-
“The memo [telling state agencies to revise their policies] informed state agencies that failing to recognize gay marriages would violate the New York’s human rights law.”
-
“Liston said he has lived in his home for 11 years. Last year, he got a certified letter from his neighbor asking him to cut the tree because it was damaging the grass.”
-
The coffee and donut chain says it yanked online spot to avoid ‘misperception’; professor says links to extremism are narrow-minded and even racist.
-
‘Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to “The Carol Burnett Show” and on the big screen in “Blazing Saddles,” died Thursday. He was 81.’
Hawaii Report #2
Friday was our day to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center. When we’d bought our airfare and hotel package, the PCC was listed as one of the possible touristy things we could tack on for an additional price. Since we tend to gravitate toward cultural sorts of things anyway (like Behalt in Amish Country, for instance), we decided to go for it. It wasn’t until after everything was bought and paid for that we read online that the PCC is owned and operated by the LDS church, and that the center is more of a theme park than an actual cultural experience.
Even without booze at the luau, though, we still had a great time:
Continue reading
links for 2008-05-29
-
PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — A Port St. Lucie mother says her five-year-old son with special needs was voted out of his classroom by his peers at the behest of the teacher, who has since been reassigned.
-
“The shoot was a total whirlwind. But the group was all at the same hotel. They did hang out and party. That would have been good to get on tape.”
No Soliciting
Aaron was assembling his lunch this afternoon/evening (since he works nights) when we heard two quick rings of the doorbell and two quick knocks on the front door. That’s usually the UPS man’s MO, so Aaron went over to the door and peeked through the peephole.
“I don’t know who that is,” he said, turning back toward the kitchen, “so I’m not answering it. Some lady with a clipboard.”
Not ten seconds later, the person rang and knocked again, and I saw Aaron’s eyes flare before he turned to stride back toward the door. I stayed in the kitchen, unseen, while I listened to the exchange:
Aaron: Can I help you?
Woman: Good afternoon! How are you today?
Aaron: Can you read?
(I assumed he was pointing at our prominently displayed “No Soliciting” sign.)
Woman: Yes.
Aaron: Thank you.
Woman (just before door closes): Piece of shit.
Aaron (yanking the door back open): Fuck you, too!
According to Aaron, the woman flipped him off from the driveway as she walked off, and her clipboard read American something-or-other. I’m guessing she was a political pollster of some kind, and I’m hoping she wasn’t working on behalf of a charitable organization, considering her reactions.
As for me, I prefer to go the more passive-aggressive route of not answering the door at all, even after the second knock, but it’s easier to go that route when the car isn’t in the driveway and I can feign not being home. Aaron’s OK with being a little more confrontational than I am, generally speaking.
Still, though, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect to be left alone by pollsters and solicitors and proselytors when you post a No Soliciting sign right next to your doorbell.
Attempt at Light Coconut Pie, Take 1
After picking up a recipe for Key Lime Pie at my Weight Watchers meeting last week, I decided to think of variations to the basic recipe to make it a coconut pie for my upcoming luau. After a little searching online, though, I found a recipe for Light Coconut Pie that promised to be just what I was looking for.
I assembled the no-bake pie this afternoon, ramping up the “light” part even more than the recipe said: lowfat graham cracker crust, Splenda instead of sugar, and Cool Whip Free (which just tastes like Cool Whip to me). After the pie was assembled and cooling/setting in the fridge, I did the math to see how many points one piece of pie would be.
Damn you, sweetened coconut flakes. Damn you to hell.
We were even at Claudia’s Natural Food Market this weekend, and saw unsweetened organic coconut, and didn’t buy it, thinking that it was a little over-the-top… and not realizing that Meijer only sold sweetened coconut. Turns out that the sweetened coconut flakes added the most calories to the pie overall.
One piece of “light” coconut pie? EIGHT points. That’s one-eighth of a normal-sized pie. Not exactly “light” in my book, but certainly lighter than a normal dessert, I suppose.
Guess I’ll have to do a little more experimenting, and try the unsweetened coconut next time. I’m sure I’ll have a passably light coconut pie by luau time.