January 23, 2014

Is this what "I want my country back" means to the un-thinking?

January 23, 2014

"Is it wrong that I am smiling?" - photo of an ad I got by email

( a supplier of mine is featuring this as the month's special )

January 23, 2014

Putin Warns Gays Against Flamboyant Displays at Olympics - caringly told by Borowitz

SOCHI (The Borowitz Report)—Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that gay spectators should feel welcome at the upcoming Winter Olympics but warned them against “any flamboyant displays that draw unnecessary attention to themselves.”
“The Olympics have always been, and should always be, about the athletes,” President Putin said. “Any attempt by homosexuals to flaunt their bodies in a way that is distracting, provocative, or arousing will be frowned upon.”
“Specifically, gay spectators should remain fully clothed at all times, and resist the temptation to unveil their chiseled biceps or shredded abdominals,” he said.
“Furthermore,” he added, “under no circumstances should gays oil, grease, or otherwise lubricate their torsos in an effort to highlight their glistening, ripped pectorals.”
He closed his remarks with one final warning for gay spectators in Sochi: “Remember, this is the Olympics. It is strictly forbidden for you to expose your thighs, buttocks, or especially your nipples, erect from the frigid Russian air.”

www.borowitzreport.com

more photos:


http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,942107,00.jpg

January 21, 2014

Looks like a Japanese cartoon - unfortunately not funny

January 21, 2014

"Truth be told on Fox": Obama to force all Americans to buy Pot (Andy Borowitz)

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—President Obama is about to issue an executive order that would force all Americans to purchase a monthly supply of marijuana, the Fox News Channel reported today.
According to Fox’s Sean Hannity, who broke the story, Obama’s initiative is part of a broader plan to make weed available and affordable to every individual in the United States.
Under Obama’s plan, every American would be required to purchase a government-mandated amount of marijuana per month or face a penalty of up to two thousand dollars.
Hannity said that the President hopes to have the mandatory marijuana plan up and running by 2015, “but they’re still working on the Web site.”
Appearing on Fox, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took issue with Obama’s recent remark that marijuana was no more dangerous than alcohol: “I saw that as an insult.”

www.borowitzreport.com

January 21, 2014

Did I by chance see a post about passwords recently? here's one for amusement and help if needed

January 17, 2014

Bill Maher is back tonight for the start of his 12th season - 10 pm HBO and repeat at 11pm

Real Time with Bill Maher KICKS OFF ITS 12TH SEASON

JAN. 17, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO;

GLENN GREENWALD IS THE TOP-OF-SHOW INTERVIEW GUEST;

MARY MATALIN IS THE MID-SHOW INTERVIEW GUEST;

JAMES CARVILLE, JENNIFER GRANHOLM AND STEVE SCHMIDT

ARE THE ROUNDTABLE GUESTS



Real Time with Bill Maher returns for its 12th season FRIDAY, JAN. 17 (10:00-11:00 p.m. live ET/tape-delayed PT), with a replay at 11:00 p.m., exclusively on HBO. Allowing Maher to offer his unique perspective on contemporary issues, the show includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviews with in-studio and satellite guests. Journalist Glenn Greenwald is the top-of-show interview guest. Political consultant Mary Matalin is the mid-show interview guest. The roundtable guests are political commentator James Carville, former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm and political analyst Steve Schmidt.

January 17, 2014

Obama to Call for Overhaul of N.S.A.’s Phone Data Collection Program

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/us/politics/obam

Obama to Call for Overhaul of N.S.A.’s Phone Data Collection Program
President Obama will require intelligence agencies to obtain permission from a secret court before tapping into a vast database of telephone data, but he will leave the data in the hands of the government for now, an administration official said.
Mr. Obama, in a much-anticipated speech on Friday morning, plans to pull back the government’s wide net of surveillance at home and abroad, staking out a middle ground between the far-reaching proposals of his own advisers and the concerns of the nation’s intelligence agencies.
At the heart of the changes, spurred by the disclosure of surveillance practices by a former National Security Agency contractor, Edward J. Snowden, will be an overhaul of a bulk data collection program that has swept up many millions of records of Americans’ telephone calls, though not their content.
READ MORE »
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/us/politics/obama-to-balance-privacy-and-security-concerns-in-speech-on-surveillance-aides-say.html?emc=edit_na_20140117

Read more: Link to source

January 15, 2014

Dear Elleng: I took the liberty to show you what Picasa can do

Remember: I mentioned to install the free program from Google called Picasa, and that you can straighten the horizon lines with it. We all do this from time to time. But you did not want to bother with it, and thought just holding the camera more still might do it.

Now look here:
I straightened this breathtakingly beautiful photo of yours in Picasa. It took about a second.
I don't know if or what you entered, but you have til midnight to exchange it out.
I just love this photo of yours, who knew you would learn so quickly!

January 14, 2014

Whole Wheat Bread - easiest ever - and 3 times in a row it turned out like this!

I've been baking bread for a long time, the old ways, the bread machine ways, the
Artisan way.
Never though have I been able to create tall loaves like this with only whole wheat flour until I made it like I'm describing in the attached recipe.

Hope you like looking and baking. I wrote it up for a friend who tasted it and wanted to have the recipe - so it's a bit more detailed and descriptive than it needs to be for seasoned bakers.

At no time though disregard the care you must take with the hot pot.




Whole Wheat Bread


You need whole wheat flour
envelope of regular yeast
water
salt and a Dutch oven (cast iron / Le Creuset / or ceramic Dutch oven with a lid. The lid cannot have plastic on it, because it has to withstand very high temperatures)

In a large bowl stir  together 4 cups of whole wheat flour (King Arthur's is preferred, or good flour sold in bulk )
2 cups of tepid water into which you stirred the yeast and 2 tsp of salt

Stir with wooden spoon till mixed. It needs to be moist, but hold together - you don't want it liquid. Adjust water or flour til it is a very moist but credible dough, not a puddle .

Cover with a towel and let sit on the counter for 12 - 18 hours / I wait about 18

Flour a surface ( I have one of the silicone mats that look a lot like this: 

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/real-simple-nonslip-pastry-mat/1016861812?device=c&network=g&matchtype=&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenfoodprep_&gclid=CP_g4_33-7sCFW3xOgod7RUA1w

Aldi sells them every now and then, cheaper)

gently dump the dough onto the floured surface and just push it together into a ball. Don't push it down or manipulate it.

Let it rise 2 more hours, covered with a floured kitchen towel.

Now put the Dutch oven and the lid into the oven and preheat the oven to 450 for at least 20-25 min.  

Be very very careful removing the lid and hot pot and set them onto a heat proof surface.

Gently lift the ball of bread and put it in the hot Dutch oven, which has been sprayed with Olive Oil and generously sprinkled with a mixture of  seeds/ sesame/sunflower/flax seeds/wheat germ/ stuff like that. You can get it at whole foods in the bins that release it into bags. I keep a mixture of it in a glass jar for when I bake bread. Then spray the top of the dough with water, and sprinkle it with the mixture as well.
Cover with the lid and bake at 450 for 30 min. Carefully remove the hot lid and bake it 10 more minutes, or till it looks and sounds done. You rap on the bread like it's a door and if it sounds hollow its done.

Carefully remove bread - slide it onto a rack to cool - do not cut it for at least 20 min.