Shakesville

Shaker Gourmet: Pumpkin Banana Pudding

This is on my "to be made" list for this week (but I haven't tried it yet). I found this recipe in a little recipe book* I picked up from the apple farm.

Pumpkin Banana Pudding
2 cups cooked pumpkin
1 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
4 eggs, separated

--Preheat oven to 350

--In large bowl combine pumpkin, bananas, sugar, butter, creams, orange peel, orange juice, salts, spice, and egg yolks. Beat until well blended.

--Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into mixture.

--Pour into greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake for 1 hr 15 minutes.

--Serve warm with whipped cream.

If you'd like to participate in Shaker Gourmet, email me at: shakergourmet (at) gmail.com

*the book is Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Recipes (.pdf catalog), by Bear Wallow Books

Nix the Bread; Just Give Us Circuses

In the middle of this piece by Amy Sullivan about the debate, comes this line:

"Boring" and "zzzzz" were popular reviews of Obama's performance from blogosphere pundits, but apparently the people have had enough excitement watching the market plummet and are in the mood for some mellowness.

It wasn't just in the blogosphere. As the results of their polling rolled in at CNN, various members of the largest pundit panel on the planet expressed shock that American voters felt Obama had so thoroughly trounced McCain with such a low-key performance.

And while their bewilderment, conveyed via perplexed tones and consternatedly knitted brows, at people judging the candidates based on—can it be?—substance, was amusing, it was frightening to find an undercurrent of disappointment about Obama's imperturbable showing, too. Cool to the point of sleepy, they seemed to grouse.

None of them was foolish enough to say it plainly, but they were evidently dissatisfied that Obama had failed to entertain them.

Detecting that wee bit of disappointment at the increasingly likely prospect that they're going to have to cover "the boring guy" for at least the next four years sent a chill up my spine, but it also pissed me right off. Press who express regret, overtly or subtly, that the future president is calm, cool, collected, and competent, because it might make their jobs less fun, have lost the plot (and their role in it). That's the dominion of comedians—and even comedians have a point at which the good of the country means more to them than a joke.

We spend a lot of time in the blogosphere talking about ideological bias in the press, but what really matters even more than a member of the media leaning right or left is how much they're doing that job for themselves instead of doing it on behalf of their viewers, listeners, readers.

Maybe the best president for the media is a bloody buffoon who regularly makes an arse of himself, but that is not the best president for the average American, who depends on hir president to be a goddamned grown-up. I really don't think it's too much to request of our Fourth Estate to bear in mind that they have a serious job to do.

Circuses don't sate hungry bellies. Say what you like about Barack Obama, but he appears to know that much at least.

There are a lot of hungry bellies in America these days.

Maybe that's why he's so serious.

"Joe the Plumber" Isn't Licensed

According to The Blade, the latest star of the campaign, Joe Wurzelbacher, aka "Joe the Plumber," isn't licensed or registered as a plumber.

A check of state and local licensing agencies in Ohio and Michigan shows no plumbing licenses under Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher’s name, or even misspellings of his name.

Mr. Wurzelbacher told reporters Thursday morning that he worked for Newell Plumbing & Heating Co., a small local firm whose business addresses flow back to several residential homes, including one on Talmadge Road in Ottawa Hills.

According to Lucas County Building Inspection records, A. W. Newell Corp. does maintain a state plumbing license, and one with the City of Toledo, but would not be allowed to work in Lucas County outside of Toledo without a county license.

Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell’s license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work.

He is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio, which means he's not a plumber.

So, what is he? A plumber's helper?

(Cross-posted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.)

"I'm Not President Bush"

Ladies and Gentlemen, Exhibits A and B.

lol your similar reaction in awkward situations

Caption This Photo

"WANT!"
[Thanks to Shaker Constant Comment for sending that. The photo was snapped by Reuters when McCain went the wrong way around the desk at the very end of the debate.]

I'm Going to be Joe the Plumber for Halloween

One of the unfortunate things we have to put up with when we have the windows open in our home is being able to hear others in our building. It's not like we hear conversations, but if there's a game on, we know when someone has made a touchdown or home run or whatever. And if someone has a party going on, we're very aware of it.

Early this spring, we had the windows open on a warm evening, and someone in our building or the one next door was having a party. It was obvious the booze was flowing free, because the drunken noise was steadily increasing in volume. And then we heard him: Happy Cheering Drunk Guy.

"Heyyyyy! Everybody! Sabanagbly! (the third word was always completely mushmouthed and unintelligible) Wooooooo!"

This went on for a good three hours. About every fifteen minutes, HCDG decided he had to shout his boozy joy to the heavens.

"Heyyyy! Everybody! Flambagamblan! Wooooooo!"

The husband and I were in hysterics, and that has become a permanent fixture in our banter.

So last night, we're watching the final debate. The husband, who has been rather blasé about the race until the debates started, has been (rather amusingly) filled with venom when watching McCain's performances, which led to my favorite exchange of all three debates:

H: "God, he's so annoying! I can't stand listening to him speak!"

Me: "Yeah, Obama is totally mopping the floor with him. Look at his face; he can barely conceal his rage; he's got so much contempt inside him. It's like he can't believe he's being forced to share a stage with someone he loathes, and he's amazed that he's losing."

H: "He's just such an asshole..." (McCain tries to pull a "They're for vouchers!" gotcha.) Oh, shut the fuck up! GOD!"

Me: "He really is the most unlikable Presidential candidate I've ever seen."

H: "At least Bush was more entertaining in the debates. McCain is just an asshole, but Bush was like, 'Heyyyy! Everybody! Sangablafhba! Woooooo!'"

I can't argue with that.

lol your reaction

A truly hilarious moment in last night's debate was when Obama told "Joe the Plumber" that he would be fined nothing if his small business did not adopt Obama's proposed healthcare plan, and McCain's exclaimed, "ZERO?!" with an incredulous look of "Zuh?" on his face.

OBAMA: I just described what my plan is. And I'm happy to talk to you, Joe, too, if you're out there. Here's your fine -- zero. You won't pay a fine, because...

MCCAIN: Zero?

OBAMA: Zero, because as I said in our last debate and I'll repeat, John, I exempt small businesses from the requirement for large businesses that can afford to provide health care to their employees, but are not doing it. I exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty.

It was funny enough on its own, but check this out:

OMGLOL.

Scalpel Beats Hatchet

My review of the debate, "Scalpel Beats Hatchet," is up at The Guardian's Comment is free America:

When the two candidates and moderator Bob Schieffer take the stage, McCain and Obama are seated so that McCain will have to put serious effort into avoiding looking at Obama, as he has so carefully done during the last two debates. I half expect him to come out wearing blinders. He doesn't, but when he starts with, "It's good to see you again, Senator Obama," he still can't really look at his opponent. I wonder if there's an email circulating among conservatives reporting that Obama is not just a radical extremist who wants to enslave white America, but that looking directly into his eyes can turn a man into stone.

Moments later, I see that if the Muslim Medusa meme has taken hold in the conservative hive mind, McCain has decided to nonetheless brave the possibility of petrification, because now he's staring at Obama in a vaguely unsettling way, blinking rapidly, and, unless I'm mistaken, spelling out "The Acorn doesn't fall far from the terrorist" in Morse code.

The two senators go back and forth about taxes, the discussion centred around some bloke named Joe the Plumber, who may or may not be related to Joe Sixpack…

Read the whole thing here.

Things Are Tough All Over

How the credit crunch will affect Britain.

"Will one be wanting fries with that?"

HT to Bob.

Two-Minute Nostalgia Sublime

Richie Rich

For John McCain.

The Third Pres Debate Virtual Pub Is Open

Drinks are on the house, Shakers.

We're gonna need 'em.

Maude help us.

Question of the Day

Suggested by Shaker Monoglot: What was your favorite article of clothing when you were a child?

Daytime: I adored this teal terrycloth shorts set that my Uncle John got me for my birthday one year. (Or, more likely, that my grandma bought for my Uncle John, who was still a young man living at home when I was a wee thing, to give me.) I wore the fuck outta that thing!

Nighttime: Like I need to tell you.

Preview of Tonight's Debate

Via TPM, who got it from Ezra Klein.

Can You Hear Him Now?

The WaPo is reporting that Verizon and AT&T both provided free of charge, at Cindy McCain's request, portable cell phone towers to the McCains for use on their 15-acre ranch near Sedona, Arizona, where they couldn't get any coverage. Gee, isn't that nice of them?

Problem is, it's just the tiniest bit unethical to have the wife of a sitting senator and presidential candidate to be requesting such favors, offering "land for a permanent cell tower" in return, and accepting valuable campaign contributions from telecoms:

Ethics lawyers said Cindy McCain's dealings with the wireless companies stand out because Sen. John McCain is a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees the Federal Communications Commission and the telecommunications industry. He has been a leading advocate for industry-backed legislation, fighting regulations and taxes on telecommunications services.

…"It raises the aura of special consideration for somebody because he is a member of the Senate," said Stanley Brand, a former House counsel for Democrats and an ethics attorney who represents politicians of both parties. "Here is a guy who is campaigning as Mr. Maverick and Mr. Reformer and he keeps skirting the edge."

But wait—there's more!

Five of McCain's campaign officials have worked as lobbyists for Verizon, including his campaign manager, Rick Davis. Several of McCains' senior senate staffers, including chief of staff Mark Buse and senior strategist Charles Black, have worked as lobbyists for AT&T. Combined, Verizon and AT&T lobbyists and employees have donated more than $3.6 million to McCain's presidential campaign.

Mmm…mavericky!

lol your satire puts food on my family

Bush Calls For Panic:

"My fellow Americans, the time for running aimlessly through streets while shrieking and waving our arms above our heads is now," Bush said. "I understand that many of you are worried about your economic future and our situation overseas, and you have every right to be. Yet there is only one thing we as a nation can do in times like these: give up all hope and devolve into a lawless, post-apocalyptic, every-man-for-himself society."

"For those of you who have remained resolute in your belief that things will turn around eventually, I urge you to close your eyes, take shallow rapid breaths, and begin freaking out immediately," Bush added. "At this point, anyone who isn't scared to death needs to wake the fuck up—because we're screwed here."

The president then picked up the telephone from his desk and hurled it through the Oval Office window.

During the address, Bush laid out a historic five-point plan for panic that he hopes will help the American people fall apart as quickly as possible. The plan—which many are calling Bush's most well-thought-out proposal to date—calls for citizens to abandon their daily routines entirely, and engage in a weeklong period of bloodcurdling screaming, arm flailing, dry heaving, and gnawing on one's fingers while rocking back and forth in alternating bouts of maniacal laughter and gentle sobbing.

…Bush told Americans that if at any point they catch themselves feeling even slightly at ease, they should remind themselves that, in the end, everything is going to be completely fucked.

"The plan—which many are calling Bush's most well-thought-out proposal to date" totally sent me into a fit of giggles for like five solid minutes. And then this really grim, stoic, despicably earnest part of my brain decided to remind me that it's really too goddamned true to be funny, at which point I snarled at my George Bush Countdown Calendar: "I hate you."

Which made me laugh all over again.

[H/T to Iain.]

FYI

[FYI 1; FYI 2; FYI 3; FYI 4; FYI 5; FYI 6; FYI 7; FYI 8; FYI 9; FYI 10; FYI 11; FYI 12; FYI 13; FYI 14; FYI 15; FYI 16; FYI 17; FYI 18. Hint: They're better if you click 'em!]

Girl Effect

Blub.

(For those who can't hear video, there's no transcript; the images are just accompanied by piano music.)

Visit The Girl Effect to find out more. Donate here.

[Via Vanessa.]

Daily Kitteh

Olivia "Fang" Twist would like her chin scratched now, thankyouverymuch.

Quote of the Day

"Yes, the spot worked. Yes, they believed the charges against Obama. Yes, they actually think he's too liberal, consorts with bad people and WON'T BE A GOOD PRESIDENT...but they STILL don't give a fuck. They said right out, 'He won't do anything better than McCain' but they're STILL voting for Obama. … I felt like I was taking crazy pills. I sat on the other side of the glass and realized...this really is the Apocalypse."—An astonished Republican consultant in an email to The Politico's Ben Smith, after showing a group of "Reagan Dems and Independents" in a focus group a "no-holds-barred attack" advert against Obama and hearing comments like: "I'm gonna hate him the minute I vote for him. He's gonna be a bad president. But I won't ever vote for another god-damn Republican."

Way to go, GOP.

lol your irrelevant

Wednesday Blogaround

What's the frequency, Shakers?

Recommended Reading:

Cara: Stand Up Against Prop 8

Karnythia: Of Politics, History, and the Future

Blue Girl: An Empty Smile and a Hungry Heart

Sean: Self-Driving Cars

Elle: Conversations

Kathy: Most Awesome William Kristol Anecdote Evah!

Leave your links in comments...