SOCIAL MEDIA

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

What is a Republican

I have put this here today because people are confused. I am a moderate Republican. I am:

*Pro-Choice (Roe V. Wade)
*Pro Women's Rights (I can vote and own land)
*Pro Civil Rights (This includes homosexuals)
*Pro Conservation (Recycle)
*Pro Independent Business
*Pro Economic Stability
*Anti Taxes
*Anti Big Government
*Anti Organised Religion

What I am not:
*A racist
*A warmonger
*A rich person
*Anti women
*Anti Freedom

I recommend visiting CNN where I got this. Very enlightening. By the way, I suggest you teach your children that among people you know, one should not discuss money, religion, sex or politics. It lacks graciousness and you may offend someone.




CNN Explains: How today's GOP has its roots in anti-slavery crusade

By Tom Foreman, CNN
updated 10:27 PM EDT, Sat August 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Republicans emerge as an anti-slavery party in 1800s
  • Abraham Lincoln was party's first president
  • GOP got name Grand Old Party from a Chicago newspaper

Washington (CNN) -- Some may not realize that the modern Republican Party owes its origin to the fight over slavery nearly two centuries ago.
In the tumultuous mid-1800s, right before the Civil War, some political activists were concerned about keeping slavery from spreading into new western territories, and they saw no way to stop it through existing political powers: the Democrats and the Whigs (the pro-Congress party of the mid 1800s that largely destroyed itself in the 1852 elections in a battle over slavery).
So they formed a new party, taking the name "Republicans" in a salute to earlier American politicians.
By 1861, they had their first president: Abraham Lincoln. Soon after, slavery fell. The Whig party disappeared. And the Republicans began a long steady rise in power.
Even back then, the party liked to talk about fiscal responsibility -- immigration, religion -- and the need for a strong business climate. All of this spurred a sympathetic Chicago newspaper to call the Republicans the Grand Old Party, or the GOP.
Republican voters were strongest in rural and western parts of the country, and they were highly successful at maximizing electoral votes to produce presidents: Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt were among their early successes.
However, World War I brought sharp policy disagreements to the party. And when Herbert Hoover ushered in the Great Depression, the Republicans were driven into retreat.
It would be 20 years until they won the White House again, under Dwight Eisenhower.
But since 1969, they have been largely back to their winning ways.
During that time, Republicans have been in the Oval Office for almost twice as many years as the Democrats -- Nixon (elected to two terms, but resigned at the start of his second), Ford (served out Nixon's second term), Reagan (elected to two terms), George H.W. Bush (elected to one term) and George W. Bush (elected to two terms).
And I still am wishing today that Mitt Romney restarted the tradition.



Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Bitterballen with Chanterelles - A Dutch Treat


I found this recipe ages ago on Design*Sponge. I made them one night as a nod to my own Dutch heritage and everybody swooned. I made them last Thanksgiving and now I am making them again this year. The styling at Design*Sponge is so spectacular I used their pics here. If you've never been to visit that sensational site, you'd love it. I recommend visiting for some input from Yvette Van Boven who invented the twist on this Dutch favorite. Also, Yvette is a sensational cookbook author and food stylist. I have her book Home Made
and it is sensational.


Bitterballen with Chanterelle Mushrooms
The Bitterballen Ingredients
Step by Step





Real Dutch Bitterballen with Chanterelles
Ingredients
1 onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons plus 1 handful of flour
1/2 cup (75ml) White Port
2 cups mushroom broth (500ml)
salt, pepper, nutmeg
3 cups chanterelle mushrooms (250 grams)
1 handful of parsley
2-3 eggs
1 handful of fine breadcrumbs
Day 1:
Make the filling:
Fry 1 Onion (chopped) in a wide pan with the butter.  Once the butter has melted add one tablespoon of flour.  Stir and let cook a bit.  Add the White Port and mushroom broth.  Salt and pepper to taste and add some nutmeg.  Add the chanterelles and parsley, and cook this until a thick roux forms.  Let this mixture chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Day 2:
Set up your assembly line:  Set aside three bowls, and a tray lined with parchment paper.  In one bowl place a handful of flour, in one bowl 2-3 eggs, lightly beaten, and in the last bowl, your breadcrumbs.
Divide the mixture in half and roll into two logs.  Cut each log into equal parts, about the size of a large grape.  Roll each ball in flour, then dip in the egg, and then roll in the breadcrumbs.  Repeating the last two steps will help to form a thick, firm crust.
Heat your oil to 350F degrees (180C degrees).  Fry the bitterballen in small batches.
Serve immediately with creamy mustard (made with one part sour cream, one part mustard) and beer!
Thursday, November 8, 2012

Street Style - It's me!

I usually pick someone off the street for these posts, hence "Street Style." Plus, I hate visiting fashion blogs where Annabelle X blogs about herself and her awesome clothes. It appears vain and boastful and narcissistic.

But for this one, I'm going to be Annabelle X.  I really liked what I was wearing. Actually I felt like a totally cool hipster chick. The kind I always look at and think,  "Man, I wish I was that cool." Seriously, yesterday, I might have been that cool chick to someone. You know the ones too. The girl who has Little Majorette and Empire of the Sun and Alex Winston, supplemented with The Kills on her play list. The one who exercises regularly at the hip yoga studio that other super hip folks go to. The one that says she'd love to be vegan but can't give up bacon. The one that is craftier than any crafter, craftier even than Martha Stewart's whole staff. You know the one!
I felt that cool; that hip.

I wore a dress from Macy's that's really too big for me. When you look at the pictures you'll probably be like me and say, "Shorter, perhaps." The tights are Italian no name tights with a really cool motif on them. I got them at Marshall's for a bargain but I hope they'll at least last through winter. They're epic. The sweater is a basic black with 3/4 sleeves from Ann Taylor Loft. And the earrings...OH THE EARRINGS. They were my favorite part of the outfit. They were gifted from Granny. And the booties. I wish I had taken a better picture of the booties. It's hard to capture the very turn of the century look of them. They are real "Anne of Green Gables." They're from Anthropologie about 4 years ago. I love them.

Anyhoo. Check it out. Let me know what you think!