Labor Day

Just a quick thought on labor day...for a long time, I've scoffed at the idea of a third party in this country, mainly because I couldn't shake the prior attempts made in presidential elections and the media circus around them.

But it's clear to me (and apparently to what's left of organized labor in this country) that there's no party that supports the goals and the needs of the American worker.

In case you're wondering who the america worker is...it's most of us. Labor is where our middle and working classes come from. It's the classes who have seen the social safety net eroded, the cost of educating their children rise, all while a historic transfer of wealth to the wealthy accelerated in their lifetime.

For historical perspective, this trend began with Reagan and has continued unabated regardless of which party holds office. We need a labor party. And it can happen. Using all the remaining unions to throw their weight towards a new party might create enough of a groundswell to actually create a new voice that represents a majority of Americans.

What we have now is an oligopoly that creates the illusion of choice, while the reality of corporate interests over people continues unabated. Social issues and debates are window dressing used to distract us from where the money goes, and it is increasingly not to the american worker.

In the next few months, there will be massive trade agreements put forth to congress while this jobs proposal comes out for debate. It is highly unlikely that much real good for the American worker will be in the jobs bill...what is likely is that what will be in the trade agreements will be a further blow to the interests of american labor.

How can you be for a party when no party is for you?


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Disney & Science

For all the pontificating about science and human progress, you won't see Disney take a stand on any of the issues where ignorance confronts science today.
The closest we get to an origin of tthe universe is the big bang. Evolution is never mentioned or discussed directly. Climate change as a result of energy use- "it's controversial" . I wonder what walt would say in today's environment of willful ignorance and blatant disregard for science...would he stay out of the fray or would he take a stand?


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An ode to the air conditioner

Oh sweet freon of the cool drafts, how I love thee.

Thou makest the sweat vanish and the heart beat gentler

Thy drafts make us sneeze yet we sleep restfully in thy gentle white noise

Thou keepest us from murder on the subway and create gentle relief on NJT trains

Thy sweet coolness removes the odor of ass from the air, and brings us peace

We curse thine absence and welcome the opening blast of thy cool presence at mall entrances.

We dedicate movie theaters and shopping malls as thy divine houses of worship, and reserve a subway car unblessed with thy presence for the sinner.

Oh air conditioning, how we adore thy coolness, for lack of thee is misery.


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Location:Lincoln Hwy,,United States

Hike at ramapo

Nice hike yesterday. We took 287 to skyline drive. Right after exit on skyline drive is the lot for ramapo state park. Take the blue trail up to the lake, then the red blazes to red & yellow back to blue (return). Vistas, beautiful lake with some swimming opportunities. If you cache, caches everywhere.

Distance about 3.5 miles. Rocky, moderate scrambles.


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iPhone Car Audio

If, like me, you have tried many FM transmitters, only to be completely frustrated at the lack of audio quality and the frequent station changes required on long trips..I have a great solution for you:

http://www.neocaraudio.com/

These guys sell iPhone car stereo integration kits that integrate your iphone fully into your car stereo system. I might add that I am a complete idiot when it comes to doing any sort of work on cars or houses..but, this was very easy and straightforward to do.

I now can plug my iphone in and have all my music, audible navigation, internet radio..and take hands free calls all over my car audio system.

As a last point, I had a couple tech support questions..and I was able to get a knowledgeable human being on the phone within 3 minutes of my call. I almost passed out from the shock.

Little neck clams

I think this is one of the easiest things in the universe to make, but people ask me for the recipe all the time...so here you go.

Ingredients
salt, pepper
Olive oil
Butter
White wine
Chicken broth
Garlic
Red onion
Little neck clams
Parsley

Proportions vary with the number of clams..suffice to say you want about 3/4" of liquid in the pot before you add the clams.

Over medium-high heat-
Heat pot. Add oil, butter.
sauté onion til translucence
Add garlic.. Toss until you smell it (10-15 seconds)

Add wine.. Reduce by 1/4..
Add broth..bring to a boil
Add salt and pepper.. Lite on the salt or even eliminate if u like. Clams ship with salt!
Add cleaned and Scrubbed clams.
Cover and keep on med-high heat.. You want steam in there.
Cook for at least 6 minutes.. No peek! Check every minute or so after. When clams start to open, remove from heat, leave covered and let sit for 5-10 minutes.

Add chopped parsley

Serve in bowls w crusty bread.


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Effortless Weekend BBQ

Assumption one: you can build a straight up, old school charcoal fire.

Assumption two: you like classic pulled pork bbq

Assumption three: you like grilling.

So..this is my little recipe for staying in bbq all weekend..a little combination grill and bbq, that can be used for a dinner followed by a next day picnic....

So here's all you need to do.

Step one..buy stuff to grill tonight..thats right..anything you might grill over direct flame can fill in here...steak, fish, chicken..whatever.

Step two..get a whole pork shoulder.

So do whatever you would do to prep up the meat for this evening..then...

Carve all the skin and fat off the exterior of the shoulder. We're not having crackling, and its better to get more dry rub all over the shoulder.

Dry rub, with plenty of it, the entire shoulder. Really get in there, and get the rub all over the meat, to excess. Get in there and get messy. its worth it.

Wrap that baby up in cling wrap and put in the fridge for a while.

Get some of your favorite wood for smoking, and soak up a goodly amount (a pint or so) in water.

Have a beer, wait a couple hours, and start your barbecue. Use a chimney. Naptha smells awful and you just don't need it. Get the fire grilling hot, and go to town.

Bring in your meat (hopefully resting in foil) and bring out the shoulder.

Bank your fire to one side of the grill..extreme right or left. Wood chips (still wet) go on top of the coals directly.

Put your shoulder on the clear (no coals underneath) side of the grill. Go eat, take a nap...relax..

About 3 hours later, preheat your oven to 225. Bring in the shoulder..it should have a nice browned bark and be all smokey. Put the shoulder in heavy duty foil in a roasting pan. Put about a quarter inch of apple juice in the foil, seal it up, and go to bed.

When you get up in the morning, take the shoulder out, dump the fat, and rewrap the shoulder in foil. Let it rest an hour or two.

Pull the pork. It will fall apart, and the bone will be clean. You now have a no work dinner for tonight. Sauce the meat up later, buns, pickles coleslaw.....you are all set.