Well, so today was the big day when the House voted on the proposed bailout. And the House failed to support the bailout. Personally, I don’t know if this is good or bad. The market lost about 780 points, the largest single-day point drop in history, but not even in the top 10 drops in terms of percentage drops. If you look at the DJI chart for the past 30 years, its is essentially a straight line up, and I bet most of us would not be able to point out the top 10 drops in the history of the market! So maybe we don’t give Wall Street $700 Billion, and let the market work it self out.
The politics of the failed bailout will be interesting to watch. McCain essentially pulled a political stunt by announcing that he was suspending his campaign and returning to Washington to help push this deal through. So he may see some fallout from this failure of the bailout attempt. The Republicans came out right away and pinned the blame on Pelosi’s apparently partisan speech. The Democrats were a step behind (well, as usual!) and I think they messed things up. Now that they were a step late, the Democrats should have taken the high road, and focused on bipartisanship rather than try to play the blame game. Instead, they came out late, and they started to point fingers, and they looked small.
I just Jon Kyle (R-AZ) speak with Neil Cavuto on Fox. Kyle, in my opinion, took the right tone, and his approach was “what’s happened has happened, now lets work together”. Cavuto asked Kyle what he thought about the partisan speeches by Pelosi, Frank, and the other Democrats. Cavuto failed to mention the partisan speeches by the Republicans a few minutes ago. I realize that complaining about Fox’s blatant right-wing bias is like complaining that water is wet. But it must be nice to have your own full-fledged propaganda TV channel. I can’t wait to see O’Riley and Hannity later today!
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Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Palin with Katie Couric....
This past week, Sarah Palin was finally allowed to speak to the national press. And boy! Did she speak!!! Katie Couric of CBS was the interviewer, and she did a much better job than Charlie Gibson and Sean Hannity. Gibson came across as being condescending, while Hannity was….well, he was Hannity!
Couric asked Palin about the $700B financial bailout, and Palin kinda wandered around a bit. Take a look at this Youtube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2kjFn4s4sU
And if you thought that what you just saw was a bit awkward, this was perhaps Palin’s best response! Trust me!!
Here was Palin’s complete meltdown on the issues of Russia and Palin’s foreign affairs experience
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv6CRObROV0
Now take a look at another beauty queen answering a question during an interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
Gawd, that’s a Vice-President in the making if I ever saw one!!!!
www.gizmocentral.com
www.azjewelrystore.com
Couric asked Palin about the $700B financial bailout, and Palin kinda wandered around a bit. Take a look at this Youtube clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2kjFn4s4sU
And if you thought that what you just saw was a bit awkward, this was perhaps Palin’s best response! Trust me!!
Here was Palin’s complete meltdown on the issues of Russia and Palin’s foreign affairs experience
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv6CRObROV0
Now take a look at another beauty queen answering a question during an interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww
Gawd, that’s a Vice-President in the making if I ever saw one!!!!
www.gizmocentral.com
www.azjewelrystore.com
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The first presidential debate....
Well, after all the drama, the first Presidential debate finally happened last night. I watched the whole debate, albeit with one eye and ear on my laptop!
Overall, I thought both candidates did quite well. McCain appeared poised and decisive, and Obama’s answers were succinct and to-the-point. Other than partisan supporters on both sides, I don’t think anyone in the middle would pick a winner, and I don’t think this debate changed any minds.
I did think that Obama missed several opportunities to make McCain squirm:
Take a page out of Kerry’s speech and the convention and point out the differences between “Senator” McCain and “Candidate” McCain (pro-choice vs. overturn Roe v. Wade; oppose the Bush tax cuts then support the Bush tax cuts, etc. etc.)
Press McCain on the fact that McCain and Bush were wrong when it came to the initial reasons for the war in Iraq. When McCain states that he wants to look forward and not back, push the notion that McCain will be as impulsive as Bush in taking the nation to war, without heeding US intelligence and world view and intelligence
Press that idea that McCain believes that the middle class starts at $5 Million, and that according to McCain, 95% of the country is below middle class.
Will be interesting to see how both camps and their surrogates in the media spin the debate on the Sunday shows.
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
Overall, I thought both candidates did quite well. McCain appeared poised and decisive, and Obama’s answers were succinct and to-the-point. Other than partisan supporters on both sides, I don’t think anyone in the middle would pick a winner, and I don’t think this debate changed any minds.
I did think that Obama missed several opportunities to make McCain squirm:
Take a page out of Kerry’s speech and the convention and point out the differences between “Senator” McCain and “Candidate” McCain (pro-choice vs. overturn Roe v. Wade; oppose the Bush tax cuts then support the Bush tax cuts, etc. etc.)
Press McCain on the fact that McCain and Bush were wrong when it came to the initial reasons for the war in Iraq. When McCain states that he wants to look forward and not back, push the notion that McCain will be as impulsive as Bush in taking the nation to war, without heeding US intelligence and world view and intelligence
Press that idea that McCain believes that the middle class starts at $5 Million, and that according to McCain, 95% of the country is below middle class.
Will be interesting to see how both camps and their surrogates in the media spin the debate on the Sunday shows.
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Back to more cooking.......
Dosas are the Indian version of crepes made from ground rice and lentils. If you do it the traditional way, you will probably end up burning up your blender! So here is my easier way to make them.
Ingredients
2 cups
Rice flour (Indian grocery store)
1 cup
Urad flour (ground black lentils ground, Indian grocery store)
½-teaspoon
Salt (to taste)
2 cups
Slightly warm water (not hot!!)
2 tablespoons
Idli Rava (Indian grocery store)
6 tablespoons
Vegetable or Peanut oil
2 tablespoons
Yogurt
1 tablespoon
All-purpose flour
4 cups
Iced water
How to Do It
Add the warm water to the blender jar
Add the rice flour and the urad flour. Turn the blender on to “aerate”
With the blender running, add the yogurt and salt
Remove batter from the blender and place in a large bowl
Add the idli rava, and allow to ferment overnight
Next morning, add the all-purpose flour. Mix thoroughly and make sure that there are no lumps.
Place a large, flat, NON-STICK frying pan on medium to high heat.
Dip clean cloth in the iced water, and wipe down the frying pan. Immediately thereafter, place about ¾-cup of batter in the center of the frying pan. I use a flat-bottom metal measuring for this.
Spread the batter into a thin crepe by moving the cup in an outward spiral.
Pour about 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil along the perimeter of crepe
Allow to cook to desired degree of crispiness
Using a flat spatula, gently remove the crepe from the frying pan.
Immediately before placing batter for the next dosa on the frying pan, wipe down the surface with the cloth dipped in iced water.
Serve hot.
www.gizmocentral.com
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
Ingredients
2 cups
Rice flour (Indian grocery store)
1 cup
Urad flour (ground black lentils ground, Indian grocery store)
½-teaspoon
Salt (to taste)
2 cups
Slightly warm water (not hot!!)
2 tablespoons
Idli Rava (Indian grocery store)
6 tablespoons
Vegetable or Peanut oil
2 tablespoons
Yogurt
1 tablespoon
All-purpose flour
4 cups
Iced water
How to Do It
Add the warm water to the blender jar
Add the rice flour and the urad flour. Turn the blender on to “aerate”
With the blender running, add the yogurt and salt
Remove batter from the blender and place in a large bowl
Add the idli rava, and allow to ferment overnight
Next morning, add the all-purpose flour. Mix thoroughly and make sure that there are no lumps.
Place a large, flat, NON-STICK frying pan on medium to high heat.
Dip clean cloth in the iced water, and wipe down the frying pan. Immediately thereafter, place about ¾-cup of batter in the center of the frying pan. I use a flat-bottom metal measuring for this.
Spread the batter into a thin crepe by moving the cup in an outward spiral.
Pour about 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil along the perimeter of crepe
Allow to cook to desired degree of crispiness
Using a flat spatula, gently remove the crepe from the frying pan.
Immediately before placing batter for the next dosa on the frying pan, wipe down the surface with the cloth dipped in iced water.
Serve hot.
www.gizmocentral.com
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Even more on the financial mess.....
This financial bailout to the tune of $700 Billion continues to make me queasy. But I do take some comfort in the fact that there are members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who are at least asking important questions. And then there are others who simply believe that Congress ought to bury its collective head up their collective asses and simply give the President whatever he asks for. Here’s a quote from the online edition of the NY times:
“When there’s a fire in your kitchen threatening to burn down your home, you don’t want someone stopping the firefighters on the way and demanding they hand out smoke detectors first or lecturing you about the hazards of keeping paint in the basement,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, said in a speech on the Senate floor. “You want them to put out the fire before it burns down your home and everything you’ve saved for your whole life.”
So continuing in the “fire fighting” vein, Mr. McConnell of Kentucky, let me point out:
1) Before you send fire fighters to put out a house fire, you need to make sure that you understand the risks associated with the going into that burning house. You don’t want to send fire fighters into a burning house and have the roof cave in on them, and kill six of them, do you?? Take a look at Paulson’s interview with Brokaw on Meet the Press this past Sunday. Paulson has no idea how much bad debit, or the quality of the bad debt that he is asking the American tax payer to underwrite. In other words, he has no idea of the risk associated with sending taxpayers into this burning house.
2) You risk the lives of fire fighters by sending them into a burning house only if there are lives to save – i.e. if the rewards justify the risk. Paulson is asking the taxpayer to take on this risky bad debt, but resists allowing the taxpayer to enjoy the rewards if the $700 Billion bailout does work, and the financial industry is back to making money.
The President and his cohorts are asking the taxpayer to give them $700 billion – no strings attached, no questions asked, no oversight, - just a warm kiss on the cheek and a paternal pat on the head!! And some Democrats are saying that they simply do not trust the President, and drew a parallel to Mr. Bush’s request for authority to wage war in Iraq. No kidding! Read Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman. In order to get Dick Armey to vote for the war in Iraq, Cheney told Armey that Saddam Hussein and his family had direct ties to Al Qaida (a bold-faced lie!) and that Saddam Hussein had miniaturized nuclear bombs so that they could fit into a suitcase, and was planning to hand them over to his terrorist friends (another lie!). So not trusting this Administration is a wise move.
And then, who are the geniuses that are going to be entrusted with this unfettered access to $700 billion??? Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chair Bernanke. Here’s what they say in prepared remarks on September 23, 2008:
"If financial conditions fail to improve for a protracted period, the implications for the broader economy could be quite adverse" – Ben Bernanke.
"We must do so in order to avoid a continuing series of financial institution failures and frozen credit markets that threaten the well-being of American families' financial well-being, the viability of businesses both small and large and the very health of our economy" – Paulson.
This problem did not develop overnight. How come Paulson and Bernanke were not in front of this crisis, instead of trying to play catch-up?? Here is an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal on February 19, 2008:
Following the U.K.’s surprise move to nationalize mortgage lender Northern Rock, will the U.S. need to make similar moves? “Absolutely not,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told CNBC, dismissing talk that the Bush administration needs to initiate a widespread bailout program to assist the financial industry and restore investor confidence.
Here’s another Paulson gem from the Wall Street Journal February 28, 2008:
In an interview yesterday, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson branded many of the aid proposals circulating in Washington as "bailouts" for reckless lenders, investors and speculators, rather than measures that would provide meaningful relief to deserving, but cash-strapped, mortgage borrowers.
More pearls of wisdom from the esteemed Secretary, this time from CNBC on line, July 21, 2008:
The U.S. economy needs months to recover from its slowdown, but the banking system remains sound despite a home mortgage crisis that could cause more problems, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said.
"Our banking system is a safe and a sound one," Paulson insisted on CNN's "Late Edition."
"this is a very manageable situation ... our regulators are focused on it."
But now Paulson feels that the world will come to an end if we don’t give him $700 Billion! Paulson does not want to limit compensation and bonuses for top executives of companies that get bailed out by the taxpayer. Of course he doesn’t!! In a few months, Paulson will be back on Wall Street, and he does not want to be held accountable for the millions that he hopes that one of the Wall Street firms will pay him to peddle influence in the corridors of Washington.
And what does the taxpayer, who is paying this $700 Billion, think of this bailout? A CNN/Opinion Research poll, 79% of 1,020 respondents said they were worried that the economy could get worse if the government takes no action. However, 77% also said they believed that a government bail-out would benefit those responsible for the economic downturn in the first place.
And the fun continues…….
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
“When there’s a fire in your kitchen threatening to burn down your home, you don’t want someone stopping the firefighters on the way and demanding they hand out smoke detectors first or lecturing you about the hazards of keeping paint in the basement,” Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, said in a speech on the Senate floor. “You want them to put out the fire before it burns down your home and everything you’ve saved for your whole life.”
So continuing in the “fire fighting” vein, Mr. McConnell of Kentucky, let me point out:
1) Before you send fire fighters to put out a house fire, you need to make sure that you understand the risks associated with the going into that burning house. You don’t want to send fire fighters into a burning house and have the roof cave in on them, and kill six of them, do you?? Take a look at Paulson’s interview with Brokaw on Meet the Press this past Sunday. Paulson has no idea how much bad debit, or the quality of the bad debt that he is asking the American tax payer to underwrite. In other words, he has no idea of the risk associated with sending taxpayers into this burning house.
2) You risk the lives of fire fighters by sending them into a burning house only if there are lives to save – i.e. if the rewards justify the risk. Paulson is asking the taxpayer to take on this risky bad debt, but resists allowing the taxpayer to enjoy the rewards if the $700 Billion bailout does work, and the financial industry is back to making money.
The President and his cohorts are asking the taxpayer to give them $700 billion – no strings attached, no questions asked, no oversight, - just a warm kiss on the cheek and a paternal pat on the head!! And some Democrats are saying that they simply do not trust the President, and drew a parallel to Mr. Bush’s request for authority to wage war in Iraq. No kidding! Read Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman. In order to get Dick Armey to vote for the war in Iraq, Cheney told Armey that Saddam Hussein and his family had direct ties to Al Qaida (a bold-faced lie!) and that Saddam Hussein had miniaturized nuclear bombs so that they could fit into a suitcase, and was planning to hand them over to his terrorist friends (another lie!). So not trusting this Administration is a wise move.
And then, who are the geniuses that are going to be entrusted with this unfettered access to $700 billion??? Treasury Secretary Paulson and Fed Chair Bernanke. Here’s what they say in prepared remarks on September 23, 2008:
"If financial conditions fail to improve for a protracted period, the implications for the broader economy could be quite adverse" – Ben Bernanke.
"We must do so in order to avoid a continuing series of financial institution failures and frozen credit markets that threaten the well-being of American families' financial well-being, the viability of businesses both small and large and the very health of our economy" – Paulson.
This problem did not develop overnight. How come Paulson and Bernanke were not in front of this crisis, instead of trying to play catch-up?? Here is an excerpt from the Wall Street Journal on February 19, 2008:
Following the U.K.’s surprise move to nationalize mortgage lender Northern Rock, will the U.S. need to make similar moves? “Absolutely not,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told CNBC, dismissing talk that the Bush administration needs to initiate a widespread bailout program to assist the financial industry and restore investor confidence.
Here’s another Paulson gem from the Wall Street Journal February 28, 2008:
In an interview yesterday, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson branded many of the aid proposals circulating in Washington as "bailouts" for reckless lenders, investors and speculators, rather than measures that would provide meaningful relief to deserving, but cash-strapped, mortgage borrowers.
More pearls of wisdom from the esteemed Secretary, this time from CNBC on line, July 21, 2008:
The U.S. economy needs months to recover from its slowdown, but the banking system remains sound despite a home mortgage crisis that could cause more problems, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said.
"Our banking system is a safe and a sound one," Paulson insisted on CNN's "Late Edition."
"this is a very manageable situation ... our regulators are focused on it."
But now Paulson feels that the world will come to an end if we don’t give him $700 Billion! Paulson does not want to limit compensation and bonuses for top executives of companies that get bailed out by the taxpayer. Of course he doesn’t!! In a few months, Paulson will be back on Wall Street, and he does not want to be held accountable for the millions that he hopes that one of the Wall Street firms will pay him to peddle influence in the corridors of Washington.
And what does the taxpayer, who is paying this $700 Billion, think of this bailout? A CNN/Opinion Research poll, 79% of 1,020 respondents said they were worried that the economy could get worse if the government takes no action. However, 77% also said they believed that a government bail-out would benefit those responsible for the economic downturn in the first place.
And the fun continues…….
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
Monday, September 22, 2008
Yet more on the financial mess.....
I am reading and learning more about the financial bailout that the Administration wants, and it scares me even more!! In a nutshell….
Give us $700B (that’s a B, not an M)
Give us power to use it in any way we see fit
We’ll buy up bad loans without having any knowledge of the risk and rewards associated with the expenditure
Don’t ask us any questions
Don’t provide any oversight
And if we screw up or embezzle money, make sure that no one and no court has the authority to review what we’ve done
Where can I sign up for this job!?!?!?!? Hopefully the Democrats show a bit of spine and hold tight to their demands!!!
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
Give us $700B (that’s a B, not an M)
Give us power to use it in any way we see fit
We’ll buy up bad loans without having any knowledge of the risk and rewards associated with the expenditure
Don’t ask us any questions
Don’t provide any oversight
And if we screw up or embezzle money, make sure that no one and no court has the authority to review what we’ve done
Where can I sign up for this job!?!?!?!? Hopefully the Democrats show a bit of spine and hold tight to their demands!!!
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
www.gizmocentral.com
Sunday, September 21, 2008
On the financial mess.....
I just got done watching Hank Paulson (Treasury Secretary) on Meet the Press. I really like Tom Brokaw in charge of the evening News Desk, but boy – I miss Tim Russert!!! Tom’s good, but he lacks the depth of knowledge, the pre-show preparation, and the ability to think on his feet like Russert did. Oh well….I guess Tim’s not coming back, so you play the hand you’re dealt!
Paulson says that excesses have been building up for a long time. There were irresponsible lending and borrowing practices, and ultimately this lead to the mess. My Questions: If this was building up for a long time, why didn’t Paulson warn the administration and the public? Why did Bush keep saying that there wasn’t a big problem with the financial system?? Paulson called the financial system “fragile” and “critical”. How did we go from being the strongest economy in the world to “fragile” and “critical”??
From what I understand, the problem is that banks and financial institutions have unknown and unidentified connections with bad mortgage loans. So banks didn’t know if the other banks that they were lending money to would collapse overnight, leading to a freeze of the credit markets. So in order to unfreeze the credit markets, the Feds are using our money to buy up these bad loans. Paulson does not know how bad these loans are, how much they are really worth, or how much risk is associated with mortgages. Brokaw did ask is the Goldman Sachs board would allow Paulson to spend $85B to acquire AIG with all these unknowns and risk. Paulson beat around the bush, and again – I miss Russert!!! Brokaw was not able to think on his feet to press further, or was just not willing to push this further!
Brokaw asked if it was a good time to start working on new regulations and policies to strengthen practices and improve the financial framework. Paulson says NO!!! He says that we should fix the current problems, and that we do not have time to work on regulations. I agree that we need to fix the current problems, but not wanting to start working on regulations is just plain DUMB!!! I am left with the impression that the Bush administration wants to do just enough to make sure that this does not turn into a complete disaster so that the Republicans get creamed in November, and then leave the really big tasks to the next President and administration.
Paulson just does not inspire confidence!!! He was part of the problem at Goldman Sachs until Bush appointed him the Treasury Secretary. Now we are supposed to trust him with tax payer money to essentially discipline his cohorts on Wall Street!! Isn’t that the fox guarding the hen house??????
www.gizmocentral.com
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
Paulson says that excesses have been building up for a long time. There were irresponsible lending and borrowing practices, and ultimately this lead to the mess. My Questions: If this was building up for a long time, why didn’t Paulson warn the administration and the public? Why did Bush keep saying that there wasn’t a big problem with the financial system?? Paulson called the financial system “fragile” and “critical”. How did we go from being the strongest economy in the world to “fragile” and “critical”??
From what I understand, the problem is that banks and financial institutions have unknown and unidentified connections with bad mortgage loans. So banks didn’t know if the other banks that they were lending money to would collapse overnight, leading to a freeze of the credit markets. So in order to unfreeze the credit markets, the Feds are using our money to buy up these bad loans. Paulson does not know how bad these loans are, how much they are really worth, or how much risk is associated with mortgages. Brokaw did ask is the Goldman Sachs board would allow Paulson to spend $85B to acquire AIG with all these unknowns and risk. Paulson beat around the bush, and again – I miss Russert!!! Brokaw was not able to think on his feet to press further, or was just not willing to push this further!
Brokaw asked if it was a good time to start working on new regulations and policies to strengthen practices and improve the financial framework. Paulson says NO!!! He says that we should fix the current problems, and that we do not have time to work on regulations. I agree that we need to fix the current problems, but not wanting to start working on regulations is just plain DUMB!!! I am left with the impression that the Bush administration wants to do just enough to make sure that this does not turn into a complete disaster so that the Republicans get creamed in November, and then leave the really big tasks to the next President and administration.
Paulson just does not inspire confidence!!! He was part of the problem at Goldman Sachs until Bush appointed him the Treasury Secretary. Now we are supposed to trust him with tax payer money to essentially discipline his cohorts on Wall Street!! Isn’t that the fox guarding the hen house??????
www.gizmocentral.com
http://www.azjewelrystore.com/index_files/HotItems.htm
Saturday, September 20, 2008
More Politics.....
Palin has done much to help McCain’s chances come November. She’s energized the base, improved fundraising, drawn white women to McCain, strengthened his position with the Right wing of the part, and for the first time, helped him gain a slim lead over Obama in the polls.
What really amazes me is not so much what Palin has done for the Republican ticket, but how she has completely thrown the Democrats off their game! The Dems are so concerned about being attacked as sexists by the Right that they seem to be frozen in their tracks. This deer-in-headlights look on the face of the Democratic leadership is eerily similar to that of the Kerry campaign in 2004 when the Swift Boaters methodically demolished the Kerry campaign over a 3-week period, while Kerry and the Democrats stood by and went surfing and hunting instead!!
The sad part of this whole issue is that the Dems have the perfect weapons to counter the Palin effect – Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro is a has-been I guess, and most people under 40 probably have no idea who she is. But Clinton certainly has the clout and to call out the Republicans on adding Palin was pandering to the base. But the Clintons are already looking to 2012, I guess. I just have this really queasy feeling in my gut!
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www.gizmocentral.com
What really amazes me is not so much what Palin has done for the Republican ticket, but how she has completely thrown the Democrats off their game! The Dems are so concerned about being attacked as sexists by the Right that they seem to be frozen in their tracks. This deer-in-headlights look on the face of the Democratic leadership is eerily similar to that of the Kerry campaign in 2004 when the Swift Boaters methodically demolished the Kerry campaign over a 3-week period, while Kerry and the Democrats stood by and went surfing and hunting instead!!
The sad part of this whole issue is that the Dems have the perfect weapons to counter the Palin effect – Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. Ferraro is a has-been I guess, and most people under 40 probably have no idea who she is. But Clinton certainly has the clout and to call out the Republicans on adding Palin was pandering to the base. But the Clintons are already looking to 2012, I guess. I just have this really queasy feeling in my gut!
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Friday, September 19, 2008
Global Warming
I’ve been reading up on this global warming thing in recent weeks. There are environmental lunatics on the Left who see the world coming to and end and want us all to give up our cars, and ride bicycles, and go live in caves so that we don’t cause the planet to warm up any more. And there are Right wing nutbags who bury their heads in the sand and refuse to acknowledge the melting glaciers, disappearing ice on Kilimanjaro, etc etc. Leaving aside the lunatic fringe on both sides, there appears to be a general consensus on both sides that the planet is indeed going through a period of warming, and that the consequences of global warming can be quite severe. The difference of opinion is really in what is causing this global warming – is it manmade, or is it some natural cyclical phenomenon.
I really don’t know the answer. I do believe that the consequences of global warming will be severe, and so if there are things that we can do without throwing our lives completely out of whack, well, that’s worth doing. I don’t intend to go live in a cave somewhere, and reduce my carbon footprint to zero (actually I have no idea what my carbon footprint really is!). But I am making small changes that hopefully help. Here’s what I am doing, and what I plan to do:
I stocked up on CFL bulbs when my local Home Depot had them on sale. Now each time an incandescent bulb burns out, I replace it with a CFL. The CFLs I use put out the same amount of light as a 40W incandescent lamp, yet consume only 9W of power! CFLs also last longer than conventional bulbs.
I live in Arizona, where on average, we have 90 days a year of 100+ degree days. This summer I kept my house at 80 degrees. I have ceiling fans in every room, and I use the ceiling fans to make the room comfortable. My electric bill is down by over 15 percent, even though the electric company raised rates by over 10 percent compared to last year.
I really should get a more efficient AC unit. But I am not sure if I want to put out $6,000 for a new unit right now! So we’ll see how that goes.
I’ve switched both toilets to low flow type models.
I’ve switched the showerheads in both baths to the low-flow type. Cost me less than 10 bucks each!
Part of my house has a flat roof. So I am trying to see if it makes sense (financially) for me to install solar panels. The initial expense is quite high, but with tax rebates, and incentives from the electric company, I may be able to afford it. I’ll let you know!
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
I really don’t know the answer. I do believe that the consequences of global warming will be severe, and so if there are things that we can do without throwing our lives completely out of whack, well, that’s worth doing. I don’t intend to go live in a cave somewhere, and reduce my carbon footprint to zero (actually I have no idea what my carbon footprint really is!). But I am making small changes that hopefully help. Here’s what I am doing, and what I plan to do:
I stocked up on CFL bulbs when my local Home Depot had them on sale. Now each time an incandescent bulb burns out, I replace it with a CFL. The CFLs I use put out the same amount of light as a 40W incandescent lamp, yet consume only 9W of power! CFLs also last longer than conventional bulbs.
I live in Arizona, where on average, we have 90 days a year of 100+ degree days. This summer I kept my house at 80 degrees. I have ceiling fans in every room, and I use the ceiling fans to make the room comfortable. My electric bill is down by over 15 percent, even though the electric company raised rates by over 10 percent compared to last year.
I really should get a more efficient AC unit. But I am not sure if I want to put out $6,000 for a new unit right now! So we’ll see how that goes.
I’ve switched both toilets to low flow type models.
I’ve switched the showerheads in both baths to the low-flow type. Cost me less than 10 bucks each!
Part of my house has a flat roof. So I am trying to see if it makes sense (financially) for me to install solar panels. The initial expense is quite high, but with tax rebates, and incentives from the electric company, I may be able to afford it. I’ll let you know!
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Spicy Indian Garbanzo Beans - Channa Masala
This is my take on a classic Indian dish – channa masala or garbanzo beans in a curry sauce. I use a Jamaican Curry Power (Blue Mountain) along with traditional Indian spices. The West Indian curry powder is a bit more mellow and has a different flavor compared to Indian curry powder, and gives the dish a different dimension. I found the Jamaican Curry Powder in one of the ethnic grocery stores in Phoenix. If you cannot find the Jamaican Curry Powder, use regular curry powder.
Ingredients
1½ cups: Dried Garbanzo Beans, soaked overnight. If you do not have a pressure cooker to cook the beans, use 2, 16-oz cans of Garbanzo beans instead
2 tablespoons: Peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon: Cumin seed
6: Cloves
¼-teaspoon or 4 whole pods Cardamom
1, 2-in piece: Cinnamon
2: Bay leaves
1-inch piece: Ginger, finely minced. I prefer fresh ginger minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought ginger paste too.
3 : Garlic cloves, finely minced. I prefer fresh garlic minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought garlic paste too.
2 : Medium sized onions, finely chopped or ground
3 tablespoons: Jamaican curry powder. Use 2 tablespoons if using regular curry powder.
1 teaspoon: Coriander powder
1 teaspoon: Garam Masala
½-teaspoon: Hot red chili powder (this is ground red peppers, not the mix of spices that you use to cook up a pot of chilli). Add more if you like.
½-teaspoon :Amchur. This is powdered, dried mango and it adds a slightly sour taste. You can find this in most Indian grocery stores.
½-cup: Pureed tomato. I use canned diced tomatoes, and puree them using a hand-held electric blender.
2 tablespoons: Chopped fresh cilantro
Process the beans:
Soak the beans overnight
Drain the beans and add them to the pressure cooker
Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste
Add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Or you can tie these spices in a piece of cheese cloth (bouquet garni) and then add to the pressure cooker.
Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook until soft. This should be about 6 whistles of the pressure cooker, and about 30 mins.
Drain the beans and retain the liquid. Toss the bouquet garni.
Separate out about ½-cup of the cooked beans and mash them to a paste.
Pull it all together
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large cooking pot. I use a dutch oven or a deep fry pan.
Once the oil is hot, had 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Allow to heat up so that they turn brown, but do not allow them to burn.
Add the chopped or ground onions. Add the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn soft and translucent.
Add 3 tablespoons of curry powder, one teaspoon of garam masala, one teaspoon of coriander powder, and ½-teaspoon of amchur. Sautee until the spices release their fragrance, but do not allow them to burn.
Add the pureed tomato and the mashed beans, and cook over low heat for about 7 minutes. Stir frequently so that the mix does not burn.
Add the garbanzo beans along with 2 cups of liquid left over from cooking the beans in the pressure cooker.
Put a lid on the pan and cook on low for about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 or 6 minutes. Add more liquid if like the curry to be more runny, or cook with lid off to thicken the curry.
Adjust salt to your taste, and garnish with the chopped cilantro.
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Ingredients
1½ cups: Dried Garbanzo Beans, soaked overnight. If you do not have a pressure cooker to cook the beans, use 2, 16-oz cans of Garbanzo beans instead
2 tablespoons: Peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon: Cumin seed
6: Cloves
¼-teaspoon or 4 whole pods Cardamom
1, 2-in piece: Cinnamon
2: Bay leaves
1-inch piece: Ginger, finely minced. I prefer fresh ginger minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought ginger paste too.
3 : Garlic cloves, finely minced. I prefer fresh garlic minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought garlic paste too.
2 : Medium sized onions, finely chopped or ground
3 tablespoons: Jamaican curry powder. Use 2 tablespoons if using regular curry powder.
1 teaspoon: Coriander powder
1 teaspoon: Garam Masala
½-teaspoon: Hot red chili powder (this is ground red peppers, not the mix of spices that you use to cook up a pot of chilli). Add more if you like.
½-teaspoon :Amchur. This is powdered, dried mango and it adds a slightly sour taste. You can find this in most Indian grocery stores.
½-cup: Pureed tomato. I use canned diced tomatoes, and puree them using a hand-held electric blender.
2 tablespoons: Chopped fresh cilantro
Process the beans:
Soak the beans overnight
Drain the beans and add them to the pressure cooker
Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste
Add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Or you can tie these spices in a piece of cheese cloth (bouquet garni) and then add to the pressure cooker.
Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook until soft. This should be about 6 whistles of the pressure cooker, and about 30 mins.
Drain the beans and retain the liquid. Toss the bouquet garni.
Separate out about ½-cup of the cooked beans and mash them to a paste.
Pull it all together
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large cooking pot. I use a dutch oven or a deep fry pan.
Once the oil is hot, had 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Allow to heat up so that they turn brown, but do not allow them to burn.
Add the chopped or ground onions. Add the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn soft and translucent.
Add 3 tablespoons of curry powder, one teaspoon of garam masala, one teaspoon of coriander powder, and ½-teaspoon of amchur. Sautee until the spices release their fragrance, but do not allow them to burn.
Add the pureed tomato and the mashed beans, and cook over low heat for about 7 minutes. Stir frequently so that the mix does not burn.
Add the garbanzo beans along with 2 cups of liquid left over from cooking the beans in the pressure cooker.
Put a lid on the pan and cook on low for about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 or 6 minutes. Add more liquid if like the curry to be more runny, or cook with lid off to thicken the curry.
Adjust salt to your taste, and garnish with the chopped cilantro.
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
More political rants and raves......
Palin has neither the knowledge nor the experience to step in as President in case something unfortunate happens to McCain. I disagree completely with her philosophies on life, religion, and women’s rights. Having said that, I believe that she is turning out to be the perfect candidate for the Republican ticket with McCain.
1) She has energized the base like no one else on the VP shortlist could
2) She has helped improve McCain’s fundraising. Last month McCain had his best month ever.
3) She has helped solidify McCain’s credibility with the Right wing of the party. Before her addition to the ticket, the Right’s response to McCain was tepid, at best!
4) White women have broken for McCain in a big way
5) By adding her to the ticket, McCain has once again claimed the title of “maverick”
I sincerely hope that the Democrats do not underestimate her impact on the outcome of the Presidential race. If not, we’re going to have yet another white male in the White House for at least another four years.
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
1) She has energized the base like no one else on the VP shortlist could
2) She has helped improve McCain’s fundraising. Last month McCain had his best month ever.
3) She has helped solidify McCain’s credibility with the Right wing of the party. Before her addition to the ticket, the Right’s response to McCain was tepid, at best!
4) White women have broken for McCain in a big way
5) By adding her to the ticket, McCain has once again claimed the title of “maverick”
I sincerely hope that the Democrats do not underestimate her impact on the outcome of the Presidential race. If not, we’re going to have yet another white male in the White House for at least another four years.
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Ethnic Cooking and Groceries
ETHNIC INGREDIENTS AND SPICES IN THE US
Ever since I started experimenting with ethnic recipes, I have been on the look out for good sources of spices, spice mixes, and other ingredients – both online, as well as in brick-and-mortar stores. I live in Phoenix, and I’ve always felt that there was a lack of ethnic grocery stores in the Valley. So I combed the web and came up with a few good sources. But after much research, I have also identified a few really good ethnic grocery stores in the Phoenix area. So here’s what I know thus far:
ONLINE SOURCES
www.ZamouriSpices.com: Excellent source for primarily Middle Eastern spices. Some common curry powders are also available. The quality of the spices here is very good. The hot harrissa paste is one of my favorites!
www.WorldSpice.com: This is actually a brick-and-mortar store in Seattle, WA, but they also have a presence on the web for people like me who live hundreds of miles away. They grind their spices fresh when you order them (or you can order them whole and grind them yourself!). I know when my package has been delivered in the mail – I can smell the spices as I walk to the mailbox! The berbere, harrissa, Cape Town Masala, Chai Masala are my favorites. Interesting Note – they do business the old-fashioned way: No credit cards! You order, they send you the spices along with the invoice, and you mail them a check!
www.eFoodDepot.com: This is perhaps the largest online ethnic grocery store that I have come across. The store carries a large variety of groceries from a whole bunch of groceries.
As I noted above, there are also several good ethnic grocery stores in the Phoenix area. Here are some of my favorites:
Central Phoenix
Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli (west side of 16th St, between Osborne and Thomas): Small grocery store with a decent amount of supplies. Has a great little restaurant attached. I eat there all the time, but have not shopped for groceries there yet.
Tan Phat (Northwest corner of 17th Ave and Camelback): Vietnamese grocery store that also carries stuff from other Asian countries. Has a full aisle of Indian groceries, and about one aisle of Thai items. Good selection of fresh ethnic produce. They get fresh stock each Wed morning.
Biaz (Eastside of 20th St, between Roosevelt and Van Buren): One of the largest Middle Eastern grocery stores that I have seen! Aisles and aisles of things I’ve never heard of….and some that I’ve heard of! If you are a fan of the Middle Eastern yogurt drink (doogh, dugh, depending on the part of the world!), you can buy it in one-gallon jugs! They bake their own bread on site, and it's great. Has a little restaurant attached. The food is ok and the prices are low. I shop here often.
North Phoenix
Indo Euro Foods (Southeast corner of Bell Road and 16th St): Pretty decent Indian grocery store. You can find all the Indian staples here, along with some British groceries. Small selection of fresh produce, restocked each Wed. I come here about once a month.
West Valley
Manila Supermarket (Southwest corner of 35th Ave and Dunlap): Very good store for Asian groceries. Good supply of items from countries in South, South East, and East Asia. Fresh produce stocked each Wed or Thurs. I shop there often. Small attached restaurant. I eat there sometimes, but not the best good in the world.
East Valley
Lee Lee’s Supermarket (Northeast corner of Warner and Dobson): By far, THE best ethnic grocery store in the Phoenix area. Groceries from all over Asia and the Middle East. Large selection of fresh produce. I’d like to shop here often, but it is a long drive from me, and so I end up going here only a few times a year.
These are some of sources that I’ve been able to dig up, and like. I’m sure that there are others. Please post and add to the list!
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Ever since I started experimenting with ethnic recipes, I have been on the look out for good sources of spices, spice mixes, and other ingredients – both online, as well as in brick-and-mortar stores. I live in Phoenix, and I’ve always felt that there was a lack of ethnic grocery stores in the Valley. So I combed the web and came up with a few good sources. But after much research, I have also identified a few really good ethnic grocery stores in the Phoenix area. So here’s what I know thus far:
ONLINE SOURCES
www.ZamouriSpices.com: Excellent source for primarily Middle Eastern spices. Some common curry powders are also available. The quality of the spices here is very good. The hot harrissa paste is one of my favorites!
www.WorldSpice.com: This is actually a brick-and-mortar store in Seattle, WA, but they also have a presence on the web for people like me who live hundreds of miles away. They grind their spices fresh when you order them (or you can order them whole and grind them yourself!). I know when my package has been delivered in the mail – I can smell the spices as I walk to the mailbox! The berbere, harrissa, Cape Town Masala, Chai Masala are my favorites. Interesting Note – they do business the old-fashioned way: No credit cards! You order, they send you the spices along with the invoice, and you mail them a check!
www.eFoodDepot.com: This is perhaps the largest online ethnic grocery store that I have come across. The store carries a large variety of groceries from a whole bunch of groceries.
As I noted above, there are also several good ethnic grocery stores in the Phoenix area. Here are some of my favorites:
Central Phoenix
Middle Eastern Bakery & Deli (west side of 16th St, between Osborne and Thomas): Small grocery store with a decent amount of supplies. Has a great little restaurant attached. I eat there all the time, but have not shopped for groceries there yet.
Tan Phat (Northwest corner of 17th Ave and Camelback): Vietnamese grocery store that also carries stuff from other Asian countries. Has a full aisle of Indian groceries, and about one aisle of Thai items. Good selection of fresh ethnic produce. They get fresh stock each Wed morning.
Biaz (Eastside of 20th St, between Roosevelt and Van Buren): One of the largest Middle Eastern grocery stores that I have seen! Aisles and aisles of things I’ve never heard of….and some that I’ve heard of! If you are a fan of the Middle Eastern yogurt drink (doogh, dugh, depending on the part of the world!), you can buy it in one-gallon jugs! They bake their own bread on site, and it's great. Has a little restaurant attached. The food is ok and the prices are low. I shop here often.
North Phoenix
Indo Euro Foods (Southeast corner of Bell Road and 16th St): Pretty decent Indian grocery store. You can find all the Indian staples here, along with some British groceries. Small selection of fresh produce, restocked each Wed. I come here about once a month.
West Valley
Manila Supermarket (Southwest corner of 35th Ave and Dunlap): Very good store for Asian groceries. Good supply of items from countries in South, South East, and East Asia. Fresh produce stocked each Wed or Thurs. I shop there often. Small attached restaurant. I eat there sometimes, but not the best good in the world.
East Valley
Lee Lee’s Supermarket (Northeast corner of Warner and Dobson): By far, THE best ethnic grocery store in the Phoenix area. Groceries from all over Asia and the Middle East. Large selection of fresh produce. I’d like to shop here often, but it is a long drive from me, and so I end up going here only a few times a year.
These are some of sources that I’ve been able to dig up, and like. I’m sure that there are others. Please post and add to the list!
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Politics
I've decided that I am going to go off track a bit and post on politics....
Why are the Democrats not running ads on TV to show the contradictions between “Senator” McCain and “Presidential Candidate” McCain?????????? I’d love to see an ad that contrasts McCain’s differing positions on
Immigration
Offshore Drilling
Bush Tax cuts
Etc., Etc.
More than half of Hollywood supports the Dems. I am sure that there is someone on the West Coast that can come up with an effective ad campaign!!! What exactly is the Obama camp doing with the $40M+ that they seem to raise each month?????
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Why are the Democrats not running ads on TV to show the contradictions between “Senator” McCain and “Presidential Candidate” McCain?????????? I’d love to see an ad that contrasts McCain’s differing positions on
Immigration
Offshore Drilling
Bush Tax cuts
Etc., Etc.
More than half of Hollywood supports the Dems. I am sure that there is someone on the West Coast that can come up with an effective ad campaign!!! What exactly is the Obama camp doing with the $40M+ that they seem to raise each month?????
www.azjewelrystore.com
www.gizmocentral.com
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Interesting Fashion Jewelry - Copper Bracelets
In my earlier post, I wrote about these cool copper pendants that I had picked up in Southern Arizona, and I had several listed on www.AzJewelryStore.com. I am now posting about several designer copper bracelets that I picked up. These hand crafted copper bracelets are really pretty and are available both in the cuff-style as well as bangle bracelets. The bangle bracelets of course have a fixed size while the size for the cuff-style bracelets can be adjusted (within reason!!). This is really good jewelry, and is a good alternative if cash is tight and silver jewelry is out of reach. Pretty, inexpensive, jewlery.
I read some about the copper bracelet arthritis link, that magnetic copper bracelets have been used to control pain. Since copper is non-magnetic, I have no idea how a copper magnetic bracelet is made, and the copper bracelets on www.AzJewelryStore.com are make no claims to the copper bracelet arthritis connection. But if you are just looking for some cool, cheap jewelry, stop by and take a look at some of the pieces of fashion jewelry at www.AzJewelryStore.com.
I read some about the copper bracelet arthritis link, that magnetic copper bracelets have been used to control pain. Since copper is non-magnetic, I have no idea how a copper magnetic bracelet is made, and the copper bracelets on www.AzJewelryStore.com are make no claims to the copper bracelet arthritis connection. But if you are just looking for some cool, cheap jewelry, stop by and take a look at some of the pieces of fashion jewelry at www.AzJewelryStore.com.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Copper Jewelry
At times when prices of precious metals such as gold and platinum are soaring, it is interesting to see the innovation in the jewelry industry. I was in Southern Arizona recently and came across a place near Tucson that is making some pretty cool stuff out of copper! I thought this was a good alternative to silver jewlery. I bought several pendants that can be seen at http://www.azjewelrystore.com/. I knew that magnetic copper bracelets have been around for a while, and I read about the copper bracelet arthritis connect, but this was the first time that I have seen copper pendants. These pendants have their own rustic charm, not that silver jewelry doesn’t have its own charm!!
Each pendant is quite large, typically longer than 2-inches. The focal point of the pendant is a natural stone - I bought ones with onyx, quartz, carnelian, and chalcedony. Go to http://www.azjewelrystore.com/ and let me know what you think.
I am also going to look for earrings and necklaces. Copper earrings may be difficult, but I think I might be able to find a class copper necklace somewhere!! If I do, you’ll see it at www.AzJewelryStore.com.
Later!
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