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People tend to toss strange glances at you when they walk by your cube and see you air-drumming uncontrollably to a really rockin' song in the morning.
I have noticed that the air-saxophone is capable of generating some weird looks from passers-by as well.
Jackpot edition.
Kenny Rodgers and his "The Gambler" on The Muppet Show.
Dr. Jasper LiCalzi, a professor from The College of Idaho who blogs at the Idaho Statesman has a great post comparing Idaho's state run liquor monopoly to Socialism.
He makes some great points:
So, where is the blatant socialism in our system? It is an issue that hasn’t been brought up yet in this debate. The Idaho state government owns and operates liquor stores. The state buys the liquor and then sells it directly to the people. Hugo Chevez could not find a less market driven system. Where are the conservatives, libertarians and anti-statists commentators, who seem to comment on all of these blogs, when it comes to the most manifest form of government control in our state? Why is free enterprise so important in pre-school education and health care but not booze?
I assume the Governor does not support this system and is just waiting for the right time to propose privatization of the entire system. Many other commentators use ideology when it fits their personal philosophy but ignore it when it doesn’t. That is why you hear, “I want the government out of my life” yet it is followed with “We cannot let people make that decision for themselves.” If you are against government interference, at least be consistent.
I caught this in my logs the other day:
That certainly piqued my interest.
Dave Krick, of course being the Boise restaurateur who started up the recently sold The Reef and Boise's beer hot spot The Front Door. He also started, and currently owns the awesome Bittercreek Ale House and the swanky Red Feather Lounge.
Needless to say I'm a fan of all four of these places, I'd love to see a Bittercreek Ale House in Downtown Nampa, but I'm sure whatever else Krick comes up with will be equally delightful. Of course, I could just be lookin' too much into this, that is known to happen as well.
The Joy of Sex and The Joy of Gay Sex are back in the news in Nampa. I first talked about this back in Feb of last year, well, apparently a certain moral crusader is back to flogging non-issues.
KTVB:
Man wants Nampa library to remove two sex books from shelves
NAMPA -- For the second time a Nampa Public Library patron has asked the library to remove two sexually explicit books from their shelves.
This complaint will once again go up for vote before the library board.
The vote was four to one in favor of keeping the books when the complaint went before the board back in June 2006.
One problem I have is that the media consistently props up Randy Jackson as a "concerned parent", he may be a "concerned parent", but he also has strong ties to the activists in the Conservative community. We're not talking about some random guy coming in off of the street, we're talking about someone who is working within a much, much larger agenda.
This shouldn't even need to be discussed again, the issue was laid to rest last year, so I'm not quite sure why the Mayor or the Library Board are going to allow this issue to come to a vote... again.
If you'd like, you can contact the Mayor's office @ 465-2200 ext. 5 Library 468-5800 and let them direct you to who to contact, let them know that you'd not like to have the Library Board's time wasted, yet again. Insecure activists should not be dictating what is on, or off of our PUBLIC library shelves.
MEDIA: Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune, KBCI
Tandoori wild game hen... in Nampa. Wouldn't have even thought about seeing that in Nampa a year ago.
Sun coming up in the valley, only a few clouds dot the sky, the smells of early spring starting make their presence known.
Mornings like this is when I think that there should be a valley-wide loud system that is broadcasting Josh Ritter's "To the Dogs or Whoever". Maybe it'd make everyone else as happy as it makes me.
I have to admit that I agree with a lot of what Gov. Otter does, I also don't agree with a lot of what he does... *cough.. cough... Bowers*...
This just flat-out doesn't make any sense. From the Idaho Statesman:
Car registration could jump to $150
A flat fee for all vehicles is one of Otter's plans to boost road funding. It got mixed reactions in the Legislature.Some car owners would pay six times more to register their cars under a plan by Gov. Butch Otter to raise money for roads.
Under Otter's plan everyone would pay the state $150 per year for each car owned, regardless of age. County and local surcharges would continue, so Ada County registrations of new cars would rise to $187.
Personally, I think the best answer is to raise the gas tax, and perhaps raise the registration fees as well, but keep the tiered system. I don't think someone driving an economical family sized sedan should be charged as much as someone driving a jacked up F-250.
And it should come down to use. An increase in the gas tax is the best way to judge how much people are using the roads. It might make people think a little harder about what type of vehicle they think they need to have.
One thing is clear, we have to do something. Idaho's roads are horrible, some of the worst infrastructure I've ever seen in the States. There is no doubt that Idaho's Legislatures have done a horrendous job of planning for growth over the last 25 years. Maybe if they focused more on improving the backbone of Idaho's economy instead of internet porn, they wouldn't be having all these revenue shortfalls.
I busted off a sideview mirror on my car this morning pulling out of my garage. I hope my day improves.
If it's not one thing, it's another.
Whoever the Big Easy pissed off, they pissed them off really good.
Senators kill bill allowing alcohol at all-ages shows
Boise's Big Easy Concert House says the law was necessary for it to bring in entertainmentA popular Boise concert club is closer to losing its ability to sell alcohol at all-ages events.
A Senate committee on Monday rejected a bill that would have changed the state's liquor rules to help the club.
The bill was brought to the Senate State Affairs Committee by the owners of the Big Easy Concert House. It would have created a new class of establishments, called "events centers," which could serve liquor while minors are present. That would have put the Big Easy in the same league as sporting venues like Qwest and Taco Bell arenas.
"We have as a state tried to keep minors away from environments where the sale of liquor, including liquor by the drink, is readily available, and we continue to chip away at it," said Sen. Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, who voted against the bill.
The Big Easy, which opened in 2001, is allowed to serve liquor during all-ages events because it is recognized by the state as a restaurant, a designation the Idaho State Police is trying to revoke. State police have argued that the Big Easy functions more like a bar than a restaurant.
This, like most else that comes out of Idaho's Legislature is just plain stupid. There is no place in the state that does more to ensure underage people don't drink than the Big Easy. You can't walk 10 feet without coming under the assuming glare of one of the many bouncers that they employ. When we were sitting at the bar before the Drive-By Truckers show last week the bartender checked every single person who came to the bar for their over-21 wristband. Every single one. No system is perfect, but that is exactly why place like Qwest, Taco Bell Arena and the Idaho Center shouldn't get special rules just for them.
Possibly gone now are shows like Bright Eyes, one of the most prolific bands of the last 10 years, one who attracted 16-year-olds to 66-year-olds last time they were in Boise. Of course, I guess I should know better than to think that these old curmudgeons care for what musical acts come to Boise.
I think what I find most infuriating about this is the blatant forcefulness that the Legislature is using to shove their narrow scope of morals onto everyone else. I'd argue that patrons, both under and above the age of 21 have a right to see acts such as Josh Ritter, The Drive-By Truckers, Modest Mouse or Built to Spill. Some of these artist's music is ageless -- it doesn't conform to typical musical stereotypes. People under the age of 21 have a right to see such acts, and people over the age of 21 have a right to enjoy an adult beverage while they are watching these acts -- it's really that simple.
After all the hoops that Idaho's Legislature goes through to allow Qwest and Tamarack to get special consideration for whatever they want, you'd think that the Big Easy's only problem is not having the right lobbyist. This even though the lobbyist's father Sen. Denton Darrington is on the Senate State Affairs committee (he abstained from the vote, which is appropriate). I'd love to make some guesses as to what religion members of the Senate State Affairs committee subscribe to by making broad generalizations of where they reside, but alas, the Senate membership page is down, for the 10th time this session. How appropriate. How useless.
Personally, I don't think Idaho's Legislature is just after the Big Easy, I would wager a guess that they are out to punish Boise, the Liberal bastion that doesn't vote red. I can't really say much for any other states, but if they are half as useless as Idaho's Legislature; then God have mercy on this country.
Also today the Idaho Statesman has a great "Our View" which goes after Gov. Otter's task force for, well, basically doing nothing so far. It's a good read if you're following the booze issues in Idaho.
Update
Clayton Cramer writes comments -- promptly tosses any sense of personal responsibility right out the window.
I fail to see why exactly this is news...
Caldwell police raid underage drinking party
CALDWELL — Three adults and four juveniles were taken into custody after Caldwell Police interrupted a large party in a vacant house Saturday night.
Oh, and it is not just the Press-Tribune, the Idaho Statesman (+ comments) has had the story on the main page all day. Do you suppose if the cops busted a "underage drinking party" in the 'burbs of Eagle or the foothills of Boise it'd be front page news?
I liked this paragraph from a Slashfood post regarding the Colorado legislature considering whether it will or will not let people buy booze on Sundays; a familiar problem I'd say.
The government should work on teaching people how to be responsible, and maybe work on strategies to prevent the downsides of drinking. It should not, however, tell me when I can purchase alcohol. That's just un-American.
Great looking sausage biscuits over at Homesick Texan.
I normally wind up eating a bowl of Cheerios and a banana for breakfast each day, that or some days just coffee. Not exactly the most delectable thing in the world, but it does the trick when I'm in a hurry. I did make some shrimp 'n grits with brown sugar peaches yesterday, kinda take us back to our Georgia days for a morning. They tasted pretty good, but presentation-wise they just weren't there, hence no pics. Maybe sometime this summer when I can do them all on the grill I'll post my recipe. There isn't much that is more enjoyable than making breakfast on the grill come those weekend summer mornings.
Speaking of breakfast, flipping through the channels the other day I caught Food Network's Paula Deen making a breakfast sandwich that consisted of a sausage patty, a fried egg, some bacon all sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts. While it did looking mildly attractive, I think it furthers the theory that Paula Deen is indeed trying to kill America one meal at a time.
Idaho Statesman has an update on some liquor bills making their way through the legislature:
Alcohol bills bypass review of old laws
With a task force unlikely to offer proposals until next year, some interests say they can't wait.Members of Gov. Butch Otter's liquor task force are taking a methodical approach to rewriting the state's alcohol laws, but some legislators and lobbyists aren't waiting.
At least eight bills dealing with the state's alcohol laws are winding their way through the Legislature. Most appear to have been written without consultation with the task force.
[...]
The Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producing Commission is pushing one bill that would allow a winery restaurant to sell beer and liquor not produced by the winery and another bill to allow two wineries to share equipment. The legislation was brought this session in part because the winemakers have not been included in the governor's task force, said Roger Batt, who lobbies for the wine industry.
[...]
The current quota system, which Otter contends is broken, caps the number of liquor licenses at around 1,100.
With more than 300 people on the waiting list, a license can be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on the secondary market.
At least two pending bills aim to make changes to liquor license laws, including one that would allow towns with 1,500 or fewer people to issue licenses to large resort developments.
Another bill, sponsored by Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, would allow Tamarack Resort to obtain more liquor licenses. He said he went ahead with the bill without comment from the task force because the bill can't wait.
Bottom line, you, citizen still can't get a liquor license at face value (w/out a ridiculous wait), but Tamarack can get their 13. I'm eager to see what Otter's task force brings to the table next legislative session -- it should be interesting as some legislators will be forced to play either their religious or business cards.
I am kinda curious about the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producing Commission's bill, I think it makes sense, and another example as to why the laws need changed. For the life of me I can't think of any wineries that have attached restaurants except for Carmela in Glenns Ferry. I can only assume that this is intended for Polo Cove, the truffle farm/resort/winery that is planned for southwest Canyon County (of which we are eagerly awaiting new info on).
One thing I love about the 'tubes is that seemingly, everyone is an expert on everything. While I let the irony of that statement simmer down for a little bit, check out the Idaho Statesman forum RE: the officer involved shooting of Rudolph Andrade last Friday morning in Nampa. While this is a reoccurring thought that I have often, this thread was the one that got me writing about it.
Instead of waiting until we know exactly what happened early that morning, stupid people on the 'tubes are arguing with other stupid people on the 'tubes about who hates cops and who is blindly obedient. It is amusing if only in a mildly disturbingly sad way.
If there is one thing I've learned from my time on the interwebs it is that you cannot convince people to change their minds. Rarely have I ever heard some one say "Oh, yeah, you're right". Which is partly why I mostly stay out of long argumentative threads, because mostly they are a waste of my time. Of course, there are some beneficial ones, this thread over at Red State Rebels is (in my mind) exactly how discussions on the internet should work. Of course this was a thread were most of those involved are of the same ideology, once you hit non-ideological sites such as the Idaho Statesman forums, things can get a bit dicier.
If you are so inclined make sure you check out some local forums to see what the locals are saying.
Idaho Statesman - comments on any story
Boise Weekly
Neurolux
Craigslist Boise - Politics
I'm sure there are plenty more hiding out in the nether regions of the internet concerning our local communities, I just haven't found them yet. If there is one thing that can always be counted on, it is that there is never a shortage of clusters of stupidity on the 'tubes.
...ah Sunday, the day of reckoning.
No matter whatever happens, or whatever is said on blogs, it's always important to remember that there is a real person with real family and real friends behind everyone of these websites.
Please keep my friend Sara from F-Words in your thoughts and prayers.
By way of Jake Shimabukuro, his ukulele and George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".
If you've got the capabilities for it, I highly recommend going to this Stage6 site and watching this and other Jake Shimabukuro clips in HD. I hooked my laptop up to my stereo system and tv and let 'er rip. Looks a hell of a lot better than YouTube, that's for sure.
I saw this in the Idaho Statesman this morning:
Food notes: Flatbread Community Oven gets props from Italy, expands to Oregon
Flatbread Community Oven (3139 S. Bown Way, Boise, 343-4177) recently was certified as an official Neapolitan pizzeria, making it one of 20 restaurants in the United States to hold the distinction.
The Bown Crossing restaurant received the certification from the U.S. delegate of the Italian Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana that regulates and protects the culinary tradition.
"Neapolitan-style" pizza is commonplace, but authentic Neapolitan pizza only can be found at 48 restaurants outside of Italy.
Flatbread Community Oven is one of them, and the only one in Idaho.
"(Pizza is) an incredibly crowded segment of the industry, and we wanted to create a point of distinction," said owner Robert Lumsden. "We're not doing the same thing as everyone else."
To be designated as authentic Neapolitan pizza, a pie must be baked in a wood-fired oven at 800-plus degrees and made fresh from scratch with ingredients like whole-milk mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes.
Only four ingredients - type 00 Italian hand-milled flour, Mediterranean sea salt, yeast and water - can go into the crust, which is required to have a diameter of 13 inches and a certain thickness in the middle. Flatbread Community Oven has an Italian-made spiral mixer for the dough.
I have to say I haven't had their pizza yet, frankly, the only time I'm ever on that side of Boise is when the Idaho Shakespeare Festival is in season -- but I have to say that it looks pretty damn delish (in fact that whole Brown's Crossing area looks pretty nifty). Simple fresh pizza's are my favorites, the more that I cook pizza at home the more I realize that if the sauce is perfect then you only need to add one or maybe two toppings. I've also learned that pizza is a great way to experiment with flavor combinations, I kind of look at the dough like a blank canvas ready to be painted with fresh ingredients. What is nice about it, is that you can experiment with flavor combos, but you don't have to worry about plate presentation.
I like pizza of almost any style, although I'm not really a fan of deep dish Chicago style pizza I can deal with it every now and then. And I do love me some Flying Pie, their pizza is pretty outstanding, although personally I'd prefer a slice of Guidos New York style pizza (cheese and basil please). Flying Pie does win hands down though when it comes to the beers they offer, there is no doubt about that.
And yeah, we do order the cardboard chain pizzas every once in a while. I'll admit it. Granted we wouldn't if we had more options, but not a lot of places deliver at 1 a.m. in Nampa. Smokey Mountain Pizza has been a nice addition to Nampa, but they just aren't open that late. And I'm really just not a huge fan of Chicago Connection.
I definitely prefer to make my own; I really think I've got my red sauce down to perfection, yes, perfection -- and it has only taken a year or so. I now make batches of it and freeze portions so I can make pizza much more quickly than I have been able to in the past. My red sauce takes about 2 hours to prepare, but it freezes very well and lasts two to three months. I'll be posting the recipe here in a bit, probably next time I make a batch so that I can take some pics while I'm preparing it.
Now my dough? Well, that is another story, I haven't been able to make a dough from scratch that I really dig yet. Right now I use the dough they make in-house at WinCo, which has worked out pretty good. But now that I have my red sauce down I'll probably start experimenting with doughs again.
According to the Statesman article Flatbread Community Oven is looking to expand into Downtown Boise, Eagle and Meridian, heres to hoping they give Downtown Nampa a look too. It sounds like they'd be a nice addition to our growing city.
Idaho Rep. Nicole LeFavour writes one of the finest and most eloquently written blogs I have read in a long time. Not only does she provide some unique insights and thoughtful commentary on Idaho's Legislature, she writes beautiful and airy prose.
Make sure you check out, and stay on top of her Notes From the Floor.
I caught this via Kevin Richert's ID Quicktakes:
Having, evidently, dispatched all the other problems facing state government, your legislators are surfing around for other dragons to slay.
Up this morning: Internet porn.
The House State Affairs Committee was scheduled to consider a joint memorial denouncing Internet pornography and urging Congress to pass legislation "to facilitate a technology-based solution that allows parents and employers to subscribe to Internet access services that exclude adult content."
Whatever that means.
If you're into tech and how the 'tubes work you can check out the "Joint Memorial" text here. It is laughable -- not only is it laughable it is also mildly infuriating. I'm not quite sure what these people think I'm paying them to do while they are in session, but wasting my money is not what I had in mind.
For Republican's hatred of all things government and their disdain for the machine, they sure as hell aren't doing anything to change how it works. No, I'd wager a guess that this crop of citizen legislators are taking wasting time and money to a whole new level. Next year I'd like Gov. Otter to set up his desk outside the halls of the House chamber (where most of this nonsense seems to come from) and provide the Republican leadership with a lecture here and there. Frankly, some of these people need to be brought down a level or two.
Oh and don't think that it's just Republicans, no, this year Democrat Branden Durst wanted to make milk the "official beverage of Idaho". He attempts to explain his actions (apparently I'm not the only one who thought this was stupid) on his blog but falls drastically short. Let me be the four-thousandth person to say that making milk the "official beverage of Idaho" will not get kids drinking more milk. One, it's a choice, two, if it's that big of a deal, only offer milk, water and 100% juices as options in schools. Kids will get used to it or die of thirst. I'm not advocating it, but that is legislation what will have results, a Durst's will not.
Oh, and while idea of the bill itself does not make a mockery of our legislative session, using exclamation marks in the text of a bill does (!). What is next; "Tofu: the official protein of Idaho"? It's a slippery slope some would say.
The point is that the legislature needs to concern themselves with things they can change, things that will help out ordinary Idahoans. For the most part they seem to be active, dutifully passing legislation proposed by industry lobbyist and working on meaningful legislation other times, but things like porn and milk just make no sense.
And before anyone says "well, this is how every other legislature works", if that's the case (and it probably is, if you look at the Federal level), then try plowing a new path. Let's try to run our legislature efficiently and effectively.
Update
Rep. Durst has pulled his bill. Yay. He definitely deserves some kudos for listening to the citizens he represents. That doesn't happen that much in Idaho.
Or was it the alien meteor burrowing even deeper into the earth's crust? Idaho Statesman says it was an earthquake, I'll reserve judgment for the time being.
Felt it pretty strong here on the northwest side of Boise. First one that I can ever recall actually feeling (and seeing things shake).
Update
KTVB has lots 'o' pics from Wells, Nevada, where the quake was centered. Man, I hope Cactus Petes is alright; we're headin' down in a few weeks.
KTVB:
Scientists say Tuesday's meteor never hit Earth
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Despite witness statements that a meteor that streaked across the Pacific Northwest skies this week struck the Earth, scientists at the University of Washington said it disintegrated in the sky.
Police search for meteorite landing
Some witnesses reported seeing Tuesday's meteor hit the ground southwest of Ritzville, sending local officials on a fruitless hunt for the crater.
Last night @ the Big Easy, The Drive-By Truckers and The Felice Brothers (who will be returning to Boise to play The Bouquet Sunday, March 23rd).
An observation from standing at the bar -- nothing quite says "middle aged rocker dude" than a Jack and Diet Coke.
On a political note; the "Vote Cooley for President in 2008" camp was out in force last night at the show, when Mike saw this he said to make sure you change your vote from him to Obama.
Trading swigs from a bottle of Jack Daniel’s on stage, the Truckers were flawed yet they awed. They rocked loud and proud. You either got it or you didn’t.
Continue reading "Drive-By Truckers and The Felice Brothers" »
Get your asses in gear, get a legger on, shit or get off the pot, get down to brass tacks, oh and STFUGBTW, etc, etc...
Read the press release from Gov. Otter below.
Be there or be square -- should be a good show, I've been waiting for this since '02 when I first got into them.
Oh, and I find it highly amusing that this person seems just like the people she complains about that shop at Wal-Mart. Kinda the whole "I'm above you, but I'm here too" attitude.
Of course, there were plenty of dissenters in the 44-25 vote, because you Citizen, aren't capable of choosing when you can or cannot drink. Those are decisions best left to Idaho's rural, graying, white male dominated legislature -- they of course know better than you do after all.
It'll still be interesting to see how the Senate goes with this, and of course see how they vote when it comes to giving Tamarack 9 more liquor licenses.
Ya know... cause they're worried about "temperance and sobriety".
The way it was meant to be enjoyed...
The Idaho Statesman was kind enough to remind us all that there are stupid people in every income bracket.
It's Band of Horses performing their track "No One's Gonna Love You" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Make sure you check out the clip of Chef José Andrés (rewind the video to 29:31), one of the Chefs whose food I'd love to have sometime. He has several restaurants but the one I've always wanted to try is Oyamel Cocina Mexicana.
Last night my wife and I celebrated Valentines Day at Downtown Nampa's Market Limone down on 13th. I didn't really have any intention of writing anything about it prior to sitting down for the 6 course dinner, but after each dish arrived at our table and was consumed, it became clear I had to say something. They just don't serve food this good in Nampa -- well, they do now.
What impressed me most about this experience is that Market Limone is just that... a market, well, you can get food, wine and beer to consume at any of their multiple tables. But the Market is not a sit down restaurant by any means, so it impressed me even more that they managed to pull off this classy dinner with stunning results.
Let me start with this; the dinner we had at the Market last night was the best meal we've ever had in
Nampa. Hands down. The food prepared by Chef James Kelly was outstanding. The wine paired with each course was spot on. And this does say something, I've noticed a lot of times when wines are paired with dinners, sometimes the relationship between food and wine is less than stellar. Not last night. No, last night the L'Ecole No. 41 Semillon ripped through the richness of the dungeness crab bisque like I've never tasted before. You wine drinkers out there know that sometimes, just every once in a while, you have a food and wine paired so perfectly that it instantly causes you smile uncontrollably. Sometimes even shed a tear in awe of the magic that just happened on your palate. This was one of those times.
And the service -- top notch, as good and as knowledgeable as you'll find at any top dining destination in Boise. Our wine and water glasses were never once left empty. All the courses and wines were properly described and explained as they arrived at our table. I think one of the complaints I've heard most about the Market is its service, are there problems sometimes, sure it happens everywhere, but I think a lot of stems from people not understanding how exactly the Market is supposed to function. This was not the case last night.
From the candles and roses placed on the white tablecloths, to the Dean Martin impersonator swooning the diners (who was quite amazing himself), to the slow and enjoyable pace of the dinner -- it was an experience to remember in Downtown Nampa.
Watching all the construction and changes that have happened over the course of the last couple of years in Downtown Nampa, it is literally like watching your city grow before you as if it were alive. Well, last night, wasn't when the baby took its first steps, no those had already been taken -- last night was when the baby took its first steps and didn't fall right back down, when he realized he can walk and he doesn't have to crawl anymore.
Here was the menu:
- First Course: Dungeness Crab Bisque with Sorrel Oil paired with L'Ecole No. 41 Semillon, Columbia Valley 2006
- Second Course: Smoked Oysters on the Half Shell with a pumpkin seed aioli paired with Bitner Vineyards Dry Riesling, Snake River Valley 2006
- Third Course: Chicken Saltimbocca atop sun-dried tomato risotto paired with Cartlidge & Browne Pinot Noir, Napa Valley 2006
- Fourth Course: Braised Beef Short Ribs with a herbed polenta cake paired with Syzygy Red Wine, Columbia Valley 2005
- Fifth Course: Tarte Tatin with Rum Ice Cream paired with Koenig Vineyards Riesling Ice Wine, Snake River Valley 2005
*a salad with mission figs and walnuts was added as an additional course during the meal.
Hi, I hope everything is going well with you. It has been a long time since we last chatted.
It sounds like you are holding up under the stress of running your campaign to be the potential Democratic Party nominee for President. I bet that's a lot of weight to have on your shoulders and I’m sure that it’s pretty stressful, I can’t even imagine. I did hear that you've broken down a couple times, you really got to get that under control. I'm an emotional guy myself, but I don't like the idea of my Commander-in-Chief crying on my TV -- it just doesn't work for me and it makes you look kinda weak. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're weak; it's just the image thingy. The rule of thumb that I live by is to not cry when there are cameras around -- this has always seemed to work for me.
Between me and you -- what doesn’t work is having my wife tell everyone that I cry every time I watch Jerry Maguire – no shit, every time. It’s the “You're my ambassador of quawn” part at the end that gets me. Well, that and “You had me at hello”, that kind of tugs at my heart strings too; don’t tell anyone though.
Schools wait to hear if beef is tainted or safe
USDA puts a hold on meat as it checks out the condition of cattle at a now-closed California packing plant.
Thousands of cases of ground beef are on hold in a state warehouse in Emmett and at school districts across Idaho while federal officials determine whether the meat is safe for school kids to eat.Some of the meat was eaten by children in Meridian, but the district has had no reports of illness.
Video shot by the Humane Society in California shows apparently sick cattle - destined for school lunch trays - being pulled and pushed by forklifts and being prodded to stand before being taken to slaughter.
I think issues like this need to come to the forefront as an issue where we need to get to the core of the problem -- fertilize the roots, save the tree.
Bear with me as I segway from a story about cheap beef in schools into crappy restaurants. The two are related, I promise.
Americans have a passion for cheap flavorless, overly processed food for some reason, which is really odd when you consider the diverse culinary makeup of our citizenry. I do think that it is important to focus on the "cheap" portion of this argument. Americans don't typically want to pay a "fair" price for anything, they want a steal, a bargain basement price. To them, getting a platter of all you can eat ribs from Applebees for $8.99 (or whatever it is) is a deal, when in fact it is a steal. Americans don't take into account the environmental, nor social impacts of that all-you-can-eat platter of ribs, to them, it doesn't affect them right then and there, so why care? And by golly if they can get down 4lbs of ribs and french fries with some diet coke for 9 bucks, they're gonna do it.
I should go ahead and profess that not by any means shall I ever claim to be some holier-than-thou foodie. No, I've had my share of fast food and sit down fast food, hell, I grew up on the stuff, who didn't here in the valley? It wasn't until I began eating in the small air condition-less BBQ joints of southern Georgia or ate street food in Uijongbu, South Korea did I realize that the food we buy at these places is, well, for a lack of a better term; shitty. Nearly all of it is previously frozen and knowing a few people who've worked in these joints and hearing what goes on in the kitchen -- well, let's just say I won't ever be back.
Cost? Bullocks. I really, really hate this argument. If you've ever gone to Outback or Olive Garden and fed a family of 4 you can afford to go to Brick 29 Bistro in Nampa, or hell, even the Milky Way in Boise. You get local food and best of all, your money stays in the local community. There are lots of options out there, you just have to look a little harder.
Do we suffer from a lack of good local restaurants in our area? Sure, but we're working on that, we can always use some more. We do however have options however. Great local Mexican food? Man, the sky is the limit in Canyon County; El Rodeo, Jalapeño's... etc.. etc. In Nampa and want some Italian grub? Try out Noodles instead of Olive Garden.
Is there crappy local food? You bet. But ya gotta try it to find out.
Need some fast food on the go? There is a host of quick food joints in Nampa, Meridian and Boise, just open your eyes a little, look past those golden arches or that little red head girl and you might just see the light. Ever seen a taco truck sitting in the parking lot somewhere? Ever eatin' from it? Go ahead. You'll eat till you explode for 3 bucks. And it is a hell of a lot better than Taco Bell. And guess what, most likely those tamales were made that morning and they weren't frozen.
And please, whatever you do, don't listen to the uppity food snobs, frankly the people who think that if a meal is under $25/plate it can't any good -- they have no idea what they are talking about. There are foodies, and food snobs, and there is a significant difference between the two. Those types annoy me more than the mini van driving family of 4 who thinks that Goodwood makes good lip smackin' BBQ.
Oy. I think I'll end it there for right now. This is one of those things that I plan on writing at length about when I free up some time -- America's fascination with all things chains.
Keep it fresh, keep it local. Cheap mass produced food does have a cost, and not the cost that you pay at the cash register.
MEDIA: Mark Bittman - "Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler"
BLOGS: Ruhlman - "Carnivore", and Chef Chris Cosentino - "This is Cheap Meat!!"
You can download the committee's letter to Senator Larry Craig here.
The Senate Ethics Committee says Sen. Larry Craig acted improperly in a men's room sex sting. In a letter Wednesday, the ethics panel says Craig's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea in a June arrest at a Minneapolis airport was an effort to evade legal consequences of his own actions. The letter says Craig brought discredit to the Senate. The panel took no further action.
MEDIA: Idaho Statesman, Idaho Press-Tribune, FOXNews.com, MSNBC, Eye On Boise, KTRV, KBCI, Eye On Boise (Craig's response).
BLOGS: Ridenbaugh Press, my DailyKos diary, AMERICAblog, Red State Rebels
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