What I know about romancing women is like a thimble full of salt water compared to an ocean, but one thing I do know is that the whole PUA culture, which seems to be based on equal parts resentment and entitlement, is a bunch of crap. So I thought I’d post something that’s the diametrical opposite of that. Open thread.
Archives for May 2014
It That Must Not Be Named
Has anyone else noticed that the more sophisticated form of Republican — the same ones who practice concealed carry — are not saying “Obamacare” anymore? I first noticed this when listening to an interview with the local sure loser in D+4 NY-25. This guy, who used to compare the public education system to Hitler Youth indoctrination, was calling Obamacare by its given name, “The Affordable Care Act”. Another example:
“The sentiment toward the Affordable Care Act is still strongly negative, but people are saying, ‘Don’t throw the baby out” with the bathwater, Glen Bolger, a partner with the GOP polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, told the Washington Post.
When a GOP pollster stops saying “Obamacare”, you know what he’s telling his clients.
Of course, in the more southern, open-carry parts of our great nation, Mitch McConnell and his ilk will still be trying to convince the rubes that Obamacare is bad while the Affordable Care Act is good. And the teanderthals will still be pulling out their pistols (literally) to shoot Obamacare in the face, since their hatred of Obamcare is a religious rite like hating gays, handling snakes or speaking in tongues.
I can’t see the lack of the “O” word in Republican discourse as anything but positive, but maybe some of you feel differently.
Saturday Morning Open Thread: We {Heart} America
Journalist Masha Gessen, in the Washington Post:
… When I talk to LGBT refugees from Russia about what it’s like to live in New York, the first thing they mention is the safety. Which is funny and awful, because they are talking about the most basic kind: physical safety. People are no longer afraid of being beaten or killed, or having their kids taken from them. Other than that, they have no safety net: no job, nor the right to look for one; no friends, other than those they met at the Russian LGBT refugee support group; no papers. This last one becomes the biggest missing piece. “Bez bumazhki ty bukashka,” an old Soviet song goes: “Without a piece of paper you are but a tiny bug.”
And a tiny bug is exactly what you feel like if you live in New York City, speak with an accent, look like you’re under 40 and have no papers. No rental apartment, no alcoholic drinks, no Costco card for you. One of the most prized recipes exchanged among new refugees, second perhaps to securing a good immigration lawyer, is how to get a New York state ID. It involves opening bank accounts, engaging in a certain number of financial transactions and traveling to the outer boroughs on a regular basis — because not all bank branches will open an account for someone with a foreign passport and without a Social Security number. Refugees also coach one another on how to get an apartment through a co-signer, how to get your emergency-room bill adjusted down and where to find free English classes.
And then there’s the one place in New York City where you can get a gorgeous bumazhka — a piece of paper — recognizing you and a partner as a married couple. You can use your Russian passport with its tourist visa. Hell, the visa can even be expired. You need one witness. Pay $25, and a city official will say to you: “By the powers vested in me by the State of New York, I now pronounce you married. You can seal your union with a kiss.” Then you kiss. In public, safely…
And I do not even believe in marriage. I’m opposed to it as an institution, and I’ve spoken about it publicly often enough that the Kremlin youth movement has declared me the No. 1 enemy of the traditional Russian family. But it turned out that getting settled in the United States with my partner and our three kids would be a lot easier if we got married. When Darya and I wed in late March, we frustrated our chosen minister by trying to refuse to say vows as part of the ceremony. In the end, each of us ended up writing our own vows. In hers, Darya said she was not so much wedding me as she was marrying the United States of America.
“We are still in the honeymoon period,” she said of her new country. “I’m sure we will have our ups and downs. But I will always love her for enabling me to marry the woman I love.”…
Saturday Morning Open Thread: We {Heart} AmericaPost + Comments (61)
Today Was a Good Day
There is just something magical about this time of spring in West Virginia when everything is lush and green and the skies are blue and there is a cool breeze and the humidity and unfavorably high temps have not set in quite yet. Just my favorite time of the year because you get to plant things and the birds are back and you realize that you and your sun lamp made it through another winter.
At any rate, I made some crab cakes and a garden salad and some yam fries, and we are watching hockey and brushing the critters, who are all shedding like mad. I honestly think I am to the point where I can say I like the NHL more than football. It’s just a better game and far more exciting to watch.
Heading to the greenhouse tomorrow to get the rest of the plants for the garden. What are you all up to?
Friday Recipe: Fruit Crepes
Not technically a Friday Recipe, but who could resist those pics? From our Food Goddess, TaMara:
I love crepes and friend of blog, Kirk Spencer just did a posting on them, reminding me that I had a pretty decent recipe, too. Check out his link, he has some nice filling ideas. For this menu, we’re sticking with fruit.
Do the idea of crepes scare you?! They did me until I decided to brave the waters for this recipe. They are unbelievably easy. The only difference between this and making pancakes is how you manipulate the pan. Make sure after you’ve lightly greased the pan and heated it, you remove it from the heat before adding the batter. Then you need to swirl the batter thinly around the pan and up the sides, until it sets. Return to the heat to let it cook. Immediately begin to loosen the top edges with a butter knife, so when it’s time to flip, it’s easy to do. I found flipping it by hand easiest. Gently loosen the edges completely and gingerly pick up by the edge and flip it over when the bottom is golden. You may need to loosen the bottom with a spatula before flipping. If you’re feeling daring…you can try flipping them. Just remember, they don’t have to look perfect or be paper thin to work!
It looks like we’re going to have another bumpy, rainy, flash flood warning weekend. No grilling. I’ll have to make do with some Buttered Potato Pie and nice Pan-Seared Strip Steaks. And a reminder, there won’t be a recipe exchange this week, but I’ll find something fun for later in the weekend. Until then….TaMara
On the board tonight: Kids Night Crepes Dinner
Fruit Crepes
Raw Vegetable tray w/dips
Popcorn
Open Thread: Someone Misspelled A-*-*-H-O-L-E-S
A-M-E-R-I-C-A-N: The tweets declaring our young spelling co-champions un-American, gathered in one place. http://t.co/06LVa4Hg7i
— Jeff Chu (@jeffchu) May 30, 2014
Why did the tweets hit me hard? I was a bee kid—'91, lost on "rimur." And I want those kids never to be asked, "Where are you really from?"
— Jeff Chu (@jeffchu) May 30, 2014
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Apart from the Usual Mob of Idiocrats, what’s on the agenda as we gaze longingly towards the weekend?
Open Thread: Someone Misspelled A-*-*-H-O-L-E-SPost + Comments (162)
Open thread
Talk about whatever.