Administrativia

There will be much talk over the next few days about whether or not "we" have learned appropriately from Katrina (and Rita). As we look anxiously forward and scornfully back, here are some links to contemporaneous accounts. And remember the juxtoposition of an effective (Democrat) mayor with ffailure of action by FEMA... the cronyism and politicization of FEMA and the federal government -- along with the Rovian emphasis on photo-ops versus substance by the Bush administration. Mayor Bill White -- Profile in Courage Award (2007) Mayor Bill White (wiki profile) the Katrina Experience (oral histories) Houtopia (September 2005) A Rescue Mission Under Control: Houston Adjusts Well on the Fly (NY Times) Katrina Timeline (ThinkProgress) Katrina Leaves an Impact on Houston "Houston and Harris County residents polled after evacuees arrived here said they felt White did the best job of handling the crisis. This is in stark contrast to the response following Tropical Storm Allison...

This week: Old Fashioned Spoon Bread 1 cup white cornmeal 2 cups water 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup cold milk 2 large eggs, well beaten 2 tablespoons melted butter In a large saucepan, combine cornmeal with 2 cups of water; add 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring mixture to a boil then lower the heat; cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. The mixture will be very stiff. Remove from heat and slowly stir in 1 cup of cold milk. Stir in the beaten eggs and melted butter. Preheat oven to 400° and heat a greased 1 1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or 8-inch square baking dish. Pour the well blended batter into the hot baking dish; bake for about 40 minutes, or until firm in the middle and nicely browned. Serve hot, straight from the baking dish. This quantity provides 4 to 6 small servings; for more, double the recipe.

While the eye is on track for central Louisiana, the heaviest part of the storm will be hitting New Orleans... unless the storm goes erratic and moves more easterly or shifts to a Galveston landfall. We learned our lessons with Katrina and Rita -- and Hugo and Eduoard and Allison -- and we're about as prepared along the coast as we can be. It will be interesting to see if the GOP will be shamed into abbreviating or changing its convention -- if only as penance for the failure of the Bush administration (who preferred to have birthday cake with McSame). http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at2+shtml/025240.shtml?3day#contents

Once upon a time, the Republicans came to Houston and held a convention to nominate George Herbert Walker Bush... As Molly Ivins put it, "You have to feel sorry for the good folks of Houston, who were put in the position of being a hostess where the guest of honor just farted in front of everyone." Who could have guessed that the scion of that "guest of honor" would one day preside over the near entire loss of an American city? More than a decade later, the city of Houston showed the world that having a Democrat at the helm meant that the evacuees from New Orleans would be taken care of... We must never forget that Katrina happened because of a president and a party that put cronyism before competence, ideology before principle and politics before people. We cannot let that happen again.

As Shannen Coffin , over at the NRO noted: "... it is a bit of a political Hail Mary pass. Second, that he is one arrogant SOB. McCain is essentially telling the world that he doesn't really need a Vice President." I would go one step further. McSame is basically telling the American electorate that his own political expediency has a higher value than the safety, security and future prosperity of this country. We have had enough of politics trumping principle, cronyism over competency and right-wing ideology before national interests. That is the Bush legacy and mantle that this ersatz "maverick" seeks. Watching and listening to the so-called excitement being ginned up by the Limbaugh-Hannity axis over this ticket, I feel like I'm watching a gambling addict writing that last check to hit the tables... knowing full well, that the money was meant for the mortgage... they just know the next roll will be a hit. No really... this time is for real. Seriously...

There will be much mention of Palin's choice to have a child with Downs Syndrome -- that when they knew during prenatal testing that the child would be born with Downs , she kept to her pro-life principles and didn't seek an abortion but now has in (her words), "a perfect baby". Like the so-called "snow-flake babies" used as props in the stem-cell debate, this image will be manna from heaven to the evangelical pro-lifers. I do not fault her for her choice to carry this child to term. That decision -- that choice -- was her legal and ethical right. But there was another choice that she and her husband made: the choice to get pregnant at an age when the risk to the child was so high. Children born to women over forty carry a 1 in 100 chance of genetic defect-- specifically Downs . With reproductive choice comes risk -- but where I differ with Palin is about the concept of choice. Here's the truth: Republicans don't believe anyone should have to wr...

This week: Tamale Pie 2 cups cornmeal 6 cups water 1 medium onion 2 cups chopped tomatoes 1 lbs. hamburger Salt Pepper Preheat oven to 350° F. Start by making cornmeal mush -- Bring water to a boil; add cornmeal and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; cook about 45 minutes. Brown onion and hamburger, stir in tomatoes and cook until red disappears. Lightly salt and pepper. Grease a 9x9 baking dish. Spoon in about 1/2 of the cornmeal mush and spread evenly across the bottom. Next evenly layer on the hamburger mixture. Top with the remaining cornmeal mix. Bake for 30 minutes.

Obama did just that on Thursday night. All the right notes... all the right cadence -- or as Gergen said, "not so much a speech as a symphony". I've often been at odds with the chattering class, but have to agree with the sentiment that it will be difficult, if not impossible for the GOP to top this next week in the Twin Cities. Update: McSame goes for Quayle in dress -- as Sully calls it, "a hail mary pass" -- totally undercuts their talking points on experience and is doubtful that her pro-gun, anti-gay, anti-reproductive freedom stances will ingratiate her with the "Hillary base". Frankly, I think most women would be insulted by a choice that reeks of political desperation and affirmative-action.

Taken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

Smart, poignant, pointed and gracious. Thank you Hillary -- you've shown (again) that you are a class act. You came as close to saying "Shut up PUMAs" as anyone in your position could --if they don't get the message, then I hope that the commercial media will kindly ignore them with the same vigor as they have courted them.

One of the words that gets thrown around a great deal about the Obama nomination is "history" -- and this is true. CNN happened to have some of their convention statistics on the screen -- namely the percentage of LGBT delegates -- when Michelle Obama said: "It's the story of men and women gathered in churches and union halls and high school gyms -- people who stood up and marched and risked everything they had -- refusing to settle, determined to mold our future into the shape of our ideals. It is because of their will and determination that this week, we celebrate two anniversaries: the 88th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, and the 45th anniversary of that hot summer day when Dr. King lifted our sights and our hearts with his dream for our nation." I had to think about whether or not these convention-goers would know about or remember the contributions of Bayard Rustin, an openly gay black man in an extremely homophobic time -- without whom, th...

As the patriotic ferver builds through the Democratic Convention in Denver, it needs to be noted that one of the most popular American anthems was written not far from there by Katherine Lee Bates -- who wrote "America the Beautiful" after an inspiring trip to Pikes Peak, Colorado. Bates, a Wellesley College professor who lived for 25 years as "one soul together" with another woman, Katharine Coman. Her "Wellesley wife," Katherine Coman, died of breast cancer in 1915. Bates continued to teach until 1920, when she retired to write poetry full time. Without Coman, though, she told a friend that she was "sometimes not quite sure whether I’m alive or not." Ms. Bates died in 1929 at age 70. O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impa...

This week: Angel Food Cake 1 cup cake flour, sifted 1/2 cup sugar, sifted 1 1/2 cup egg whites (about a dozen) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 1/3 cup sugar, sifted Combine cake flour and 1/2 cup sugar together -- sift 4 times and set aside. Combine egg whites, salt, cream of tarter and flavorings in a mixing bowl. Beat until moist peaks are formed. Add 1 1/3 cups sifted sugar in 4 additions, beating after each. Sift in flour mixture in 4 additions, folding in with a spatula. Pour into angel food cake pan and bake at 375° F for 35 to 40 minutes. Place upside down to cool. Variation: Chocolate Angel Food Cake When sifting flour and sugar together, add 1/4 cup cocoa. Tip: Cut the cake using a bread knife. Summer Serving Suggestion: Slice the cake horizontally into two layers. Spread softened strawberry ice cream between the layers and "frost" entire cake with Cool Whip. Place in freezer for at least one hour. ...

This week: Five Onion Soup This is the soup I always get when eating at Harrah's The Range Steakhouse in Las Vegas. 4 Large Yellow or Vidalia Onions (5" Diameter) 1 Red onion 2 Leeks 1 bunch Green onions 2 oz Shallots 3 oz Butter 3 oz Flour 1 tsp Sweet basil 2 tsp Black pepper 1 pint Beef stock or bouillon 1/2 pint Heavy whipping cream 2 oz Burgundy wine 2 oz Chablis wine 4 oz Gouda cheese 4 oz Gruyere Cheese 4 Each French bread croutons 4 cups rock salt (not for cooking) Preheat oven to 400° F. Create onion serving bowls -- cut off top of the 4 large onions about half-inch down. Then, hollow out center without breaking through the sides or bottom (leave about 3 layers of onion on sides and bottom). The onion pieces that are removed will be diced along with the other onions. Dice all the onions (including the pieces from the onion bowls). Melt butter in soup pot at medium heat. Add chopped onions and sweet basil. Saute until onions are tender and starting to be translucent (do...

Good choice -- let the games begin!

This week: Chicken Fried Steak There are a lot of pretenders out there, but this is the basic, tried & true Texas recipe. What started out in the germanic Hill Country as a modified snitzel -- then blended with the cooking style of the cattle trails -- morphed into a staple of Texas eating. For the steak: One sleeve of saltine crackers (about 38-40) 1 cup flour Salt & black pepper 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 large eggs 1 1/2 cups whole or butter milk 4 tenderized round steaks (about 1/2 pound each and no more than 1/4 inch thick) 3 cups shortening (melted) 1 1/2 cups peanut oil 2 tablespoons butter For the gravy: 2 tablespoons butter 6 tablespoons flour 3 1/2 cups milk (regular) 1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper 1 tablespoon bacon grease (fry up 3 slices of bacon and use the drippings) Preheat oven to 225° F. To prepare the steaks -- Grind all but 4 saltines to breadcrumb consistency. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in flour, 2 teasp...

Saturday (August 23rd) will mark the third anniversary of the levees breaking in New Orleans after Katrina brought devastation to the Gulf Coast -- killing thousands, displacing hundreds of thousands, and showing the truly awful incompetence of the GOP enabled, crony-filled G.W. Bush administration. (You know he's from Connecticut, don't you?) Where was the Shrub while New Orleans drowned? Sharing a birthday cake with his buddy John McCain who turned 69 that weekend. Heckuva Job!

Current Weight = 246 Current BMI (calculated) = 30.6 Goal Weight = 225 Goal BMI = 24 Start Weight = 276 lbs. Start BMI (calculated) = 34.2 Current Loss = 30 lbs. Average Loss per Week = 2 lbs. Additional: Start waist size = 42.5" Current waist size = 39.8" Note: Okay, I know that this is running on the same day as a dessert recipe, but hey -- I'm at the point where I feel comfortable with how my diet is going. Being in Vegas last week didn't slow the momentum -- even though I "indulged" in higher-calorie meals than I have been over the last 3 months.

This week: Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwiches 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 cup thawed Cool Whip Topping 20 chocolate chip cookes (use Nestle Toll House Cookie recipe ) 1 cup Hershey's chocolate kisses, melted Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Stir in whipped topping. Cover bottom (flat) side of each of 10 of the cookies with about 2 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture; top each with second cookie, bottom-side down, to form sandwich. In a small double boiler, melt chocolate kisses (add up to 1 tablespoon butter to help keep mixture creamy). Dip half of each sandwich in chocolate; gently shake off excess chocolate. Place in single layer in airtight container. Freeze 3 hours or until firm. Store leftover sandwiches in freezer. Variation 1: Prepare cookie dough. Follow directions for pan cookies but separate into two smaller baking pans -- use baking parchment in pans to allow for easier ...

Wednesday night was Cher. Great show -- starting with her entrance from the rafters in a gold and heavily sequined Cleopatra outfit... there was a costume change for every song. The opening monologue was a little strained -- but with some good, one-liners like: "Oh, did I cross the line? Honey, I crossed that line 40 years ago." We also loved it when she came out and told some of her more rabid fans, "Sorry to sound like an adult here, but if you could just sit down in your seats every once and a while, the good folks behind you will be able to see." The whole show was a nice mix of live music, retrospectives of Cher (and Sonny), jaw-droppingly good-looking shirtless boys on rings, and a great mix of her hits over the last 5 decades. Now that I've seen Elton John , the only thing remaining is Bette -- so maybe this November, when I have some time.

Changing up the format of the recipe entries to bake them easier to spot -- I'll be retrofitting the other Friday entries over the next few weeks. Main Ingredients 1 pound skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves 1 to 2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed Salt and ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 ounces dried pasta (elbow or ziti) 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons tomato paste 3 cups milk 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded Topping 2 cups soft sourdough or French bread crumbs 2 ounces finely shredded Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup) 3 tablespoons butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet cook chicken, Italian or desired seasoning blend, salt, and pepper in hot oil over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. In a large pot or kettle cook pasta according to package directions until just te...

Continuing the no-bake, refrigerator desserts -- a great way to cool off during this summer heat. This week: No-Bake Banana Split Cheesecake 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 cup sugar, divided 1/3 cup butter, melted 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained 2 cups sliced strawberries 6 medium bananas, divided 2 cups cold milk 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling 2 cups thawed Cool Whip Topping, divided 1 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup Mix crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Freeze 10 min. Beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread carefully over crust. Top with pineapple. Slice 4 of the bananas; arrange over pineapple. Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped toppi...

Just a quick text from Vegas - where I'll be for the rest of the week. Making it an early night (relatively) so as not to burn out on day 1. Wednesday night we go to see Cher's show at Caesar's Palace... Can't wait!

This Week: Garlic Hasselback Potatoes with Herbed Sour Cream "Hassleback potatoes" are a Swedish version of the baked potato that were usually reserved for "fancy" dinners and Sunday sit-downs. 16 ounces red new potatoes 3 to 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 4 tablespoons butter, melted 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Herbed Sour Cream, recipe below Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Using a wooden spoon as a cradle, place each potato in the spoon and make several parallel slits into each potato top making sure not to slice completely through. Place 3 garlic slices between slits at the crown of each potato. Toss in a medium bowl with butter and olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Bake until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter and top with Herbed Sour Cream. Herbed Sour Cream: 1/2 cup non-fat sour cream 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon finely ...

Traffic on I-45 looking into Midtown with the Texas Medical Center in the background. Midtown is one of the up-and-coming areas and is being remade into the mix of pedestrian-centric retail and housing it once was. Houston's medical center complex rivals the urban centers of most small cities -- upwards of 75,000 people go to work there every day, not including all the construction crews that are constantly building, demolishing or refurbishing. Got very acquainted with some of the facilities earlier this year.

This Week: Basic Meatloaf For this week's recipe, I'm going with a basic meatloaf recipe that can be used as a reference for a whole thread on meatloaf variations -- including other mixers and toppings. 2 lbs extra-lean ground beef 2 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder 1 cup finely chopped onion 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup quick-cooking oats (some people use bread crumbs -- if so, up it by 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Knead mixture into a loaf and shape in a 13x9 baking pan. Topping: 2/3 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 4 strips uncooked bacon Mix ketchup, brown sugar and mustard until well blended. Spread evenly over the meat loaf, then lay the bacon strip lengthwise across the top. Cover pan with foil and bake for about 1 hour.

Once again, David Broder , aka "The Dean" steps up to fluff his pal McSame. McSame keeps floating the non-starter idea of "town halls" that fit in with Broder's idea of centrism -- and because it's such a wonderful idea, Obama is bad for turning it down (like public financing)... essentially, the negative tone of the campaign isn't McSame's fault; it's Obama's! Broder doesn't like "partisanship"... and he often talks about how the political parties don't reflect the "vast center". (Of course, "partisan" basically means anything that Democrats do that makes Republicans uncomfortable -- like complaining about BushCo's gutting of the Constitution or anything else that might disturb the elite chattering class of which he leads.)

One of the many entrances into the Downtown Tunnel system -- this one is at the center of Tranquility Park and leads to the theater district parking garages. You can literally enter the Houston underground system on one side of downtown and through a series of tunnels and skybridges walk for miles... with shops, restaurants and other retailers through-out. The tunnels open at 6:00 A.M. and generally close at 6:30 P.M. -- their primary use is for downtown workers to be able traverse from building to building without having to deal with Houston weather.

Starting a new category: Just Desserts The Methodist Women's Cookbook I reference on my blog is a very interesting cultural time-capsule. The edition I have (which belonged to my paternal grandmother) is from 1967. Many of the older recipes reflected a very rural flavor -- aimed at fully utilizing all the extra eggs and diary you would find on a family farm. The WWII-forward recipes show the wide-spread emergence of refrigeration. The 1960's was a time when you began to see more packaged and processed foods into the recipes -- rather than being from scratch. Convenience was the watchword. First Up: Cherry Cheese Pie 16 oz. Philly Cream Cheese (2 packages) 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 cups graham crackers crumbs* 1/2 cup sugar* 1/2 cup butter (melted)* 1 can cherry pie filling Pie crust: In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into a 9" pie pan. Refrigerate to set. *You can also get a pre-made graham cracker crust. Filling...

For those that want a view of the storm as it comes in, here's a handy set of Web Cams from Galveston: http://www.galveston.com/webcams/ Or just tune into CNN or any other cable outlet for your usual dose of weather porn.

why McSame is so much better than Obama at speaking extemporaneously and answering questions in a town hall format? Actually, just tell me why the MSM continues to edit this type of content out -- because it might actually prove the narrative that McSame is a doddering, grumpy, old guy that shouldn't be President.

h/t -- Josh Marshall (Talking Points Memo) You have to wonder if it is willful ignorance on the part of Stephanopolous, Will and Tapper that they refuse to see racial code when it's painfully obvious to anyone who has lived in the South for any time at all. It's especially willful for Tapper and Will -- who should be intimately familiar with the GOP's "Southern Strategy". Washington, DC may have stayed in Union hands during the Civil War, but it's as close to the "Deep South" as it is to New York... with legacy of Jim Crow and Jesse Helms barely fading with the passing of the decades. It was good to see them get schooled by Gergen.

Weight = 249 Calculated BMI = 31 Goal Weight = 225 Goal BMI = 24 Starting Weight = 276 Current Loss = 27 Per week = 2.45 average

This Week: Slimmed Down Garlic Potato Skins 3 large russet potatoes 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 cup low-fat extra sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) 4 strips bacon (cooked extra crisp and patted well to remove excess fat after cooking) 1/2 cup non-fat sour cream 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Cut each potato, lengthwise, into 8 wedges. Trim all but 1/4-inch of the potato flesh with a pairing knife. Brush each wedge with olive oil and lay skin-side down on a baking sheet. Spread minced garlic evenly across each wedge. Dust with salt, pepper and paprika. Roast until golden brown & crispy -- about 35 minutes. While skins are cooking, mix sour cream, chives, bacon and chives in a small serving bowl and chill. Put hot potato wedges on a platter and serve with bacon - sour cream dip. Serves 6 Calories per wedge = ~40-45 Calories per serving (4 wedges) = ~160-...

You just have to laugh. How many days until January 22nd?

Yes, I agree that we should responsibly look at how to open up more OCS acreage for exploration and potential development.... however... As someone who actually works in the energy industry -- Big Oil, as some call it -- I have to say that a dose of reality is in order. Reality #1: More OCS needs to be open to exploration. This has to be part of the U.S. energy portfolio -- too much of our economy depends on the products that come from oil and gas. Reality #2: This is a long-term process. It takes a lot of time just to set up the leases, process the bids and just get the legal matters in place before you can even send in the first exploration drill ship. It will reasonably be more than 10 years before the first production can be expected from any finds. Reality #3: You can't just "drill now", as John McSame keeps harping on. It may be a great slogan, but here's the question: with what? Oil field services are scrambling at this point to meet the demand for ...

This week: Champagne Chicken Salad Chicken: (this part works for regular salads or a main dish, too.) 3-4 boneless chicken breast halves 4 tablespoons butter 1 medium lemon, sliced 1 cup champagne (dry white sparkling wine like Cordon Negro Brut) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon powdered sage 1 teaspoon powdered onion Dressing: 3/4 cup ranch dressing (light) 1/4 cup non-fat sour cream 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon champagne 1 teaspoons lemon zest 3 tablespoons parsley 1/4 cup tablespoons chives 1/4 cup finely chopped sun dried tomatoes 1/4 cup asiago cheese To prepare the chicken: In a greased baking dish, layer bottom of dish with lemon slices. In a small bowl, cream butter, salt, pepper and sage. Spread across chicken breasts. Arrange chicken in dish and cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. When done, remove chicken from pan and allow to cool on a covered plated. Allow to cool until easily handled. Slice and cube about 4 cups ...