September 2013 archive
Sep 22 2013
Daziger Bridge
Sep 22 2013
Formula One 2013: Singapore
So Super Softs and Mediums. 1.5 Seconds between them. Hardly anything else really matters.
BTW Massa has retired. Raikkonen is in at the Scuderia. Big News? We’ll see next year if Alonso is as good (.5 seconds a lap) as I think he is because Raikkonen is no slouch.
I’d rather focus on how fucked up the TV coverage is (you know, because it screws up my sleep schedule and I get really cranky). Qualifying at 1 am after a day of college throwball? I’ve gone on strike for less.
I’m at 6es and 7s about how to handle the Winter Olympics. There is no doubt that Russia is engaged in a progrom on LGBTs and I’m conflicted because it’s a big part of my blogging history and I really like curling. Shuffle board on ice, what’s not to like?
But there is no denying that Putin is playing the Russian Orthodox Church on the social issues card and it’s killing people. This is something our president deals away to prove how “liberal” he is and I feel bad about disagreeing with John Aravosis on this issue because I’m not gay, but I don’t think it’s a substitute for how he’s killing brown people in Yemen with drones or brown people in Detroit with SNAP cuts.
Oh, you just think he’ll stand fast. I’ll believe it when I see it. And I choose Detroit for irony.
So not back to Formula One. In other races where billionaires spend billions Larry Ellison is but a single race away from losing the America’s Cup.
As Atrios frequently says, things are fucked up and shit.
Sep 22 2013
Punting the Pundits: Sunday Preview Edition
“Punting the Pundits” is 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”.
Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt
The Sunday Talking Heads:
Up with Steve Kornacki: The guest list had not been posted at this time.
This Week with George Stephanopolis: Guests on “This Weel” are Budget committee ranking member Rep. Chris Van Hollen )D-MD) and Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA), who’s leading the latest charge to defund Obamacare. Special guest is tennis great Billie Jean King reflecting on the 40th anniversary of her historic victory in the “Battle of the Sexes” match with Bobby Riggs.
Joining the roundtable discussion are CNN “Crossfire” co-host Newt Gingrich; former Clinton Labor secretary Robert Reich; PBS “NewsHour” co-anchor and managing editor Gwen Ifilll and ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl.
Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer: Mr. Schieffer’s guests are Sen. Joe Mandchin (D-WV); Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK); Rep. Matt Salmon (R-AZ); and former Secretary of State Henry Kissenger.
Joining him for a panel discussion are TIME‘s Nancy Gibbs and Bobby Ghosh; David Sanger of the New York Times; and CBS News Political Director John Dickerson
Meet the Press with David Gregory: On this week’s MTP the guests are NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre; and Sandy Phillips, mother of Aurora, CO shooting victim Jessica Ghawi,
The guests for a special roundtable on the current budget battle are Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) and Congresswomen Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
Joining in at the political roundtable are editor of the Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol; Wall Street Journal Columnist Kim Strassel; former White House Press Secretary, now MSNBC political contributor Robert Gibbs; and PBS’s Tavis Smiley.
State of the Union with Candy Crowley: Ms. Crowley’s guests this Sunday are House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi; and New York Magazine’s Joe Hagan on his interview with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Joining her on the panel are Joe Lockhart, former chief spokesman and senior adviser to President Bill Clinton; President of the American Conservative Union Al Cardenas; CNN Commentators Kevin Madden and Donna Brazile.
Sep 21 2013
Autumal Equinox 2013
The sun will pass over the equator for a moment at 4:44 PM EDT on September 22 as it moves to warm the Southern hemisphere and ushers in the first day of Autumn for the North.
For those who practice the earth religions, it is the second harvest, a time for gathering the Summer’s last fruits, giving thanks for the harvest and marking a celebration in gratitude as the soil and plants die away. This year’s Harvest Moon, traditionally the full moon closet to the equinox, fell on September 19. The moon gets its name from the amount of light it emits, allowing farmers to continue harvesting the summer’s crops through the evening. The Farmer’s Almanac explains why the Harvest Moon is special:
The usual behavior of the Moon is to rise distinctly later each night — an average of about 50 minutes later. [..]
But around the date of the Harvest Moon, the Moon rises at almost the same time for a number of nights in our intermediate northern latitudes. [..]
Because the Moon’s orbit on successive nights is more nearly parallel to the horizon at that time, its relationship to the eastern horizon does not change appreciably, and the Earth does not have to turn as far to bring up the Moon. Thus, for several nights near the full Harvest Moon, the Moon may rise as little as 23 minutes later on successive nights (at about 42 degrees north latitude), and there is an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, a traditional aid to harvest crews. By the time the Moon has reached last quarter, however, the typical 50-minute delay has returned.
One of the myths connected to this celebration/time of year is the myth of Demeter and Persephone. The Autumn Equinox signals the descent of Persephone back to the underworld to be with her husband, Hades and the Harvest Mother, Demeter’s mourning for her daughter…thus, the explanation of the dying back of plant life. This myth gave explanation to our ancient ancestors for the changing of the seasons. The symbolism that is present for us today is the letting go of our youth, child-bearing years and moving closer to the crone/elder part of our lives. But it is only a preparation, the opening to what needs to be prepared when the Winter inevitably comes.
Sep 21 2013
Random Japan
NPO lobbies to rebuild Edo Castle at the cost of 50 billion yen (US$500 million)
Rachel Tackett
Naotake Odake, former managing director of the Japan Tourist Bureau (JTB) and once director of the Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau, spent years of his professional life traveling to cities across the globe in order to promote Tokyo as a worthwhile tourist destination. In his travels, he noticed a trait shared by all the major cities: they each had a unique and well-recognized landmark embodying the history and culture of the land. According to Odake, a structure of this sort is vital to bolstering a spirit of pride in any given population. Unfortunately for Tokyo, he believes that this sort of historical landmark is something that Japan’s capital city severely lacks. What he has against Asakusa Temple, Tokyo Tower, or Tokyo Skytree, I’m really not sure. But, it is for this reason that Odake has taken the lead as the chairman of a non-profit organization which hopes to rebuild the Edo Castle’s innermost tower. “In order to present Tokyo as a proud tourist city, we need something like Edo Castle,” he says. But will the payoff really outweigh the costs?
Sep 21 2013
Three Things On The Internet
The team of All In with Chris Hayes puts out a daily request on Twitter asking their followers to send them the things they find most interesting on the internet. This is their finds for Thursday September 19.
1. BBC Anchor Simon McCoy actually went on-air with a pile of printer paper, instead of an iPad. To be fair, he probably got a better signal.
2. You could either hit the gym… or watch this Rocky II 30 mile running montage.
3. Someone get this Vladimir Putin doppelganger dog some pants and a horse to awkwardly ride on.
Sep 21 2013
Health and Fitness News
Welcome to the Health and Fitness NewsWelcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness News weekly diary. It will publish on Saturday afternoon and be open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.
Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.
You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.
Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt
This week I pulled out my miso and got to work on dishes other than soups. Mind you, I love miso soup; it’s one of my favorite things about eating in a Japanese restaurant. I used to make it a lot at home, too, especially in my early days of being a vegetarian when I was still obsessed with getting enough protein, because it is a good source. But I also love miso glazes on vegetables and on fish and I’ve used this healthy fermented food in salad dressings, dips and spreads.
The paste is made by fermenting grains and/or soybeans with salt and a fungus called kojikin. It is always salty and the light varieties – white (shiro), yellow, and some light brown varieties – are sweet as well. The mildest tasting misos are the white or shiro misos, which are made with rice, barley and a relatively small proportion of soybeans. The more soybeans that are used in miso, the darker and stronger it tastes. I worked with a light miso in this week’s recipes.
~Martha Rose Snulman~
Called Nasu dengaku, this is a dish on many Japanese menus.
Roasted Winter Squash With Miso Glaze
Winter squash is another great candidate for glazing with miso.
A miso glaze based on a well-known recipe, but with significantly less sugar.
This tangy dressing can also be used as a sauce over grains.
A nutty, sweet and salty spread that can stand in for peanut butter.
Sep 21 2013
Punting the Pundits
“Punting the Pundits” is 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”.
Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt
New York Times Editorial Board: A Lack of Full Accountability
Having agreed this week to pay $920 million in fines to resolve federal and international investigations into its $6 billion “London Whale” trading loss, JPMorgan Chase has reportedly reached “some closure” in the case and is ready, in the words of its chief executive, Jamie Dimon, to move forward in a process of “simplifying” the bank.
While JPMorgan may feel some closure, there is scant closure for the American public, which deserves accountability for bank recklessness that continues to endanger the economy and which understands that without accountability true financial reform is impossible.
Charles M. Blow: Kamikaze Congress
Delay and defund. And default.
That is the House Republicans’ brilliant plan in their last-ditch effort to block implementation of the Affordable Care Act. It is a plan that threatens to grind the government to a halt and wreak havoc on the economy.
If they can’t take over Washington, they’ll shut it down. It’s their way or no way. All or nothing.
This is what has become of a party hijacked by zealots.
Richard (RJ) Eskow: It’s Time for Some Straight Talk About the GOP Budget
When it comes to the economy, the White House is talking tough to the Republicans … about the debt ceiling. It’s true that the threat to shut down the government by refusing to honor its debt obligations is downright un-American. The Administration’s right to call them out for that. But there’s a larger question: Who’s going to give the American people some straight talk about the GOP’s economic ideas?
Forget the debt ceiling for a moment, if you can. Forget the GOP’s attempt to shut down the government over the Affordable Care Act. Who is going to explain to the American people how profoundly misguided, and even immoral, the Republicans’ entire economic agenda has become?
Willie Nelson: It’s Time to Stand Up With Family Farmers
Every year, come harvest season, we gather for the annual Farm Aid concert. Artists, farmers, activists and eaters, we come together to recognize the crucial importance of family farmers. We take account of how far we’ve come and we renew our spirits for the fights ahead.
We stand with family farmers.
This strength is what’s grown the Good Food Movement. Today, we’re at our strongest. More people than ever are seeking out family farm food. Businesses sourcing from family farmers are searching for new farmers because demand exceeds supply. Entrepreneurs are making new connections between eaters and farmers. Community organizations and passionate volunteers are bringing good food to neighborhoods that need it most. Together, all of these people are building communities centered on a family farm economy. They’re linking eaters with farmers, building relationships and nourishing bodies and souls. Their actions are transforming food and agriculture, from the ground up.
But even still, a handful of corporations dominate our food system.
Ralph Nader: Five Years Later: Wall Street Is Still At It
It has been five years since the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. The aftermath is well known: the Too Big To Fail bailouts, the Too Big To Jail avoidance of guilt by culpable executives, the loss of millions of jobs, the loss of hard-earned life savings, and severe damage to the world economy. One would hope that, five years later, our country would be on the road to economic recovery. Yet many of the worse excesses of Wall Street remain. Regulators make many of the same mistakes they made in the past and the same warning signs are routinely overlooked. Wall Street and the big banks are even bigger, richer and more powerful than they were in 2008 when U.S. taxpayers bailed them out of their self-inflicted crisis. Little of substance has changed — Wall Street remains largely unshackled, fueled by the same old unrelenting greed and weak government oversight. And Wall Street’s continued reckless risk-taking with other peoples money has been setting off alarm bells — see Gretchen Morgenson’s recent column in the New York Times on the disturbingly vulnerable “repo market.”
Les Leopold: How Wall Street Devoured the Recovery
We are entering a disastrous new era in which all the economic gains go to the top one percent, according to data from economists Emmanuel Saez and Thomas Piketty. They report that “Top 1% incomes grew by 31.4% while bottom 99% incomes grew only by 0.4% from 2009 to 2012. Hence, the top 1% captured 95% of the income gains in the first three years of the recovery…. In sum, top 1% incomes are close to full recovery while bottom 99% incomes have hardly started to recover.” (In 2012, $394,000 is the cutoff to make it into the top 1 percent.)
The odds are that we in the bottom 99 percent will never recover. That’s because our nation has evolved into something entirely new: a billionaire bailout society. When I first used that phrase in 2009 at a presentation in Los Angeles I could feel the audience squirm. Surely I was exaggerating. Surely, I was just using a rhetorical flourish to stress income inequality. Surely cooler heads would prevail rather than my hot one. Oh, do I wish it were so.
Sep 21 2013
Deja Vu
It’s The Mind-
I can’t believe I voted for this guy.
Guilty! UN Report on Syria Does Not Say What John Kerry Says It Said
By: Peter Van Buren, Firedog Lake
Friday September 20, 2013 5:52 pm
The UN released its report on chemical weapons use in Syria. You can read it here. It’s not that long, just some forty pages including legal appendices. John Kerry says it confirms that the Assad regime fired the gas rockets. Unfortunately, that is not what the actual report says. In a court, Kerry’s case might be seen as circumstantial at best, certainly not enough for a jury to return a guilty verdict in a murder trial.
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The problem is that the report does not confirm anything other than chemical weapons were used. I can’t give you a quote because the report simply does not say- anywhere- that the Syria Army, or the rebels, or anyone by name- used the weapons. But don’t believe me. Unlike Kerry, I provide links, so check the full text of the report. If you don’t care to read it all, skip to page five, “Conclusions.” It just isn’t there. No one is named as the culprit.
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Who shot the gas rockets? Could they have been fired by rogue military elements not acting under Assad’s orders? Could the Syrian army have lost control of some rockets which were picked up by the rebels (Vladimir Putin has made that very claim, that the rebels themselves fired the gas rockets in an attempt to draw the United States into the conflict)? Could a third party have supplied such rockets to the rebels to create a pretext for war? As there is no evidence in the UN report that the trigger was pulled by the Syrian Army under Assad’s orders, there is no evidence that the rebels pulled it and no evidence that someone else did. That’s why the UN report does not draw a conclusion of guilt- there’s no evidence on which to base such a conclusion.
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The U.S. is wholly misrepresenting facts in favor of another Middle East war. Unlike a fictional murder trial where one man’s life is on the line, should the U.S. attack Syria many, many people will lose their lives.
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