Chip and Dale continue to bedevil my garden

Regular readers of this space may remember the problems that I have with old chip and dale. They eat my tomatoes. They eat my roses. Those )(*&!@#$ squirrels just won't leave my garden alone.

Most recently, they have been attacking my rasberry and blueberry plants. I planted them a few weeks ago, and I think that the plants will probably have to be pulled up.

Anyway, a friend sent me this possible set of solutions to the squirrel problem. Alas, squirrel isn't kosher. However, I encourage any readers of this space to consider ...

SQUIRREL * (See Below for Slow cooked recipe)

Squirrel is one of the most tender of all wild game meats. The rosy
pink to red flesh of young squirrel is tender and has a pleasing
flavor. The flesh of older animals is darker red in color and may
require marinating or long cooking for tenderness.


PREPARING FRIED SQUIRREL

After cleaning, cut up for frying, soak overnight in salt water.
Before frying (like chicken exactly) put squirrel in cooker oven with
water and "par boil" until meat is tender when stuck with fork. Don't
cook until meat falls off bones - as you want to batter it with flour
to fry (not too fast) like chicken. Season with salt and black pepper
to taste.


Rinse skinned squirrel in cold water and pat dry, dip in buttermilk
and then in seasoned flour and fry in hot fat just as you would a
chicken.

If the squirrel is young, you probably will not need to steam the
meat. If there is any doubt, drain off excess fat in the skillet, add
about a cup of water or wine if you prefer, and steam covered for
about 15 minutes. Or you may wish to pressure cook the meat for an
additional 5 to 10 minutes.

Make gravy in the frying fat by adding the leftover seasoned flour
and milk or water. Serve over rice or with hot biscuits.

FRIED SQUIRREL

1 young squirrel, cut in pieces
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Mix salt and pepper with flour. Shake pieces of squirrel in flour
mixture and brown in melted shortening in a heavy skillet. Lower the
heat after browning and cover the skillet tightly. Cook over low heat
for 1/2 to 1 hour or until well done. Remove cover during the last 10
minutes to crisp outer surfaces.

SQUIRREL FRICASSEE

1 young squirrel, cut in pieces
3 slices bacon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sliced onion
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup beef or chicken broth

Rub pieces of squirrel with salt and pepper and roll in flour. Pan
fry with chopped bacon for 30 minutes. Add onion, lemon juice and
broth and cover tightly. Cook slowly for 2 hours. Just before
serving, remove squirrel and make gravy by adding water or milk and
flour to the pan drippings.
Variations: Add l tablespoon paprika, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, l sliced
tart apple and 2 cups broth instead of bacon and lemon juice called
for in this recipe.

SQUIRREL STEW

Use a cleaned and skinned squirrel cut in serving size pieces.

4 ribs of celery, cut diagonally
1 small bay leaf
Small whole onions
Small whole potatoes
Salt, pepper and Worcestershire to taste

Place squirrel pieces in Dutch oven or heavy skillet with a lid.
Cover with water and steam until the meat is nearly tender. Add the
vegetables and seasoning and cook until just tender.

If a thickened gravy is desired, add l tablespoon of corn starch
dissolved in one-half cup of water just before serving.

This is good served with corn bread. One squirrel will serve two or
three people.

BRUNSWICK STEW

3 squirrels, cut in serving
1 cup chopped onion pieces
4 cups or 2 No. 303 cans tomatoes
3 quarts water
1/4 cups diced bacon
2 cups diced potatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups lima beans
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups corn
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place squirrel pieces in a large kettle. Add water. Bring slowly to
boil; reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is
tender, skimming surface occasionally. Remove meat from bones and
return to liquid. Add bacon, cayenne, salt, pepper, onion, tomatoes,
potatoes and lima beans. Cook l hour. Add corn and continue to cook
10 minutes. Serves six to eight.
Note: This recipe is particularly suitable for older, less tender
animals.


BRUNSWICK STEW (100 year old recipe)

Boil 2 good sized chickens or 4 squirrels in water
Add to the meat a generous supply of tomatoes and potatoes. When done add ten or twelve ears of corn. Remove the meat, cut into small pieces and return to the fire. Cook until very tender and thick. Seasoning with butter salt and pepper.


BROILED SQUIRREL

1 squirrel
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fat
Lemon wedges

Clean squirrel. Rub with slat and pepper. Brush with fat and place on
a broiling rack. Broil 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with
drippings. Squeeze lemon on squirrel before serving.
Serves two to three.


* SLOW COOKED SQUIRREL

*

Slow Cooked Squirrel
Submitted by: Bobbie Jo
Submit a recipe photo
"This stew recipe is for those of us who are hunters and are more of
the country ilk. It is easy that you can go to work while it simmers
in your pot and when you return home, dinner is ready." Original recipe yield: 6 servings.

Prep Time:
20 Minutes
Cook Time:
8 Hours
Ready In:
8 Hours 20 Minutes
Servings:
6 (change)

INGREDIENTS:

* 2 squirrels - skinned, gutted, and cut into pieces
* 4 large potatoes, quartered
* 1 pound carrots, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 4 onions, sliced
* 2 cups water
* 1/4 medium head cabbage
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a slow cooker, place the squirrel meat, potatoes, carrots,
green bell pepper, onions, water, cabbage, salt and ground black pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours.

Now, none of these recipies are mine. I just present them to you as a possible solution we can take to our infestation problem.

And, please keep in mind, my tongue is firmly in cheek.

Bill Harley is Returning to Great Falls!

Renowned storyteller and performer Bill Harley is returning to Great Falls for several free performances for area kids, and fundraising performance at the Mansfield Center for the Performing Arts to support the Children's Museum of Montana.

CMOM is a great organization, and truly deserves our support. In addition, Bill Harley is hilarious; I enjoy listening to him even when the kids aren't around (of course, that may say something about the old maturity level).

CMOM's press release for the event appended.

Children’s Museum of Montana
22 Railroad Square
Great Falls MT 59401
(406) 452-6661
www.childrensmuseumofmt.org

“Bill Harley in Concert”

Grammy nominated recording/performing artist, Bill Harley, is coming back to Great Falls! The Children’s Museum of Montana, First Interstate Bank and Mountain West Bank are proud to sponsor Bill Harley in Concert.

A nationally recognized family entertainer, Bill Harley is known for his ability to entertain children and adults alike with his unique blend of song and story. Bringing insight and humor to his observations about growing up and parenting like no other performer, Harley’s concerts feature original material about today’s world.

Familiar to many in Montana from Public Radio show “Pea Green Boat,” Bill Harley has been called “the Mark Twain of Kid’s music,” by Entertainment Weekly. Billboard magazine describes him as what would have happened “If Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes fame were to grow up he’d be Bill Harley.”

On Tuesday May 9 Mr. Harley will perform live KGPR Public Radio from 10:15-11:00 a.m. There will be two assemblies for Whittier Elementary School children at the Community Recreational Center at 12:30 and 1:30 as well.

On Wednesday May 10 Mr. Harley will give a private concert at the Children’s Museum of Montana’s Playgroup at 10:30 a.m. This concert is geared towards an audience of 0-5 year olds.

The evening of Wednesday May 10 see Bill Harley in Concert at the Mansfield Theater of the Civic Center at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at the Civic Center Box Office for $15.00 general admission, $13.00 for Children’s Museum of Montana Members, and $10.00 per ticket for families of 4 or more.

Bill Harley CD’s are available at the Children’s Museum. They are $15.00 each or 2 for $25.00! You can get “The Teachers Lounge,” “Grownups are Strange,” “The Battle of the Mad Scientists,” “You’re in Trouble,” “Play it Again,” “Down in the Backpack,” “Blah Blah Blah,” and “One More Time.”

For more information call Jill at 452-6661.

Fabulous Command Line Tutorial!

The command line is your friend. While GUIs are nice and all, they just don't provide powerful enough tools for much daily work. This is especially true if you need to perform a rote task on a series of files. Don't believe me? Try changing the filename of a directory of several hundred image files to meet a certain pattern with your GUI and then do it on your command line.

Anyway, this is a great tutorial on the command line and basic scripting. Go check it out.

Sharpest and Funniest Comeback Retort I have Heard in a Long Time ...

I usually don't post jokes here, but this was so funny ...

If you ever testify in court, you might wish you could have been as sharp as this policeman.

He was being cross-examined by a defense attorney during a felony trial. ?The lawyer was

trying to undermine the policeman's credibility....

Q: "Officer -- did you see my client fleeing the scene?"

A: "No sir. ?But I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender, running several blocks away."

Q: "Officer -- who provided this description?"

A: "The officer who responded to the scene."

Q: "A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. ?Do you trust your fellow officers?"

A: "Yes, sir. ?With my life."

Q: "With your life? ?Let me ask you this then officer. ?Do you have a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties?"

A: "Yes sir, we do!"

Q: "And do you have a locker in the room?"

A: "Yes sir, I do."

Q: "And do you have a lock on your locker?"

A: "Yes sir."

Q: "Now why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with these same officers?"

A: "You see, sir -- we share the building with the court complex, and SOMETIMES LAWYERS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO WALK THROUGH THAT ROOM!"

Election Results Convey Message

Yesterday's election carried a few messages. First, the voters voted to retain Stuart Nicholson's steady voice on our School Board. I think that this was the right choice.

However, the vote carried another message, one that has nothing to do with the administration of our school district. In an election without much controversy and even less advertising, more people filed absentee ballots than for our most recent presidential election. This should be seen as a rebuke against the shuffling of our polling places.

I voted absentee. Why? My old polling place was convenient and I liked voting there. I no longer have that option, and instead would have to go out of my way to the new location. Like a few thousand of my neighbors, I voted with my feet and sent in an absentee ballot. Worse, I applied for a permanent ballot and am not planning to vote at the polls in person for the forseeable future.

While absentee balloting is a necessary convenience, I don't think it is the right option for permanent balloting. It represents a continuation of a withdrawal from civic participation in community.

Worse, I suspect that creating an incentive for absentee balloting is the real reason for so reducing the number of our neighborhood polling places.

Jeers to the County for creating this situation and for not placing a priority on retaining neighborhood polling places.

Celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut!

Happy 58th Bithday to Israel! Today is Yom HaAtzmuot, Israeli independence day!

I often find that Dry Bones manages to capture just the right feeling for many Israeli occassions and current events. So, enjoy the cartoon.

From our vantage point in 2006, the existence of the Jewish State may seem like an established event. However, it was not very long before Israel's independence the the continued existence of the Jewish people was in real doubt.

We are taught to remember that joy and grief are never too far apart; that is part of the reason that we break a glass during a wedding ceremony. The quick succession of three holidays, Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) last week, followed by Yom HaZikiron (Israeli Memorial Day) yesterday and Yom HaAtzmaut today really put the progression of life and faith into perspective.

Mazel Tov Israel!

Priceless

Swim trunks and goggles: About $30.
Day pass to Nat: $2.50

Lapping your high school coach during a 500 free warmup: Priceless

All kidding aside, I hope that I am still swimming 30 years from now. Great paddling coach!

Stuart Nicholson for School Board

There are two candidates running in the Great Falls school district election. Although it may be a surprise to many readers, election day is tomorrow.

Both candidates seem like good choices. However, I believe Stuart Nicholson is the right man for the job.

In previous school district races, candidates have said that it is "impossible" to understand the school district's budget, and they have to rely upon district staff to tell them what the numbers mean. Understanding this budget will not be a problem for this Certified Public Accountant, the former CFO of DA Davidson.

Nicholson deserves our vote.

City Budget Meetings to be held June 12, 14

The City has scheduled staff presentations to the City Commission on budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year. The meetings, which are open to the public, will take place on June 12 and 14 in the Gibson Room of the Civic Center.

I have appended the City's press release below.

--

City Clerks Office City of Great Falls (406)455-8451 PO Box 5021 Great Falls, MT 59403

**********PRESS RELEASE**********

Date: April 27, 2006
Re: City Budget Work Sessions
Contact: Cheryl Patton, Assistant City Manager (406-455-8417)
Melissa Kinzler, Budget Manager (406-455-8476)

The City Commission will be meeting to hear final staff presentations June 12 and 14. The meetings will be held in the Gibson Room located on the second floor of the Civic Center, 2 Park Drive South and are open to the public. Following is the schedule for the meetings.

Monday, June 12, 2006
8:00 Fire
9:00 Community Development
10:00 Break
10:15 Library
10:45 Housing Authority
11:15 Park & Recreation

Wednesday, June 14, 2006
8:00 Public Works
9:30 Planning
10:00 Police
11:00 Fiscal Services - Electric City Power
12:00 Legal
12:15 Admin - City Clerk, Managers, Human Resources

Monday, June 19, 2006 (if needed)
8 to 12 To be scheduled

Never ... EVER ... Again

Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocast Remembrance Day.

If we are going to make the slogan "Never Again" a reality, we must remember the crimes perpetrated by the Nazi regime.

I have the honor of giving the welcome and invocation at the Yom HaShoah service that will take place today at the Capitol Rotunda in Helena at 4 p.m. Here are the remarks I will be presenting:

Welcome … Alechem Shalom.

We come here today in this symbol of our State’s authority to remember the systematic, bureaucratic annihilation of 6 million Jews and 3 to 5 million others; including the gypsies, the mentally or physically disabled, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Communists and political dissidents, trade unionists and Freemasons, among others; by what was at the time the German authority, the Nazi regime and its collaborators. Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The Nazi’s made the Shoah, or Holocaust, their central act of State during the Second World War. Theirs was a crime unique in the annals of human history, different not only in its quantity of violence but in manner and purpose as a mass criminal enterprise organized by the State against mostly defenseless civilian populations.

The Shoah was not simply a throwback to medieval torture, but a thoroughly modern expression of bureaucratic organization, industrial management, scientific achievement and technological sophistication. The Nazi’s spared no expense in their effort and kept meticulous records of their murders on the most sophisticated computer equipment in the world, ironically using technology developed for the newly formed U.S. Social Security Administration.

However, we are not solely here to mourn the dead. After the war, there was much debate about when, or even if, to set a date to remember this great crime. After all, the Jewish faith, one that was no stranger to sorrow, already had Tisha B'av, a date set to commemorate its griefs.

We are here today to honor those that fought back; those that resisted. Yom HaShoah falls on the Jewish date of Nisan 27, the anniversary of the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

On this date 63 years ago, Nazi troops and police entered the Warsaw ghetto to deport its 60,000 surviving inhabitants to the camps. 23-year-old Mordecai Anielewicz led 750 resistors who fought back against a full division of 12 thousand heavily armed and well-trained Germans with a few smuggled weapons and whatever else they could scavange.

These outgunned and starving ghetto fighters held its own against the German war machine for almost a month, but on May 16, 1943, the resistance’s was broken by superior Nazi armament. The Ghetto was “liquidated.” We must remember their courage.

You will also hear today of Jews who fought bravely as partisans in resistance groups that operated under cover of the dense forests of Eastern Europe. An estimated 20 to 30 thousand resistors were surrounded by captive populations which frequently collaborated with what should have been the common enemy, and were often betrayed by those who were in essence their fellow victims. It was a resistance by an army without arms, by the old and sick, the frail and the young.

In many areas of Nazi-occupied Europe, resistance took the form of aid and rescue. Bystanders transformed themselves into rescuers, and in the process became outlaws against the Nazi’s. They faced real risk of death and torture themselves, following a code of right and wrong which was simply out of fashion. Rescuers, who before the war were strong backbones of their communities, found themselves isolated since their neighbors viewed people who harbored Jews as selfish and dangerous because they risked the lives of those around them.

A rescuers life was intricate and terrifying. A careless word, a forgotten detail, one wrong move could lead to the death of both themselves and their charges. The home atmosphere was disrupted; husbands and wives gave up their privacy and children found themselves sleeping with strangers they had to learn to call brother, sister, aunt or uncle because if you were raided at night, you couldn’t have the wrong number of beds unmade.

You had to be careful about buying too many groceries at one store, as groceries could become suspicious. You couldn’t talk out loud because neighbors would hear voices. In some cases, neighbors reported you if they thought you had too much garbage for the size of your family. The Nazis offered rewards for information that led to the capture of Jews. Informers were everywhere.

If we are to realize our goal of “Never Again,” we must remember the tragedy of this great crime. We must also rise up against genocide anywhere, as is now occurring in Darfur.

In our faith, we have a prayer that seems appropriate for this occasion. It is the “Shechiyanu” a prayer of thanksgiving:

(Baruch Ata Adonai Elohanu Melech Ha-olam, Shechiyanu v’keyamanu v’hegeyanu lazman hazah)

Blessed are you, our Lord our G-d, Ruler of the universe, for giving us life, for sustaining us and enabling us to reach this season.

Amen

Good Post over at Craig's Place on Senate Race

For a lot of reasons, I am staying away from commenting much on the race for Montana's Senate seat. However, I recommend to you this post over at Craig's place. Well written and cogent.

Is This Your Butcher?

What with all the discussion of super-modified porcine over at Budge's place, I thought I would share a great photo sent to me a while ago. I won't say from where.

However, look at the text at the bottom of the advert ...

Wrong, but not too far from Correct

I received this information the other day.

While we are a pretty small minority, I know for a fact that there are Jews in the Montana counties listed as "none reported." In the big scheme of things, I guess it doesn't matter how accurate the census data really is. However, I know a few folks in Havre and Shelby that will be interested to learn that they don't exist.

As Always, Dry Bones is Relevant and Hilarious

For many years, the Jerusalem Post has published a cartoon called "Dry Bones" by Yaakov Kirschen. It always succeeds in being topical, relevant and HILARIOUS.

Today's cartoon is no exception. It revolves around a lesson that we read in the Haggadah; that "in every generation, an enemy rises up against us." Given what comes out of the mouth of the President of Iran on an almost daily basis, this seems to be true.

Kirschen says it best himself:

When Christian kids are little they are taught about the Easter Bunny who comes hippity hoping down Bunny Trail, bringing baskets of colorful Easter Eggs, and jolly Santa Claus,who slides down the chimney, bringing his sack of Christmas toys.
When we grow up, the Christians discover that their tales were charming deceptions, and the Jews discover that their childhood "fairytale" is indeed an historic truth.

Three More Days

Taxes are due on midnight, Monday evening. Three more days and I get to unchain my wife from her desk.

Actually, I will let you in on a trade secret. Anyone who comes in with their Wal-Mart bag filled with crumpled receipts and wants taxes from here on out has the choice of filing their extension themselves, or having my wife file it for them.

Want to buy a bike?

A couple of months ago, I bought my first bicycle since I was a kid. The prospect of gas staying in the mid $2s finally got to me, and I have been having a great deal of fun cycling all aroung our fair city.

Unfortunately, I bought a bike that was a little small for my 6'4" frame. My bike, a Cannondale M500, only has a 19" frame and I now know that I need one with a 23" frame. So, I am listing my bike for sale. It is up on craigslist here.

April 13, 2006; price reduced to $199 O.B.O.

April 25, 2006; item sold. Please do not inquire about bike, as it is -gone-.

Neighborhood Council 7 vacancy

I have just learned that Kim Thiel-Schaf has resigned from Neighborhood Council 7. I would like to thank her for her service to our neighborhood.

We need involved neighbors like Kim to help make the lower North and South sides great places to live, work and play. If you live in the neighborhood -- the lower North and South sides, from the river to the West and North; to 12th Street (15th Street in some areas) on the East and 10th Avenue South to the South; please consider joining the Council.

To put in your name, come to our next regular meeting. Council meetings are on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center Gibson Room.

Courthouse Decision a fait accompli

The courthouse decision has been announced, and the new courthouse will be on the West side. David has a nice discussion about the new location online here.

Note that I say announced, not made. I think the decision was made months ago. Actually, I wrote that this location was the most likely placement for the new courthouse back in September, in this post.

As in many cases in our fair city, I suggest to you that the public comment and bid process just was window dressing on a backroom deal made in the first place. The article in the paper said that no downtown property owners submitted a final bid. That really doesn't tell the whole story. I know a few downtown property owners who didn't bother submitting a bid because the GSA told them that their property would not be suitable even if they did submit.

I am glad that the West side will see some much needed development. However, that gladness is balanced by sadness for the difficulties that this decision will place on small businesses and eateries in the downtown. From Bert and Ernies on 2nd Avenue South to Good Eats on 2nd Avenue North; and for many great family owned businesses between the two, harder times may be ahead.

However, it doesn't have to be that way. The downtown jobs that will now move to Central Avenue West can be replaced. At a minimum, there may be available space for a large employer on the upper floors of the post office. As a community, lets do what we can to make a zero-sum, win-lose situation into a win-win.

Ziessen Pesach

Hard as it is to believe it, Pesach is again here! Even though it seems like the holiday just sprang up on us, our chametz has been removed and burned and we are preparing for the Seder.

Mike has some great Pesach links up on The Last Best Place. They are worth the read.

A Ziessen Pesach, and Gut Yom Tov!

AIPAC Case Raises Troubling Questions about our Government's predilection with Secrecy

The ever-relevant Secrecy News has an interesting post about the troubling nature of the AIPAC case.

From the post:

It bears repeating that the two defendants, Steven Rosen and Keith Weissman, are not accused of being agents of Israel or any other foreign power. The government has stipulated that they are not. Although they are charged under "the Espionage Act," this is not an espionage case.

What makes the whole affair more peculiar still is that the defendants did not even request the disclosure of the information they are accused of mishandling.

"Nowhere is it alleged that Dr. Rosen or Mr. Weissman stole, paid for or even solicited the information that they allegedly received," the defense noted in a January 19 motion to dismiss.

A theory of the law that would penalize such informal transactions between citizens and government officials is obviously susceptible to extreme abuse.

Well said.

More on Specialty Hospitals, Surgery Centers and General Hospitals

All these points are well taken. And for me, they highlight a few things:

First, any institution providing health care needs to be independently accredited and supervised by a third party, financially disinterested organization. Although I am woefully ignorant of details, I believe that happens.

Second, it is a patient's responsibility to do their own research about these institutions (and their physician) prior to receiving (at least planned) care. While this is not possible for emergency rooms, it should be possible for just about any other time a patient seeks care. As in every time you go out to purchase something, caveat emptor.

Third, it would be nice if our media would highlight these ratings to try and ensure that the population in an area were aware of them without really trying. Since the media is privately owned, we really cannot call that a resposibility.

Perhaps this is an area of responsibility for our local government?

Fourth, the proliferation of specialty hospitals (or surgery centers, or whatever) are a national phenomena. A tiny market like Great Falls really has little impact on this. We are only along for the ride.

I was only half tongue in cheek when I compared doctors to mechanics. The presence of outside regulators and certifying agencies (in this case the State, the AMA and other bodies) is the real difference. I can look at those ratings and (in theory) make an informed choice based on the past performance and adherence to standards of those providing my medical care.

The rub really starts to come in, and IMO, the Clinic's hat turns a shade grayer, when you start to factor insurance into the equation. The Clinic's MontanaCare insurance program is probably one of the most common employer provided health insurance option in our town. And that program provides real financial incentives to use Clinic facilities whenever possible, and strong financial disincentives to use other facilities in almost any situation.

Pressure from a doc sending me to a Clinic facility in which he has a financial stake I can handle. Paying three or four times more to use a Benefis facility is another thing altogether.

Alan Dershowitz Answers Charges in Mersheimer-Walt anti-Israel Paper

Anyone reading about the relationship between Israel and the United States in the past few months has heard quite a bit about a working paper by Academic Dean and Professor Stephen Walt and Professor John Mearsheimer of Harvard University. That paper presents a conspiratorial view of history in which the Israel Lobby has a “stranglehold” on American foreign policy, the American media, think tanks and academia.

Noted Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz has written a reply to Mersheimer and Walt, titled Debunking the Newest – and Oldest – Jewish Conspiracy: A Reply to the Mearsheimer-Walt “Working Paper”.

The reply is worth reading.

Supreme Court Decision Bad for Great Falls Patients

It looks like the Supreme Court fell for it.

The Clinic's surgery center, which has been in business for about five years, has been shuttered by a Supreme Court injunction. The Court granted Benefis, our supposedly non-profit local hospital, a temporary stay against competition. Since it has been in business for years, I wonder why there was really a need for an immediate injunction against the surgery center's operation? Was there really a risk of an imminent harm against Benefit? I really doubt that anything had changed other than ownership.

Ownership seems to be the crux of the Hospital's (and incidentally, one of my honored contributor's) argument. For the past few weeks, Great Falls residents have heard that we cannot trust physician-owned and operated hospitals. As the argument goes, if we submit ourselves to care by a facility whose ownership is by our care providers, we will suddently be subject to all sorts of unnecessary procedures from substandard equipment.

Again, I ask why the practice of medicine is so different than the practice of any other profession? Why is it a good thing to go to an independent mechanic with good references, but an anthema to go to a physician-owned hospital? Why is a physician-owned hospital more likely to screw me?

The market should affect any provider of health care the same way. If a hospital, regardless of ownership, uses shoddy equipment and charges extra for unnecessary procedures, then customers (patients) will vote with their feet and utilize other providers, as long as there are other providers available in the market. Competition keeps everyone honest, and provides a solid incentive to maintain a quality "product."

The Court should swiftly decide this case and allow the surgery center to open. It is worth noting that the jobs of more than thirty families have been halted by this Court decision.

Did I Miss the Memo ????

Why is Immigration policy suddenly the most important issue facing America? I guess that is what I get for missing a meeting ...

Funny aside, this is so contrived that I cannot really understand it. Immigration has been a vexing issue since at least the founding days of our country. However, it is not really pressing.

While I agree that immigration policy is of importance, our nation has many more urgent issues before it.

So why is it now the issue du jour?

CAMERA Exposes Mazin Qumsiyeh's lack of Credibility

Last Fall, an anti-Israeli (and, I submit, more than borderline anti-Semitic) organization called "Wheels of Justice" toured Montana at the invitation of several "Peace Seeker" groups throughout our State. That organization brought with them a former Yale biology teacher, Mazin Qumsiyeh.

I just learned that The Committee For Accuracy in Middle East Reporting has published a paper about Qumsiyeh. That paper is available here.

I know that Qumsiyeh is still regularly published by several organizations in our State. Those organizations should be aware that Qumsiyeh is less interested in the truth than he is in eliminating the continued existence of Israel. Any organization supporting Qumsiyeh should be aware that by extension, they are supporting the same goal.

I Haven't Felt That Self-Conscious since the 10th Grade ...

Regular readers of this blog may recall that I regularly swim during my lunch hour at the Moroney Natatorium in downtown Great Falls.

Well, to make a long story short, my high-school (and jr. high; and grade school) swim coach has also begun swimming during the noon hour at the Nat. The Nat was very crowded this afternoon, and we shared a lane.

I haven't been that self conscious in a very long time. In my mind, I could very clearly hear him, at the top of his lungs; "Hustle, Hustle Weissman! Get that head down Weissman! Stretch on those kick-offs Weissman! Why so Pokey, Weissman?" He wasn't actually saying any of this, mind you. I don't know if he was even thinking it.

Coach Bob was a very large influence on my life. However, I don't know that I need to relive the past so quite so intimately ...

George Willett Should be Complemented on an Incredible Ski Season

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Revised Animal Control Policies Should be Swiftly Approved

This is a good policy.

After about six months of work and hard listening, Humane Society director Chuck Tourtillott has come up with a revised animal control policy for the Electric City. The committee drafting the policy includes Tourtillott, Mayor Dona Stebbbins, Sue Ann Stephenson-Love, Park and Rec official Jon Thompson, Sherriff's representative Linlee Van Wicklin, Veterinarian Jack Newman and Retired Police Chief Bob Jones. This policy has excised some ideas that were, let me say, daft.

Among the excised ideas;

• Requiring cats to be collared and leashed when outdoors (every try to walk a cat on a leash?)
• Restricting dog ownership to two animals
• Increasing cat registration fees to the level of dogs.

Of course, not everyone is happy about this new policy. Today, the paper quoted an individual who was upset that wandering cats kill neighborhood squirrels.

And that is a bad thing?

See here and here for some of my thoughts on our infestation by the evil tomato eating Chip and Dale.

I Have Been Remiss in not Discussing This

Over the past month or so, we have seen an interesting spectacle unfold in the Tribune over the practice of medicine in our community. Of course, I am discussing the lawsuit that Benefis filed against the Clinic to stop their purchase of a speciality surgical center in Great Falls.

I have been thinking of writing something for a while, and have not had the time to do the subject justice. This post is not the comprehensive analysis I hope to post at a later time; but the subject still cries out for more debate among the community.

For as long as I can remember, the practitioners of medicine in our community have been at loggerheads. The Deaconess and the Columbus always fought with one another. Then, in 1996 they merged (against the wishes of the greater community). The Clinic and the Hospitals (and later the Hospital) have always fought.

In past years, we have seen more of the same. In every case, we see institutional Great Falls medicine trying out anti-competitive tactics to gain advantage over their rivals. Back in the late 90s, the Clinic rolled out an insurance policy with Blue Cross/Blue Shield that effectively bars insured from seeking out care at the Hospital. Most recently, (and in today's news) the Hospital has tried to block the Clinic's purchase of the Poulson Surgery Center.

I can understand why a business would want to damage their competitor. However, as a community we should not be parties to the war. I do not buy the argument that medicine is so different from other businesses that increased competition will increase prices.

Benefis' argument boils down to this: Increased competition for the more "profitable" procedures will decrease the cost of those procedures. At Benefis, those procedures have subsidized other services that the Hospital has operated at a loss (such as the Emergency Room). By reducing the effectiveness of Benefis' profit centers, they will have to increase prices for those other services.

In the short term, Benefis might be right. However, as the price for those services rise, there will be more incentive for other agents to provide those services. Eventually, the market will find a balance where the cost of the service is balanced against the demand for that service. Is that a bad thing?

The other problem with Benefis' argument is that the Surgical Center has been operating in Great Falls for years. This is not a new business. The only thing new is that the Clinic wants to buy that business and operate it. The permit that the Hospital is trying to stop is just a transfer; not a new license.

I hope to write more on this later. However, it is right that Benefis was rebuffed in its suit. The Supreme Court should also turn the Hospital away in its appeal.

End of the Line

Beat them at the Beanpot finals.

Beat them at the Hockey East finals.

Crashed and burned at the Shivering Sixteen.

Ah well, there is always next year.

Noted Rabbi to Lead Annual Aitz Chaim Passover Seder

(Great Falls; March 28, 2006)—Aitz Chaim, the Great Falls Hebrew Association, is pleased to announce that it will hold its annual Pesach (Passover) Seder on Thursday, April 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the CM Russell Museum, 400 13th Street North.

The event, which will be catered by Grocery Bistro, is open to the public at a cost of $25 for congregation members and $35 for non-members. Reservations and payment must be received by April 4. Reservations should be sent to Aitz Chaim, 1015 1st Avenue North, Suite 304, Great Falls, MT 59401. Reservation requests can also be phoned in at 216-5071 or sent via email to aitzchaim AT national-general.com.

The seder (which means “order” in Hebrew) will be led by Rabbi Allen A. Secher of Whitefish and Bozeman. Before he came to Montana, Rabbi Secher’s internationally syndicated radio show, “East of Eden” was heard weekly on 456 radio stations around the world. Ordained by Hebrew Union College in New York, Rabbi Secher has also taught at UCLA in Los Angeles and was appointed to the Montana State Human Rights Commission in 2005.

During the seder, Rabbi Secher will lead the congregation in the traditional recitation of the The Haggadah, which tells the tale of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.

The seder will be a complete fleishig (meat) kosher-style dinner including traditional foods as well as a choice of chicken or fish, salad, soup, vegetable, potato and desert.

Aitz Chaim, the Great Falls Hebrew Association, is the only organized Jewish Community in Northcentral Montana. The community is a member of the Union for Reform Judaism and the Montana Association of Jewish Communities.

24 Days, and counting ...

In 24 days taxes will be due for the great majority of Americans. It also marks the day that I get to unchain my wife from her desk ...

A Sudoku Solver in C

OK, I admit it. I am a geek. More than admit it, I revel in it.

However, even the non-geeks among you must think that this is pretty darn cool.

L'Chaim to Chaim!

At approximately 5 p.m. MST today, Chabad Rabbi Chaim Bruk will be standing under his chuppah with his kallah, Chavie. Rabbi Chaim has visited the Treasure State many times, and has taken a special interest in helping to develop Jewish life in Montana.

Incidentally, Chaim is marrying into a family that has also been influential in the Yiddishkeit of our State. Chavie's father, also Rabbi Chaim, visited Montana many times in his youth and even led a Chasidic children's camp in Great Falls (which I attended!)

Please join me in raising a glass to the kallah and the chatan on this joyous occasion! It is a very sweet mitzvah to celebrate with the bride and groom!

Israeli Rock/Folk Personality Yehuda Katz to perform at Baker Bob's this coming Saturday night!

Yehuda Katz, described by some as the Jewish Jerry Garcia, is returning to Great Falls for his second concert in the Electric City!

Katz, the lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist for the hit Israeli rock group Reva L’sheva (which means “Quarter to Seven”) will perform in Great Falls for a free concert on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at Baker Bob’s Backstreet Pub, 112 Central Avenue. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from the pub. Please note the change in time and date from that published in the Aitz Chaim newsletter.

Katz’s group, a Grateful Dead-inspired, quasi-jazz inflected, Rock and Roll “jam band,” performs in the style of the Grateful Dead and Phish, with a Jewish flavor. A student of the “singing rabbi,” Reb Shlomo Carlebach, Yehudah Katz performed with his teacher around the world. Yehuda grew up in a traditional Jewish home but had left religion for many years. During that time he grew close to The Grateful Dead and many faithful "Dead-heads". He claims that it was at a Dead concert that he had his first open experience with Godliness, reflected through the performance of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia. This opened the door for him to be connected with Reb Shlomo.

This event is sponsored by the Israeli rural outreach group Soultrain and Aitz Chaim, the Great Falls Hebrew Association.

Archbiship of Canterbury Criticizes Teach Creationism in Science Classes

Thanks to V over at Left in the West for finding this link. The original article was published in the Guardian, here.

The Archbiship of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has announced that he is opposed to teaching Creationism. He believes that doing so would just water down faith by presenting it as a theory alongside of other, equally relevant, theories.

The First Amendment was not only written with the idea that government had to be protected from religion. Another important reason for the importance of a separation between church and state is that religion must be protected from government.

Swearing-In Tonight

At the City Commission meeting tonight at 7, I will be sworn in as a Councilor to my neighborhood.

So, what can we do to make our neighborhood, city and State better places? How do we make our civic places better places to live? How do we attract jobs, reduce crime and improve schools?

If you have any issues you want brought before the council, please let me know.

We Should Revisit the Curricula for Math

That headline just makes you want to jump into this post, doesn't it?

Probably not. But that doesn't mean that the topic isn't worthy of discussion. I just read a fascinating post on math curricula here. It argues that the way we teach math is, well, wrong. The author is a programmer, and argues that, especially for computer programming, current math curricula is both not especially relevant and taught in an inappropriate order.

Anyway go read the post. Very interesting reading.

Apparently, I need to "Get a Life"

At least so-says John Mercer. It appears that the Trib asked the former legislator and Regent about my speculations in this post. His response was "no way."

For the record; I never claimed to know him, and at least I think that I have a life.

Down with the Eagles!

It is a rare day when both the Griz and my alma mater have a common opponent. Especially so when that common opponent is arch-rival BC. You know, we have a saying on Commonwealth Avenue; I root for BU and anyone playing BC.

Well, the Griz might not have had so much luck yesterday. However, a basketball elmination wasn't the only conference game played against BC in the last 24 hours. My Terriers faced the Eagles yesterday for the Hockey East championship.

The game went to OT, but the Hockey East crown went to BU, 2-1. Go dogs!

Now time for the NCAA's, and hopefully the Frozen Four!

A Controversial Question; are High Railroad Rates Good or Bad for Montana?

It is almost an unquestioned truth that low railroad rates and 110 car loading facilities are good for Montana.

I am not sure that this is so, and I'll tell you why.

I have used this space before to argue that we need to build an infrastructure to process the raw foodstuffs we produce in Northcentral Montana. More than just flour, we need more investment like the Pasta or Malting plants that have recently sprouted up here.

Such development seems like a natural fit; we produce grain, cattle, etc. Adding value to those raw products here would bring jobs, spur economic development and revitalize our economy. The idea has its basis in a concept called vertical integration.

To my way of thinking, one of the real benefits of vertical integration is to take economic advantage of the high cost of transporting products; why should we ship grain to parts East and West to be processed into finished products when it could be processed here, saving the fuel costs?

However, it may now be true that the cost of transporting raw grain or flour is overshadowed by the cost of transporting those finished goods. The lower the price of a railcar, the more economic advantage can be found in shipping products elsewhere for processing; especially if that elsewhere is geographically close to retail distribution centers.

I haven't quite finished thinking this through. I would like to read what some of you think about this, particularly those of you (and you, and you) that are more intimitely involved with agricultural production.

Thanks to Craig for this Silly Quiz

You know, I am a homebrewer. Something of a hophead, beer has to be big, bold and bitter. This result is not really much of a surprise.

You Are Guinness

You know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world. Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them. When you drink, you tend to become a bit of a know it all - especially about subjects you don't know well. But your friends tolerate your drunken ways, because you introduce them to the best beers around.

What's Your Beer Personality?

A Prediction; Mercer to challenge Burns in Primary?

I have never claimed to have finely attuned political senses. However, this one strikes me as so obvious that it is almost a given. However, it is just a WAG (wild assed guess).

Let's get this straight; one of the most prominent Republican voices in the State resigns from his high-profile job as a Regent in the University system at the same time that our junior Senator's popularity is reaching all-time lows due to a DC scandal.

Am I the only one that smells a primary challenge here?

I Agreed to Do What?!?!?!?!

At the Neighborhood Council 7 meeting tonight, the councilors held an election to replace two positions left open due to resignations. I ran for one of those seats and was appointed to fill one of those positions.

Why did I run? Quite frankly, I would have preferred not to put my hat in the ring. Getting out in the evening when there are kids to get ready for school the next day is not my preference. However, I think that our neighborhood has an incredible amount of potential. I would like to help develop that potential.

In any case, as of the next city commission meeting (Tuesday, March 21), I will be a member of the council. If you live in the council district (the lower North and South sides) and would like me to bring up an issue, please send me a note and let me know. My email address is a a r o n AT w e i s s m a n DOT c o m.

Want some Good News?

The Brady Campaign gave our State an F! I have never been so happy to fail an exam.

MAJCO Holocaust Posters on display in Missoula until April 20

Please see the appended press release from the Missoula County Public Schools. If you live in the Missoula area, there are three opportunities to see the exhibit, the first tomorrow evening at Big Sky High School.

--

MCPS HIGH SCHOOLS TO HOST HOLOCAUST EXHIBIT

Big Sky, Hellgate and Sentinel High Schools in Missoula will host a special historical and educational exhibit that focuses on the Holocaust.

The exhibit will be displayed at each of the three high schools during the next six weeks and will coincide with freshmen students reading “Night,” a memoir by Nobel Prize-winning author Elie Wiesel. The book was first published in 1958 and recalls Wiesel’s survival as a teenager in Nazi death camps. A new edition of the book, translated from the French by Wiesel’s wife and frequent translator, Marion Wiesel, is now available in bookstores and was featured as an Oprah Book Club selection in January.

Titled “The Courage to Remember: The Holocaust 1933-1945,” the exhibit includes 40 photographs that provide a chronological and historical perspective of the Holocaust. The exhibit is on loan from the Montana Association of Jewish Communities and was part of a larger photographic exhibit established by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The exhibit provides a historical perspective on the killing of six million Jews and others in concentration camps during the Nazi era. The photographs are startling and emotionally engaging. The exhibit will be available for high school students at Big Sky, Hellgate and Sentinel High Schools to view, however any student may choose not to view the photographs.

Each high school will also sponsor an evening for parents and/or the general public to view the exhibit. The exhibit openings for parents and the public are as follows:

§ Big Sky High School, Tuesday, March 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

§ Hellgate High School, Tuesday, April 11, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

§ Sentinel High School, Tuesday, April 18, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

The exhibit is not recommended for children younger than grade 6. In addition, it is strongly recommended that students in middle school who view the exhibit be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The exhibit will not be open to the public during the school day.

For additional information on the exhibit, contact Lesli Brassfield, MCPS Public Relations Specialist, at 728-2400, ext. 1024.

######

Blogging Pretty Light this Week

You know, there is something very interesting about this blogging phenomena where a blogger feels guilty about not posting in a while. I mean, this isn't a job where I have to write anything, I just like to write and spout off my opinions.

Anyway, I am pretty busy with a new project at work and I haven't been paying as much attention to the world in general for the past few weeks. That and the fact that it is my wife's tax season makes life pretty hectic.

More than anything else, I would like to spend the time to write something cogent about this Benefis/Clinic debacle unfolding in our courts and on the front page of our paper. For as long as I can remember, the Clinic and the Hospitals (actually, the entire Great Falls medical community) have been fighting over something or another (usually money). Maybe the old bromide is true that smart doctors are good at treating patients, not at practicing their business.

I am a consumer of health care. With a family of four, that is quite a few dollars (from my perspective, anyway). It seems to me that all of these folks should, and in fact have a vested interest, in getting along.

Instead, they fight and invest money in duplicative resources. Money goes to lawyers and to providers of high cost high-tech medical gear for two (or more) of the same piece of equipment.

There was a WSJ editorial last week that I think got it right. It tracked the cost for LASIK eye surgeries since their FDA approval. It turns out that most commentators are wrong; competition is generally good for the consumer, even for medical care.

How is that for a stream of consciousness rant? More later.

Said my piece

Well, I said my piece at the meeting. Greg also gave a nice speech decrying the NIMBY attitude that seems to surround any new growth.

When it comes down to it, Stuart Lewin is right. Our municipal planning has been exceptionally sloppy for the past several decades. We need better planning as we develop the property around our town. However, punishing Walgreens for playing by the poorly written rules is wrong.

Success of our community requires accepting growth

I will present the following statement at the commission meeting this evening.

--

Madame Mayor and Honored Commissioners;

Tonight I rise to speak about growth in our community.

We live in a wonderful community, one with a very bifurcated history and promising, yet troubled, future. While we are suffering a declining population base, we remain the population center for all of Northcentral Montana. That gives us promise.

However, we can only fulfill that promise if we allow, accept and nurture growth. That growth might not always come in a form we might more appreciate, like a new manufacturing plant or call center. Today it comes in the form of a large retail enterprise, be in called Walgreens or be it called Wal-Mart.

If we deny this retail enterprise the opportunity to move here, we are making many statements. One of those statements is that we do not welcome growth in Great Falls, and that we want our community to continue to decline.

For one, I do not want this. I want our community to grow and prosper. I want my children to be able to make a living and stay here.

While retail enterprises from national and international chains might not bring the high paying jobs we need in this community, the availablity of retail opportunities is one factor that might just convince the next manufacturing plant or call center to call Great Falls home.

Madame Mayor and honored commissioners, I urge you to accept the zoning ordinance before you today. Allow this growth to come to our town.

Line Item Veto Proposal Deserves Speedy Death

Over here at TSJ, I like to stay away from national politics. For the most part, I find them to be irrelevant and a distraction from real issues. However, today, the following tidbit arrived in my email box. This exceedingly bad and politically tone-deaf action even rose up my ire enough to post:

President Submits Line Item Veto Legislation to Congress

“Today, I'm sending Congress legislation that will meet standards and give me the authority to strip special spending and earmarks out of a bill, and then send them back to Congress for an up or down vote. By passing this version of the line item veto, the administration will work with the Congress to reduce wasteful spending, reduce the budget deficit, and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely,” President Bush, March 6, 2006.

Today's Presidential Action:

Ø Legislative Line Item Veto Act: Special, fast-track procedures would be created to guarantee an up-or-down vote by simple majority in Congress on a proposal by the President to rescind specific spending or tax legislation that has been passed. Leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties, in the House and the Senate, have supported this approach in the past.

The Legislative Line Item Veto Will Help Reduce Earmarks. Giving the President enhanced authority to seek rescission of new spending will help ensure that taxpayer dollars are not wasted on unjustified earmarks that are not national priorities. Since the Supreme Court struck down the Line Item Veto Act in 1998, the number of earmarks has significantly increased.

The Line Item Veto Has A Long History of Bipartisan Support. At least 11 presidents from both parties have called for the authority to address individual spending items wrapped into larger bills: Ulysses Grant, Rutherford Hayes, Chester Arthur, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton. The governors of 43 of the 50 states already have this authority.

The President’s Proposal Is Fully Consistent with the Constitution. In its 1998 ruling striking down the Line Item Veto Act of 1996, the Supreme Court concluded that the Act “g[ave] the President the unilateral power to change the text of duly enacted statutes.” The Legislative Line Item Veto Act does not raise those constitutional issues because the President’s rescission proposals must be enacted by both houses of Congress and signed into law.

This extremely bad idea deserves a speedy death. At a time when the Executive continues to exert more and more power at the expense of the other two constitutional branches of government, the President proposes to take even more power from Congress.

IMO, one of the problems we face today is a legislative branch that is too timid and willing to be steamrolled by a powerful executive. If this passes, I have the feeling that the Framers would be spinning in their graves.

Worse, it would move us farther down the road toward a system of government without checks. PoliSci types like to talk about "a finely crafted system of checks and balances." When it works as it should it acts to gunk up the works of government to the point that only the exceptionally good ideas become law. That, I submit, is an exceptionally good thing. Undivided rule of goverment has made it way to easy to pass laws.

The way our country processes Income Tax returns is Foolish

Here is a complaint you are likely to hear parroted by anyone who is either in the tax preparation industry (my wife), or is the spouse of anyone in that industry (me).

Once a year, accountants have to run around like chickens with their heads cut off to process returns or extensions for everyone in the country. It involves four months of long hours followed by eight months of much lighter hours.

This, I submit, is retarded.

I have a modest suggestion; one that would allow private tax preparation firms, the IRS and state Departments of Revenue to more efficiently staff their offices.

Roughly one-twelfth of the people in this country are born in each of the twelve months of the year. Therefore, if everyone's taxes were due on the 15th of the month corresponding to their birthday, then tax preparation wouldn't have to happen at such a breakneck pace to try and get everyone in the country processed by some arbitrary and capricious deadline. Instead of temporary, seasonal workers, the firms and agencies that process taxes could hire full-time help.

Plus, I would get to see my wife.

Forty-six days to go.

Once again, it would be nice if our government listened to its own experts ...

Last month, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said that "I don't know anyone who wasn't caught off guart by Hamas' strong showing," in answer to Hamas' election victory in January.

Well, maybe she knows a few people that weren't caught off guard. In this report in Secrecy News, it turns out that the "Office of Research" in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research of the (wait for it ...) State Department were predicting the "likely success of Hamas at the polls" in a report published on January 19.

This is the same office that disagreed with the Administration about whether Hussein's Iraq had restarted its nuclear weapons program.

Maybe officials on high should start listening to these folks?

I was hoping for 25, but it was not to be ...

Today was the Dick Dailey Memorial Cup, a fundraiser for Eagle Mount at Showdown. I competed in the Alpine skiing competition.

This was really my first time ski racing. It was a lot of fun, and I recommend it to all of you as a worthwhile way to spend a Saturday next year.

Anyway, it was a best-of-two competition; where you race down twice and your best time is used for final tabulations. I skiied with a group called the "Montana Camelbackers". For my first run down, I posted 29 and change.

For my second run down, I posted 27.312 seconds. Actually, not too shabby for an old guy.

A Few Thoughts on Gardening

This will begin another subject here on TSJ. As you may have guessed from my regular diatribes against the evil rats-with-bushy-tails (see here and here), I putter around my garden during the warmer months.

I have little experience in this endeavor, and thus far, very little actual edible foodstuffs have been produced by my little patch of tilled earth in the backyard. Of course, most of the fault behind that lack of production can be sourced to my friends Chip and Dale.

However, this post is not about that subject. I would like to discuss a mistake I made; namely planting too early. Hopefully it will serve as a cautionary tale for any other budding urban gardeners reading these words.

This year, I thought I would get a jump on the season and start my vegetables from seeds, grown in little plastic tubs in the windowsill, covered with saran-wrap to make little greenhouses. I bought the little cardboard pots, and planted the seeds about two weeks ago.

Unfortunately, the radishes are already about 8 inches tall. You can practically watch them grow they move so fast. The Swiss Chard is about the same. Even most of the tomatoes are at least 1-2 inches tall.

It is only February. I started way too early. Next year, I am not going to start the seeds until March.

To keep the plants from dying, I am going to start transplanting them into larger plastic pots which I will put in the windowsill. With enough TLC, hopefully I can keep them going indoors until Memorial Day, when I plan to stick them in the terra firma.

Anyway, the planned crop this year consists of carrots, celery, swiss chard, radishes, pumpkins and (of course) lots of different varieties of tomatoes. In separate pots, I will also grow the various herbs I use to putter around the kitchen. This year, those pots will contain cilantro, flat-leaf and Italian parsley, a couple different varieties of basil, dill, oregano and mint.

Thirteen New Inches ... so far ... This Week at Showdown!!!

Well, we got a little skiff here in the Electric City. Nothing to sneeze at, but just a skiff. It's all melting off as I speak (why did I bother shoveling this morning?)

But up by Neihart, it is a different story altogether. As of 2 p.m. today, 13 inches in the past two days. And it is still snowing!!!!

Click on the link over to the left and take a look. Better yet, I will meet you on Muley on Saturday morning for a run down the freshies!

Logically Concatenate unrelated Tables in MS Access

OK, I am at a bit of a brain freeze, and thought that I would turn to you, my brilliant readers, for a bit of help. I have a series of unrelated tables in MS Access. They all have identical field structures, but there is no relation built into them.

I would like to construct a query that will return a result that concatenates all of these tables. I don't want to just append all of these tables together; I want to keep them separate.

Ideas? Solutions?

AIPAC Prosecution Attempts to Criminalize Investigative Journalism

Wherever you stand on AIPAC, I think this post on Secrecy News raises some very troubling questions.

At what point should it be illegal to receive information? What sort of prior restraint on publication should the government be able to mandate? The exercise of this kind of power over publication makes me pretty uncomfortable.

The government should not have the power to force a prior restraint on any speech. If they can exercise that kind of power, it goes as far as revoking the rights afforded by the First Amendment.

Arroz con pollo

Been a while since I posted a recipe, but this one pot wonder worked out well this weekend.

This is a basic rice with chicken recipe. Play around with it to have it deliver the flavors you like.

Ingredients

• Dark chicken pieces (legs, thighs and wings), about 2-3 lbs.
• 2 cups long grained rice (the flavors you want to impart should color your choice of rice here. If you want a dish with Indian flavors, use basmati. Oriental, use jasmine. The choice is yours!)
• One onion, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 cups flavorful liquid (this is going to be one of the most important flavor components of the dish. Don't just use H2O here, it doesn't bring any flavor to the party. I like a mixture of chicken stock, turkey stock and white wine. Don't be afraid to experiment.)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• NACL and black pepper
• Spices (tailor your spices here; cilantro and jalepenos would be traditional for a Mexican dish; an Indian dish might use cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Be creative!)
• Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Chiffinade of fresh herbs (again, experiment with the flavors. Cilantro would be traditional. Italian or flat leaf parsley would be also be fabulous. Basil would also work well, because of the tomatoes in the dish.)
  

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 deg. F.

Liberally season the chicken with the NACL and pepper. Add two tablespoons of oil to your largest dutch oven, over high heat. Sear the chicken, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Pour off some of the accumulated fat in the pan, leaving about 3 tablespoons. Saute the onion until it is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and other spices and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add the uncooked rice and toss so that all the grains are well coated. Cook another 2-3 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with about 2 cups of the liquid, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. After the fond is all dissolved, add the remaining liquid. Add the chicen back into the pan and stir. Cover.

Place the covered pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Right after you take the dish out of the oven, stir in the herbs. Serve and Enjoy!

Tribune Quotes Brilliant Great Falls Accountant

The accountant quoted in this article happens to be my beautiful wife!

SIX new inches at Showdown!

-----Original Message-----
From: Showdown News [mailto:info@showdownmontana.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2006 1:59 PM
To:
Subject: This Weekend at Showdown

This Weekend at Showdown...

As of Thursday Afternoon, SIX inches of new snow since Sunday, with more in the forecast.

SCHUSS TO SAFETY WITH THE GREAT FALLS SKI PATROL

Tobbogan rides from the top of the mountain from 10 am to 3 pm - Minimum $5 Donation per ride - To Benefit Eagle Mount's Adaptive Ski and Snowboard Program.

TELEMARK TOMMY PLAYS SLOPESIDE

Tom Marino will be playing in the Saloon at Showdown Saturday Afternoon, Feb 18

OPEN FOR PRESIDENTS DAY MONDAY FEB 20

It's a holiday, so we'll be open all day and the bus will be running from Great Falls - Lift Tickets $30.

WEEKEND FORECAST:

Saturday - Sunny, high of +6 degrees.

Sunday - Mostly Sunny, high of +11 degrees.

For more information, call 800.433.0022 - or Check out www.showdownmontana.com

--

Despite what they say in the International Press, Hamas is not made up of nice people

With the news of Hamas' upcoming trip to meet Russian President Putin, I thought that it would be useful to see what Hamas was saying in Arabic to the people of the Middle East.

As you can see, from planning to kidnap Israeli soldiers to "drinking the blood of Jews," the message being delivered is not one of peace.

Don't fall for what they say in English.

More Addictive than I Could Possibly Imagine

This weekend, a "friend" started me out on what has proven to be a new habit that I don't think I will be able to kick.

From what I have heard about meth, it doesn't even begin to touch the addictiveness of this vice. Without even a first cough, I find myself on a multi-grid a day habit.

My new addiction? Sudoku.

Have you heard of it? 91 little squares in a nine by nine grid. Using logic, patience and persistence you fill out the empty squares. The goal is to fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the numbers 1–9 exactly once.

When I am not playing, I am thinking about the last unfinished puzzle.

Anyway, there is a link to a good site in my blogroll, over to the left.

I .... Can't .... Stop.

Israeli Anti-Semitic Cartoon Contest

There is a reason, after all, that Hollywood's famous comics were all MOT.

A group of Israeli cartoonists have taken the lead from Iran, and have announced their own anti-Semitic cartoon contest.

One of the contest founders, Amitai Sandy, the proprietor of Tel Aviv-based Dimona Comix, explains "We'll show the world we can do the best, sharpest, most offensive Jew hating cartoons ever published! No Iranian will beat us on our home turf!"

Thanks to Drawn! The Illustration Blog » Blog Archive » Israeli Anti-Semitic Cartoon Contest
for the tip!

Sarpy Sam offers us some basic Truth

Kudos to Sam!

I agree completely;

Valentines day is a made-up holiday that has no useful function in the real world. (quoting Sam)

Oh, for the comments that I expect to get; I love my wife. She knows I love her. A silly gift-giving opportunity of a holiday just provides an venue to separate our family from hard earned dollars. We are quite good enough at that, without Hallmark's help.

Cheney's Hunting Incident Good Opportunity to Remember Hunting Safety

As we have all heard by now, our Vice President accidentally shot a fellow hunter this weekend. Now, I don't think that Cheney is guilty here of anything. However, he was almost certainly negligent of basic gun and hunting safety rules.

This incident bears remembering the common-sense rules that I, along with almost every Montanan I know, were taught during hunting safety class. First among those rules is to always keep your weapon pointed in a safe direction, and make it your business to know where everyone in your party is located.

A basic refresher on some of these rules can be found here.

Accidents happen, and in this case no one was seriously hurt (apparently). However, the Vice President should use this incident as an opportunity to exhort all of us to refresh our hunting safety skills.

Cartoon Controversy Contrived?

I have been thinking a lot about the controversy over the Danish cartoons. All the hooplah doesn't quite add up in my mind.

Let's review:

1. Back in September, an obscure Danish paper published a few cartoons that depicted Mohammed; noting that his message was being appropriated by fanatics.
2. As reported by Dry Bones the other day, those same cartoons were republished by an Egyptian newspaper in October. No hooplah or controversy erupted at that time.
3. In the intervening months, a number of stories gripped the press and began to make the Islamists look, shall we say, less then totally reasonable. These stories included the election victory by Hamas; the insane, intolerant and scary rantings of Iranian kook-in-chief Ahmadinejad; more relevations about the Syrian assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, etc.
4. Just as these stories were reaching a fever-pitch, suddenly the Islamic world explodes in an orgy of offended violence because of those obscure Danish cartoons. Like a poof of smoke, everyone stopped talking and writing about Hariri, Hamas and Ahmadinejad and started covering this vile offense against Islam.

Doesn't this look a bit too convenient? Just when the story would do the most good for the opinion of the Islamists among the apologists among us, the story surfaces. Too convenient for my tastes. Less convenient than contrived, I say.

Don't fall for it. The Islamic world needs to be pressed on its intolerance and violence.

Preposterous Polling Place Plan ignores Popular Will

OK, my "headline" overstates the case here. The movement by the county election office is grounded in a reasonable desire to follow the law and accomodate the less fortunate among us.

I stand with the county in a desire to accomodate. As the good book says, "thou shalt not put a stumbling block before the blind." However, our goal here should be to accomodate the less fortunate while still maximizing everyone's convenience when exercising the franchise.

I submit that it is possible to do both. Leave our polling places as-is, and open the fairgrounds as an alternative for anyone who so desires or requires the accessibility of that location. Make copies of all county ballots available there, with maps and other information so that individuals can be given the correct ballot.

If the law does not allow for such a common sense solution, then the law is unduly restrictive.

Hooplah Over Danish Cartoons is Just More of the Same

Radical mullah's rioting because they disapprove of the statements made by others in the Western press? Must be Tuesday.

Seriously, this is nothing new. Remember Salmon Rushdie? Sixteen years ago, we saw almost the same thing after he wrote a novel that the Iranian mullah's decided was disrespectful of Muhammed.

The leader of Hizbullah is even calling on Muslims to be shameful over not executing Rushdie. He blames the free-thinking West for not being afraid enough, because no Muslim woud kill the novelist.

One of my favorite editorial cartoons, Dry Bones, has a nice analysis of this up on his blog.

Last Post of the Week

I am on the road to the URJ Small Congregation Conference in Everett, WA. See you Monday!

Do you see what is wrong with this picture?

OK, the first person to note the screw up in this article will win a day pass to the Nat. Hint: Look at the picture and accompanying caption.

Fascinating Entomology

This is fascinating. Disgusting, but fascinating.

Pst ... Wanna See Some Cartoons?

First, I have the utmost respect for Islam. However, the hooplah over the Danish cartoons is a bit much.

Both the Torah and the Koran prohibit graven images of Hashem. However, this prohibition on images of Mohammed seems to be a sort of a deification; a definite no-no in both our faiths.

Anyway, the cartoons can be found here. (Link has been very busy lately).

UPDATE: This link seems to be more consistent.

How Gullible Are We?

According to an article published January 20 in the Guardian, Hamas has hired a media consultant to give them a "softer" image before the world.

Well, I guess this is as good a time as any to see how gullible we are as a society.