new parties. The two we have are so immovably corrupted by their power and inertia that they are completely removed from representing anything but their own self-interest in self-perpetuating. They have completely rigged the game to their own benefit.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:10 AM | Comments (21)

August 08, 2007

Man, Is It Pouring Here This Morning

Now where did I leave that gopherwood?

Update: Now we have a tornado warning for large parts of NYC.

Damn you Chimpy!!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 06:44 AM | Comments (11)

August 07, 2007

Dear China

Blow me.

The Chinese government has begun a concerted campaign of economic threats against the United States, hinting that it may liquidate its vast holding of US treasuries if Washington imposes trade sanctions to force a yuan revaluation.

Two officials at leading Communist Party bodies have given interviews in recent days warning - for the first time - that Beijing may use its $1.33 trillion (£658bn) of foreign reserves as a political weapon to counter pressure from the US Congress. Shifts in Chinese policy are often announced through key think tanks and academies.

Described as China's "nuclear option" in the state media, such action could trigger a dollar crash at a time when the US currency is already breaking down through historic support levels.

love,

Bingley

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 10:24 PM | Comments (6)

Steve Banky, Real American

Sir, I salute you

Woods was leading by four strokes Sunday as he stood over his ball far to the left of the fairway after a wild 358-yard drive. He pulled his 9-iron second shot into the trees left of the green and it hit a limb and dropped directly onto Rudy Wittensoldner. The 58-year-old native of nearby Louisville was sitting with friends while covered with a clear sheet of plastic. The ball hit her in the forearm and she pulled her arm up against her body so the ball wouldn't fall, gamely waiting until Woods came up to collect it.

Woods walked around the greenside bunker and laughed when he saw her scrunched down in her chair with the ball nestled against her body. Woods then asked for a ruling and received a free drop, chipping through the green. While marshals went to get ice for Wittensoldner's arm, Woods calmly holed an 18-foot chip for par that was met by a huge ovation.

``It's kind of hot,'' Wittensoldner said of the spot where the ball hit her.

Woods was asked for a blow-by-blow of the hole.

``It ended up right on the lady's jacket, poncho, whatever you want to call it,'' he said. ``I took a drop, hit a terrible pitch over the green, and I holed it from there with a little 9 iron. Four shots.''

Seconds later, after Sabbatini made a double bogey and was walking away from the ninth green, retired firefighter and paramedic Steve Banky casually said to him, ``Hey, Rory. Still think Tiger's beatable?''

Sabbatini wheeled and pointed to Banky, telling a police officer that he wanted Banky removed from the course. He was escorted to the course's front entrance by two officers.

Hehe, go whine some more, Rory, after your latest choke.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:36 AM

I'm Supposed To Care?

That Barack and Hillary are no longer BFF?

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4 — They work in the same building. They slog through the same rigorous travel schedule. Along the way, they often cross paths several times a day.

But Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have barely spoken to each other — at least in any meaningful way — for months.

The tension between the two Democratic presidential hopefuls, which has spilled into public view in the last three weeks, has been intensifying since January. It is clear that the genteel decorum of the Senate has given way to the go-for-the-jugular instinct of the campaign trail.

As the Senate held late sessions of back-to-back votes before its summer break, the two rivals kept a careful eye on each other as they moved across the Senate floor. For more than two hours one night, often while standing only a few feet apart, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama never approached each other or exchanged so much as a pleasantry.

La-dee-freakin'-da.

Who cares.

But I guess that this is the level of insight and analysis that the "All the news that's fit to print on tiny newsprint" NYT can come up with these days.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:16 AM | Comments (3)

August 06, 2007

Torture Rears Its Ugly Head Yet Again

My, the corrosive tentacles of AmeriKKKa have spread their sinuous grasp across the globe per the orders of those theocratic Rovian pawns we so mindlessly adhere to. Or something to that effect.

But before you scoff, Gentle Reader, remember that words have consequences (and consonants. mostly). Look at how our poisoned and deranged leadership has corrupted even the most idyllic and bucolic of places

Police chiefs in the Thai capital, Bangkok, have come up with a new way of punishing officers who break the rules - an eye-catching Hello Kitty armband.

The armband is large, bright pink and has a Hello Kitty motif with two hearts embroidered on it.

From today, officers who are late, park in the wrong place or commit other minor transgressions will have to wear it for several days.

Menstruating interogatrixes

lead irrevocably to Hello Kitty.

The evidence is clear and irrefutable.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:27 AM | Comments (10)

Well, We Went To The Chapel

And Nightfly and Ladybug got married and it was a truly moving and wonderful wedding and reception. Barking Spider and Prussian Tiger were there as well.

It really is a treat to meet other bloggers that one has developed a relationship with; it's like meeting an old friend for the first time. A weird concept, but there it is none the less. I always laugh though because I can never remember their 'real' names; they are always known to me by their nom de blogs. And I answer to "Mr. Bingley" at these events like I've been called that all my life. Heh.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:35 AM | Comments (6)

In A Bold Move To Keep Pace With Their Shrinking Relevance And Worth...

Pravda is now using smaller paper

NEW YORK Over the years, The New York Times has tended to think big, but tomorrow it will have to adapt to a new smaller-is- beautiful era.

In a front page note to readers this morning, the paper stated that the print edition they will hold tomorrow will be decidedly more compact.

Beginning Monday, the Times "will reduce the width of its pages by an inch and a half," to a 12-inch standard, the paper declared.

"The move will cut newsprint expenses and, in some printing press locations, will make special configurations unnecessary. Slight modifications in design will preserve the look and texture of The Times, with all existing features and sections, and" -- it admitted at the end -- "somewhat fewer words per page."

"somewhat fewer words per page."

One can only dream.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:28 AM | Comments (4)

I'm A Little Late...

But Happy Birthday Crusader!

(yeah, I know they're the same pictures I used last year. So sue me already)

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 07:04 AM | Comments (1)

August 03, 2007

What The Hell?

Someone(s) launched a private sub into the east River today, and the police are not amused

New York- WABC, August 3, 2007) - Several people are being questioned by police after being stopped apparently attempting to set sail off Brooklyn in a makeshift submarine-type vessel.

Police say the men were caught in the area of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Downtown Brooklyn, near the Queen Mary 2, just after 11 a.m. this morning

No threatening devices or materials were found on board the vessel.

The initial indication is this is not terrorism related.

Authorities say they were in a large barrel put together as a type of makeshift "submarine-type vessel," complete with oxygen tanks.

Officers responded to the area, found the men and are questioning them. Their intent was not immediately clear.

I mean if you're going to test out your new toy don't do it near the Queen Mary 2, for gosh' sake

CBS) NEW YORK A strange-looking submarine was spotted Friday near the docked Queen Mary II, and NYPD Harbor and SCUBA units arrested three people for questioning.

The vessel, with one person inside, and an inflatable boat carrying two people, were spotted near a security zone around the luxury ocean liner docked at the cruise ship terminal in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

It was not clear what the people were doing in the vessels, but police said there was no indication that the incident was related to terrorism.

The sub, piloted by a Greenpoint man, came within 100 feet of the luxury cruise liner.

How very odd.

Update: Via Lawhawk it looks like these guys were just old sub enthusiasts...and that the Coast Guard has pulled them over before.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 02:26 PM | Comments (9)

I Can Hear the Spin Starting Now

...and I'm not talking the cyclonic kind.

Forecaster lowers year’s hurricane prediction

...“We’ve lowered our forecast from our May predictions because of slightly less favorable conditions in the tropical Atlantic,” said Philip Klotzbach, a member of Gray’s team at Colorado State University.

"I invented hurricanes and I'll say when we get more or less. Got that, Gray guy?"

Posted by tree hugging sister at 01:44 PM | Comments (6)

"I Have a Sharpened Carrot!"

Indeed you do, son. Use it wisely.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 11:33 AM | Comments (4)

Going To The Chapel...

And 'Fly's gonna get ma-ha-harried!

Woo-Hoo!

We'll be there!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 11:13 AM

August 02, 2007

Gitmo Chicken

I got this recipe from a dear friend of mine who is from Angola, so i guess it should be called Angolan Chicken. But when I saw what I was doing to the poor buzzard, all I could think of was Gitmo...

Anyhow, take a nice whole chicken and place it on your cutting board Pamela's* down

And using poultry shears slice up one side of the spine

(I'm sorry about the blurry-ish photos; my camera and chicken-juiced hands was not a good combo)

and then snip up the other side until the spine comes out in your hands

Muwhahahahaha! I feel so eeevul holding a creature's freshly detached backbone!

Anyhow, flip the spineless creature over and, using your palm in a very real and patriarchy-inspired manner squage the breastbone down with the heel of your palm and break the bugger so the spineless chicken lies more or less flat

Didn't that feel good?

Now take a clove of peeled garlic

*er, um, that would be "breast's down"

and rub it all over that naked little buzzard

Hell, take 2 or 3 cloves of garlic; the more the merrier

Flip it over and rub rub rub

Now generously sprinkle yon beastie with coarse sea salt on both sides and squeeze a lime or two over both sides as well

Flip it Pamela's up and let it sit for an hour or so to marinate

Hmmm, what will I do with you, my pretty?

I'm sure I'll think of something...

Now, I need to warn you that everything doesn't always turn out spiffy here in Bingley Kitchens, due in large part to the fact that I tend to make up a lot of it as I go along, prodded, as always, by the ever-present fruit of the vine. But I am Manly Enough™ to admit my errors and deficiencies, and frying is one of them. I just don't like to do it, and I hate how the house smells for days afterwards. So in that spirit of positive karma I proceeded to make the traditional side dish for this chicken, which is simply potato chips.

However, I thought I'd be swank and make both regular chips and sweet potato chips

The ice-water filled bowl is for the slices of spuds. Slice 'em thin and plop 'em in the water

Yammies too

I guess this helps stabilize the starches. Who knows. It's weird but every recipe says do it for an hour or so so I did

While the spuds was chillin' I decided to get the baste ready for the chicken. Take 4 tablespoons of butter and place it in a Pyrex bowl with a heaping tablespoon of red pepper flakes

and let them co-mingle in the steamy joys of Mr. Microwave

now get some peanut oil warming up in your cast iron skillet

Splop the chicken on the grill. I want to sear one side

and then the other and then reduce the heat under the buzzard as it cooks Pamela's up

basting with the melted butter/pepper sauce occasionally

Notice the heat under the buzzard is turned down, whilst the heat in the un-occupied region of the grill is left on high. This cooks it most yummilly and reduces flare ups.

Meanwhile, back at the Greasy Spoon, carefully slide the spud slices into the 375º or so oil and fry away. I discovered that sweet potatoes cook way more quickly than regular spuds, which was a bit of a drag.

it's really just a pain frying these things, and to me much more effort than they're worth.

oh sure, the few I finished before I got bored were tasty enough when properly salted

but really for me not worth all the effort. So that's the last frying you'll see here for a long time.

Anyhow, by this point the chicken was looking mighty tasty

and the thermometer confirmed it was done to perfection, so onto the platter she went

and thence into our tummies. The lime/garlic/salt/butter/red pepper combination was absolutely yummy, and the chicken was as moist and flavorful as can be. Both Bride and Daughter agreed that the chicken was divine.

Next time I will make it with either grilled corn or mashed spuds as a side.

Eat up!

Posted by Mr. Bingley at 08:24 PM | Comments (9)

August 01, 2007

NYC Mammies Nannies Suck

...in more ways than one. The headline for this piece...

NYC Health Officials Move To Get Babies Off Bottle
New Campaign Launched To Deter Use Of Formula

...started the eye rolling, but dang if it isn't the little things tucked into the article that just make ya cringe.

...Kim Williams-Mann breastfed her daughter for five years, and doesn't agree with the ban.

Dear GOD.

Posted by tree hugging sister at 09:20 AM | Comments (12)