Archive for the ‘All’ Category
Turkey Tetrazzini
turkey Tetrazzini 1, 26-oz can condensed cream of mushroom soup 1.75 cups milk 0.75 cups grated Parmesan cheese 2 Tablespoons dry sherry 3 cups cubed, cooked turkey 4oz mushrooms, sliced and sauteed 8 oz spaghetti, cooked Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix the first 4 ingredients together. Stir in turkey, mushrooms, and spaghetti. Put into […]
Our Favorite Turkey Pot Pie
When we were young, we enjoyed special dinners of inexpensive, frozen pot pies. They were far from fancy, but they left us with a taste we crave. We've been a long time searching, but we finally found a recipe that gives us the taste from our youth. This recipe is very similar to one for […]
Today in History
One event that happened today, 30 April, looms large in my personal view of history : I was born on this day. For years–decades, actually–I've known of one significant event that happened on this same date in history : Hitler killed himself (Wikipedia about). Significant, yes, but not the happiest thing to keep in my […]
Rolling My Own
I've finally acknowledged that I need to keep, at least for awhile, a more detailed diabetes log–blood-sugar readings, carbs consumed, insulin taken, and such. My control needs to be better and it's been difficult lately to discern useful patterns in the paltry data I've been keeping. I wanted something convenient and paperless, if I could. […]
In: All, Eureka!, Personal Notebook
The Pitfalls of "Big Data"
I greatly enjoyed this article ("Big data: are we making a big mistake?", by Tim Harford) on the dangers of "big data", which certainly has opened up new avenues of research but nevertheless still requires understanding to avoid statistical pitfalls. Understanding causes beyond mere correlation is still necessary: correlations can predict trends with uncanny accuracy, […]
In: All, It's Only Rocket Science, Plus Ca Change...
Corruption : A Culture of Dependency?
This article ("The Supreme Court Just Gutted Another Campaign Finance Law. Here’s What Happened.", by Andy Kroll) provides some useful background and short, clear analysis on today's McCutcheon v. FEC ruling from the Supremes. I'm surprised, frankly, that Republicans could look so favorably on allowing large contributions from single donors; don't they realize that it […]
In: All, Current Events, Splenetics
How White Supremacists Help Advance the Cause of Marriage Equality
So, District Court Judge Friedman recently struck down Michigan's ban on marriage equality as unconstitutional. Michigan AG Bill Schuette vowed to appeal, wasting taxpayer money (oops! my editorial comment). Now, a white supremacist group has filed a brief in support of his case, basically using the same arguments that he and similar marriage-equality foes have […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity, Laughing Matters
Signs of High Blood Sugar
Sometimes I get to be a spokesman/resource for diabetes, and people will ask how they can know if they might be showing signs of its onset. I happened across this set of "7 signs of high blood sugar" yesterday, and I think they are practical and cover most of the ground.
In: All, Briefly Noted, Explaining Things, Naming Things, Wanderings
Opening "Mame"
We have successfully made it through opening night of our production of "Mame", satisfying our audience and experiencing only enough booboisie to make for amusing stories afterward. I am now happily tucked into bed and relaxing for what feels like the first time all week, for which my feet are grateful. Unintentionally funniest audience comment […]
How the Equinox Happens
Oh, I just now saw that the Spring Equinox happened about 20 minutes ago (12:57 pm, EDT). Happy Equinox! Then I started wondering whether anyone wondered how it is that we can have equal amounts of daylight and dark at a precise time of the day. (The answer is that the time–and the equinox–is determined […]
In: All, Explaining Things, It's Only Rocket Science
The Gettysburg Address turns 150
Earlier today I read somewhere that some teabagger (yes, I know which one but I prefer this more dismissive reference) was upset because (if I'm following the details correctly) in the short film Ken Burns made about "The Gettysburg Address" for the occasion, today, of its 150th anniversary, President Obama was filmed reading The Address […]
In: All, Briefly Noted, Laughing Matters
A Musical Extravaganza
St. Matthew's UMC church, where Isaac is music director, celebrated its 50th anniversary this weekend. Among the many splendid events, Isaac organized a gala musical evening this past Saturday. The program included gem after gem: Isaac playing a festive and rambunctious fanfare by Charles Ore on the organ; St. Matthew's handbell choir played 3 selections, […]
In: All, Music & Art, Personal Notebook
The Boy Scouts : Possibly a Return to Relevance?
Until just a few hours ago, I was pessimistic about the future of the Boy Scouts of America. Now it seems that they may manage to have a future. The news has just come in that a vote at the organization's annual meeting has approved a policy to allow gay scouts to remain scouts even […]
A Scienticity Reading List
A friend asked me for some recommendations for popular science books she might read. Here is one such list. It is 16 titles I culled from the "Top-Rated Books" [link] in the Scienticity Book-Note Collection of books that I have read and found enjoyable, informative, and memorable. Most of the notes in the links are […]
In: All, Books, Personal Notebook, Speaking of Science
DOMA is Unconstitutional
With the Supreme Court set to hear oral arguments soon on whether the "Defense of Marriage Act" is unconstitutional, former President Bill Clinton has written a timely statement calling for the overturn of DOMA, a bill he signed into law: Americans have been at this sort of a crossroads often enough to recognize the right […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Mainline Homophobes Move to the Fringe
What if they gave a Supreme Court case and no one showed up? So, the Supremes are to consider California's Prop 8 and part of DOMA next month. Will there be anything substantial and sensible to consider? "Standing" is a big legal issue, because no one wants to defend these dinosaurs anymore. The arguments that […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Our Moms' Meatloaf
Meatloaf is a wonderful thing. Everyone has a recipe, but not everyone's recipe suits our taste; many are too dense in texture, or have unexpected tastes from unexpected herbs and other ingredients that catch our mouths off guard. Some people insist that they know what makes the "best" meatloaf. I refuse to claim that our […]
Watching the Sea Change: Post-Election Day One
We spent election evening with friends, watching returns. I don't usually pay much attention to election returns "as they are happening"–to me it's just analyzing the results for something that's already happened–but I enjoyed everyone's enthusiasm for our democratic process. This is not to say, however, that I was not keenly interested in what the […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity
Fiction Guides by Emma Coates
I'm not all that big a fan of "rules" for writers, perhaps because there are far too many self-help howtos for writers filled with a lot of useless, thoughtless "rules". But when I write I have a few personal rules I follow, and I'm always delighted to find some rules from other writers that are […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Writing
Signs of the End Times
Today the signs of the end time — for me, that would be the end to popular support for institutionalized homophobia in the US — are rife and reports are falling in front of me almost faster than I can keep track of them. Just to set the stage, this happens for me against a […]
In: All, Current Events, Faaabulosity