Toffee 1 of 4

Toffee, Game on!!!!!!!

Ingredients needed are:

2 cups milk chocolate(I used to use the big Hersheys bars)

2 cups nuts(pecan's or walnuts... these are $$$$$ so you can reduce if you want.)

2 cups sugar

2 cups butter-1 pound-4 cubes

(I know....... Take one pound of fat, and put one pound of sugar in it, and then cover it in 2 pounds of chocolate and nuts......... Ya!!!!! You don't have to tell me. Normally I stretch it out and do a little over a cup of chocolate, and a little under a cup of nuts. someone once told me about a meatball, wrapped in bacon,covered in sausage, Deep-Fried, then candied... this is that bad)

1-2 Cups Chocolate Coarsely ground, as seen in bag to the right.

1-2 cups Pecans, some say walnuts

Nuts should be ground into small pieces,

but not powdered, Maybe the size of aspirin and a little smaller.

They can be chopped with a knife if your hoping to burn some calories doing this.

I use that little food processor below. Notice my coffee pot in the background...mmmm coffee.

Grinding chocolate manually will require a cheese grater. I always thought was fun as a kid. But.. to do this, and in order to get chocolate to grind up really well, chocolate needs to be frozen in the freezer and then can be ground. And... Us cyclists have such good circulation that chocolate just melts in my/our hands the second I/we touch it.

So I actually use a Salad shooter. :) And it rocks... years ago the worst part of toffee was the grinding... the difference between this process and the one I grew up on is so much easier... It literally used to take a team.

And have burned up 3 salad shooters in my 5 years of doing this.

did you know they are hard to find if it's not X-mas.

There it is Full color. Here is the calorie count.

6 oz of chocolate(one cup, not 2)= 900 calories

1 cup pecans= 900 calories

2 cups Butter= 1600 calories

2 cups Sugar= 1600 calories

Grand total= 5000 Calories or roughly 2 pounds of body fat per batch.(roughly)

So, I switch over to a Teflon pan 2 years ago. The pan on the right is the one I used before the Teflon. There are 2 reasons the Teflon is superior. less chance for your toffee to burn or "Smoke". Cleanup is so much easier, Before the Teflon I had to scrub the pot after every batch. Now I just rinse it.

To be continued...

toffee 2 of 4

Ok, here we go....... Take one stick of the 4 sticks of butter, in a one pound box(one pound butter = 2 Cups)(With Salt(FYI there is salted butter and unsalted)) Spread some butter on a cookie sheet(your not using the whole stick, just a bit of it). You're greasing the cookie sheet. Spread 1/2 to 1 cup ground chocolate on the pan(300-1000 calories) Then spread 1/2 to 1 cup ground nuts on the pan. (Notice the towel under the pan, insulation from the counter will be important later, as I poor 2 pounds of 300 degree sugar and butter onto it.)

It is Key that you have 1/2 -1 cup ground, both nuts and chocolate sitting in reserve at this point. At this point go Pee, take a crap, take the garbage out... Whatever, cause your going to be busy once you start the next step... In 45(can be less) minutes this batch will be done. and you get to stir that whole time..... you may need a sidekick.A Sancho to your Don Quixote.

Ok, Seriously Game on!!!!!!!! Put that game face on and get ready to dig in, Stretch it out, breathing and focus exercises. Time to Rock!!!!

The rest of the 1 lb box of butter(4 sticks including the one you greased the pan with), and 2 cups sugar into the pan med to medium high heat(sure, you can melt the butter first then add the sugar, that's safer. I usually just put it all together and run and check my e-mail). Go medium if your using stainless steel I've done toffee on High heat, but seriously I paid for my Hubris. It is possible but it's way advanced and I don't do it anymore. As the butter melts you still have time to Pee or whatever... but after that your screwed once the butter melts you get to stir constantly till it's done.

Have I made it clear enough that the stirring is everything in Toffee, As a kid me my mom and my sister all had to take turns as the lactic acid built up in our arms... As cyclists be weary of that build up and that this is where your backup/sidekick comes in.... I on the other hand have built up the slow twitch necessary to do this on my own... I suspect that most of your Cardiovascular abilities are up to this task of stirring a pot for 45 minutes, but do not take this lightly... or you end up with a pot full of ($5-$10 worth)Burned Sugary gue at the end of this process.

Toffee 3 of 4

The Stirring.... Ok, it's all about state changes.... first the butter and the sugar don't mix at all(from previous post) and over a few minutes the two will combine and you kind of get this Foam like bubbly stuff.

Ok, I'm going to stop and talk about candy thermometers... I have 2, I hate them both. Nothing like a thermometer to screw up some toffee. Hard Crack is what we are going for..... These are the Candy states in order.... Soft Ball, Hard ball, Soft Crack, and Hard Crack.... all the ones below hard crack are a bunch of silly stuff like Caramels, and Nut Brittle, and divinity(which is fucking hard to do "Divinity", problem is in the end all you get in divinity(tastes like a bad marshmallow... But according to some it "Tastes like heaven"). There is only Toffee in Bob's world.... That's it... there is no substitute...

Ok Hard crack BTW is 300+ degrees, here in Utah you have to go to about 310 because of the altitude. Now the names of these candy states have to do with this:

What happens, when you put some of your confection in a glass of water with ice... Soft ball, hard ball, soft crack, hard crack. you taste it!!! hard crack shatters in your teeth, not shatters your teeth. but should literally smash into powder.

5 minutes of stirring.Ok, state 1 Soft Ball....(below) what starts happening is that the butter starts to separate out of the mix(much less foamy)... and you have to stir progressively harder to get the butter back into the mix.(it's probably more the fat from the butter... but ..)

State 2 hard ball (below) ok its very hard to keep the butter/fat in the mix. 15 minutes of stirring. This may give you some idea of how hard I'm stirring at this point(below)

Hand of Bob!!!... are you tired yet.... about half way done......

Toffee post 4 of 4

Ok, so your stirring is getting difficult, almost impossible to stir it enough to keep the butter/fat into the mix.... This is good news your 15 minutes from being done. See how it's impossible now to keep it together....

At this point I'm stirring just short of making it fly out of the pan..... Just let me warn you how tragic 2 pounds of 300 Degree sugar and butter would be if it did come out of the pan, and landed on you or someone/something you care about.... These colors are not indicative of the color toffee should be at this point. if your toffee is this dark... you may be in trouble... if your done and it's this dark you may be ok.

Ok the Below color is representative of what it should look like. and notice it's getting smooth and the butter fat is coming back into it.

Ah Ha..... Sugar and butter are now one again...... This is Soft Crack!!!!!!!! this is not the proper color(damn camera)... Here is the next key... there is still a slight granular texture to the Toffee... and that goes away at hard crack.But you can use the water glass method...or... a thermometer... but realize sometimes the thermometer is measuring the butter fat and not the sugar....

What happens in the next 5 minutes is the difference between good toffee and Great Toffee... Ok here it is again (below) This is very close. at this point it's would be much easier to do in a stainless pan at lower heat because the state change isn't as fast. .... The Glass of water.... Ok at this point you start putting it into the little glass of water next to you.... When you taste it.... what should happen is that it should almost shatter in your teeth, throwing a beautiful powder around your mouth *Crunch* *Poof* It should not be chewy... But if that's what you get its still Yummy.... Also you must still rapidly stir... at this point the more you stir the less "Smokey" it will be.... Ok, one year I worked my ass off and my toffee was White as snow, no "smokiness" at all.... it was awfully... Toffee has to be a little brown. But it's like when you cook marshmallows by a camp fire... There is a light brown caramelized.. and then there is burned sugar that gives you heartburn.

So I don't have a picture of a final product in the pot, because the time to take a picture could mess it up.. So Seriously what is slightly granular above goes away(without burning.... If it starts to smoke. give up and throw it on the cookie sheet, better to have underdone toffee(soft crack, slightly chewie, than burned toffee.) don't waist $5 of chocolate and nuts on $5 of burned sugar... Know when to give up and toss it.... you may lose 5 but you won't lose 10.

Once the toffee is done quickly stir in a Teaspoon or 2 of Vanilla(Optional) Other options would be to add Almonds or the other nuts just as you pull it off the stove. if they are unroasted nuts you need to add them 5-10 minutes before this

then poor the mix onto the sheet.

ok throw the pan in the sink after your done poring and throw the nuts on it, then give it a few moments and start the chocolate... You want to put the chocolate on top at the point that it doesn't sink into it completely. your just trying to coat the outside with chocolate. Notice there is a towel under the cookie sheet... this shit is hot....

5-7k Calories of Toffee Joy

Alright get that pan clean as you let it cool Nonstick this takes 2 minutes, stainless steel. this could go for 30 minutes.When you scorch the stainless pan while stirring, don't grind at it with your spoon... try and keep the scorched toffee from building but don't grind at that stuff or it will ruin the whole batch.... From what I remember about stainless steel toffee making..... also you have to stir twice as hard with stainless. and twice as long... but to be honest I bet with stainless you burn 300-400 calories per batch. as opposed to maybe 200-300 with Teflon.

After the pan is clean, I take the pan of toffee out to the porch outside to cool off(away from animals).

in an hour or 2, bring it back in and break the toffee into small pieces.. make sure the whole pan is cool.

3 batches of toffee.

*Plonk*... This is where I'm a total snob.... The top one was 1 minute from being perfect. middle needed about 30 seconds more... but it's excellent. Bottom one was a bit overdone.

It took me till noon the next day to recover from the 600-800(probably 6-8 pieces) calories of pure toffee bliss I ate, just testing it out. I try and have food on hand like soup or something while I'm making it or I tend to eat tons of toffee, which if your going to kill yourself with food, is the way to do it. If your going to be Tubby, this is it. don't waist your time on shitty cardboard Burgers...

Dogbert figures out subprime.

Grand Torino

I saw, the clint eastwood movie. It's not million dollar baby, but it's solid.

I made my first batch of toffee. Not good for me, I like to toffee... You all have no idea how obsessive I am about it. Not only do I have to have it be good, but I'm always working on that "perfect toffee"..

I guess it's like people, "All toffee is perfect, but it could use a little work."

of course then we burn it sometimes... Not sure how it applies to life.

I hate christmas, just a few more days left, then new years and it's all over. Then it's just a few months left, and winter is all over.... Yippee...

Damn I hate Christmas...

"I did say the movie was just 'ok', didn't I".

We do get a reprieve of the Clint Eastwood singing career. I'm not sure how I feel about the Jesus stuff, in the movie.

Red Dawn

I figure it's the Armageddon MEME going around these days, but some of the movie channels have been running "RED DAWN". What a great movie... You just have to love it.

Patric Swazie's Character's dad,"You know boys, I was hard on you, sometimes even did things that made you hate me... You understand now!, don't you!?"

"Cant afford to be crying now, I don't want any of you boys to ever cry for me."


And how hot was Jennifer Grey, Skrewed herself up with that nose job, silly girl.

Also Did you hear Patrick Swayze has pancreatic cancer, I suspect the prognosis isn't good.

It also brings a question up, "Are Eagle Scouts, Leaders of a Paramilitary organization?"

You know, Sometimes we have to ask, then answer "Who are we?, and What's the point?"(sorry different media reference.)

Some days

I look out from my little terminal here, and it's like I can see across the planet, into infinity.

Then there are the days that I sit here, and it's like looking at a brick wall.

The Buddha sat in front of a wall and when he arose he was enlightened.....

*Shrug*

Here we go again

... I haven't posted in a while, the thought occurred to me that Art was dying to know what I think of the auto bailout/Rescue, or not, or he assumes he knows.

To start off I'm agnostic about it, I suspect that to some of you it's a moral question. To me I just want to know what is going to happen, and bet accordingly.

I stated before that this thing will resolve in some kind of "moral Collapse", I was pointed to a story a few months ago "The Fable of the Bees", in the story there is a breakout of Morality, and the bees refuse to work because of it and the hive failed. If it's "Price Controls" or a Trade War... or something, I think in a socioeconomic way, that is the outcome that is most probable.

Congress is all abuzz about how once the banks got the money "they havn't lent it.". Well, half the banks didn't have strong enough ballance sheets to take that risk. Most are waiting for a more meaningfull recovery in the economy, so that they know they won't need aditional money for loan loss reserves. And those with excess money, well... do we realy think that they should just throw 250 billion into the pockets of the first drunks that show up at the teller windows. My point is that Congress is poised to do some very stupid things, out of moral outrage.... Sort of a "I'll show you, I'll cut my nose off to spite my face"

The problem I see... When you provide "Bridge financing" what a company will do, instead of making cuts, and getting Leaner, is that they will just shove their heads up their ass and pretend it's all not happening. I'd propose that the car manufacturers will do the same thing.

If one has a conversation with me about cars IRL, I like to point out that there are only about 5 types of cars, and the only difference is slight differences in the shapes, Very slight. Seems like we could use about 20 less models. And I'd love for a new line to come out "The Functional" Comes in white black red blue, a 2 door, a 4 door, a Minivan, and a truck. Has no features and is very light, all models get over 30 MPG.... that advertisement says "gets you where you are going".

Morning

I had a lousy run this morning. Seems like I'm getting some Fatigue... Need to check my diet today. It's very cold at 4am, More like an Icy walk. Don't get me wrong, there was running... but it's very cold. I'd rather run in the evening, but I keep hoping to work some evening Yoga in.

I felt lousy... Felt like I run like a girl... I think that is just a psychological problem though too much time talking about goth music I guess...... LOL...

hmm

some Random Blogging.

I use a feed reader to read all my blogs... point is that when somebody posts to a blog I subscribe to, it just gets sent to me. Unfortunately, there seem to be errors and a subscription fails over time, I don't notice... I just think somebody quit blogging...

so is the case with Known Side Effects, somehow I was Trolling new cycling blogs and realized that there were a ton of new posts, that I hadn't read....

sorry.

Yogurt

I love yogurt.... (of course give me a few more months). I'm thinking about going to plain and adding my own "Stuff" and I kind of like it all sour... Well that is an interesting post..

Astrology

So, You read your horoscope 50 times, either as a lark or cause you think it's important.

either:

• It inspires you to do what it says and make it happen, Or it doesn't and you dismiss it.
• What ever it says happens and you remember the one of 50 that said something similar, and you dismiss the other 49 that didn't.

We only remember what validates us, and dismiss the remainder. If your astrology inspires you to do something, then it's a good thing, and significant and valid in your life.

If it's that, or any number of "Thousand Typing monkeys" out there. But it's important that you don't live your life by some random Tidal influence, Among the Typing monkeys it's important to discern what is important to you, and what is just Random Noise. There is also some random noise that is more "What we want to believe"....

something....

Art of the Bauhaus

Ok, I'm about to get Super Nerdy here... Art Nerdy.

Many people don't know but at the Turn of the Century Germany(Wiemar) was at the Pinnacle of Europe. As France was in the 17th century, and England was in the 18th. As Germany felt more and more Entitled as a cultural and industrial leader. This is feeling of entitlement, and dominance is part of what Lead to WWI. Great artists like Klimt, and a little known Thinker named Einstein came out of this Era, and region of Germany(Wiemar).

Turn of the Century, artists wanted to rethink art, as Industrialization was remaking our world. The movement, inspired by the Culture of "Rebirth" prompted by what was seen to be a New age in Humanity; Acceptance of the theories of Darwin, Some of the ideas of Karl Marx, Larger Availability of books and education, progress made by fabric Looms and the printing press, and further industrial production, All of this remade our Civilization. During all of this there naturally was a move to remake art.

As life imitates art and art imitates Life. Modernism is to Art, what Industrialization is to production/business. Art of the Bauhaus, is art that came out of the Named School, Between WWI and WWII when the Nazis closed down the School. It's interesting to think about the word Modernism as always what is Now modern, but you have to realize it's the beginning of the Modern Age, Which is where you get the term Post modern art, and that reference should be used as the Christians use Jesus. There is Pre Jesus, Jesus and Post Jesus. Post modern art.

When rethinking art for the "new Age", They started with basic forms 3 Perfect Shapes.

Circle
,
'perfect square'
,
Equilateral triangle.

And ONLY BLACK AND WHITE. This is pure modernism, and rigid fundamentalist art of the Bauhaus.

As time went on this was expanded to the Primary colors

Proper Bauhaus is a combination of these shapes and colors,

Like the Cradle Below

Another element is the use of new manufacturing Methods and materials(this isn't unique to Modernism, apply the newest techniques and materials is common to most art movements). Examples are bent Plywood, and Tube steel.

Le Corbusier.

The above chair is a great example, and possibly similar to something you may have in your home. Great Simple Black Squares, and bent tubular(circle) steel Great example of Early Bauhaus.

Ludwig mies Van der rohe

Now using a Partial Circular form for the frame of this chair, some Great red Squares for cushions. Unfortunately the Liberal use of the curve in the other leg of the chair, and both legs of the footstool, Is a NO NO to purists. Of course the use of color, also points to a later period in the form.


As time progressed broader interpretations, and just the use of Generic Geometric forms became acceptable.

Sometimes with Creativity, the secret is to have confines, and to still be able to express yourself within them.... Feels like some kind of Life lesson there.

Yep... Too many art Classes..... And I can do math. Like being locked in hell. And I can't stand Fractals BTW. I knew this engineer once who though He could "Do art" using Fractals. Grrrr One could use Fractals to express art, but a Fractal is not art. Only an engineer would think a fractal was art, just as every 4 year old thinks that Mountain with a deer out of Macaroni is art... Cause they did it in art class.

Damn, I'm a snob.

Wierd Universal Vibes

Well, I managed a decent run this morning. It was one of those cold morning runs. I much prefer to run in the morning. But It's getting Icy... Seems a little colder this year than last. Things are going well with the diet, not quite as strict As I'd like but, it's something. I get a little sketchy about limiting carbs, since without them All I want to do is Sit on my ass and watch T.V. or Nap. I guess it's good to spread them out.

A ton of Astrology posts over the past few days. Lets see if I can make this point without getting too sidetracked. I was just watching a Nova about the new Hominid bones they found, which they colloquially call "Hobbit". My spider sense says, we don't understand them well enough yet. And how charming is it that they found them at the same time the "Lord of the Rings" movies were at their Apex. They would be more Acceptable if the scientists said "We aren't sure, but have these possibilities"...... Seems like the almost want to believe it. Not that it's impossible, undiscovered species are likely. It's some of the explanations that are far fetched. One of the Scientists Said "I Believe it"..... Personally I try not to believe in much.

Sometimes out there in the Universe we hear things that kind of make our ears perk up, and we tend to think it's significant. Our ears hear so much information, Our eyes read so much text.... that some of it has to be significant.That tends to hit what some call a harmonic Cord in our mind, it makes our ears perk up, is because it is significant..... of course sometimes the significance is just that it's something we "Want to believe".

In my life I've spent some time with the Joseph Campbell "Power of Myth". Myth provides a sort of Skeletal structure for our lives, and culture. Give us some guidelines for our "Path", For the most part we can sort of Smell and use that Harmonic cord as part of our guide for our life.... But sometimes the questing isn't "The Path" we should chose, but how to move down that path.

Life Is a Journey, not a destination...

DubJa

Word on the street was, that for a rescue package for the automakers, Our president wanted a trade deal with Columbia.

I'm not taking a side on either issue, But Does Bush want another Failure under his belt... I'll be amused if congress passes something and he veto's it.

better to burn out than to fade away I guess.

I'm logged into this blog so...

I was going to comment yesterday about my conversation with my nonexistent son, about the importance of a Classical Education.... Yep.

I use a feed reader to read all the blogs I read, and for news. I have this nasty habit, I'll read a blog thinking it's one person, then about half way through I realize.... OH!! that isn't Straight out of Provo, it's adding fuel to the fire...

Well it's not all that interesting...

witch's claw

I just had a dream that a "witch's claw" used in an idol-ic way saved me from a werewolf or a Lion or something. What is interesting about this is that I've decided at this point in my life(well Months ago), to actually become an Atheist. (If you are god folk, you are warned... I'm about to go on, and I hope not to offend... so be warned.)

For the longest time, My reservation was more that I felt like 'you couldn't Rule out god'. Then I realized that Like Unicorns, Greek gods, Witch's, Bogymen, Black Helicopters, and the usual Conspiracy's... I actually could.

Much of this started when an Atheist friend, tried to convince me that 9/11 was some kind of bush conspiracy, and there was some kind of explosive charges Planted. That a Building could never be blown down by a Plane. My easy counter argument was that I've seen buildings built, and with all the mouth breathing dopes who do it, I'm surprised they hold up to the wind.

Later I realized that he wanted to believe it, which made him susceptible to what was a very lousy documentary, that obsessed over minutia that your average brain finds curious, Until you further understand how the building was constructed, and basic physics. The point was that even very smart people, who "Want to Believe" can be convinced into the most ridiculous things.

Since this time, I've done my best to try and evaluate many of my own perceptions, especially when for one reason or another "I want to Believe.". Primarily, things I have a Vested interest in. Overall, the rough theme has been that due to our desire for "Infinite Knowledge", we tend to revert to a Delusional Groudfull Knowledge, as apposed to a More Realistic Groundless Knowledge.

Overall, since I can then apply this to Theology. I then realized that for the most part Atheism is not Anti-Theism. Which was how I precieved it. I have no desire to be Anti-God(not that Theism is god), nor am I Agnostic about god/Theism anymore. Previously I didn't have any specific theory that had Excluded God from the equation.

Excluding myself from being Anti-God, or Agnostic about god. It leaves me with the Position of believing that there are certain evolutionary reasons to be "convinced of God". This then gives me a reason, and significant Evidence... Or more Significant evidence of a "Lack of God" than the "Existence of god".

Further more, I didn't realize how liberating it was going to be to eliminate; Superstition, conspiracy theories, Spirituality, and the bogyman in life.

Bush is a Fool and not the Anti-Christ.


(I've stolen all the following Quotes)

"Don't you believe in something god-like? You don't believe in the traditional God. Don't you believe there's SOMETHING there?".

And I say, "No. There's nothing there.". And it's very difficult to get across to people who are religious, that when you are an atheist, that you mean you don't believe in anything like that whatsoever. It's not that you think nature is God, or it doesn't have personal qualities or something like that. You don't believe in anything of that type. Nothing supernatural. nothing miraculous, nothing superstitious. No ghosts, no telepathy... you know... nothing of that kind.

now it's a curious expression, as Thomas Aquinas pointed out, that nothing isn't a funny kind of something - of any kind, as he said - there isn't a kind of thing that the name "nothing" names.. I mean there are philosophers who go about as if it did, umm, but Thomas Aquinas was absolutely clear about it, he says, "look, it's a very odd sort of making that you're talking about here because the negation against the 'out of' is a making but there's no 'out of' going on here".

classical theologians say that God is not any kind of thing because if God were a kind of thing, God would just be one of the other kinds of things that there are, only a rather different one. So we're not talking about something that's on the map of creation. We're talking about something which is off the map of creation, which is why what we're talking... you know.. how we're talking now is a kind of bamboozling nonsense.

Fat Man running

On Ryan's recommendation I picked up "Run, Fat boy Run". It was good. For the most part it was sort of a retelling of a Documentary about a British guy named James Peak,Called
"Fat man running."

Who in order to get ready for his wedding, and to prove to his Fiancé that he could put his mind to something and accomplish it. Starts training with 6 months to go, which soon turned to 9 weeks, during which he trained for the London marathon.

I totally sound like a snob, and the movie was funner than the documentary. But both were good. I enjoyed it...

I've seen about a zillion movies this weekend, I managed "Tropic of Thunder".. It was ok, "Enigma" which was smart and interesting. I also saw "Step Brothers" which was exactly what you expect. so it was good.

Umn.. So, I'm in my 3rd week of regular serious exercise. Finally it's getting good, the suffering is starting to pay off, The diet Sucks... What has happened to my cookies and milk, bedtime snack.. Seems Vegies and Balsamic vinegar, has replaced it..... I'm sure there are some cookies out there that are lonly for my company....
Speaking of which,
There is this woman I've been seeing on and off. It's a terrible relationship, Which is the worst part about a half assed relationship, when they won't go away...

My week is very stressful, and about Friday I can barley think. Friday I tend to have a minor melt down... usually just shake under the covers for about 14 hours. Saturday I recover, Fatigue and I try and get some stuff done. Sunday Finally I feel normal, And I just want to Feel normal, Eat, rest, Lick my wounds. So, spontaneously she calls up, and I just don't want to add her to my day, It may be one thing if I had already planned it... but I can be a stickler for my schedule.... So...

Now I'm in trouble, because I ignored her...

No wonder I'm, still single.

Back to my Carrots and Twigs... ;).... But I'll have you know, I've never been so regular.

Thought I should mention this.

Somebody was talking about how dangerous it was with on party holding house senate and presidency

Campbell Brown: For those people who have been worried about the possibility of one party controlling Congress and the White House, the last president to do that, of course, was....?

John King: Ah, that was Bill Clinton, and...

Brown: Jimmy Carter! Jimmy Carter had... Bill Clinton had Democrats in the House and in the Senate?

King: Very briefly.

Brown: Very briefly. [Crinkles her nose] Didn't go so well.

King: No it didn't.

Wrong!!!!!.... Any guesses? Try 2000-2006. Sure that didn't turn out so well either... sort of Results in "NOW".

Again, I personally think the the best form of government is when it's In GridLock, and if I had my way we would pass everything by 2/3rds majority. I'm not saying that government is bad, but that government is best when we all agree. It would probably just end up with even more pork.

Yogurt conspracy

It's been a while since Yogurt was in high rotation in my diet. There I am at the grocery store and I pick up my yogurt and it seems something is wrong.

So... I like yogurt, I can eat it plain, but I do like it like a good red blooded American, with a little fruit. I should really look up the history of yogurt, I'm curious how and when cultured milk became an option for meals.

back to the point, I hate Sweet Yogurt. Can't stand the artificially sweetened yogurt.

I bring back my yogurt, and suddenly I realize they have decided to reduce the 8 oz to a 6oz and have the same amount of fruit/jam in it.... Point is, now it's a Sweet yogurt and not the one I like.

this is going to become one of those things... I'm going to end up making my own yogurt, or mixing it at least.

Quick Movie Review

We all know I'm into bad movies:

I just watched "the Tooth Fairy"I was promised it was a good story, solid bad acting.

Hmmm, Well I was hoping for more Nudity, But it almost made up for it that, When I did get my obligatory Skin there were fortunately 2 dead bodies in the haunted house, and there was some kind of theme about how the sex was hot because of all the death, it was sort of a death/life theme. .... It was funny. The kid was much more mature than anyone else.

I'm thinking it was good, Not Great.

Some Hidden voters

There was talk this week of some voters that couldn't tell their friends who they were voting for. Seems like an interesting spot to be in. I wonder if there are groups of people who all voted for obama, and just can't tell each other. It's kind of like those pictures of Hatemongering Rednecks, who say shit like "Adam and eve not Ted and Steve" and you can tell if they would just express their love for each other, they would be happier.

I'm happy to not be working on Constructions sites because I'd be forced to punch anyone in the mouth that said "President N*$@&"

Which reminded me of this:

Maybe it's inappropriate, but it made me smile in a good way.

Super Obama World

http://superobamaworld.com/

Well Now

Sounds like Kelly has decided to do some Cross, Make sure y'all give her plenty of support. That is actually very exciting, I'm super happy for her. I hope she enjoys it.

Now more about me.... Ugh... I need to go to the grocery store and expand my fruit and vegetable supply.

Funny, I remember having my diet be soup salads and Fruit for 5 months before, I'm in day 3... and I hate it.

Every Journey a Thousand Steps.

Bravo

One would think on Bravo, it would be old shows that were good and you want to see again..... Ala "west wing"

and yet, Tim Gunns guide to style, kathy Griffin, Top Design... top model, I think Paris hilton is my BFF, Real houswives of 'Blank'....(Let me say, besides commercials, I've never seen any of these shows)

shouldn't' they call it "B grade Reality Television"... Ok, "C Grade Reality TV"

4 hours ago

I started this post, It started with Me bitching that nobody writes anything worth reading... Of course Then somebody wrote something I saw that was worth reading. I wanted more.

I went off on this long rant about how those people who are new to Politics, are about to be introduced to "The Machine". Where Nobody gets what they want, and everybody is disappointed. politics is like a Football game where the field is half as wide and 500 yards long. The defense gets 33 players and the offense only gets 11, and only 3 downs... point is, there is a lot of punting.

It can still be fun, and to be honest, it's best when nobody gets anything.

What is the song? "You don't always get what you want, but SOMETIMES you get what you need"


So, I'm not sure if I've Whined enough, but besides being out of shape, I'm back on the "Winter Diet", you know what I'm talking about. That Diet where you don't get enough exercise, and have to spend most the winter sucking your thumb, 4 cups of tea, 4 pieces of fruit, couple bowls of soup, and salads for dinner....

Oh, Joy

I don't know

So... I hear after the election Turbo, had some people Texting him making fun of his French Heritage..... I just want to remind people that:

• One of the Foundations of America is Tolerance, Even for those who don't vote, or who vote for the Party of hate and Fear (this would be the Political parties). But Tolerance of both Their Childish behaviors is What makes America Great.
• Reasons Turbo and his French Heritage are good:

1. French Fries Are Taisty
2. The French helped us during the Revolution(So the lame shit about how we saved them in WWII is a bunch of Ungrateful Bullshit, especialy since we didn't pay back what Ben Franklin promised for the help(I'm actually not sure of my Facts, but there was some thing that Franklin promised, that we didn't live up to)
3. The French also Re-invented Democracy.

I also want to thank Turbo for being the Object of this ridiculous Blog post, I have no idea about his heratage, but was looking for something to blog/Jump on my soap box about today, that somehow tied into an election that still seems like a Dream.

And remember, We are stronger together than we are Apart.

Not much

I can't put how I feel into words... Hell, I'm even proud of those of you who "Choose not to Vote", I guess that is the great thing about America.

It's halloween and History International is running "A history of god"

Learned something interesting. Yahweh.. Translated is roughly "I Am Who I am"... who knew god was Popeye.

What I like about it is that it's one of the first signs of "the new religion" Where it becomes "negative Theism" IE.. if you can't disprove it it must exist.

But if God Is what it is... and it's outside of Reality or existence, Then it becomes something You will never have evidence of therefore, you will never have a chance to disprove it.

but I digress.

Flahute and art are back on the economics rant again. This is what I like about Art; He likes to point out the inconsistencies about Government and our economic system.

but here is my deal, I've been charmed by this whole economic episode... Most charming is what I have heard for the past months from traders... and it's funny "The problem was we let Lehman Fail Which introduces Zero as an options for many companies, If we hadn't done that we would not be doing all this Socialism bailing out the banks. This is not the Free market when we are Bailing out the banks. Now With Zero as an option for companies there is no confidence in the system, and you can't invest."

I want to put this into a Formula

Letting Lehman Fail = Fremarket Act= The socialist Act of Rescuing Banks = Not a Fremarket System = No confidence = No investment.

But apparently the opposite would have been true.

The socialist act of rescuing Lehman = Not a Freemarket system = Not Rescuing banks = The Free market = confidence = Investment.

JUST TO BE CLEAR this isn't Art's Thesis.. this is just a Wallstreet Thesis.

The fun part for me is that at one point we are in a Very strange Alice in wonderland situation, Where just about everyone is very inconsistent with their logic.

But here is my Thesis... EVERYONE is very inconsistent with their logic, for the most part it's not logic it's just Rationalization, for their own narcissism. It's not for me to SHAKE MY FIST about how Ridiculous it all is. But to Realize how ridiculous everyone is, and figure out how to Profit from it.

Over all, if we allow the capitalist system to run like it should, it will collapse... and we will move on to a much more Socialist system. In fact you can suggest that it's a "Market solution" to the Capitalist system. If the Market collapses, and there is no confidence in Capitalism. The Socio-Economics of the market Will force a Much more socialist system.

In our Democracy the same thing is going on. We have tried Extreme Deregulation, and moving Heavily to the Supply side for the past 8 years... In fact it's been 30 years of that swing of the Pendulum. The Result of "the Free market" and it's Impressive 3 years of prosperity over the past 8 has made our citizens start to rethink "The Uber Free market."

I'm not saying right or Wrong, But that is the game.

But I'm a godless commie.... But I know the game.... It's for me to make money, regardless. Maybe I'm just Godless. ;)

I still love to vote.

maybe I'm just a Democrat.

hmm

What is this blog for if not to whine.

and if as has been reported and blogging is so 2006... or 2005. I'm all about it.

Maybe the universe is in FLUX, I hate to go into some bullshit MOJO. With the Election, and the economy... The universe is just all up in the air, and it's causing some imbalance in the fabric of "The Force"(snicker). OR that all just refers to how I feel right now.

I fell asleep at 7pm and woke up at 11. I'd love to fall asleep for a nice 3 hours or so before morning.

Sorry I'm just going to go in a few million directions.

I love to vote, I remember when I started voting and it was strange and frightening. Now it just brings a smile to my face. My polling place is walking distance, so at one point on Tuesday. I'll take a nice fall walk over to my polling place and Play the touchscreen. I did rather like having a Ballot. Apparently it's way to complicated for Regular people, so now I don't get one of those nice Crisp cards to punch my vote through. But Once I hit that door of my polling place I'm just happy and thrilled to have a chance to have a say in government.

It's a good thing.

Not that any of you care

Something in my life is so incompatible with Yoga. I'm just struggling like mad... and it's more than just the fitness and Limberness.

It is getting better, but it's crazy to me that I'm having trouble staying focused the whole time.

LOL, I've been tagged

And because ... Well, I'm bored today....

Oh and by the way... did the market countdown clock go to Zero? and after that What happened?

It's better to post about this than what I'm normally Babbling about.

Alright...

Eight Favorite TV Shows: (I'm not sure if they have to be Current, Maybe I'll do it Twice)

Eight Current Favorite TV Shows.
(you are about to find out what a snob I am.)

1. Engineering an Empire(History Channel)
2. House-It's just an addiction at this point, It was best the first 3 seasons.
3. Naked Archaeologist-(History Channel) Umn I don't know anything about Biblical Archeology. It's amusing to watch Archeology, of what I see as a Fiction. But it's not like it's proof of Jesus or Moses, but Proof that the places In the bible actually exist.
4. Monk- Not as good as it's been.
5. Nova. There was an Ok deal about Fractals
   
6. Frontline... It's like news only instead of a 30 second sound bite, it goes on for an hour.
7. Meet the Press
8. The Daily show.

My 8 favorite of all time.

1. ER- It was great before it became all about Carter.
2. The Shield- first 2 seasons are Must See
3. DEADWOOD
4. Law and Order-Jerry Orbach seasons
5. "24" but the first 3 maybe 4 seasons
6. West Wing (till the presidents daughter was Kidnapped)
7. House
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

(this is where it gets boring)
Eight things I did yesterday

1. took a walk
2. Avoided yoga(it's something. I'm having a tough time these days working out.. so it's the old fall back)
3. Obsessed about how Republicans are all about FearMongering... and how that is no way to live.
4. Read about Bond investing.
5. Made Coffee
6. Took my vitamins.
7. Watched Politics on tv
8. Slept poorly

Eight Things I look forward too:

1. Spring
2. Going on vacation(when ever I decide to do it)
3. I'm actually excited for some winter bike rides, it's actually nice some times to be cooped up then make it outside.
4. I'm looking forward to seeing all the Big 3 car makers to have a nice Come to Jesus, and realize that the Business model they have is completely broken, and for them to come up with something new (fat chance, the Government will just cut them a check to keep them afloat)
5. Winter Runs, after it snows.(it will be novel for a couple weeks, then I'll just be annoyed by the extra laundry)
6. Some day Reviving this blog.
7. A regular workout schedule
8. Next Planting season.

Eight Favorite restaurants:

1. Trolley wing company
2. The Pie(fortunately they have one out here in the Burbs now, so I don't have to travel or elbow people.
3. Tai Siam
4. Beto's Mexican.
5. Beyond that I don't eat out much.

Eight things on my wish list:

1. Less Stress
2. More time
3. More time to read
4. For Christmas and Thanksgiving to be over.
5. (i'd have a more extensive list... but it just gets sad)
6. I want a car that is Ugly, High Gas Mileage(Like 60MPG), and low maintenance.
7. I want every insurance company on the planet to go Bankrupt. I can not believe that you can have financial trouble as a company that sells something they never intend to follow through on.
8. World Peace

Eight people to tag....
I'm sure this ruins the chain letter quality of a tag and I'll have bad luck or something...

But ... You know who you are.

Something to this blog

Politics is in full swing... Fun stuff.

Did you know that Salt lake county is More than 50% Non-Morman. From that you can draw a high probability that it's mostly Democrat.

So, when you show up to vote, Either way it's an important vote.

The disappointing thing is when people don't realize that on these salt lake county issues, your vote is very important. One could almost say it's almost a republican advantage to have you convinced that your vote does not count.

Moreover, on say the vote for president... say you voted instead of Not voting. Thee would be a greater possibility that when the election is done and the popular vote may not be the electoral vote. If your opinion is that your vote doesn't count because of the electoral process, maybe if the popular vote was not the electoral vote more often... it would motivate our legislative branch to change the constitution.

Haunted

I'm sitting here Watching a late night movie about a Vietnam vet who has post traumatic stress, I was reflecting on how all the WWII and Civil war Veterans, suffered the same thing. How many of them were expected to suffer in silence, Or who Couldn't and were Marginalized by our society. Then reflecting on how Maybe by giving it a name "post Traumatic stress Disorder"... I reflect on if Maybe it was better to suffer in silence... or maybe it wasn't.

This then reminded me of how I was today about how my life could have been different had I been encouraged by a different teacher in HighSchool. Of course To Place on a level playing field My being haunted by Highschool, and Post traumatic stress from war..... Well is stupid. It is how memory works it seems, more emotional the event more likely we are to re-experience it.

Joe the Pulmber

Not Actual Plumber, and Tax Cheat.

Of course McCain wants to give him a Tax break.

Republican way, everyone who can afford to pay taxes, shouldn't pay them

Palin bags a bigfoot.

BatBoy lives!!! Weekly world news

Palin

Alright It's here

I have a countdown clock to to the bottom of the stock market, it's above and I've added it.

Tuesday october 28th Just after noon based on the decay rate of the market....

somebody will be able to buy every stock on the entire market, for the price of a cup of Coffee.

I've already put in my order on all the indexes.... So don't bother trying to get ahead of me....

I will own the corporate universe in 18 days and 7 minutes 47 seconds.......

MUaaaahhhhhhaaaaaaaaaa

Goodness

I promised to shut up when they took action.....

What a nasty week.... Who knew in a leadership vacuum, when the president comes out talking about the great depression... that everyone would freak out, put money in the mattress. and throw their 401k's out......

What makes all this extra scary is that it's Wall Street caught in the bubble, this time....

they are all like "we went to business school, we understand business cycles.... How could it be us who contract...... We are special!!!"

"so special as to not be included in the business cycle?"

I'll try and come up with something fun to blog about.....

"the craziest life I've ever lead"

Freeloader Wallstreet California Fat Cats want another hand out.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, alarmed by the ongoing national financial crisis, warned Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson on Thursday that the state might need an emergency loan of as much as $7 billion from the federal government within weeks.

The warning comes as California is close to running out of cash to fund day-to-day government operations and is unable to access routine short-term loans that it typically relies on to remain solvent.

....payments to schools and other government entities could quickly be suspended and state employees could be laid off.

"Absent a clear resolution to this financial crisis, California and other states may be unable to obtain the necessary level of financing to maintain government operations and may be forced to turn to the federal treasury for short-term financing," Schwarzenegger wrote in the letter, according to the paper.



When Will America wake up and realize it's best for them to lose their state jobs..... What ever happens don't bail out these wall street fat cats..... we need to stand up to teachers and Pothole fillers, and public servants.... that they are off the public tit.... These fat cats are ruining america!!!! California and a few other states have destroyed their economy and need to suffer a free market death....

Keep those phone calls going.... NO FATCAT BAILOUT. Thank god for guys like Jim Matheson.... True hero's bringing america to it's Knees

this is how crazy shit is

If your house is financed at 5%, you could loan GE that money at 6.5% and have them help you out with 1.5% of your house payment...

assuming you had access to your home equity in cash...

Credit affects manufacturing

From this story

Business at Power Curbers Inc., which makes machines that lay sidewalks and curbs, had been slow for a while, given its link to the construction business. Its domestic business fell about 35% from the first of the year through about August, says Dyke Messinger, chief executive of the family-owned business, based in Salisbury, N.C.

But as the financial situation worsened over recent weeks, customers -- who typically finance purchases -- suddenly stopped ordering and one major order was yanked. "We haven't had a domestic order in six weeks," says Mr. Messinger. "At this point, that's unprecedented."

Faced with such an abrupt drying up of business, the company on Tuesday decided to shut its assembly line for two weeks, which means temporary layoffs for most of its 100 workers.

Let me grant, that some of this is economic slowdown... But the example is valid, Credit affects buisness. Which then effects Employment, which then creates a feedback loop on the economy. Certainly credit will never flow like it has over the past 10 years, But... this only gets worse without action.

Unless you are sitting in a fallout shelter on a Big fat pile of gold with a bunch of firearms.....

ME? I don't want to live that way.....

And, I am a crack shot, and I'm fairly sure I can get you on the way out of your bunker, and take your food and gold.....

Just letting you know....Whoever you are....Damn Fat cats.... ;)

Ok... Seriously I'll be over this in a week or so..... Unless the house doesn't past the Economic rescue bailout fatcat... So... Honestly call and write in support of it... or you will get more of my countdown to economic disaster blog....

What is a day without a rant

Again... The most probable thing is that due to disastrous socio/economic climate. We push or economy off the cliff of "laissez-faire" disaster....

Then in a few years after the public decides it's done punishing the "fat cats" BTW the "Fat Cats" are in gold...

I digress, but when the public gets done punishing themselves... the fat cats will be ready to come in and clean up..... Yep... we sure will punish those fat cats....

Once they clean up, selling gold and buying all the land after you lose your job and get foreclosed on and they push everyone into tenement housing.... Don't worry then we will have "the New New Deal"... then the middle class can struggle to be land owners again over the course of a decade.

Yep..... Keep those calls going to your representatives about how you don't want an economic rescue.... cause we want to punish Bush cause he has no credibility, and we want to punish the 3000 overpaid CEO's in the country.

Again with the dead horse..... Half of the largest banks and most of wall street are gone!! Moreover, about half of those currently employed will either quit because they can't make money, or will get laid off over the next year..... I'm just thinking that Destroying the other half of the financial system... probably isn't a good idea. Much of corporate America will shrink over the next 2 years.

Somebody said "many economists disagree with the plan"... Well it's sausage making, And "most economists think instead of giving them a loan, we should take a direct stake in the banks instead.".... Hear how popular a loan is? How popular would a direct bail out of each bank going to be?

Some correspondence

I was just firing off some email.

I absolutely think that congress needs to do more for "the people" and it's coming....

but... it's not a choice between buisness and "the people"... that is a false choice....

they go hand in hand... it would be nice to see less fudruckers and more mom and pop business

Sausage making

I watched Democracy now last night. Don't doubt, I think our economy is a disaster. Too many people working dead end jobs for not enough money and benefits.

It will take time to heal.

Here is the stupid thing that is out there. This plan, isn't great..... but

There are these people who say "We Won" by defeating the plan...... And now the stupidity comes out... Cause now they say... We can now do it MY WAY. This is the kind of "If everyone doesn't play the game my way, I'm taking my ball home".

The republicans are now saying "We need more deregulation, and tax cuts for the wealthy."
then some of the other people say:"We need the New New deal", Which is basically bread and circus. Everyone who is behind on a mortgage needs to get a work out, and yet how is that rewarding people who are suffering every day to pay it off. ... and where is the benefit for the rest of us.... Where is my hand out....

Politics is sausage making, they take some pork, and some chicken, and some beef... and keep adding, until the bill passes. that is how this works, no bill is any good, there are no utopias, and Yes Virginia, there is no Santa clause.