Daily Archives: 15 July 2008

15 July 2008

Iranian “Negotiations”

By Nicki

One time deal or a start to a series of negotiations, I am not sure I care.  I am, though, rather skeptical that the Bush administration is sending the number three State Department person – William Burns – to Geneva this weekend to join other countries in sitting down with an Iranian nuclear negotiator. 

Is this a flip-flop on the Bush administration part?  While it may not be a true flip-flop yet as the administration has not yet negotiated anything, it is definitely a severe departure from everything George W Bush has previously said.  Bush has repeatedly said that there were pre-conditions to sitting down with Iran.  None of these pre-conditions have been met.  Iran has not yet stopped enriching uranium. 

Is this a step towards relations with Iran again at some point in the future? 

Is this Bush’s last push before a preemptive strike?

Being always the skeptic, I would not believe that this is a step towards relations or negotiations with Iran.  I do believe, though, that this is a way for Bush to create a world view of having tried with a country that he has repeatedly indicated was next on the invasion list.

I find the thought of a major change like this from a man who just today said that the economy was not in horrible shape and we, as the US public, could have faith in its long-term condition scares the crap out of me.  He lives in a world where he will spin, using every credit of that Yale MBA, the Geneva meeting into a last ditch effort before an invasion.  He managed to spin to some extremely intelligent people prior to Iraq.  He is now setting up something.  The question is what?  And more importantly, can it be held off until after the man is out of power?

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

15 July 2008

Zucchini Recipes

By Nicki

The “rabbit” of most gardens, zucchini is started to ripen and there has to be ways to use it.  Here are two of favs!  Both recipes are from allrecipes.com.

Zucchini Yogurt Multigrain Muffins

1 ½ cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup oat flour (I use 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour as I don’t normally have oat flour on hand)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (I use freshly ground nutmeg)

3 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil (I use canola oil)

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup white sugar

¾ cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup shredded zucchini

1 cup shredded carrots

½ cup chopped pecans (I substitute walnuts or almonds, whichever I have on hand)

½ cup raisins

 

  1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).  Lightly grease 24 muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
  2. In a bowl, sift together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.  In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, vegetable oil, applesauce, yogurt, sugar, honey, and vanilla.  Mix the flour mixture into the egg mixture.  Fold in the zucchini, carrots, nuts and raisins.  Scoop into the prepared muffin cups.
  3. Back 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Zucchini Brownies

 

½ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ cups white sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

½ cup chopped walnuts

 

 

Frosting

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup margarine

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

¼ cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).  Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix togheter the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended.  Combine the flour, ½ cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture.  Fold in the zucchini and walnuts.  Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched.  To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla.  Stir into the cocoa mixture.  Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

 

If you want to see more zucchini recipes, go on over to KRoby’s blog at Pressconnects.com

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Family, Food and Recipes, Just my Thoughts

15 July 2008

Jesse Ventura and Politics … Again?

By Nicki

I am sure Minnesotans were hoping the issue of Jesse Ventura moving back into the political arena in their state would end quickly.  The race in question – a US Senate race – is already the source of constant speculation as comic Al Franken has left comedy behind to run against incumbent Norm Coleman.

Ventura was weighing a run as an Independent in this same US Senate race.  Both Franken and Coleman first dismissed the thought of Ventura as not really being viable.  In recent days, though, both have admitted that Ventura entering the race would have caused a drastic change in the race.

I watched last evening as Jesse Ventura spoke with Larry King of CNN about his decision to not run.  I listened as Ventura said that worrying about what higher power our candidates worship should not be an issue.  He did a good job of “dissing” President Bush on the God issue, basically saying that while Bush said he talked to God about invading Iraq, he himself had not heard from God that he should enter this race.  I did have quite a good laugh.

Then, in a moment of remembrance, I was quickly saddened.  Jesse Ventura’s run for governor in Minnesota had been run by a third party guru – Doug Friedline.  Doug passed away last November in an apartment in Florida after running Max Linn’s third party attempt at the Florida governorship.  While I truly believe Ventura to be his own man, I am not sure he could run this type of a third party campaign with Friedline. 

Jesse -If God does speak to you before 5 pm today, good luck!  Your campaign will be in my spotlight even though I am about 1200 miles away.

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

15 July 2008

John McCain and the 21st Century

By Nicki

Ah, a headline like that is definitely what McCain’s campaign doesn’t need.  What else can be said, though, after McCain’s own admission that he doesn’t know how to get online yet?  I admit I telecommute so spend more time on a computer than a lot of people.  I have had a web site since the late 90′s.  I have had email as long as that.  I also can remember when the IBM Portable PC was the size of a suitcase.  Somewhere I even have a pic of my oldest as a baby sitting at it and he is the same size.  But that is me.  I am 46, not 71. 

I do realize that being 71, John McCain’s admission that he is still learning to get online and that he has never sent an email and doesn’t see the need for it is probably closer to average than my experiences.  I do believe, though, that an admission that you do not utilize one of the most popular, especially for the young and new voter, means of communication will put you at a disadvantage.

I compare McCain to both my parents.  My mother, who is not in her 70′s, and I chat via IM most week days.  She emails me pictures of what is going on in the desert of Southern California.  I email her pictures of what is going on in the Southern Tier of New York.  My father, who is 70, has gotten to the point – mostly due to his employer as far as I can tell – that he checks his email daily.  If I cannot reach him via telephone before he starts his commute or via mobile phone on his commute, I know I can email him at the “office” and he will get it.  I don’t know that he likes it but he checks it.

What will the backlash be?  How can a candidate who says he has yet to totally master getting online, who says he has never sent an email and doesn’t see the need for it relate to the average person, relate to those who are trying to convince companies to get high speed internet for all areas of the county and country?  How can a federal office candidate survive in an era when all candidates have a myspace or facebook page or use digg it to get the “articles” on their site more read when the candidate doesn’t have an official social networking page?

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Just my Thoughts, Politics

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