Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Everything is totally normal and fine!!!

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

Baby steps, because the Republican Party is full of angry babies.

Come on, man.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Welcome to day five of every-bit-as-bad-as-you-thought-it-would-be.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

When we show up, we win.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Petty moves from a petty man.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

Human rights are not a matter of opinion!

White supremacy is terrorism.

These are not very smart people, and things got out of hand.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Books are my comfort food!

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Tom in Texas wrote at Balloon Juice in 2008.

Tom in Texas

Fun With Balloon Animals

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Further evidence if you twist numbers like a mobius strip you can come up with anything.

Apparently, if you only count votes up to Super Tuesday, discount every state that had a caucus, only go by the exit polling, and eliminate any voters who weren’t registered Democrats, then Hillary Clinton*actually has the popular vote lead. In other news, based on exit polling and early voting from 2004 President Kerry will be running for reelection.

I’m fine with the superdelegates reflecting the will of the voters in the Democratic Primary — whoever they may choose in the coming weeks. I am, however, more than a little sick of the meme that Democrats in certain states don’t matter. Clinton’s disastrous decision to ignore her party’s representation in half the country is not the fault of committed Democrats in Georgia or South Carolina, nor can one say a person moved to vote for either candidate should have their vote discounted because they didn’t register for the right party beforehand.

CORRECTION: In the original draft, I only referred to Hillary Clinton by her first name. To preempt the inevitable sexism accusations, I’ve added the Clinton surname above.

COMPLETELY UNRELATED UPDATE: After posting, I stumbled across Kristol’s latest opus in the NYT. It closes with the funniest line I’ve read in days:

To govern is to choose, a Democrat of an earlier generation, John F. Kennedy, famously remarked. Is this generation of Democrats capable of governing?

This is no longer a question when it comes to Republicans. We know beyond a shadow of a doubt what they are capable of.

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Fun With Numbers

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I was commenting on another thread, and I took the time to research how bad the Republican Party’s record on electing African Americans really was. It’s far worse than I thought. In the last 110 years (in other words Post Reconstruction), there have been 4 elected black Republicans in Congress (5 if you count the non voting member of the US Virgin Islands). There are now 93 African American Republicans elected to office at all levels of government, from School Board Vice President to Mayor or State Senator. On the plus side, that’s up from 57 (I think) last time I checked. On the other hand, there are still so few African Americans representing the GOP’s elected preference that Red State would be able to treat every one of them to a steak dinner with their own bottle of Caymus (a restaurant will charge 2-3 times that by the way) for the amount of money they are asking.

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The Illusion of Unity

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Barack Obama took quite a beating on Meet The Press this morning, as Hillary continued to insist surrogates in his campaign were ramping up the rhetoric and playing every card in the racial deck. He has refused the unifying tack of granting Hillary a mea culpa for her words, and instead seems to be following the adage “If your opponent is drowning, throw them an anvil.” Forcing Clinton to explain her way out of it just keeps the narrative alive.

Barack is showing through these actions that he realizes his own lofty unrealistic rhetoric is just that. He is willing to go on the attack by proxy, but simultaneously retains his veneer of All American Virtuosity and Brotherhood by refraining from direct assault. Obama understands the game, and how to play it the Chicago Way.

Malone: You said you wanted to get Capone. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I’m saying is, what are you prepared to do?
Ness: Anything and everything in my power.
Malone: And *then* what are you prepared to do? If you open the can on these worms you must be prepared to go all the way because they’re not gonna give up the fight until one of you is dead.
Ness: How do you do it then?
Malone: You wanna know how you do it? Here’s how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way, and that’s how you get Capone! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?
Ness: I have sworn to capture this man with all legal powers at my disposal and I will do so.
Malone: Well, the Lord hates a coward. Do you know what a blood oath is, Mr. Ness?
Ness: Yes.
Malone: Good, ’cause you just took one.

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A Versatile Beer Simmered Chili Recipe

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INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 – tablespoons olive oil

1 – Medium White onion minced

1 – jalapeno minced or*

1 – serrano pepper minced or *

1 – habanero pepper minced*

2 – cloves garlic minced

For Chili Paste

5 – medium Ancho Chile pods (about ½ ounce), toasted and ground**

5 – medium New Mexico Chile pods (about ¾ ounce), toasted and ground

5 – Chile De Arbol pods, toasted and ground

3 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted in dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant (about 4 minutes) and ground

(preground cumin may be substituted if you aren’t into fresh herbs, though I don’t recommend it)

3 – teaspoons dried oregano

1 – teaspoon black pepper

½ – teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ – teaspoon white pepper

2 – teaspoon paprika

1 – tablespoon Worcestershire

1 – Btl. Beer (Chile Beers preferred) ***

3/4 quart homemade or low-salt beef broth

2 14-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained

RECIPE:

1) Mix chili powders, cumin, and oregano in small bowl and stir in ½ cup water to form thick paste; set aside

2) Sautee onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat for 8-10 minsor until onion is translucent. Add pepper of choice and sautee an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the peppers soften. Add garlic and sautee another 5 mins. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in an 8 quart or larger Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the beef cubes until browned and crusty on two sides, working in batches to avoid crowding the pan. With tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the browned beef to a bowl. During searing, it’s fine if the pan bottom gets quite dark, but if it smells like it’s burning, reduce the heat a bit. If the pan ever gets dry, add a little more oil.

3) Once all the beef is seared and set aside, add the onions and peppers to the pan, along with cumin and all ingredients except chili paste. Cook, stirring, until the spices coat the vegetables and are fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds. Add paste and sautee for 2-3 mins. Slowly add the beer while scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to dissolve the coating of spices. Simmer until the beer is reduced by about half and the mixture has thickened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beef, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer, partially covered, for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Test a cube of meat—you should be able to cut it with a spoon.

4)If not serving immediately, chill overnight. The next day, skim any fat from the top, if necessary, before reheating.

To serve, heat the chili gently. Using a slotted spoon, transfer about 2 cups of the beef cubes to a plate. Shred the meat with a fork and return it to pot. Taste and add more salt if needed. Heat the beans in a medium bowl covered with plastic in the microwave (or heat them gently in a saucepan). Spoon chili over beans in an individual bowl. When serving, top with fresh minced onions, cilantro or sour cream if desired, and a sharp cheddar or jack cheese. Serve with any of several choices, including rice, saltine crackers (yawn), or (my favorite) fresh cornbread.

FOOTNOTES:

* — These peppers may be substituted for each other (or omitted) freely, depending on the type of heat and amount you are looking for. The jalapeno is the lightest of the three, producing more of a smoky than burning sensation on the palate. Serrano peppers have a more intense heat that tends to dissipate quickly, though more should be used since they are smaller than jalapenos. The habanero is the hottest of the three, and it’s not really close. Typically I’ll use just a half or so of the habanero pepper along with an entire jalapeno pepper to open up the meat flavors if the chili is intended for public consumption.

** — To toast and grind dried chiles: Place chiles on baking sheet in 350-degree oven until fragrant and puffed, about 6 minutes. Put smaller chiles (De Arbol) in for no more than 2 minutes. Cool, stem, and seed, tearing pods into pieces. Place pieces of the pods in a spice grinder and process until powdery, 30 to 45 seconds.

*** — a chile beer is a lighter beer in which brewers typically use an oil or the pepper itself to induce heat in the drink. I am not a fan of drinking these beers myself, and actually prefer a darker beer to drink alongside the chile. I find they make wonderful cooking agents, however.

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A Moment of Levity

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For those that missed her dramatic takedown of Hillary, may I present Ann Althouse’s diatribe.

Apparently Hillary didn’t really do anything except make a buncha phone calls — and really, how can you expect to be taken seriously as a candidate when you won’t even save these interns with your bare hands? Leaving the whole thing up to local law enforcement shows Clinton’s inability to take charge. Or something.

Also apparently Hillary had the nerve to claim an attack on Reagan occured at a Campaign office rather than a golf course. This of course makes her a filthy liar, as opposed to unable to remember arcane trivia from 20 years ago immediately following a traumatic attack on her staffers.

Prepare yourselves for a beer basted chili recipe. I’ve been working on it for a few days, working out the kinks. Fair warning: Nor’Easters or those opposed to spicier dishes may need to alter the recipe somewhat.

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A (Re)Introduction and the Best Debate is a Sports Debate

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I am back, after a year with intermittent internet access, training stints across the country, and a reintroduction to academia. For those that do not remember me from my previous posts, I’ll go over the tale of the tape:

I am approaching 30 years old and am currently working as a server/bartender, and manager at Fleming’s Steakhouse. For those that aren’t familiar with us, think Morton’s or Ruth’s Chris. I am currently back in school after my stint at UT, working on a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management from the University of Houston. I have been involved in high end dining for eight years now, having started as a busser and line cook to learn both fine dining service styles and culinary techniques. I have also been in the service industry for 10 years, having worked as a server and bartender at numerous other restaurants while going to school in Austin. Though I am not by any means a culinary expert, I have developed a love for food and cooking. I hope to focus more on easy to prepare dishes that can be made for a family or enjoyed by a single bachelor and saved for later (that’s no knock on John — I’m one myself. That’s how I know what food they like).

Politically I am, I guess, hard to pin down. I am libertarian on most social issues, but lean left. I think that the free market is incredibly good at finding an efficient (as in cheap) solution to problems. I also think some issues are too important to leave to the free market. In other words, that it’s more important the issue be handled well than that it be handled efficiently. I include education, health care, national defense, and law enforcement among those. I’ve voted for exactly one Democrat in my life (that being John Kerry), and one Republican (Bob Dole). I grew up in various Houston suburbs, ranging from Pasadena (the foulest city on earth) to Sugar Land, Texas(a place I’m sure everyone here knows because of our most famous son), all the while in a strongly Republican household. At this moment I will say there is no possible way I am voting Republican this year. Oddly, the candidate I agree with the most is probably Ron Paul, though I am not in any way supporting him. I think he provides an incredibly important role in reminding the Republican party what it should stand for, but will never in a thousand years get the nomination. Even if he does, I’ll hold my nose and vote for Hillary because I am the polar opposite of Libertarian on the issue of health care. I think it is the biggest issue facing our nation and that it is the type of issue that can win someone the Presidency. I also breathlessly await the return of a competent cabinet to the executive branch.

That being said, I don’t think I’ll be focusing too much on politics (though I have to reserve the right to say that could change as the election approaches). I’ll be focusing on a food and wine blog highlighting some recipes and wines I’ve stumbled across. I also, as an American male, love sports. Baseball is my favorite, due largely to its historical power. Football is ingrained in a Texan’s DNA, and I am a University of Texas Longhorn. I was an Oiler fan before I could watch sports, as my Dad took me to games when I was in the womb, but when they moved that team to Nashville, I happened to leave for school that same year in Austin and abandoned the NFL for a few years. My relocation to Houston has me watching the Texans, at least, and really hoping they find their way. It’s hard being a fan of such a disaster, though. That being said, I offer a debate of what (American) sports mean in a global world for all the sports-as-life fans out there.

Matthew Yglesias wrote a piece on freedarko.com* comparing imperialist baseball to nationalist football.

the country is, at the moments, under the grips of a dubious false choice between baseball and football, between imperialism and isolationism. The term rankles many in the American context, but there can be little doubt that it fits.

Yglesias proceeds to argue that baseball was spread at the barrel of a gun to any states that currently play the sport (ignoring that Japan adopted the sport in defiance towards the US military forces stationed there), and further states that Bush is acting in baseball’s model:

in January of 2001, George W. Bush found himself inaugurated as President of the United States. Most observers assumed at the time that his foreign policy judgment would track the sort of prudent statesmanship associated with his father, with Bush family retainer James Baker, and with incoming Secretary of State Colin Powell. A more insightful observer would have noted that Bush was the first former owner of a baseball franchise to occupy the White House and known accordingly that his election, in fact, heralded a return to the imperialism of the McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt administrations.

The Democrats are football fans in this tortured metaphor:

Meanwhile, the powers that be would like us to believe that there is only one alternative. As hawkish senator Joe Lieberman told my colleague Jeffrey Goldberg when he was reporting for The New Yorker, “A lot of Democrats are essentially pacifists and somewhat isolationist,” with his particular beef in this instance being a Ted Kennedy proposal to deny Bush funding for the troop “surge” that took place earlier this year.

They want us to think, in short, that the only alternative to baseball’s dreams of conquest is the splendid isolation of football — America alone, padded and helmeted, marching to the beat of our own drummer while the rest of the world tries to figure out what a “yard” is.

Thus Yglasias completely ignores the fact that the first ever overseas NFL game was played last week in London, as well as the huge influx of NFL players from Samoa and other Pacific Islands the US took via the same policies Yglasias derided as imperialist.

I did enjoy his basketball comparison of “soft imperialism,” noting how the sport has exploded internationally without the US controlling the territories involved. I think this comparison is best made with multinational corporations however, particularly since the NBA is more accepting than the other big team sports in accepting garish product marketing schemes.

*For those that do not regularly read sports blogs, freedarko is one of the best. Bethlehem Shoals makes me enjoy basketball, a sport which I tend to believe has fallen below soccer as the third most popular in the country.

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