Le Taz Hot
Le Taz Hot's JournalAnyone in the Fresno area today (1/25/14)
(yes, we ARE part of California), there is a candidate forum (City Council) today at Fresno City's Old Administration building at 1:00. Doors open at 12:30. As far as I know, it's free. This is a series being put on by one of the unions (not sure which one). Today is for City Council District 1 and 7. I'm not in either one of these but I'm going to attend anyway. I'd really like to see some progressives running for local office this time. We usually get a "choice" between right-wing nut job and milquetoast almost a Democrat.
I'm also curious to find out if they're going to be holding these for all races, i.e., Congressional and Senatorial.
To the younger women of DU:
Why do you think women's rights and the women's movement don't resonate with younger women? Yes, there are pockets here and there but nothing like during the suffragette movement or the women's movement of the 70's. Somewhere along the line the message of empowerment was lost and we managed to move BACKWARDS. So, these are some of my questions:
1) Why isn't there a significant women's movement for the 21st century?
2) What do we need to do to resurrect the women's movement but adapt it to the 21st century?
3) What can we who fought the fight in the 70's and 80's do to help?
I really am anxious to hear your perspective.
Thanks,
LTH.
Meet "Alaska"
Some of you may remember my post about a starving feral kitten I brought in after I saw her on my patio on Thanksgiving day. We named her "Alaska."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018539244
I FINALLY figured out how to do pictures and I wanted to show you her progress. She's a LITTLE better in letting us touch her but still not crazy about the human touch. Here is Ms. Alaska in pictures
This is Her Highness right after she came indoors:
Here's her and my older cat, Erica, who is the one who enticed her to come in. They're BFF's:
And here is the latest of her snuggling up to Erica in my not-yet-made-up-bed. You can see how much she's grown and she LOVES "her" Erica:
Thoughts on What Education "Reform" Has Achieved
Teaching people to be academics guided and encouraged people to engage in analysis and be capable of independent thought. It was replaced with rote "learning" to ensure you were a good little worker bee who never asks questions, even if you could figure out what the questions actually were.
Humanities were eliminated because humanities put you in touch with the human part of you. They put you in touch with your heart and if you have heart you may have empathy and develop a social consciousness. This is a dangerous path because you might not be able to blindy hate the (fill-in-the-blank).
Civics was eliminated because it was important that you are unaware of your rights or what was being done to you.
Just some musings this Saturday morning.
Edited for the correct spelling of "achieved" in the thread title about education. 
Should DU send something in rememberance of MFM?
A donation to a charity/cause? Flowers?
He was such a huge presence on DU, I just feel we should do something.
Any suggestions?
EDA: I only interacted with him a couple of times and I know he had a lot of friends here on DU. Anyone know if he was into any kind of causes/charities?
Christie's Press Conference to be aired on CSPAN at 11:00 am EST
Here's the link for when the time comes.
http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/
(For those of us without TV service. Don't know if the other networks will do live-streaming but I know CSPAN will.)
California Attorney General: Legalizing Marijuana Would Save Hundreds Of Millions Of Dollars A Year
If a proposed ballot measure succeeds, California may become the third state to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes. By the state’s estimate, legalization would save the state hundreds of millions of dollars each year and generate about the same amount in new tax revenue.
Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office released a summary of the proposed ballot measure on Christmas Eve, breaking down the costs incurred by law enforcement, court proceedings, and prison maintenance. The Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance found that legalization would result in “reduced costs in the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments related to enforcing certain marijuana-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders.”
Newly legalized production and sale of marijuana would also rake in “net additional tax revenues in the low hundreds of millions of dollars annually.”
These fiscal benefits would undoubtedly be a boon to California, which has struggled with a massive deficit, a flailing public school system, and an overcrowded prison crisis. Drug offenders make up 31 percent of inmates in the state, and each inmate costs taxpayers about $47,000 per year.
<More>
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/12/29/3106761/california-marijuana-legalization-fiscal-benefits/
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Our illustrious County Board of Supervisors just voted to ban outdoor cultivation for the unincorporated areas. That's to match the ban in the rest of the city. This would, hopefully, settle all that.
Butternut Squash Soup
I think I've posted this here before but just in case, this is a great recipe, very tasty, very cheap and great for cold winter days.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
1 (2 to 3 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion
6 cups chicken stock (veggie stock is fine)
Nutmeg
Salt and freshly-ground pepper
Directions:
In large pot, melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in blender and puree (you'll have to add liquid from the soup to keep the blender blades moving). Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg and cook on a simmer for about 30 minutes.
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