In the spirit of Balloon Juice’s love for all animals adopted, I thought that I would send along a photo of our newly adopted office cat….named Sandy of course.
My office is located on the beach in Cosey Beach East Haven, CT. This neighborhood took it hard last year with Irene and again this year with Sandy. The house between us and the water was washed away this time and countless others were damaged beyond repair. When we returned to our office (converted apartment) we found the cat meowing loudly at the door and being huge animal lovers, my partner and I let him in and he is here for good.
It did not take long for him to make himself comfortable, as you can see by the picture which was taken less than four hours after we let him in! He loves sitting in our office chairs when we are not in them and spends the rest of the time on my desk or lap, purring louder than any cat I have ever had.
Here is the kicker, when we found out who he belonged to, we reached out, but were told to either just let him about the neighborhood or drop him off at a shelter. I can never understand how anybody could feel that way about a living thing, but at least he has a happy ending.
One final note, he does not have the girth of Tunch, but his belly is only a couple of stamps from dragging on the ground.
Anne Laurie has been a Balloon Juice writer since 2009.
Saturday Night Dance Open Thread
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I’ve always had a weakness for leopard prints… and sparklies.
Cat Rescue Bleg – Memphis
From commentor Reid K:
Writing this from my tablet, so forgive misspellings or incoherencies. Last night, as I was dropping off my partner in crime, I met a young, maybe six months old at the most grey tiger kitten. He’s terribly affectionate, but very scared of my two current kitties. I have to get him out of here because I can’t feed him in my bedroom for lots of reasons. In addition, and I hate to say this, but I can’t afford a third baby right now. It’s too bad – he’s a pure lap cat.
I don’t have any pictures because I can’t figure out the camera on this piece of equipment. If commenters want to help with that too, I’d appreciate it. But what I really need is a foster or potential home.
I’ll be away from the computer until this evening, but if you have any leads, send me an email at AnneLaurie (at) verizon.net (click on my name in the right-hand column) and I’ll forward them to Reid.
Late Night Movie Thread: Rise of the Guardians
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Rise of the Guardians is the most fun my inner six-year-old has had at the movies since How to Train Your Dragon. And, yes, it is worth paying the 3D premium for this one — starting with the very first image in the ‘Dreamworks’ opening title, you know you’re in the hands of crafters who know how to use the technology to propel the story. Since there’s a lot of vast, vaulted spaces and swift action (believe me, the Tooth Fairy and her hummingbird-like minions are a lot more impressive in motion) there’s the feel of a really good illustrated book, without ever getting too precious or distracted by technique.It’s direcetd by Peter Ramsey, directed produced by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), with considerable imput from the original author-illustrator, William Joyce (The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore). There’s a considerable comix-geek sensibility (“Kids know more about Green Lantern’s origins than they do about Santa’s,” Joyce is supposed to have said), as explained by Charlie Jane Anders at io9:
… The hook of Rise of the Guardians is pretty ingenious, too — basically, the main mythological figures of the American childhood are joined into a kind of Justice League. There’s North, aka Santa Claus (who’s inexplicably Russian and a tough guy, with Baldwin supplying the Boris Badenov accent). And then there are similarly renamed versions of the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman, and the Easter Bunny (who’s Australian, with Jackman doing his actual accent.)
At the start of the film, two things happen — Jack Frost (Chris Pine) is chosen as a new member of the Guardians super-team by the Moon (who’s basically the team’s secret boss, or maybe their version of Oracle.) And Pitch, aka the Boogeyman (Jude Law) returns to try and take over the world with nightmares and terror. As the team struggles to pull together to fight this ultimate threat, it’s up to Jack Frost to make the difference…
Late Night Movie Thread: <em>Rise of the Guardians</em>Post + Comments (27)
Open Thread: Could Be Worse, You Could Live in Georgia
So, earlier this week, I (along with half the progressive blogosphere) mocked Erick Erickson’s dark hints that ‘somebody’ ought to primary that RINO Saxby Chambliss. Yesterday Erickson wrote an open letter to the other members of his political gated community’s HOA complaining (this may shock you) that national Republican Party operations are controlled by a cabal of professionals who have enriched each other even at the expense of Conservative goals. (“If money is the root of all evil, for the Republican Party evil is located on the fifth floor of 66 Canal Center Plaza, Alexandria, VA 22314.” More like 666 Canal Center Plaza, amIright?!?)
However, while the RedState commentors were enthusiastic about the idea of a purge, or purges (anybody who thinks the Obots-v-firebaggers civil wars are overwrought has never read Redstate), reaction to Erickson’s make-me-an-offer primary fandancing was… less than encouraging. Today Politico (via Paul Constant) reports:
RedState co-founder Erick Erickson said Friday he won’t challenge Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss in a GOP primary.
“Were I to run for the Senate, it would be a terribly nasty campaign,” the well-known conservative blogger wrote on RedState. “It’d actually be really awesome, but it’d be really nasty. I have a seven year old, a soon to be four year old, and a wife who does not like being anywhere near a stage. I’m not putting my family through that when the best outcome would mean a sizable pay cut in pay and being away from my kids and wife all the time huddled in a pit vipers often surrounded by too many who viewed me as a useful instrument to their own advancement.”…
In its role as the racing form tipsheet for political bookies, Politico thoughtfully includes side-by-side headshots of Chambliss and Erickson, offering an unwritten assessment that the smug-faced fresh-faced young challenger would be eaten alive by the hard-eyed pro (and I’m not entirely sure that’s a metaphor). But then Politico goes on:
… Erickson joins former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain in passing on a challenge to Chambliss. Karen Handel, the former vice president at the Komen Foundation who sparked a national controversy by moving to defund Planned Parenthood, has been mentioned as a potential challenger.
What are these Georgian GOPers trying to do — out-crazy South Carolina?
Open Thread: Could Be Worse, You Could Live in GeorgiaPost + Comments (55)
Open Thread: Salting Romney’s Wounds
From Matt Viser, at the Boston Globe:
WASHINGTON – Mitt Romney and President Obama dined together at the White House on Thursday afternoon, attempting to heal campaign wounds over a lunch of white turkey chili and Southwestern grilled chicken salad….
According to the White House, the two former rivals also “pledged to stay in touch, particularly if opportunities to work together on shared interests arise in the future.”…
That’s quality MBA-speak, that is. Or, as Paul Constant puts it: “‘Let’s stay in touch, particularly if opportunities to work together on shared interests arise in the future’ is the new ‘fuck you, you fucking fuck.'”
… Romney was driven to the side door of the White House in a black Lincoln Navigator, but he opened his own car door and stepped out alone. He was within eyesight of a stage being built for the inauguration, but it was for President Obama’s, not his…
Adding perhaps another bit of odd closure to the meeting, Romney launched his campaign by serving large helpings of Ann Romney’s turkey chili to supporters as he launched his campaign in New Hampshire; on Thursday, it was Obama’s turkey chili that was served to him inside the White House…
Don’t forget the chicken salad. President Obama is not at all the sort of man to refer to that old marketing chestnut about chickenshit & chicken salad… out loud.
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Stuffed Peppers
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From our Food Goddess, TaMara:
I decided that we’d do stuffed peppers tonight and when I went trolling around the blog, found we’ve done a few variations on them over the years. Tonight’s featured recipe is from my cousin Scott. He mentions in the original post that we’re a family who loves to cook and I couldn’t agree more. On his side of my family, I think everyone has the gift in the kitchen. I have memories of my grandparents’ farm and the great food we’d have there. My Grandma Lois made the best fried eggs in the world that I have never been able to duplicate. They were crisp on the bottom (a treatment my family always called “shoe leather” –though that does not do that crust justice), perfectly medium on top and covered in so much pepper you’d sneezed just looking at them. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to come close to those eggs. I asked my mom a few years ago what I was missing and she replied, “lard”. And I’m sure it was previously used lard at that. Grandma Lois kept a can on the stove. It’s probably why her fried chicken was so amazing, too.
Anyway that story has nothing to do with tonight’s recipes. Stuffed peppers. We have several takes on them:
JeffreyW does a traditional Stuffed Peppers with homemade tomato soup (recipe here).
I have a pretty easy stuffed Red Pepper recipe – though you can use green peppers, no problem (recipe here).
And our featured recipe, below, from my Men Who Cook series, is a vegetarian treat.
How about you, any favorite memories of foods from childhood you can’t recreate? Do you have a different take on stuffed peppers that you like to use? Hit the comments and share.
Now for tonight’s featured recipe:
This comes from my cousin Scott Adams. Scottie follows in the footsteps of many in my family – the love of cooking (click here for the full story). These peppers are practically gourmet!
Scottie’s Stuffed Peppers
Thursday Recipe Exchange: Stuffed PeppersPost + Comments (77)