Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Tick tock motherfuckers!

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

When the time comes to make an endorsement, the pain of NYT editors will be palpable as they reluctantly whisper “Biden.”

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Dead end MAGA boomers crying about Talyor Swift being a Dem is my kind of music. Turn it up.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

This blog will pay for itself.

The revolution will be supervised.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

There is one struggling party in US right now, and it’s not the Democrats.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

…and a burning sense of injustice to juice the soul.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

I also would like a pony to improve my balloon juice experience.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Steelers Open Thread

Reader Interactions

193Comments

  1. 1.

    Demo Woman

    Gee, I hope that the Steelers win. It appears that they lost last week so maybe the bib was the difference. You could try putting it on Tunch.

  4. 4.

    smiley

    In some ways, I wish lived in my NFL home team’s media market. I don’t so I’ll just have to root for my college team. Go My College Team!!!

  5. 5.

    Poopyman

    Does Tunch have a Steely McBeam catnip toy?

    If they exist, I’d sure like a couple for our cats. That would be about the best use for Steely I can think of.

  6. 6.

    Demo Woman

    @Laura W: lol. I will have to admit that the last picture of Tunch looked like it had been photo shopped to show a loss of weight.

  8. 8.

    General Winfield Stuck

    As penance Cole should drape that gawd awful thing around his own neck. Lily’s justice demands it.

  13. 13.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @burnspbesq:

    A little Saturday night light reading burns? Tomorrow, Darth will be on FNS, wanking about how torture works and saved us all from certain physical death and that namby pamby Obamunist should man-up and draw some blood.

  15. 15.

    burnspbesq

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    I’m spending my Saturday night writing a memo about the anti-conduit rules (that’s Treasury Regulations Section 1.881-3 if you’re keeping score at home), so I’m just trying to make everybody share my misery. I’m like that sometimes.

  17. 17.

    burnspbesq

    Hopefully I’ll be done by 8:00 Pacific time so that I can watch the Galaxy sacrifice a Goat.

  18. 18.

    Alan

    If you haven’t seen the the interview of Bill Moyers from Real Time with Bill Maher, you should. The guy lays out what the real problem is with our system–Wall Street, insurance companies, and drug companies–or the culture of corporate profit.

  24. 24.

    Mornington Crescent

    Here’s what looks like a new blog, called Glum Councillors.

    It’s author says: “This blog will doggedly collate images of councillors looking glum whilst pointing at holes in the road, wearing hard hats or presenting oversized cheques.”

    I think it has possibilities.

  26. 26.

    D-Chance.

    First viewing of the Cowboys at Jerry Jones Stadium.

    Eh, it’s a football field. With tons of TV screens all over the damn place.

    Big fucking deal.

    One advantage: no hole in the roof = no TV cameramen panicking when the ball goes from sunlight to shade and back. That, alone, makes this setup better. Of course, they could have just added a roof to Texas Stadium and not spent $1 billion.

  27. 27.

    Linkmeister

    Musical interlude: I’m listening to Shelby Lynne’s “Suit Yourself.” Her version of “Rainy Night in Georgia” (Inexplicably called Track 12 on the CD) is wonderful.

  29. 29.

    burnspbesq

    @Linkmeister:

    Shelby could sing George W. Bush’s State of the Union addresses and make them sound wonderful. And her sister’s no slouch either.

  30. 30.

    Roger Moore

    @Andy K:

    I bet that one figures out a way to commit suicide kill sick bastard who would do such a thing rather quickly.

    Fixt.

  34. 34.

    Polish the Guillotines

    @Comrade Kevin:

    The Rivercats keep winning their division in the PCL, and the A’s continue to suck.

    Which is why I’m turning my sights to the minors. It’s more free-wheeling. Also, Raley field is great. No bad seats. I’ve got tix for the third game of the championship, so I hope they go the distance.

  37. 37.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Andy K:

    Poodles are a very smart breed. I bet that one figures out a way to commit suicide rather quickly.

    I was thinking more like homicide. The poodle can grow back the hair.

  42. 42.

    Montysano

    Just finished watching “Gonzo: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson”. It was an fascinating look at Doc, and a great chronicle of an amazing era, but depressing in that we keep making the same mistakes over and over.

    Now, a little Townes Van Zandt on the turntable:

    The mountain moon
    forever sets too soon
    bein’ alone is all the hills can do
    alone and then
    her silver sails again
    and they will follow
    in their flyin’ shoes
    flyin’ shoes
    they will follow in their
    flyin’ shoes

    Monty +3

  43. 43.

    General Winfield Stuck

    how about that The Brownies whooped The Titans tonight. Look out the Stealers, soon gonna be payback time.

    ducks

  47. 47.

    Allan

    Blogwar at Rumproast!

    Kevin K called out Hillary Clinton’s Internet Strategist Peter Daou for his latest round of multimedia douchebaggery, and Hillary Clinton’s Internet Strategist Peter Daou himself turned up to spread passive-aggressive slime about the place. Along the way he attempts to use John’s Republican past as some kind of weapon, to no apparent effect.

  48. 48.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @geg6 said in an earlier thread re: the irish:

    The Irish love wallowing in the miseries of their history, as replete in it as it is.

    How much of our musical history benefits from those maudlin irish ballades? Quite a bit. I find a lot of similarities between old ballads and folk/bluegrass.

  49. 49.

    JGabriel

    So. While spelunking in the archives, because I have absolutely no interest in and nothing remotely funny to say about sports, I came across this interesting piece of

    Juiciana from 9/2002

    :

    A Big HELLO! to everyone out there doing google searches for ‘indian actresses going nude.’ I am no longer scared by my referrer statistics.

    Apparently “Indian actresses going nude” was the old time BJ analogue to “skull fucking kittens”, and this was years before Slumdog Millionaire was released. Unfortunately, I can’t find any other posts mentioning “Indian actresses going nude”, so how this became a referrer statistic for BJ is lost in the misty mired mists o’ time.

    That’s it. Nothing else to add at the moment. I just it was one of those interesting things that make you go “Hunh.” Like learning that Andromeda and the Milky Way are considered a binary galaxy system. Though less galactically consequential, of course.

    .

  51. 51.

    arguingwithsignposts

    Also, I bought a crock pot today. Don’t know what I’m going to make in it yet, but I’m learning to cook (more than eggs and canned soup). Any suggestions are welcomed.

  52. 52.

    planetjanet

    I tried in last week’s Steeler’s thread to post a picture of my Trigger in my Redskins jersey last week, but failed miserably. My Redskins came through. I was intent on getting Trigger a Redskins bandana to show off to Lily. My dear Trigger passed away on Wednesday and I miss him terribly tonight. Sending all my love to Trigger.

  54. 54.

    ellaesther

    @arguingwithsignposts: Oh lord yes, can I second this? A friend lovingly gave me a crock pot, because I had said that “golly, I should get me one of those,” and I have never really figured out how to factor it into my life! Which feels very silly, as it is a CROCK POT, not, like an in-home theater or something, but so it goes.

    I will lurk on any and all crock pot recipe exchanges that may transpire.

  56. 56.

    ellaesther

    @Montysano: How ’bout if you’re a non-pork eating meat eater? (Said she with the strictly kosher kitchen. Two sets of dishes and the whole she-bang! But the crock pot is for meat meals, so, you know, fire away with meat dishes! Just not of the porkish variety….)

  57. 57.

    JGabriel

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I bought a crock pot today. … Any suggestions are welcomed.

    Butternut Squash & Chicken. At least that’s what I used to make in a crock pot when I last had one in the late 80s/ early 90s.

    .

  59. 59.

    ellaesther

    @JGabriel: But… how?

    I know. I’m a moron, because I can’t figure out my crock pot. I think it’s so simple that I’m sure I’m missing something. The one meal I made in it was a disaster, and I don’t have any idea why, so I clearly need to be walked through it carefully.

    (I rush to add: I’m a pretty good cook, otherwise. Not a foodie, but a decent cook of pretty darn good food, often by way of using my instincts to improve an existing recipe. I don’t make much meat, though. Maybe that’s my problem here?)

  60. 60.

    D-Chance.

    Eh, the game was what it was. Hard to get excited about preseason.

    Maybe in a week and a half, I’ll get psyched. Plus, I should have my sportsbook accounts funded by then. /grins

    Money on the line ALWAYS makes a game more interesting…

  61. 61.

    mai naem

    I’ll bet John didn’t put the bib on Lily today was because she probably growled and bared her teeth when he did try to put it on her, threatening to do to him what she did to his buddy’s nose the other night.

  64. 64.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @D-Chance.:

    Eh, the game was what it was. Hard to get excited about preseason.

    Amen. As a native Texan and Cowboy fan, I still couldn’t get excited about preseason. They charge the same ticket prices for a bunch of third-stringers. Meh. Marketing scam, if you ask me. (disclaimer: I have actually enjoyed the resurgence of the Steelers over the past few years, and their approach to the team – family and all that. This was something the Cowboys used to share with the Steelers back before JJ corrupted them)

    And re: crock pot recipes – what I gather so far is throw some meat and veggies in the thing and turn it on? Where do you get chicken stock? is that in a can? Like I said, I’m pretty dumb on the cooking thing.

  65. 65.

    Ash

    Who the fuck is this Conor Friesdorf guy at Sully’s blog and why the HELL is he going on about no one being as talented as Peggy Noonan?

    My brain just liquified.

  66. 66.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Allan:

    Thanks for that link. I especially liked the BJ ref here:

    Also, I for one would love an answer to the question posed at Balloon Juice a few months back: do you keep the pearls on the nightstand at night, or clutch them in your sleep?

    ROFLMAO. That’s a keeper.

  68. 68.

    Indylib

    @ellaesther:

    Here’s a link for slow cooker vegetarian chili, I have tried it and it’s quite good. If you don’t like what’s in the exact recipe don’t hesitate to substitute things that you do like, and read the reviews, they usually have good ideas for alternatives.

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmas-Slow-Cooker-Vegetarian-Chili/Detail.aspx@arguingwithsignposts:

    Here’s the link to allrecipes slowcooker page. I like allrecipes to get basic ideas and then I change the recipe to match what my family likes.

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main-Dish/Slow-Cooker/Main.aspx

  73. 73.

    The Main Gauche of Mild Reason

    @Ash:
    In case you didn’t notice the paean to Charles Murray (author of The Bell Curve, the “black people are stupid” tome), Andrew Sullivan is entirely insane. He may occasionally say things that liberal-ish people agree with, but he is totally, batshit insane.

    As such, the only people who hang around him are sycophants who notice his $400k salary and want to get in on the action somehow. Thus Rosin, Friedersdorf, et al. I’m actually shocked he doesn’t have Megan McArdle guest blog for him.

  75. 75.

    Montysano

    @Ash:

    Who the fuck is this Conor Friesdorf guy at Sully’s blog and why the HELL is he going on about no one being as talented as Peggy Noonan?

    Some things in life need to be mysterious… sometimes you need to just keep walking.

  76. 76.

    steve s

    “August 29th, 2009 at 9:15 pm Reply to this comment
    JGabriel
    Have they gone Galt?”

    The universe is too indifferent to make the McArdles Go Galt. If her, and Dr. Helen, and Glenn Reynolds, and Ron Bailey, etc, ever disappear to parts unknown, I’ll know that god likes me, and wants me to be happy.

  80. 80.

    gnomedad

    @Ash:

    Who the fuck is this Conor Friesdorf guy at Sully’s blog and why the HELL is he going on about no one being as talented as Peggy Noonan?

    The best Nooners could do to remember EMK was to swoon over what a swell speech her old boss Ronnie once gave?

  81. 81.

    Comrade Darkness

    Hm, normally I’m all over the college football scene, but we canceled everything, like cable tv, sat tv. I don’t think I can watch football on a 320×240 feed.

    Maybe I’ll actually get something done this fall, on a personal development level. I’ll haz a sad while I’m developing, tho.

  85. 85.

    ellaesther

    @Indylib: Thank you! I think that this what I’ve needed all along — someone to say: Go here, look at this.

    There are so many possibilities out there that when it’s something I’m kind of clueless on to begin with? I just don’t know where to start. And if it involves cooking, and the possibe upshot of me choosing the wrong place to start is shitty food — well. I’m in even less of a rush! There is little that irritates me more than putting effort into a meal only to have toss it for bad-ness.

    So, again, in short: Thank you!

  87. 87.

    SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta

    @planetjanet: So sorry to hear about Trigger. It is so heart-wrenching. Our 12 year old Maggie isn’t long for this world, and it’s awful. You have my sympathies.

  88. 88.

    arguingwithsignposts

    There are so many possibilities out there that when it’s something I’m kind of clueless on to begin with? I just don’t know where to start.

    Amen to that. I thought about getting some chicken at the store tonight, but didn’t know where to start either. These are helpful suggestions.

  89. 89.

    Comrade Darkness

    @ellaesther: beans! the crock pot is for beans or split pea soup. Put it on in the morning, have it waiting eagerly for dinner when you get home. I make my own baked beans for a breakfast side, with lots of clove and cinnamon and molasses. yum olas. Course, I season it with pork fat… that’s probably optional… (gack, erk) as hard as it is to say that…

  90. 90.

    planetjanet

    Okay, so my favorite crock pot recipe is a good lean pork roast with a bbq dry rub from Pratt’s in my hometown in east Tennessee and a big vidalia onion. Once it is done, I serve with another bbq sauce from Pratt’s or Sweet Baby Ray’s.

  91. 91.

    SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta

    @arguingwithsignposts: You can cook a roast very easily in a crock pot. I use a bit of olive oil in a frying pan, get it hot, and then sear each side of the roast in the oil. This browns the roast and seals in the flavor. Then put it in the crock pot with a couple inches of water or beef broth (from a can, you can buy at grocery store) on high for an hour or two. Then add peeled potatoes, carrots, and onions, salt and pepper and turn to medium. As long as you keep some liquid in there, it can slow cook for hours. We also make bison chilli and veggie soup in the crock pot. Good luck!

  92. 92.

    gwangung

    @Comrade Darkness:

    I have an all-purpose honey-mustard sauce that I’ve used quite successfully on pork and chicken (yeah, I know some folks have an aversion to honey-mustard, but as a change up to some other stuff, it’s not bad).

    I just finished off a chicken/pineapple/peach/mushroom combo that I let simmer while I ran a rehearsal…

  93. 93.

    AhabTRuler

    @Indylib: I can’t remember the name, as the SO got them at a Farmer’s Market, although she was assured that they were good for pie. So we shall see. Just reduced the heat and rotated, and the crust has good color.

  94. 94.

    SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta

    @Ash: I haven’t read Sullivan’s blog since he went on vacation and left his “underbloggers” in charge, and I haven’t watched CNN since they did the week long Jackson-a-Thon. Kind of nice, actually.

  96. 96.

    geg6

    Crockpots are the awesomest. Throw everthing in, turn it on, and go about your day for 8 to 10 hours. I make soups, roasts, stews, meatballs, hot sausage, stuffed peppers, and oh, just everything in mine. One thing to clean and all the prep can be done ahead of time. If you like beef, try some chuck roast bbq sandwiches. Get a 2 1/2 lb. chuck roast and 2 chopped onions in crockpot. In a bowl, mix a can of Coke, 1/3 c worchestershire, 1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 t beef bullion granules, 3/4 t dry mustard, 3/4 t chili powder, 1/2 t ground red pepper, and 3 cloves minced garlic. Reserve and chill 1 c of the sauce and pour rest over roast. Cook on low 9 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast and shred. Combine reserved sauce with 1 c ketchup and 1 T butter in a saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring constantly, until heated. Pour sauce over meat and serve on a bun. Great for parties if you double or triple the recipe. This one probably serves six.

  97. 97.

    Indylib

    @ellaesther:
    No problem, use the ratings on allrecipes as a guide, and like I said if there’s something in the recipe you don’t like don’t hesitate to take it out or replace it with something similar you do like. The recipes will give you basic proportions and ingredients, so you can experiment from there.

    As a totally basic recipe for the you can usually go with a piece of meat (roast, roasting chicken or cut up equivalent of a whole chicken, package of beef ribs), a couple of carrots, an onion, about 5 potatoes, all cut up, and fill the pot about half way with water or stock and a little salt and pepper.

  99. 99.

    SIA aka ScreamingInAtlanta

    @planetjanet: That is a 16 year, 5 month void in your heart and life. Every time we go through this I tell my husband, no more! And yet there’s always another dog or cat the universe sends our way. Will pass on your hug to Maggie. Godspeed to Trigger.

  100. 100.

    Indylib

    @AhabTRuler

    One of the things I love about living in Wisconsin is the local apples. I discovered Paula Red and Cameo apples, which have become my favorite for baking. My kids love going to the cheesy apple/pumpkin picking places they have all of the place out here.

  101. 101.

    Comrade Darkness

    @gwangung: I have no aversion to honey mustard. Haven’t had it except on a sandwich before. I’ll make a note, tho, thanks.

    The other thing I really use our crock pot for is stocks. You eat that chicken or turkey, or even lamb or pork, and the bones go in the pot with water and perhaps some chopped onion (skins and all) overnight. (just toss in the remains off everyone’s plate, really you’re all family, right?) Then the next day you make a dish every one raves about for weeks. Nothing, but nothing matches up to a real stock. And taking the large bones down to the workbench to get at the marrow, really is worth it…

    I’ve been buying pork shoulder, cutting some off for pickling for red beans and rice (also cooked in the stock pot), some off for sausage, and the bone goes in the stock pot for stock or beans. That way, also you don’t have to clean the meat off it so close, since it will fall off by itself, and intermingle with your soup, loverly like.

    Goat curry is another we make not infrequently. Seven hours in a seething red hot mass of chili seasoned goodness, then you let the broken down connective tissue cool and set up gelatinish like, and reheat so each bite is an unctuous wonder… mmmm mmm.

  102. 102.

    madmommy

    @ellaesther:

    The nice thing about a crock pot is you can use less expensive cuts of meat, and the slow cooking process makes them really tender. I do a roast that is just a can of cream of mushroom soup, a can of water, and a packet of onion soup mix. Mix up the water, soup and soup mix with a wisk in the pot, add the meat and veggies of your choice. I let mine cook all day, dinner is ready when I get home from work!

  103. 103.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @AhabTRuler

    Well, I was going to go to bed after a long emotional day, but now I have to stay awake long enoigh to see the finished PIE. How long does it need to cool before you slice it? Reason I ask, I’d enjoy seeing (a) complete uncut PIE fresh from the oven, (b) PIE with one slice removed, so as to check out the filling, and (c) close-up of the PIE slice on its own plate. Shall you garnish it in any way, such as a nice wodge of sharp cheddar or a scoop of vanilla ice cream? Or do you prefer your PIE unadorned?

    There, that took a while to type. Is it ready to come out of the oven yet? If not, I’ll check back tomorrow morning. PIE is good for breakfast.

    Siubhan +0 even though I sound like + a lot.

  105. 105.

    AhabTRuler

    Well, here is the finished pie.

    @SiubhanDuinne: I should let it cool at least 2 hours, and preferably more. Ideally, I should let it keep until tomorrow, although that is difficult. I prefer my apple pie hot, with coffee ice cream if available, although I will take vanilla in a pinch (although we have no edible ice cream at present [sob]). I prefer no whipped cream, and I have never understood the cheddar cheese thing (although I begrudge no one their cheese).

  106. 106.

    Comrade Darkness

    @ellaesther: So, what exactly went wrong last time you made something? Did it run out of liquid? I can’t think of anything else that would cause total fail. It is critical to adjust recipes for how big the steam holes are on your lid. I found this out when using a crock pot in a rental house, it needed way more water than my usual one.

    If you are ever uncertain, error on the side of too much water, you can always boil the excess away, whereas running out is disaster.

  107. 107.

    arguingwithsignposts

    I’m still amazed that earlier open thread got to 369 comments. That’s almost atrios territory, there.

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Which reminds me, has anyone seen BoB lately? I’m amazed he hasn’t jumped in on any of the TK threads.

    I’m excited about the crock pot. I’m planning to use it to make some meals that will last as leftovers for lunch for a few days (small bachelor pad apt. cooking area) and save some money over the takeout/fast food stuff. keep those suggestions coming, if you don’t mind.

  110. 110.

    Anne Laurie

    @planetjanet: Condolences on Trigger’s passing. I would say he looked like a sweetie, but the indignation would probably kill him all over again.

  114. 114.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @planetjanet

    Late to the party, although that’s hardly the right word, but I am very sorry about your dear Trigger. It never gets easier but we keep on giving our hearts to them. I clicked on the link, and what a love! Condolences on your loss.

  117. 117.

    Comrade Darkness

    @arguingwithsignposts: My usual backup meal is split pea soup. Buy a bag of dried green split peas, rinse and dump into the crock pot with salt to your taste and a whole chopped onion and two chopped garlic cloves and a chunk of pork fat (I use smoked pig jowls our grocer sells cheap cheap cheap for the chinese students. And when I say cheap, I mean like a $1.60 for two huge jowls. I freeze them and use for seasoning for half a year.) Then I add water until there are three fingers of clear water above the peas. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of dried mustard. Set on low for overnight or high if I’m around and can check in on it.

    A bowl of that and a salad or a cut up cuke is a seriously satisfying lunch. Comes out to about 30-40 cents a serving, depending on how bulk you buy your onions.

  118. 118.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @arguingwithsignposts

    Oh dear, I was afraid all my PIEs would bring up BOB. Didn’t John mention a couple of days ago that he had put BOB in the time-out corner for a few days? Not sure when he’s allowed to come out and play.

  119. 119.

    ellaesther

    @Comrade Darkness: I don’t rightly recall (I think this was nearly two years ago, come to think of it!), but “not enough water” is ringing a bell as a real possibility. I think I’ll ere on the side of extra liquid until I get the hang of it.

    Beans, etc, also sounds like the perfect plan. I don’t have time this evening, but I’m going to really mine that earlier all-recipes link for and see what I find. (And sorry to force you to remove the pork fat, even mentally. I’m reading the Little House books to my daughter these days, and my goodness but a little pork fat did make them happy, too!)

    @madmommy: The bad news is that I can’t do the cream of mushroom soup, either! Unless it’s “kreme” of mushroom — keeping kosher means no dairy in with my meat, either…. Hence the two entirely separate sets of dishes (four, if you count the fact that I need two extra sets for the week of Passover, when we can’t use our regular kitchenware, for it is infused, if you will, with leavening…! I know, you weren’t really asking for a lecture on the keeping of a kosher kitchen, were you.) (BTW, this sort of thing is why I so rarely take part in recipe exchanges! I must be very frustrating for my friends).

    @arguingwithsignposts: I think BOB was given a week in the clink by Mr. Cole.

  120. 120.

    Comrade Darkness

    @arguingwithsignposts: You’ll quickly learn the needs of your pot. Make a few dishes on the weekend when you can set an hourly timer to check on it. But don’t open the lid! Spin the lid to throw the steam off the inside so you can see clearly.

    Mine does not have vent holes in the lid (which the one in the rental house did), it has two notches in the ceramic insert that keep the lid from sealing, so the placement of the lid makes a difference (centered precisely lets out less steam). That was annoying, but now it’s habit.

  121. 121.

    geg6

    arguingwithsignposts: Like ham and bean soup? Here’s an easy and delicious one any novice cook can make. Sort and rinse 1 c dried navy beans and soak overnight and drain. In crockpot, mix beans, 6 oz of diced cooked ham, 1 c sliced celery, 1 c sliced carrots, 28 oz of chicken stock (better than broth and you can find it in the same aisle in the grocery), 3/4 c water, 1/4 t garlic powder, some cracked black pepper, and 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook on low 8 to 12 hours. Remove and discard bay leaves before serving. Freezes beautifully in individual serving containers.

  122. 122.

    Anne Laurie

    @Ash:

    Who the fuck is this Conor Friesdorf guy at Sully’s blog and why the HELL is he going on about no one being as talented as Peggy Noonan?

    I hate to say this about anyone on a gay guy’s blog, but my own interpretation was: Mommy issues. Serious mommy issues.

  123. 123.

    General Winfield Stuck

    I am just curious. Are you Ash, also Ash Can, or a whole other person? I realize asking may violate internet tradition, but can’t help asking.:)

  124. 124.

    Comrade Darkness

    @ellaesther: I used to vegetarian, so I SHOULD be able to shed the pork fat thoughts, but it’s been awhile…

    Chicken stock will be your friend then, I think. I find most everything needs a meaty edge to really satisfy. If we have a lamb roast, I make lamb stock. If we cook a chicken I make chicken stock. (Since soy tries to kill me, my commercial stock options are limited.)

    It’s fun, though, I find, to use serendipity to plan with. Hm, I have lamb stock, what shall I cook in it? Mushroom soup? Sure, why not? And everyone is really fascinated by the results because they’ve, well, never had that.

    By the way, from my vegetarian days, I can suggest that japanese tofu, the soft style stuff in the little tetra packs… makes an excellent heavy cream substitute. I would throw it in the cuisinart with a little water to thin it, then it was a one for one sub. Really nice one, actually. If you are ever culinarily in the need.

  126. 126.

    madmommy

    @ellaesther:

    Then skip the soup, use stock instead. It’s the liquid that’s the key. Hubby likes the gravy that the soup makes so that’s why I make it that way. I’d read further up that you keep a kosher kitchen, but the brain cells aren’t firing as sharply as they used to!

  127. 127.

    Comrade Darkness

    @ellaesther: On a completely different note, I once visited the Clink. It’s in London on the cheap side of the river. It’s named after the cardinal that owned (read profited) from the prison he was running.

  128. 128.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Anne Laurie:

    Anne, you should probably be a little more careful with your non-specific words:

    I hate to say this about anyone on a gay guy’s blog,

    That almost made me question JC’s sexuality (ha!). :D

  129. 129.

    Tattoosydney

    @Ash:

    “Or is it simply that a speechwriter as talented as Peggy Noonan hasn’t graced the White House since she left it? ”

    This was the final straw for me… I had to email Sullivan to tell him that I wasn’t sure how much more I could take of his typing monkey stand ins, and their endless but ultimately futile quest to recreate the collected works of Mark Levin and Lolcats…

    What a load of shit.

  130. 130.

    Comrade Darkness

    @madmommy: To go all snooty and French cooking here, technically cream of mushroom should be just creamed mushrooms. As in, you make mushroom soup, pour half of it into the trusty cuisinart for creaming, then stir that back into the other. I have seen one or two high end brands that actually conform to this, rather than containing actual cream.

  134. 134.

    ellaesther

    @Comrade Darkness: Am I ever “culinarily in need”? I just cut and pasted this little tip and printed it out. Yes, indeedy, I am often culinarily in need! And, might I add, your little bit of info re: the Clink is emblematic of the biggest reason I love teh intertubez — I had no idea there was a real Clink! The more you know…. (envision rainbow here).

    @madmommy: Oh please, don’t worry! It’s the craziest damn eating system known to humanity, and I just always assume that no one knows what I’m talking about, because why on earth would they? It’s an act of faith, is what it is, not anything even remotely resembling “sense,” and as long as I think about it that way, I’m more likely to stick with it…! If I think about it too much, I may find myself running out for a cheeseburger.

  135. 135.

    madmommy

    @Comrade Darkness:

    True, but I believe that most commercially available canned soups have some sort of dairy in them. Which for me is not a big whoop, but I don’t keep a kosher kitchen as ellaesther does.

  137. 137.

    ellaesther

    @ellaesther: (As I approach Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, I should blog about this and be all servicey! “To my non-Jewish friends, here’s how a kosher kitchen functions. Isn’t it nutty?”) (But I might lose readers…. Hmmmmmm…).

  138. 138.

    CaseyL

    Coming in late, and want to add my condolences to planetjanet on the loss of her fur person.

    16 year, 5 months??

    That is one heckuva great long run for a Schnauzer (?) – or any dog, for that matter – ya did real good by your Trigger, who looks like a sweetie. Is that a “I am patiently – very, very patiently – letting you dress me in silly outfits” expression on his face in that photo?

  140. 140.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @madmommy:

    My gf used to tell me about her cousin (?) who kept a kosher kitchen, but would put utensils in “purgatory” if something went awry, rather than going through whatever cleansing ceremony (I admit my knowledge of kosher practices is woefully inadequate, but the “purgatory” comment was funny).

  144. 144.

    Comrade Darkness

    @madmommy: Oh yeah, most are of the what I’d call “midwestern” variety. But some aren’t. There is hope. Usually the ones that also lack soy… funny enough.

    @ellaesther: glad to be of help. Creamed tofu, I guess you’d call it, is rather nice as it adds almost no fat, so dishes that would end up really heavy, end up light instead. There is also a pretty acceptable dairy free cream cheese substitute called ‘better than cream cheese’. Our food coop carries it. I think it’s a national brand. I don’t know if it lives up to the name, but it too may serve you well. Hubby is lactose intolerant, so we get it on occasion for those sunday smoked salmon on bagel brunches.

  145. 145.

    madmommy

    @ellaesther:

    As a teen I babysat for a family that kept a kosher kitchen. They had duplicates of everything, from dishes and cookware to the stove, fridge and dishwasher. She always made sure that if I was there in the evenings that the food she left for me was already on the correct dishes, so there was no confusion for me and extra work for her.

  146. 146.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @ellaesther: I believe that was 1987-88.

    I actually met PDP busking for gas money before they appeared on Letterman – that would have been 1987. They were from Hawaii. I used to have a hand-colored cassette tape of them. Very nice ppl, and good music too.

  147. 147.

    freelancer

    Hi all!

    What’s new?

    I was just scrolling through my RSS feed, and I noticed that over at Pharyngula, PZ Myers has written the best stand-alone couplet of sentences I have ever seen:

    Octopus was apparently wreaking havoc offscreen. Debbie Gibson’s lover reports that they shot it with artillery and just made it mad.

    Also, I miss football, and why the hell wasn’t there a kick-off classic in the last weekend of August this year?

    Go ‘skers!

    The fight song that turns into the most annoying ringtone ever.

  148. 148.

    ellaesther

    @Tattoosydney: Oh, so that’s the direction we’re headed! This is awesome! And very different from the Springsteen joint I linked to. I’m now trying desperately to come up with something to equal it, and off the top of my head, I got nuthin’.

    But, you know, Paolo Nutini would be a good start: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GAgm8sZ5mo (and, in an entirely objective aside, may I add: Good heavens but he is a cutie, is he not?)

    And just for snicks, how about something a little more old school? Robin S: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anxalMu9zoM

  151. 151.

    Crashman06

    @asiangrrlMN: Sadly, the nasty rain kept us away from the Absinthe bar tonight. Our plans changed, but we have a rain check for the Green Fairy sometime in October. I will let you know then. Just beer tonight.

  153. 153.

    Tattoosydney

    @asiangrrlMN:

    I’m in an eclectic mood apparently…. This song reminds me of a night in Lisbon, in a little bar which had just opened that night. Outside there were hundreds of people dancing in the street. Inside they only had one cd – the Girl from Ipanema. There were caipirinhas. It was a good night.

  156. 156.

    Comrade Kevin

    @freelancer: Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus, on the Sci Fi (sorry, “syfy”) channel today after Malibu Shark Attack?

    It was very strange to see, on Wikipedia, that Debbie Gibson is 38 years old now.

  159. 159.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @ellaesther: That is also classic, but sadly most of Sedaris’ stuff is not available on youtube, e.g., “You can’t kill the rooster.” I can’t read his books, because the voice is what makes it for me. Same with Sarah Vowell. The words don’t have the same impact without that voice. Not all authors are that way, i’m sure, but those two are.

  160. 160.

    Indylib

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    I love the audio version of Sarah Vowell’s Partly Cloudy Patriot. How many people can make you laugh out loud when talking about the Puritans?
    I’ll have to check out Sedaris.

  164. 164.

    Cain

    @arguingwithsignposts: My new crock is a 4 qt. model. i’m also in the apt. mode. i will try to keep the “more water” advice in mind.

    I misread that as “my new cock..” I was a bit taken a back..but then I realized it was the alcohol making me this way. I”m currently watching some old batman movie and I’m at +4 and I got to say that Lee Meriweather is the hottest thing I’ve seen. Where is my next drink.

    Oh yeah.. Fuck republicans. :) I think I’ve drank enough for that.

    cain

  165. 165.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Allan

    Blogwar at Rumproast!
    Kevin K called out Hillary Clinton’s Internet Strategist Peter Daou for his latest round of multimedia douchebaggery, and Hillary Clinton’s Internet Strategist Peter Daou himself turned up to spread passive-aggressive slime about the place. Along the way he attempts to use John’s Republican past as some kind of weapon, to no apparent effect.

    Oooohhh, what incredibly bitchy fun. And your letter to Doau letting him know of his importance? It is a thing of beauty.

  167. 167.

    Indylib

    @Wile E. Quixote:

    The Rumproast thread was frikkin’ hilarious. Daou got quite an ass-kicking with help from a number of BJers I noticed.
    I wonder why he won’t come over here to defend himself since he seems to think this is where all the enmity originated?

  168. 168.

    Steeplejack

    @Laura W:

    Awesome video. I keep seeing Stephen Stills’s big blond guitar showing up in all those old videos. I want.

    Have you ever heard Buddy Miles’s version? Very good. Originally on Them Changes, also done live on his greatest-hits album. (He also does a great version of the Allman Brothers song “Dreams.”)

    Sorry, not a performance video in the clip above. It’s the album cut from Them Changes.

  172. 172.

    ironranger

    Another comfort food crock pot recipe:
    Layered round steak casserole
    Large round steak cut into about 2X2″ pieces, browned in oil.
    Layer in order:
    Browned rd steak on bottom of pot, salt & pepper, diced garlic.
    Chopped onion
    Diced peeled potatoes
    2 cans of French style green beans with liquid
    2 to 3 cans stewed tomatoes
    Sprinkle Italian herbs, more salt & pepper, opt.
    Add a can of beef broth & water to reach just reach top level.

    Corn on the cob goes well with this

  173. 173.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    Trippy. Buddy Miles on Hugh Hefner’s Playboy After Dark back in the day. Did I say trippy? I meant (slightly) creepy. Anyway, “Dreams” begins at 3:15.

  175. 175.

    freelancer

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    For me, Sweet Thing is the most uplifting Van song ever:

    And I will stroll the merry way
    And jump the hedges first
    …
    And I shall drive my chariot
    Down your streets and cry
    hey, its me, Im dynamite
    And I dont know why
    And you shall take me strongly
    In your arms again
    And I will not remember
    That I even felt the pain.

    Forgiveness plus hope is the essence of Van’s blues-folk aim.

    Off Off-Topic (blatant blog-whoring alert, but I spend a lot of time in the Atlantic’s Basement), but Happy Sarah Palin Day!

    Fur-wearing fucking twat
    She likes to eat dead cow Moose
    She thinks its cool to wear eyelashes of dead foxes
    Cuz she thinks it hides the pounds

    Shes a bitch!
    Fuck her!
    Asshole!
    Fuck her!

    I don’t really reference anything that’s been said today, but given the fact that what I was able to retrieve from the memory whole is completely damning and just shameful all around, I felt like adding my own sermon to the shame was over the top. In the end I settled for rubbing their own noses in the words they had composed, like a pet caught shitting on the bed. The embarrassment should be self-evident to them.

    freelancer +(lost count), and hoping I’m making the least bit of sense as opposed to the usual Woody Allen-esque self-doubt and Andy Kauffman-esqe self-loathing.

  176. 176.

    freelancer

    Hat tip to Commenter Allen,

    This just in: Lefty Operative Peter Daou: Douchebag.

    Kevin – so you mean to tell me this is all about a microsite managed by a communications staffer during the 2008 campaign? Are you serious? It’s really time to move on from that campaign; everyone threw hard punches and Obama won, to his credit. Let it go.

    And I never said John Cole being a Republican was an awful thing, just that it smacks of irony that my progressive cred is being attacked on a site that wasn’t exactly a stalwart of progressivism. (Ask him how often I linked to him from the Daou Report before anyone else on the left did).
    My site with Patrick is explicitly about partisan disagreement, with him on the right and me on the left, not about ‘shacking up.’
    Finally, it surprises me that a small cadre of people without the slightest inkling of who I am or what I’ve worked for spend time attacking me when there are so many more important things to write about. It’s kind of funny and sad at the same time.
    Comment by Peter Daou on 08/29/09 at 09:49 PM

  178. 178.

    burnspbesq

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    “How much of our musical history benefits from those maudlin irish ballades? Quite a bit. I find a lot of similarities between old ballads and folk/bluegrass.”

    Indeedy. Search on “Transatlantic Sessions” on YouTube.

  179. 179.

    burnspbesq

    Good Sunday morning to all. Not sure why I am up at 4:45, but I am, and I’m listening to Jack DeJohnette, Danilo Perez, and John Patitucci.

    For one night, Beckham was worth it, as he led the sacrifice of the Goats. Galaxy are now in second place in the west, only two points behind Houston. They sucked for the last three seasons, and I stopped going to matches. Perhaps I will start going again.

    It’s been 20 years since the US faced a must-win match in World Cup qualifying, but next Saturday against El Salvador in Salt Lake City is a must-win match.

  181. 181.

    arguingwithsignposts

    FWIW, that scumbag John McCain was able to weasel his way onto at least one sunday morning show this week (Face the Nation). Orrin Hatch is on three shows, which I will grant him since he seemed to be TMK’s closest republican friend in the senate.

    I wish John McCain would get off the airwaves. He lost, and he’s a sore loser.

  182. 182.

    geg6

    I have been boycotting Press the Meat for months (with the exception of the Maddow/Armey showdown), but I think I may be forced to watch today as the guest list seems the most reasonable for honoring Senator Kennedy. Guess I’ll suffer the execreble Stretch for it. I hate to give him the ratings, but I still haven’t gotten my fill of Ted Love.

  183. 183.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @geg6:

    Since I don’t have cable (or any TV reception, for that matter), I boycott them all, thankfully. But I do tune in for certain things, like when Krugman and Reich slapped down the RW dolts on This weak with GS, also the Maddow slapdown.

    I get enough blood pressure raising from reading blogs and news sites on the Internet without those douchebags. Plus, seeing weasel John McCain’s mug every week would do me no good. I look at it as a preemptive public health care initiative. I would encourage it for everyone.

  184. 184.

    HRA

    I haven’t used my crockpot lately. A few months ago I made French Onion soup in it. I usually make soups and stews when I do use it. Otherwise if I make Swedish meatballs or something that should be served hot and to to take somewhere, it’s really the best option.
    My daughter makes BBQ ribs in hers. I have no idea how she does it.

  185. 185.

    JGabriel

    @ellaesther:

    But… how?

    Uh, far too late to the party, and you’ll likely never see this, but that’s ok because I don’t remember how.

    If I remember correctly, and this was about 2 decades ago (feelin’ old again) I just stuck the cut the butternut squash in half, put some brown sugar on the freshly opened side, then put in a chicken leg & thigh or a breast, and let it sit in the crockpot for a few hours, 6-8 maybe?

    .

  186. 186.

    Kirk Spencer

    Ah, the crockpot. In addition to several things mentioned before, I’ve a couple of other uses.

    Breakfast. Pinhead (steelcut) oats are great but take forever to cook. Answer? Oats and liquid – water, milk, cream (I use mostly water and a bit of milk) into the crockpot at night. If you want you can toss in dried fruit at the same time, or toss in some fresh in the morning, all IF you want fruit in your porridge. (And this lets me sleep an extra 15-20 minutes if I want — no cooking, no prepping.)

    … my fun, “secret” recipe for the crockpot. BBQ Pork – shoulder or ribs. You will want a rack or something that fits in your crock that will keep what it’s holding about an inch off the bottom, but which will also let liquid through. You’ll also need a SMALL bowl – I use a 1/4 cup ramekin – and some liquid smoke. Finally, you’ll want a BBQ rub – use the rub of your choice.

    About 20-24 hours before you plan to eat, start the crock. Now, use the rub of your choice on the meat. Put it in the crock on the rack. Put about 3-4 tblsp of liquid smoke in the bowl and put it in the crock as well, making sure it isn’t touching the meat. Most crocks on low are running at 200-220 degrees, which is “BBQ” temperature. It’s also hot enough to evaporate the liquid smoke which will then move into the meat. You want the meat elevated to keep it out of the meat ‘drippings’. [You can probably add more liquid smoke to the bowl the next morning – but wait till you’ve tasted this once. There can be too much smoke flavor for some people. ]

    About 30 minutes before meal time, pull out the meat to let it rest. Also pull out the bowl and the rack – don’t spill any smoke that’s left over. Pour the drippings into a pan – you’re going to make your sauce from them. Add a bit of sweetening – I won’t tell you how much both because it’s a matter of taste and because the amount of drippings will vary. Sweet can be sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, sorghum syrup, or anything you like and think will work. (I’ve used all these and a few others. Personal preference is brown sugar and honey, mixed.) Now reduce the liquid to about half what it was to thicken it.

    It won’t be quite the same as an open pit BBQ. That’s because the lid means the moisture doesn’t get to vent (much) to the air and instead circulates around the meat. As a result the meat will be a bit moister than you’d get from the open pit.

    (Liquid smoke is literally just that. You can make your own – trading off a real pain in the doing for the ability to get the woodsmoke of your preference. Since that’s not a crockpot technique, I’ll tell you to go look it up instead.)

  187. 187.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Tattoosydney: That singer of Girl from Ipanema really creeped me out. It was something in (or not) her eyes.

    That Peter Daou is quite the piece of work. He had to get in the last word on the thread, but alas for him, someone came in behind him and slammed the door in his face. What an idiot.

  188. 188.

    Morbo

    FYI John, I don’t see any ads or the blogroll on the front page. They show up again in comments, but there’s nothing on the sides at .com/.

    Opera 9.52, Windows XP, Java Runtime Environment 1.5

  190. 190.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Comrade Kevin:

    Sedaris spoken-word recordings are without parallel. Reading his essays is fun, but hearing his tonal inflections can cause further paroxysms of laughter, grief.

    If you ever get to see him in person, do so. It’s an evening well-spent.

  191. 191.

    CynDee

    AhabTRuler: Thanks a million for the inspiration. It’s been a year and a half since I made an apple pie. No wonder things don’t seem to be getting any better. I’m going shopping for apples.

  193. 193.

    anewguy

    I’m new here and wanted to say hello, soooooo Hello.

    I saw mention of the Cowboys in this Steeler thread and wanted to pass on the funny part of the new Dallas Stadium. The stadium has a monstrosity of a video screen directly over the field that can be hit by punts. The league now has a rule on what to do if a punt hits the video screen, the old street ball do-over.

    http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/32596733/ns/sports-nfl/

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