Sunday, December 28, 2014

Yule Logs





18 comments:

  1. I can't say Howard is first today because I seriously disagree with his unconditional backing of a Hilary Clinton run for President.

    On another note. It was in the 50's yesterday and in the low 30's today. Yesterday I cut a lot of brush (not like Dubya) and I have a big pile of it in the back yard and I really don't want to go out in this cold and chop and bundle it. Wah, wah, wah. My never-ending guilt complex will probably force me to it, but I don't have to like it!

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    1. No, you don't have to like it. The fact that you anticipate doing it anyway speaks very highly of your strength of character...but we knew about that already. *grin*

      As for Howard: while I agree with you, he does what he believes is in the best interest of the Party and the country. So,that takes strength of character too...even if we don't like it.

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    2. That's true, Cat, but he gives far too much consideration to the Party and they give far too little to the people. He's far more loyal that warranted after the way they trashed him when he was running and utterly dismissed him from the DNC after Obama was elected. When you accept bad treatment from anyone - people or group - it only assures you'll be the recipient of still more dismissive treatment.

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  2. I'm waiting to see who actually runs before making a choice. People are pushing Elizabeth Warren,, who would be an attractive candidate, but her hat isn't actually in the ring. (Neither is Hilary's for that matter.) My principle objection to Hilary in 2008 was that she was too confrontational and apparently unwilling to work with Republicans. But we've seen that today's Republicans are unwilling to work with a Democratic president, so that's no longer a consideration.

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  3. I've kinda been wondering if his brother's, Jim's, stance hasn't made him say something rather sooner than he'd have wished. DFA has come out rather whole hog in favor of Warren. Jim's only political capital is the org his brother gave him, and in aid of keeping his "job" has teamed up with MoveOn to taut Warren. Howard really doesn't have a job, and if by his association with DFA he loses his political capital. . . . Free Spirit was trying to figure the *use* of DFA by the time she left, and had decided it was just to provide jobs to political types between elections.

    I, personally, lost ALL respect for Jim in any way shape or form after that Conference at Deanfest to ask him to get *some* control over the blog. And he said he would, but I KNEW he wouldn't.

    I haven't unsubscribed because it gives me such real pleasure to delete them daily. I'm not all that happy with Howard coming out for Hill, but am going to wait a bit longer before getting *really* unhappy. . .

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  4. As a number of peeps over at Kos are pointing out--2016 is going to be phenomenally important to the direction of the Supreme Court for the next 25 -- 50 years, I may go ahead and support Hill, who I have no doubt would be much much better than *any* of the dorks/drips/derps the R's are thinking about. . . .

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    1. Lesser weevil-ism? Well, one does have to be practical. But, I'll tell ya. I voted for Obama because Howard asked us to, and it didn't *really* trouble me that much. But, if he asks us to vote for Hillary -- well... I'm not at all sure my loyalty to him and trust in his judgment stretch that far. But, there's still time to wait and see.

      The problem with Warren is, she's as inexperienced with regard to the Senate as Obama and HC were in '08, and that's a drawback to my way of thinking. But, like I said, plenty of time yet.

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    2. The only presidents in my lifetime -- and I go back to FDR -- who have served even two years in the Senate are Truman, Kennedy, Johnson, and Obama. So I don't see that as a criterion.

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  5. Accidentally left a comment on the last thread.

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  6. The mild, grey, gloomy weather the past few days has really been getting me down. Haven't got any Christmas e-mails out - and I only have about half a dozen. But the motivation just isn't there. What's that expression? My get-up-and-go got up and went!

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    1. Got me down too. But at last we had some hazy sunshine today.

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  7. I DO love it when that happens, Cat!!

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  8. I am not a bit in favor of Clinton even if Howard asks. I DO still feel that Howard is first. He has political intelligence and compassion and I wish he would run again. He was an excellent Governor here for a dozen years. He was an excellent DNC Chair. He has been more than kind to even speak to, let along well of, the Democratic Party. And he isn't a fool. So I don't know why he stays in it, this way. But I suspect it's so he has a way to stay in the conversation. We need his leadership.

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  9. listener--here is what seems to be the original mincemeat muffin recipe. [Click] We always used a simplified version (no creaming, no sifting, less salt):

    1. Combine 1 cup All-Bran, 3/4 cup milk and 1 cup (half a jar)of mincemeat and let stand about 5 minutes.

    2. Add 2 T oil, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, a pinch of salt and 3 tsp baking powder; mix well and then stir in a cup of flour.

    --Alan

    P.S.: Extra yummy with a bit of butter melted inside after serving hot from the oven.

    P.P.S.: These are reasonably moist, substantial muffins; they're still fine two or three days after they are made. It's unlikely any will be left after two days, though.


    Re 2016 Democratic presidential contenders, I think Jim Webb looks interesting, although his history with respect to coal and global warming is pretty poor. Then again, he was representing Virginia, which is a coal state.

    My feeling is that Howard is too much the good soldier; but if that is a failing, it is an honorable one.

    I remember when Senator Warren spoke in favor of Obama at the Democratic convention. She seemed to be parroting the foreign policy line that was given to her by Obama's advisers, which strongly suggests to me that she does not know enough about foreign policy to suit me as a president. (Granted that few do.) I think she has an extremely important role to play in the Senate.

    I can never forget Senator Clinton's claim that she landed under fire in Bosnia, nor that she voted for the war on Iraq, nor that she threatened Iran with nuclear annihilation. I have some other issues with her, but those certainly stand out.

    It is yet early days for presidential campaigns.

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  10. Re linoleum, once in a while I have an appearance at the old Alameda County Courthouse, which was built during the Depression. The flooring seems to be the original "battleship linoleum," which is very thick and a solid color throughout. It's also a great craft material for block printing. Since linoleum is made with linseed oil, puddle, I suspect really old linoleum might seem to be glued to the underfloor on account of the materials slowly oozing out and binding with the wood. But it wouldn't seem unreasonable to glue it down, either. Your solution was very creative!

    --Alan

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    1. Thanks for the recipe!
      I don't use All-Bran, so will consider what to use.

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  11. The most recent (I hope not the last) Democratic Party presidential nominee for whom I truly and actively wanted to vote was Walter Mondale; gad--that was thirty years ago. A very good man indeed.

    --Alan

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