Jules is getting ready for Super Bowl XLIII.......
The bill is a response to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that said a person must file a claim of discrimination within 180 days of a company's initial decision to pay a worker less than it pays another worker doing the same job. Under the bill, every new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for another 180 days.Thank you, Lilly Ledbetter.
The plaintiff in the case, Lilly Ledbetter, argued that she did not become aware of the pay discrepancy until near the end of her 19-year career at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Gadsden, Ala (my italics).
The Bush White House and Senate Republicans blocked the legislation in the last session of Congress, but Obama strongly supports it and the Democratic-controlled Congress moved it to the top of the agenda for the new session that opened this month.
Lillian Pemberton Willoughby, 93, of Deptford, a retired dietitian and Quaker activist who went to jail to protest the war in Iraq three months before her 90th birthday, died Jan. 15 at home.
For 65 years Mrs. Willoughby demonstrated against war, racism and nuclear proliferation. Sometimes she was arrested, but the charges were dismissed.
That wasn't what happened, however, when she and four other peace activists were charged with obstructing the entrance to the Federal Building in Philadelphia on March 20, 2003, the day after the Iraq war began.
Magistrate Judge Arnold C. Rapaport gave the protesters a choice: Pay a $250 fine or face jail time. Mrs. Willoughby told the judge she would pay if "you can use the money to provide clean drinking water to children in Iraq or to lessen our grandchildren's tax burden for paying for this war." Rapaport said he wasn't in a position to negotiate.
On Oct. 21, 2004, Mrs. Willoughby gave her husband, George, a hug and a kiss, rose from her wheelchair, and entered the federal detention center in Philadelphia to serve a seven-day sentence. She told supporters she would pass the time by exercising, praying and writing. She did fine, her daughter Sally said, and was soon back to protesting.
In June 2006, Mrs. Willoughby and other members of the Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia carried an apple pie to the Army Recruitment Center on Broad Street in Center City and told the staff that they wanted to enlist in place of their grandchildren. She was arrested with the other women, but charges were dismissed.
Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Sigourney Weaver stars in this emotional true story about a 1970s religious suburban housewife and mother who struggles to accept her young son Bobby being gay. What happens to Bobby is tragic and causes Mary to question her faith; ultimately this mom changes her views in ways that she never could have imagined.Interestingly, it is reported that Focus on the Family has warned conservative Christians not to watch it (and here). I personally did not read into these articles where people were "warned" not to watch it but I certainly believe they dismissed the made-for-TV movie.
Here's my promised shout out to KittyBellys. For those of us obsessed with soft and furry kitty bellies, this is the place to be to admire and worship those bellies. Visit just to rub or make a "SUBMISHUN" for admiration.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 serrano pepper, minced
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pound ground sirloin
1/2 pound ground pork
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1 packet taco seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Heineken
1 bay leaf
1 10-ounce bag of frozen corn, thawed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes with juice, tomatoes chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, Serrano, and green pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the sirloin and pork and cook until browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the chipotle, taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir until blended. Add the Heineken and bay leaf and cook until the beer has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add the corn, kidney beans, and tomatoes. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for an hour. Stir in tomato paste, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Transfer to individual serving bowls and serve with desired garnishes.
Suggested garnishes: pickled jalapenos, sour cream, cilantro, and cheddar cheese.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.We have witnessed a day that historians will be writing about for generations. We have witnessed a new generosity of spirit that I hope will continue from this day forward. We have witnessed a generational change in our leadership. We have witnessed history.We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
To all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Frank Rich: Barack Obama’s day is one that I never thought would come, and one that I still can’t quite believe is here.
Maureen Dowd: We’re trading a dogmatic president for one who’s shopping for a dog. It feels good.
Maya Angelou: Over the past five decades, our national spirit has ebbed, our self-confidence has waned. The presence of Barack Obama seems to return us to our national motto: "Yes, I can. I am an American."
Kim Bryan: It's not every joint that can get The Voice of a Generation as its pitchman. But music legend Bob Dylan gave a shout-out to Rojo, the neighborhood bar and eatery in Birmingham's Highland Park, during his weekly satellite radio show.
Mad Kane: An Alpha-Political Farewell to Bush and Cheney
Dan Chapman: U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton was lauded as a champion of social and racial justice at the King Center’s “Salute to Greatness” dinner Saturday in Atlanta.
Barack Obama: Remarks of President-Elect Barack Obama - As prepared for delivery Inaugural Whistle Stop Tour Baltimore, Maryland January 17, 2009
There has never been a catP.S. Who is this Obama character and why is he taking up so much of the adoration usually reserved for moi?
Who couldn't calm me down
By walking slowly
Past my chair
- Rod McKuen
For every day that you play you play Meow Trivia and whether you're right or wrong, www.freekibblekat.org they'll provide 10 pieces of kibble to animal shelters to help feed their hungry cats.If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But, recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That’s a new definition of greatness.Go to USA Service to find an event, host an event, or find suggestions of service organizations for January 17-19, 2009.
Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire, the first openly gay bishop, will begin the inaugural activities on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, January 18th with the invocation. Bishop Robinson made it clear that he would not be using the Bible as a text, saying:
"While that is a holy and sacred text to me, it is not for many Americans," Robinson said. "I will be careful not to be especially Christian in my prayer. This is a prayer for the whole nation."
While this will not be the prayer used on Sunday, he did write the following inaugural prayers for GQ magazine. It would be wonderful if he used these for Sunday but, if not, they are printed for us here.
"As we enter a new and exciting chapter in the story of this nation, people of faith are praying to the God of their own understanding – for the nation and for our new president. We are blessed as a nation – not because we are favored by God over any other nation, but because the God of every tradition wants the best for ALL of God’s children. And we ask God’s blessing on Barack Obama, who faces a nearly impossible task at an excruciatingly difficult time, bringing to that challenge his skills, his vision and his humanity. Even if you don’t believe in God, pray with me these prayers.
A Prayer for the Nation
O God of all creation, we pray that you will…
Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, Afghan girls are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, easily-cured waterborne diseases, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world, and the courage to take our rightful (not always primary) place in the community of nations.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing our begrudging tolerance with a genuine respect and (dare I say it?) warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.
Bless us with a sense of thanksgiving and appreciation – for those who give themselves for public service over private gain, and give us the strength to make the sacrifices that will be needed in playing our part in facing the challenges of these days. AMEN.
A Prayer for Barack Obama
O God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership, FDR’s courageous boldness and vision, and JFK’s ability to enlist the best efforts of our people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain for these times, not a fierce warrior who knee-jerk reacts to every real or perceived threat.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, remembering his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on his experience of the pain and rejection of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him patience and perseverance – not to give in to our whining (we love to do it when we don’t get our way), but rather to keep calling us to our better selves.
Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he’s president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking WAY too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace. AMEN."
I had saved so much material for this day. There is no longer any point to it. It is finally over.
Australia's Queensland Tourist Board is using the strained world economy as part of a new campaign giving job-seekers the opportunity to live six months rent-free on Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef and make $150,000! In addition to basking in the sun all day, the job requires that the "island caretaker" keep a blog of their stay.
Since I can't go to the 'block party' like I had planned, I wanted to duplicate the Inauguration Luncheon Menu for a small gathering I am having to celebrate the Inauguration. After I perused the Inauguration Luncheon menu, I realized that the menus not only exceeded my budget but also my current cooking skills. After much thought, I decided to celebrate with some of President-Elect Obama's rumored favorite foods. Considering I am a "blue dot" in a very, very red state, I won't need to prepare too many servings as I won't be serving that many guests.
First, I am going to prepare Chili. Obama recently made an unannounced visit to Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington and ordered a Bill Cosby Original Half-Smoke, made famous by Ben’s in 1958 and a favorite of Mr. Cosby’s since the early 60’s. This is a 1/4 lb. half pork and beef smoked sausage on a warm steamed bun topped with mustard, onions and Ben's spicy homemade chili sauce. So, chili is on my menu. (Recipe and photo to follow.)
Rumor also has it that Obama likes Slushy Blended Margaritas. Yuk - girlie drink. I love margaritas but with chili I will serve beer and there is no other beer that pleases me like Corona. A Corona with a slice lime is perfection, even if it is "so last century".
During the Inaugural parties, I am serving margaritas but on the rocks.
INGREDIENTS
* 1 1/2 ounces tequila (blanco, 100 percent agave)
* 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
* 1/2 ounce Cointreau (not Triple Sec)
* Salt for rimming glass (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau, and stir together.
2. Rim a rocks glass with salt (optional) by pressing the glass into a wet paper towel, then dipping it into a plate of salt.
3. Serve on the rocks.
There will be a small crowd but lots of good food and celebrating on Tuesday, January 20th, for my Obama Inauguration party. Thanks goes to the chowhound community for ideas, recipes, and pictures. My few "blue dot" friends should love it!
INGREDIENTS
* 2 pounds raw shelled Spanish peanuts
* 20 whole unpeeled garlic cloves (about 2 whole heads)
* 6 tablespoons peanut oil
* 4 arbol chiles, crushed
* 3 tablespoons finely grated lime zest, packed (from about 4 medium limes)
* 4 teaspoons kosher salt
* 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Toss together peanuts, garlic, peanut oil, and chiles until evenly coated.
2. Spread ingredients out on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast, shaking and stirring halfway through the cooking time, until nuts are toasted and beginning to crack open, about 25 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large, heatproof bowl. Toss with lime zest, salt, and sugar, and serve.
Apple-Pumpkin DelightBarack Obama is not the only one being inaugurated on January 20th. We all are. This moment in history demands that we stop waiting on others -- especially others living in Washington D.C. -- to solve the problems and right the wrongs of our times. It's your inauguration, too!
To illustrate this we are putting together a video featuring people from across America taking the presidential oath of office:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."For anyone interested in submitting a video, go here for details.
Ben & Jerry's is now serving: "YES PECAN!" An Inspirational Blend! Amber Waves of Buttery Ice Cream With Roasted Non-Partisan Pecans.
No one can go wrong with a recipe by Ina Garten. She used this recipe on Food Network's Barefoot Contessa to make S'Mores but I found them to be delicious on their own. (My variations: I used chocolate chips, the microwave, and all dried red berries. Thus, my picture did not turn out as appetizing as this but the taste was still wonderful.)Ingredients
9 1/2 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions1. Melt the 2 chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
2. Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9 by 10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper face down on the baking sheet.
3. Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a rectangle, using the outline. Sprinkle the cashews, apricots and cranberries over the chocolate. Set aside for 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in 1 by 3-inch pieces and serve at room temperature.
Yield: 24 pieces
Hi, I'm Butch. This is my first time on weekend cat blogging.
I napped in the sun on my new PetGear Soft Step III pet stairs. I have much easier access to the windows and Judi's comfortable bed (see missing back paw), although I suspect Judi feels a lot like the guy in the video she posted earlier this week titled "Restless Cat Syndrome".
And, of course, I had to entertain myself since Anne couldn't hang around all day. Otherwise, as the eldest, I had to help maintain some order and set an example for those rowdy teenagers, Jules and Vincent. They wanted to invite all the neighborhood cats over to eat all our (my) food and run up the cable bill:-)Created by The Car Connection
Mark Bittman, my favorite minimalist and NYT contributor, lists his must-haves for the new year:
OUT Packaged bread crumbs or croutons.
IN Take crumbs, cubes or slices of bread, and either toast evenly in a low oven until dry and lightly browned, tossing occasionally; or cook in olive oil until brown and crisp, stirring frequently. The first keep a long time, and are multipurpose; the second are best used quickly, and are incomparably delicious.
OUT Bouillon cubes or powder, or canned stock.
IN Simmer a carrot, a celery stalk and half an onion in a couple of cups of water for 10 minutes and you’re better off; if you have any chicken scraps, even a half-hour of cooking with those same vegetables will give you something 10 times better than any canned stock.
OUT Aerosol oil. At about $12 a pint, twice as expensive as halfway decent extra virgin olive oil, which spray oil most decidedly is not; and it contains additives.
IN Get some good olive oil and a hand-pumped sprayer or even simpler, a brush. Simplest: your fingers.
OUT Bottled salad dressing and marinades. The biggest rip-offs imaginable.
IN Take good oil and vinegar or lemon juice, and combine them with salt, pepper, maybe a little Dijon, in a proportion of about three parts oil to one of vinegar. Customize from there, because you may like more vinegar or less, and you undoubtedly will want a little shallot, or balsamic vinegar, or honey, or garlic, or tarragon, or soy sauce. ...
OUT Bottled lemon juice.
IN Lemons. Try buying six at a time, then experiment; I never put lemon on something and regret it. (Scramble a couple of eggs in chicken stock, then finish with a lot of lemon, black pepper and dill; call this egg-lemon soup, or avgolemono.) Don’t forget the zest: you can grate it and add it to many pan sauces, or hummus and other purées. And don’t worry about reamers, squeezers or any of that junk; squeeze from one hand into the other and let your fingers filter out the pips.
You get the idea. Continue reading his list of kitchen must-haves at Fresh Start for a New Year? Let's Begin in the Kitchen.
Yes, I'll admit it. I played with Barbie and her friends Ken, Midge, and Skipper. My Barbie had this hairstyle but did not look quite this elegant in her mostly home sewn clothes, courtesy of my neighbor, Patsy. Little did I know, fashion designers all over the world were sewing clothes for their Barbie dolls. I never saw Barbie as a role model, realistic or unrealistic. She was just anything I wanted her to be, having as much fun as my mind could imagine.
January 3, 2009 - People throw their shoes onto the street in front of the entrance to Downing Street in protest against the continued aerial bombardment of Gaza by Israel on January 3, 2009 in London, England. By Oll Scarff/Getty.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (16-oz) cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-oz) can petite diced tomatoes and jalapenos, undrained
1 (14-oz) can beef broth
2 cups frozen white and yellow whole kernel corn
1 (1-oz) package of taco seasoning mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Toppings: sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring often, 10 to 20 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain excess fat.
2. Stir in kidney beans, next eight ingredients, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in cilantro just before serving. Serve with desired toppings.
New Year's Eve....If it looks like a party hangover and it feels like a party hangover then it must be a party hangover!John Parker Wilson "was sacked a season high of eight times".The Tuscaloosa News: Tide beyond sour at start of game
How bad was the Crimson Tide in the first quarter?The Mobile Press-Register: Sugar Bowl surprise: Utah caps undefeated season with victory over Tide
Have you ever looked down at what’s on the ground after late-night festivities on Bourbon Street? Well, this was comparable, if not worse, with Utah grabbing a 21-0 lead while just about everything imaginable went wrong for Alabama.
The game brought injuries to key players, missed tackles, careless penalties and mistakes, sacks, stuffed runs, dropped passes, poor throws and a noticeable drop in intensity exiting the locker room.Best quote from TideFans message board came from "rightwinger" (isn't that a great avatar for someone denying reality):
I don't recall Bama looking that terrible last year. Last night was a bad LSD trip in the Twilight Zone. It's unexplainable.My personal rationalization: For the first year with full scholarships following the devastating decade Alabama endured and with only nine scholarship seniors on the team, I believe we were probably better than we could have expected: 1) 12-0 regular season, 2) winning the SEC west, 3) playing in the SEC championship game, and 4) playing in a BCS bowl. Just think what Bama can accomplish next year. And, it will keep Saban interested in the job because there is more to build on.
And, of course, this is definitely a must-have:
