My brain hurts from thinking too much

Tags

brain, cake, chocolate, evolution, fruit, fundamentalism, GOP, jelly, John McCain, Princess Diana, psychology, tart, torture, waterboarding, world history

Today we feature Johannes Vemeer and his “Young Woman with a Water Pitcher.” It was done in 1662, and is at the MMA, NYC.

A late start today, so this post may be a bit on the short side, or it will be posted rather late in the day. The Contrarian walked to the road, picked up the mail. The lane is in pretty good shape, so he’s arranged for a friend to come tomorrow and pull the car out. Hopefully we will be mobile from then on, as the lane looks to be draining quite well. A huge portion of the snow, piled over head high has disappeared he reported.

I did the drawers in the bedroom and unfortunately, have a rather large pile of bags now in the closet of old clothes–I can now open a rag shop should anyone need any. I’m done with the room but for moving furniture so I can vacuum with various of those squirrelly attachments close to the walls and such.

On to the events of the day.

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I’ve long had a serious question about the so-called prosperity gospel that you can find on any number of religious channels around the tube. I find it unsettling that the drawing card for Church is “hey, if you come, we can show you how to make money!” At least that is how it seems to me. This post by Alternet explores how the GOP has used this particular type of evangelical fervor to recruit for their voting block. Indeed, this is the main point and topic of Sarah Posner’s new book “God Politics: Faith, Fraud and the Republican crusade for Values Voters.” I’ve been dying to review this one, but have not received a reply from the publisher unfortunately. You get what you get, and there is not much you can do but ask. Here she is interviewed about the subject.

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Another entry by Alternet asks, how does John McCain remain popular when he supports such disastrous wars? It seems that there is at work here a psychological play on words. The war of course is by all estimates unwinable. That is not however the issue McCain is promoting. His is a subtle call for us to stay the course in the noble sense of being strong, courageous, and not taking our eyes off the mark of the real war–the one on “terrorism.” He stands before us as the warrior, the brave fist-waving, just say “nuts to ’em” Mav. He wants to make us feel proud again. That is the appeal, the ultimate good against evil fight. If McCain can keep us distracted like this, he thinks he can pull it off. I don’t think so, I simply refuse to believe the American people can continue being duped by warmongering rhetoric. We shall see.

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American Revolution Blog has a nice entry on the juxtaposition of the American and French revolutions. Trying to put yourself back into that time period and examining how both we and the French viewed the two events is interesting to say the least. Explore the similarities and differences between the two seminal events.

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Baking Delights offers you the opportunity to make your own wedding cake. Now, perhaps most of you have no need to do such a thing, but some no doubt do, and these instructions would work equally well for a major anniversary party or birthday party for that matter. If you need to feed a lot, here is the beginning of a two-parter which will take you through the entire process, with tons of individual choices for you to consider.

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Oh boy this recipe sounded good, and it’s from Epicurious so you can expect that it’s excellent. This one is from Bon Appetit and is a Chocolate Honey Tart. Now that sounds elegant and delicious.

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Oh it’s always a good day when we have a Garrison Keillor post. Today he tackles a rather pressing point, American soldiers, and what it means and doesn’t mean to support the troops. I say a big thumbs up on this one. Read it!

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Okay, I often present you with science information, and the weirder the better in my opinion. I mean, I love the stuff that makes you go, wow, I don’t have a clue how that could happen but I’m bowled over that it does. I’ll scratch my head for days, and give up with a shrug. I’ll never understand how that happens. Well, it seems that our brains are wired to define left from right. I guess that makes some crude sense, in some kind of way, but that’s not all. We are wired to do so right down to the cellular level. Can you beat that? I’m sure you already knew that zebrafish are good models for the human brain. Why of course! It seems that the left brain neurons have spiral axons, while these are mostly missing in the right brain. They have flat, shallow spirals on the right, and again, there are few of these on the left. Got that straight. What does it mean? I haven’t a clue, but I sure know you can use this ammunition to complain that your other half is simply wired wrong.

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Well, this next one sure was no surprise to me. We are paranoid! Yep. Most all of us, and most of the time. No one has been willing to admit this. Too paranoid it seems. No, I am not thinking that they are monitoring who reads this post, and putting me on a list. I am not prone to such paranoia, that would be the Contrarian. Drat, now I suppose I have to go and tell him he’s normal. And so I lose another edge. . . .sigh. . . Just after I told him he was wrongly wired.

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We have a humongous crabapple tree up on the hill. And I have made crabapple jelly before. It’s a bit tedious but very good. Here is a nice recipe, should you be so endowed with the same good fortune as me.

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Glenn Greenwald gives us all the dirt on the newly released memo by Yoo that sparked the inferno about waterboarding and torture. Mr. Yoo, then employed at the State Department, asserted in his famous writing that the President, under his War Powers, could pretty much do as he wished. He certainly was not required to follow military law. Unbelievable as it may seem, Mr. Yoo is now employed as a professor at Berkeley of all freaking places. So much for morality in America! So much for the Anti-war 60’s at Berkeley!

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If you are addicted to all things Princess Diana, Scandalous Women has a detailed post of the latest goings on at the inquest, latest of several thousand now, about her death. This part deals with her past boyfriend, Hasnat Khan, and his take on what her relationship with Dodi Fayed was. Lots of inside information if you are a royal follower.

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I find it hard to understand but some states know their kids are dumber than the rest of the country and are doing their damnedest to keep it that way. Louisiana has tried plenty of schemes to keep their school children ignorant of any science that might impinge on bible teachings. So far, all have been struck down as unconstitutional. Now they have a new tact: A piece of legislation is now up in the state that would require teachers to “examine all sides” of “controversial” issues, like evolution, climate change, and cloning. (Climate change, in the view of the wacko right is considered an insidious attempt to violate God’s order to “go forth and multiply” in favor of contraception–this is really big with the ultra right Catholic group.) Read all about it at Talk2Action.

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If you like decoupage, and are interested in learning some glazing and texture techniques, then the Artful Crafter has some ideas for you.

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Con’t again?

Tags

appetizers, beef, bread, Iraq, Oil, tex-mex, US Gov.

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Big Oil on TV. Did you see it? The boys lined up and were prepped and ready to reply in unison to all those nasty questions. Perhaps with those gigantic profits you might forgo the billions in tax breaks? NO! They shouted, that would be absurd. Well then, how bout a little break for the consumer at the pump? NO! They chimed, whatever for? A fine post by Washington Independent gives you the gory details as the RWM have a go in Congress. (RWM= Rich White Men) Read it and well. . . . PS–their advice to us: drive less!

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Breadsticks! Now that is something I’ve never made before, and I adore them. So good with pasta dishes, so good with nothing. Baking Beauties has the recipe.

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Oh, did I mention that I loved Tex-Mex? Perhaps you have concluded there is not a great deal I don’t like where food is concerned. You would be pretty much spot on. Anyhoo, you might want to try this spicy little Beef Empenadas, for either an appetizer or main dish. Just adjust the size for either. A nice submission by Uncommon Artistic Endeavors. I would only make my own pie crust rather than buy it ready made.

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Urantian Sojourn has a fascinating take on our excursion into Iraq and why it failed so badly. I tend to agree with them. I said a lot of similar things quite a number of years ago about Vietnam. Nobody listened, but then I didn’t have a blog either! They give you plenty of YouTube to make their points, which I can’t of course watch, but I got the point just fine without. Hope you enjoy it and learn a thing or two. I sure did.

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The Farmer’s Almanac says:

It’s time to dig up and divide horseradish!

What is the origin of the trapdoor in long underwear?

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“There is no excellent beauty that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.” Sir Francis Bacon

“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.” Albert Einstein

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Comedy Central that bastion of truth, Superman, the American Way, and tulips, has decided that it’s time to endorse a candidate in this ’08 election year. I thought their choice was well thought out as you will undoubtedly agree. They have come with powerful evidence to support their choice, and if you just think a minute, undoubtedly you will agree. Don’t lock yourself out on this one. Order your lawn signs and car bumper stickers before it’s too late!