Friends

Just whipped up a raspberry cream cheese pie for Turkey Day, along with a pint of freezer jam.

Now in the oven: Apple pie, with cobbler topping.



Mom always said I'd make someone a wonderful wife someday.

I agree with her now that I am older, but remind her that it's hard to find the parts to make one without going to jail.

Edit: Added shot of pie in oven, just to rub it in.

So, despite the craptastic weather and a lot of budget problems, I have been making a few upgrades around the house as of late...

( Cut for the sake of brevity )

This would make an excellent snarky breakup message.

So, I made 2 key lime pies using the Nelli And Joe's on the bottle recipe and 2 pumpkin pies using the Libby's pumpkin recipe...I realized this morning that I accidentally put evaporated milk in them versus sweetened condensed milk...I had grabbed the wrong cans at the store.

So, will they taste okay?

Anybody know? I'm almost ready to cut into them to taste test and see if I need to remake them. I'm bringing 8 pies tomorrow and this is half of them. Anybody?

So say I work for a defense contractor. My employer will make me sign a form that says that I don't work for or represent any competitor or supplier. Additionally I have to agree that my direct family, nor any of my friends work in any capacity that could affect or benefit from the business that I do for the company (if I'm buying widgets all the time, I can't do so if uncle Bob works for Widgets of America, they'll instead find something else for me to do.). This is all to avoid actual improprieties, but also the appearance of impropriety. We call it ethics. Don't do stuff thats improper, and if it might look like you could be doing something improper then even if you're not recuse yourself from whatever the activity is.

But our Legislators in Washington DC often have spouses and children who work for Lobbying firms. They directly benefit from the largesse of the groups whose sole purpose is to influence public policy for a private goal. Its one thing for a Senators wife to work as a professor at a school or as a bank teller. But another thing entirely for them to work for a Lobbying firm, or even to be hired into a position of authority for which they have no qualification. But this is allowed to happen all of the time. Senator Joseph Palpatine Lieberman's (turncoat - CT) wife Hadassah works for the Lobbying firm Hill & Knowlton, which actively lobbies on healthcare reform. Senator Liebermans position on healthcare reform has changed significantly since 2006 when he told the people of Connecticut that he with his seniority was the person best able to ensure universal coverage. Appearance of impropriety, or impropriety? Either way, if he was the gander his goose would be cooked. Fortunately for him, he's a Senator instead of the common man.

I contacted both of my Senators today to encourage them to push new ethics reforms for Congress, and to support removing Mr. Lieberman's committee chairmanship and membership in the Democratic caucus if he acts to filibuster the healthcare reform bill.

In figments thin, dazed waif

• 09:30 This perpetrator is either someone I know or someone I'd like to know bit.ly/6e9U6u #
• 09:42 @mitsene I highly recommend Lovecraft Tattoo (lovecrafttattoo.com) - and if you go there, tell 'em I say hi! #
• 10:07 Along the lines of 'You Have Two Cows..." with religion rather than politics; make sure to dig the original parable bit.ly/8aPMzP #
• 10:19 "The journey is never as long as those who profit from leading the expeditions would have us believe." bit.ly/7l6jBU #
• 19:08 Anyone got an Apple Mini-DVI to VGA adapter handy? I sure could use one right about now #
• 19:28 When I get a useless Master's in Comic Book Studies my thesis will be on "Negotiating Femininity in the works of Garth Ennis" #
• 20:08 @LizzieBoredom ON A LUCKDRAGON?!?!?! #
• 20:59 @kpdebolt you're very lucky - and so is he! #
• 21:10 @janusfilms any plans for a Chicago screening of HAUSU? (or did one happen already, and I missed it?) #
• 22:13 CD mystery solved; WFMU blogger a jerk bit.ly/5L5jdH #
• 22:42 @janusfilms wonderful, thanks! #
• 22:55 Where your tax $$$ go; puts the 'pot funds terror' PR campaign into perspective bit.ly/7BU7e6 bit.ly/4RzTRD #
• 23:24 So who is it that reads my twoots from far-off, exotic Slovenia? I CAN SEE YOU! #
• 02:42 RT @DrColtCabana: RT @ROHonHDNet RT @livestreamtv: Ring of Honor to live stream a show bit.ly/8gQRrt #
• 02:44 GWB's press sec on FOX "News" says "We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush's term" bit.ly/5PiGyv #

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Knowing that this sort of thing tends to blindside the less attentive among us, here is a friendly reminder (to help you plan ahead) that on 1-1-2010 (i.e. the start of next year), Metro fares are going up 25 cents, to $2.00 during off-peak hours, $2.25 for one zone during peak hours and $2.75 for two zones for most of us. Senior fares get a 25 cent hike as well.

Also noteworthy is that starting 1-1-2010, Sound Transit paper transfers are worthless on Metro buses, and Metro paper transfers are worthless on Sound Transit (including Link Light Rail) and other transit systems. If you want to transfer between systems you will need to pay via ORCA card:

Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, only Metro transfers are valid on Metro buses. Also, Metro transfers are not valid on Sound Transit, Pierce Transit and Community Transit buses. If you use more than one transit system you will have to pay a fare each time you board a different bus. If you use an ORCA card that is loaded with a bus pass or E-purse, you will get a two-hour transfer credit for the fare paid.

Also, starting 1-1-2010, passes will be distributed solely by ORCA card. Swipe-card passes will be phased out. So if you don't have an ORCA card, get it now: After 1-31-2010 it will cost $5 to get a new card whether you're replacing one (you already need to pay $5 for replacements) or getting a new one. Right now you can order your first ORCA card on the house.

Don't get too comfy with the bigger and better fares either, because in the King County Council's announcement that Metro has saved existing service from proposed cuts, we learned that Metro is also going to raise fares again at the start of 2011, likely to $2.25/$2.50/$3.00.

Happy riding!

Hi, folks. This is probably the first of many Thanksgiving Turkey posts.

Last year, I brined my turkey and followed Alton's recipe to the letter and had a great turkey experience. However, my living situation has now changed. I'm living alone (no pity, I love it!), so this year I have a three-pound boneless turkey breast that I'd love to brine. Does anybody have a recipe for a brine that goes well with a 3-pound boneless breast?

I bought dark brown sugar, Kosher salt and apple cider, if that helps.

Thanks in advance!

I want to celebrate Thanksgiving in the traditional way, but I don't know any local liquor stores that will be open Thursday. Do any of you know one with Thursday hours?

Also, I could use help with the other half of our great American tradition, too. Which local Indian tribes are interested in trading land for firewater?

Beelzebub has a muppet put aside for me:

(via Suspension of Disbelief)

What this now were no even passed thanskgiving and they gots all chritsmas stuff all over. Man I nearly crapped wehn I seen one of thems snow globes on someone front lawnn like what?

Is thanksgiving a holiday no more or we juts skip it after hallowen? When is early to early??

My sister's insurance recently changed from Premera Blue Cross to Group Health and the OB/GYN doc that she just loves is no longer covered. She is due at the end of January and will be going to Overlake Hospital and works in Bellevue, so she is looking for recommendations in the area.

Do you have an OB/GYN in Bellevue that you just love?

In figments thin, dazed wai

Award-winning journalist Amy Goodman, host of the daily, grassroots, global, radio/TV news hour Democracy Now!, is on a national speaking tour to mark DN!'s 13th anniversary and launch her new book, Breaking the Sound Barrier.

WHEN: Today, November 24, 3pm - 5pm
WHERE: Elliot Bay Books, 101 South Main Street. Seattle WA 98104
DESCRIPTION: A reading by Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman, who will speak about her new book Breaking the Sound Barrier, with an introduction by the book's editor, Denis Moynihan.
TICKETS: Free

WHEN: Tomorrow, November 25, 10am - 2pm
WHERE: Borders Bookstore in the Main Terminal at Seattle-Tacoma Airport
DESCRIPTION: Traveling for Thanksgiving? Meet Amy Goodman for a special holiday signing of her new book Breaking the Sound Barrier.
TICKETS: Free

WHEN: Friday, November 27, Doors open 6 pm, event 7-9 pm
WHERE: Town Hall Seattle, 1119 Eighth Avenue (at Seneca Street), Seattle, WA 98101
DESCRIPTION: Amy Goodman Live: Celebrating an expanding world of grassroots community journalism. KBCS, Reclaim the Media, and the Seattle Plus 10 Organizing Committee present a benefit for KBCS 91.3FM Community Radio, featuring broadcast journalist Amy Goodman, who will speak about her new book Breaking the Sound Barrier, with an introduction by the book's editor, Denis Moynihan.
TICKETS: Sliding Scale: $15-$25, available at www.kbcs.fm

More info at http://tour.democracynow.org/

Does anyone know why a little section of Kirkland lost power this morning? Between 0530 and about 0715?

So this morning I missed the opportunity for a teaching moment and laughed at somebody instead. I'm not proud of this, but at the time, it all just seemed so absurd to me.

I took Pepper out for her morning constitutional, and was standing on the slope across the street from my place, that is covered in grass. It being morning, and mornings being what they are, the grass was a bit wet. Pepper and I were both standing on the grass, and I was bending over, touching Pepper's back to determine what she was doing.^*

A woman approaches and asks if I would like her to hold my dog while it goes to the bathroom, because I might slip. It takes me a minute to understand what she's saying, and after I say that, no, it's okay, I've been walking my dog for years, I start laughing.

She immediately apologizes for offending me. Because you know, people with disabilities only have a limited range of emotional responses. We're either frustrated, offended, persevering, or patient. I'm not offended though. Just surprised and amused.

Amused at how sighted people jump to all kinds of conclusions based on what they see, and that they can see. After all, presumably, since both I and the dog are standing on the grass, I already know that there's a slope and that it's a bit slippery. I would think, that if I was uncomfortable with this, I would have chosen not to step onto the grass and stayed on the sidewalk, or stepped back onto the sidewalk.

But also, after thinking about it, there's a chance that seeing me bent over with my hand on Pepper's back, it may have looked like I was leaning on her. The simplest question would just have been, "Are you okay?" or "Do you need help?" Granted, I still would have wondered with what, but it would have left her assumptions a little more ambiguous.

So yes, I probably could have been nicer and explained everything to this well-intentioned person. The offering of assistance shouldn't be mocked. I'm just surprised at some of the things that people believe I need assistance with.

^* Apparently one of the most frequent questions to and about guide dog handlers is how we clean up after our dogs. It's very simple, while on leash, when the dog stops walking around and sniffing, you bend over and touch their back. The position of their back lets you know what their doing (peeing, pooping, or just standing there and sniffing (which is what Pepper was doing in the above situation, btw)). It also lets you know where you're likely to find anything that you need to pick up.

• 09:25 Health care solution? bit.ly/6KUGXE #
• 13:08 New toy: region-free upconverting DVD player, also does AVI/WMV/MP3, has USB port for drives, rips CDs to MP3, $50 bit.ly/6BdCxG #
• 13:52 Teabaggers stay classy, ridiculing couple who lost their daughter in law and grandkid due to insufficient health care bit.ly/5hINhJ #
• 15:51 Feliz Navidad de lucha libre? Need to find if this made tape bit.ly/8T7VL6 #
• 17:43 I think I may have 'symptomless coma.' #
• 19:23 RT @thecubsfan: Best part of Cubs hiring the Chicago Olympics '16 marketing guy is he's well versed in raising money for doomed causes. #
• 19:24 @MKupperman so is BabyCops a spinoff of [the actually-existing] Hawk Jones? #
• 19:27 RT @larrybobsf: Word "Sodomite" is not in the Hebrew Old Testament; KJV mistranslated 'male shrine prostitute' bit.ly/7L1ddT #
• 19:30 @thecubsfan It reminded me of those WORD shows w/Jesus v Satan in the main (Jesus comes back after Satan's crucifix and spear, no foolin') #
• 19:39 BATMAN: THE BLACK GLOVE reads so much better collected than in single issues - not sure why Tony Daniels drew Damian as a 35 yr old, though #
• 19:41 for the record, fellow nerds, my current pull list: DEADPOOL, all Gail Simone, all Grant Morrison, all David Lapham, ADVENTURE. #
• 23:12 @mitsene what artist will you be going to? If you need suggestions, let me know :) #

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on i90 near the 5 south exit...later in the day, the far left lane is coned off. but there is never any work being done.

why?

WHY?

also, do you use q-tips? and if so, do you produce a lot of ear wax? and if so, what color is it?

Rainer Valley Food Bank needs volunteers to help them sort out their more than $100,000 in food donations they have received from the community since $2,000 in food was stolen last week.

Interested? Drop by 4205 Rainier Ave. S. before 8 p.m. today or from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and there should be plenty to do. Call the food bank at (206) 723-4105.

( The rest of the story behind the cut )

Source: Seattle PI Big Blog