Have any of you seen the lineup for this season's Dancing With The Stars? It's an instant gotta-watch. Heather Mills is competing. She's only got one leg!
There's Ian Ziering, Billy Ray Cyrus, Laila Ali, Leeza Gibbons, Joey Fatone, Clyde Drexler (6'7"!), and a bunch of others as well, but Paul McCartney's ex-wife with her prosthetic leg makes it worth it, without anyone else in the lineup. I'm no fan of her politics, but she managed really good foxtrot and mambo routines, and there's such an added thrill to seeing her dance... will her fake leg fall off?
It's on tonight at 8pm, with the results show tomorrow at 9pm.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
The Great Soda Debate
Like chumming the water, Mom sends the following email to her daughters: An article on Reuters today about the strong positive link between sodas and type 2 diabetes. Even one a day, which is lower than national average can markedly increase your risks.
Of course, it has the expected result...(edited to decrease size, a teeny bit)
Livvy: :-D. Good thing I don't drink soft drinks. Never could stand the burning sensation of the bubbles!! Although...I don't know if all the candy I constantly eat helps any :(. THE CRAVINGS!!!
Celeste: Yeah, but note in particular the biggest point in the whole article, which wasn't really emphasized: The data reviewed by Brownell's team also show that higher intake of sugary sodas goes hand in hand with lower intake of milk, calcium and other essential nutrients, fruit and fiber, and higher intake of carbohydrates.
Don't worry about drinking the occasional soda. Make sure you're eating right, otherwise.
I wouldn't care about this stuff so much, except whenever anyone trumpets results like these, it goes hand in hand with a rush to ban something, or introduce more laws and regulations. Let's make selling soft drinks in school illegal! [...] At what point does it stop being the government's business what you do, and become your own, even if the choices you're making are considered dumb at the moment? People have a right to be unhealthy. We have a right to feed our kids corn puffs and trans fats if we want.
There's a certain segment of society that seems to think that if we just forced everyone to live a certain way, no one would die, and everyone would be slim and beautiful and we'd enter into a golden era of happy shiny people. Ain't gonna happen. Live on wheat bran and soy milk if you want to, you're still gonna die. [...]
Livvy: Yeah...YOU, the parents, have a right to feed your kids whatever you want, but that right is taken out of your hands when schools put soda machines in their lobbies, or let Chik-Filet's set up shop in their cafeterias. And I'm not saying that it's entirely the schools' fault, because if parents really didn't want their children to eat that crap, then just don't give them any money to buy it, or instill in them a strong sense of what qualifies as "good food" or "bad food" according to you.
It seems to me however, that a lot of stupid arguments would be put to rest if schools would just do away with these controversial things since it's completely unnecessary and extremely indulgent of them to have these types of food items available to kids anyways. Like you said Celeste, a school's only purpose is to educate, and if some parents are too damned lazy to pack a lunch for their children and would rather send them to school with some money to purchase a lunch, then that is fine, but the schools should only be providing what is necessary for a well balanced meal. [...]
I think that parents NEED to assert themselves and regain control of their kids lives and if that means limiting what the schools are allowed to "provide" to the kids, then so be it. If you want your kid to eat or drink whatever they want, then that's fine...give it to them yourself! It's not necessary for the schools to provide it to them. Not to mention that the simple act of providing easy access to these kinds of foods is in fact taking away the parents control over their kids.
Celeste: The right of a parent to direct their child's diet is NOT taken out of their hands by the availability of soft drinks or junk food in schools. To suggest that it is, is to also suggest that the rest of society needs to bow to your dietary whims, in order for you to control your offspring, and that sort of attitude leads to Britain considering banning pork in public schools, since the availability of it offends muslims. Do what vegetarian or mormon parents do. Tell your children they're not supposed to eat/drink that stuff. Because, if you're going to dictate that schools should only provide what is 'necessary' in terms of available food, there are going to be a whole lot of different competing factions telling you what they consider necessary and also what's harmful.
And there's no reason to pass a law about it. School boards are mostly run by elected citizens in the community, and they're the ones who decide whether or not Pepsi gets to put a machine in the school. If they don't want to offer that crap, they're free to take it out. There doesn't need to be an order from the government telling them that they have to. But the revenues the sodas in those machines provide end up paying for a lot of stuff around the school, and that's one of the reasons they're there. Because most people don't object to their kid having an occasional can of soda and not selling it in the schools isn't going to prevent them bringing it in on their own. It's just going to prevent the school from taking a slice of the soda revenue pie. So if a community finds the sale of sodas in the school so offensive, there's an easy remedy for it already in place, and it's being done around the country already. [...]
Mom: Ahhh...and then there's also the FACT that the schools get enormous kickbacks from the companies who manage to 'place' drink machines in their schools. Dr. Pepper worked very very hard to obtain the contract for each and every district in the area. You see, they figured that a customer gained in youth was a customer for life. So there's a huge money factor involved. Even the marketing people that I was working with thought that it was extremely unethical, and that they were contributing to the obesity problem. Not enough to quit though. Heh. [...]
The point made in the article about how drinking soda replaces the consumption of other, healthier foods was very important and one to remember in meal planning for our children. Cudos to Celeste for doing such an awesome job with Roy in this area. Believe it or not, I knew mothers who were putting soda in their children's baby bottles at his age.
Livvy: It actually is taken out of their hands. There are some parents who do not allow such foods in their homes because they do not want their kids to eat it. Thus, they make it UNAVAILABLE to their children. When schools make it available to them, the control of those parents is taken away. Which is why I say, as far as schools systems are concerned, that a minimalist approach is the best approach. [...] And, furthermore in allowing these types of products to be available at schools are they not bowing to your dietary whims? And "whims" being the key word, because foods such as the ones on topic are completely unnecessary; there is no cultural, or religious reason for them being there, and they are unhealthy in that they have little or no nutritional value.
Celeste: You can rewrite your statement to say:
There are some parents who are vegetarians and do not allow meat and meat products in their homes because they do not want their kids to eat it. When schools make meat and meat products available to them, the control of those parents is taken away.
There are some parents who are orthodox jews, and do not allow their children to consume anything but kosher food. When schools make non-kosher options available to them, the control of those parents is taken away. [...]
Sodas are not served with lunch. You can't get a soda with a meal card. You have to have cash. If you don't want your kids drinking sodas, don't give them cash, but meal cards, or the equivalent, or pack their lunches and send them in with them. By allowing people who want to, and have the money, to purchase a soda, you aren't infringing on anyone's right. You can not demand that the rest of the world change just to suit how you want your child to be raised. If we do that, we'll end up with a society so restrictive that everything that isn't mandatory is prohibited. Again, if a particular school doesn't want a soda vendor contract, they're free to not have one. I just don't want a state or national level law banning it. [...]
Alicia: Don't know what school was like for you girls, but since I was getting up at 6AM and then commuting or in class until about 4PM most days (then usually doing homework or working until midnight -- not to mention getting shitty sleep every single night in a super uncomfortable back brace), I was certainly glad for the cherry coke in the morning and at lunch. I could barely stay awake in Calculus even with that and a caffeine pill. Can we at least give these kids a coffee station if we are taking out the soda machines? Coffee has very good for you anti-oxidants (and the helpful stay awake juice I know I needed in high school). Also the article does not indicate it causes diabetes.
By the way, I also heard a worm can crawl up in your brain and eat out the inside of your head if you eat sushi.
Orianna: But Celeste, letting the general public choose for themselves is what led to the 60% obesity rate in the country. We gave them McDonald's and despite how unhealthy it is, they 'et it all up. They clamor for their superpiggies dipped in chocolate and deep fried. Really they are just too stupid to be making any kind of intelligent informed decision for themselves. I say we make it easier on them to make the smart choice, by eliminating the poor choices.
Who's with me?
Livvy: Hmmm...you could be being sarcastic, but I am totally with you. Seems to me that the 60% of the population that became obese, got that way because they were too stupid to make decisions for themselves, and were just following the lead of corporate powerhouses like McDonalds anyways. So instead, let them follow the lead of smarter people, so that they can then make smarter decisions. [...]
Orianna: Sarcastic. I want my superpiggy an I want it NOW!!!
Celeste: Wow. Who'da thunk Livvy was a mini-authoritarian? The problem with the idea that smarter people should be in control and make our decisions for us, in order to protect the too-stupid general public is that if you get the people you want in power this go around, I can guarantee it ain't gonna last. It's why the constitution was written the way it was, and why our country is structured the way is. There are plenty of people like you who want to gut federalism out of the notion that there are people out there in the country who could benevolently rule in the best interests of the people, but history has shown that to be patently false. It's why we don't have a King. [...]
Yes, freedom is bad for some people. When you are free to make stupid choices, some people inevitably will jump at the chance. It's a fact of life, and I don't want my right to have a chocolate-covered super-piggy stuffed with a little-piggy taken away just because some asshole is going to decide that's all they want to eat day in and day out. Who said we had to save everyone? Or that we had to protect people from themselves? If people make bad enough choices, they die, hopefully before they've bred, or failing that, before they've had a chance to train their offspring to do the same. I'd rather let them, than prohibit the consumption of chocolate cake in a vain attempt to keep them slim.
Orianna: Fatness could actually work out to be a new breed of eugenics. Studies have shown that obese couples have difficulty getting pregnant. And before Lissa chimes in, it's not because they are mistaking fat rolls for certain other body parts.
Livvy: You are wrong about that Celeste. My high school's cafeteria did consist of fast food restaraunts...and if you wanted, your meal card could definitely buy you a soda to go with your lunch, despite the wishes of your parents. [...]
No...you are totally right. In fact, I think that we should do away with any kind of organized education entirely and just let kids--and parents even--do what they want to do. If you want your kid to have an education then you and only you should be in charge of that. The whole problem with public education anyways, is that people cannot come to a general decision of how it should be implemented and what should be taught. So do away with the whole institution and let people decide for themselves.
IN FACT, I am a personal advocate for the overthrow of society in general. Large societies such as ours never work and in the long run eventually fall apart. People need to get organized into small communities...like tribes...and live together that way. It's the only thing that has ever EVER worked for long periods of time and still survives today. It wasn't until people started crowding in, and the groups got larger and larger that things started to fall apart. TRIBES...that is the answer!! We need to think small people!!!
Celeste: Dude, I finally agree with you. ;) The country was just fine before the introduction of public schools, and federal interference in public schools didn't come about until the 70s thanks to that bastard Nixon. Noteworthy that when centralized control became the norm rather than the exception, that's when things really started to decline.
But I don't think we need to go so far as tribalism. The current state system works just fine if you let it. [...]
Orianna: While I agree that people should be given the freedom to make their own decisions about their diet; I also agree that kids don't fall into that category. Celeste's argument swings both ways, just eliminate the crap altogether and whatever it is you want your kid to eat, they can bring with them. If the fatties are free to have vending machines full of cheetos, then why aren't the health conscious free to have broccoli vendors? Pack your god damn lunch and stop expecting the government to raise your kids for you.
Livvy: YES!!...Children do not fall into that category...and I do believe I mentioned at least twice, that I am not for the eradication of "junk" foods entirely...just in our school systems.
Although, ideally we would all resort to a tribal type of life and educate our children on our own terms.
Alicia: If soda's so dangerous it can't be in schools where younglings can get their hands on it, then it should be age restricted like porn, ciggies, and sudafed.
Livvy: Uhmm...you are a soda junkie and I believe that anything you say will advocate the consumption of soda. You are like the people on the street that go..."just one sip junior. You'll like it. It feels good...yeah...feel those bubbles...mmm" And all the while your eyes are glazing over and your voice is getting more and more high pitched and breathy, your tongue lolling out of your mouth...etc...
Celeste: But of course, soda isn't so dangerous. Soda on it's own is fine. Soda in conjunction with a poor diet high in carbs and low in fruits/vegetables, is bad for you. You can achieve the exact same bad effect as drinking a soda a day by consuming anything else containing an equivalent amount of high fructose corn syrup, which is in practically everything you haven't made yourself. And as Lissa pointed out, there are times when a soda is a damn boon.
There's lots of stuff available - in school and out - that's unhealthy. It's available because it's enjoyable or useful, and the average person has no trouble managing their life in conjunction with its use. That there are people out there who will abuse it is no excuse to make it illegal. People abuse sugar, sex, cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, human kindness, animals, cough syrup....
... in fact it's people like you who are the reason I have to give my drivers license and sign in a damn register just to get some fucking cold medicine. Because someone out there might buy a whole shitload of it and use it in their meth lab, I get to be treated like a common criminal, and the cops get to waste their time paying a visit to a family of 5 out in Arizona that was unlucky enough to all come down with the flu at the same time. Buying more than 3 packs of cold medicine in a month is suspicous, don't you know. We need to send the cops out, just for their own good. Guess they should feel grateful it wasn't a SWAT team, at least.
Alicia: Ha ha, or BATF. They would have just fire bombed their house and called it a day.
Livvy: Uhm...there are many alternative cold medicines to choose from if you are feeling ill. You do not have to purchase products containing sudephedrine you know. But, you are right. Let's do away with school nurses because kids should know how to prescribe THEIR medicine to THEMSELVES. In fact, there should be no reason for doctors or the like at all, screw just talking about schools. And all drugs currently only available by prescription should instead be sold over the counter. I mean, who has the right to stop us from using whatever we want whenever we want. And we are all certainly intelligent to know how to read a label so that we know what to take, for whatever ailments we are currently having, and how much to take, and all the side effects that can occur to go along with it. In fact, we do not need to have food or medicine regulated at all. Let anyone who wants to, manufacture, and make it, and sell it to whoever they want to. Let them do the testing on it, and create their own labels for it. People know better. I agree with you...let people do whatever the hell they want. Screw stupid laws and regulations. Whatever makes us happy should be the norm.
Celeste: Sudephedrine remains an over-the-counter drug available without a prescription. Its possible use in domestic meth production is the only reason such restrictions are now in place. So the fact that some people might abuse it, much like some children might get fat from drinking soda, suddenly justifies the ridiculous restrictions now in place? Let's keep in mind that, placing sudephedrine behind the counter has had NO impact on the availability or price of meth, much like banning the sale of soda in the schools will have NO impact on the availability of soda to children. In fact, it's quite likely that if you do ban it, a tidy little black-market of children with more lenient parents will spring up, selling soda to other students on the sly. We had kids in high school that would run to McD's for you and get you lunch for a price, too.
Being reluctant to ban or mandate things because of a sudden perceived harm, does not equate me with wishing for total anarchy or a society with no rules. Nice straw-man there. We banned silicon implants because of a sudden perceived harm, cost an industry billions of dollars, only to turn around recently and like Emily Litella say, "Never mind." We were encouraged to use margarine because it was supposed to be healthier for you than real butter... until the latest trans fats freak-out. I'm just arguing for a little more trust in common sense. The average life-span of Americans has increased steadily for decades - we're not doing that bad, no need to panic.
Livvy: Either way you put it, I am still standing by my argument, that if parents want their kids to eat whatever they want, then the parents should be providing it to them; not the schools.
It is because of people like you that there are so many idiotic law suits about how "my kid is obese and it's the schools' faults," "I am obese and it is McDonald's fault," "I went through a windshield because I don't meet the size restrictions on my seatbelt, so it's the car manufacturers fault for not taking into consideration the vast number of obese people that are the product of our nation." You advocate having people take responsibility for their own actions, but you forget that most people don't take responsibility for their own actions. And it is usually those same irresponsible people--the ones complaining on how it's not their fault that they are sick, it's someone else's--that are usually the reason why there are groups like MADD, TRUTH, etc.. out there. Would activist groups like MADD and TRUTH have considered these things problems if the people you support hadn't somehow managed to turn it into a problem? Doubtful. But it is the ignorance and poor judgment of these "obese" individuals that brought it to the attention of others...and guess what? Now these idiotic issues are dominating public opinion, such as should vending machines full of cheetos and cokes be allowed in schools?
Orianna: tee hee
Livvy: OMG...I want Nick to have that shirt :-D!!! Sooooo funny.
Celeste: I agree, if parents want their kids to eat whatever they want, they should be providing it. I just disagree that it's such a travesty if a school has a soda machine as well. I think it's up to the schools, and if the parents have such a problem with it, they can let the school know. Most folks don't, though, because soda isn't that bad for you. Nor is Chick-filet. It's when eaten in excess and to the exclusion of other things that it becomes a problem.
How does taking away even more of a person's choices do anything to enhance freedom or personal responsibility? It's because of people like you - the ones who insist we need to DO something, that society has a responsibility to take care of you and protect you from your own stupidity - that we get these lawsuits, not me. Once you freak out and ban, or try to ban something, you've just provided the evidence needed for a speculative lawyer to start filing. And the existence of societal leeches like MADD (alcohol) and TRUTH (tobacco) has absolutely no bearing on how much of a problem there really is with obesity.
And I think the reason these sorts of issues make headlines these days is because as a society we have it so damn good we can worry about crap like this, rather than spending our time actually worrying about how to put food on a table and a roof over our heads. No where else on earth are the rich people starving and the poor people too fat. I count myself lucky to live in such a country.
Orianna: You both need to stop with the name calling. Let's be realistic, it's not because of people like Livvy that schools are banning sodas. Livvy is not litigious, she just wants the best for people. It is not because of people like Celeste that there are so many idiotic lawsuits, she is not lobbying on capitol hill to protect the fatties. Be more constructive in how you couch your arguments, instead of lobbing personal attacks.
Livvy: Nick would die if he ate Chick Filet. Just one tiny little bite...and he'd keel over...dead. Just like that. Like that stupid tylenol story you hear in Elementary school. Fluke allergic reactions. But if you feel like you NEED a soda to stay awake during the school day, or even a cup of coffee...then bring one in from home. Anywho, I can't believe you'd advocate the selling of POISONOUS foods to children Celeste. Seems so unlike you.
Celeste: Well Nick knows Chick-filet is poisonous to him, right? You aren't suggesting he's too dumb to avoid eating food he knows he's allergic to are you? I'm not advocating selling it to Nick, but if people who won't die from it want to eat it, I don't see the problem there. And I'm sure it's an ingredient in their food, not the franchise itself that's so dangerous to him, so the same thing could happen whether Chick-filet was on campus or not.
Livvy: Well, obviously Nick is a genius and would not make such a stupid mistake as to kill himself....well, maybe I cannot say that...there was that one time when he ate the banana walnut muffin, and the other time where he ate the sandwich with pesto sauce, and the other time where he ate the green beans almondine, and these are just the times I am privy to....sooo, I guess, if a genius like Nick can make those mistakes.....and yeah, this thread has probably run its course I think ;).
Of course, it has the expected result...(edited to decrease size, a teeny bit)
Livvy: :-D. Good thing I don't drink soft drinks. Never could stand the burning sensation of the bubbles!! Although...I don't know if all the candy I constantly eat helps any :(. THE CRAVINGS!!!
Celeste: Yeah, but note in particular the biggest point in the whole article, which wasn't really emphasized: The data reviewed by Brownell's team also show that higher intake of sugary sodas goes hand in hand with lower intake of milk, calcium and other essential nutrients, fruit and fiber, and higher intake of carbohydrates.
Don't worry about drinking the occasional soda. Make sure you're eating right, otherwise.
I wouldn't care about this stuff so much, except whenever anyone trumpets results like these, it goes hand in hand with a rush to ban something, or introduce more laws and regulations. Let's make selling soft drinks in school illegal! [...] At what point does it stop being the government's business what you do, and become your own, even if the choices you're making are considered dumb at the moment? People have a right to be unhealthy. We have a right to feed our kids corn puffs and trans fats if we want.
There's a certain segment of society that seems to think that if we just forced everyone to live a certain way, no one would die, and everyone would be slim and beautiful and we'd enter into a golden era of happy shiny people. Ain't gonna happen. Live on wheat bran and soy milk if you want to, you're still gonna die. [...]
Livvy: Yeah...YOU, the parents, have a right to feed your kids whatever you want, but that right is taken out of your hands when schools put soda machines in their lobbies, or let Chik-Filet's set up shop in their cafeterias. And I'm not saying that it's entirely the schools' fault, because if parents really didn't want their children to eat that crap, then just don't give them any money to buy it, or instill in them a strong sense of what qualifies as "good food" or "bad food" according to you.
It seems to me however, that a lot of stupid arguments would be put to rest if schools would just do away with these controversial things since it's completely unnecessary and extremely indulgent of them to have these types of food items available to kids anyways. Like you said Celeste, a school's only purpose is to educate, and if some parents are too damned lazy to pack a lunch for their children and would rather send them to school with some money to purchase a lunch, then that is fine, but the schools should only be providing what is necessary for a well balanced meal. [...]
I think that parents NEED to assert themselves and regain control of their kids lives and if that means limiting what the schools are allowed to "provide" to the kids, then so be it. If you want your kid to eat or drink whatever they want, then that's fine...give it to them yourself! It's not necessary for the schools to provide it to them. Not to mention that the simple act of providing easy access to these kinds of foods is in fact taking away the parents control over their kids.
Celeste: The right of a parent to direct their child's diet is NOT taken out of their hands by the availability of soft drinks or junk food in schools. To suggest that it is, is to also suggest that the rest of society needs to bow to your dietary whims, in order for you to control your offspring, and that sort of attitude leads to Britain considering banning pork in public schools, since the availability of it offends muslims. Do what vegetarian or mormon parents do. Tell your children they're not supposed to eat/drink that stuff. Because, if you're going to dictate that schools should only provide what is 'necessary' in terms of available food, there are going to be a whole lot of different competing factions telling you what they consider necessary and also what's harmful.
And there's no reason to pass a law about it. School boards are mostly run by elected citizens in the community, and they're the ones who decide whether or not Pepsi gets to put a machine in the school. If they don't want to offer that crap, they're free to take it out. There doesn't need to be an order from the government telling them that they have to. But the revenues the sodas in those machines provide end up paying for a lot of stuff around the school, and that's one of the reasons they're there. Because most people don't object to their kid having an occasional can of soda and not selling it in the schools isn't going to prevent them bringing it in on their own. It's just going to prevent the school from taking a slice of the soda revenue pie. So if a community finds the sale of sodas in the school so offensive, there's an easy remedy for it already in place, and it's being done around the country already. [...]
Mom: Ahhh...and then there's also the FACT that the schools get enormous kickbacks from the companies who manage to 'place' drink machines in their schools. Dr. Pepper worked very very hard to obtain the contract for each and every district in the area. You see, they figured that a customer gained in youth was a customer for life. So there's a huge money factor involved. Even the marketing people that I was working with thought that it was extremely unethical, and that they were contributing to the obesity problem. Not enough to quit though. Heh. [...]
The point made in the article about how drinking soda replaces the consumption of other, healthier foods was very important and one to remember in meal planning for our children. Cudos to Celeste for doing such an awesome job with Roy in this area. Believe it or not, I knew mothers who were putting soda in their children's baby bottles at his age.
Livvy: It actually is taken out of their hands. There are some parents who do not allow such foods in their homes because they do not want their kids to eat it. Thus, they make it UNAVAILABLE to their children. When schools make it available to them, the control of those parents is taken away. Which is why I say, as far as schools systems are concerned, that a minimalist approach is the best approach. [...] And, furthermore in allowing these types of products to be available at schools are they not bowing to your dietary whims? And "whims" being the key word, because foods such as the ones on topic are completely unnecessary; there is no cultural, or religious reason for them being there, and they are unhealthy in that they have little or no nutritional value.
Celeste: You can rewrite your statement to say:
There are some parents who are vegetarians and do not allow meat and meat products in their homes because they do not want their kids to eat it. When schools make meat and meat products available to them, the control of those parents is taken away.
There are some parents who are orthodox jews, and do not allow their children to consume anything but kosher food. When schools make non-kosher options available to them, the control of those parents is taken away. [...]
Sodas are not served with lunch. You can't get a soda with a meal card. You have to have cash. If you don't want your kids drinking sodas, don't give them cash, but meal cards, or the equivalent, or pack their lunches and send them in with them. By allowing people who want to, and have the money, to purchase a soda, you aren't infringing on anyone's right. You can not demand that the rest of the world change just to suit how you want your child to be raised. If we do that, we'll end up with a society so restrictive that everything that isn't mandatory is prohibited. Again, if a particular school doesn't want a soda vendor contract, they're free to not have one. I just don't want a state or national level law banning it. [...]
Alicia: Don't know what school was like for you girls, but since I was getting up at 6AM and then commuting or in class until about 4PM most days (then usually doing homework or working until midnight -- not to mention getting shitty sleep every single night in a super uncomfortable back brace), I was certainly glad for the cherry coke in the morning and at lunch. I could barely stay awake in Calculus even with that and a caffeine pill. Can we at least give these kids a coffee station if we are taking out the soda machines? Coffee has very good for you anti-oxidants (and the helpful stay awake juice I know I needed in high school). Also the article does not indicate it causes diabetes.
By the way, I also heard a worm can crawl up in your brain and eat out the inside of your head if you eat sushi.
Orianna: But Celeste, letting the general public choose for themselves is what led to the 60% obesity rate in the country. We gave them McDonald's and despite how unhealthy it is, they 'et it all up. They clamor for their superpiggies dipped in chocolate and deep fried. Really they are just too stupid to be making any kind of intelligent informed decision for themselves. I say we make it easier on them to make the smart choice, by eliminating the poor choices.
Who's with me?
Livvy: Hmmm...you could be being sarcastic, but I am totally with you. Seems to me that the 60% of the population that became obese, got that way because they were too stupid to make decisions for themselves, and were just following the lead of corporate powerhouses like McDonalds anyways. So instead, let them follow the lead of smarter people, so that they can then make smarter decisions. [...]
Orianna: Sarcastic. I want my superpiggy an I want it NOW!!!
Celeste: Wow. Who'da thunk Livvy was a mini-authoritarian? The problem with the idea that smarter people should be in control and make our decisions for us, in order to protect the too-stupid general public is that if you get the people you want in power this go around, I can guarantee it ain't gonna last. It's why the constitution was written the way it was, and why our country is structured the way is. There are plenty of people like you who want to gut federalism out of the notion that there are people out there in the country who could benevolently rule in the best interests of the people, but history has shown that to be patently false. It's why we don't have a King. [...]
Yes, freedom is bad for some people. When you are free to make stupid choices, some people inevitably will jump at the chance. It's a fact of life, and I don't want my right to have a chocolate-covered super-piggy stuffed with a little-piggy taken away just because some asshole is going to decide that's all they want to eat day in and day out. Who said we had to save everyone? Or that we had to protect people from themselves? If people make bad enough choices, they die, hopefully before they've bred, or failing that, before they've had a chance to train their offspring to do the same. I'd rather let them, than prohibit the consumption of chocolate cake in a vain attempt to keep them slim.
Orianna: Fatness could actually work out to be a new breed of eugenics. Studies have shown that obese couples have difficulty getting pregnant. And before Lissa chimes in, it's not because they are mistaking fat rolls for certain other body parts.
Livvy: You are wrong about that Celeste. My high school's cafeteria did consist of fast food restaraunts...and if you wanted, your meal card could definitely buy you a soda to go with your lunch, despite the wishes of your parents. [...]
No...you are totally right. In fact, I think that we should do away with any kind of organized education entirely and just let kids--and parents even--do what they want to do. If you want your kid to have an education then you and only you should be in charge of that. The whole problem with public education anyways, is that people cannot come to a general decision of how it should be implemented and what should be taught. So do away with the whole institution and let people decide for themselves.
IN FACT, I am a personal advocate for the overthrow of society in general. Large societies such as ours never work and in the long run eventually fall apart. People need to get organized into small communities...like tribes...and live together that way. It's the only thing that has ever EVER worked for long periods of time and still survives today. It wasn't until people started crowding in, and the groups got larger and larger that things started to fall apart. TRIBES...that is the answer!! We need to think small people!!!
Celeste: Dude, I finally agree with you. ;) The country was just fine before the introduction of public schools, and federal interference in public schools didn't come about until the 70s thanks to that bastard Nixon. Noteworthy that when centralized control became the norm rather than the exception, that's when things really started to decline.
But I don't think we need to go so far as tribalism. The current state system works just fine if you let it. [...]
Orianna: While I agree that people should be given the freedom to make their own decisions about their diet; I also agree that kids don't fall into that category. Celeste's argument swings both ways, just eliminate the crap altogether and whatever it is you want your kid to eat, they can bring with them. If the fatties are free to have vending machines full of cheetos, then why aren't the health conscious free to have broccoli vendors? Pack your god damn lunch and stop expecting the government to raise your kids for you.
Livvy: YES!!...Children do not fall into that category...and I do believe I mentioned at least twice, that I am not for the eradication of "junk" foods entirely...just in our school systems.
Although, ideally we would all resort to a tribal type of life and educate our children on our own terms.
Alicia: If soda's so dangerous it can't be in schools where younglings can get their hands on it, then it should be age restricted like porn, ciggies, and sudafed.
Livvy: Uhmm...you are a soda junkie and I believe that anything you say will advocate the consumption of soda. You are like the people on the street that go..."just one sip junior. You'll like it. It feels good...yeah...feel those bubbles...mmm" And all the while your eyes are glazing over and your voice is getting more and more high pitched and breathy, your tongue lolling out of your mouth...etc...
Celeste: But of course, soda isn't so dangerous. Soda on it's own is fine. Soda in conjunction with a poor diet high in carbs and low in fruits/vegetables, is bad for you. You can achieve the exact same bad effect as drinking a soda a day by consuming anything else containing an equivalent amount of high fructose corn syrup, which is in practically everything you haven't made yourself. And as Lissa pointed out, there are times when a soda is a damn boon.
There's lots of stuff available - in school and out - that's unhealthy. It's available because it's enjoyable or useful, and the average person has no trouble managing their life in conjunction with its use. That there are people out there who will abuse it is no excuse to make it illegal. People abuse sugar, sex, cigarettes, alcohol, coffee, human kindness, animals, cough syrup....
... in fact it's people like you who are the reason I have to give my drivers license and sign in a damn register just to get some fucking cold medicine. Because someone out there might buy a whole shitload of it and use it in their meth lab, I get to be treated like a common criminal, and the cops get to waste their time paying a visit to a family of 5 out in Arizona that was unlucky enough to all come down with the flu at the same time. Buying more than 3 packs of cold medicine in a month is suspicous, don't you know. We need to send the cops out, just for their own good. Guess they should feel grateful it wasn't a SWAT team, at least.
Alicia: Ha ha, or BATF. They would have just fire bombed their house and called it a day.
Livvy: Uhm...there are many alternative cold medicines to choose from if you are feeling ill. You do not have to purchase products containing sudephedrine you know. But, you are right. Let's do away with school nurses because kids should know how to prescribe THEIR medicine to THEMSELVES. In fact, there should be no reason for doctors or the like at all, screw just talking about schools. And all drugs currently only available by prescription should instead be sold over the counter. I mean, who has the right to stop us from using whatever we want whenever we want. And we are all certainly intelligent to know how to read a label so that we know what to take, for whatever ailments we are currently having, and how much to take, and all the side effects that can occur to go along with it. In fact, we do not need to have food or medicine regulated at all. Let anyone who wants to, manufacture, and make it, and sell it to whoever they want to. Let them do the testing on it, and create their own labels for it. People know better. I agree with you...let people do whatever the hell they want. Screw stupid laws and regulations. Whatever makes us happy should be the norm.
Celeste: Sudephedrine remains an over-the-counter drug available without a prescription. Its possible use in domestic meth production is the only reason such restrictions are now in place. So the fact that some people might abuse it, much like some children might get fat from drinking soda, suddenly justifies the ridiculous restrictions now in place? Let's keep in mind that, placing sudephedrine behind the counter has had NO impact on the availability or price of meth, much like banning the sale of soda in the schools will have NO impact on the availability of soda to children. In fact, it's quite likely that if you do ban it, a tidy little black-market of children with more lenient parents will spring up, selling soda to other students on the sly. We had kids in high school that would run to McD's for you and get you lunch for a price, too.
Being reluctant to ban or mandate things because of a sudden perceived harm, does not equate me with wishing for total anarchy or a society with no rules. Nice straw-man there. We banned silicon implants because of a sudden perceived harm, cost an industry billions of dollars, only to turn around recently and like Emily Litella say, "Never mind." We were encouraged to use margarine because it was supposed to be healthier for you than real butter... until the latest trans fats freak-out. I'm just arguing for a little more trust in common sense. The average life-span of Americans has increased steadily for decades - we're not doing that bad, no need to panic.
Livvy: Either way you put it, I am still standing by my argument, that if parents want their kids to eat whatever they want, then the parents should be providing it to them; not the schools.
It is because of people like you that there are so many idiotic law suits about how "my kid is obese and it's the schools' faults," "I am obese and it is McDonald's fault," "I went through a windshield because I don't meet the size restrictions on my seatbelt, so it's the car manufacturers fault for not taking into consideration the vast number of obese people that are the product of our nation." You advocate having people take responsibility for their own actions, but you forget that most people don't take responsibility for their own actions. And it is usually those same irresponsible people--the ones complaining on how it's not their fault that they are sick, it's someone else's--that are usually the reason why there are groups like MADD, TRUTH, etc.. out there. Would activist groups like MADD and TRUTH have considered these things problems if the people you support hadn't somehow managed to turn it into a problem? Doubtful. But it is the ignorance and poor judgment of these "obese" individuals that brought it to the attention of others...and guess what? Now these idiotic issues are dominating public opinion, such as should vending machines full of cheetos and cokes be allowed in schools?
Orianna: tee hee
Livvy: OMG...I want Nick to have that shirt :-D!!! Sooooo funny.
Celeste: I agree, if parents want their kids to eat whatever they want, they should be providing it. I just disagree that it's such a travesty if a school has a soda machine as well. I think it's up to the schools, and if the parents have such a problem with it, they can let the school know. Most folks don't, though, because soda isn't that bad for you. Nor is Chick-filet. It's when eaten in excess and to the exclusion of other things that it becomes a problem.
How does taking away even more of a person's choices do anything to enhance freedom or personal responsibility? It's because of people like you - the ones who insist we need to DO something, that society has a responsibility to take care of you and protect you from your own stupidity - that we get these lawsuits, not me. Once you freak out and ban, or try to ban something, you've just provided the evidence needed for a speculative lawyer to start filing. And the existence of societal leeches like MADD (alcohol) and TRUTH (tobacco) has absolutely no bearing on how much of a problem there really is with obesity.
And I think the reason these sorts of issues make headlines these days is because as a society we have it so damn good we can worry about crap like this, rather than spending our time actually worrying about how to put food on a table and a roof over our heads. No where else on earth are the rich people starving and the poor people too fat. I count myself lucky to live in such a country.
Orianna: You both need to stop with the name calling. Let's be realistic, it's not because of people like Livvy that schools are banning sodas. Livvy is not litigious, she just wants the best for people. It is not because of people like Celeste that there are so many idiotic lawsuits, she is not lobbying on capitol hill to protect the fatties. Be more constructive in how you couch your arguments, instead of lobbing personal attacks.
Livvy: Nick would die if he ate Chick Filet. Just one tiny little bite...and he'd keel over...dead. Just like that. Like that stupid tylenol story you hear in Elementary school. Fluke allergic reactions. But if you feel like you NEED a soda to stay awake during the school day, or even a cup of coffee...then bring one in from home. Anywho, I can't believe you'd advocate the selling of POISONOUS foods to children Celeste. Seems so unlike you.
Celeste: Well Nick knows Chick-filet is poisonous to him, right? You aren't suggesting he's too dumb to avoid eating food he knows he's allergic to are you? I'm not advocating selling it to Nick, but if people who won't die from it want to eat it, I don't see the problem there. And I'm sure it's an ingredient in their food, not the franchise itself that's so dangerous to him, so the same thing could happen whether Chick-filet was on campus or not.
Livvy: Well, obviously Nick is a genius and would not make such a stupid mistake as to kill himself....well, maybe I cannot say that...there was that one time when he ate the banana walnut muffin, and the other time where he ate the sandwich with pesto sauce, and the other time where he ate the green beans almondine, and these are just the times I am privy to....sooo, I guess, if a genius like Nick can make those mistakes.....and yeah, this thread has probably run its course I think ;).
Sooooo anywho...It's been fun Celeste, Anna, Lissa, Mom :). I do love to argue!! But now I am off to class...where I will probably make a totally worthwhile dinner out of vending machine products!
Orianna: Just for fun . . . .
it's Chick-Fil-A
Orianna: Just for fun . . . .
it's Chick-Fil-A
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The Long Way Home
So.... has everyone gotten and read their copies of Buffy: Season Eight, Issue #1? I'm dying to say something but don't wanna spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.... Cheese!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Book Report - For A Few Demons More
There wasn't really much to say about this one because I don't want to give any of it away, but it freaking rocked. It was so damn good it was an act of will to put the book down. It's the sort of tale where when you get to the last 30 pages or so, you start to feel bad because it's going to end soon, but you console yourself with knowing that you can just turn back to page one and start over again. I'd offer to loan it out, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. Totally worth hardcover price, and I think her absolute best yet.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Precocious
I have a tendency to let Roy wander off while we're upstairs and I'm in the kitchen. As long as he's not near the stairs, and the bathroom doors are closed, I'm not too worried about him. He normally spends his time chasing his roll-a-rounds or one of the cats.
But yesterday, while I was busy preparing the boy's lunch - I caught the sound of Roy giggling coming from the back of the house. So I paused my puree-ing, and followed the sweet sounds of a happy baby....
to find Roy, standing at our dresser, with the second drawer up half pulled out, and some of Russ' t-shirts pulled over the edge of the drawer. Roy is bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, giggling like mad over his discovery: daddy's cache o' girlie mags.
That kid is too clever by half.
But yesterday, while I was busy preparing the boy's lunch - I caught the sound of Roy giggling coming from the back of the house. So I paused my puree-ing, and followed the sweet sounds of a happy baby....
to find Roy, standing at our dresser, with the second drawer up half pulled out, and some of Russ' t-shirts pulled over the edge of the drawer. Roy is bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, giggling like mad over his discovery: daddy's cache o' girlie mags.
That kid is too clever by half.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Hey it's that guy!
Watching '300' I had a very "hey it's that guy!" feel. Most of the main characters rung faint little bells, and by faint I mean, it was driving me crazy trying to figure out who they were the entire time. Placing the actors was made especially difficult by gorgeous and extensive stylization of the movie. I had the sneaking suspicion that I remembered King Leonidas from 'Dracula 2000' as the tortured and immortal Judas cum bloodsucker, and hey . . . I was right! Gerard Butler did play Dracula! Yay!
The other character that bugged me was Queen Gorgo. That crooked mouth . . . the entire night I tried to remember where I knew it from. Eventually I decided that I was thinking of Olivia d'Abo, who was definitely not playing the part. Imdb has saved me! Lena Headey, you saucy minx! I saw you in 'Gossip'! That tripe is from whence I remember that sad look of betrayal and crooked duck lips. You sure showed James Marsden aka Cyclops who was boss in a much less satisfying way than you schooled . . .
Dominic West aka Theron aka the guy in '300' who lends himself to the best female revenge scene ever! Your monkey face is the same mug they attempted to sell as ruggedly handsome in 'Mona Lisa Smile' and 'The Forgotten'. You are times disturbingly ugly and yet strangely appealing . . . not at all.
*SPOILER*
your death scene made the theatre clap, and I would have too, but I'm not a complete tool.
The other character that bugged me was Queen Gorgo. That crooked mouth . . . the entire night I tried to remember where I knew it from. Eventually I decided that I was thinking of Olivia d'Abo, who was definitely not playing the part. Imdb has saved me! Lena Headey, you saucy minx! I saw you in 'Gossip'! That tripe is from whence I remember that sad look of betrayal and crooked duck lips. You sure showed James Marsden aka Cyclops who was boss in a much less satisfying way than you schooled . . .
Dominic West aka Theron aka the guy in '300' who lends himself to the best female revenge scene ever! Your monkey face is the same mug they attempted to sell as ruggedly handsome in 'Mona Lisa Smile' and 'The Forgotten'. You are times disturbingly ugly and yet strangely appealing . . . not at all.
*SPOILER*
your death scene made the theatre clap, and I would have too, but I'm not a complete tool.
Of Course They Are
I have meaning to put up a post about how good '300' was.
'300' was really good. I saw the movie with Sonny and his friends, and I remember Ben saying that he wanted to show it to one of his Persian friends to see how he would react.
Hopefully he wouldn't react this way.
Who needs President Bush and Congress to declare war when apparently Frank Miller's got that covered?
'300' was really good. I saw the movie with Sonny and his friends, and I remember Ben saying that he wanted to show it to one of his Persian friends to see how he would react.
Hopefully he wouldn't react this way.
Who needs President Bush and Congress to declare war when apparently Frank Miller's got that covered?
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Random Comments
Did I ever tell anyone how awesome Black Snake Moan was? It was plain old low down dirty fun :). The cinematography and the music combined really well to make a totally worthwhile movie experience. My only complaint was that the people in the film just weren't dirty enough! I went in there thinking that the movie was going to be just a filthy and good as "Plain Dirty" was--another really good movie (or at least I really enjoy it and have seen it a number of times because they play it on the Encore channels all the time)--but it wasn't. Overall however, the movie was super fun to watch...I definately recommend it.
Also....Everyone should congratulate Melissa Neff on her recent engagement to AJ Rowlands. They went to the Dominican Republic this past weekend and before they came back they were engaged. She called me and Anna last night to tell the good news!!! We're both super psyched for her :), but we don't have all the details yet because she was in the airport when she called and couldn't gab.
AND...Whoever left the comment about what a bunch of "bores" we all are wasn't being very nice. Besides, I do lots of fun things. Like Next weekend I am going to run an 8K with Melissa and then get drunk at the St. Patrick's Day parade immediately following. OR at least I am going to have beer or two, depending on the cost, and listen to the bagpipers downtown. And then the following weekend Anna, me, and Melissa are running a 5k together in support of Colon Cancer. THEN the weekend after that, Me and Melissa are putting ourselves through torture so that we can go downtown and Run in the the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. I am very busy...all of these FUN things require TRAINING. Plus, I am in school which takes up a good amount of my time.
BUT, that's not all...in April (for the week of Lissa's birthday) me and Anna are driving down there to hang out with her. AND as soon as we get down there we are heading out to a beach house in Key Largeass or whatever it's called. AND after that, at the end of April, Me, Anna, and Melissa are all going to see Christina Aguilera in concert!!! I know you all are super jealous. Anywho, all this stuff I just never think to mention because Lissa, Anna, and Celeste already know all these things! But, if other people who read the blog are BORED, then maybe I will start writing about all the FUN-FILLED events that I do to occupy my time.
Also....Everyone should congratulate Melissa Neff on her recent engagement to AJ Rowlands. They went to the Dominican Republic this past weekend and before they came back they were engaged. She called me and Anna last night to tell the good news!!! We're both super psyched for her :), but we don't have all the details yet because she was in the airport when she called and couldn't gab.
AND...Whoever left the comment about what a bunch of "bores" we all are wasn't being very nice. Besides, I do lots of fun things. Like Next weekend I am going to run an 8K with Melissa and then get drunk at the St. Patrick's Day parade immediately following. OR at least I am going to have beer or two, depending on the cost, and listen to the bagpipers downtown. And then the following weekend Anna, me, and Melissa are running a 5k together in support of Colon Cancer. THEN the weekend after that, Me and Melissa are putting ourselves through torture so that we can go downtown and Run in the the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. I am very busy...all of these FUN things require TRAINING. Plus, I am in school which takes up a good amount of my time.
BUT, that's not all...in April (for the week of Lissa's birthday) me and Anna are driving down there to hang out with her. AND as soon as we get down there we are heading out to a beach house in Key Largeass or whatever it's called. AND after that, at the end of April, Me, Anna, and Melissa are all going to see Christina Aguilera in concert!!! I know you all are super jealous. Anywho, all this stuff I just never think to mention because Lissa, Anna, and Celeste already know all these things! But, if other people who read the blog are BORED, then maybe I will start writing about all the FUN-FILLED events that I do to occupy my time.
Book Report - Belladonna
I'm sure Russ is glad I'm done reading this one, because, like most of Anne Bishop's books, I wasn't able to limit myself to reading it during my morning coffee; I found myself sneaking off to get through a few more pages here and there every chance I got. And when I picked it up, the rest of the world (with the exception of Roy crying, of course) would disappear. Russ would say something, and I wouldn't even notice he was trying to get my attention. He had to repeat himself all weekend.
Belladonna is the second book in Anne Bishop's Ephemera series, and I think you'll really need to read Sebastian first. These don't work too well as standalones, but they were both fantastic. The universe she created was confusing as hell to really get a sense of, and if it had been a writer any less than Anne Bishop, I don't think it would have worked. But I love her writing style, and if you stop trying to map the route the characters are taking in your head - maps are no good in this universe - and just enjoy the journey, the stories are wonderful. Sebastian and Belladonna are a pair of romantic tales set against a backdrop of an epic battle against ultimate evil. Both books were superbly written; even the supporting characters are completely fleshed out, and the interaction between all of the players in the tale, not just the hero and heroine, really make the story come to life.
These aren't as dark as the Black Jewels were, but I'm actually glad of that. I get tired of how certain writers *cough*LK Hamilton*cough* feel like they need to constantly one-up themselves on the sex and gore scales in order to keep the audience's interest, like the rules for horror movies are being applied to scifi/fantasy novels. Why not try telling a compelling story, so you don't have to think of what could be weirder or more disgusting than group sex with a leopard-man and a wolf-man? So three cheers to Anne Bishop for not trying to outdo herself on the 'darkness' scale.
This is another set of books I'll end up re-reading, I'm sure. It'll help to pass the time until March of 2008, when her next book in the Black Jewels series comes out.
Next up, probably Kim Harrison's "For a Few Demons More" since that comes out next.
Belladonna is the second book in Anne Bishop's Ephemera series, and I think you'll really need to read Sebastian first. These don't work too well as standalones, but they were both fantastic. The universe she created was confusing as hell to really get a sense of, and if it had been a writer any less than Anne Bishop, I don't think it would have worked. But I love her writing style, and if you stop trying to map the route the characters are taking in your head - maps are no good in this universe - and just enjoy the journey, the stories are wonderful. Sebastian and Belladonna are a pair of romantic tales set against a backdrop of an epic battle against ultimate evil. Both books were superbly written; even the supporting characters are completely fleshed out, and the interaction between all of the players in the tale, not just the hero and heroine, really make the story come to life.
These aren't as dark as the Black Jewels were, but I'm actually glad of that. I get tired of how certain writers *cough*LK Hamilton*cough* feel like they need to constantly one-up themselves on the sex and gore scales in order to keep the audience's interest, like the rules for horror movies are being applied to scifi/fantasy novels. Why not try telling a compelling story, so you don't have to think of what could be weirder or more disgusting than group sex with a leopard-man and a wolf-man? So three cheers to Anne Bishop for not trying to outdo herself on the 'darkness' scale.
This is another set of books I'll end up re-reading, I'm sure. It'll help to pass the time until March of 2008, when her next book in the Black Jewels series comes out.
Next up, probably Kim Harrison's "For a Few Demons More" since that comes out next.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Chicken, Red Pepper, and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Ok...So as promised, here is a post of my first dinner :). Well, second really, but the first one was taco salad and I think we all know how delicious those are!! Anywho, I made Chicken, Red Pepper and Green Bean Stir-Fry last night and it turned out really, really tasty. It took longer than I wanted it to, but total time was 1 hour and 10 minutes from start to finish (including prep and clean up), so over all I'm going to say that is pretty speedy. Here's the recipe as printed on Epicurious.com:
I might try w/ beef next time though because I just don't like chicken very much. The total caloric content for the recipe (WHEN DOUBLED) is 1348/4 servings. 1 serving is 337 calories.
So, I doubled the recipe because I didn't think 2 servings would be enough for me and Nick. I thought about taking a picture of it, but I forgot, so no dice. Maybe next time. Tonight I am going to make my own Chicken Gyros. I'll post about it tomorrow!!! Super excited about it though because I LOVE Gyros!!
CHEERS!!!
4 ounces green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
1 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, cut crosswise into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
1 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast, cut crosswise into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Cook beans in pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Refresh under cold running water.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add bell pepper, ginger and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add chicken and beans to skillet. Stir in soy sauce and vinegar. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 2 servings; can be doubled.
Bon Appétit
30-Minute Main Courses
March 2001
I might try w/ beef next time though because I just don't like chicken very much. The total caloric content for the recipe (WHEN DOUBLED) is 1348/4 servings. 1 serving is 337 calories.
So, I doubled the recipe because I didn't think 2 servings would be enough for me and Nick. I thought about taking a picture of it, but I forgot, so no dice. Maybe next time. Tonight I am going to make my own Chicken Gyros. I'll post about it tomorrow!!! Super excited about it though because I LOVE Gyros!!
CHEERS!!!
Eat Your Veggies!
A few veggie suggestions for you guys, since I've been trying different vegetables lately....
Leeks
Leeks look like really big green onions, but they have a milder oniony taste when cooked. Avoid really fat thick leeks because they tend to be tough, and instead look for thinner (less than 1 1/2" diameter) stalks. The more white/pale green on the leeks, the better, because the dark green stuff is going to get cut off and discarded. They generally sell in bunches of 3 or more, and I find that 3 med leeks will do quite nicely for a side for two people. Here's a simple way to prepare them.
3 med leeks
2 tblspoons butter
salt
Slice off the tops of the leeks, starting where the leaves turn tough and dark green. Take a very thin slice off the root end (you want the layers to stay attached, so make the slice thin). Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, so that you have long half-cylinders. Put the leeks in a bowl of cold water, and swish them around a bit, to get the dirt out of them, fanning the leaves gently if you need to. Melt the butter in a large sautee pan with a lid on med/med-low. Drain the leeks and then place them cut side down in a single layer in the pan, cover it, and let them cook for about 8 minutes, until they get really tender. Remove the lid, turn the leeks over, raise the heat to med/med-high, and let them sizzle a bit 'til any of the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Add a little salt to taste and serve.
Plantains
Plantains are like a yummy cross between a banana and a potato. They're sweet, like bananas are, but are a lot starchier and tend to hold up to cooking a lot better. When plantains are green, they can be twice-fried in slices. When they're ripe, the skin will be yellowish black to completely black. There are all sorts of ways to prepare them, but here's a stupid-simple method for ripe plantains that goes really well with roast pork.
2 large ripe plantains (yellowish black to completely black skin)
butter
salt
1 lime
hot sauce (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. Pierce the plantains all over with a fork, then put them on the baking sheet and let them bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife. Take them out of the oven, slice them in half, and then slit the skin on each piece so you can peel it back like a baked potato. Mash up the plantain on the inside with a fork, add a pat of butter and some salt, and then serve with wedges of lime, and hot sauce.
Rutabagas
Rutabagas are also called yellow turnips, and they look kind of like yellowish turnips, only a lot larger. They also lack the peppery sort of taste that turnips have. They're generally coated in wax when sold in grocery stores, and they're a royal pain in the ass to peel, but they're a nice change of pace. Look for rutabagas that don't have any cracks or bruises on them, and don't look mushy or gross on the cut ends. Here's another alternative to mashed potatoes...
1 med/large rutabaga (about 1.5 lbs)
1 sweet apple (golden delicious, fuji, etc)
4 tblspoons butter
salt
1 small yellow onion (optional)
Peel and cube the rutabaga, cutting it into about 1/2" squares. Peel and cube the apple the same. Put the pieces in a large pot, and cover to about 1" over with cold water. Boil the rutabaga and apple until the rutabaga is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain pot, add about 3 tblspoons of butter to the mix, and then mash it all up. If you're going to use the onion, melt 1 tblspoon butter in a small pan on low. Slice the onion into thin strings, and then sautee slowly in the butter until the onion has turned soft and carmelized. Serve on top of the mashed rutabagas.
Leeks
Leeks look like really big green onions, but they have a milder oniony taste when cooked. Avoid really fat thick leeks because they tend to be tough, and instead look for thinner (less than 1 1/2" diameter) stalks. The more white/pale green on the leeks, the better, because the dark green stuff is going to get cut off and discarded. They generally sell in bunches of 3 or more, and I find that 3 med leeks will do quite nicely for a side for two people. Here's a simple way to prepare them.
3 med leeks
2 tblspoons butter
salt
Slice off the tops of the leeks, starting where the leaves turn tough and dark green. Take a very thin slice off the root end (you want the layers to stay attached, so make the slice thin). Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, so that you have long half-cylinders. Put the leeks in a bowl of cold water, and swish them around a bit, to get the dirt out of them, fanning the leaves gently if you need to. Melt the butter in a large sautee pan with a lid on med/med-low. Drain the leeks and then place them cut side down in a single layer in the pan, cover it, and let them cook for about 8 minutes, until they get really tender. Remove the lid, turn the leeks over, raise the heat to med/med-high, and let them sizzle a bit 'til any of the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Add a little salt to taste and serve.
Plantains
Plantains are like a yummy cross between a banana and a potato. They're sweet, like bananas are, but are a lot starchier and tend to hold up to cooking a lot better. When plantains are green, they can be twice-fried in slices. When they're ripe, the skin will be yellowish black to completely black. There are all sorts of ways to prepare them, but here's a stupid-simple method for ripe plantains that goes really well with roast pork.
2 large ripe plantains (yellowish black to completely black skin)
butter
salt
1 lime
hot sauce (optional)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil. Pierce the plantains all over with a fork, then put them on the baking sheet and let them bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife. Take them out of the oven, slice them in half, and then slit the skin on each piece so you can peel it back like a baked potato. Mash up the plantain on the inside with a fork, add a pat of butter and some salt, and then serve with wedges of lime, and hot sauce.
Rutabagas
Rutabagas are also called yellow turnips, and they look kind of like yellowish turnips, only a lot larger. They also lack the peppery sort of taste that turnips have. They're generally coated in wax when sold in grocery stores, and they're a royal pain in the ass to peel, but they're a nice change of pace. Look for rutabagas that don't have any cracks or bruises on them, and don't look mushy or gross on the cut ends. Here's another alternative to mashed potatoes...
1 med/large rutabaga (about 1.5 lbs)
1 sweet apple (golden delicious, fuji, etc)
4 tblspoons butter
salt
1 small yellow onion (optional)
Peel and cube the rutabaga, cutting it into about 1/2" squares. Peel and cube the apple the same. Put the pieces in a large pot, and cover to about 1" over with cold water. Boil the rutabaga and apple until the rutabaga is tender, about 20 minutes. Drain pot, add about 3 tblspoons of butter to the mix, and then mash it all up. If you're going to use the onion, melt 1 tblspoon butter in a small pan on low. Slice the onion into thin strings, and then sautee slowly in the butter until the onion has turned soft and carmelized. Serve on top of the mashed rutabagas.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Groceries
So yeah...this is probably really boring for all of you, but I'm excited about it, so I thought I'd share. Me and Nick are going grocery shopping tomorrow and I finally took a little time out of my work day ;-) to plan out dinners for the next week and create a grocery list. Yay!! Hopefully it won't be too expensive or get too complicated, and by that I mean...hopefully it will stretch out enough to keep Nick satiated because maaaaannnnnn, but he eats A LOT!!! Also, it kind of needs to be kept under 100.00 since I only allot 400.00 a month for groceries. So, I'm hoping that I can do that by going to Shoppers Food Warehouse and employing my savvy shopper skills. I am skeptical that the total will stay under 100.00, but I'm going to give it a shot anywho...
Anywho, I figure, doing it this way seems to work for you three, so I thought I'd try it out too. Plus, it seems like an excellent way for my kitchen to grow and for me to eat healthier foods. I've been feeling really greasy lately, which is mainly due to all the junk that me and Nick eat on a regular basis; things like hamburger helper, pasta roni (which isn't too bad and quite tasty), oven-baked pizzas, take-out, etc... Sooo....I'm going to try this out for a week and see how I like it. Below are all the meals I plan on making for the next week:
Chicken Kabobs (w/ teriyaki sauce) served w/ Rice [4 kabobs, 2 c. rice; 2 servings]
-Lissa gave me this idea and the recipe for the teriyaki sauce, and I think it sounds tasty.
Chicken, Red Pepper & Green Bean Stir-Fry
Chicken Burritos
Taco Salad
Baked Penne w/ broccoli and three cheeses
Orzo w/ Ham and Goat Cheese, serve w/ broccoli florets
Chicken Gyros w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce
Feta Garbanzo beans and Eggplant Sandwich
So, yeah...I'll probably put up a new post each day and tell you all how I am doing and whether or not the recipes are any good. Wish me Luck!!!
Anywho, I figure, doing it this way seems to work for you three, so I thought I'd try it out too. Plus, it seems like an excellent way for my kitchen to grow and for me to eat healthier foods. I've been feeling really greasy lately, which is mainly due to all the junk that me and Nick eat on a regular basis; things like hamburger helper, pasta roni (which isn't too bad and quite tasty), oven-baked pizzas, take-out, etc... Sooo....I'm going to try this out for a week and see how I like it. Below are all the meals I plan on making for the next week:
Chicken Kabobs (w/ teriyaki sauce) served w/ Rice [4 kabobs, 2 c. rice; 2 servings]
-Lissa gave me this idea and the recipe for the teriyaki sauce, and I think it sounds tasty.
Chicken, Red Pepper & Green Bean Stir-Fry
Chicken Burritos
Taco Salad
Baked Penne w/ broccoli and three cheeses
Orzo w/ Ham and Goat Cheese, serve w/ broccoli florets
Chicken Gyros w/ Yogurt Dill Sauce
Feta Garbanzo beans and Eggplant Sandwich
So, yeah...I'll probably put up a new post each day and tell you all how I am doing and whether or not the recipes are any good. Wish me Luck!!!
Monday, March 05, 2007
In the mouth of Hell
Since this Friday night, Roy has been teething bad. He's been running a mild fever off and on, and is extremely unhappy. He woke up 3 times Friday night, and then woke up that morning starting at 520am. For the rest of Saturday, he alternated between crying and napping, and drooling on everything. Infant Tylenol helps a little bit, and giving him ice cream will settle him down for a few minutes as well, but for the most part he's just miserable. He was so unhappy Saturday night, we actually ended up just putting him bed between the two of us, because Russ and I were too exhausted to try staying up with him any longer. Then he spent Sunday running a mild fever and crying some more. His poor teeth hurt so bad, he didn't even want to drink anything... pretty much the only thing he would let us put in his mouth was yogurt or ice cream. Finally, last night I was cuddling him on the couch when he finally passed out, and I did as well. I woke up around 1am, and put him in his crib, and he finally slept the whole night through. He actually seems to be doing much better this morning, but I really feel like we spent this weekend in the mouth of hell. It was rough enough Russ called in sick today.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?
Have any of y'all see this show? Russ and I caught a few episodes of it last week, and it was absolutely hilarious. It's a game show modeled after Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but the contestants are answering elementary school level questions, and their cheats come from a group of 10 year olds sitting on stage, answering the same questions the contestants are. Jeff Foxworthy hosts, and the contestants have the option of 'dropping out' and taking their current winnings at any time; they just have to say "I am not smarter than a 5th grader" when they do.
The questions are stupid-simple. But how many people still use what they learned in elementary school? So you get to sit on the couch and feel superior for how many elementary school level trivia questions you can answer, and laugh at the adults writhing in embarrassment on stage, because they can't remember how many states share a border with the Pacific ocean. ... or how many sides there are on a trapezoid. ... or whether or not walruses are native to the arctic. Funny stuff.
The questions are stupid-simple. But how many people still use what they learned in elementary school? So you get to sit on the couch and feel superior for how many elementary school level trivia questions you can answer, and laugh at the adults writhing in embarrassment on stage, because they can't remember how many states share a border with the Pacific ocean. ... or how many sides there are on a trapezoid. ... or whether or not walruses are native to the arctic. Funny stuff.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
DUDETTES!!! Guess who is completely, 100% out of credit card debt? I AM I AM!!! As of today, I finally paid of my last credit card! Yes...I'm patting myself on the back...what of it?
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Say 'Hello' to Anna Wetzel!
Last night, at 7pm, Anna Wetzel was born! She was 6lbs 1.5oz, and Richard reports that momma and baby are doing fine, although it was a very looong delivery. Congratulations, Richard and Leigh!
I'm so excited. Now Roy has a little cousin less than a year younger than he is! Outstanding timing!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Book Report - Tempting Danger
For my morning coffee the past few days, I read Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks. It's the first in a (so far) 3 book series. Annoyingly, I really enjoyed the first book in the series, only to find that its sequel - Mortal Danger - is limited in its availability. Amazon was saying 1 to 4 weeks for it to ship, so I had to go through one of their 3rd party sellers to order it. I hate that. Bad enough when the first book in a series is no longer available, but to have the first and third available, but not the second? Crikey.
In any case, Tempting Danger appears to be another in the mixed genre thriller/romance variety. It's set in modern-day San Diego, in a world where people know werewolves and witches exist, and werewolves are legal - if barely. The lead female is a homicide detective in San Diego who can sense magic. She's investigating a murder that appears to have been committed by a werewolf. Her initial werewolf suspect is (of course) the charming, smokin' hot, sexually available, local werewolf prince. And as soon as they meet (of course) they're irresistably drawn to each other, because it turns out they're fated to be mated (hey I rhymed!). As cheesy as the setup sounds, the prose is good, the characters are well drawn, and the plot kept me engaged throughout. I'm keeping an eye on the mail for the sequel.
In other reading news.... my first issue of Buffy: Season 8 will ship in the next week or so, and I have the first four issues of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. It's kept to the story-line from Guilty Pleasures so far, and the artwork has been really good. I'm interested in seeing how they handle things when they get to the gory parts... and if they continue past Guilty Pleasures, how they handle things when Anita becomes the slut-goddess from hell. Guilty Pleasures practically begged to be put into comic book form, though. There's something about a world peopled by vampires, werewolves, witches and the like that lends itself really well to little graphical boxes with bubble-text.
Oooh, and who else finished Blood Bound yet? I kinda wish Patricia Briggs would write longer books.... I finish them too quick, and I really enjoy reading her stuff.
In any case, Tempting Danger appears to be another in the mixed genre thriller/romance variety. It's set in modern-day San Diego, in a world where people know werewolves and witches exist, and werewolves are legal - if barely. The lead female is a homicide detective in San Diego who can sense magic. She's investigating a murder that appears to have been committed by a werewolf. Her initial werewolf suspect is (of course) the charming, smokin' hot, sexually available, local werewolf prince. And as soon as they meet (of course) they're irresistably drawn to each other, because it turns out they're fated to be mated (hey I rhymed!). As cheesy as the setup sounds, the prose is good, the characters are well drawn, and the plot kept me engaged throughout. I'm keeping an eye on the mail for the sequel.
In other reading news.... my first issue of Buffy: Season 8 will ship in the next week or so, and I have the first four issues of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series. It's kept to the story-line from Guilty Pleasures so far, and the artwork has been really good. I'm interested in seeing how they handle things when they get to the gory parts... and if they continue past Guilty Pleasures, how they handle things when Anita becomes the slut-goddess from hell. Guilty Pleasures practically begged to be put into comic book form, though. There's something about a world peopled by vampires, werewolves, witches and the like that lends itself really well to little graphical boxes with bubble-text.
Oooh, and who else finished Blood Bound yet? I kinda wish Patricia Briggs would write longer books.... I finish them too quick, and I really enjoy reading her stuff.
Baby Teeth
Lemme tell you... it is not easy to get a picture of a baby's teeth without a clamp and forceps. But after several attempts, I finally managed...
Here they are, in all their glory. Roy's first two bottom teeth, picture taken through a torturous (for him) breakfast where momma was holding the spoon in one hand, and the camera in the other. See what I put him through for you guys?
Here they are, in all their glory. Roy's first two bottom teeth, picture taken through a torturous (for him) breakfast where momma was holding the spoon in one hand, and the camera in the other. See what I put him through for you guys?
Friday, February 16, 2007
My Roommate Must Wear a Wig
Just a quick little post. My roommate, we'll call her A for anonymity's sake, gave me some of her old hair products. She decided to go from brunette to blonde so she had all this "Brilliant Brunette" stuff left over. I've used this shampoo before and I liked it so I gladly accepted. I mean hey it saves me some dough right? Included in her castoffs was this "glosser". It's basically a temporary hair color that you smear on after you shampoo to give your color a little boost. It is supposed to be safe enough to use daily without damaging your hair. It made me break out in hives.
Yesterday I was sad to discover that my hairdryer, which has served me well for five years now, had died. It just would not turn on at all. This morning, I was in desperate need of a hairdryer, so I borrowed A's. As I was styling my hair this patch of nastiness magically appears on my head. I start thinking: "Is there poop in my hair? How did I not notice this earlier? What is that horrible smell?" I go to comb the mystery substance out of my hair (it seriously looked like poop, or melted caramel) and am horrified to discover that it's melted hair! That's right, I end up combing out a big chunk of my hair, that has been BURNED off my head by my roommate's nuclear powered hairdryer!
I mean seriously what the fuck? First her god damn hair shit gives me HIVES which has never happened to me before in my entire life. I mean I thought I was dying until I looked up my symptoms on the internet. Itching that much can be terrifying. AND THEN her fricking ridiculously-high-powered-covered-in-electrical-tape-cause-its-been-massacred-
by-her-bunny-radioactive-should-be-haz-matted-hairdryer just eats right through my beautiful hair!
I can still smell melted hair. Which brings me to my conclusion. Bitch is wearing a wig.
Yesterday I was sad to discover that my hairdryer, which has served me well for five years now, had died. It just would not turn on at all. This morning, I was in desperate need of a hairdryer, so I borrowed A's. As I was styling my hair this patch of nastiness magically appears on my head. I start thinking: "Is there poop in my hair? How did I not notice this earlier? What is that horrible smell?" I go to comb the mystery substance out of my hair (it seriously looked like poop, or melted caramel) and am horrified to discover that it's melted hair! That's right, I end up combing out a big chunk of my hair, that has been BURNED off my head by my roommate's nuclear powered hairdryer!
I mean seriously what the fuck? First her god damn hair shit gives me HIVES which has never happened to me before in my entire life. I mean I thought I was dying until I looked up my symptoms on the internet. Itching that much can be terrifying. AND THEN her fricking ridiculously-high-powered-covered-in-electrical-tape-cause-its-been-massacred-
by-her-bunny-radioactive-should-be-haz-matted-hairdryer just eats right through my beautiful hair!
I can still smell melted hair. Which brings me to my conclusion. Bitch is wearing a wig.
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