Gaslighting

Gaslighting, as opposed to simple denial of guilt.  Of course, if you have been paying attention, then you already know how the Obama administration works.




HT: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/217735/

No Alcohol for 30 Days

Here is an interesting article that I ran across.  This is the second such study that I have read.  There was an article published earlier this year that showed a study with similar results.

I will  give this a try. Starting today, no alcoholic drinks for a month.

Month off drinking slashes risk of disease: Abstaining found to heal the liver and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels

"Drinkers should take a month off alcohol to prevent serious illness in later life, doctors warned yesterday.

They cited dramatic British research showing how abstention can heal the liver and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Patients who gave up for four weeks were also at lower risk of developing cancer and type 2 diabetes.

The study is the second at the Royal Free hospital to uncover the huge benefits of staying off booze."

Women

Getting Away With Murder

This man clearly had no reason to shoot and should be on trial for murder.

"The dash cam footage of a South Carolina police officer fatally shooting a 19-year-old in July has been released after it was announced that no criminal charges will be filed against the officer."

Dashcam video reveals horrific moment cop shot dead teen on a first date as it's revealed officer will NOT be charged with anything

 

It Matters

"If a nation has a constitution, and nobody reads it or follows it, does it matter?"

Read it:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/10/26/election-2016-voters-constitution-ignorance-column/74588286/

French Table

I ate breakfast at Victors' cafeteria this morning with Mom. There was a French immersion class joining us.  I had two eggs, over easy and sausages.  Mom had an "egg biscuit".   We both had coffee.

There Should Have Been a Big Kaboom

Liver for Bait

I used calf liver for bait in the Vermilion River this morning.  I rigged up for bottom fishing, as I was trying for catfish, and baited a hook.  The liver is not easy to keep on the hook and so I did the best that I could.

Things started hitting on the bait right away and I lost my bait a couple of times.  I was beginning to think that I should be trying for blue crabs instead.

On the fourth cast, I finally hooked something.  I did not expect it to be a turtle but there he was.  The next cast produced a stick and so I called it a day.

Cultural Marxism

Sometimes, I wonder who actually won the cold war.  I do not believe that this is what Sun Tzu  had in mind when he wrote that to win a war, you become your enemy.

"There’s a bit of controversy surrounding student elections at a San Francisco middle school after the results were immediately withheld by the principal because they weren’t diverse enough."

Middle school election results (temporarily) withheld because the winners aren’t “diverse” enough

Mosquito Zapper

If we could make something like this for fifty bucks or less per module, this would sell like gangbusters.

Morning Ride

After breakfast, I helped someone with a software problem and then I put in just over sixteen miles on my bike, picking some mandarin oranges along the way.  The weather was nice for riding and my right quadriceptic tendon is only complaining a little.

Liver and Onions

For lunch today, I heated up some bacon fat in a black iron skillet and then cooked a sliced onion to a nice golden-brown and then fried four ounces of calf-liver for about a minute and a half per side.  The smell was delicious and the liver and onions were very tasty.

I put about four ounces of raw liver aside to try as catfish bait.  I still have half a pound left.  I will have some more for dinner and then freeze the remainder.

Free USGS Topological Maps

I ran across this while reading Instapundit this morning.  These maps can come in very handy.

"Nearly Every USGS Topo Map Ever Made. For Free.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has been producing detailed topographic maps for more than 125 years. Today they are nearly all digitized and free to download through the USGS Map Store, an incredible treasure trove for both map junkies and casual hikers alike."

Fusion Energy Near

Look at the chart below.  If this develops as hoped for, we may see fossil fuel use dramatically reduced, replaced by even cheaper and more abundant energy.  It would be an economic boon. (Updated)

You can read about the "roadmap" to nuclear fusion here.  In a related article, the author states that " If all proceeds on schedule then a Helion Energy machine that that proves commercial energy gain would be a 50 Megawatt system built in 2019."  You can read it here.

Saturday Morning

It is a nice and sunny morning.  I had two cups of double-espresso Americano with coconut oil.  For breakfast, I made some baked-potato hash browns, with plenty of butter, two eggs over-easy and two thick slices of bacon.  For dessert, I had some white seedless grapes.  Meanwhile, I perused my usual morning internet reads.  DaybyDayCartoon, the Drudge Report, Instapundit, and links from those. 

Monday Citrus Post

I went out for a bike ride this morning and found some citrus that was nearly ready to pick.  There is a tree over the concrete fence on Cajun Dome Blvd. towards Eraste Landry Road.

The fruit is smooth-skinned and tight to the segments with a thin rind.  The one I picked was sweet.  I traveled a few more miles where there are some mandarin oranges with looser, more delicate rind.  I picked a few and they were easy to peel and sweet.

On the way back, I stopped to take pictures of the ghost bike.

It was erected in memory of Mickey Shunick.

I had a couple of problems on this ride as I have been slacking for a couple of weeks.  My seat started to feel a bit tender after about three or four miles and at about nine-and-a-half miles, my right knee bothered me enough that I had to walk about seventy-five yards.  My quadriceps muscle/tendon area seems to be the culprit.  Here is map of the ride.

Post for Sunday

Yesterday, which was Sunday, I decided to ride my bike around looking for fruit trees.  I have found that I see many more things from my bike than from a faster moving vehicle.  On the way, I realized that I was on the back-side of the graveyard where Aunt Dot was buried and so I stopped and paid her a visit.  It seems that Uncle Red had also paid a visit that day,

I did not see any citrus tree as I had hoped.  However, I did come across some persimmon and fig trees.  I will see if the owner will give or sell me some.

The Deep State

The problem will resolve itself, whether we want it to or not.

"I used to joke that there was nothing wrong with Washington that 10 megatons on the capital couldn’t cure. But I don’t say that anymore. Partially because it’s too dangerous, but mainly because it’s now untrue. What’s now needed is 10 megatons on the capital, and four more bursts in a quadrant 10 miles out."

The Deep State: Source Of All Negativity

Bad Policy

Mailmen deal with dogs everyday.  When was the last time that you read a report of a mailman shooting a dog?  This policeman's action is inexcusable and he should be fired.

Cop Accidentally Shoots 4-Year-Old Girl: 'Mommy Am I Gonna Die?'

I Love Ginger

Read it and just shake your head.

For example: “I don’t say that ‘I was “blind” to something’ because it ignores the experiences of differently abled individuals.” “I don’t ask ‘who wears the pants in your relationship?’ because it expects homosexual couples to subscribe to heterosexual norms.” “I don’t say ‘White washed’ because it is used to insult those who do not conform to negative stereotypes of a community or culture.” “I don’t call people ‘gingers’ because a unique hair colour does not make one inferior.” “I don’t say ‘you are so skinny’ because ‘skinny’ is not validating” “We don’t say ‘Spirit Animal’ because it is a form of cultural appropriation.”

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/425339/western-university-language-campaign

Early Morning Blogging

Well, all night really.  I've been rocking the music all night.  Cooked a few dinners and have one in the oven now, heh.  My luck, I'll get a paternity call in a few months.

Hermit Crabs are Awesome

Monday in October

This weekend, I set my heater on 72 degrees F.  The pool looks cold.  Hopefully by the end of the week, it will be warm enough to swim.

This morning, I got up and fixed my usual breakfast stuff.  I rode my bike to work on someone's computer and then to Office Depot for a part and then to Champagnes' Market for groceries.  Chicken was still on sale for $3.99/10lb of leg quarters, so I bought a bag and will try some different recipes.  I also picked up a six pack of Stone IPA .  It is a current favorite of mine.

More Chicken

I still had eight chicken leg quarters left and so I used six of them in a recipe that I always enjoy.  I did not have any shallots, so I substituted a thinly-sliced onion that was about the mass of three shallots; and three small garlic cloves, also thinly sliced.

Here is an image of the finished product:

I served it with rice and it was delicious.



CHICKEN THIGHS WITH OLIVES AND LEMON
(adapted from Fine Cooking #103; recipe by Melissa Pellegrino)

6 chicken thighs, bone-in
2 medium lemons
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
3/4 cup jarred brined olives, rinsed, pitted, and halved
6 fresh sage leaves
2 dried bay leaves
1 tsp thyme (I used dry, could not find fresh)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350F.

Blot the chicken absolutely dry with a paper towel before you begin, then season it on all sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the ends off the lemon, stand it on one end, carefully peel it, and release the lemon segments from the membranes, dropping them in a small bowl. Cut the segments in two or three pieces.

Heat the butter and the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken skin side down until golden-brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish with the browned side up. Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of the fat. Add the shallots, olives, sage, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and lemon segments, and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the lemony sauce to the roasting pan; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and increase the heat to 400F for 10 minutes to ensure the skin is crisp (alternatively, run the roasting pan under the broiler for a few minutes).

Updated.

Choose

http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2015/10/03/gun-control-if-journalists-were-murdered-instead-of-school-children/

We all Die Alone

"And you will die, but not quickly. It takes time for the heart to give up, for the lungs to fill with water and stop breathing, for the toxic wastes to build up. It is generally considered wise for the patient to be on epic doses of morphine throughout the process, both to spare them the inevitable pain as their disease takes their course and to spare their family from having to watch them."

Who By Very Slow Decay

Saturday Chicken Results

The recipe made for some incredibly tender and tasty chicken.  After having cooked pork, beef, and chicken using the slow cooker, I think that I prefer using the slow cooker for beef.  The pork and chicken come out too tender and looking at it in the cooker, especially after "pulling" the pork, reminds me of rotted meat on a carcass that had been left out.

Saturday Chicken

Chicken leg quarters were on sale at Champagnes' Market, 10 pounds for $3.99.  I bought a bag and decided to try a new recipe that I had came across.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Quarters

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings
Total time: 4 Hours, 25 Minutes

Recipe Time
Hands-on: 25 Minutes
Total: 4 Hours, 25 Minutes

Ingredients
3 carrots or celery ribs
5 pounds chicken leg quarters
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons pimentón (sweet smoked Spanish paprika)
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
12 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 pounds fingerling Yukon gold potatoes, halved
1 teaspoon olive oil
Garnish: fresh rosemary
Preparation

1. Place carrots in a single layer in a 5-qt. slow cooker.

2. Remove skin from chicken, and trim fat. Stir together rosemary, pimentón, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper. Rub mixture over chicken.

3. Sauté garlic in 3 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 2 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl using a slotted spoon; reserve oil in skillet. Cook half of chicken in reserved oil in skillet 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown. Transfer to slow cooker, reserving drippings in skillet. Repeat with remaining chicken.

4. Add broth and garlic to reserved drippings in skillet, and cook 1 minute, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; pour over chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours.

5. Toss potatoes with 1 tsp. oil and remaining 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper; add to slow cooker. Cover and cook 2 more hours.

6. Transfer chicken and potatoes to a serving platter, and pour juices from slow cooker through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; skim fat from juices. Serve immediately with chicken and potatoes.

The Art of Browning Browning meats and poultry before simmering in the slow cooker yields major depth of flavor plus a picture-perfect presentation, so don't be tempted to skip it. First, pat the meat dry with paper towels before seasoning. Set a heavy stainless-steel or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (not nonstick) over medium to medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until hot enough for the oil to shimmer--the meat should hiss and sizzle as soon as it hits the pan. Be sure not to crowd the pan; doing so drops the temp, causing the meat to steam rather than form a crisp crust. Don't turn the meat until the bottom is well-browned.

The Mob Is Coming For You

"In a year from now, we will no more remember the current fad of “Black Lives Matter” than we do “Occupy Wall Street,” as the public lurches from one spasm to the next. The democratic crowd fixates on political whims in the way shoppers used to rush out to buy pet rocks and lava lamps."

Read it: http://www.hoover.org/research/mob-coming-you

HT: http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/215597/