12/18/2011 archive

Rant of the Week: Stephen Colbert

Paying for Protest: Let Them Buy Cake

These people may have the right to free speech but only money talks.

On this Day In History December 18

This is your morning Open Thread. Pour your favorite beverage and review the past and comment on the future.

Find the past “On This Day in History” here.

December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 13 days remaining until the end of the year.

On this day in 1918, the House of Representatives passed the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, along with the Volstead Act, which defined “intoxicating liquors” excluding those used for religious purposes and sales throughout the U.S., established Prohibition in the United States. Its ratification was certified on January 16, 1919. It was repealed by the Twenty-first Amendment in 1933, the only instance of an amendment’s repeal. The Eighteenth Amendment was also unique in setting a time delay before it would take effect following ratification and in setting a time limit for its ratification by the states.

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

The amendment and its enabling legislation did not ban the consumption of alcohol, but made it difficult to obtain it legally.

Following significant pressure on lawmakers from the temperance movement, the House of Representatives passed the amendment on December 18, 1917. It was certified as ratified on January 16, 1919, having been approved by 36 states. It went into effect one year after ratification, on January 17, 1920. Many state legislatures had already enacted statewide prohibition prior to the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment.

When Congress submitted this amendment to the states for ratification, it was the first time a proposed amendment contained a provision setting a deadline for its ratification. The validity of that clause of the amendment was challenged and reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the constitutionality of such a deadline in Dillon v. Gloss (1921).

Because many Americans attempted to evade the restrictions of Prohibition, there was a considerable growth in violent and organized crime in the United States in response to public demand for illegal alcohol. The amendment was repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment on December 5, 1933. It remains the only constitutional amendment to be repealed in its entirety.

Punting the Pundits: Sunday Preview Edition

Punting the Punditsis an Open Thread. It is a selection of editorials and opinions from around the news medium and the internet blogs. The intent is to provide a forum for your reactions and opinions, not just to the opinions presented, but to what ever you find important.

Thanks to ek hornbeck, click on the link and you can access all the past “Punting the Pundits”.

The Sunday Talking Heads:

Up with Chris Hayes: If you are an earlier riser on weekends or, like me, up all night working and just getting home, Hayes is a good watch and has some very interesting guests and discussions. Guests are not announced adding to the spontaneity of the format.

This Week with Christiane Amanpour: This Week starts a series of debates. This week’s topic is the role and scope of government on issues such as entitlements, taxes, and regulations. The panelists are House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), columnist George Will, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich.

Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer: Sunday’s guest will be Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

The Chris Matthews Show: This week’s guests Kathleen Parker, The Washington Post Columnist, Rick Stengel, TIME Managing Editor, Chuck Todd, NBC News Chief White House Correspondent and Katty Kay, BBC Washington Correspondent.

Meet the Press with David Gregory: Guests are Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC). Roundtable guests are Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne and Republican strategist Mike Murphy.

State of the Union with Candy Crowley:Substitute host Joe Johns guests are Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), GOP Presidential Candidate  Jon Huntsman, former presidential envoy to Iraq, Paul Bremer, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright (Ret.) and Robin Wright author of “Rock the Casbah”.

Six In The Morning

On Sunday

‘The war is over’: Last US soldiers leave Iraq

The last American troops crossed the border from Iraq into Kuwait early Sunday, ending the U.S. military presence there after nearly nine years.

By NBC News, msnbc.com staff and news services

As the last convoy left Iraq at daybreak Sunday, soldiers whooped, bumped fists and embraced each other in a burst of joy and relief, The Associated Press reported.

NBC News’ Richard Engel tweeted from the border: “The gate to #iraq is closed. Soldier just told me, ‘that’s it, the war is over.'”

The final column of around 100 mostly U.S. military MRAP armored vehicles carrying 500 U.S. troops trundled through the night along an empty highway, across the southern Iraq desert to the Kuwaiti border.




Sunday’s Headlines:

Force-fed and beaten – life for women in jail

Philippines steps up search for flood survivors

Is Puerto Rico becoming a narco-state?

Gabon’s ruling party set for easy victory

Angelina Jolie’s harrowing war film startles the critics

What’s Cooking: Potato Latkes

Reposted from December 4, 2010

It isn’t Hanukkah without Potato Latkes, those wonderful, crispy pancakes of shredded potato and onion served with apple sauce. It’s lot easier than when I was growing up in the 50’s. Back then we had to shred them with a metal grater that often resulted in some shredded knuckles, too. Food processors have saved a lot of knuckles and teary eye from shredding the onion.

This recipe is really simple. The trick to getting latkes that hold together and aren’t “oily” is the  potato. Idaho’s win, hands down.

Traditionally, according to kosher law, when latkes are served with a fish meal they are fried in oil and served with sour cream. If they are served with meat, they are fried in chicken fat and served with apple sauce. Since, I haven’t kept a kosher kitchen in over 40 years, I fry the latkes in oil and serve both apple sauce and sour cream.

Because this recipe has no flour or egg, the latkes are more delicate and lacy. These are best served when they are fresh from the pan, so, we take turns making them all during the meal. It can actually be fun.

Pure Potato Latkes

* 4 large Idaho potatoes, about 2 1/4 lbs.

* 1 large onion, peeled

* 1/2 teaspoon of salt

* 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

* 1/4 cup canola oil

In a food processor with a coarse shredding disc or o the large shredding hole of a hand grater, shred the potatoes. Squeeze them well to rid them of as much water as possible and place them in a bowl. I use a cotton dish towel to squeeze the water out. it gets them really dry. Shred the onion and add to the bowl. Add the salt and pepper. Mix well. More water will be exuded and should be squeezed and drained thoroughly.

In a large heavy frying pan (a 12 inch iron pan works best), over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons until a slight haze appears on the surace of the oil. Drop about 1/4 cup of the mixture into the oil, flattening slightly with the back of a spoon Leave a little pace between the pancakes for ease in turning. They should be about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and will flatten as they cook.

Cook about 7 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Flip and cook another 5 to 7 minutes or until the other side is golden brown. If the oil starts smoking or the latkes brown too quickly, reduce the heat and briefly remove the pan from the heat. Remove the latkes and drain on layers of paper towels Continue with remaining mixture adding 2 tablespoons of oil with each batch.

Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Bon Appetite and Happy Hanukkah!

An Apple, A Pear, A Plum, A Cherry

A Soalin

Hey ho, nobody home, meat nor drink nor money have I none

Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.

Hey ho, nobody home, Meat nor drink nor money have I none

Yet shall we be merry, Hey ho, nobody home.

Hey Ho, nobody home.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry,

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

God bless the master of this house, and the mistress also

And all the little children that round your table grow.

The cattle in your stable and the dog by your front door

And all that dwell within your gates

We wish you ten times more.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry,

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

Go down into the cellar and see what you can find

If the barrels are not empty we hope you will be kind

We hope you will be kind with your apple and strawber’

For we’ll come no more a ‘soalin’ till this time next year.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry,

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

The streets are very dirty, my shoes are very thin.

I have a little pocket to put a penny in.

If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’ penny will do.

If you haven’t got a ha’ penny then God bless you.

Soal, a soal, a soal cake, please good missus a soul cake.

An apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry,

Any good thing to make us all merry,

One for Peter, two for Paul, three for Him who made us all.

Now to the Lord sing praises all you within this place,

And with true love and brotherhood each other now embrace..

This holy tide of Christmas of beauty and of grace,

Oh tidings of comfort and joy.