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TMI Thursday: Hot Fun in the Summer Time May 23, 2013

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HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME

  • Memorial Day is a day of remembrance but it also signifies the “Official” start of summer. What are your plans this weekend?
    • No plans as yet. But here’s the interesting part – it’s not summer yet. Won’t be until around the 21st of June.
  • What is your most and least favorite thing about summer?
    • MOST – Seriously dig the warm weather. I like it optimally about 80-85F with relatively low humidity. Not too oppressive. And I love the availability different fruits and vegetables. 
    • LEAST – The fact that a five minute walk works up a heavy sweat.
  • What is your favorite summer food?
    • Gotta be black cherries. One of my favorite fruits.
  • Are you is swim suit shape yet?
    • Round is a shape, right? Haven’t been swimming in 20+ years. Don’t know anyone with a pool, well I do but I wouldn’t put upon that person to use it.
  • Vacation Plans? If you can’t, what would you do if you could?
    • Oh the grand European tour. Start out in Italy, Firenze, Napoli, Roma, Milan, Venizia and then on to Paris and southern France. Then maybe Madrid, Sevilla, etc.
  • Did you ever have to go to summer school?
    • Never had to do so.
  • Given the choice, which do you prefer: ocean, lake or pool?975306_10151695788578833_1366252537_n
    • I like lakes. Sadly there aren’t many of those around here. But I also dig a pool too. Best one we had a stream up in the Kangamangus mountains in New Hampshire. The stream fed into a set of bolder arranges like a small pool. That water by about 10AM was like bath water. Nice and warm.

BONUS

  • Sex on the beach?
    • You haven’t experience discomfort until you’ve had sand in the crack of your ass.

Currently Reading: Lies My Teacher Told Me May 19, 2013

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So someone on Facebook had recommended the book. I got the kindle version on amazon.

I’m only 55 pages in and in the section where they’re talking about what Columbus actually did.

I’ll spoil it for you. First of all Columbus was not the first to reach North America. There are Vikings and even peoples of Phoenicia and other places around Africa who made it here too. In fact New England, where I live, was originally called Vineland.

In fact it’s posited that there were African visitors in Mexico that re-date Columbus by over a hundred years.

The book also goes into how Columbus and the Spanish wiped out entire indigenous populations on Haiti.

So why do we still celebrate him? There’s even some question as to his Italian ancestry – and some data to indicate he was Jewish.

Go get the book – our history is much richer than they’d ever have us believe.

Chicken and Cannellini for dinner May 18, 2013

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So I was wondering what to make for dinner. I had some boneless, skinless chicken breast along with a few pounds of Cannellini beans, oninon, garlic, parsley, chicken stock and some white wine.

Cut up a medium onion. Melted 3tbsp of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion to the mix. Mince 3 garlic gloves and add to the onions when onions are translucent.

Cut chicken breast into chunks – about 1.5-2.0 inches. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and tarragon.

Add a little bit of olive oil to the onion/garlic mixture just so the chicken has enough fat to cook in. Then add the chicken to the pan, increase heat to medium. Turn chicken about 3 to 4 minutes in and then wait about 5 or so minutes to start forming the sauce.

I added 3tbsp of flour to the pan and stirred it into the fat. Then added about a half cup of white wine of your choosing, along with a cup to 1.5 cup of chicken stock to thin the sauce a bit.

I had soaked the cannellini’s earlier and cooked them to just about the point before they turn to mush. I did this over low-med heat for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Then when they were done I drained them, reserving the liquid, and put them in the pan with the chicken and sauce.

Tossed in some fresh chopped parsley and stirred to combine.

It tastes awesome and is VERY filling.

Gay Rights march in Georgian Republic turns ugly May 18, 2013

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This is awful. It’s awful for more reason than just the blatant animus against the LGBT community.

Here’s the first sentence from the article:

“A throng of thousands led by priests in black robes surged through police cordons in downtown Tbilisi, Georgia, on Friday and attacked a group of about 50 gay rights demonstrators.”

And the Catholic church raises it’s ugly head once again. Really – by this point in time the priests have to know it’s a losing proposition. And some of the things they say about gay people are horrid.

For example: “No to mental genocide”

What? Mental genocide, so wait a minute. Is that me thinking that if there were a god I’d like to think she’d smote all the bigots with a huge bolt of lightning.

But I know what they’re really saying – no learning that gay people are normal. No learning about the outside world when religious belief is at risk.

In fact one woman who protested the parade said this:

“We are trying to protect our orthodoxy, not to let anyone to wipe their feet on our faith,” said Manana Okhanashvili, in a head scarf and long skirt. “We must not allow them to have a gay demonstration here.”

So Ms. Okhanashvili in essence proves my point.  The bigots are saying they’d prefer to bury their heads in the sand than acknowledge that the LGBT community exists.

But the game is over and the priests know it.

And France makes 14 countries with marriage equality May 18, 2013

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The bigots must really be smarting right now. The current tally for equality including France is now at 14 countries, 12 states and the District of Columbia.

But I looked it up, here’s the list of countries:

And the states:

  • Massachusetts
  • Connecticut
  • Rhode Island
  • Maine
  • Vermont
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Maryland
  • Delaware
  • Minnesota
  • Iowa
  • Washington State
  • D.C.

It really is the juggernaut now. Granted there are still areas of the world where extreme Christianity or Islam will never embrace it, or at least not in my lifetime. But the civilized world will.

The Modern Ancestors of Dinosaurs May 17, 2013

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Very interesting xkcd.com cartoon:
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Cluck! Gets it’s variance! May 13, 2013

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I may or may not have written about the urban farm supply store called Cluck! in the past.

This evening I attended a Zoning Board of Review hearing to see if Cluck! would get the required variance.

It’s an interesting process that I’m glad I witnessed. I can see myself having to get variances for properties that I’ll purchase in the future. So it’s good to know the process.

The hearing was interesting as the support for Cluck! was overwhelming. People testified that since Cluck! moved in they’ve seen a decrease in the vandalism of the facility, as well as enjoying the improvements made to the property.

Only one real point of opposition was registered by a gentleman who owns 272 Broadway. Now 272 Broadway is some FOUR blocks away from Cluck! The average block spans about 100 feet so that would be 400 feet away. The abutting rule says 200 feet. Sorry, they lose by 200 feet.

Anyhow the gentleman stated that having chickens around would attract mice and rats. I chuckled at that part because the reality is that chickens mostly attract foxes. And foxes love to eat mice, rats and chickens.

Not to mention that the neighborhood now has a fairly hefty population of chickens since it’s now completely legal to own chickens in the city of Providence.

There were some conditions for the variance  that included:1) Only three chickens, no roosters on the property. I can see this one getting challenged on the part of Cluck! because as the birds age, and they are social creatures, you introduce another to the  brood.

2) That all live chicks will be pre-ordered and then picked up. None kept overnight.

3) That on Sundays the shop opens at 12:00PM.

Congratulations Minnesota! May 13, 2013

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Now the Senate has approved equality and it’s on to the Governor’s desk for signing into law. Marriage equality that is. The State of Minnesota becomes the 12th state in the nation, behind Rhode Island and Delaware in granting full equality to all it’s citizens in matters concerning marriage.

It’s a fascinating time. For example, I never thought we’d see equality come to Rhode Island but it did. And then Delaware and now Minnesota! Three states in ten days. How’s that for something that will leave the bigots smarting. And as well they should all have a major case of the sadz! I want to see Brian Brown with tears in his eyes because his bigoted view of the world is rapidly become archaic.

 

I Attended TEDx Providence 2013 May 11, 2013

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I have watched a ton of TED videos online. So when I heard that a TEDx (The x means it’s independently organized) presentation was going on in Providence and I had a discount code for it, I signed up the other day.

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I must say – the program was broken into three main areas, Social Enterprise, Food, and Art & Craftsmanship. In all there were some thought provoking ideas brought forward.

Having a bit of a hard time saying which presentation really caught my attention since all of them did.

I must say though – the presentation had 3 videos that are pulled directly off the TED site above. Okay, they needed to fill time. The speakers were, for the most part, very local.

For example we heard a talk by Umberto Crenca – one of the founding member of AS220, RI’s art leader. His story started with an amusing take on his early career in the art scene and included one critics rough assessment of Mr. Crenca’s work.

Then of course there was the talk done by Rick Benjamin, RI’s Official Poet to speak. Very thought provoking speech on poetry. Gives one a greater appreciation of the art and it’s ability to stimulate the mind, the heart and the soul.

Then we heard from Davide Dukcevich, 3rd generation at Daniele, Inc.

The history of Daniele  is very interesting, the family fled Yugoslavia into Italy and there began doing some Italian favorites. Then in 1976 they brought the whole thing to the U.S. and it’s made here in RI.

And then Barnaby Evans, the creator of WaterFire gave his speech. It was an amusing speech as he traced his childhood of building little green spaces with sticks and stones in essence, and creating little rivers by diverting downspouts. Then he explained the fascination with fire, the symbolism of death and rebirth inherent. I must say, I’m still captured by the WaterFire spirit, it’s very ethereal. I like it the later it gets when the crowd thins out.

In the Social Enterprise side we had a talk by Angela Jackson on teaching kids foreign languages like Arabic and Chinese and how it broadens their horizons. I know my high school Spanish opened my eyes to quite a bit. Three years of it I can’t really speak or understand it because I don’t use it. But I can read it. Weird.

Like I said, lots of interesting talks. Makes me want to see the whole weekend long one in California now.

Congratulations Delaware May 7, 2013

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I see you now have marriage equality too. Isn’t it grand! The bigots tried to derail it and failed miserably.

So now you join #10 Rhode Island. Isn’t it fantastic being #11? Only 39 to go now.

 

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