Here’s a special message for residents of Minnesota’s 9th Congressional district – all the water surface area in the state – from Congressman Loomis Beechly.
Greetings Constituents!
I’m looking forward to the President’s State of the Union address tonight because I can’t wait to see who’s going to be sitting with whom! Random seating! It’s like the Red Carpet walk at the Oscars, with all eyes on who gets out of the car and in what order. Once inside it’ll be fascinating to see how the very same people who have called each other tyrants, traitors and terrorist coddlers will now try to do the dance of fake friendship. But you can’t get elected if you’re not able to put up a false front, so I’m sure we can make it look very warm and pleasant. And if we pretend hard enough, it could start to come true!
I know that some of you will be scanning the crowd to see if you can find me. Unfortunately, you are at the mercy of the TV networks, and frankly, I’m not a very prominent congressman. Even though January is the time of year when the 9th District has it’s largest permanent population (ice fishing season), the chances are good that the camera will never settle on me. But that’s OK. Back in the district, I’ve already given my annual State of the Ice Shack (and Pick Up Truck) Address, so I’ve had all the limelight and beef jerky a guy can handle.
Congressman Beechly's State of the Ice Shack (and Pick Up Truck) Address
As far as the State of the Union is concerned … I try not to get too bound up in pettiness and partisanship. In the spirit of this year’s grand gesture I will try to sit in between two people I genuinely despise. Who it will be I can’t say at the moment because there are so many to choose from, but you can count on this – I’ll be suffering, and I’m guessing they will be too.
If you see me you will notice one more thing (besides the identities of my worst enemies). I have decided to hold my applause until the very end of the speech. Why? Because the State of the Union is a very very important duty of the president (he has to do it – it’s in the Constitution)! We shouldn’t let it turn into a pep rally. In recent years too many of us in Congress have put our energy into coordinated ovations – so much that we actually miss a lot of what the president is saying. Frankly, there are times when I can’t even recall who had the job before, um, the guy who’s holding it now. So this time I’m resolved to sit quietly and listen.
Besides, back when I sat next to my friends, all I had to do was get up when they got up, stay seated when they stayed seated, and just generally do everything they did. Absent those cues, I might make a terrible mistake and jump up and cheer or cross my arms and fume at the wrong time, going with real emotion rather than remembering what I’m supposed to do. That’s the kind of bad political trouble you can get into when you try to think. So I’m not going to applaud or stand up at all, and I’ll try not to have a facial expression of any kind. My goal is to get through this thing gaffe-free.
But don’t let any of that get out, or the cameras will be on me for sure.
I do hope everyone in the 9th district will watch the State of the Union speech tonight. It is, after all, an opportunity to watch a guy hard at work fulfilling the requirements of his employment. And in America today, to have the chance to see someone actually doing their job … a job that they are paid to do – a job with great health coverage from an employer who will also provide them with a decent pension … well, it’s rare. Like seeing a Dodo Bird. Who talks! I wouldn’t miss it, and neither should you!
Yours in good government,
Hon. Loomis Beechly
Will you watch the State of the Union speech tonight?
And the counter-speech?
I am just full of questions this a.m. But first this: I will watch the President speak if indeed I can tolerate listening to him. There was an eight year gap in which I felt like I was listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. The eight years prior to that, those speeches were a bit long and I did not have that much time. And no, I never listen to the response speech. Although I did hear so much about Bobby Jindal sounding like Kenneth on 30 Rock, that I regret not listening to that one for the comic effect.
Now for questions:
1. How do plug in a TV on water surface area to watch the speech in the 9th?
2. Can I get up if I need to go to the ladie’s room?
3. If I, like the impassioned Representative from last year’s speech, feel the urge to verbally abuse the president and I don’t do it, will it hurt my emotional well-being?
4. What happens if I sit next to an enemy and find I actually like him/her? My street cred, or in this case, my water cred could suffer.
I might just skip the speech, thought I like listening to Obama. This protocol thing might cramp my style.
Not sure if I’ll watch tonight… I usually don’t. It makes feel jaded to say, but normally there is no new news in these speeches. If I want to have a nice inspirational speech, then I might tune in, but past experience suggests I probably won’t.
However, I do think the commentary on the seating might be interesting. I figure that everyone will want to put on the best show possible and will be fighting to sit next to their worst enemies!
You are probably right, VS. I haven’t been following the news on the seating for the speech. From what I was told I think this is suposed to be a show of being bipartisan. There shouldn’t be a lot of conflict when trying to be bipartisan, but we can’t count on that. In fact, we can expect the opposite.
From comments late last night… looks like we have a field trip in the making. If Liberty Custard stays open a few more days (they’ve said they might), let’s plan on a Saturday 4ish meeting for one last sundae, cone, veggie dog…. we should know on Thursday is they will still be open on Saturday.
I read that, too – though they are selling the little red car. Daughter has asked a couple of times how much the car costs…(more than we have, sweetie, more than we have…)
I think I will have to take a position similar to Beechly and not reveal if I will be listening to the State of the Union address. Beechly will be protecting him self by staying in his seat and not showing any expression and I will not say if I will be listening to the address.
I think Beechly has become very cynical. How can he say you can’t get elected if you don’t put up a false face? He is setting a bad example. Maybe I should rethink my position and reveal that maybe I will listen to the address.
I usually listen and wish there was more commentary like in golf. Tonight I need to go to a theatre award event so will miss it. I am willing to bet that my 6th District congressperson will not be smooching this president.
Isn’t she going to be busy adjusting her hair and makeup for her own rebuttal during his speech. Surely she already knows what she is going to say, regardless of what he says, so why bother sitting there and listening in the first place?
I’m hopeless. I will listen tonight, no matter how bland the speech is. For one thing, I’ll be listening to commentary on the speech for days afterward, so I might as well listen to the thing. If I weren’t so cash-strapped, I’d make the speech more fun with a drinking game. Every time Obama says “bipartisan” I would down a beer. The same for each use of the cliche “going forward.” By evening’s end, I’d be mellow and full of optimism for my country.
Too bad we can’t do these things the way the car shows are run. When they bring out a new model of the Intimida, there is a hellacious amount of dry ice smoke, a swell of music, a spinning stage with nearly-naked models in spike heels and an executive in a suit grinning as if this new model were roughly equivalent to The Second Coming. Now, if we had that kind of announcement for “Greater Fiscal Responsibility!” or “Leaving no Budget Gimmick Behind!!!” I could cheer and feel good, Going Forward (glug, glug, glug!).
Okay, Steve. If you are going to watch the speech, I guess will watch it. How much beer would you need to have on hand to down a beer every time Obama says bipartisan? That seems to be one of his favorite words. Would it be okay just to raise my wine glass and and take a sip?
Ben Allow me to give you the CSI Miami Drinking Game. This is just my invention, but it would be a good one if you had a young crowd. Every time David Caruso fiddles with his sunglasses or says something disgustingly arch and knowing, you go bottoms up with your beer.
You’ve got it Barbara! Liberal drinking games should involve sipping wine, not chugging beer, and maybe you should throw in there the obligatory line, “Of course . . . I don’t really watch much television.”
Okay, I really don’t watch much television. Well, that’s not exactly right. Beechly said that politicans need to be able to show a false face. Maybe liberals also need to show a false face and those, like me, to the left of liberal, need to completely hide their faces.
Um, I really DON’T watch that much television, but from what I have been hearing in preview land, it might be worth staying moderately sober to keep track of whether or not the response counters the use of the word “investment” with the use of the word “spending” one for one.
I have to find more ‘beer drinking’ friends… I think we’ll be better off w/ the ‘Wine Sipping’ games.
I did laugh at the David Caruso game though– thanks for that.
Perhaps I can pour myself a glass of Baileys Irish Creme and play along…
I will be meeting with my other book club tonight. And as much as we’re fans of Obama, we won’t let that get in the way of an evening of wine and laughter (this is the book club where we measure a good meeting by seeing if we can laugh hard enough to get one member in particular to fall off her chair…last month she was sitting on the floor, but we did get her to fall backwards). I may try to catch some of the highlights later, and I do feel a touch guilty for not watching, but book club is book club. We’ve been meeting for about 17 years (I was pregnant when we threw ourselves a 10th anniversary party, which is the only reason I can remember the number) – it’s a great group of women.
So sorry Congressman Beechly, but you and our president will be trumped by books and friends.
Imagine BBC after 17 years, with the occasional dance party and weekends away (and the odd conversation best kept within single-gender groups) – that’s my other book club. We have been there for each other for weddings, funerals, births, job loss, job promotions, house purchases, most every life change that could possibly happen, with the exception – thus far – of divorce (a couple members have married and divorced, but the drama of that happened prior to their joining the group). Plus, if we make C. laugh enough, she falls over. 🙂
Hmmm, does that mean GLEE won’t be on? Or will it simply be later?
…I’m not really that shallow, I just come across that way…
We don’t usually watch the speeches… I catch up with the headlines and talking heads the next couple days…
Personally, I’m up for election at the township level in March. Thankfully we don’t have to give a ‘State of the Township’ address… but we do have an annual meeting and send out a newsletter. Might have a crowd depending on the weather and I think most of the neighbors get along… In the meantime, I won’t be out kissing babies or asking for money. And my constituents like it that way.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, and fry onion and garlic until tender. Stir in spices. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Mix in garbanzo beans and their liquid. Continue to cook and stir until all ingredients are well blended and heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro just before serving, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Makes 4 servings, which must not be shared with anyone outside your household (this is the non-Amish part). Serve with “Adieu, Angelina” playing in background.
There is a very funny skit on SCTV from the 1980’s about Nana Mouskouri and her glasses. I’m not sure how to make a link to it here but just google SCTV parody of Nana Mousouri and you will find it.
When you find a good pair of glasses and they work for you, you just have to keep them. I like my little round funky glasses that I’ve had since 1996 or ’97… I just get new lenses once every year or two. I also have to keep tightening the screws in the temple so they don’t fall off. 😉
I haven’t gotten glasses for a long time – the optical shops have nothing except those little rectangular things, and I don’t like them much. I’m waiting for something else to become trendy.
Nah, I think I’ll give it a miss. Got the health club, still shopping for a 3 piece suit for my niece’s wedding next month, got a short story for an anthology that’s months past my deadline to finish…just, y’know, stuff that needs to get done. Hey! There’s my ‘state of me’ speech.
I won’t watch. This is political theater at its worst. Nothing of substance is ever said. Platitudes are tossed out like the Shriners clowns tossing candy to kids at 4th of July parades. The incessant clapping and standing ovations–or not clapping and not standing–are so scripted as to be ludicrous. In essence the President has a 15-minute speech that is stretched to 45 minutes in order to make it seem much more important.
A State of the Union speech would be valuable and worth listening to if the President (and the responder) were both honest and admitted what the serious problems are, then gave us real, defined, detailed proposals on how they would go about solving the problem. Unfortunately, Government is so massive and the problems so many that no one really has a handle on all of the problems, let alone can offer a coherent solution, and the President or the responder can’t possibly address every important issue in one speech.
So we are doused with glittering generalities, patriotic slogans, and ‘Kumbaya, feel-good’ reassurances that the USA is still and will always be the greatest country in the world, can do no wrong, and with time and a little more effort on our part, can convert the rest of the world to our way of life and philosophy.
The day a president says in plain English, “We’re in trouble, folks. Government is just too darn big and we aren’t as effective as we thought we would be in solving certain problems in our society, so we’re going to stop making things worse and stop trying to micromanage every aspect of our citizens lives. The programs that haven’t worked will be ditched and we’ll stop playing favorites through the tax code and special interest lobbying of all kinds,” will be the day I start listening to State of the Union addresses.
Chris in Owatonna
(still as cynical toward government as ever 🙂 )
Really? Shriners can’t throw candy anymore? It’s better to draw the kids toward the large vehicle to try and hand them candy, some of which will (inevitably) be dropped and roll under the car so that people will have to keep closer track of the kids as they come and go? …yeah…uh-huh… Who’s the genius?
No TV here anymore, and it’s excruciating to listen to these on the radio, so no, not tonight. Will hear excerpts tomorrow, I’m sure. Have a good day, ‘booners.
I’ll be watching. Like Jacque, I took an 8 year hiatus there for awhile, as we only have the one tv, which we don’t watch that much, but do like to see Nova and the Olympics and such, and we could not do that anymore if I had thrown something through the screen. Watched faithfully when living in DC during the Clinton era, because it always amazed me that the after speech chatter on the news seemed to have been brought on by a completely different speech than the one I had just seen.
Maybe if you mix blue curacao with red wine? (eeew….okay, maybe not…). I do have a vague memory of drinking some flavor of blue wine once that wasn’t curacao – it was pretty nasty (tasted vaguely like alcoholic suntan lotion as I recall).
I think I have seen that, maybe at the little shop I go to once a year in Black River Falls, but that would still be more purple (which would also be VERY bipartisan).
Pinot Noir is kind of a dark red, almost purple, wine usually. Maybe that would come close to a bipartisan color. It would work for the blue dog Democrates who are almost Republican. Due to my leftist leanings I might consider Vodka for my drink.
Lynfred Winery in Roselle, IL makes a spectacular blueberry wine. Trust me, I used to live half a block from the place and we tasted weekly for years. All their wines were excellent, some unbelievably great. They made a world class chardonnay back in the 90s- not sure if it’s still that good now. All the fruit wines were literally liquid fruit in a bottle. Mmmmmmmm…
One of the rules from Will Durst’s 2011 State of the Union Drinking Game (on his blog):
“Every time Barack H Obama mentions bipartisanship, everybody has to drink 2 shots of beer. If he talks about the lessons of Tucson, the last person to throw their arms in the air, fall to their knees and shout “Hallelujah!” has to drink 1 entire beer.”
I’ll watch out of the corner of my eye. I’m working on a project so I’ll be listening but looking at my work.
Like a few others here, I tuned out for an eight year stretch. Barack Obama is really a really strong orator and I do enjoy listening to the art he makes of a speech. I’m still giving him a chance. I was a Hillary voter and when he won, I promised myself I’d give him the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn’t want his job or the mess he inherited.
I do also agree with some of what chitrader said about the scripting of the State of the Union addresses in general. It does seem over-produced. I’ll leave it at that.
OT – It’s been a strange day. I may end up seeing the speech after all, at the hospital where they’ve “detained” Husband so he can have open heart surgery on Thursday. Uffda (whichever one was the biggest). Please send prayers and energy Thursday.
I think a robust “Fee Flesk” would be in order here. A Swedish friend tells me it means “Ish! pork!” and has great emotional significance in Stockholm.
Uff da is the least of them – this may just be a fei da, but I think it’s an ish da. Will send good, healing thoughts to you and Husband between now and Thursday.
Oh, Barbara, I’m sure you are concerned. I’ll bet, however, that a doctor would tell you that the real threat was in the day or two before he was diagnosed. Now they know what is wrong and they know what to do about it. We’ll all be pushing for you in the next days and hours!
great state of the union speech, wisconsin republican gave his response in spite of the voice oback used. i can hardly wait for michelle repy. i hear they are going to give the ta party a seperate respnse. (not cbs appearantly)
I could not for the life of me figure out who the facial mannerisms of Congressman Ryan reminded me of until the s&h mentioned it. Winston Rothschild of Red Green fame, the perpetually optimistic entrepreneur of Rothschild’s Sewage and Septic Sucking services. Same eye acting, same head tilting.
Trip update: we spent the day in Sedona. Sandy woke up sick. Not sure of next steps. We are spending a few days with friends in Phoenix and still want to see the G. Canyon. Few options for us.
Trail Baboon 
Rise and Applaud Baboons:
I am just full of questions this a.m. But first this: I will watch the President speak if indeed I can tolerate listening to him. There was an eight year gap in which I felt like I was listening to fingernails on a chalkboard. The eight years prior to that, those speeches were a bit long and I did not have that much time. And no, I never listen to the response speech. Although I did hear so much about Bobby Jindal sounding like Kenneth on 30 Rock, that I regret not listening to that one for the comic effect.
Now for questions:
1. How do plug in a TV on water surface area to watch the speech in the 9th?
2. Can I get up if I need to go to the ladie’s room?
3. If I, like the impassioned Representative from last year’s speech, feel the urge to verbally abuse the president and I don’t do it, will it hurt my emotional well-being?
4. What happens if I sit next to an enemy and find I actually like him/her? My street cred, or in this case, my water cred could suffer.
I might just skip the speech, thought I like listening to Obama. This protocol thing might cramp my style.
LikeLike
I just caught up on last night’s posts. Big gathering planned at Liberty Custard, 4:00 to 4:30 pm Saturday. A Bambooni Family Flash Mob.
LikeLike
I love the concept of water cred; it’s very Midwestern.
LikeLike
Morning all!
Not sure if I’ll watch tonight… I usually don’t. It makes feel jaded to say, but normally there is no new news in these speeches. If I want to have a nice inspirational speech, then I might tune in, but past experience suggests I probably won’t.
However, I do think the commentary on the seating might be interesting. I figure that everyone will want to put on the best show possible and will be fighting to sit next to their worst enemies!
LikeLike
You are probably right, VS. I haven’t been following the news on the seating for the speech. From what I was told I think this is suposed to be a show of being bipartisan. There shouldn’t be a lot of conflict when trying to be bipartisan, but we can’t count on that. In fact, we can expect the opposite.
LikeLike
From comments late last night… looks like we have a field trip in the making. If Liberty Custard stays open a few more days (they’ve said they might), let’s plan on a Saturday 4ish meeting for one last sundae, cone, veggie dog…. we should know on Thursday is they will still be open on Saturday.
LikeLike
I’ll be there (possibly with Darling Daughter)! Gotta get that yummy custard while I can.
LikeLike
I read in the paper that the people who bought the place also bought the custard machine, there is hope that it won’t be gone forever.
LikeLike
I read that, too – though they are selling the little red car. Daughter has asked a couple of times how much the car costs…(more than we have, sweetie, more than we have…)
LikeLike
Good morning to all,
I think I will have to take a position similar to Beechly and not reveal if I will be listening to the State of the Union address. Beechly will be protecting him self by staying in his seat and not showing any expression and I will not say if I will be listening to the address.
I think Beechly has become very cynical. How can he say you can’t get elected if you don’t put up a false face? He is setting a bad example. Maybe I should rethink my position and reveal that maybe I will listen to the address.
LikeLike
I usually listen and wish there was more commentary like in golf. Tonight I need to go to a theatre award event so will miss it. I am willing to bet that my 6th District congressperson will not be smooching this president.
LikeLike
No, but she’ll probably have a very nice graph or chart tracking how much she doesn’t like him.
LikeLike
Isn’t she going to be busy adjusting her hair and makeup for her own rebuttal during his speech. Surely she already knows what she is going to say, regardless of what he says, so why bother sitting there and listening in the first place?
LikeLike
Well, she might kisshim like she did Dubya.
But no tongue this time. Definitely no tongue.
LikeLike
oh ish
LikeLike
I’m hopeless. I will listen tonight, no matter how bland the speech is. For one thing, I’ll be listening to commentary on the speech for days afterward, so I might as well listen to the thing. If I weren’t so cash-strapped, I’d make the speech more fun with a drinking game. Every time Obama says “bipartisan” I would down a beer. The same for each use of the cliche “going forward.” By evening’s end, I’d be mellow and full of optimism for my country.
Too bad we can’t do these things the way the car shows are run. When they bring out a new model of the Intimida, there is a hellacious amount of dry ice smoke, a swell of music, a spinning stage with nearly-naked models in spike heels and an executive in a suit grinning as if this new model were roughly equivalent to The Second Coming. Now, if we had that kind of announcement for “Greater Fiscal Responsibility!” or “Leaving no Budget Gimmick Behind!!!” I could cheer and feel good, Going Forward (glug, glug, glug!).
LikeLike
Okay, Steve. If you are going to watch the speech, I guess will watch it. How much beer would you need to have on hand to down a beer every time Obama says bipartisan? That seems to be one of his favorite words. Would it be okay just to raise my wine glass and and take a sip?
LikeLike
Steve, if politics were actually that much fun everyone would be doing it!
LikeLike
Ben Allow me to give you the CSI Miami Drinking Game. This is just my invention, but it would be a good one if you had a young crowd. Every time David Caruso fiddles with his sunglasses or says something disgustingly arch and knowing, you go bottoms up with your beer.
LikeLike
I guess my hoped for modification of siping wine instead of downing a beer wouldn’t work. Is that right?
LikeLike
No, you get to make your own rules. Sipping wine sounds like my kind of game, especially if I want to be conscioius by end of said speech.
LikeLike
You’ve got it Barbara! Liberal drinking games should involve sipping wine, not chugging beer, and maybe you should throw in there the obligatory line, “Of course . . . I don’t really watch much television.”
LikeLike
Okay, I really don’t watch much television. Well, that’s not exactly right. Beechly said that politicans need to be able to show a false face. Maybe liberals also need to show a false face and those, like me, to the left of liberal, need to completely hide their faces.
LikeLike
Um, I really DON’T watch that much television, but from what I have been hearing in preview land, it might be worth staying moderately sober to keep track of whether or not the response counters the use of the word “investment” with the use of the word “spending” one for one.
LikeLike
I have to find more ‘beer drinking’ friends… I think we’ll be better off w/ the ‘Wine Sipping’ games.
I did laugh at the David Caruso game though– thanks for that.
Perhaps I can pour myself a glass of Baileys Irish Creme and play along…
LikeLike
Oooo! Bailey’s I have, I’ll join you on that one, Ben.
LikeLike
The ‘hint of caramel’ flavor is my favorite…
LikeLike
I had no idea-such a sheltered life I have led.
The cold I am trying to off-load is strongly suggesting brandy.
LikeLike
I guess I know what I’m bringing to the next TB/BBC get-together…
LikeLike
Oooh, you guys better hope that David Caruso doesn’t have much on-screen time. A Bailey’s hangover is “world class.” Be keerful what you wish for.
LikeLike
I will be meeting with my other book club tonight. And as much as we’re fans of Obama, we won’t let that get in the way of an evening of wine and laughter (this is the book club where we measure a good meeting by seeing if we can laugh hard enough to get one member in particular to fall off her chair…last month she was sitting on the floor, but we did get her to fall backwards). I may try to catch some of the highlights later, and I do feel a touch guilty for not watching, but book club is book club. We’ve been meeting for about 17 years (I was pregnant when we threw ourselves a 10th anniversary party, which is the only reason I can remember the number) – it’s a great group of women.
So sorry Congressman Beechly, but you and our president will be trumped by books and friends.
LikeLike
I am working late tonight, so I won’t be able to watch either The Honorable Mr. Beechly or the President. I wish I could be at a book club instead.
LikeLike
Especially Anna’s book club.
LikeLike
Imagine BBC after 17 years, with the occasional dance party and weekends away (and the odd conversation best kept within single-gender groups) – that’s my other book club. We have been there for each other for weddings, funerals, births, job loss, job promotions, house purchases, most every life change that could possibly happen, with the exception – thus far – of divorce (a couple members have married and divorced, but the drama of that happened prior to their joining the group). Plus, if we make C. laugh enough, she falls over. 🙂
LikeLike
My other book club sounds very similar… we’re going on 22 years. But we don’t have anyone who falls off the chair when she laughs!
LikeLike
Morning–
Hmmm, does that mean GLEE won’t be on? Or will it simply be later?
…I’m not really that shallow, I just come across that way…
We don’t usually watch the speeches… I catch up with the headlines and talking heads the next couple days…
Personally, I’m up for election at the township level in March. Thankfully we don’t have to give a ‘State of the Township’ address… but we do have an annual meeting and send out a newsletter. Might have a crowd depending on the weather and I think most of the neighbors get along… In the meantime, I won’t be out kissing babies or asking for money. And my constituents like it that way.
LikeLike
I wouldn’t put it past you, though, to try to curry favor with loaves of Amish Friendship Bread, though. 😉
LikeLike
Just don’t offer curry flavored loaves of Amish Friendship Bread or you will truly go down to defeat
LikeLike
I prefer non-Amish curry. (Hey, isn’t she a Greek singer?)
LikeLike
Linda, that’s so funny! Don’t you love her glasses?
LikeLike
I have to respect a person who wears the same glasses all her life.
And might I say, this is the only place in the world I could throw out a line about non-Amish curry and hope to be understood.
LikeLike
Non-Amish Curry
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger root, finely chopped
3 whole cloves
1 (2 inch) stick cinnamon, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, and fry onion and garlic until tender. Stir in spices. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring constantly. Mix in garbanzo beans and their liquid. Continue to cook and stir until all ingredients are well blended and heated through. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro just before serving, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Makes 4 servings, which must not be shared with anyone outside your household (this is the non-Amish part). Serve with “Adieu, Angelina” playing in background.
LikeLike
You lost me back at the curry flavored Amish Friendship Bread… 🙂
LikeLike
Ben, google the name Nana Mouskouri, and you will understand. (maybe)
LikeLike
There is a very funny skit on SCTV from the 1980’s about Nana Mouskouri and her glasses. I’m not sure how to make a link to it here but just google SCTV parody of Nana Mousouri and you will find it.
LikeLike
Not unexpectedly, there is a YouTube video.
LikeLike
Okay, that one was Adieu, Angeline; here’s the SCTV spoof.
LikeLike
And…she fumbles the link. Let me try again… SCTV parody.
LikeLike
Third time is the charm. SCTV spoof.
LikeLike
When you find a good pair of glasses and they work for you, you just have to keep them. I like my little round funky glasses that I’ve had since 1996 or ’97… I just get new lenses once every year or two. I also have to keep tightening the screws in the temple so they don’t fall off. 😉
LikeLike
I haven’t gotten glasses for a long time – the optical shops have nothing except those little rectangular things, and I don’t like them much. I’m waiting for something else to become trendy.
LikeLike
Nah, I think I’ll give it a miss. Got the health club, still shopping for a 3 piece suit for my niece’s wedding next month, got a short story for an anthology that’s months past my deadline to finish…just, y’know, stuff that needs to get done. Hey! There’s my ‘state of me’ speech.
LikeLike
I won’t watch. This is political theater at its worst. Nothing of substance is ever said. Platitudes are tossed out like the Shriners clowns tossing candy to kids at 4th of July parades. The incessant clapping and standing ovations–or not clapping and not standing–are so scripted as to be ludicrous. In essence the President has a 15-minute speech that is stretched to 45 minutes in order to make it seem much more important.
A State of the Union speech would be valuable and worth listening to if the President (and the responder) were both honest and admitted what the serious problems are, then gave us real, defined, detailed proposals on how they would go about solving the problem. Unfortunately, Government is so massive and the problems so many that no one really has a handle on all of the problems, let alone can offer a coherent solution, and the President or the responder can’t possibly address every important issue in one speech.
So we are doused with glittering generalities, patriotic slogans, and ‘Kumbaya, feel-good’ reassurances that the USA is still and will always be the greatest country in the world, can do no wrong, and with time and a little more effort on our part, can convert the rest of the world to our way of life and philosophy.
The day a president says in plain English, “We’re in trouble, folks. Government is just too darn big and we aren’t as effective as we thought we would be in solving certain problems in our society, so we’re going to stop making things worse and stop trying to micromanage every aspect of our citizens lives. The programs that haven’t worked will be ditched and we’ll stop playing favorites through the tax code and special interest lobbying of all kinds,” will be the day I start listening to State of the Union addresses.
Chris in Owatonna
(still as cynical toward government as ever 🙂 )
LikeLike
And the sad part is that Shriners can’t even toss the candy anymore at the 4th of July Parade. You can only HAND candy out now!
LikeLike
And the Vulcans can’t kiss women they don’t know. What is this world coming to?
LikeLike
Tragic
LikeLike
Really? Shriners can’t throw candy anymore? It’s better to draw the kids toward the large vehicle to try and hand them candy, some of which will (inevitably) be dropped and roll under the car so that people will have to keep closer track of the kids as they come and go? …yeah…uh-huh… Who’s the genius?
LikeLike
Ever consider speech writing as a career, Chris?
LikeLike
whadja think chris? pretty close!!!
LikeLike
No TV here anymore, and it’s excruciating to listen to these on the radio, so no, not tonight. Will hear excerpts tomorrow, I’m sure. Have a good day, ‘booners.
LikeLike
I’ll be watching. Like Jacque, I took an 8 year hiatus there for awhile, as we only have the one tv, which we don’t watch that much, but do like to see Nova and the Olympics and such, and we could not do that anymore if I had thrown something through the screen. Watched faithfully when living in DC during the Clinton era, because it always amazed me that the after speech chatter on the news seemed to have been brought on by a completely different speech than the one I had just seen.
LikeLike
I will tune in. I think a glass of wine would be a good accompaniment, and in the spirit of bipartisanship, I’ll make it red.
LikeLike
Snort
LikeLike
Wouln’t true bipartisanship call for a Rose’?
LikeLike
I would think rose would be bipartisan, unless you have a source for blue wine???
LikeLike
Maybe if you mix blue curacao with red wine? (eeew….okay, maybe not…). I do have a vague memory of drinking some flavor of blue wine once that wasn’t curacao – it was pretty nasty (tasted vaguely like alcoholic suntan lotion as I recall).
LikeLike
Surely some bright Minnesotan has perfected blueberry wine?
LikeLike
I think I have seen that, maybe at the little shop I go to once a year in Black River Falls, but that would still be more purple (which would also be VERY bipartisan).
LikeLike
Pinot Noir is kind of a dark red, almost purple, wine usually. Maybe that would come close to a bipartisan color. It would work for the blue dog Democrates who are almost Republican. Due to my leftist leanings I might consider Vodka for my drink.
LikeLike
🙂 comrade!
LikeLike
Every been to a function with blue punch? Everybody’s mouth turns blue!
LikeLike
Lynfred Winery in Roselle, IL makes a spectacular blueberry wine. Trust me, I used to live half a block from the place and we tasted weekly for years. All their wines were excellent, some unbelievably great. They made a world class chardonnay back in the 90s- not sure if it’s still that good now. All the fruit wines were literally liquid fruit in a bottle. Mmmmmmmm…
Chris in Owatonna
LikeLike
One of the rules from Will Durst’s 2011 State of the Union Drinking Game (on his blog):
“Every time Barack H Obama mentions bipartisanship, everybody has to drink 2 shots of beer. If he talks about the lessons of Tucson, the last person to throw their arms in the air, fall to their knees and shout “Hallelujah!” has to drink 1 entire beer.”
LikeLike
I’ll watch out of the corner of my eye. I’m working on a project so I’ll be listening but looking at my work.
Like a few others here, I tuned out for an eight year stretch. Barack Obama is really a really strong orator and I do enjoy listening to the art he makes of a speech. I’m still giving him a chance. I was a Hillary voter and when he won, I promised myself I’d give him the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn’t want his job or the mess he inherited.
I do also agree with some of what chitrader said about the scripting of the State of the Union addresses in general. It does seem over-produced. I’ll leave it at that.
LikeLike
Didn’t mean to have “really a really…” in there.
LikeLike
Yes, but so does a royal wedding, and I like those too : )
LikeLike
OT – It’s been a strange day. I may end up seeing the speech after all, at the hospital where they’ve “detained” Husband so he can have open heart surgery on Thursday. Uffda (whichever one was the biggest). Please send prayers and energy Thursday.
LikeLike
Oy! What a day you must have had indeed. Will be thinking of you both between now and the all clear from you.
(only a true Baboon would use “detained” in this situation-good for you)
LikeLike
Barbara, I hope all goes well for you and your detained husband. Hang in there.
LikeLike
I think a robust “Fee Flesk” would be in order here. A Swedish friend tells me it means “Ish! pork!” and has great emotional significance in Stockholm.
LikeLike
Uff da is the least of them – this may just be a fei da, but I think it’s an ish da. Will send good, healing thoughts to you and Husband between now and Thursday.
LikeLike
THat is a big deal Barb. Hang in there. Let us know how things are going.
LikeLike
Will do, Barb. Peace be with you both, and healing. Amen
LikeLike
Oh, Barbara, I’m sure you are concerned. I’ll bet, however, that a doctor would tell you that the real threat was in the day or two before he was diagnosed. Now they know what is wrong and they know what to do about it. We’ll all be pushing for you in the next days and hours!
LikeLike
on their way. speedy recovery.
LikeLike
Thanks, all of you. I’ll be in touch when I can…
LikeLike
great state of the union speech, wisconsin republican gave his response in spite of the voice oback used. i can hardly wait for michelle repy. i hear they are going to give the ta party a seperate respnse. (not cbs appearantly)
LikeLike
I could not for the life of me figure out who the facial mannerisms of Congressman Ryan reminded me of until the s&h mentioned it. Winston Rothschild of Red Green fame, the perpetually optimistic entrepreneur of Rothschild’s Sewage and Septic Sucking services. Same eye acting, same head tilting.
LikeLike
Trip update: we spent the day in Sedona. Sandy woke up sick. Not sure of next steps. We are spending a few days with friends in Phoenix and still want to see the G. Canyon. Few options for us.
LikeLike