Diversion and Lies - military style terror ?

Masha Gessen wrote a fabulous account in the New Yorker magazine  of Kelly's "performance" at a press conference yesterday. The General's main thrust was to let us know that we can't criticize Das Trumpf  because we haven't served in the military! He told assembled journalists that fallen soldiers join "the best one per cent this country produces."
Is he for real?
And then he continued saying his boss did the right thing by calling the widow of a soldier killed (who unfortunately died for an unexplained dubious reason that Das Trumpf won't mention) and perhaps he didn't say it just the right way. Really? So why didn't he call again and say what he meant?
The General continued with more chutzpah, chastising Congresswoman Wilson for "listening in to Das Trumpf's phone call. He was "stunned". Wow - I didn't think Generals stunned that easily. Of course, he didn't mention that the soldier's widow, and other people were in a limo - on their way to receive the soldier's casket - and the phone line was on speaker phone. Guess Congresswoman Wilson forgot to stuff her ears with cotton when the phone rang?
And the General said he'd take questions at the end of his presentation - but only from journalists who had "a personal connection to a fallen soldier, followed by those who knew a Gold Star family." No dead soldiers in your address book? No way you can understand me!
Oh yes - before he left the podium, the General managed to express his pity for Americans who haven't served in the military (does that include Das Trumpf?) since they can't experience the "joy" of serving and thus showing that they love their country.

He also lied (horrors! a General lying?) about a building dedication in Florida - that was named for two slain FBI agents - thanks to the efforts of Congresswoman Wilson. Check out the story in the Miami Herald.

So - life in the war zone begins. I had thought that Das Trumpf might be reined in a bit when Kelly showed up. Alas - pure fantasy. We're further along on the path to dictatorship/military takeover (think Germany in the 1930's) along with  Das Trumpf's plans to "povertise" the middle class with help from his financial swampland gurus.

One more item - A terrified populace is much easier to control. Digest what Kelly said about terrorism in May 2017: "It's everywhere. It's constant. It's nonstop.....it can happen here almost anytime". And he added that the terrorism threat was so severe that people "would never leave the house" if they knew the truth.
So - all you have to do is slit your throat, jump off a cliff, whatever - and you'll eliminate the threat of terrorism?

Bad Friday - fires still raging in California and Das Trumpf? He's trying to start another war and kill health care on his own.

The winds are still fierce - and no rain in sight. Didn't hear a peep from the esteemed leader. Guess they're too many Democrats in California.

Andy Borowitz spoke at a New Yorker Magazine Festival and I particularly enjoyed one of his comments about the "progress"of the Republican Party from Abe Lincon to Sarah Palin to Das Trumpf - "no wonder they don't believe in evolution!"


For comedy Dutch style about the NRA - (that's Nonesensical Rifle Addiction) have a look - courtesy of YouTube:
https://youtu.be/a-o9pwWUzz0

Maybe the weekend will bring some good news?

Fires, Hurricanes and a loose cannon in the White House

The terrible fires in Santa Rosa and nearby communities are beyond comprehension. People gone, homes gone. Who knows when it will end? Hoping for rain, no more wind and anything that will lessen the damage.

Puerto Rico? Virgin Islands? Our FM leader can't be bothered with all those dark colored people? Much more important to tweet about kneeling and the "lack of respect" for our flag with its accompanying anthem?

Interesting item: a terror threat averted last Friday, Oct. 6 in Asheville, NC airport (bomb that didn't go off thanks to security people at airport) just got reported today, Thursday, Oct. 12 in USA Today.
Oh yes - the man who planted it, admitted to authorities that he was “preparing to fight a war on U.S. soil” and that this bomb was one part of that war. So why didn't anyone hear about this guy?
Could it be because he's WHITE and not a Muslim?

Vanity Fair Hive - an online publication - has a wonderful report by  Gabriel Sherman based on conversations with numerous White House advisers. The head:  
“I HATE EVERYONE IN THE WHITE HOUSE!”: TRUMP SEETHES AS ADVISERS FEAR THE PRESIDENT IS “UNRAVELING"
The link: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/donald-trump-is-unraveling-white-house-advisers

If the House and Senate won't get off their rear ends - maybe we can use the 25th amendment to get rid of Das Trumpf. His damage is seeping through our lives - drop by drop in assorted departments. Most recent:  blatant lies from Health and Human Services about "dangerous" contraception; the HHS appointed lady puppets cite religion as their medical knowledge source. 
BTW: whatever happened to his long haired NYC physician (and hovering wife) who claimed this candidate/patient was so healthy? 

And don't forget - Das Trumpf's daddy was a member of the Klu Klux Klan - who marched in NYC against the police force - because they had too many Catholics in their ranks. Daddy was arrested along with some other KKKers. 

One bright note this week: Happy Birthday Miriam! One of my four favorite grandchildren!

Every week gets worse - Believe me!!

New Yorker  satirist Andy Borowitz noted HalfPence's early exit from an Indiana football game with this wonderful comment:

"While Pence defended his decision to leave early on Sunday by saying that he did it out of patriotism, a substantial majority of Americans agreed that a premature departure by Trump “would be, by far, the most patriotic thing he could ever do for his country.”

Guess who pays for this glorified publicity stunt - HalfPence flying from Las Vegas to Indianapolis to the football game and then as soon as the national anthem started and the players took a knee - he was outta there - on his way to Los Angeles for a fund raiser!!
Of course, before leaving, he managed to pompously throw in patriotism, national anthem, military and other meaningless lines dictated by his boss, Das Trumpf who tweeted his approval.

I am so depressed this week - I can only think of the Jews in Germany in the early 1930's who shrugged off the "crazy antics" of Hitler - and never thought their country would bend to the madness of this Nazi. And now I think of my country - and my reps in Washington who keep quiet and do nothing about this wild, crazy man in the White House. What is wrong with these people - don't they ever learn anything besides how to line their pockets?

It seems the only people who speak up don't plan to run for office again like Republican Senator Bob Corker; his comment: "It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning"  is  much too too kind. 

Morons, Imbeciles and Idiots

We can thank Henry H. Goddard - an American psychologist and eugenicist who practiced his nastiness in the early part of the 20th century - for coining the word "moron".  It's from an ancient Greek word - moros - which meant dull.  Goddard also created  the Binet Scale  - a test to measure intelligence. Morons were a notch above imbeciles and two notches above idiots.  Psychologists soon got rid of these terms and since then they've been used  mainly for those in the insult business.

Really interesting and pathetic: Goddard was concerned about the gene pool and "inferior" immigrants coming to our country. He sent female assistants to Ellis Island to administer tests to immigrants (he said women were more intuitive *) and the results of their tests showed that 40% of immigrant Hungarians, Italians and Jews were “morons”. Das Trumpf would've loved Goddard.

* Wow - who knew women were good for more than  cleaning/cooking/procreation in the early 1900"s? 

Preventable tragedy!

Terrible shooting in Vegas and all the reps in DC can offer are "Prayers/thoughts". Most of the prayers come from the guys who voted down the 2013 Bill to Ban Military Assault Weapons.
And Das Trumpf's statements - probably written by Herr Miller. What a trio: Das Trumpf, HalfPence and Herr Miller.  Add McConnell and Paul Ayn Ryan - Wow - all day prayer parties.
Unusually bitter today - because, unlike 9/11, the Las Vegas event could've been prevented!

What hath the late Charlton H. wrought?
NRA: Not Relevant Anymore

Just curious - will the Las Vegas shooter be autopsied? Signs of some terminal illness?  Ripe for fiction(?) plot: assassination/conspiracy?

Smarmy Tom's rewards - middle seat between screaming babies in economy class! Love it!

Andy Borowitz really nailed the "reward" for a Cabinet officer who spends millions on private air trips and is against birth control!

Finally, biggest smile on my face since Das Trumpf too over:  the resignation of Smarmy Tom (otherwise know as Tom Price, the orthopod from Georgia) Note: don't confuse orthopod (the orthopedist in medicine) with arthropod - a small creature we would prefer to live without. Come to think of it - there are some similarities.
Just in case you wanted to know more about Smarmy Tom: twenty years of reaping big bucks as the head of an orthopedic clinic in Georgia and a foe of any government health care program.
When he was a senator he voted against a Family Smoking Prevention act - it passed anyhow!
He was against abortion and government funding of birth control - he said "all women can afford birth control" .
And of course he was against gun control.
So here's a scenario: Smarmy Tom is at a meeting full of gun lovers and has the (mis)fortune of sitting next to an unwanted teenager who dropped out of school (the kid's mom couldn't afford birth control). The kid didn't know too much about guns, but, carrying one in his pocket made him feel good. He dug into his pocket and accidentally made the gun go off and shoot the guy next to him  who turned out to be Smarmy Tom...........

On a more optimistic note: A must read is the article by Dr. Atul Gawande: "Is Health Care A Right" in the Oct. 2, 2017 issue of the New Yorker Magazine. There really is common ground incorporating pro and con views on health care in this country. Everyone in the House and Senate should be required to read this!

!!!***grrr - lock them up??

A presidential campaign of tirades against HRC's  private e-mail server.....anyone remember?

And now - all those trumpaniks shooting off their mouths on their private e-mail servers - and Jared's lawyer said not to worry - nothing important.

And smarmy Price - crooked Wall Street trading before the Cabinet appointment and now private jets (even to Philadelphia!!!- he could've rented a whole Amtrak car for a pittance compared to the jet.)

Thank goodness for Andy Borowitz and his wonderful satire - he loves Betsy Etsycator as much as I do! I posted his latest Etsycator analysis of the Tax Game on my facebook page.

Foodie fodder - good and bad. Bon appetit!

Ever wonder what happens to ugly looking/shaped fruits and veggies (that really are delicious tasting)? Farmers can be stuck with them because markets won't buy them. Result: tons of wasted food!
Along comes C.H. Robinson, a produce company that works with farmers to "repurpose" these ugly ducklings of the produce world. They named their operation "Misfits® produce", offering "cosmetically-challenged fruits and vegetables" at reduced prices. 
Just read that 235 Meijer stores (Michigan based retailer operating in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin ) is carrying MisFit packaged produce. In the past month their customers have purchased nearly a quarter million pounds of fresh, perfectly-imperfect produce.
Yeah!

Lots of other opportunities in our society to recognize the value of so-called cosmetically challenged entities - fruit, veggies, and PEOPLE!

Word of advice for naming a product. The Death Wish Coffee Co (it's real, really!) marketing Nitro Cold Brew Coffee in cans has had to recall their brew. Authorities determined that their current manufacturing process could lead to growth and production of the deadly toxin leading to botulism.
(The company is working on changing their manufacturing process to make the drink safe.)

Big Rave: Jacques Pepin's latest book: A Grandfather's Lessons in the Kitchen with Shorey. (Rux Martin/HoughtonMifflin)
His 13 year-old granddaughter Shorey inspired the book - but you don't need grandchildren hanging around the kitchen to enjoy this. Easy to read, easy to prepare delicious food. A great book for grandmas and grandpas who may have cut back on kitchen time. Try the simple  Mayogrette dressing that will enhance potato and other salads,  Tortilla Pizzas or Salmon for Grandma (Pepin's wife, Gloria) marinated and panfried quickly tasting like miso glazed salmon! 

Enjoy this cartoon sent to me by my friend MariAngeles Gallardo:

Making it big in "Nambia" and expanding vocabulary

As far back as 1783, the United States promoted an isolationist policy  promising to keep out of Europe and, later , expecting Europe to keep out of America.

This led to the Monroe Doctrine (originated by President James Monroe in 1823), that any intervention by foreign powers in politics on this side of the pond would be a hostile act against the United States.

 And now we have the Trump Doctrine? We stay out of other places – except “Nambia”. We can send all our richies there to make piles of money. Don’t know where Nambia is? Nobody else does either. Non C'e. (Italian for "Not")

Department of Expanding Vocabulary: Dotard - an old person, especially one who has become weak or senile. A man in his dotage. The word dates back to the mid to late 14th century Middle English. 

Want to know how to use it in a sentence?

After Trump's latest tirade/sanctions against North Korea,  Kewpie Kim shot back that he will: "surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged U.S. dotard with fire." Kim also called Trump a "rogue and a gangster fond of playing with fire, rather than a politician."

Another day in the playground.

Monday mutterings - never ending health care discussions

Sen. Orrin Hatch, the 83-year-old conservative Republican senator from Utah, warmed to the benefits of medical marijuana last week - asking for more federal research. He said he didn't support the drug for recreational purposes but, on the Senate floor, he said:  "cannabis possesses medicinal properties that can truly change people’s lives for the better..." How come? Because an ill  friend was the beneficiary of the plants' therapeutic values. 

So...... if we take away all of the health benefits offered to elected officials - and they get sick - maybe we can pass some meaningful health insurance?

Health care has always been a hot potato in this country; FDR wanted to include it with Social Security but couldn't get past the AMA lobbies.

In later years the AMA hired "actor" Reagan (before he was president) for promoting their 

mantra: "don't let the government get between you and your doctor!"

And today? Don't ask why your doctor is ordering countless tests, prescribing unnecessary medications;  you're supposed to be grateful that you have an appointment and you get three minutes of his/her time.  

Is it all about money?

I can still hear Joel Gray singing in Cabaret - "money makes the world go round"; it's akin to "I've got mine - screw you" mouthed by immigrants who've amassed tidy sums in the U.S.  and scream the loudest about sending back the DACA kids.

Funny Facebook: So they didn't know the Russians were placing ads? Even though they were paid in Rubles? Mr. Zuckerberg's education at Harvard didn't include world currencies?

Pleasant happenings:

Last week (9/12/17) Trump’s “election integrity” commission was handed a delightful ruling by the New Hampshire state court. Kris Kobach, the Kansas (evolution never happened) co-chair of the commission had claimed he had proof that votes  were stolen in New Hampshire. The NH State Court found no such proof. (Oh yes - some of these votes were by out-of-state students – allowed in NH. )

Beto O'Rourke's chances looking better now that Ted Cruz is digging for the Porn vote!

Borowitz's satirical piece in today's online New Yorker about smarmy Ted Cruz upsetting the porno industry was delightful.
The Cruz office statement: "It was a staffing issue and it was inadvertent, it was a mistake, it was not a deliberate action....We're dealing with it internally but it was a mistake, it was not malicious conduct."
Hmmm - leave it to slate.com and writer Molly Olmstead to offer some other possibilities for this "mistake"; I've included a few of her gems:

"Careless Senator: Cruz accidentally liked some porn while watching it. Curious Staffer: A staffer, while searching for “statistics proving the benefits of supply side economics,” accidentally stumbled on account : “LesbianSexSuply.” Like any good researcher, the staffer kept digging. Lonely Senator: Someone sent the porn clip to Cruz as a DM. The senator got so excited to have a friend that he immediately liked it. Forward-Looking Senator: Cruz was just straight-up bookmarking porn for later. Precautionary Senator: Cruz has developed a particular distaste for Mike Pence and wants to make sure the vice president never dines alone with him. (Ruth note: Now that's a good reason!) Discerning Senator: Cruz wants the world to appreciate this particular pornographic video. and finally,  "Shadow" Tweeter: Steve Bannon masterminded this as part of his 14^th-dimensional chess media distraction campaign waged from outside the White House."

As a Texas resident I have no use for Cruz - and I expect El Pasoan Beto O'Rourke to win when he runs against him for senator. Nice thing about El Paso - it feels the same way I do.
And if we could get rid of gerrymandering - wow - we might get a true Texas State vote!

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions delirious with joy

I looked at his face as he announced the end of DACA and could only shudder and cry. He looked absolutely gleeful/ecstatic. I guess this is part of his long range plan on the way to a pure bred race.

Sounds crazy?  Read about Samuel Jackson Holmes, a professor at Berkeley in the 1920's  (he retired in 1939 but hung around as an emeritus Prof. until he died in 1964) who espoused  the "science" of Eugenics. Many other universities offered courses in eugenics in those years.

Holmes really had a thing about Mexicans. In 1925 he gave a lecture at Stanford where he said:“the Mexican problem is by far the greatest race problem which confronts the people of California at the present time." He advocated the sterilization of citizens and immigrants (especially Mexicans) who might diminish the genetic quality of America.

And then, of course there's Congressman Albert Johnson and Senator David Reed who were instrumental in getting the Immigration Act passed in the 1920's. Reed was not happy with earlier legislation and said that we had to keep American stock up to higher standards (sounds like  sides of beef). Higher standards meant no Asians, Eastern Europeans (Jews), Italians and other undesirables.

The many senators and citizens who supported the 1924 Immigration Act often used the "science" of eugenics to justify race/ethnivity restrictions "in order to prevent the spread of feeblemindedness in American society."

So I'm shedding tears - because above and beyond hurting 800,000 innocent DACA recipients, I fear for Sessions' long range plans (along with Bannon, Spencer and their ilk.) . 

Poke around; sometimes something delicious pops up - other times, not too savory!

Random thoughts on food, news  and health:

For the past  two years diners around this country have been salivating over Poke - a  simple dish from Hawaii that fits the bill for healthy/easy and fast. Enjoy as  a fish salad, or serve as an appetizer or main. Chunks of fresh raw fish (often tuna) with or without rice in a bowl  (some clever foodies offer Poke Burritos) are usually seasoned with soy sauce, sesame seeds, wasabi - your choice. Japanese seasonings do nicely.  Poke "shops" are appearing in the U.S. and Canada; Bloomberg wrote that all you need to open a business is an electrical outlet to cook the rice and a refrigeration unit for the fish”. Career change, anyone?

The armchair smarties are now commenting on Houston's lack of zoning restrictions contributing to the horrific water damage from Harvey. Duh! I always marveled at the stunning, large beautiful houses in that city - next to a gas station! Forget about unlimited pavement spreading its tentacles - non-stop - with no place for water to drain.

I'd rather hear comments about our greedy, self-serving narrow minded governor who, as attorney general of the state said big chemical companies didn't have to let anyone know what was in their storage tanks and changed Federal law to have his way. (and fill his pockets?) And how come we never hear about the Trump University case a few years back - all ready to go to trial in Texas - quashed/shelved whatever; and how nice that Abbott got a $25,000 campaign contribution from Das Trumpf when he ran for Governor.  Oh, Ann Richards, I miss you so much!

Health care is always on the table and resistance to an equitable plan for all often comes from well heeled people who are afraid they'll have to give something up. An excellent paper in the June 8, 2017 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine titled "Income and Cancer Overdiagnosis - When Too Much Care is Harmful" (authors H.G. Welch, MD and E. S. Fisher. MD) concluded that "the possibility that what may be given up is unnecessary care". Food for thought in a country that practices over screening, over diagnosis, over prescribing and yields higher morbidity and mortality rates than so many countries that spend less on health care for their citizens.

And I couldn't leave without a Trumpism dig - like his calling a senator in the corn growing state saying he loves "ethanol" - just before his son is supposed to testify at a senate hearing. And what about adviser Conway who claims Das Trumpf's number one trait is "humility"? And the crook who was added to Betsy the Etsycator's party - in charge of fraud? After having been convicted of really big bucks fraud at a private university?

Hot off the press - a Real news flash: Did you see the nice peaceful marchers in Charlottesville?

Our esteemed leader announced that the "peaceful marchers" in VA were protesting the removal of Lee's statue. And all that tumult was perpetrated by the bad guys on the "alt-left".

Yeah - Get your Tiki Torches, clubs, knives etc. and march through the streets shouting: "Jews will not replace us!" Really peaceful. Believe me!

And then he has the chutzpah to ask if G. Washington' or Jefferson statues will be the next targets.

How is this different from 1930's Hitler rallies - brown shirted young men marching through streets, breaking windows.......? 

BTW: in case you don't remember - when our Trumpf was taking care of daddy's apartment houses in Queens, NY - Black people were not allowed to rent any of their apartments. 

And - "daddy" -AKA Fred Trump, a member of the KKK - was arrested  as a young man when he paraded/caused damage as part of a KKK demonstration against the Police Force in NYC - because most policemen were Catholic!! 

I'm waiting for Congress to wake up and do something before it's too late.......

Some of my best friends are (Jews, Blacks, Muslims) - even my son-in law!!

Me racist? A bigot? Please - everybody - don't you know "my son in law is Jewish and my daughter converted?"
It only took two days for Das Trumpf to revise his original bland statement after the Virginia tragedy. Today his handlers made sure he had something to read - and stayed on text. Until the next fiasco!
With Herr Bannon and Herr Miller hanging around the White House - does anyone  really think he's changing his tune?  And how about his Hungarian Nazi - Gorka - who after the Mosque bombing said maybe it was fake - that the Mosque members might have bombed the place themselves so they could make the "whites" look bad. Dumplings and goulash never looked so unappetizing.

By the way - a large gathering of baboons  is called a "troop" - not a "congress". The erroneous item circulating online is an insult to these animals. (Baboons are much smarter than many members of Congress)

Tomorrow will be better?

Anything to take the Russia story out of the news - even nuclear war!

Not "loving" "88" today.  More frightened than loving. Warlike words from New Jersey - what happened to his golf game/vacation?
But, as usual, Das Trumpf  got what he wanted - ATTENTION ! Here and all over the world.

Changing the subject: Strawberries - love them and it seems that there are some companies that love them so much they include them on their food labels - even though there's no sign/smell of the berries in sight. Somebody is suing Annie's because their "Summer Strawberry Organic Bunny Fruit Snack" offers no sign of berries - not even passing through. (What the "snack" does have: tapioca and sugar!)
And Yoplait is selling a  strawberry flavor "custard" yogurt - with not a sign of the berries, flavor derivative or even smell in the container.
"Fake news" - or try "fake" strawberries! "Fake"is contagious. Caveat Emptor!

On the other side of strawberry land - it seems that Japanese scientists have discovered how to make ice cream that doesn't melt quickly. It was an accidental discovery; they found that liquid polyphenol extracted from STRAWBERRIES! had properties that made it difficult for water and  oil to separate. Eureka! How about adding this to ice cream? Love those scientists;  they created popsicles/pops with the added extract and the pops held their shape for three hours.

"Honest Abe" didn't have a telephone

But lucky for us, Das Trumpf can use the phone to report all the wonderful - really wonderful -  the best ever, calls announcing his greatness - in a very BIGLY sense.
(Thank you Washington Post for the January transcripts with Mexican President and Australian Prime Minister) added to the make believe Boy Scout phone calls and other whoppers.
And the pols in Congress continue to rest on their rears - do I hear a peep?
What to do?

Visit your favorite bartender and have him/her whip up a delicious Frozecco (maybe with sliced strawberries thrown in!)
Cheers!

Oooh - Pootie boy doesn't want to play anymore - kicked out 755 "friends" (aka U.S.diplomats/employees) from his "yard"!

So the question now: did das Trumpf manage to fill his pockets enough to clear some of his debts (with the help of Pootie's boys?) And did Manafort scrape up enough from Pootie, his gang, the Cyprus bank(where one of our cabinet members sits on the board) and other banks - and oh my - do you think Jared managed to gather up all his assets in time? Who knows where all this laundered money is hiding?
It's all about money - always has been when we live in a society where our possessions  describe us. We collect "stuff" . From small gadgets to yachts/real estate and more. The more you have, the more you "are".
Money, money, money - as soon as our illustrious representatives in Washington DC are elected they  start working on re-election. Not delivering on any half-baked promises. They hook up with moneyed interests (lobbyists etc.) who don't give a fig about the "American People" . All in the interests of lining pockets so they can collect more "stuff." Term limits might help - but that's pie in the sky stuff (except for Beto O'Rourke!!!)
A bitter rant for a Sunday morning - 88 years on this planet and loving it less.

(The only calming, sane therapy: watching Michael Moore's film "Where To Invade Next" for the fourth time! )

Scaramuccia, Scaramouche or Scaramucci - a theatrical character - now performing in Washington DC

Scaramuccia was a stock character in  Commedia dell'arte  - Northern Italian theater around the 16th century. The actors excelled in improvisation.  Commedia dell'arte topics included nasty,intriguing love stories (always with a fall guy), money extortion (how to excel at this)  or make fun of/get even with someone you considered more stupid than yourself.

In France, the Punch and Judy shows always had a Scaramouche character who was usually struck by Punch - attempting to knock off his head. (Scaramouche is now associated with puppets that have extendable necks!)

Need I say more? We now have a perfect example of Commedia dell'arte in Washington DC.  Ongoing performances depend on improvisation (nobody could write a script for these daily happenings) and as for knocking off somebody's head - vamos a ver! Hope springs eternal.......

On with the show! 

Intermission entracte: a ridiculous tweet about transgender individuals costing the government too much money when serving in the armed forces - the Washington Post compared these costs (based on a Defense Department-commissioned study from last year) to other military medical costs: 

"military spending on erectile dysfunction medicines amounts to $84 million annually, according to an analysis by the Military Times — 10 times the cost of annual transition-related medical care for active duty transgender service members.

Government by tweets .......for twits...... hope the run of this play is cut short.

Olive Oil Myths - thanks to USA Today and El Paso Times

I wrote about the benefits of olive oil in 2012 for the El Paso Times - when the newspaper covered local news along with the rest of the world. Yesterday (Monday, July 18, 2017) the El Paso Times carried  a USA Today science writer's story about olive oil preventing dementia (Alzheimers included).  Yeah - in mice! Can't believe there was no mention of the creatures in the headline and wonder how many people will rush out to buy EVOO.

Facts: Olive oil has numerous health benefits - diseases relating to heart, blood pressure, protecting LDL particles from oxidation, and  more.

Dementia? Not yet – just mice studies and guessing about people. 

Previous studies reported beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on cognitive function, but results were inconsistent.  (One study compared a MEDiet to a low-fat diet and conjectured that the MedDiet may have been slightly more beneficial - but that diet included nuts and other goodies in addition to the olive oil!) 

So ignore the false health claims from USA Today and the El Paso Times (unless you're a mouse)  BUT -  use olive oil in your cooking - not only salads but cakes, stews and more. Read the  label carefully (origin, extra virgin, etc and date) Olive oil benefits deteriorate with time - so buy what you need for a few months at a time. 

The late Marcella Hazan, author of the cookbook Marcella Cucina, wrote the following:

"The taste of a dish for which you need olive oil will be as good or as ordinary as the oil you use. A sublime one can lift even modest ingredients to eminent heights of flavor; a dreary oil will pull the best ingredients down to its own level. Partial clues to the quality of the olive oil you are buying are supplied by the label and the price, but ultimately, the only way to determine which one, among those available, is right for you is to taste and compare."

are." 

Duda and Trump - what a match!!!

So our "leader" made it to Poland - what a match these two leaders make: one has nothing to offer except glorifying himself and the other (really should spell it doo doo) glorifies himself while spewing hate messages to anyone who disagrees with his rules.  Duda claims that  Poland will no longer have a "negro mentality" towards the U.S. and of course forget about women's rights, also back to the hateful anti Jewish rhetoric (it really never left - which is why my folks left there in the late 1920's).
And then mein leader is off to putter with Putin.......and I'm waiting for even a whisper from the  pols in D.C. - who were so quick to see a Russian under every bed in the McCarthy days;  now?  Hypocrisy, lying, stupidity, gutless, money grabbing - and other similar descriptions for my reps in Washington. The only important matter in their lives? Getting re-elected.
Which is why we need term limits!  (Beto O'Rourke - for senate!)

As for health care - all our reps. enjoy "employer provided health insurance" (guess who subsidizes those plans!) .  Good luck to the rest of us. Of course there's always an option for repeal and repair
but that doesn't garner votes.
The newest  scary fat on the fire: Trump's appointees to HHS programs: Teresa Manning and partner in crime  Valerie Huber.  Birth control skeptics,  known for spewing harmful misinformation (abortions cause breast cancer!!!) or how about abstinence-only-until-marriage programs ? Funny but tragic. And of course no abortions allowed. Let's fill up the country with unwanted kids and then complain because there are too many mouths to feed/educate.

Cheerful stuff? My kids are visiting this summer - this week Dave, Laura, Evan and Jeremy; next week Susan and in August, Joan, Keni, Sarah and Miriam. Really wonderful kids!

Memory problems? Really?

JEFFERSON BEAUREGARD SESSIONS has had memory problems in the past.  When he failed to be nominated for US District court in Alabama in 1986, witnesses accused him of saying ACLU was un-American and that a white civil rights lawyer was "a disgrace to his race"; just a few of  the many awful comments that he did not recall making

After the shameful hearing yesterday, June 13, 2017, Andy Borowitz wrote a superb commentary in The New Yorker magazine on Sessions’ mental well being:

Man Ravaged by Amnesia Somehow Able to Hold Down Demanding Legal Job

An Alabama man whose brain was ravaged by severe amnesia is somehow able to function in an extremely demanding legal job, leading neurologists reported on Tuesday.

The man, whom neurologists are calling a “medical mystery,” has performed highly exacting tasks in one of the country’s top legal positions despite having virtually no short- or long-term memory.

Dr. Davis Logsdon, the chairman of the neurology department at the University of Minnesota Medical School, said that the Alabaman’s brain “defies explanation.”

“In all the medical literature, we have never seen an example of someone capable of holding down such a high-powered job while having no memory whatsoever of people he met, things he said, places he has been, or thoughts he has had,” Logsdon said. “It’s the stuff of science fiction.”

Logsdon said that his team of neurologists was studying video of the man in the hopes of understanding the paradoxical functioning of his brain, but Logsdon acknowledged that such a task was challenging. “After listening to him talk for hours, your own brain starts to hurt,” he said.

Andy Borowitz is the New York Times best-selling author of “The 50 Funniest American Writers,” and a comedian who has written for The New Yorker since 1998. He writes the Borowitz Report, a satirical column on the news, for newyorker.com.

Comey hearing today - first time we ever watched TV in the morning!!

Watched a real pro this morning - Comey - parry with the Senate pols. I haven't enjoyed all of the former FBI director's pronouncements in the past - but as an ordinary citizen he shone today.
Most interesting was the behavior of certain senators:  McCain acted like he was suffering from early dementia or Alzheimers. He couldn't seem to put together a cohesive question/thought. And my awful excuse for a senator - Cornyn - was only trying to get brownie points with his party - browbeating Comey about the Hillary investigation  - which really had nothing to do with Trump and Russia.
But the worst part about all of this: Cornyn, Ryan, McConnell and their buddies are more concerned with their standing and money raising ability than caring about Russian (or other country)  hackers who will definitely return to mess us up - and probably not only for elections.
A real kvell and kvetch day!

Gingery - with a touch of lemon - soooo easy!

My neighbor gave us some very crisp, thin lemon flavored cookies from Costco. My live in feinschmecker said "mmm good". So I pulled out an old California recipe for thin crisp cookies - with more ginger flavor than lemon - and I got a "mmmm, very good" comment.
Gingery Crisps with Lemon
Recipe makes 35 to 45 cookies - you choose the size. Preheat oven 350.
1 cup flour
1/2 cup very fine sugar (icing/confectioner's sugar ok)
1/4 lb unsalted butter - cut in small pieces for food processor.
heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
(Optional: a few toasted pecans, crumbled, to sprinkle on top)
Process all ingredients in Cuisinart until dough forms.
Roll dough into small balls - 3/4 to 1-inch size - smaller ones yield more cookies!
Place them on non-stick (or silicone lined) cookie sheets. Press flat with your fingers. If desired, press a few pieces of crumbled pecans in the middle.
Bake in preheated (350) oven, on middle shelf until golden brown - about 12-14 minutes.
Lift off cookie sheets with thin spatula and let them sit a few minutes to become crisp. Enjoy!

Who needs a partner like Syria? Ask Donald.

Syria is on the same page as Donald Trump. The only other country that agrees with him about climate agreement. (And of course the quiet, reverent pols in the House of Representatives.)
All done to "bring back jobs for coal workers"........ oh please - I know our education system hasn't reached enough of the population to spread the doctrine  of critical/analytical thinking but when the pols try to tell me Herr Trumpf will bring back jobs to the coal miners - I can only roll my eyes. When it's over it's over  - coal can't and won't compete with cheaper, cleaner  sources of energy. Time to switch, reboot, try something new. This may involve moving or other discomfort - but it's better than standing around whining for something that's not going to happen. (My dad took us all to Baltimore looking for employment in the 1930's; nothing was available in NYC.)
Who's really going to profit with this Trump move?
New Yorker humorist Andy Borowitz got it right - Trump will forge a better deal with another planet.
Oy!!! 

A vinegary post

So what’s new? Nothing really. Foodies  are extolling the virtues of “switchel” the trendy  new drink made with vinegar. New – if that’s how you describe Galen’s writings in the second century – when he recommended a mixture of vinegar, honey and water for tired individuals!

The late endocrinologist, Dr. Robert Greenblatt wrote a wonderful book, “Search the Scriptures” in which he viewed biblical characters through medical eyes. In the story of Ruth, he noted that Boaz told her to dip her bread in vinegar – and that this was satisfying.  Greenblatt wrote that vinegar of biblical days was soured wine. (Maybe it wasn't delicious – but at least it was refreshing.) He described wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar as rich in potassium and asked: “could it be that the ancients unknowingly replenished potassium stores by its ingestion?”

For centuries, vinegar added to water (occasionally some sweetener, too) was a common “farmers/field hand” drink (thirst quenching and replenishing energy); vinegar/water was known as a thirst quencher in many arid countries. 

Fast forward to today’s  “switchel”: vinegar dressed up with ginger, sugar, maple syrup, molasses, lemon juice, spices, soda water and more. And commercial manufacturers are touting the health benefits. (Oh yes -  you can still get your potassium from bananas, potatoes  - sweet and white -, watermelon, beets and more!)

Cheers!

Disaster budget for disastrous results!

With apologies to Herbert Hoover and his promises before the great depression- it appears that Trump wants to outdo him and offer three chickens in every pot - except, with the projected cuts, much of the population will be potless. And even if they have a pot - they won't know how to read  a recipe when Betsy gets rid of public schools. Fantasy?
Trump's minions in DC are busy even though their leader is abroad. The so-called budget presented to us today smells; it's not even good enough for garden compost.
88 and not loving what I read!

Easy chocolate fix - mmm good!

Everyone deserves an occasional chocolate treat. I adapted this easy truffle recipe from Jacques Pepin's most recent cookbook: Heart and Soul in the Kitchen

Mini Chocolate Truffles 

Makes about 15 truffles (or more if you make smaller ones). Use quality chocolate for better tasting truffles!

 3 ounces good quality dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa solids) broken into small pieces.

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 overflowing tablespoon liqueur  (I used Amaretto; try cognac, other favorite liqueurs - or they can be made without alcohol)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. (I added finely chopped toasted almonds and tiny pieces of candied ginger to the cocoa powder.)

Place small broken pieces of chocolate bar and cream in a microwave safe dish and heat on Medium High (8) for about 45 seconds. Remove, stir, add liqueur, and stir until very smooth. Cool and then refrigerate about 1 hour until mixture is firm. Using a small spoon, scoop out desired size/shape and place each truffle on plastic wrap. Sprinkle or roll in prepared cocoa powder, crushed almonds, ginger pieces – your choice! Enjoy one or two – and place remaining goodies in refrigerator (single layer in covered container).  

Surreal or unreal - great American leadership?

Mein Commander addressing the Coast Guard Academy graduation bragging how much he's accomplished in his "short time as president". Oy!
And then he cries(like a second grade schoolyard bully)  how he's being attacked by the press.

Comey? Fire him! And fire anyone who disagrees, points out discrepancies in his tweets or speaks the truth. Hey, the TV show is over.

Interesting background info: the late, sleazy lawyer Roy Cohn, (served as counsel to infamous Joseph McCarthy hearings - recommended by J. Edgar Hoover)  nurtured Trump when most business men in NYC shunned/avoided him.  Cohn, who also served his Mafia clients well,  taught Trump how to lie and get away with it.  (I wonder how many lawyers are on the POTUS  payroll.) The Cohn/Trump  relationship was buddy/buddy until Cohn developed Aids; oops, Trump was outta there in a flash.

What's wrong with the gutless congress - the so called protectors of the American people. No sounds from them as their commander pulls the rug from under us all. Too busy stashing away as many goodies as possible before they're voted out of office? The Ryan/McConnell/McCarthy trio lead the pack; "make America great" means make "selected" Americans great.

Make America great again? When were those great days?  H.Hoover and the 2 chickens in every pot leading to selling apples on the street? Yearning for Nixon days?

Rule by tweets - perfect for those with limited vocabulary; word choices - true or not - don't matter
I'm reminded of  Alice in Wonderland, talking to Humpty Dumpty about the meaning of words:
“When I use a word",  Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean —neither more nor less."
An example of Humpty Dumpty Health Care: I'll give you a band aid for your cut - but you'll have to pay a $6000 deductible first.

Mostly kvetching; a small kvell about Mueller leading the Russia investigation; will it really help?

Sailing across the pond - lots of time for Reflection!

No blogging for a few weeks; instead enjoyed a 15-day holiday on the Celebrity Reflection. Seven days on the big pond enjoying good food, occasionally good entertainment and meeting many delightful people from home and abroad. The ship left Miami and docked in Rome; ports included cities in Spain, France and Italy. We disembarked a day early - in Livorno - and transferred (by car) to Florence. Two nights in this always crowded tourist city before flying home.

So what do we have on our plate now that we're home? A week of Comey and assorted "prevarications" (I usually say "lies" but pols like big words) about his dismissal.
Back to missing tax forms 101 - it's all about money after all .....getting rid of Comey was important so we can "get over the made up  Russia story" according to my "commander" . Business interests for the whole Trump family and friends -  including money laundering  - in Russia and other cities must be protected; they have to line their pockets quickly before the jig is up. Obviously, Comey is in the way.

Other "helpful" (read: line someone's pockets)  government interventions: Drug carrying laws/charges changed by Sessions so more people will be jailed and we'll have to spend money for more private prison facilities. Great way to spend diminishing Federal funds.

I'm sure Planned Parenthood haters are delighted to know that our wonderful health care system offers the highest maternal mortality rates (dead mothers or babies - take your pick) of any "civilized" country. Or didn't you know that pregnancy is dangerous to a woman's health? Especially if she has no access to health care......(met some Canadians on our ship who defined their citizens as unarmed Americans with health care).

There's more - but this is enough kvetching for one day.

Note the power of TV: almost everyone we met on our ship was convinced that we were living in a very dangerous city on the border and expressed sympathy. I was pleased to let them know that El Paso has been the safest city in the U.S. for the past couple of years despite the dire warnings from the supreme commander in chief.

Celebrity Reflection in the Malaga (Spain) port.2900+ passengers on board.

Parsley languishing in refrigerator? Dry it!

Quick tip for surplus fresh parsley/cilantro:
Spread leaves (about half cup at a time) on paper towel. Season with salt, pepper or to your taste. I sprinkled  about a 1/4 teaspoon of zaatar (tasty mixture of sesame seeds, dried sumac,oregano, cumin, marjoram and salt over the fresh leaves. Placed it in the microwave on High for 3 minutes. Voila! Great crumbly topping for whatever: potatoes. pasta, omelets - or just snacking.  

Forget democracy - now it's kleptocracy and nepotism

So - you thought we live in a democracy? Forgeddaboutit.
How about a commander-in-chief who resembles a kleptocrat?
(Just in case you were unfamiliar with this lovely word of Greek origin, kleptocracy refers to a government run by thieves, corrupt leaders, (read dictators) interested in lining their pockets at the expense of the people. Kleptocrat is the guy in charge.)
No divesting any businesses for this guy - just keep racking up the profits worldwide; send sons off to far away places (at our expense) to check up on the family's  multi-business empire - exemplifying nepotism fever in Washington DC.
(Nepotism comes from an Italian word meaning "nephew". In the 1600's popes gave church jobs to their nephews - keeping it all in the family. )
These days it includes daughters. Let's not forget  Princess Ivanka - the proponent of women's rights? When's the last time she stood up for women's rights? Squabbling with her brothers when she was a toddler?

Okay - got that off my chest.

How about United? Just when I was saying nice things about CEO Munoz, along come some stupid underlings who obviously don't know a thing about PR and will probably cost the airline big bucks in lawsuits. Dr. or not -  if the price for compensation was high enough - somebody would have "volunteered" to get off the plane. (Is it possible that the police who dragged him off were emboldened by the new Trumpian ethos?)

Passover and matzos finish up just in time to celebrate Easter Sunday. Happy happy days to all.

Reading real newspaper - Washington Post

Visiting daughter Joan and family in MD. where breakfast is served with the print edition of the Washington Post. What a delightful way to start the day! Love turning real newspaper pages; makes reading about local and world troubles easier to digest (almost).
Granddaughter Miriam said I needed instagram if I wanted more people to read my blog. Helped me install it today. Hope I remember  everything she taught me!    
She'll make a "techie" out of me with her patient attitude. Can you believe I have friends (of a certain age) who don't own a computer and use phones just to call for medical/dental appointments?

Tomorrow is the first Passover seder and we'll be sharing it with Joan and assorted cousins.  I'm not a religious person but it's really nice to enjoy traditions with family - especially since Joan is a great cook.
To all my friends - enjoy Passover and Easter; matzo balls and chocolate bunnies make a great combination.

Trump's Great Wall - "Cual Muro?" - and Beto for Senate!

My daughter returned from a Mexico City visit with a T-shirt asking : Cual Muro".....as if walls could solve so-called problems.
It always amazes me to discover how little residents of our country know about living on the border ((Do they still teach geography in public schools?) Too many people, think Texas means Houston and Dallas (about 800 miles east of El Paso); others think San Antonio is a border city (150 miles from Mexico) There are no twangs/accents in El Paso -  "you-all"  didn't make the trip west! El Paso is a 5 minute walk (crossing a bridge over the Rio Grande) to Mexico's Ciudad Juarez.

We retired here in 1990 (we had lived here previously for five years in 1958) and continue to thrive and enjoy our city. Many changes since the 1950's - El Paso's population grew, national highway I10 now winds around the city but one thing remained constant: the amazing friendliness/goodwill of residents who live here. (Of course it helps to have more than 300 days of sunshine each year!) And, despite long waits for crossing bridges, hundreds of cars, and pedestrians cross from Juarez to El Paso every day - shopping, working, visiting relatives, attending schools on BOTH sides. Residents usually speak  English, Spanish and Spanglish - but no matter what - we understand each other.
And - El Paso has had the lowest crime rates in the United States for several years!!! Without a wall!!
Walls don't solve problems. Talk, understanding/tolerance for other cultural traditions, and discussions solve problems. We need Mexico and Mexico needs us.

Which leads me to Beto O'Rourke - El Paso's congressman (Democratic) - who has just thrown his hat into the ring for the next  senate race - against Ted Cruz. Keep your eye on Beto - smart, engaging, intelligent and, most important,  the ability to work with individuals who may not agree with him. Go Beto!!!

Pecans for Passover!

This Passover pecan meringue recipe is an easy way to create a sweet ending to the Seder (Passover holiday dinner).

Preheat oven to 275 F. degrees. (This is in El Paso - 3400 feet high.)
Ingredients for 40+ cookies, depending on size
2 large egg whites
generous 1/2 cup brown sugar  - light or dark
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon McComick's Gingerbread Spice
1 and 1/4 cups pecans - finely chopped
30-40 pecan halves for topping cookies
Beat egg whites, gradually adding sugar, salt, spice until whites are stiff and shiny.
Gently fold in finely chopped pecans.
Place teaspoonfuls of meringue on non-stick cookie sheet (options: use a non-stick silicone
mat or parchment paper)
Lightly press pecan half on top of each meringue.
Bake 25 to 35 minutes. Meringues should be firm, dry on top.
Remove gently with cookie spatula.
Enjoy!!!

Bye bye El Paso Times; hello El Paso Inc.

After 26 years of free lancing for my local newspaper, the El Paso Times announced they are no longer interested in "local" food writers. "We'll cook from wire services, thank you."
OK with me - just a bit of a chore answering former fans/readers: sorry, I can't help with new ideas for Passover, or a sauerkraut recipe (reader loved my non-vinegar pickles and is ready to tackle cabbage!)
But - the next issue of El Paso Inc Magazine (summer) will have a food column with my best microwave fish recipe - plus a travel column comparing suite class on Carnival and Costa. Yeah!

Politics? Waiting for Donald's implosion. Soon.
And waiting for some Republicans (other than McCain) with enough gumption to get this Russian stuff out and over!

I turned 88 in December but my best friend and feinschmecker, otherwise known as husband Ben, celebrated his 90th b-day on March 17, 2017. A few extra aches/pains, balance problems and occasionally forgetting  where he put his phone (that starts at age 25) are not enough to keep us down. We're off on a repositioning cruise across the pond - from Miami, FL to Italy. And then we'll fly home! Keep in touch and I'll tell you all about it when we return.