Wild Roses

Megan McArdle's Class Skirmish

2011-11-27T07:27:00.018-05:00

It's not often I read or contemplate Megan McArdle. She is one of the reasons I stopped subscribing to the Atlantic - I can read James Fallows online - but is such a low-hanging piece of fruit that parsing her word salad is just too easy to be fun. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, though, I followed TBogg's link to her WSJ review of two books, Shiny Objects by James K. Roberts and Against Thrift by James Livingston. I haven't read the books, so I am commenting on her review of them. If I misunderstand the authors' points, it's because I'm relying on McArdle's reporting of them. You could parse her review sentence-by-sentence, but life is too short, so I'll just make a few points.

McArdle tells us For decades, Americans have wallowed in credit, shunned savings and delighted in debt. In 1982, the personal savings rate was 10.9% of disposable income, by 2005 it had fallen to just 1.5%. It has since rebounded, but remains a measly 5%. What she doesn't tell us is that wages for most Americans have stagnated over that time period. Collectively, we have dipped into the equity in our houses - the only asset most of us possess - to maintain our consumerist lifestyle. For some, assuredly this fueled some foolish choices on spending for vacations or higher-end clothes and gadgets, but for many home equity has been the only source of funds for home maintenance, necessary automobiles, and education.

[Roberts] still exudes that particular sanctimonious anti-materialism so often found among modestly remunerated professors and journalists. Ooh, Megan does snark. For Megan, money is the measure of worth, and those "modestly remunerated" must just be jealous of her toys.

One of the running themes of the economist Robin Hanson's excellent blog is that arguments like the ones found in these books are actually an elite-status proxy war. Class warfare! Which, as we all know by now, is only a bad thing if the peasants are attacking the nobles.

Mr. Livingston . . . claims that the "Bush tax cuts" caused the housing bubble by leaving those over-saving rich with too much money to play with even though three-quarters of the lost tax revenues stayed in the hands of people making less than $250,000 a year—the de facto threshold for "rich" established by the Obama administration. According to the Census Bureau, 2.6% of families earned $250K or more, in 2009 dollars (http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0696.pdf), and there are 111,806,000 households (publication 2-9.xls at census.gov). Let's say the Bush tax cuts returned $1 million in total (I'm using round numbers so it's easy for Megan to follow.) 2.6% of households shared $250,000, and 97.4% shared %750,000. The rest of my work is shown below:

111,806,000 X .026 = 2,906,956.
250,000 / 2,906,956 = .09, or 9 cents each

111,806,000 X .974 = 108,899,044
750,000 / 108,899,044 = .01, or 1 cent each

Multiply those pennies by the number of millions the Bush tax cuts returned, and it's obvious who got enough money to play with, and who got enough to pay a few bills. I'd look up the actual number, but I've already spent more time on this than McArdle deserves.

Do read TBogg's post and the excellent comments! They focus on McArdle's framing device for her review - her purchase of a $1500 food processor - and properly eviscerate the pretentious twit. Anyone who needs a $1500 food processor to make bechamel is not a cook, and anyone who can't use a calculator is not fit to be an economics and business editor.

Thanksgiving Rant

2011-11-26T13:04:00.003-05:00

This time of year, the subject on the cooking pages is turkey. Nearly every article on how to cook a big bird starts out by declaring turkey to be dry and tasteless, but if you must have one on the Thanksgiving table for whatever benighted reason, the author's method (which is more involved than a NASA moon launch) is the only one that will yield a moist, flavorful bird. The two main parts of the author's argument will be (1) don't stuff the bird! you will die of food poisoning! and (2) the legs and breast cannot possibly both be properly cooked at the same time.

Hooey.

I've eaten and/or cooked 50-some turkeys by now, and with few exceptions*, they have been moist and flavorful. Here's how to cook a delicious turkey:

1. Stuff the damn bird. Stuffing adds flavor and moisture (duh). If you prefer dressing cooked in a separate pan, fill the bird's cavity with chunks of onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and if it sounds appealing, an apple or lemon or two. The pan drippings, and thus your gravy, will be all the better.

2. Baste the bejesus out of it. Smear butter all over it to start, and add some stock or wine to the bottom of the pan if you like the idea. Once the cooking gets going, use the juices in the pan.

3. The bird is done when the thigh joint is loose. Use a meat thermometer if you're not confident about judging when the bird is done. Don't rely on the pop-up timer if the bird has one. It's probably calibrated to cook the bird to operating-room levels of sterility. Remember the bird continues to cook for a while after it's out of the oven, so allow for resting time.

And that's it. If you're taking timing directions from a recipe and the bird comes out dry, the directions are wrong. Since I cook a smallish bird if I cook one, I like the directions in Joy of Cooking: start with the oven heated to 450, then turn it down to 350 for 20-25 minutes per pound. And baste the bejesus out of it.

*One exception was a bird produced by an indifferent cook who didn't stuff it, and then followed the timing directions to the minute rather than relying on testing the bird. She used Stove Top pre-made dressing, too, which shows she was not a real cook. A couple of others have been off-years from otherwise good cooks. It happens to the best of us.

2011-06-18T02:40:00.002-05:00

These people are playing with the fate of the country, and do not care about the consequences. There have been many changes in America since the 50s - civil rights, women's rights, environmental protection - and all of these were accomplished by working to achieve majority support. None of them were accomplished by taking the country hostage, determined to wreck things completely if they aren't allowed to wreck selectively.

What's Happening in the Garden

2011-05-15T10:12:00.006-05:00

My first harvest of the season was overwintered kale and cabbage sprouts, made into a couple of delicious spring-tonic soups. Last week, I harvested the first asparagus, with more on the way. My mind is reeling from the wealth! So far, I've made (a) salad from the tenderest tips, raw with a little vinaigrette; (b) an omelet with mushrooms, asparagus, and a little parmesan; (c) simply steamed. Oh, yes, and the stems went into the cabbage-sprout soup, along with parsley that also overwintered.

What I've Been Reading on the Intertubes

2011-05-15T10:05:00.005-05:00

I just caught the Taibbi-McArdle smackdown at Tbogg’s place, and my mind is further boggled by McArdle’s career ascent. She is woefully unprofessional: a serious lack of preparation, a shifty-eyed demeanor, and a distractingly unattractive hairstyle.

She doesn’t do research, so she is left with only the most threadbare of arguments. Of course, Goldman Sachs ripped off their clients – every seller does! She accepts a second-hand report that GS perfomed proper disclosure; Taibbi, who actually read the pertinent documents, says no they didn’t. Who should the audience believe? She finally falls back on her classic assertion that everything is very complicated, so no one can really understand it.

Anyone in the public eye knows that you need to look at the camera, not off to the side as if at a shiny object, and not have your hair hanging limply in your face. I’m not elevating style over substance; it’s called engaging the audience. This is basic advice she should have gotten in any class where she had to make a presentation, but then I’m assuming she paid attention in school.

Random Rant

2011-05-07T19:23:00.005-05:00

I wonder ~~how many~~ if any Intelligent Design believers are menopausal women?

I've now been through the whole female sexual/reproductive experience. If this is intelligently designed, I'd have really hated the stupid version.

Sounds crazy, but . . .

2011-01-09T17:37:00.003-05:00

The House's reading of the Constitution was a gimmick, of course, a show for the rubes. But after considering it a bit, I started to think that it is not a bad idea for Congress to start with a ceremony. Ceremonies put us in a frame of mind - joy at a wedding, solemnity at a funeral - that reinforces the importance of the occasion. It can hardly be bad for legislators to start a session with something that turns their minds to serious consideration of the matters before them.

A ceremonial reading of the Constitution would also be made-for-TV (and the internet). Watching the reading, we would review our history, remembering past battles and compromises. Of course, the whole chronological document would have to be read, not an expurgated version. Perhaps this would remind both politicians and voters to think seriously before taking rash stands.

The ceremony itself could be dressed up a little for the cameras without taking away the basic seriousness. Can you hear Rep. Barnswallow announcing "the valedictorian from Possum Junction High School in my district will now read the Bill of Rights"? Pure gold in ratings and votes! And maybe get Americans to think about the whole Constitution, not just the bits of it that are used in campaign ads.

OMG

2010-10-02T19:05:00.006-05:00

Yes, we expect models to be thin, but Ms. Bluedress is a heart attack waiting to happen no less than someone who eats Noodles Alfredo every day. I hope someone is talking to her about the difference between fashionably thin and concentration camp thin.

It's the Teachers' Fault Schools Are Bad

2010-09-28T16:57:00.002-05:00

This NY Times article is about Brockton (Mass.) High School, where featherbedding, change-resistant union teachers have brought the school from failing to outperforming 90% of Massachusetts schools in the past 10 years.

An Easy Keeper

2010-09-18T18:55:00.007-05:00

Easy keeper, from Wikipedia

Wow, I just found out that I'm an easy keeper!

According to Wikipedia, an easy keeper is a critter that can do well with relatively poor feed. They generally come from stock that has been bred to survive in harsh climates; on a too-rich, modern diet, an easy keeper is prone to obesity and related ills. Ponies, which are basically small horses, are usually easy keepers. Well, I'm pony-sized compared to the average person, bred in a harsh climate (F3 Buffalo via Poland), and prone to obesity and related ills.

Wiki further tells us that easy keepers need to pay attention to diet, and to get plenty of exercise, especially aerobic exercise. I should take heed.

Obama Declares Victory, Calls Troops Home

2010-08-31T19:20:00.002-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/01/world/01military.html?_r=1&hp

Except, of course, for about 50,000 who are still there. He did give GW Bush a little stroking. To his credit, it was not quite a handjob to orgasm.

OMG, I must be reading too many leftward blogs; I can't keep my snark under control. I support President Obama, but I don't agree with everything he does.

An Essay on the Alliums porrum, sativum, and cepa L. var. aggregatum

2010-08-28T16:24:00.003-05:00

A friend asked for information on growing leeks, garlic, and shallots. As she has often said, when I start talking about plants, you can't shut me up, so here is pretty much what I sent her as an answer:

Leek seed (A. porrum) - any good vegetable seed supplier like Pinetree (https://www.superseeds.com), Johnny's Selected Seeds, Stokes, etc., will have a couple of varieties. I like Pinetree because they sell small packets. Leek seeds don't keep their viability well so it's best to start with a fresh packet every year, and with a small packet, you only pay for what you'll use.

'Large American Flag' or 'Giant Musselburgh' are good, thick, over-wintering types. 'King Richard' is a more slender type for late summer and fall harvest. I haven't tried any of the new hybrid varieties. I'm not sure what the advantage of a hybrid leek might be - once they get going they are very tough - even if water is scarce, the main effect will be that they are smaller than they should be, and they are not bothered by insects - so it hasn't been worth it to me to pay more for hybrid seed.

Garlic and shallots - plant in late September or October! Yes, you can plant in spring "as soon as the ground can be worked," as the garden books say, but if you plant in the fall, they will be already rooted and growing by then.

I used to buy them at Territorial, but they now only sell one-pound lots that have gotten pretty expensive. I haven't bought garlic or shallots in a few years, since I save some from my harvest for planting, so I was pretty surprised to see the current prices. Try buying some at a farmers market - you'll know it's a variety that grows well in our climate. I'll do some looking online for other sources. Shallots from the grocery store will do, but I find they only make one or two large cloves instead of a nice cluster of 4-8 medium ones.

Planting is easy for both garlic and shallots. Have the soil enriched with compost, manure, and/or a sprinkle of chemical plant food. Plant cloves in a 6" x 6" grid, about 2" deep. Mulch well with salt marsh hay or use landscape fabric - a big help in keeping weeds down. If you use the landscape fabric, pin the fabric on the prepared soil, and punch each planting hole with the tip of a trowel as you go. In the spring you will have to gently guide the little shoots to the opening, because no matter what how careful you are in planting, they will come up an inch to the side. At least, that's what they do for me.

I usually grow about 36 plants each of garlic and shallots (that's figuring an average of 6 cloves per head for 6 heads), and even at my rate of garlic usage, I find that's enough to last until the following spring. One of my fellow community gardeners says medium-sized cloves, rather than the largest ones, yield the best plants. I may do a more rigorous study this year by planting different sizes of cloves and noting how they do.

Don't forget to cut the scapes (flowering stalks) of garlic as soon as you see them. They have a mild flavor and are terrific in stir fries or miso soup. If you miss some until they are old and tough, which you will be because they are sneaky, they're still good to flavor soup stock. Or even to put in a vase where they will twist around and create a je ne sais quoi, tres moderne effect.

Major rant

2010-08-20T18:58:00.004-05:00

Yelling at the news on the radio today -

Why are 1 out of 8 Americans on food stamps? Why are people on years-long waiting lists for subsidized rentals? Why can't average working people afford health care?

The wages of middle- and working-class Americans have stagnated over the past 30 years, while the incomes of the top 1% or 2% have skyrocketed. Maybe that has something to do with it? I'm not an economist, so how can I know?

Unions are demonized - teachers' unions fighting for decent salaries and working conditions, auto workers' union fighting to hang on to previously agreed to pension and health benefits - while the Wall Streeters get to keep obscene bonuses based on contracts signed before they drove the economy into the swamp. Contracts are legally binding, except when they're contracts with working stiffs. Full disclosure: I worked for the Commonwealth for a couple of years; the union contract was meaningless because the legislature simply declined to fund it.

Wall Streeters, banksters, and the other fraud artists at the top of the economic heap don't need unions. Political contributions do their talking for them.

Class warfare, anyone? Eat the rich.

Hong Kong Market

2010-08-13T21:15:00.006-05:00

I have often shopped at the Hong Kong Market (formerly Super 88) in Allston, with mixed results. The produce seems to stay on the shelf until it's either bought or gone frankly bad. As for seafood, if it's whole fish, you can tell if it's fresh. Unfortunately, with some items, you can't.

I was burned today buying scallops. They were not labeled as having been treated with chemicals (in fairness, they were not labeled as not treated, either). When I rinsed them, they produced a little sudsiness. Oops, I thought, but dried them on paper towels and sauteed them in some olive oil. Just a couple of bites proved them to be bitter and nasty tasting. I tossed them out.

Lesson learned.

Update: I should explain that the Allston Hong Kong Market is still the go-to market in my area for packaged, frozen, and dried Asian foodstuffs, and the food court can't be beat. The fresh produce is hit-or-miss, but they reliably have things like lemongrass as well as Asian fruits and vegetables you never see in Stop and Shop - you just have to pick out the fresh stuff. The meat section regularly stocks animal parts you don't see in American markets at pretty low prices.

Sweating the Small Stuff

2010-07-11T11:36:00.006-05:00

This post gave me a laugh, as I have been having a horrifying frizz experience of my own. My graying hair no longer goes into pleasantly frizzy, non-beauty-compliant curliness of its own accord, and now wants to be simply frizzy. I have begun to use "product" to smooth out the frizz, and spend far too much emotional energy worrying about succumbing to patriarchal ideas of acceptable appearance.

"I've never done my hair!" I argue.

"But I look like Grandmama Addams!" I reply.

"And what's wrong with that? She's an old lady and can look however she wants."

"She didn't have to fit in at work."

What's in Bloom

2010-04-18T17:47:00.005-05:00

Fritillaria, violet, bleeding heart, and dogtooth violet.

What's in Bloom

2010-03-04T21:30:00.001-05:00

Spring is on its way! Once the snowdrops are in bloom, you know winter is on the way out.

Pie Blogging

2010-02-20T01:37:00.003-05:00

and a delicious dessert was had by all . . .

a buttery tart crust, smooth baked custard topped with lightly sweetened cooked cherries, and drizzled with good chocolate. Yes, I was proud of this pie!

Mid Fall

2009-10-31T11:19:00.005-05:00

It's a contemplative time of year - the shortening days, the beauty of plants even as they fade into senescence, the intensity of the fall colors in the fading light of the early sunset. Trees and other perennials aren't dying. They are sucking their life force, in the form of sugars, into their roots to wait for spring. Annuals are setting seed that will also lie dormant and wait for the earth to spin past the spring equinox.

We are not perennials; we don't come back from dormancy. We are more like annuals; we leave seed that recreates our lives - not our individual lives but copies of our lives, with variation and sometimes error. Evolution is amazing. Genetics is amazing. Life and the universe are far more complex than any religion so far invented has imagined.

So drink or smoke a toast to the world as it says good-bye to another season of growth and enters another season of rest. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. (Starhawk)

Sunday Soup Blogging

2009-10-18T14:24:00.016-05:00

Some of the ingredients

Ready for the pot

Beautiful and delicious

What better than soup on a chilly, wet October day? This is a delicious amalgam of New England and Asian ingredients. (It was supposed to be fish soup, but turned out to be tofu soup since the fish had turned.) One thing I would do differently would be to add the tofu earlier, to give it a chance to soak up more flavor.

The corn, tomato, and bok choy came from the farmers market. The tomato was 'Sunburst,' a variety I hadn't tried before. It turned out to be very meaty, with a very good flavor even though this was an end-of-season fruit. It also wasn't just large, it was honking huge; even after trimming out some bad spots, it yielded almost two cups. I used half of it for the soup, and saved half for another recipe. I also saved some seeds; I'll try it in the garden next year.

End of Summer ~~Fish~~ Tofu Soup

1 pint chicken stock, homemade
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
3 or 4 thin slices ginger
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and pounded
1 large tomato, chopped, skinned and deseeded if you prefer.
2 cups tender greens, sliced: use spinach, bok choy, chard, tender inner leaves of mustard or turnip
3 or 4 scallions, chopped in .5” pieces
kernals from 1 ear of corn
1 small hot chili, deseeded, cut into fine strips
~~.5 lb catfish nuggets~~
~~.25~~ .75 lb pound pressed tofu, in pieces about .25" x .25" x .75"
cilantro - generous handful, chopped
soy and/or fish sauce to taste

Bring chicken stock and 1 quart water to a low boil in a large soup pot. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, season lightly with soy or fish sauce, and simmer just a few minutes. Add tomato, greens, scallions, corn, and chili, bring back to a low boil and simmer until veggies are just done. Add fish and tofu; simmer just until fish is done. Taste for seasoning and stir in cilantro.

Edward Kennedy

2009-08-29T17:42:00.003-05:00

I watched the Kennedy funeral on the Boston Globe's website today, and thought back to the other Kennedy funerals I watched on black-and-white TV. Where would we be as a country if Jack and Bobby had lived?

The Kennedy brothers were complex people, that is to say, no different from anyone else, with faults and virtues. What strikes my jaded, cynical heart is that they saw government as an instrument to improve people's lives. That practical idealism has almost disappeared from our politics; it remains to be seen if the Obama administration can revive it.

I lived on Mission Hill for many years, and I remember walking up the hill in all weathers, seeing the weather formations coming in, and how the clouds would let loose as they rose in altitude. The steady rain in Boston today seems somehow fitting for Edward Kennedy's funeral - the sky and the earth solemn and contemplative.

What's in Bloom

2009-07-05T19:26:00.011-05:00

A Japanese plant that was introduced to the American nursery trade a few(?) years ago, whose name I can't quite remember. I think I remember Kiringoshima, but none of the catalogs I looked at list anything under that. There is Kirengoshoma, but the plants are very different. This plant puts out one or two leaves, a few interesting but not very showy flowers, then goes dormant from mid-summer until next spring. I'm hoping it will spread a bit, as a clump would be a nice feature, bridging flowering between spring and later summer/early fall.

UPDATE 7/10/09: After searching around on Google, I am pretty sure this is Kirengeshoma koreana. As the specific name implies, it is from Korea. Pictures show some variability in the leaves, from a deeply incised maple shape to the rounder form of my plant's leaves. K. koreana is also described as having less pendulous flowers than the Japanese species, K. palmata. I haven't found an exact match for the ragged-edge flowers on my plant, but the general characteristics seem to match. All the descriptions say this plant achieves a tall (anywhere from 3-7 feet!) shrub-like form, which my struggling little plant has never done. I think a dose of fish emulsion is called for.

Critter Blogging - Fort Magg

2009-07-05T19:11:00.007-05:00

Maggie took over the Zappo's shoe carton; it's become her second-place favorite place to hang out, after the donut bed on the chair next to the computer desk.

Props to Bill S

2009-06-27T07:48:00.009-05:00

This is the funniest thing I've read in ages - comment by Bill S at World o' Crap

Oh yeah-Eve chopped down the apple tree and said the snake did it.

But God said, “Oh, c’mon! He’s got no hands! How would he hold up a hatchet? Oh my Me, you’re stupid!”

At which point the snake interjected, “Well so much for it being the Tree of Knowledge! I hope you still have the receipt for the darned thing.”

To which God replied, “Aaah, shaddup.”

And that is why, to this day, snakes don’t talk.

Remarks on the Tiller Murder

2009-06-17T10:32:00.004-05:00

It can't be said often enough - anyone who thinks abortion is morally wrong doesn't have to have an abortion. Ever, under any circumstances. You can give birth to a doomed baby, you can risk your own life if you have medical complications, you can have as many children as you want.

It's only the irresponsible and selfish who want the right to abortion, isn't it? Women want abortions for "convenience," so they can fit into a prom dress. Why bother with condoms and pills when you can just have a surgical procedure once or twice a year? Pregnant women routinely wait until the third trimester to decide if they really want a kid, then waltz off to abort as casually as they would go to have their teeth cleaned.

The responsible and unselfish, on the other hand, think it's moral for a 13-year-old incest victim to give birth. It's moral to give birth to a child who will likely die shortly afterward; likewise if the child is merely severely handicapped and will spend its life in an institution. It's unselfish to have a child you can't care for, even if you have other children whose care will also suffer. They told me in catholic school that there is a special place in heaven for women who die in childbirth, so aborting for medical reasons is just pure selfishness. Do you think you have a right to life?

The moral and unselfish think abortion is wrong because god said "Thou shalt not kill." In a little-known footnote, god added "Unless you disagree with them on the abortion issue."

What Smut Clyde Said

2009-02-14T12:14:00.002-05:00

If I had been involved in the process of compiling the Old Testament, then Leviticus 19:19 would read like this:
Thou shalt not sow thy prose with mingled metaphor, for this is confusion, and abomination in the eyes of the L*rd.

Catholics in the News

2009-01-10T10:45:00.004-05:00

I admit to an addiction - no matter how often I swear off reading anything about the catholic church, I fall off the wagon when I see an article like this one in Slate about the late John Neuhaus. Granted, "catholic intellectual" is a contradiction in terms, but whenever I feel low on adrenaline, the church can be counted on to give me a boost.

Neuhaus's views, as summarized by Winters, are so intellectually flawed I hardly know where to begin. Pro-choice advocates are not in favor of eugenics; tarring us with Sanger's views from nearly a hundred years ago is intellectually dishonest. If blacks are disproportionately opposed to legalized abortion, why do black women have a disproportionate share of abortions performed? I have heard the accusation that they are pressured into it repeatedly since the 1970s, but have never read a statistic or even heard an anecdote about how this is happening. Sorry, a vague accusation that society is responsible is not proof. There is a disparity between "blacks" being largely opposed to abortion, and "black women" choosing abortions. Is the opposition to abortion inflated by the opinions of men, while the decision to actually abort is made by women? Society should address poverty, but until that glorious day comes, women are faced with decisions about their very particular lives. Should individual women be forced to take on a burden that society shows little inclination to help them bear?

The Catholic Church's dogma about human dignity is a canard. The true social policy of the Church is a hierarchical one - rules are made from the top, by wealthy men who claim particular insights into the mind of God. Woman have no dignity in this view - they are simply to obey, and to let their bodies be subject to the whims of nature in a way that no man facing illness or hardship is expected to.

Puttin' Up Time

2008-11-08T07:53:00.017-05:00

Here, as promised, is a post about putting food by. I froze 4 pints of collards from my garden, and made a pot of beans-and-greens soup for now.

Collards, washed, trimmed, and cut up.

Put a big pot of water on to boil.

Have ready a big bowl of cold water with some ice in it, and an array of clean freezer containers.

When the water is boiling, dump the greens into it, stir them around, and bring back to a boil. If you're doing more tender greens, like Swiss chard, heat just until they turn bright green. Then transfer the greens via a slotted spoon to the ice water.

Again via slotted spoon, pack the greens into the freezer containers.

Containers nicely labeled, ready to put into the freezer.

Beans-and-greens soup: Put a 4-6 ounce chunk of smoked turkey wing, 1 cup chopped onion or leek, and a couple of crushed garlic cloves into 2 quarts water (or half water, half chicken stock) and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add 4 cups chopped collards, a medium carrot diced, and about the same amount of diced turnip, a bay leaf, 10 peppercorns, an allspice berry or two, and if you like, some thyme or sage. Simmer for another 30-45 minutes, until veggies are soft. Add one can drained and rinsed white beans, bring back to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. I like to top a bowl of soup with a spoonful of yogurt and have a piece of toasted, buttered whole wheat or pumpernickel bread with it. Note: I didn't add salt to this because the smoked turkey and canned beans have enough salt for me.

Too much food from your CSA or garden?

2008-10-18T12:06:00.011-05:00

This post at The World's Fair got me thinking.

Boom-and-bust is the nature of growing food in a temperate climate. I don't belong to a CSA but I garden and make use of farmer's markets. I enjoy processing my harvest to use over the winter - it gives me a feeling of accomplishment and a pronounced smugness that I'll be OK after civilization collapses. I'll be blogging some of my efforts over the next few weeks.

There are some simple ways to deal with excess produce. Share with neighbors and friends, especially those you know have limited food budgets. Maybe a friend can cook up some of your produce and share the result with you. Talk to your CSA about making some adjustments in the quantity they give you if you're really overwhelmed. Learn some simple preservation techniques.

Freezing is easy and you can re-use some of those ubiquitous plastic containers from purchased foods. A handy trick is to make a large batch of a dish and freeze it in meal-size portions for quick dinners down the road. Ratatouille is a favorite of mine - it uses up the bounty of tomatoes, peppers, and squash that happens every summer. Thaw some ratatouille, cook some pasta, sprinkle some cheese, and - viola! - dinner. It helps to have some frozen pesto (use ice cube trays), too, to brighten up the flavor.

Canning is more fuss but still not really difficult. Seek out cookbooks with recipes for small batches of canned food; once you've got the technique down, you can put up a few jars in not much time at all. A pantry shelf of pickles, salsa, and jam is beautiful and satisfying to look at. You can pickle almost any firm vegetable - green beans make tasty dilly beans; carrot sticks are delicious and crunchy; sweet-and-sour red cabbage is a Polish treasure. All make good additions to winter salads - use a firm lettuce like Romaine, toss with some thinly sliced red onion, other veggies, and pickle of your choice, dress with a simple vinaigrette, and top with croutons made from good bread. Croutons? Cube a slice of bread, spread the cubes on the toaster oven tray, and toast.

Yes, everyone's busy, but a few weekend afternoons spent putting up food can provide a winter's worth of food that will be better and cheaper than supermarket produce. Think of it as a life skill like being able to change a tire or mend a torn seam.

Classic Bobo

2008-09-06T11:49:00.001-05:00

This is classic Bobo - he gives the reader reason after reason why his premise is wrong. McCain/Palin lack a clear governing philosopy; most problems are not battles between virtue and vice; personality is not enough.

If you read this essay not knowing that Brooks is a Republican hack, you might think he's a Democratic hack.

TBogg's Satchmo

2008-08-19T18:09:00.004-05:00

TBogg's Satchmo

TBogg’s Satchmo, 1997-2008

They had to put him down, that good old dog

With the wise eyes and patient look.

He couldn’t understand the pain

That grew too much, too fast;

His days had run their too-short course.

He understood the days spent walking on the beach

Or sleeping in the sun. The warmth of fellow-dogs,

The comfort of the humans’ talk.

He did not understand the pain.

He could not understand the pain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maybe someone can send this to TBogg. I couldn't log in to post a comment.

The Pope's Visit to the US

2008-04-20T13:00:00.006-05:00

I've sworn off following the exploits of the Catholic Church many times, but I keep falling off the wagon. It's hard to ignore something like Benedict's visit to the US when it takes over the news. It's equally hard to fathom why this is such a media event. No other religion gets so much favorable press for so little substance. Except maybe the Republican party.

I fear that people are taken in by the spectacle and shiny objects. Or maybe people are just confused by a statement like this:

“What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?” the pontiff asked on the first full day of his US visit.

I think he's saying that parents are responsible for the sexual abuse scandal by watching porn on the Internet with the kids. I do admire his ability to string words together in a way that mimics, but doesn't actually make, sense.

For a much better and infinitely funnier take on the Pope, see the inestimable World o' Crap. Best comments:

So if the priest acts as Christ and the head of the Church is male, doesn’t that make the Eucharist a gay wedding?
Hysterical Woman

and:

Well, they *are* dressed for it…
D. Sidhe

What's in Bloom

2008-04-20T12:35:00.002-05:00

Clivia miniata

I'll try to get some pictures of what's blooming outdoors soon - spring is sprung!

Martin Luther King

2008-04-04T06:50:00.005-05:00

I was only 14 and not very politically savvy when King was killed. In the many years since, I have come to admire him as a great American and activist for civil rights. He advocated non-violence, but never advocated accommodation or surrender. He was in it for the fight.

The sins of white America are many, going back to the beginnings of slavery and on to its awful offspring: Jim Crow, de facto segregation, and racial discrimination in so many areas of life. What is not understood by racists is that by trying to diminish others, they only diminish themselves. Slaveholders fought for freedom for themselves but bondage for others. The cruelties of slavery and Jim Crow only revealed the shriveled souls of the perpetrators.

We have made strides toward equality since the 60s; some have been large - it is illegal to proclaim discrimination; some have been smaller - young people today are much more comfortable in mixed-ethnic groups than my generation. Or that may be actually the other way around. It's easier to pass a nice sounding law than to actually effect change in society, but they are linked.

There is a place for white guilt - white America has been guilty. White America should be proclaiming: Forgive us, we know what we have done wrong, and we are trying to make amends.

Lunar Eclipse

2008-02-23T16:48:00.004-05:00

A couple of pictures of the lunar eclipse earlier this week, veiled by a hazy nimbus. That's a planet (not sure which one) barely visible in the lower left of the later picture.

Critter Blogging of a Sort

2008-02-03T16:25:00.000-05:00

Heard a house finch today in the Arboretum. Yes, I know they're an invasive species, but in the city they are one of the first signs of impending spring. It's a real pleasure to hear their sweet, trilling song. The sun's intensity is markedly stronger and the buds on the trees are getting fatter. Winter may be only half done, but that means it's on the wane.

My Political Two Cents

2008-01-19T11:43:00.000-05:00

I'm not anti-Hillary, but am afraid that, if she is the Dem nominee, the media's hate-frenzy will make their treatment of Gore and Kerry look like schoolyard taunting. Can you say President Huckabee?

Here's a politician to watch for the future. Thanks to Thoughts from Kansas.

Angry Salt Guy, Happy Pepper Pal

2007-12-31T09:33:00.001-05:00

Random Neuronal Firings, New Year's Edition

I know I'm writing this only for myself, but sometimes writing one's thoughts as if someone were going to read them helps to get the pesky things in order.

My New Year's musings have been particularly melancholy this time around. There have been ups and downs, but some of the downs have been been very low, and the highs were mostly just middling. Just say 2007 wasn't one of my favorite years.

One of the tasks I usually do around New Year's is tending my large collection of houseplants. I have had many plants for 10 or more years; the very oldest, for about 30 years. So you see these are old friends, not just household decorations. Early winter is a good time to evaluate what needs repotting, pruning, or general TLC, and the habit of evaluating them leads to thinking about my own state at this junction of the years.

Haworthia grows in a shallow clay pan decorated with incised markings. The pot came from a favorite farm stand/nursery that has gone the way of much too much fertile land - sold for development. I don't even remember the name of the place, but I vividly recall the shock of overhearing two men on the bus talking about how the place was being bought up by the college across the road. "Say it ain't so!" I inwardly cried, and drove out a couple of weeks later to find that it was indeed so.

And that's what this year has been like for me. A couple of rugs pulled out from under me, some events entirely out of my control, and the creeping realization that I'm no spring chicken anymore. (Yes, I should have probably have caught on to that one some time ago.)

So what does this have to do with Angry Salt Guy and Happy Pepper Pal? Happy is always Happy, never seeing the smallest cloud in the sky, and Angry - nothing can cheer him up or soothe him. But they're just salt and pepper shakers; our moods aren't indelibly painted on our faces. We can adapt, and we can cause change as well as be passive before it.

The old adage to change what you can, and accept what you cannot change, is a good thing to repeat to one's self every now and then. So I'm going to go out into the gloomy weather, lay in some provisions for the long winter ahead, and plan a quiet New Year's Day with my plants, a good dinner, and a nice bottle of wine. I'll prune and repot, browse the seed catalogs and dust off the gym shoes. Another year is coming.

Poezja

2007-12-19T19:23:00.000-05:00

Form

There are times when one sees
that many things may happen,
and the time when one sees that not all things will happen
comes when it does and not when one is wanting it.
There are edges to things.
There are squares, circles, cliques, and webs.
All of them have form, and what is form
but the decision of something
to be this and not that.

12/18/2007

A poem about unrequited love, surprisingly enough.

Critter Blogging, of a Sort

2007-11-10T18:04:00.000-05:00

Food Porn of the 60s: look at the layer of fat on that bad boy. Although roast oranges garnished with watercress look like they'd make a great accompaniment to roast meat.

another quote instead of an original post

2007-09-23T16:02:00.000-05:00

In comments at Sadly, No! mikey says:
Ok. Look, I understand the strategy of demonizing your chosen enemy. But these idiots are going to have to narrow it down. Decide who you want to demonize, and focus on them. Here we have gays, mexicans, dwarves, liberals, teachers, arabs, persians, chinese and women.

If you’re going to convince me to start hating certain groups, you’ve got to figure out how to let me focus on one, or maybe two. Any more than that, and my hatred’s gonna be so watered down that I won’t want to kill them all. Maybe just steal their bicycles. I just don’t have that much hatred in inventory at one time…

I think I want mikey to have my babies.

Their concern for our health is touching

2007-08-25T07:14:00.000-05:00

The deep-fried Combo Plate may be a little more healthful this year at the Great Indiana State Fair. So say the fair’s leaders, who, taking a step rarely seen in the realm of corn dogs and fried pickles, have banned oils with trans fats from all the fryers that line the grounds here.

See article

Rove Resigns

2007-08-14T18:44:00.000-05:00

So Rove is quitting to spend more time with his family. Isn't that what they all say when they're getting out of town one step ahead of a subpoena? And, wait, Rove has a family? I thought the nickname "Turdblossom" meant he was spontaneously generated from a cow pie, and thus genetically incompatible with normal humans.

Critter Blogging

2007-08-04T17:41:00.001-05:00

These guys, or ladies actually, are living between the screen and the window of my bathroom. I discovered them when the weather got warm and I wanted to open the window. I am patiently waiting for fall and chilly weather, when I can knock them out of the window and get them with bug spray*. They're beautiful creatures, I just don't want them quite so close! They're very alert, and the ones that line up up top seem to be the guardians. As soon as I move the curtain, they're on the edge of the screen, facing in and watching my every move. Another wasp will approach, and they'll touch antennae, apparently to say "look out for the biped on the other side of the glass. Their senses are poor, but they have bad weapons!"

*I don't usually use insecticides. Hornets living in the windows are an exception.

Amanda Talks about Religion

2007-07-14T08:42:00.001-05:00

My poor neglected blog, I haven't had much time for it since I'm working again. But I wanted to link to this very good post at Pandagon
and quote Mireille's comment:

As far as I’m concerned, atheists are the only people that can take full ersponsibility for their actions. If I were a christian, and I killed someone for no reason, they would be “martyred” and go to “heaven”. But since I believe that this life is the only life any of us have, I would know that by murdering someone, I am taking EVERYTHING I could possibly take from someone… So I better think about that.

Weekend Critter Blogging

2007-06-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

I was looking at pictures I took in San Francisco last fall, and found this one of Angry Salt Guy. Not sure what he's angry about - Happy Pepper Guy was abandoned in favor of the pepper mill you can just see peeking out from behind the ivy, whose name I've forgotten.

Weekend Critter Blogging

2007-06-23T09:14:00.001-05:00

Les animaux du Paris, courtesy of jet-set friends J & S. Pigeon eating dinner, rabbits waiting to become dinner.

Feminism, Environment

2007-06-17T19:09:00.000-05:00

A posting at Feministing brought up the topic of reusable menstrual products.

One of my pleas for the environment is for women to reduce the amount of disposables they use. Even if menstrual cups or flannel pads aren't for you, choose products that use the least toxic, polluting, or non-biodegradable components as possible. Especially don't use plastic applicator tampons - cardboard or manual insert only. You don't need pads individually wrapped in plastic - to carry supplies with you, keep a few pads or tampons in a clean zippered bag that gets reused and can be washed.

Plastic is forever. Once a plastic product is made, it persists in the environment forever as trash. Plastic items accumulate in areas of the open ocean where currents create eddies, creating an ugly soup. Beaches on remote islands have pill bottles and tampon applicators wash up on them. Plastics don't "biodegrade" but they do leach chemicals into the water and soil. Some of these chemicals are suspected of being endocrine disruptors. See Science Blogs and Deep Sea News for more particulars.

Weekend Critter Blogging

2007-06-17T12:32:00.001-05:00

A butterfly from the botanic garden at Golden Gate Park.

Weekend Critter Blogging

2007-06-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

More pictures from California - I remembered mostly taking pictures of plants, but there's quite a few critters in there, too. These are sea anenomes, of a beautiful seagreen color. Don't know the species. I want to take a course in marine invertebrates! I need a course in Marine Invertebrates!

Weekend Critter Blogging

2007-06-03T09:19:00.000-05:00

Haven't been taking many pictures lately - busy with gardening and a new job - so here's another picture from California, taken last fall. These are the famous sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf. They're like big fat cats, stretching and snoozing in the sun.

Critter Blogging

2007-05-26T11:59:00.001-05:00

You need to click on this picture to see the detail. The light-colored duck has a sort of ruff of feathers on the back of its head - a deformity that is apparently bred for by some duck fanciers. Odd, but no harm to the duck if it has the gene from only one parent. If it has the gene from both parents, it will die in the egg stage and never hatch. The picture was taken in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, fall 2006.

Grammar Czarina

2007-05-24T08:22:00.000-05:00

I'd been musing about a post on bad spelling, punctuation, and grammar when I found this link, thanks to Twisty:

The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks

Making Fun of Bad Punctuation since 2005.

My own pet peeve is the misuse of the apostrophe, not just the ubiquitous confusion of it's and its, but the random sprinkling of apostrophes like parsley on mashed potatoes. Or should I say, the random sprinkling of apostrophe's like parsley on mashed potatoes'.

My grammar alarm was set off by a particular blog writer who posted a snivel (not up to the rate of a rant) about those nasty, snobbish guidelines for good writing. His/her blogulation in general is rather muddy, and shows a need for those aforesaid nasty guidelines. Reading the rambling sentences, illogical topic jumps, poor proofreading, and misused apostrophes made this English major's head hurt. (I'm not linking to the post, since it is by just one poor writer on an otherwise excellent blog.)*

So, to keep me from getting the vapors, remember these simple rules:

• its is a possessive pronoun; it's is the contraction for it is
• plural nouns do not use apostrophes: books, not book's
• singular verbs do not use apostrophes: Poor grammar bothers me, not Poor grammar bother's me

Of course, by the Murphy's Law of Blogging, there will be at least one egregious misspelling or grammatical error in this post, and Wild Roses will finally get a hit.

*Yes, I know I tend to use a lot of comments in parentheses and dashes, but this is informal writing meant to more-or-less sound like conversation. I am much more persnickety in formal writing.

David Brooks, Bobo for Hire

2007-05-21T09:00:00.000-05:00

Some of the leftish blogs I read take pot shots at obviously loony, deservedly obscure wingnuts. Alicublog takes on David Brooks, who inexplicably has a column in the New York Times. There's so much wrong with Brooks' May 18 column that it boggles the mind. I'll only mention a couple of main points. (Sorry the column is behind the paid wall, but read Alicublog and you'll get the gist of it.)

(1) "Compassionate conservatism" was never meant to be any more than a political slogan. Pretending otherwise after six years of CC is disingenuous at best. A few bucks were tossed at the marriage initiative, faith-based programs, and abstinence education to con voters; the only beneficiaries of the programs were Republican candidates and cronies.

(2) Brooks, as usual, devolves into delusion.

(2a) He sees nothing wrong with a system that provides obscene rewards to "the top 0.01 percent," whose taxes must be kept low to provide "opportunity" to the remaining 99.99%. That 99.99% must be in hiding, by the way, because we have a shortage of people to invest in.

(2b) Brooks' human capital agenda simultaneously cuts across left and right, and exploits the divisions between left and right. And spins plates on a stick while riding a unicycle, no doubt.

(2c) The measures Brooks favors are weighted toward Republican shibboleths: low taxes, school choice, and encouraging marriage. How are we going to pay for investing in a human capital agenda, if we can't tax wealth? School choice is a meaningless concept, unless parents have quality schools to choose from in the area where they live. How do you encourage marriage? By making divorce harder? Americans of all classes and religions have voted with their feet on that issue - they want to be able to end failed marriages. Woman have the economic freedom to choose marriage or not, and the social freedom to have families without the consent of the patriarchy. We're not going back.

Critter Blogging, Cats Past

2007-05-18T06:21:00.001-05:00

This is the late, great Mu, a non-pedigreed Siamese with true Siamese personality. Leaping from unexpected places, a voice like a baby being scalded, and a serious cuddler.

Falwell Still Dead

2007-05-17T16:03:00.000-05:00

A plain reading of the new testament tells us that Jesus taught his followers to disdain riches and to help those less fortunate. Anyone who uses the pulpit to amass riches is not a christian. If a religious person lives plainly and does good to others, I respect them and their acts. If they flit about in private jets and live in mansions, well, no. I hope Falwell's last thoughts were about camels and needles' eyes.

Critter Blogging

2007-05-15T04:37:00.000-05:00

Critter blogging was delayed on account of Mother's Day. Here are the remains of dinner.

Friday Critter Blogging

2007-05-05T10:33:00.000-05:00

Cephalopods rule!

Friday Critter Blogging, late

2007-04-29T05:26:00.000-05:00

Maggie, looking pensive. Yes, that is a crook at the end of her tail.

Friday Critter Blogging

2007-04-21T06:21:00.000-05:00

Maggie and ducks.

One Last Word

2007-04-14T11:51:00.000-05:00

Some Notes on Revolution

Can't believe I forgot to put Twisty on the blogroll.

Can't Take the Heat

2007-04-14T10:54:00.001-05:00

Anyone who reads feminist and political blogs is already aware of this, so I won't recap the details. Relevant links are at: Feministing, Amanda at Pandagon, Chris Clarke at Pandagon, and elsewhere.

I left this comment on Creek Running North, Chris Clarke's blog. Edited slightly here.

I don’t suppose I have anything new to say about all this, except maybe that Markos and his ilk have no idea how thick women’s skins really are. We must constantly monitor ourselves and our surroundings, judging this to be not worth worrying about, that a risk not worth taking, and the other thing just plain scary. If our skins were all that thin, we’d never leave the house.

I was talking with some friends - all of us middle-aged women - about the recent murder of a young woman who made a bad choice of companions. We all teetered on the precipice of “we don’t blame the victim, but what the hell was she thinking?” We started toting up the ways our behavior has changed since our days of youthful invulnerability - not walking alone after certain hours or in certain areas, not being friendly to strangers in bars, etc. Age and experience have made us all too aware that the world is particularly dangerous for women, regardless of age or beauty.

I admire an earlier commenter for confronting her harrassers, but the fact is my fat middle-aged ass is not capable of such a response. I’ll forgo the pleasure of a walk on a hot summer night rather than risk being tomorrow’s headline. I hope Markos is satisfied.

A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

2007-04-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

From GrrlScientist:

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and good because some tree-hugging liberal fought for minimum water-quality standards. With his first swallow of water, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe because some stupid commie liberal fought to ensure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance -- now Joe gets it, too.

Joe prepares his morning breakfast; bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girly-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.

In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and the amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for the laws to stop industries from polluting our air.

He walks on the government-provided sidewalk to subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union.

If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some stupid liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It is noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FDIC (or the NCUA, if he's part of a credit union) because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime. Joe also forgets that his in addition to his federally subsidized student loans, he attended a state funded university.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards to go along with the tax-payer funded roads.

He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans.

The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking, cheese-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that the beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day. Joe agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm a self-made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have."

Friday Critter Blogging

2007-04-13T16:01:00.000-05:00

First bug of the season to scare the bejesus out of me by dropping from some hidden spot onto the window next to me. It looks like a tarnished plant bug, but it's much bigger than my trusty Rodale garden guide says it should be.

Kurt Vonnegut

2007-04-12T07:41:00.000-05:00

Kurt Vonnegut has passed away at the age of 84. He was an important figure for those of my generation, blending fiction and science fiction with a profound decency. He taught us new ways of thinking, not shackled to conventional religion or politics.

I was reminded of this reading the NY Times obit -

To Mr. Vonnegut, the only possible redemption for the madness and apparent meaninglessness of existence was human kindness. The title character in his 1965 novel, “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater,” summed up his philosophy:

“Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — ‘God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.’

You've got to be kind. So it goes.

What's in Bloom

2007-04-07T15:34:00.000-05:00

Pink Amaryllis, the last of the indoor winter bloomers.

Friday Pet Critter Blogging

2007-04-07T07:34:00.000-05:00

It's spring, and a yellow-spotted salamander's thoughts turn to love.

Friday Pet Blogging

2007-03-30T15:04:00.000-05:00

Brian and his human companion are friends of mine.

Strange Religious Sighting

2007-03-28T14:18:00.000-05:00

Via Pharyngula:

God has an awesome PR department

A religious book publisher wants authors to write for a "Thank God Something Awful Happened to Me" series of books. The commenters have some good suggestions, especially
#35: Thank God for Persephone Otherwise There Would Be No Skiing or Hockey.

Frontal Cortex: Morality and War

2007-03-24T18:45:00.000-05:00

I'm a few days late commenting on this post from the Frontal Cortex: http://scienceblogs.com/mt/pings/35979

Go there to read many more learned responses than mine. These are just my thoughts.

Another consideration about the trolley example: in the case of the choice between killing five workers and killing one, the driver is choosing between the only available courses of action, either of which results in killing someone. In his split second considering the situation, he makes the decision he knows he can better live with. You, innocent bystander on the bridge with your fat buddy, are not inevitably involved in the accident.

You're throwing a whole new variable into the mix by making yourself an actor in the situation. Who are you to decide that taking your buddy's life is more morally acceptable than a tragic accident? What if the trolley derails after hitting the fat man, and several passengers die? What if the trolley driver dies after hitting the fat man? What if your buddy, in panic when you shove him, manages to grab you by the belt and drag you over the bridge rail with him? And you don't die, but are left quadriplegic?

My point is that the questions of morality involved go farther than a simple arithmetic of how many are killed. When the big picture is out of your control, you fiddle with the details at your peril. I think a parallel is the argument for the Iraq war that Saddam was a murderer, and that by not removing him, we were somehow complicit in those murders. This argument failed by both tests of morality - defeating Saddam is taking many more lives than would otherwise have been lost, and, by making ourselves actors in the situation, we have become culpable for the murders we commit. It was never true that we were complicit with Saddam's murders - that guilt was his. We are now complicit with many murders.

You, on the bridge with your buddy, are innocent of the accident, horrible as it may be to witness. If you involve yourself by killing your friend, you have become a murderer.

Veal in Red Sauce

2007-03-23T08:10:00.000-05:00

Veal shoulder, canned tomatoes, and mustard greens on sale this week at the local groceteria inspired this comfort food:

1.5 lb. piece of veal shoulder
2 28 oz. cans of peeled crushed tomatoes
1 largish onion
1 - as many as you want garlic cloves
1 cup cheap dry red wine
1 lb. bunch of mustard or other greens
olive oil
generous grinding of pepper, salt to taste
Parmesan cheese
pasta

In a large pot, brown the veal in olive oil on both sides. While the veal is cooking, chop the onion and garlic. When the veal is brown, set it aside on a plate. Put the onions and garlic in the pot and saute, stirring a couple of times, until just starting to brown. Add a splash more oil if they look dry. Add the tomatoes, red wine, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer and cook for about an hour. (If you were using beef shin or pork ribs, you would add the meat from the beginning, but veal is more tender.) Wash and chop the greens. Add the meat and greens to the pot, bring back to a simmer and cook until the meat is falling-apart tender, about an hour. Serve over pasta with a good grating of Parmesan.

Adding the greens to the sauce was an inspiration of the moment, to save a cooking pot, and the result is very good. The slight bitterness of the greens is a nice counterpoint to the richness of the meat and tomatoes, and they add a little textural contrast as well. Next time, I may try this with broccoli raab, adding the veggie later in the cooking time than for greens.

OK, I should have taken a picture. But then I would have had to clean off the table in order to set a nice scene, and everything just got too complicated from there.

Servings - the meat about 4, with some sauce left over. I put a couple of servings in the freezer for later; they will be welcome some evening when there's no time to cook but a comforting meal is needed.

New England Flower Show

2007-03-23T07:56:00.000-05:00

My trip to the Flower Show didn't result in many pictures, alas. I haven't used the camera much in that kind of setting - dark background with brightly lit subjects - and I'm still getting to know how to use it. I did get a lovely shot of Aloe plicatilis. Click to enlarge and you can really see the flowers.

Friday Pet Blogging

2007-03-23T07:53:00.000-05:00

I met this fine fellow at the Flower Show.

The Blue Hour

2007-03-18T19:25:00.000-05:00

The Blue Hour

And is that it? No fanfare, no shouting,
Ceremony? No definitiveness yet.
There’s still some hesitation to be too sure.
The blue hour suffuses the evening
With its fragile light.
A caress on the fading day -
Blue to the east, pink to the west -
A blessing begging hoping
For the next day.
Sometimes - well, actually always,
Sooner or later -
That blue hour comes true,
When the horizon slips up past that pink
And the blue is deeper and deeper.

Friday Pet Blogging

2007-03-16T19:59:00.000-05:00

Great cats from the past: Maxine, the calico, and Yuki, the little white bit of fluff.

This feature will be "Friday Pet Blogging" instead of just "Cat Blogging" because this is an equal-opportunity pet website.

Late Rant on International Women's Day

2007-03-09T09:53:00.000-05:00

Feminism is something that will get my rant gene fired up.

From comments at Echidne: But what if some of the people you are referring to see feminine characteristics as not bad, but not male? Seriously, assigning misogyny to people who state that they believe in a division of roles based upon gender can be a reach too far.

Echidne's answer: People who state that they believe in a division of roles based upon gender tend to assume more than just the division of roles based upon gender. They tend to assume that good roles are naturally suited for men and that wiping poo is what women do best. Really.

Who decides what is "feminine" or "masculine"? Who decides if I, a woman, am able to study math or science, or make a decent wage? It's hard to see a society that places these matters in men's hands as anything other than misogynist. When women are allowed to freely choose their roles, they choose from a broad spectrum of roles, sometimes rejecting the "feminine" roles of wife and mother entirely. When men have control of women's roles, women are confined to the roles men want them to have - subservient to and serving men.

Friday Cat Blogging

2007-03-08T11:18:00.000-05:00

So it's Thursday, big deal. In the laid-back world of Wild Roses, Friday Cat Blogging can happen anytime between Thursday and Sunday, depending on when I get to the blog.

This is Maggie, whose talent for sleeping is remarkable even for a cat. Maggie moved in with me because she wasn't getting along with her roommate. For the first six months, she slept with her eyes half open. Now that she's not anxious about someone else getting the sunbeam, she sleeps like a hibernating bear. With a grin on her face.

What's in Bloom

2007-03-08T10:40:00.000-05:00

Amaryllis, Hippeastrum hybrid

Links

2007-03-03T07:07:00.000-05:00

I've added a blogroll with some links I like to read. I'm leaving off the most political, as this blog is more of a personal journal than a place to rant 'n' rave. Although I probably will rant and rave at times. Can't help myself.

Update 3/7: I've added a couple more links.

Pharyngula and Living the Scientific Life are on Scienceblogs, but I like them enough to bookmark separately. Pharyngula does a great job of describing science for the non-scientist, and has lots of anti-ID rants and updates for followers of that issue. Living the Scientific Life posts beautiful pictures as well as commentary.

World o' Crap is one of the funniest political/cultural satire sites, regularly mocking obscure wingnuts as well as the usual suspects.

All about Birds is a terrific bird guide by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; it includes audio of bird songs, which is a very useful feature.

Ball of Wax is a general commentary on life by the author of Local Eats, and has interesting links, especially photos.

Creek Running North has environmental and cultural commentary, as well as some of the best writing you will ever read. Chris knows how to reach your heart through your brain.

Pussy Willows

2007-03-03T06:36:00.000-05:00

Rose-gold pussy willows opening up at the Arboretum.

Great Blue Heron

2007-02-27T07:36:00.000-05:00

Toygers

2007-02-24T15:19:00.000-05:00

A breed of house cat is being bred to look like tigers. They'll be beautiful, I'm sure, but I'm in the camp that questions the ethics of breeding "designer" pets that will cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Millions of cats and dogs are put down in shelters every year for lack of homes. Purebreds are also subject to diseases resulting from inbreeding.

People have always bred for desired characteristics, whether in livestock or crops, but this is a far cry from breeding good mousers or even good pets. Designer pets are just another toy for the rich. I like my kitties far too much to just consider them accessories.

First post

2007-02-24T13:12:00.000-05:00

The roses:

Rosa canina, the dog rose. A European wild rose. I've read two explanations of the name - that the plant was used as a treatment for the bite of a mad dog, or that it's a contraction of "dagger rose," so called because of its sharp thorns. The image is from a Polish postage stamp; "dzika roza" means wild rose. It's pronounced JEE-ka ROO-zha.

My blogging name, Rugosa, comes from another rose, R. rugosa. It's also a wild rose, with very pretty and fragrant flowers and lots of sharp thorns. R. rugosa is called beach rose because it thrives in the salt air by the sea.