Note to Self

Okay Gund, you're living someplace colder than you're used to. And getting out from under that nice warm nest of blankets this morning was not fun.

So, do you think you can remember to bring your jacket into the house, rather than going into 38 degree temps wearing a thin company polo shirt because you left your jacket AGAIN in the car??

Thanks.

Oh, and BTW, go buy a squeege / scraper for the Saturn. The frost and ice on the windows were novel concepts, but also were a pain to try and wipe off with paper napkins.

Note to Self

Okay Gund, you're living someplace colder than you're used to. And getting out from under that nice warm nest of blankets this morning was not fun.

So, do you think you can remember to bring your jacket into the house, rather than going into 38 degree temps wearing a thin company polo shirt because you left your jacket AGAIN in the car??

Thanks.

Oh, and BTW, go buy a squeege / scraper for the Saturn. The frost and ice on the windows were novel concepts, but also were a pain to try and wipe off with paper napkins.

"FEMA" Softball

It's safe to say the ruined, tattered shambing corpse that is the current incarnation of FEMA has learned their lessions from Hurricaine Katrina.

Namely how to handle pesky uncomfortable questions from the media. If you provide your own reporters, it's a cinch!

FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA

""Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?" a reporter asked. Another asked about "lessons learned from Katrina."

"I'm very happy with FEMA's response so far," Johnson said, hailing "a very smoothly, very efficiently performing team."

"And so I think what you're really seeing here is the benefit of experience, the benefit of good leadership and the benefit of good partnership," Johnson said, "none of which were present in Katrina." (Wasn't Michael Chertoff DHS chief then?) Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness.

Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin."

In a follow up, the current White House spokesliar, Dana Perino said the White House doesn't approve of fake reporters. Really?

*cough cough Jeff Gannon cough*

"FEMA" Softball

It's safe to say the ruined, tattered shambing corpse that is the current incarnation of FEMA has learned their lessions from Hurricaine Katrina.

Namely how to handle pesky uncomfortable questions from the media. If you provide your own reporters, it's a cinch!

FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA

""Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?" a reporter asked. Another asked about "lessons learned from Katrina."

"I'm very happy with FEMA's response so far," Johnson said, hailing "a very smoothly, very efficiently performing team."

"And so I think what you're really seeing here is the benefit of experience, the benefit of good leadership and the benefit of good partnership," Johnson said, "none of which were present in Katrina." (Wasn't Michael Chertoff DHS chief then?) Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness.

Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin."

In a follow up, the current White House spokesliar, Dana Perino said the White House doesn't approve of fake reporters. Really?

*cough cough Jeff Gannon cough*

Coolness

Thanks to solcita for this news.

Battlestar Galactica - Razor (advanced screening event)

(Cities it's showing are: Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle)

From the Wikipedia entry:

"According to IGN, "the movie will indeed focus on an untold story about the Battlestar Pegasus, and feature Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes) ... While this story with Cain occurs before she and the Pegasus crew joined up with Galactica, the entire cast of the regular series will appear in the movie, as the Pegasus portion is portrayed via flashbacks"

(and yes, I'm signed up for the 7:00pm Seattle showing)

Coolness

Thanks to solcita for this news.

Battlestar Galactica - Razor (advanced screening event)

(Cities it's showing are: Boston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle)

From the Wikipedia entry:

"According to IGN, "the movie will indeed focus on an untold story about the Battlestar Pegasus, and feature Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes) ... While this story with Cain occurs before she and the Pegasus crew joined up with Galactica, the entire cast of the regular series will appear in the movie, as the Pegasus portion is portrayed via flashbacks"

(and yes, I'm signed up for the 7:00pm Seattle showing)

Recipe of the Day

Found in the Seattle P-I

Curried Country Fried Steak

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 teaspoons curry powder, divided
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 thin-sliced (about 1/4-inch) steaks
Canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons mango chutney
3 jarred roasted red peppers

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a large shallow bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper and 3 teaspoons of the curry powder. In a second large shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In a third bowl, combine the flour and remaining 3 teaspoons of curry.

One at a time, dredge the steaks through the salt mixture; coat both sides. Repeat the dredging process with the eggs, then with the flour mixture.

Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of a large, deep skillet. Heat over medium-high until the oil shimmers. Add two steaks to the skillet and fry 4 minutes per side, or until golden browned. Transfer the steaks to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining steaks.

In a food processor or blender, combine the mayonnaise, chutney and red peppers. Process until smooth. To serve, accompany each steak with a dollop of chutney mayonnaise.

Recipe of the Day

Found in the Seattle P-I

Curried Country Fried Steak

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 teaspoons curry powder, divided
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 thin-sliced (about 1/4-inch) steaks
Canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons mango chutney
3 jarred roasted red peppers

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a large shallow bowl, mix together the salt, black pepper and 3 teaspoons of the curry powder. In a second large shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In a third bowl, combine the flour and remaining 3 teaspoons of curry.

One at a time, dredge the steaks through the salt mixture; coat both sides. Repeat the dredging process with the eggs, then with the flour mixture.

Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of a large, deep skillet. Heat over medium-high until the oil shimmers. Add two steaks to the skillet and fry 4 minutes per side, or until golden browned. Transfer the steaks to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with remaining steaks.

In a food processor or blender, combine the mayonnaise, chutney and red peppers. Process until smooth. To serve, accompany each steak with a dollop of chutney mayonnaise.