Chris Matthews Laments GOP Clown Show

I don't usually watch Hardball with Chris Matthews, but if I get to the gym in time (and get a treadmill with a TV), I catch some of it. Monday night's show finished with a Let Me Finish. . . segment that I could have written. Matthews was spot on. There may now be one less clown in the race since Herman Cain dropped out. But now, with Donald Trump running a debate? C'mon. It's ridiculous. It's non-serious. It's buffoonish.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Herman Cain, We're Going to Miss You

Time to cross Herman Cain of of the list. And maybe a couple of others. There are people pictured at left that I don't even remember the names of, only that they declared their candidacy. I think the guy on the bottom right is Fred Karger, the gay Republican candidate. Like that'll happen.

The funny thing about losing Herman, is the allegation that this was "done to him" by the left. Phooey. There were what, seven women? And corroboration from people who were there? Cell phone records? And he pulls the plug only after he goes home to talk to his wife. I don't know if this all happened organically, or if there were political maneuverings behind the scenes. But it seems much, much more likely to me that Cain's Republican opponents, or operatives like Karl Rove would be behind this. This would be right up Rove's skeevy alley.

And I was so looking forward to an opposition commercial based on Herman's Head. Oh, well.

Blast from the Past: The Worst Christmas Songs of All Time

Every year when Christmastime rolls around, I'm less ready for it. Everyone says that the season starts earlier every year. No, it's just the years going faster as we age.
I am myself a heretic, but I do enjoy Christmas. But I get more and more annoyed by certain Christmas carols, and not just the super-churchy ones. The Twelve Days of Christmas--by anyone--is particularly odious. So, I tend to prefer more contemporary seasonal tunes, and by that I mean from the eighties forward. Not that there aren't some fun songs from the Rat Pack era.
But not every artist should try to make an enduring Christmas classic. And here are several examples. . .




1. Wonderful Christmas Time by Paul McCartney - John Lennon has his unparalleled Happy Christmas/War is Over, and so I guess Paul needed one too. It is, however, NOT a classic.
2. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Gayla Peevey. Cute the first time, grating after that. Some people like it though (hi, Dona!).



3. Blue Christmas by Porky Pig - I'm going to cop to absolutely loving this one. But I know that many people really hate it.
4. Hey, Santa by Wilson Sisters - I don't know why. But I hate it.




5. Little Drummer Boy by David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Ugh. Dreadful.
6. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - Bruce Springsteen - I liked this one. The first ten years it played. I've progressively hated it more and more every year since.





7. Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer by Elmo & Patsy - This song was very cute when it was released. I was big into Dr. Demento, and this one just delighted me. It has become an annoyance like no other. Except for. . .
8. The Christmas Shoes by NewSong - This is the most cloying, treacly, nauseating song every written, let alone for Christmas. There is no excuse for its existence, nor for anyone to like it. It is the definition of abysmal. It was so bad, I wrote a post about it: Anatomy of The Christmas Shoes

Another Low Carb Treat: Cheesecake!

One of my favorite desserts has always been cheesecake. I've even requested it more than once as my birthday cake. Anyway, I've already explained several times that I'm on a modified Atkins diet, and am experimenting with recipes to make it more tolerable. And "tolerable" means not compromising taste, or at least, not by much.

So, I started thinking about desserts, and it occurred to me that cream cheese is low carb. And, that it's cheesecake's main ingredient. There had to be a recipe for it with low carb ingredients. And how hard could a faux graham cracker crust be?

As it turns out, both were doable, and there are many to choose from online. Here is the recipe I used for the crust:

"GRAHAM CRACKER" PIE CRUST

• 3 ounces almond flour, 3/4 cup
• 3 tablespoons flax meal
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup granular Splenda
• (I added a dollop of vanilla--Ed.)

Mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Pour butter and vanilla over the dry ingredients. Mix well and spread in a 9" pie plate or springform pan. Bake at 375º about 10-12 minutes until set and lightly browned. Cool, then fill the pie.

Per 1/8 Recipe: 153 Calories; 15g Fat; 3g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 2g Net Carbs; Per 1/12 Recipe: 102 Calories; 10g Fat; 2g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 2g Net Carbs

Source: Genaw

CHEESECAKE FILLING:

• 3 packages (1 and 1/2 lbs) cream cheese (room temperature)*
• 4 eggs (preferably room temperature)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 Tablespoon) vanilla
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 Tablespoon) lemon juice (we used lime--Ed.)
• 1 and 1/3 cups sugar equivalent (Splenda) artificial sweetener 
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Heat oven to 400 F

Put (room temperature) cream cheese in mixing bowl, and beat until fluffy. Add other ingredients, scraping the bowl and beaters each time (this is very important), fully incorporating each ingredient. When all ingredients are combined, scrape one more time, beat one more minute, and pour mixture into pan over crust.

 Put the cheesecake on a sheet pan in case of drippage. After putting the cheesecake in the oven at 400 F, turn the oven down to 200 F. Bake for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 155 F, remove from oven.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutritional Information: Each serving has 2 grams effective carbohydrate plus 1 gram fiber, 6 grams protein, and 221 calories.

Source: About.com

Okay, so the cheescake in the photo is mine. It turned out spectacularly well, with the following caveats: I didn't get my cream cheese "room temperature" enough, so the batter was a bit gloppy. The crust--while incredibly delicious--is very thin in a 9" pan.  Next time, I'm going to use a smaller springform pan, and increase the crust recipe. That will make the cheesecake smaller in diameter, but thicker than my relatively flat pie. We didn't add any toppings. This sucker is calorie-laden enough as it is. But it was truly delicious. You could serve it at a party, and nobody--nobody--would have any idea it was "low carb." No way.

*I bought the 3 lb. block of Philadelphia cream cheese at Sam's Club, and cut it in half. It's enough for two cheesecakes. 

Iowa's New Favorite: Newt Gingrich?

Ron Paul would make more sense than Gingrich. Image from HuffPo

So, after going through a list that sounds like a comedy troupe: Donald Trump, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and Herman Cain, it's come to this. In a place that is ruled more and more by the Christian right, the Iowa Republican caucus-goers' favorite is Newt Gingrich? A man who was disgraced out of office for ethical violations. A man who had to pay a six-figure fine for those violations. A man who has cheated on successive wives with their replacement? Worse, a man who has worked for a common cause with--wait for it--Nancy (Gasp!) Pelosi? What is this party coming to? And why haven't Jon Huntsman or Rick (don't Google me, bro) Santorum gotten their chance in the spotlight?

[Excerpt]


Newt Gingrich's Rise Continues, Ron Paul Second, Romney Third In Iowa: Des Moines Register Poll 

Eighteen years after he led Republicans to an unexpected takeover of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich looks increasingly poised to engineer yet another improbable election win. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Breaking News: Herman Cain Drops Out of the 2012 Race

If you drop out of the race, blame yo'self!
Image from MSNBC

Don't worry, there's plenty of nuttiness left in the GOP clown car. And don't be fooled by the "suspension" of Hermie's campaign. That's just so he can keep fundraising to pay off debts. He's done, caput, over and done. Toast.

I was surprised to see Mrs. Gloria Cain in the background applauding. I'd love to know what wast twirling around in her head.

[Excerpt]


Cain suspends campaign


Herman Cain said Saturday that he is suspending his bid for the Republican presidential nomination, choosing to end his campaign after weathering weeks of scrutiny over alleged sexual misconduct and accusations of an extramarital affair. . .

 Read more at: MSNBC

Please Visit Us on Facebook & Twitter

Ever since Greenlee Gazette began in June 2007, I've received valuable help from my good friend who goes by the pseudonym Stupid Monkey Planet. He fills in for me when I'm away, he descends from the canopy at irregular occasions to brighten up the blog, and he provides countless links that help me keep the blog fresh and interesting.

He has recently started the Stupid Monkey Planet Church of Primatheism on Facebook. There will be some crossover between SMPCoP and Greenlee Gazette both on Facebook and here on the blog. But you'll find countless bonuses on his site that do not appear here. 


But it's difficult to get these things moving in a vacuum, so here is an appeal to you to join us both in these other venues. Please click the links below to join us there. It only takes a few seconds! Thank you for reading, and please come back often!

   

"Women for Herman Cain" are Really Stock Photos

In my line of work as a sign designer, it isn't unusual to use stock photos, though I haven't much. Say you need some gorgeous pictures of specific food items for your buffet signs. Stock photos are the perfect answer. But why do so many politicians and political groups use stock photos? It isn't as galling as The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) using Obama rally pictures as their own, but it's close.

I'd also like to point out the badly kerned "Women" script. Check out where the "o" meets the "m". Sloppy.

[Excerpt]

'Women for Herman Cain' also women for cell phones, laptops, balloons, etc.

Herman Cain has found a way to revive Herman Cain's campaign: "Women For Cain" is an online national fellowship of women dedicated to helping elect Herman Cain as the next President of the United States. "Women for Cain" is also a stock photo festival of the highest order, and we can't resist playing along. . . 

Read more at: MaddowBlog

30 Years of AIDS

I know I'm a day late for "World AIDS Day," but this really struck me. We've been living with AIDS (early on, known as GRID, or "Gay Related Immune Disorder") for thirty freakin' years. The first buzz I remember from it was about 1982 or 1983. It started like a smoldering fire, and bloomed into an inferno. By 1985, we knew that Rock Hudson had it. Soon after, Liberace. An Early Frost was TV's answer. AIDS freaked my shit out. The timing was perfect. In 1984, I was of legal consenting age, but, I was terrified of both AIDS and others' discovery of my sexuality. So, that combination of factors led me to a protracted period of celibacy.  The AIDS crisis claimed a hell of a lot of lives in the 1980s and 90s. But it also scared a bunch of us enough to throw us clear of the epidemic.

Rick Perry's "Oops, I F*cked Up" Ad

You know, I really have to hand it to Rick Perry. He took his debate screw up, and turned it into a positive. I think he'd make a terrible president, but this is a good ad.

Lawrence O'Donnell Interviews Ginger White (Cain's Alleged Mistress)

I watched this, and actually, I have to say. . .maybe the interview was a bit too long, and a bit too "breaking news." Herman Cain's presidential aspirations were likely never realistic or even wanted, if I had to guess. He's pumping up his resume for book sales and speaking fees. As Herm himself has said, "Now, I don't have facts to back this up. . ." but I believe Ginger White.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Shoulda Been a Hit: You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper

Have you ever heard a song that was so good, you couldn't believe it wasn't a hit? For me, one of those songs is You Don't Know by Cyndi Lauper. I happened to catch Cyndi singing it live at Las Vegas' Gay Pride event many years ago. Cyndi was pregnant at the time (though she claimed her belly was from drinking a lot of beer, in her New York accent). I thought it was a fantastic song at the time, and I still do.

You Don't Know was originally a slower song, with a serious message. But the dance version really drives the message home. As you listen, read along with the lyrics, and think of the typical FOX "News" viewer. Or that oddball relative at Thanksgiving last week. This song should've been a hit.


"You Don't Know" by Cyndi Lauper

You don't know where you belong
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...
You just need to belong somehow.


Relying on rhetoric ...
Not well versed on topics ...
Any idea what you're talking about ?
Revisions of history
Fair well in some company
But don't shove that bullshit down my throat


You don't know where you belong ...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...
To find something to swear to ...
Till you don't know what's right from wrong
You just need to belong somehow.


Left suppresses right
Right suppresses left
So what's the left, and what's right?
You're told what to wear,
You're told what to like
It'd be nice if you'd think for yourself sometime,
But you don't.
Now you don't know where you belong ...
You should be more careful
As you follow blindly along ...


Mix sheer hypocrisy with mediocrity
You'll play it safe every time -
So life turns up empty
And you're so dissatisfied
Who are you blaming this time?

Why don't you know?

First, the album version (more somber)

And now, the dance version (my fave).

Michele Bachmann: Gay Men Can Marry Women

There's a line of argument that goes: "Gay people have the same rights as straight people. A gay man can marry a woman, a gay woman can marry a man. Everyone has the same rights." It's a dumb argument, and you can see that if you flip it around, and suggest a world where everyone can marry the same sex, but not the opposite. The straights would never go for it. Well, some of them might. Ahem.

Michele Bachmann, blissfully unaware? Or actually
clued into what her husband is. . .in to?Image from Raw Story

Which brings us to Michele Bachmann, who made the above (unoriginal) argument. Don't forget that Mrs. Bachmann and her husband, the fabulous "Dr." Marcus Bachmann run a little clinic in Minnesota. A clinic that has a decidedly evangelical Christian bent, and that occasionally--allegedly--tries to "pray away the gay." The irony is perfect. And it also explains Michele's argument completely. I mean, she oughtta know!

[Excerpt]

Bachmann: Gays ‘can marry a woman if they’re a man’

Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachman says it’s fine for a gay man to get married — as long as it’s to a woman.

During a town hall event in Iowa Wednesday, Jane Schmidt, president of Waverly High School Gay-Straign Alliance, asked the candidate why same sex couples couldn’t get married.

“They can get married,” Bachmann explained. “They can marry a man if they’re a woman. Or they can marry a woman if they’re a man. . .”

Read more at: The Raw Story

Preview of Absolutely Fabulous Christmas Special

I can't wait, sweeties. Cheers, thanks alot!

Rachel Maddow: Will FOX "News" Pick GOP Candidate?

They're sure going to try, that part is clear. But it didn't really work out for them in 2008, did it?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Low Carb Recipe: Pizza!

As I've said several times here, I'm on the Atkins Diet (well, a slight variation), and it's working very well. Even with a four-day "cheat" window for my trip home for Thanksgiving, the low-carb diet, along with regular exercise has led to a 30-pound weight loss. But it isn't easy, don't let anybody tell you it's easy. It isn't because you get hungry, it's because you get bored. So this time around, I'm trying new things and new combinations of things, to make the diet fun.

I'd already come up with my own low-carbohydrate pizza, which you can find here. And that particular recipe is really good, no lie. But only if you use Mission brand white tortillas. All the others I've tried are awful. Annnyway, I wanted a full-size pizza. I knew there had to be a way.

Click to embiggen

Some of the things you can use as flour substitutes are: flaxseed meal, almond flour, whey protein powder and soy flour, used in various combinations. Flax is the coolest, because it a) has as much fiber as it has carbs, which cancel each other out, and b) it has a benign, not unpleasant taste. The same cannot be said of soy flour, which I try to avoid. So for my first try at a full-size pizza, I decided to go for flax. The result can be seen in the picture, and as you can see, I can make a mean pizza. But how does it taste?

Great. I had three slices! Nobody would eat a flax-crust pizza, and not know something was different. But it's a passable substrate for my wonderful toppings. The only problem is, it's not particularly sturdy. You can pick up a slice, but it would likely crumble as you eat it. So, I'm on a quest for a stiffer crust. Whether that means adding something (xanthan gum?), or an entirely different recipe, I don't know. Perhaps a little garlic and Parmesan cheese in the batter would be good too. Anyway, if you're on Atkins, and you're bored, this isn't a bad change of pace.

I can't really give a carb count here. The recipe includes one, but I don't buy it. Pizza sauce (Ragu or store brands) has a few carbs in it, and you can compare for the lowest, but you don't need much really. The crust has virtually no net carbs in it, according to my flaxseed meal's nutritional information. Meats have nothing. Cheese has a little, but not too much. Just to be safe, be really good all day, and then use this to round out your carbs for the day!

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 C flax seed meal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• Sweetener to equal about 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 3 Tablespoons of oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C water

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 F.

1. Mix dry ingredients together.
2. Add wet ingredients, and mix very well.
3. Let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.
4. Spread on pan (I put it on a silicon mat or greased parchment paper).
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through, then add toppings* and cook until they are done.

Nutritional Analysis: Whole crust has 7 grams of effective carbohydrate, plus 52 grams fiber, 47 grams protein, 130 grams healthy fat, and 1525 calories.

SOURCE: About.com

*My toppings included Kroger pizza sauce (not too much, just enough to spread around), pepperoni (two layers!), plenty of shredded mozzarella, a little shredded sharp cheddar, some shredded ham, crumbled bacon and more pepperoncini slices. My cook time after adding the toppings was about 15 minutes, with the convection on.

Words of Wisdom from Nick Hanauer: A True "One Percenter"

Raise Taxes on Rich to Reward True Job Creators: Nick Hanauer

By Nick Hanauer

 

Smarter & Richer than Most

Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- It is a tenet of American economic beliefs, and an article of faith for Republicans that is seldom contested by Democrats: If taxes are raised on the rich, job creation will stop.

Trouble is, sometimes the things that we know to be true are dead wrong. For the larger part of human history, for example, people were sure that the sun circles the Earth and that we are at the center of the universe. It doesn’t, and we aren’t. The conventional wisdom that the rich and businesses are our nation’s “job creators” is every bit as false.

I’m a very rich person. As an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, I’ve started or helped get off the ground dozens of companies in industries including manufacturing, retail, medical services, the Internet and software. I founded the Internet media company aQuantive Inc., which was acquired by Microsoft Corp. in 2007 for $6.4 billion. I was also the first non-family investor in Amazon.com Inc.

Even so, I’ve never been a “job creator.” I can start a business based on a great idea, and initially hire dozens or hundreds of people. But if no one can afford to buy what I have to sell, my business will soon fail and all those jobs will evaporate.

That’s why I can say with confidence that rich people don’t create jobs, nor do businesses, large or small. What does lead to more employment is the feedback loop between customers and businesses. And only consumers can set in motion a virtuous cycle that allows companies to survive and thrive and business owners to hire. An ordinary middle-class consumer is far more of a job creator than I ever have been or ever will be.

Theory of Evolution

When businesspeople take credit for creating jobs, it is like squirrels taking credit for creating evolution. In fact, it’s the other way around.

It is unquestionably true that without entrepreneurs and investors, you can’t have a dynamic and growing capitalist economy. But it’s equally true that without consumers, you can’t have entrepreneurs and investors. And the more we have happy customers with lots of disposable income, the better our businesses will do.

That’s why our current policies are so upside down. When the American middle class defends a tax system in which the lion’s share of benefits accrues to the richest, all in the name of job creation, all that happens is that the rich get richer.

And that’s what has been happening in the U.S. for the last 30 years.

Captain Obvious: Atheists Do Not Have a Faith

This is just a quick post, written after too many "faith" and "religion" posts that I've read recently. In America, we are not required to follow any particular--or any at all--religion, or "faith." Unfortunately for we "unfaithful," the faithful cannot comprehend our disbelief. Most religious people, particularly the devout kind, have an extremely difficult time putting their selves in our shoes. To them, unbelievers are belligerent people, denying the truth that they secretly believe to be true. No.

Again, NO. Atheists, atheistic agnostics and other irreligious people simply don't believe in god or gods, deity or deities. It isn't up to us to explain or discover the origin of the universe. We don't claim to know the secrets to all that is. We just simply state that we don't subscribe to the belief systems of the thousands/hundreds of thousands/millions of religions that have dominated the earth. We hold a neutral, non-supernatural "what is, is" philosophy. That is no more a faith than "bald" is a hair color.

Ron Paul's Anti-Newt Gingrich Ad

Ron Paul is one of those guys who reels you in with some good old-fashioned common sense. And then he says something batshit crazy, and the allure is gone. But Paul has got an easy go of it in attacking Newt Gingrich. Gingrich has baggage that outweighs his own substantial corpulence.

Uh-Oh! Newt Gingrich's Health Care Ideas a Lot Like "Obamacare"

"If you quote me verbatim, you're lying!"
Image from ThinkProgress

One thing we can be sure about is that politics from the right these days isn't rooted in anything. Oh sure, there's abortion, gays, guns, those things they claim to be firm on. But if Barack Obama proposed outlawing same-sex marriage, overturning Roe v. Wade, and thought gun ownership should be mandatory, Mitch McConnell, Eric Cantor and John Boner Boehner would denounce him. You know it.

So, does it come as a surprise to anybody that President Obama's Affordable Care Act would have many similarities to Republican ideas? Specifically Newt Gingrich's ideas? And that they all, including Newt, pretend that it is the most socialist, communist, Marxist, statist (there, I said it!) plan ever devised?

[Excerpt]


Newtbamacare: How The Affordable Care Act Incorporates Many Of Gingrich’s Health Care Proposals

Despite growing evidence — and video footage — that he has previously supported a national health insurance mandate, Newt Gingrich continues to characterize the Affordable Care Act as a government takeover of the health care system that he would repeal on his first day in office. But a closer look at Gingrich’s past health care proposals, his work at the Center for Health Transformation, and numerous books about health care reform, suggest that the law he seeks to repeal includes many aspects of his own health care philosophies and proposals. . .

Read more at: Think Progress