Miscellaneous Thoughts

Of which several feel like déjà vu. <sigh> Such is life…

I need to go Zuma Beach more often.

So far I'm really enjoying the new DuckTales, though I still have difficulty understanding what Donald Duck is saying.

I caught several episodes of Milo Murphy's Law, which included:

--I Like Big Boats and I Cannot Lie on the marquee in front of the school,

--A reference to Laugh-In's dancing Goldie Hawn, and

--A reference to Walk This Way from Monty Python.

How have I not been watching this show before now?

You remember the Hurricane Relief telethon from a while back? My favorite musical moment was Have a Little Help performed at the Grand Ol' Opry. I'm here for a Darius Rucker-Demi Lovato-Brad Paisley-CeCe Winans concert. Imagine, if you will, a few songs after CeCe's His Eye is On the Sparrow duet with a surprise guest, Brad Paisley strolls onstage to join her for How Great Thou Art. Here. For. IT.

But seriously though,

If you bring up the violence in Chicago as a response to any thing

You best immediately follow up with 1) how it is relevant to the topic you possibly may have hijacked and 2) your solutions.

And no, declaring 'their strict gun laws don't work'

without acknowledging the effects of differing gun laws in neighboring municipalities and states

does not satisfy condition #1.

Say No to the sound bite. Say Yes to being constructive. You know my mot-to

Do the Hard Work.

I love that in the movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, all of the bands have female drummers.

There's a Tremors 5. According to the TV guide, it was released in 2015 and set in South Africa. And yes, Michael Gross is in it.

At Target the other day, I noticed some of the mannequins were actual normal human woman size. And I rejoiced…until it occurred to me that what to my eyes is normal human woman size might be considered 'plus size' in their eyes. Then I was sad and mad but mostly mad.

One of these days I'm going to learn how to cook a steak to medium rare. Today is not that day.

The ice cream recipe says whipping cream + milk + other stuff. So naturally, when I use only whipping cream + other stuff, I am amazed – Amazed! – at the notion that I literally iced cream.

<Spoiler Alert!>

Happy to know I wasn’t' the only one who said, Wait – is that Azula fire? when the zombie dragon decimated The Wall on Game of Thrones.

<end Spoiler>

Remember the hurricane that devastated Houston and surrounding areas? And the one that devastated parts of Florida? Remember how you gave to support the folks there? Well, it'll take months, if not years, to rebuild. Keep giving.

Also keep in mind Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and where ever else disaster has devastated and people are in need (the fires in Montana come to mind).

Christian Fam, this means your offering for the next few months will go to helping people affected by several different calamities. If you regularly attend church, your tithe still goes there, but your offering, which is in addition to your tithe, will likely skip the building fund for a while (unless your church house has been directly affected).

If you don’t live in an affected area, look for local charities who have their feet on the ground (for example, food banks). International/Territorial giving might be a bit trickier, but I think there are stateside organizations which are collecting funds and distributing services and supplies to help the people in these places.

For situations like Vegas, you might need to start setting aside funds for the inevitable requests for help with medical bills and/or funeral expenses. A lot of people were injured; a lot of people were killed. Taking care of business is not cheap.

As always, pray first and listen to where God leads you. And as with all donations to organizations or individuals, vet everything.

There are some who are upset by those who demand more than offers of 'thoughts and prayers'. There are some who claim such critiques are calls to abandon God.

These folks have forgotten that Rev. Dr. King, along with others, did not solely pray. In addition to prayer, they acted.

If you have power and/or influence, prayer is not the only thing required of you. You are also to use the power and/or influence you have for the betterment of the people.

DC Looney Tunes Crossovers - Rankings

Have you heard? DC Looney Toons crossover comics were released this summer! Rated T for Teen, each comic starts with a DC-style story, followed by a Looney Toons-style story.

I bought 'em. I read 'em. I've got your rankings below and your synopses right here. I tried not to be spoiler-ly, but enter at your own risk.

#6 - Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny

The lady at the comic book shop said this was an unexpected last-minute addition that caught everyone off guard.

It shows.

Despite a ridiculousness that made me giggle, the DC story was a slog to get through.

If you've read the synopsis, that's not a typo - the Looney Toons story is virtually identical to the DC one, rendering its existence questionable. Why repeat the story you just finished?

The T for Teen rating is earned by the satirization of teen angst, a style of humor that younger kids probably aren't able to grasp.

Feel free to skip this one.

# 5 - Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian

I found the DC story to be a little dull, perhaps because I knew how it would end. Sort of like when the lead from your favorite TV show is in mortal danger, but you know they're going to make it because they're the lead character.

The Looney Toons story is classic Marvin the Martian – though I was slightly unnerved by how Martian Manhunter was rendered. He was a bit too much like Genie from Disney's Aladdin.

Younger kids (roughly ages 10 and up) who have seen the films of the Marvel Universe (e.g. Avengers) or the DC Universe (e.g., Batman vs. Superman) should be fine with both stories.

#4 - Lobo/Road Runner

The DC story has a touch of zaniness – when the Road Runner's involved, how can it not? What hooked me was the explanation of how Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner came to be, though I was disappointed with the relative lack of explanation of why the former chases the latter.

The Loony Toons story has a comment about cartoon violence that I'm still mulling over.

An enjoyable read, this is probably best for kids roughly 12 years old and up, due to the language (not quite cussing but right on the edge) and violence.

#3 - Wonder Woman/Tasmanian Devil

The DC story transitions seamlessly into the Looney Toons one; the two tales balance each other nicely.

Unexpectedly, the Looney Toons story feels more suitable for older kids (roughly ages 14 and up) - it's ever so slightly randy. Younger kids (roughly ages 8 and up) could probably handle the DC story, particularly if they've seen a Marvel or DC movie.

#2 - Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam

Listen. They managed to make one of my favorite Looney Toons characters completely plausible in the DC world. It's a happiness that earns the T for Teens label, though a mature 11 or 12 year old could possibly handle it.

The Looney Toons story is as zany and kid friendly as a Looney Toons story could be. Perfectly suitable for kids as young as 8 years old, particularly if they've ever seen a Looney Toons cartoon.

#1 - Batman/Elmer Fudd

The DC story has a gritty noir feel more suitable for older kids, roughly 15 years and up. It's a marvel.

The Looney Toons story is of a typical Looney Toons style suitable for ages 8 and up, if you're comfortable letting your kids watch typical Looney Tunes violence.

This comic is further proof that the last-minute Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny was completely unnecessary. Batman/Elmer Fudd is where the fork should've been stuck.

DC Looney Tunes Crossovers - Synopses

Have you heard? DC Looney Toons crossover comics were released this summer! Rated T for Teen, each comic starts with a DC-style story, followed by a Looney Toons-style story.

I bought 'em. I read 'em. I've got your synopses below and your rankings right here. I tried not to be spoiler-ly, but enter at your own risk.

Lobo/Road Runner

Fast and Fraggy-ous – Lobo is an intergalactic bounty hunter hired by Wile E. Coyote to catch the Road Runner once and for all. In exchange, Wile E. will take on Lobo's current bounty. Neither job is as easy as advertised.

But Wait, There's More! – Lobo is still on the hook for catching the Road Runner – it's in his contract!

Martian Manhunter/Marvin the Martian

Best Intentions – Marvin wants to destroy the Earth; J'Onn wants to save it. Humans, being human, do unhelpful human things.

The (Next to the) Last Martian – J'Onn happens upon the intergalactic plane that Marvin the Martian calls home. Impressed by J'Onn's abilities, Marvin schemes to take his powers and use them to destroy the Earth.

Wonder Woman/Tasmanian Devil

The Devil You Know – Themyscira is under Circe's control. Only with the help of the Tasmanian Devil, one of the many creatures of the Labyrinth, can Wonder Woman save her people from certain destruction.

Trojan Horseplay – As Diana sings Taz the story of the Trojan War, he drifts to sleep, dreaming of his own version of the fabled events.

Jonah Hex/Yosemite Sam

Comin' in A-Shootin'! – Yosemite Sam has just found a gold nugget in a mine on the land he inherited. Word travels fast, and Sam hires the bounty hunter Jonah Hex to protect him as he mines his investment.

The Road to Bruin – Yosemite Sam offers to help Jonah Hex collect a bounty on a notoriously ferocious bear.

Batman/Elmer Fudd

Pway for Me – Elmer Fudd is hitman. Word on the street is that Bruce Wayne killed his beloved Sylvia St. Cloud, and he aims to get his revenge.

Rabbit Season – It's Rabbit Season…or is it Bat Season?

Legion of Super-Heroes/Bugs Bunny

The Imposter Superboy! – It's the 31^st century, and the only thing that can save a dying Supergirl is a rare mineral that could be found by Superboy, the Legions' inspiration. The Legion goes to the 21^st century and brings back their hero only to find he is not as he seems.

Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes – It's the 31^st century, and the only thing that can save a dying Supergirl is a rare mineral that could be found by Superboy, the Legions' inspiration. The Legion goes to the 21^st century and brings back their hero only to find he is not as he seems.

Disjointed Thoughts about HBO's Confederate

HBO's announcement of the new series Confederate seemed to be an attempt to preempt Amazon's announcement of Black America, a show that will be co-created by Aaron McGruder, creator of both the comic strip and TV series Boondocks. While both are alternative histories, a stark contrast remains: Confederate envisions black Americans as modern-day slaves; Black America does not. Given this difference, no matter when it was announced, Confederate was sure to draw fire. Why would the creators of Confederate want to see black Americans as slaves? That the creators have yet to build the world described in the press release made it more difficult for them to assuage the concerns of those who find the concept troubling.

So…Confederate will take place on the eve of the Third Civil War, where the sides, same as they ever were, are "The North" and "The South". But if the Civil War ended such that the Confederacy became its own country, then wouldn't a 'Second Civil War' and 'Third Civil War' simply be wars between two neighboring countries? Or has the definition of a civil war – a war within a country – changed?

Hopefully, this will not be the case, but I'm concerned about the potential framing of "The North" as 'good' – because it's racially tolerant and accepting, and the "The South" as 'evil' – because slavery. That narrative needs to be buried. There's little doubt that racist practices such as Redlining would've existed in "The North" regardless whether the Confederacy won. To pretend otherwise would be    tiresome and unfortunate.

Shout out to Black Nerd Problems for providing a list of 7 Black Alt-History Projects that would be better than Confederate.

Per the above mentioned list:

To the folks who can - will you please make Vigilance?

Pretty please?

Siggi Icelandic Style Yogurt – A Review

I have a complicated relationship with dairy. While I regularly cook with butter, and consider ice cream to be a major food group, milk and creams can be tricky. Sometimes even the powdered stuff can incite gaseousness.

Then there's yogurt. Despite sticking to 0% milkfat, it's a once a month affair, if that. Upon venturing into the arena of concentrated dairy protein, I usually gather an assortment of Chobani Greek flavors. This time, I decided to try Siggi, an Icelandic style yogurt. I had this coupon, see.

This stuff is thick. Looking like you could stick a spoon in it and turn the container upside down kind of thick. Vigorous stirring didn't produce much slackening, either. Unexpected for 0% milkfat.

Siggi's not very sweet, regardless of whether the flavor is vanilla or a fruit such as blueberry, raspberry, or strawberry. It has the unmistakably sharp tang of plain yogurt. Most would probably be inclined to add honey or some sort of sweetening thing.

As for those fruit flavors, the fruit doesn't sit on the bottom of the container like a syrupy pie filling. It's already blended into the yogurt, tinting it an appropriate color, chunks of fruit visible. Unfortunately, I couldn't taste the fruit; for me, it was overpowered by that plain yogurt tang.

Would I buy it again?

I don't think so. I like the thickness, and while the relative lack of sweetness aligns with my efforts to reduce my sugar intake, it's not sweet enough for me. In the long run, I would overcompensate by adding too much honey or agave syrup, diminishing any healthful benefits this brand and style of yogurt may be able to bestow.

However

Siggi Vanilla + freshly diced mango + ice cubes + favored liquid blended into a smoothie?

Probable deliciousness.

This Week's Menu

Chicken Enchiladas

In my defense, I had little idea of what I was doing 

I used

chicken thighs, which I may have over-roasted;

mixed vegetables, because I need to eat more vegetables;

one bag of Mexican cheese blend, which was definitely not enough; and

one 32 oz can of enchilada sauce, which was also not enough.

Yes, they do taste a little dry. Dry, but still edible.

Cucumber Salad

I've turned to cucumber in an effort to eat more healthy snacks. Now, I don't really like cucumber, except for in a pickled cucumber salad that is common in some cuisines.

This time, instead of going for the full vinegar of the pickled version, I've gone with just enough vinegar to taste. I also add a few shakes of sweet chili sauce for a very small kick.

It's a good snack.

Sweet Potato Chips

What to do with oil leftover from frying plantain? Fry some sweet potatoes! Sweet potatoes are healthy, right? As is canola oil?

I know, you hear chips and you think thin slices. But that seemed like it would take twice as long to fry, so I went with thick cuts instead. Naturally they didn't crisp up like a thin cut would, even after a dusting of kosher salt.

Which doesn't bother me one bit.

Crème Brulee

I over-burnt the sugar. It was still delicious

Despite being short ½ a cup of heavy cream, these turned out well. One of these days I'll add Grand Marnier as Ina Garten suggests.

Egg White Quiche with Bacon and Gruyere

Taking the health out of a healthy option

Now, if you look online, an egg white quiche normally takes something like 10 egg whites. I only had 4¹. So off the bat, this quiche isn't going to be right.

But there's Veggies! And Cheese! And Bacon! And Crust! (Some of those online recipes are crust-less quiches. I'm not here for that.)

So yeah. It tastes just fine.

Bonus – From the menus of roughly the past two weeks (which I recognize may be possible repeats from even earlier):

Watermelon Granita

4 oz mason jars might be my new favorite

Some recipes call for adding a sweetener (sugar/honey/agave syrup); I didn't because watermelon is generally sweet enough and I'm kind of watching my sugar intake.

This time around I used watermelon², a bit of salt, and the zest and juice of one lime. A happy alternative to ice cream, since I'm kind of watching my sugar intake.

Mini Cheesecakes

I like mines browned and I don't mind the cracks

Homemade graham cracker crust + muffin tin + cheesecake = tasty goodness.

1. Because the Crème Brulee recipe I used required only 4 egg yolks.

2. I used a seedless individual/personal size watermelon, which I de-seeded before putting it in the blender. Because there's really no such thing as a truly seedless watermelon.

A Sales Pitch

A sales pitch I've seen here and there declares one should consider the Republican Party because it has historically cared more about civil rights in comparison to the Democratic Party.

The pitch asserts that the Democratic Party instituted Jim Crow laws and has been against civil rights for much of the 20^th century, while the Republican Party abolished slavery, instituted Reconstruction, and challenged the Democratic Party with a pro-civil rights stance at every opportunity.

There is truth in these statements. Nevertheless, in its current form, the pitch doesn't get me interested.

One reason is that the assertions I've seen present no other pro-civil rights examples outside of the abolishment of slavery and the establishment of Reconstruction. The assertions also fail to demonstrate how the legacy these two 100+ year old examples are reflected in the civil rights advocacy of today's Republican Party.

The sales pitch tells instead of shows. And to get me interested, you need to show me.

Show me where the Republican Party demanded justice for the all-black towns that were burned to the ground by white settlers during the Western expansion;

Show me where the Republican Party fought against the whites only charters of new cities and new suburbs (for example, Levittown);

Show me where the Republican Party fought for new transportation routes (subways, buses, etc.) to extend to non-white neighborhoods;

Show me where the Republican Party fought against segregation in public schools, advocating on the behalf of the students in cases like Alvarez vs. the Lemon Grove School District…

Do not mis-take me – I'm not claiming there is no value in considering the Republican Party.

I'm saying that if civil rights advocacy is the foundation of the sales pitch,

is something I should be looking for in today's Republican Party,

Bring forth the receipts.