Spoof

My lazy gazpacho

2009-07-27T15:36:00.004-04:00

It's really hot and steamy today. I'm off work, so I thought, why not make some gazpacho? I sort of made up this recipe and it really worked.

I hope you like it too.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped yellow pepper
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes if you don't live in the middle of a city surrounded by expensive farmer's markets)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 teaspoon rooster (Sriracha) hot sauce

Blend all ingredients together in blender or food processor. Actually, I blended first four ingredients and then added the rest and blended until smooth. I put my soup in the refrigerator for about an hour before I served it to let the flavors blend. I put a little brewer's yeast on mine. Enjoy.

Be my friend!

2009-04-21T12:55:00.003-04:00

“Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough.”--Emily Dickinson.

I've been going through what some would describe as a "rough time" or a stressful event. A few people that I've talked to have said that when they go through tough times they prefer to be alone and hibernate. But I've always enjoyed being in the company of close pals when I'm going through hard times. It helps remind me that I'm generally a happy-go-lucky good-natured person and just enjoy being with fun people.

A recent study found that drinking with your friends is good for you (in moderation, of course)--physically speaking. The Japanese study found that light-to-moderate social drinking can actually decrease mortality and cardiovascular disease. I don't think that 3 martinis counts as light though...

Harvard researchers reported that those who have and keep lots of pals in their social circle will delay memory loss in their elderly years(woo hoo!). Wait a minute...I forgot what I was writing about.... OH, right! Friends and Health!

ANYWAY: I'm not sure I believe any of this, but one thing is for sure, I wouldn't learn how to juggle or find the only soft-serve frozen yogurt place in town if it wasn't for friends. (insert your favorite emoticon here).

Is it really a dilemma?

2009-04-15T12:34:00.003-04:00

"If we have the capacity to imagine the suffering of an animal," Masson writes, "we also have the power to refuse to allow ourselves to think about that suffering."--Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson

I've spent some time thinking about the personalities chickens after spending some time visiting with Blue and Snow at my cousin Daniel and wife Shana's home. Blue is the sweetest chicken you'll ever meet--she'll let you pet her and follow you around until you find some tasty dandelion greens for her to chomp on. Snow, on the other hand, is the queen of the yard; she lords over the other chickens with a firm cluck and a vicious nip of the beak.

Serendipitously, I discovered that Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson also ponders the individual personalities of chicken and discusses this and more in his new book: The Face on Your Plate.

The NYT published an interesting article highlighting Masson, describing him as a "author, former psychoanalyst and Freudian scholar, animal lover and vegan."

Masson apparently is peeved that others (we won't say names **cough** Omnivore's Dilemma' **cough**) like to rationalize eating of meat and the meat/dairy industry, as some sort of catch-all, well "why not" "what else are cows and chickens for. What would do with all those eggs?" I guess he's as tired as I am of the "us v. them" knee-jerk anti-vegetarian sentiment made by otherwise intelligent animal eaters to rationalize their love of tasty food. He says, "the best excuse for eating meat (or butter or eggs) is "because you like the taste.'"

Finally, it's soooo refreshing to read what I've been thinking about recently. According, to Masson, "We’re the only animal who gets to choose what we eat, so we can choose to do what’s humane and also much healthier."

Lentil Soup

2009-01-23T13:37:00.003-05:00

So I don't forget my mom's recipe (and for those of you who like it), here it is:

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1.5 cups dry red lentils (rinsed)

2 medium onions chopped

3 stalks celery

12 ozs (or so) crushed tomato

basil (dry or fresh)

salt <1 T

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

water

Directions:

After chopping vegetables and rinsing lentils, combine all ingredients in a large soup pot.

Cover with water (I leave about 2 inches short of lid).

Bring to a low boil.

Reduce heat to low to allow soup to simmer for about 1.5 hours.

The CCC for You, Me, and FDR

2009-01-22T17:07:00.004-05:00

During his inaugural speech on March 4, 1933, Roosevelt said:

"This Nation asks for action, and action now.

Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war, but at the same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our natural resources."

Kinda makes you think, huh?

Defining Ontology

2008-04-25T13:49:00.004-04:00

Last night, the topic of dinner discussion was "ontologies." This subject is typically amorphous, so I thought I'd break it down into little manageable bites (which you'll see later is apropos).

In brief, Ontology refers to a structured information model. Usually this is described as a common vocabulary of terms or concepts and how they relate to each other. I'll come back to how this effects both computers and humans.

In philosophy, Ontology, according to Wikipedia, "is the study of being or existence and forms the basic subject matter of metaphysics. It seeks to describe or posit the basic categories and relationships of being or existence to define entities and types of entities within its framework. It is the science of what is, of the kinds and structures of the objects, properties and relations in every area of reality."

In information science, (getting back humans, like librarians and data specialists) ontologies describe the classification of data in entity relationships (ERs), or the conceptual representation of structured data. Okay, my professor in library grad school used to describe these relationships in terms of a information represented in a classification schema that is oft used in building taxonomies and thesauri. Doc Soergel referred to these schemas as the building blocks of information retrieval systems in database design. The basic (classical information science theory here) ER models are:

"Used For" (UF): Indicates that a term or concept is analogous, or a substitute.
"Narrower Term" (NT): describes a hierarchical relationship, obviously, a term or concept that describes a narrower than a previous concept. The concept of "fruit" is narrower than "tree" which is narrower than "botany" which is narrower than "science", for example.
"Broader Term" (BT): the inverse of a Narrower Term.
"Related Term" (RT): this is purposefully vague--usually refers to a term or concept that is not hierarchically related to another term. Not the same as UF.

Typically, this view of information is very structured...a lot of the cool kids don't like to use it these days, but as a librarian-person, I appreciate the simplicity and the fact that it is still used.

What do the cool kids think about ontologies and information relationships? Well some still still use the classical model to build databases (heh, you have to retrieve information some how), but others describe non-classification approaches like this oft-cited guy. To reduce the long-rambling, but interesting article, Mr. Shirky feels that there is no ideal classification schema, and no way people can agree on one. Shirky thinks that we are moving away from a binary information approach to one that's more organic, like tagging or folksonomies.

So what to do? Well you can argue that if you put Soergelettes and Shirkyiods in a room together, they'll either destroy each other or come up with the perfect schema. Or maybe they'll agree to coexist as RTs. I'll get back to you.

No more French Press?

2008-01-10T09:17:00.001-05:00

I -love- my French press. I love it for the simplicity of it all: the aroma of the fresh grinds, the no-hassle mechanism, the blatant disregard for electricity, and the fun part of pressing the coffee down to create the black delicious brew. Sigh, but now here comes the sad part: unfiltered coffee (such as those made by a French press and espresso machines) is bad for you. Why? Well...first the what...

Cafestol. Cafestol is a naturally occurring diterpene molecole found in coffee beans. Terpene molecules, a type of hydrocarbon, make up the essential oils (aka lipids) of many kinds of plants. The ground coffee releases the cafestol during the brewing process in the form of oil droplets. Over time, if we drink a lot of unfiltered coffee, we can build up pretty high concentrations of the stuff. So why can this natural substance be bad? It can raise your LDL cholesterol from 6-8%. Scientists aren't completely sure why it's happening--but some studies have suggested that the cafestrol activates a gene known as "farnesoid receptor X" or FXR. The FXR induces another gene called fibroblast growth factor 15 or FGF15 which reduces the ability of the liver to regulate cholesterol levels.

So back here at my desk--I sip what will be one of my final cups of unfiltered coffee. My mother, who kindly alerted me to the world of cafestol, is getting me a manual drip porcelain coffee pot. Apparently, these type of coffee pots have been around since the 1920s. They -don't require electricity- (yay!) and I can pair them with a nice reusable cotton coffee filter (it better keep out those cafestol lipids!)

Mars Candy Kills Animals

2007-12-11T09:43:00.000-05:00

Sigh. Oh how I used to love those 3 musketeers bars (chocolately, gooey, goodness). But, I read some disturbing news today---that Mars Candy does horrible, unnecessary tests on animals. If you've read my previous posts on coffee and chocolate, you know that this type of thing makes me very very sad. Sigh.

Here's what you need to know: Mars, the maker of: M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Dove, Three Musketeers, Starburst, and Skittles, uses a separate business unit, called Symbioscience, to "undertake research programs with limited forms of animal testing involving the use of rats and mice only." This is because Mars says it is required to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of "pharmaceutical and therapeutic food products."

Please note: the following excerpt is extremely disturbing, read at will:

"Mars is currently funding a deadly experiment on rats to determine the effects of chocolate ingredients on blood vessels. Experimenters force-feed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats’ legs to expose arteries, which are clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals are killed. Mars has also funded cruel experiments in which mice were fed a candy ingredient and forced to swim in a pool of paint and water. The mice had to find a hidden platform to avoid drowning, and after the experiment they were killed and dissected. In yet another experiment supported by Mars, rats were fed cocoa and then anesthetized with carbon dioxide. Their blood was collected by having needles jabbed directly into their hearts, which can lead to internal bleeding and other deadly complications."

Now, I, for one, find it disturbing that Mars refers to animal testing of "rats and mice only"--as if bunnies are somehow higher on the animal chain. Animal ethics is extremely controversial for a lot of reasons--there are various international codes that describe the interaction with and care of animals for scientific purposes in biology, medicine agriculture, veterinary science, and so on. Many of my scientist pals point out that huge cures for both humans and animals have come at the cost of animal testing. Personally: (my opinion here) I feel 'iffy' about the scientific testing of animals IF (BIG RED IF) there are absolutely no other options (example: stem cell, etc).

What disturbs me, however, about the Mars Symbioscience research, and other similar animal research practices (remember POM) is that these forms of animal testing do not express a specific dire need. The researchers are not saving lives in the name of science. This is CHOCOLATE people! We 1) don't need to eat it to live; 2) we -already- know that the simple ingredients (cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar, etc) are NOT POISONOUS 3) we don't need to know if flavonoids give us better erections or something.

Basically--I'm saying that the type of testing that Mars is doing -may- be frivolous--and if it is, NEEDS TO STOP. Off my soapbox... For more information check out: Mar Candy Kills and Peta: Mars Animal Tests.

FYI, there are still plenty of chocolate options out there. I heavily suggest sticking with the organic/free trade options at all costs.

Killing Roaches is Mean

2007-11-08T08:31:00.000-05:00

Roach Motel
Yeah, yeah. I live in the city. Yeah, yeah, I live in a building with more than 10 apartments. So I happened to see maybe 3 or 4 roaches recently. Note to the reader: I'm relatively clean--no big globs of food on the floor, etc. I don't leave dishes in the sink, because, well I have roaches.

So anyway, everyone I talk (with the exception of B) thinks it's completely natural and normal to kill as many "horrible, disgusting, gross" roaches as possible. The big opinion is that "they carry diseases," "cause asthma," and look like aliens.

Truthfully roaches are just bugs--and only carry diseases that they come in contact with (these days, in a the USA, not much).

Unfortunately, when I spoke with my landlord, she got in a fluff about the roaches--claiming they spread like butter on hot toast, and that it's probably better to "control" the population. Sigh. Okay. So she's sending up a roach guy to put in end to the little bugs life next week. Anyway, landlord recommended that I do something in the meantime.

How Not to Torture Roaches
My hippie friends all recommended the same "natural, organic" roach control solution: boric acid. Here's why it's super bad: boric acid slowly dehydrates the roach over a period of 7 to 10 days! 7 or 10 days! Can you imagine? HORRID. So people, the best way to get rid of roaches, is well, obviously: keep them out first. Do this by putting away sweet and open food containers (honey and agave nectar goes in the fridge), wipe down your counters, and DO NOT LEAVE OUT FLOUR (um, my mistake). Okay. And also: try not to leave those fantastic, reusable Trader Joe's paper bags around. I know they are useful, but the bugs like 'em. Finally--if you have to kill the poor little beasts--do so using some sort of quick kill source method (it kills the moms, dads, and eggs in an hour or so). And don't blame me if you stay up until midnight crying about how you possibly killed hundreds of little beasts. (or maybe that's just me blubbering). Sigh. poor things.

Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Icing

2007-05-14T13:35:00.001-04:00

Another requested recipe I thought I'd share. The cake is very moist and deliciously chocolately. All the non-vegan folks claimed they couldn't tell it was a vegan cake.

Cake Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup raw cane sugar
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt
5 tbsp melted margarine (earth balance is best)
2 tsp of apple cider vinegar
1 cup cold water
1 tsp vanilla
*optional a few pieces favorite dark chocolate.

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl.
3. Mix dry ingredients well.
4. Stir in the remainder of the ingredients.
5. Mix everything together until the batter is very smooth.
6. Pour into a greased 8 or 9 inch pan. I used parchment paper cut to the shape of my pan. The paper makes dealing with the cake later easy.
7. *Optional* Top with a little crushed dark chocolate (I chop the chocolate with a sharp knife).
8. Bake for 35 minutes.

*Obvious Note* I doubled the recipe to make a double-layer cake. Yum!

Chocolate Icing

1 1/2 to 2 cups confectioner's sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup margarine
3 tsp soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Gently heat about 1 cup of the sugar with the cocoa, margarine, and soy milk in a small but heavy saucepan.
2. Stir constantly until mixture reaches a gentle boil.
3. Remove pan from heat and continue stirring until mixture cools.
4. Slowly add 1/2 to 1 cup remainder sugar until the icing reaches your preferred consistency.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Spread the icing on the cooled cake.

Throw down your green-aprons: unionize!

2007-04-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

A tiny protest occurred April 11 outside the Dupont Starbucks in Washington, D.C. It was staged by workers of the Starbucks Workers Union, now affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World. This is the beginning of a movement for the service workers to unionize. Similar protests are being held in New York, were many workers make only $8.75 and are not guaranteed at least 25-30 hours each week. According to the Washington Post, the union includes "members of nine stores in four states, including a store in Rockville, MD."

There are over 13,000 stores: including company-run shops, licensed franchises, and joint-ventures worldwide, in approximately 38 countries and all of the U.S--with some 140,000 employees. That's a lot of people, people!

So why all the protest you ask? Sure, the company offers benefits to its "partners" (the company affectionate term for their baristas is "partners"). Those partners may receive a pound of coffee a week. Wow! Free coffee for working at Starbucks! And oh, the not so shabby stock options and health benefits. But how does a barista making $9 an hour manage to get health benefits? First of all, the "partner" would need to work 240 hours in a quarter (sounds reasonable). But these hours aren't guaranteed-- apparently almost all partners work "flexible" hours that vary each week--giving them part-time status.

"The single greatest myth constructed by Starbucks... involves health care.... But in reality Starbucks is far from being a leader in employee health care. Starbucks insures a lower percentage of its workforce than Wal-Mart a company rightly condemned for its poor health care policies. Starbucks’ 42% is not only worse than Wal-Mart’s 47%, it’s also worse than the industry average!" (Union Website) So what does Starbucks say about the 42%? It happily points out that Starbucks workers are covered under other health plans: from other jobs, spouses, and get this: Medicaid. Kinda sad that a company who's one year net growth of 14.1% has employees poor enough to qualify for Medicaid. 'Nuf said.

Potato Gnocchi (vegan)

2007-03-29T14:27:00.000-04:00

This is adapted from my Uncle Steven's recipe. Absolutely fabulous. Homemade gnocchi are COMPLETELY different from anything you'll find in a store--even the gourmet stuff.

Ingredients

4 large potatoes (Idaho)
2 cups flour (or less)
Pinch or two of sea salt

Directions

1. Bake potatoes until soft.
2. Let cool until just "slightly" warm.
3. Scoop out potato pulp from skins and mash potatoes with an old-fashioned metal potato masher. Note: Do not use an electric mixer--this will over process the potatoes--and make them gluey. (Potatoes have naturally occurring gluten).
4. Add sea salt.
5. Add flour a little bit at a time. The key is that the mixture should resemble play-dough (not be too thick or too thin). If you have too little flour: the gnocchi will fall apart, but too much flour: the gnocchi will be too heavy.
6. Roll out dough into long ropes.
7. Slice into small pieces (thumb sized is fine).
8. Press each segment with a fork for a fancy touch.
9. Set gnocchi aside while you boil water or make sauce. It's fine to let gnocchi sit out for an hour or two whilst you do other stuff.
10. The gnocchi need only cook for a few minutes. They'll float to the top when done. Serve immediately with sauce of your choice.

(note: the potato skins make a tasty snack with salt, don't just throw them out silly!)

Mushroom sauce

Ingredients

1 pound gourmet mushrooms, finely chopped (portabella, oyster, shiitake, etc.)
1-2 Tablespoons margarine (I prefer Earthbalance)
1-2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 garlic clove, minced
pinch salt (you may not need it if the margarine is salty)

Directions

1. Melt margarine in a heavy saucepan, low-medium temperature.
2. Slowly stir in flour. Note, if you dump the flour in, it will clump.
3. Add mushrooms, garlic, and pinch of salt (if preferred). Gently sauté.
4. Slowly add wine. Heat sauce through.
5. Serve over gnocchi, pasta, or mashed potatoes.

Walnut sauce

Ingredients

2 cups chopped walnuts
2 Tablespoons margarine (I prefer Earthbalance)
2 Tablespoons orange juice
2 Tablespoons (or more) exotic jam (my uncle used pomegranate)

Directions

1. Melt margarine in a heavy saucepan, low-medium temperature.
2. Add remainder of ingredients and gently cook for 10 minutes.
5. Serve over gnocchi and pasta. I even found the walnut sauce was good with pita.

Is your soap harming the Chesapeake Bay?

2007-03-23T11:09:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post reported that Maryland is one step closer to banning dish soap that uses pollution-causing phosphorus. In the coming weeks the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate will go to conference on a bill hashing out slight differences (the effective date) of a phosphate-ban. Regardless, Governor O'Malley is expected to sign the bill.

Why are phosphates bad?

According to the Chesapeake Bay Program:

"Excess amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen cause rapid growth of phytoplankton, creating dense populations, or blooms. These blooms become so dense that they reduce the amount of sunlight available to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). Without suffice light, plants cannot photosynthesize and produce the food they need to survive. The loss of sunlight can kill the grasses. Algae may also grow directly on the surface of SAV. Unconsumed algae will ultimately sink and be decomposed by bacteria in a process that depletes bottom waters of oxygen. Like humans, most aquatic species require oxygen. When oxygen in deep water is depleted, fish and other species will die unless they move to other areas of suitable habitat."

Phosphate-free products available now:
Planet
Seventh Generation,
Ecover Natural and
Trader Joe's house brand.

Trademarking Coffee

2007-03-22T09:25:00.001-04:00

To add to the fair trade coffee debate, the Ethiopian Fine Coffee Farmers Cooperative Unions and Exporters has taken an what some see is an innovative approach: trademarking Ethiopia's coffee names. The initiative, which secures trademark protection of coffee names, would help alleviate poverty by increasing the export revenue from coffee and sharing revenue with coffee farmers. To begin this process, the Cooperation Union and other groups have been engaging in discussions with coffee companies including Starbucks. So far, the process has been frustratingly slow and, in some cases, Starbucks has taken deliberate action to divert attention away from the trademark issue. In December, Senior V.P. Dub Hay of Starbucks Coffee Co. posted a video claiming the trademark and "licensing scheme" was illegal. In response, Bob Winter, a lawyer from Arnold & Porter, sets the record straight on legal issues involving the trademark of coffee names as part of the Ethiopia Fine Coffee Initiative.

There are other concerns. The Ethiopian Embassy reported that the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, H.E. Meles Zanawi is worried: "One important reason behind the initiative is to stop the current trend of cutting down coffee trees and replacing them with Khat, a narcotic." Khat is an amphetamine-like stimulant which causes a mild euphoric state. Farmers, discouraged by decreased export coffee revenue, have resorted to growing Khat, sometimes out of desperation.

Coffee Conscience

2007-03-19T15:41:00.000-04:00

The other night I joined Sue Doc and friends for a viewing of Black Gold, a film highlighting the struggle between multinational coffee companies and the Ethiopian farmers. Coffee is one of the most actively traded international commodities; in Ethiopia coffee makes up over 60% of export commerce. Yet -- declines in "international coffee prices translated into falling export revenue and deteriorating terms of trade" (OECD). Thus, these "Big Giant Corps" pay grossly below fair wages for the commodity. The film exposes the real truth: that for every €3 café latte enjoyed in the Comune di Bologna, the farmer in Ethiopia gets only pennies.

Fair Trade = Fair Wages...

The film narrates the trials and tribulations of Tadesse Meskela, manager-extraordinaire of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Co-operative Union in Ethiopia. The Co-op is made up of tens of thousands of coffee farmers and other coffee producers. The Meskela's cause: a world-wide promotion for fair prices and sales for the Co-Op coffee. This is because the plight of the farmer is compounded by the ability to make a fair wage for his community: clean clothes, food, schools, undernourished children, health supplies.

What we can do. Don't buy coffee from the big multinationals. Demand and consume fair trade products. If you want to try the Co-Op fair trade coffee try Dean's Beans, Peace Coffee, and Cooperative Coffees. Unlike the Big Multinational guys, these roasters purchase coffee directly from the cooperatives--eliminating the middlemen that siphon so much of the money away from the farmers. In return, the roasters guarantee a fair price for the coffee-- completely sidestepping the NY stock exchange. Also, some of the pricey organic markets sell fair trade coffee --but the shopping experience is frustrating. At the fancy market you'll find that for every 10 packages of coffee sold, only 1 is fair trade (if that). (A note to the reader: I recently purchased the Dark Sumatra variety from TJs.. it is rather yummy).

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe (vegan)

2007-02-28T19:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, a friend asked for this recipe. I have to admit it took a little trial and error, but I think I got the bread down pretty well. The bread comes out crispy on the outside and soft, slightly sweet, and both fluffy & firm on the inside. Yum. Try it out and tell me if you like it.

Ingredients (Yields one loaf)
2.5 teaspoons yeast
1 tsp sugar
1.25 tsp salt
1 cup warmish water (not burning hot, but warm)
1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
1/4 cup oil (I use olive, but probably other veggie oil will work)
1/4 soy or rice milk
3.5 cups flour (whole wheat and regular white mixed) --I recommend 2.5 cups whole and 1 cup white

Directions
1. Mix first four ingredients in a big bowl. The yeast will start to come alive (bubble and get all excited and stinky).
2. Let that sit for a few minutes (or 10).
3. Dump the remaining ingredients into the yeast mixture.
4. Stir with a wooden spoon until it gets all weird and tacky.
5. Then roll up your sleeves and start working it with your hands.
6. Time for Bread Knead #1. Dump the dough out on an oiled clean counter. Knead the dough for 7 minutes or until it is smooth and supple like a butt.
7. Time for Rising Session #1. Dump the dough into an oiled bowl. Cover with a cloth and put into a "slightly" warmed oven for 1 hour or until dough is fluffed.
8. Time for Bread Knead #2. Put the dough back on the counter. Only Knead it once or twice. Then shape the dough into the size of your bread pan. And plop it into the oiled pan.
9. Time for Rising Session #2. Put the bread pan (with dough) back into the warmish oven. Let it rise for another 30 mins. to 1 hour (or until it dough rises above the edges of the pan).
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (make sure bread isn't in the oven yet!).
11. Bake for 40- to 1 hour (or until bread is lightly browned). "Experts" say if you hit the back of the bread and it sounds hollow, it's ready. BUT THE BREAD IS TOO HOT!! DO NOT ATTEMPT! No way you can test the bread by slapping it on the back. You just have to "know" when it is done.
12. Let it cool! I know it smells good and bready...but it'll be weird and crumbly unless you let it cool for about a half hour. To slice: always turn the bread on its side and then go at it with a serrated knife.

It may take a time or two until you get the dough just right, i.e., not undercooked. ENJOY!

The war: in numbers.

2007-02-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to post some pictures from the anti-war protest here in freezing D.C. Unfortunately, my technology of choice--the camera on my mobile telephone-- doesn't want to share the pictures with the world (long story includes multiple attempts at "pairing" the phone with a bluetooth connector...).

ANYWAY, I thought I'd share some numbers to put the Iraqi war in perspective.

400,000 --Estimated amount of protesters attending antiwar event, 1/27/07, Washington, DC.
515,004 --Estimated population of Wyoming (Census, 2006)
550,521 --Estimated population of Washington, DC (Census, 2006)

$141,700,000,000.00 --President's Budget Request for FY2008 "Increasing Support for Defense Operations in the Global War on Terror" (Released 2/5/07) **The reader should note this is a record presidental request--more than ever-- for any defense related request.
$367,000,000,000.00 --Estimated costs associated with the war, FY2003 though FY2006 (Congressional Research Service Report)

3,090 --U.S. Troop deaths confirmed as of 2/1/07 (Iraq Coalition Casualty Count)
70,100 --estimated Iraqi civilian deaths (Brookings Institution Iraq Index)
654,965 --estimated Iraqi total excess deaths up to July 2006 (Lancet Study)

Juche and other North Korea Musings

2007-02-02T07:56:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been reading, Comrades and Strangers: Behind the Closed Doors of North Korea, a memoir by Michael Harrold about the seven years he spent as the language adviser for English translations of speeches by Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-Sung. The book is decidedly not political--Harrold doesn't get into any academic rants or speeches. It does give a very interesting personal reflection of a Briton living in North Korea. Whilst there are similiarities that both Nanchu and Harrold experience, such as: supervised visits, same Pyongyang hotels and tours-- I cannot help but notice the striking differences between these memoirs.

Harrold's tenure in the DPRK, from 1986 until early 1990s, is notedly before the disintegration of the Soviet Union. The author seems to be undecided about his feelings on communism, capitalism, and the "American Imperialists." At times, Harrold writes of his experiences in a detached and unemotional tone--as if his life is a game or a long vacation. He seems to enjoy his high status as a language interpreter, and from Harrold's perspective, life in North Korea seemed much less bleak. This may, in fact, have been true. Since the Korean War, both the Soviet Union and China had provided sustenance to the DPRK. However, when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, food shortages began because the supply shipments were cut off. Nonetheless, the DPRK continued to maintain relations with its closest alley: China.

Nanchu's much later visit, highlighted the DPRK's main dilemma: that an isolated, communist state has not been able to sustain its own people. Some scholars say today's humanitarian and nucluear crises forecasts the end of North Korea. This easy, oversimplified argument characterizes North Korea as a demon state, enemy of the free world, on the verge of collapse. Yet..has not North Korea survived when other communist bloc states fell in the 1980s and early 1990s? Also, a little historical background on the Korean revolution and the juche ideology never hurt anyone...

Why not read from the source? On the Juche Idea, by Kim Jung-il, explains the idea behind the (North) Korean revoluton: "The revolution is a struggle to meet the masses' desire for independence by enlisting their strength." Juche is the belief that (and some say with religious force) where man is the master of everything and thereforce can decide everything. This is the essence of North Korean Chajusong: or the destiny of man to "live and develop in an independent way as the master of the world."

H Street night out.

2007-01-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

Okay, I was tooling around (as usual) on the interweb--and saw this nice little exposé on H street, the closest nightlife/shopping district to which I live. While I've spent more time in the Rite aid and the dollar store than anywhere else in H Street--there are indeed some good times to be had.

A month or so ago, we all went to the Palace of Wonders where you can get the "world's greatest drink" for $8 and feast your eyes on an assortment of carnival oddities and side-show freaks. The bartenders are nice and the people don't dress or act like republicans, so it's a good time. The night we went some of our party had their palms read (for a reasonable $5?--Sue Doc, do you remember how much?). Other nights you can watch (or participate) in a burlesque show, circus, or other vaudeville acts. More to be continued...

Happiness!! Optimism!! Karma!!

2007-01-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

Being good and feeling good are now positively correlated. Read all about what you already know intuitively. A couple interesting ideas in the NYT article:

University of Kentucky study of nuns shows positive thinking/living correlates to 10-year longer life span.

Make "gratitude visits"--thank your mentors.

More on North Korea

2006-12-27T14:13:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd elaborate just a little bit on the previous post. First of all--the image below depicts a night scene over east Asia--(courtesy of technology sponsored by The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellites). The darkness surrounding North Korea indicates the reduction of fuel use. Nanchu mentions frequent power outages–many even in the capitol, Pyongyang. Energy sources in North Korea include U.S. supplied oil (1994 Agreed Framework), and Japan and South Korea supplied nuclear reactors. While fuel use is limited–this may indicate efforts to conserve energy for military use. It is a widely-known “secret” that North Korea maintains thousands of underground facilities—including housing for some of the 1.2 million soldiers.

Underground life is normal in North Korea, where the huge, beautiful and rarely used Pyongyang subway system doubles as a bomb shelter. Even North Korea’s hotels have elaborate underground facilities–including special casino rooms such as those in the Koryo hotel. Nanchu mentions that the Chinese female employees of these hotels are virtual prisoners, some of the women haven’t been allowed to leave the hotel compound in two years.

Want to take a trip to a golden prison? The Koryo group sponsors tours each year..similar to the one Nanchu took. Travelers can feel safe knowing the hotel room door is locked from the outside each night. Every shower is noted. All guests are suspects.

Nanchu in North Korea

2006-12-21T07:53:00.000-05:00

Somewhat recently I've been fascinated by North Korea (Okay--somewhat obsessed). Beyond the accounts of nuclear bomb testing, the starving people, and that crazy Kim Jung Il--I wanted to learn about the history--the DMZ--the life of the people. I decided to take advantage of reader privileges at a big library here in our Nation's Capitol. The first read: In North Korea: An American Travels Through an Imprisoned Nation. Nanchu, a Chinese-American brought up in China discusses the situation in North Korea as well as life for refugees (known as illegal immigrants)i n Northeast China. The book is absolutely enthralling. VERY RECOMMENDED--especially for those frustrated by the lack of Web information.

Nanchu goes into much detail her trip into North Korea in 2001, interviews with the people (when she is able to escape her 'golden prison' trip), and the conditions for life for North Koreans. Nanchu secures the trust of many North Koreans (because of the "lips and teeth" relationship of North Korea and China). Because of this, her candid details depressed and at times--disturbed me. At other times Nanchu uses poetic metaphors to describe her thoughts...women as bright flowers, poverty full of thorns and tears.

What is most surprising is the relationship of the Chinese government AND the South Korean government towards North Korean defectors. In most cases, the fate isn't friendly for those that are able to make it out of North Korea...they will likely be sent back. The Chinese, South Koreans, and North Koreans alike are working hard to hide the details of life in North Korea to the rest of the world.

Chanukah

2006-12-18T13:48:00.000-05:00

Last night I hosted a small Chanukah party in honor of the festival of lights. Mostly the evening was a chance to drink with my friends, eat latkes, (fried potato pancakes), and sit around (or lay around, since I lacked the suitable number of chairs for all of my guests). So...why did this group of DCers and a token Baltimorian come to hang out for the purpose of Chanukah? I'll start by introducing the biggest misconception of Chanukah.

Q: Spoofy--Why don't you take off from work during Chanukah?"
A: No one takes off for Chanukah. Contrary to what you may have heard, Chanukah is not a "Jewish Christmas" as it lacks the appropriate consumer and religious (biblical) bent. Rewind to Alexander the Great:

After conquering Egypt, Syria, and what is now Israel), Alexander the Great let most people continue to observe their religious beliefs. Many Jews chose to assimilate into Greek society (such as borrowing language and dress customs).

As correctly pointed out by Sue Doc, somewhat later (around 165 BCE), Antiochus Epiphanes (a Hellenistic Syrian king) comes along and demands the Jews denounce their Jewish beliefs by worshipping Zeus. To top it all off, Antiochus demands Jews eat pigs during a dedication to Zeus in the (Jewish) Temple. *Note* You may be aware that the act of eating pig is totally heinous to observing Jews now and then.

Anyway, A Syrian officer asks a Jewish High Priest, Mattathias, to take part in the pig-eating temple ceremony. After a bloody skirmish between pissed-off Mattathias and the officer, Mattathias' family hides in the nearby mountains--where many other Jews join to fight the Greeks, including Mattathias' son Judah Maccabbee. After fighting and winning small battles against the Greeks, the Maccabees were able to secure the Temple. Unfortunately much of the Temple was destroyed by the Greeks. After cleaning the Temple, the Jews planned a re-dedication ceremony. For the ceremony, they would light a continually burning Jewish menorah (ancient symbol of Jewish faith). Yet, only a small bit of oil remained. The story goes that the small bit of oil managed to last 8 days (in time for the shipment). In Hebrew, "Chanukah" means dedication. *Note* Historically Jews do not glorify war--the "dedication" part is significant--as Jewish people choose to celebrate the Temple menorah, not the battle victories.

2171 years in the future, we still celebrate by lighting the Chanukah candles (one for each night), and by eating foods fried in oil (like my vegan latkes). Last night we also played a competitive game of dreydel (following a somewhat successful dreydel as engineered by Dr. Techne).

Free stuff in DC (films)

2006-11-29T07:50:00.000-05:00

Occasionally people will ask me, "Spoofy, what free things are there to do in D.C.?" Usually I scratch my head in amazement and stutter something about the Smithsonian... Nonetheless if you are a DC-person like me, you probably have already been through the National Gallery multiple times on your lunch breaks (trick is to go on a weekday to beat out the wetnosed tourists). Personally, I like the Freer and Sackler galleries best, mostly for the arty and/or international free films.

Another great source for free film is at the Library of Congress. The LC features movies from the National Film Registry--sometimes as often as 2 or 3 a week. This little known event is fantastic...you can see the original celluloid--often immediately following preservation efforts. Most feature-length films are preceded by subject-related shorts and occasionally a film historian will show up to give the film context. The scheduled screenings are somewhat eclectic. I saw the Canadian 1933 exploitation film, Damaged Lives, about young man that cheats on his wife, subsequently giving her a mysterious venereal disease. The film faced heavy U.S. censorship early on; only showing in U.S. cities four years after initial release. There was plenty of shocking, sinful, and scandalous drama, wife tries to kill herself (and hubby) by turning on kitchen gas in their sealed home.

The Mary Pickford Theater is on the small side, so LC people recommend making reservations. Another note: be patient...sometimes the projectionists are late (if they show up at all). You'll have to take the metro to the Library of Congress Madison building, third floor. Friday night, Dec. 1, they're showing Stranger on the Third Floor, 1940, one of the earliest examples of Film Noir.

Mass Layoff got you down?

2006-11-27T13:23:00.000-05:00

Getting laid-off sucks. Especially if your Aunt Pat is one of a thousand others who must struggle to get reemployed, find training, or simply move to a new labor market.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) measures mass layoff by collecting data from employers whoses workers file at least 50 unemployment insurance (UI) claims within a 5 week period. Extended Mass layoff includes situations where 50+ UI claims are filed against workers during the consecutive five week period AND at least 50 workers have been laid-off for more than 30 days.

Just like the Unemployment Compensation program, The Mass Layoff Statistics (MLS) program is a Federal-State cooperative effort. The data comes from each State's unemployment program database. The MLS is regarded as an indicator of the financial health of corporate America. The mass layoff stats show what private sector industries are in the greatest distress.

That said, looking for meaning within the monthly seasonally adjusted data can be hard. For example, the BLS reported a slight increase in mass layoffs, from 1,132 to 1,171. In the same time period, the total UI claims filed dropped from 116,773 to 113,724. Additionally, layoff trends seem to fluctuate each year. In October 2005, there were 104,584 UI claims filed, but in October 2004, that number was 129,237. Seasonal adjustments also vary depending on the industry sector. For example, the percentage of mass layoffs in the manufacturing sector are up. They accounted for 32 percent of all mass layoff events filed in October (consisting of 47% initial claims filed). Exactly a year ago, manufacturing comprised 28% of mass layoffs and 41% of initial claims.

So what does it all mean? The program itself isn't sure. Since it's inception in 1995, the BLS has interviewed employers participating in mass layoffs to collect information about the layoff. They hope to discover trends and answer questions about layoffs and to find relationships. Is your worker downsizing related to outsourcing? offshoring? Curious for results..?

BLS reports:

Seasonal work continued to be most often cited as reason for layoff. Internal company restructuring (bankruptcy, business ownership change, financial difficulty, and reorganization) accounted for 21 percent of layoff events and resulted in the separation of nearly 300,000 workers. Overseas relocation was cited as the reason for separation for 13,000 workers (9 percent of all separations), nearly all from manufacturing industries. In more than 40 percent of such events, Mexico was cited as the destination.

So say Aunt Pat is the product of a "...redundancy, downsize and rightsize, workforce reduction and reduction in force...", what should she do?

First, she may qualify for the unemployment compensation benefit program. Check the contact information for each State.

Next, she should find out about her COBRA coverage.

COBRA stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act providing temporary continuation (up to 18 months) of health benefits to former employees and dependants. She'll have to pay for the coverage, but it'll be somewhat less than picking up an independent plan.

Also, she may qualify for special State/Federal training programs.

Other training programs are available depending on the situation of her lay-off.

Aunt Pat is protected from being blindsided if her manufacturing plant were to close. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) defends communities and workers against plant closings and/or mass layoffs, by insisting employers give workers sixty days advance notice before a mass layoff or plant closing. The notice must be given directly to the workers, a representative labor union, or the local government. The intention is to give Aunt Pat and her coworkers time to look for a new job, prepare CV, find training, and apply for UC benefits. Employers that don't comply with WARN may be required to provide damages for back pay and benefits, depending on the amount of advance notice.

Invisibles Organize

2006-11-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

Houston members of the "Service Employees International Union Local 5" or SEIU, representing over 5,300 mostly female latino janitors, approved a three-year contract that eventually will give workers the option of health insurance. This happened after a month-long strike against Houston's five biggest cleaning companies (ABM Janitorial Services, GCA Services Group, OneSource Facility Services Inc., Pritchard Industries Southwest, and Sanitors Services of Texas). The strike is considered one of the largest and most successful organizing drives for private sector workers in the south.

The tentative contract would increase wages from today's average of $5.30 per hour to $6.25 an hour on 1/1/07, followed by $7.25 on 1/1/08 and $7.75 on 1/1/09. Also, the health insurance wouldn't kick in until January 2009--with a monthly cost of $175 a family. The SEIU claimed that many workers had been earning an average of $20 a day (based on the fact that most are limited to 4 hours a night). The new three-year contract will give workers the option of a 6-hour day. SEIU compared the average wage of Houston janitors to other cities janitorial workers. DC's workers average $10.70--including union representation and health benefits.

Life on $7.75(hr), assuming the worker maintains a 20 hour work week is:

$673 (monthly before tax)

-$175 (monthly health benefits)

$498 (monthly gross before tax)

Check out Census Bureau info about Houston. Compared to the national average of 10.2%, 20% of Houston families live below the poverty level. SEIU representation of Houston is in the very beginning stages (as of Dec. 2005). The Union representation will likely encourage other low paid workers to organize.

Bad chocolate

2006-11-20T08:49:00.000-05:00

For a work-related project, I have been researching international labor practices, in reference to products exported to the United States made by exploiting child labor. Sources of this labor were in some cases surprising and horrifying, i.e., the trafficking of young boys in cocoa production. Subsuquent to an international outcry, the House passed an amendment in 2001 financing $250,000 for "no child slave labor" labels for chocolate. Note: Chocolate you bought yesterday may be contributing to the problem (i.e., Nestle).

The Senate did not need to concur. Immediately following the House action, members of the International Labor Organization (ILO), the cocoa industry, labor-rights groups, and a few interested members of Congress, composed 'a comprehensive, six-point problem-solving' protocol aimed at ending the 'use of abusive child labor in cocoa growing.'" The results of the now expired initiative became known as the Harkin-Engel Protocol. A research organization reports on the status of slave trafficking in West Africa. Boys from age 12 to 16 are sold from their home countries and sold to cocoa farmers in Cote d'Ivoire. Samlanchith Chanthavong describes the extreme abuse one child, Aly experienced on a farm,

"Life on the cocoa farm of "Le Gros" (or "Big Man") was nothing like Aly had imagined. He and the other workers had to work from six in the morning to about 6:30 at night on the cocoa fields. Since Aly was only about four feet tall, the bags of cocoa beans were taller than him. To be able to carry and transport the bags, other people would have to place the bags onto his head for him. Because the bags were so heavy, he had trouble carrying them and always fell down. The farmer would beat him until he stood back up and lifted the bag again."

There are other initiatives to address child labor and support child protective practices.

Project Hope and Fairness is a California-based organization helping "exploited African cocoa farmers, encouraging the conscientious consumption of cocoa products, and supporting Fair Trade policies."

United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), was ratified in 1989. The CRC makes declarations on the rights of children, "…the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity, needs special safeguards and care…" It goes on to describe how international efforts can help protect children. In a 2004 UN update, the Cote D’Ivoire signed the treaty in 1991.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions 138 and 182 address issues of child labor.

Adopted in 1973, Convention 138 was adopted in 1973 and established the minimum age of fifteen in which children can work, in order to finish compulsory education. This age was set to so as to eradicate child labor and promote educational development.

Convention 182 was promulgated in 1999 to dispose of "the worst forms of child labor." The convention protects children under 18 from: slavery, prostitution, drug trafficking, and any harmful circumstances.

Note: The World Trade Organization does not address international labor practices, including child labor. Their assertion: "The WTO has never ruled on child labour because the issue has never come up for a ruling. Countries’ efforts to deal with child labour problems have never been challenged in the WTO." Umm… the sad dismissal of the WTO from child labor edicts is not particularly surprising, albeit angering.

Not to fly.

2006-11-13T09:37:00.000-05:00

I know life is not fair but still, I grumble. Last Thursday I ended up spending a lot of time in Virginia, but --no-- Spain. Sigh.
For the sake of those who may or may not be interested, here is a perfect example of an inefficacious travel experience.

Thursday

8 am Walking. 1 mile to work toting heavy travel suitcase. **note** I was carrying such random things as canned cranberry sauce (request of sister).

3 pm Leaving. I inadvertantly get on orange line.

3.45 pm Sleeping. Wake up. Shit, I'm somewhere in Virginia--definitely not near the National airport. Stupid girl. Must go back to Rosslyn, transfer to blue line.

4.40 pm Arriving. At Airport. Sweating bullets. Flight -supposed- to depart at 5.30.

5.11 pm Waiting. 30 minutes in Delta line, finally I get a ticket. Customer Rep scratches her head, not sure you'll make it...at this point I'm already running to security line. (she noted there was a 20 minute wait).

5.25 pm Screening. My mascara is cleared for take-off. Hoorah. Looking for gate 22...

5.30 pm Confusing. Flight to JFK moved to Gate 20. Right next to flight to LaGuardia. (efficient for muddling all New York bound travelers).

5.45 pm Waiting.

5.55 pm Boarding.

6.00 pm Taxing.

6.30 pm Stalling. Nondescript problems reported from JFK.

7.15 pm Unloading. Flight Canceled. Delta flight staff complain about 14 hour day, apologize...leave us with no news.

7.30 pm Ticketing. Back at Delta desk. At this point I hook up with Madrid-bound international banker. He had planned to see his two sick grandmas in the south of Spain.

8.00 pm Missing. Other flights? We miss Iberian Air flight from BWI @ 8.50. Only option? Fly next day: aka Friday night. We get voucher for hotel (best western, somewhere in Virginia) and $7 for food. Generous.

9.45 pm Arriving. Virginia, Best Western. Suspicious looking curly hairs blanket the bathroom floor (not mine).

10.00 pm Eating. Treated to onion and veggie burger sandwich. Literally entire raw onion sliced and served with microwaved burger.

Friday

9 am Deciding. After a night of no sleep, I decide to cancel flight. Sadly, I figure it is not worth $575 for a 4 day visit.

9.05 am Canceling. Bizarrely easiest Delta-process yet. The only recommmended process.

Moral of the story? Don't make international travel plans from National Airport.

Leaving for Spain.

2006-11-09T10:44:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo. Today I leave for beautiful Spain. I'll be visiting my sister who has lived in Salamanca, in western Spain since last February. I promise fun photos--and perhaps interesting research agenda.

I admit to have very very rusty Spanish language skills. Never fear, my sister's ultimate goal is to render me fluent (in 5 days, no less) so that I will quit my job and move to be near her. Everyone has a fantasy right?

P.S. Not so secretly--I love flying. If you think about what you are literally doing, from both a physical and technical engineering standpoint, totally fabulous, awe-striking experience. Kids like it too. (note: kids like noise)

Fun!

Grandma Mary

2006-11-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

I have frequent dreams of my Grandma Mary. Don't let me fool you, this isn't a metaphysical or spiritual sojourn--she's still very much alive--or mostly. Up until recently she epitomized a healthy 90 year old, but lately her heart has been weakening, I find myself determined, desperate to soak up as much grandma as I can.

I spent Sunday afternoon with grandma. A Rumanian transplant, Grandma offers her opinion on everything from bombs to boys. Self-taught since the eighth grade, she never ceases to amaze with her knowledge of current events (including politics), social issues, and economics. Occasionally her opinions are offputting and offensive, i.e., she thinks fat people should lose weight, simple as that. Loudly and proudly, grandma will happily advise any slightly overweight person to walk a mile a day and stop eating fried foods. An avid radio listener, she's been known to call radio programs and tell 'em off: "Now, here's what I think..." She also hates raw onions.

If her education was modest, her childhood income was more so. After 8th grade, Grandma was hired to work in a button factory in Manhattan's garment district. She traveled by subway to her family's walk-up in South Bronx where she shared a bed with her three sisters. A famous Grandma quote "You can easily get 4 in a bed if you sleep head, toe... head, toe." She went on to become a seamstress, spending long hours ripping and stitching. Grandma still sews.

Grandma Mary never lost her accent, her bad cooking (vegans, don't try her mock chopped liver), or her notorious photo collection. There are fun photos of Grandma climbing trees in Miami, standing perilously close to Niagara Falls, and grinning mischievously on her bike next to her young husband in Central Park. Today her small efficiency apartment is lined with family photos, dusty with age, piled on top of each other, her little jewels.

Nuclear Pudding

2006-11-03T09:34:00.000-05:00

Feel like cooking? The NYT reported the federal government revealed a recipe for manufacturing your basic atomic bomb. The primary goal of the website was to render Iraqi documents open for public viewing. Hey, Republicans didn't want to leave any stone unturned—maybe Saddam Hussein did have something hidden? But don’t you worry, after the Times disclosure--the feds promptly shut down the website, “pending a review to ensure its content is appropriate for public viewing.”

Most of us are aware that the US gov’t is more then happy to hide its own information from the public. The Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) is charged with classifying and declassifying (and now reclassifying) many US documents for “safeguarding national security information.” How does this process work you ask? Agencies are subject to review by the ISOO as directed by Executive Order 12958 (a Clinton EO) . Most documents are declassified after 25 years if they are deemed not a risk, but many documents are reclassified for increments of 10 years. One caveat for reclassification are documents that “reveal information that would assist in the development or use of weapons of mass destruction.”

My librarian friends continue to be very aware of this issue. An Open Society Institute report from Sept 06 gives a nice synopsis of international information-access (transparency laws and issues). I’ve met a few librarians involved with the South African History Archive in the early days…essential to understanding Apartheid. While I’d rather not learn how to make nuclear cake, I strongly believe a transparent government is better for all people: why repeat bad mistakes?

All Citations must link to a blog.

2006-10-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

I spend a lot of my life researching stuff. Legislative stuff, labor stuff, music stuff, food stuff and sometimes regulatory stuff. Usually it's boring. Sometimes, it's quite fun and amusing. "Spoofy, where can I find hermit crab food?" Stuff like that. I hope to share the fun, amusing, and/or evil bits of info I uncover along my researching way. By the way, some research requests originate from "government" people, others from friends and family. Usually everything just converges in a research mess. Wee.

A taste of what may come:

How to find pictures of your Auntie in Rolling Stone.

Why you need to hire your own personal attorney.

Query: Traditional women stay at home?

Working for a government bureaucracy. Part 1: Take it, Bitch!

Free events at the capitol? Not your average congressional hearing.

So blog + research = Spoofy girl. Enjoy.