Religion and Politics....

A Great Post on Politics and religion....From Cab Drollery...

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2011

Tiresome
Here's the thing: ultimately, I really don't care what religion a politician holds, or even if s/he holds any religion. That shouldn't enter into the mix in a country which has declared freedom of religion and which has traditionally kept intact the separation of church and state. Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Christian, Rastafarian, Pagan: it shouldn't matter.

It shouldn't, but apparently it now does. I thought that with the election of John F. Kennedy, a Roman Catholic, we could finally put the religious test behind us. I clearly was wrong.

See my home town being sued for giving money to the church here.

Scarlet Letter

A friend and fellow Hoosier with whom I have been commiserating regarding Mitch Daniels and the Legislative Loonies in the Hoosier house and Senate destroying Planned parenthood just emailed me this: "I agree about living/being from Indiana, it is like wearing a big A on your chest for Asshole." The scarlet letter....and our leading university's colors are red and white. Just an observation.

This is good on a cool, cool evening.

We had some rather Autumnal weather Thursday so I raided the pantry for supper. I googled canellini beans +sausage and adapted some quantities into this. It was very, very good.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound cooked smoked sausage with skin (I used the ubiquitous Eckrich), cut into 1/4-inch slices (bite size is best)
1 can chicken broth
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces) canellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions
In a large skillet or dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in oil until tender. Add sausage; cook and stir until lightly browned. Add broth, beans and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Toss the bay leaves.

Serve it with crusty bread. Mmmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmm.

A quick note: I would not use garbanzo beans next time just because I like other types of beans better...... butter beans, Limas or even some read kidney beans.

Doghouse Riley

Doghouse Riley
I just really, really love the way this guy writes. Our own Hoosier Molly Ivins......with testosterone and ON STEROIDS. Too much fun with Sat morning coffee on the balcony:

The name of Indiana's governor--Mitch or Mark or Mike Somebody--came across the local news crawl last night. He was shoehorned into a story about Planned Parenthood shutting operations as a lawsuit proceeds over the bill he signed last month defunding all its services, because the inmates of the Indiana General Assembly had Shorty by the shorties.

Daniels has been invisible in the month since he announced his wife wouldn't let him run for President.

Rebuild the Dream

On Thursday, June 23rd, Van Jones will be joined by The Roots, artist/DJ Shepard Fairey, and other celebrity guests in New York City to kick off the movement to rebuild the American Dream.

Rebuild the Dream

9 Countries That Do It Better: Why Does Europe Take Better Care of Its People Than America?

It makes you want to move to Iceland.

9 Countries That Do It Better: Why Does Europe Take Better Care of Its People Than America? | | AlterNet

The Grand Rapids LipDub (NEW WORLD RECORD)

So cool

Peeps Show V - WaPo

Peeps Show V - The Washington Post:

My favorite part of Easter....the Washington Post Peeps Diorama winners slide show! My favorites this year "Peep Bun Tiki," "Peep Cake Wars," "Peep Hoarders," and for sentimental reasons "The Muppeep Show." A runner up would be "Peepie Sheen Receives His Daily Transfusion of Fresh Tiger Blood"

Past favorite: Political Peeps.

Under Proposed law Foster Kids would be allowed to get clothing only from second hand stores

Foster children would be allowed to get clothing only from second hand stores | Michigan Messenger

Mr. Bumble is alive and well and serving in the MI Senate.

Casswell, a Republican representing Branch, Hillsdale, Lenawee and St. Joseph counties, made the proposal this week, reports Michigan Public Radio.

His explanation?

“I never had anything new,” Caswell says. “I got all the hand-me-downs. And my dad, he did a lot of shopping at the Salvation Army, and his comment was — and quite frankly it’s true — once you’re out of the store and you walk down the street, nobody knows where you bought your clothes.”

Under his plan, foster children would receive gift cards that could only be used at places like the Salvation Army, Goodwill and other second hand clothing stores

Senate votes to give Daniels power to pick secretary of state replacement

Senate votes to give Daniels power to pick secretary of state replacement | The Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

SIGH, IOKIYAR.....as a friend on Facebook says....Why even have elections and rules? We can just have the Republican majority write laws that determine our elections for us. Voting is so 1700s.

"The Senate voted today to change Indiana law so that Gov. Mitch Daniels would appoint a new secretary of state if Charlie White is found ineligible to have been on the November ballot."

A Scandal

Reposting this link to Bernie Sanders.

Rep. Crowley (D-NY) - Speechless

Best speechless ever.

Here's How We Can Fight Back and Win | Environment | AlterNet

Our Lives Are Under Threat From Some of the Most Powerful and Richest Entities -- Here's How We Can Fight Back and Win | Environment | AlterNet

By Naomi Klein & Bill McKibben

We need to rebuild the kind of mass movement that marked 1970: bodies, passion, and creativity are the currencies we can compete in. It's not impossible.

YouTube - A Scandal

I'm think I'm moving to Vermont when I retire. I want Bernie to be my senator. YouTube - A Scandal

New Research on Vitamin D, Part 1: Vitamin D is Unique | WholeFoods Magazine

New Research on Vitamin D, Part 1: Vitamin D is Unique | WholeFoods Magazine
The vitamin D precursor in our skin is 7-dehydrocholesterol, which is made in the body from cholesterol. Ultraviolet-B (UVB) energy converts 7-dehydrocholesterol into cholecalciferol, which is the name of natural vitamin D. Cholecalciferol (pronounced koh· luh· kal· sif· uh· rawl) is then carried in the bloodstream to the liver, where it is converted into the prohormone 25-hydroxy vitamin D (calcidiol). Some of that 25-hydroxy vitamin D is then transported to the kidneys where it is hydroxylated further to form 1,25-hydroxy vitamin D (calcitriol). This form is the physiologically active form of vitamin D. The calcitriol made in the kidneys is to fulfill only one of vitamin D’s functions: its endocrine function, which is to maintain the calcium economy.

Technically not a “vitamin,” vitamin D is in a class by itself. Its second metabolic product, 1,25-hydroxy vitamin D (calcitriol), is actually a hormone, a key that fits binding sites on the human genome. The human genome contains more than 2,700 binding sites for 1,25-hydroxy vitamin D; those binding sites are near genes involved in virtually every known major disease of humans.

Thom Hartmann: Life-long Republicans are leaving their party

It used to be a really good party with good people in the party. I'm a lifelong Dem but there are so many people I admire in the "real" GOP...Dwight Eisenhower, Dick Lugar (breaks my heart to see him pandering to these jerks) Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln. Heck, even Nixon and Reagan when it came to middle class issues. But the new GOP is the party of billionaires and the Kochs. It is not your mom's GOP.

The Revolution Starts Now

Steve Earle~!

Indiana Workers Continue Monthlong Capitol Vigil | AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

Indiana Workers Continue Monthlong Capitol Vigil

Today marks the 23rd day Indiana teachers, public employees and other workers have been at the state Capitol protesting more than 30 bills backed by Republican lawmakers and Gov. Mitch Daniels (R). The legislative package includes bills that slash public school budgets, defund women’s health care and eliminate public-sector unions.

Indiana Statehouse Protests to Protect Worker Rights - Week Two

I was in Indy yesterday, 3/10/2011.....good day to be Hoosier, a rare thing for me.

Wisconsin crowd reacts