docoflove1974

What goes on while on the ship STAYS on the ship...*nudge nudge wink wink*

Homeland Security. They are the wonderful people who are in charge of securing the homeland. Or, in other words, making sure the terrorists don't strike again. They're in charge of making rules for entry of airports, ports of call, and any other way of getting in that's legal. Oh, and if you believe some of my conspiracy-enthusiast friends, they track the spam you get in the email, to see if you're up to no good. Supposedly they're just here for our benefit.

I must get me one of those...

Glad to see that the British version of Homeland Security is up and functional...no one should be allowed to read their email, lest there be *gasp* SPAM!!! "...spam spam spam spam, spam spam spam spam, spam spam spam spam...LOVELY SPAM! (lovely spam!) WONDERFUL SPAM!! (wonderful spam!) LOVELY SPAM!!! SPAM!! SPAM!! SPAM!! SPAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!!!"

Ooooh that steamer...it just gets me so hot...

Have an outstanding day, Lady Augusta!

A wandering band of rogue Freemasons? Wow...I'd be fearful, Caldrail. They might retaliate by somehow compromising the foundation of your dwelling. Or perhaps design an awful contraption for you to work. You never know.... When I was in college my friend's car got broken into. Now, I should mention that Davis, California, is a total college town. In fact, the biggest crime there is bicycle theft; you see, Davis has the second highest number of bicycles per capital in the world, and is second only to China. So, one day my friend Hoon came back to his Jeep Cherokee to find the driver's window smashed. Now, Hoon had some computer equipment in the back, some other electronic bits and bobs (he had just made a run to the electronics store), his CDs, and a leftover meatball sub. What got stolen? The sub!!!

Pirates? Swashbucklers? Where? Just kidding, Maty...great news about the book's completion! I know that there are many of us around here who will welcome it!

Maybe the benefits should be asked about...like a life insurance policy. And perhaps one should have working knowledge of Arabic?

I wish I could say the same; I took Latin as an elective in college (by that time, I knew that I was going to be studying the history of Spanish and Italian, so I figured it'd be for the best). I swear, it was torturous; horrifically dry and dull. The only saving grace was that one of my professors was the son of a big philologist, who had compiled a book of Greek and Latin roots in English. That's it, otherwise a horrible class. I took it out of duty, really. BUT...glad to hear that my colleagues in the Classics department haven't forgotten how to really teach and engage the students!

Ack *gasp* *choke* sorry, that word is getting to me...

There are certain smells that just call to us as individuals. Some come from outside--the smell of sweet jasmine in the summer, or of freshly-cut grass. Some come from the inside of an oven, or on top of a stove...perhaps even on a grill. These scents awaken our olfactory system, setting our bodies in motion for a culinary experience which is second to none. Oh, perhaps it revolves around a 5-star feast that would make any gourmand melt into a pile of goo, but more often than not these gastronomic creations come not just from the home, but from the heart. In a phrase, I'm talking comfort food. I have two dishes which will tug at my stomach strings in ways that nothing else can. One is a good spaghetti gravy...or, for those of you who are not of the Italian-American persuasion, I'm talking about a tomato rag

I'm convinced that certain industries purposely search for people without a sense of humor. Among them: accountancy, computer and chemical engineering, energy service people, DMV workers, postal workers...

Are poodles really dogs? We had them as kids, and I'm convinced that they're really cousins to the canine group...but are inferior. Must be the puffy tails and stuff.

LOL And that phrase about the way to a man's heart...I guess it's right in Moon's case!

What's a girl to do? I've got leftovers of a seasoned long-grain and wild rice mix (which is excellent), and I don't really want a ton to eat. Well, you create new culinary delights! Ok, that's going overboard...but somehow I got in my head that a Mediterranean Fried Rice was in order. I've been making fried rice for years...it's actually really easy, but requires regular rice, either white or brown. Wild rice does not make for good fried rice, at all...it's too chewy, and doesn't absorb much more than it already has. Basically, one has to pair this well, and make it so that your 'additions' are ready to sit in the pan for like 5 minutes, tops, or the wild rice will be gross. But I didn't really know what to do with this stuff, and thought, well, why the hell not? What's the worst that happens...I have to toss it because it's revolting? So...out with the egg omlet, and in with the mushrooms. Out with the ginger and green onions, and in with the leek. Out with the Chinese 5 spice powder, in with the pasta seasoning (which has the fennel and paprika that I needed). Out with the soy sauce, and in with the basalmic vinegar...very sparingly, might I add. Out with the sesame oil as garnish, and in with the kalamata olives. It's not bad...not bad at all. Actually, as I sit here post-meal, I can taste lingering effects of the sweet balsamico, the briny olives, and the peppery spices. The rice is chewy, but in a good way, and there's a crispy rice bit every once in a while. Overall, a pretty good experiment! When people bitch and moan about cooking, about how it's time consuming, I point to stuff like this. From prep to sit-down, I was in the kitchen for 15 minutes. That's it! Granted, I have a stocked pantry and fridge--I'm never without mushrooms and leeks once the autumnal equinox rolls around--but a lot of it was thinking about what I wanted this to taste like, and using the skills I have. It's not hard, it's just practice. Now...there's a bit left in the pan...and I want seconds...'scuse me

I'll just sit here quietly and not describe the gorgeous autumn days and crisp autumn nights we have here at Baghdad-By-The-Bay.

*knock knock knock* "Good afternoon, Mr. Caldrail. We're here on behalf of the energy company. Did you know that you have weaknesses in your energy efficiency? It's true, and you must do something about it! Yes, we've already talked to your landlord about it, and have told him that he MUST fix your apartment; either that, or we'll tax him, which I'm sure will be passed onto you. Now, don't you fret, Mr. Caldrail, we'll take care of everything if you want us to, for a modest fee. So, just sign your rights away here, and initial here, and again here, and you'll be all set! Oh, you don't mind us here for a few hours, making holes, plugging others, and showing off an amazing plumber's crack, do you?"

This line made my day, sir.

See, I'm the reverse: in no way do I want another Clinton in the White House. I'm done with so-called dynasties, and Hilary scares me in so many ways. While I do think that in a few years Obama would be quite qualified, well, I don't want a repeat situation that we've had for the past 8 years: relatively inexperience President, highly experienced Vice President. Not to suggest that Biden and Cheney would be the same, but the situation is. I'm not quite as pessimistic as you are, Ursus, but we'll see. The fact that I'm not settled on who would be best as President, well, it could be that way until the 4th of November.

For the record: I'm a moderate Independent, one who is completely undecided. I didn't vote for either of these candidates in the primaries; Independents in California only had open access to the Democrat ballot, and not the Republican, so I gave no vote either way. ___________________________________________ I really enjoyed listening to this first Presidential debate. Some of the items were to be expected: Obama linking McCain to Dubbya, while McCain consistently saying that Obama was inexperienced. Knowing a bit about McCain's political history, I found him to be subdued; I've always seen him as more of a hawk (although a less aggressive one), and he didn't seem so hawk-ish on the combat issues. To be straight-forward, I thought Obama proved himself to understand the issues clearly, and gave several specific points to make changes; on the other hand, McCain came off as condescending frequently, and often talked of generalities. Who won? Eh, I think Obama had the edge, but it's slight. But that's just my view. As of now, my mind is not made up, and I don't think it will be for a while. I'm really pissed off at the selection of Sarah Palin as VP for McCain; it makes me not want to vote for him, and I don't view that as a strong reason for voting for (or against) someone. One would hope that she'd be a reinvention of Dan Quayle--one who exists, but does nothing. Still, she bothers me quite a bit, and it may end up swinging my vote. I'm half curious about the upcoming Veep Debate; I have a feeling I'll be a rubbernecker at that massive accident, around just to watch the carnage. I'm curious about anyone else's thoughts, both American and otherwise. I can't wait to read the BBC take on it, as well as various other international news outlets. But I'd really like to hear from anyone on here, too.

Now I got it...and, yes, what a difference it would have made! Interesting article on BBC which notes that the French economic society might be a model for both the US and the UK: don't spend what you don't have, and even the credit cards are set up that way. I'm not saying that the French have it right, but it's certainly something for most to think about.

Heh yes, it is...but like I told the Chicken Little I work with the other day, it's not anything I'm worried about. I don't have enough money anywhere, let alone in WaMu, to worry about! I guess it means that in the coming months I'll have a new account, but it's all good.

Either I'm tired, or I'm just not getting what exactly Paul's bill intended. I get that it keeps the federal government from bailing out Fannie and Freddie and any GSEs either by giving them money directly or by buying their debt obligations, which is basically what just happened. But what does repealing state tax exemptions do? That's the part I'm not understanding as being good, bad, or indifferent. Either way, yes, I agree that these issues we're having now are not just recent, and really I wonder how much of it is a continual ebb and flow of any major economy. Human beings tend to think of the 'now' and focus on the present, and don't always look at the history of their culture with perspective, often forgetting that everything goes up and down, so to speak. I wonder if now that we are a society which relies so highly on credit, if these hiccups will force people to re-think their lives. I mean, people say that they do, but then wallow in self-pity and self-guilt, and don't always really change. Too many that I know have gotten into financial trouble because of over-extended credit, somehow dig themselves out of debt, only to repeat the mistakes of the past. Something tells me that this type of crisis will happen again, and the financial Chicken Littles will be out again. Also, I just get so sick and tired of rhetoric that is meant to be apologetic or even sympathetic, and instead shows nothing but ignorance. I purposely avoided Dubbya's speech--I refuse to listen to another word that man utters again--but I know the gist of what he said. It wasn't any better than Paulson and Bernake. What is warming my heart a bit is that Congress isn't just jumping to the line and passing this without thinking; they're talking about putting caps on golden parachutes, helping home-owners, and the like. They're looking for a type of methadone, I guess, and I just hope they can find it.

Quite sad news, but may he rest in peace, and may his loved ones find comfort and solace.