The Eagle Has Landed

I am the Brave Astronaut. I could not let this particular anniversary pass without a post. I had been accumulating a number of sites and things to post links to. One of the better ones I had comes from the Big Picture.

Kottke had a number of good posts:

• Cool photos of the Apollo landing sites from low Moon orbit
• The Giant Apollo 11 post
• NASA releases restored Apollo 11 moon walk video

July 16 also was evidently the anniversary of several significant historic events, other than the date the Apollo 11 astronauts blasted off for the mood. To commemorate the blastoff, Daily Kos had the video of the launch as did Kottke. CNN covered the release of NASA's enhanced films of the moon landing.

And with the passing of "Uncle Walter" here is a video of Walter Cronkite and others talking about that monumental day. Farewell Walter. You were the voice of reason for so many years. You will truly be missed. Thank you for all your years.

The Open Championship

Most people know I like golf. I don't play it very well, but I enjoy every opportunity I get to play. I also enjoy watching golf (I try to make sure that I always watch the Masters and this year I got to watch a fair amount of the U. S. Open). This weekend is the British Open, known simply as The Open Championship. This year it is being played at Turnberry in Scotland. Someday, I will get to the birthplace of golf and waggle my Billy Baroo around St. Andrews (and no that's not dirty).

The U.S. Open was played this year at Bethpage Black, a public course at Bethpage State Park, about ten minutes away from where I grew up. I have not played there - my skill set is nowhere near that level. I even shot over par in an online version of the course.

Shortly after the conclusion of the U.S. Open, I received this humorous list from Ed in Pittsburgh - a far better golfer than I. It's amusing because my sister-in-law's husband and I had this very idea (of writing a book for the duffer golfer rather than a how-to get better book - there's way too many of those). So here's a proposed chapter list for the bad golfing book. Anybody want to contribute some text?

• Chapter 1 - How to Properly Line Up Your Fourth Putt
• Chapter 2 - How to Hit a Nike from the Rough, when you Hit a Titleist from the tee
• Chapter 3 - How to Avoid the Water When You Lie 8 in a bunker
• Chapter 4 - How to Get More Distance off the Shank
• Chapter 5 - When to Give the Ranger the Finger
• Chapter 6 - Using Your Shadow on the Greens to Maximize Earnings
• Chapter 7 - When to Implement Handicap Management
• Chapter 8 - Proper Excuses for Drinking Beer Before 9:00 a.m
• Chapter 9 - How to Rationalize a 6 Hour Round
• Chapter 10 - When Does A Divot become Classified as Sod (or when your wedge can be re-classified as a trenching tool)
• Chapter 11 - How to Find That Ball That Everyone Else Saw Go in the Water
• Chapter 12 - Why your Spouse Doesn't Care That You Birdied the 5th
• Chapter 13 - Using Curse words Creatively to Control Ball Flight
• Chapter 14 - When to Let a Foursome Play Through Your Twosome
• Chapter 15 - How to Relax When You Are Hitting Five off the Tee
• Chapter 16 - When to Suggest Major Swing Corrections to Your Opponent
• Chapter 17 - God and the Meaning of the Birdie-to-Bogey Three Putt
• Chapter 18 - When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever
• Chapter 19 - Throwing Your Clubs: An Effective Stress-Reduction Technique
• Chapter 20 - Can You Purchase a Better Golf Game?
• Chapter 21 - Why Male Golfers Will Pay $5.00 a Beer from the Cart Girl and give her a $3 Tip , but will balk at $4.50 at the 19th Hole and stiff the Bartender

A Weekend in New York

The Brave Astronaut family has returned from a weekend visit to Lawn Guyland today, where we celebrated my father's 80th birthday, with a party thrown by his new girlfriend. Mrs. BA and I took the opportunity to fill up on Long Island staples - pizza and bagels.

I have a colleague at work who has threatened to hold a blind taste test to see if I can tell the difference between Long Island bagels and bagels from anywhere else (outside the New York area). I have told him to bring it on. For the most part, bagels outside the NYC region are basically "rolls with holes." Ask any bagel maker, they'll tell you - it's the water. In fact, there is allegedly a bagel shop in Texas somewhere that has NYC water flown in so he can make "authentic" NYC bagels.

Now I just need to make sure if we made enough space in the freezer for the bagels we brought back. Some time ago I spotted an entry on Buzz Feed about the flagel. I never got into the flagel phenomenon, but I do enjoy the bagel crisp. And there is nothing like a bagel with butter. Yeah, yeah, I know. But I don't like the cream cheese. And of course, when one visits Bagel Boss, you can go any time you want (as long as it's not Passover - the only time of the year they close.) And don't ask for bacon with that egg on a bagel - they're Kosher.

Of All Things Scrabble

I like the game of Scrabble. I enjoy the alternative version, Lexulous, that one can play on Facebook. (Come, challenge me to a game! - and I am sure that it's Mrs. BA's turn in the game I'm playing with her). I have accumulated a few articles and posts that popped up in my Google Reader regarding the great game of Scrabble - enjoy!

• Skewing the Scrabble Playoffs (from WSJ.com) - with the addition of "za", "qi", and "zzz" to the Scrabble lexicon, some players are calling for the rules to be amended, something that has not happened since the birth of the game in 1948. Mandatory Archival Content Alert! - the post linked above contains an image of Alfred Butts' (the inventor of Scrabble) tabulation sheet wherein he evaluated the commonality of the letters in words and determined how the point values would be assigned to the letters in the game.
• On Buzzfeed - there is a new ad campaign afoot to promote the game.
• From McSweeney's - an "interview" with the letters "Q", "X", "K", "F", "M", "G", "E", and a blank tile on how they are coping with the economic downturn.
  

In a somewhat-related story, here is an interesting story about the changing face of crossword puzzles (seen on Language Hat). Does anyone really know what an "etui" is - or just that it's a common four letter word in most crossword puzzles?

Well, This Doesn't Happen All That Often

Today is July 8, 2009. At 12:34 and 56 seconds, a digital display of the time and date will be:

12:34:56 - 7/8/[0]9

I know, I'm a geek. Just accept it and move on.

"Eat More Chikin"

So sayeth the bovines who advertise for Chick-fil-A. And now I've learned that today is National Fried Chicken Day. (If you're interested, Friday is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A, and all those who show up dressed as cows get free chicken).

Well, I couldn't let this day pass without a good fried chicken recipe. Conveniently, fried chicken was the subject of last week's Washington Post food section. Here are the four recipes that were featured. I have included the one that looked the tastiest to me (hey, it uses a little bacon grease, so how bad could it be?), although Francine's looks to run a very close second.

• Brian's Fried Chicken
  
• Francine's Fried Chicken
• Gillian's Fried Chicken
  
• Stephanie's Fried Chicken

Brian's Fried Chicken

Summary:
Brian Robinson, executive chef at Restaurant 3 in Clarendon, makes fried chicken the way his grandfather and mother taught him. He adds lots of herbs to the buttermilk marinade to flavor the meat, and he coats the chicken with a mixture of panko, cornmeal and seasoning, which gives it an unusually crunchy texture (the chef has added the panko for extra crispness). A little bacon grease in the shallow frying oil imparts smoky flavor, too.

MAKE AHEAD: The chicken needs to marinate in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours (refrigerated) and up to 2 days in advance. 4 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
For the marinade

• 1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces (plus the chicken heart; see NOTE)
• 1 quart buttermilk, or more as needed (can use low-fat)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, smashed
• Leaves from 4 or 5 sprigs thyme, minced (1 teaspoon)
• Leaves from 2 or 3 stems oregano, minced (1 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

For the coating

• 2 cups panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
  

For frying

• Canola oil
• 2 tablespoons bacon fat
  

Directions:
Place the chicken pieces in a deep container with a lid; add the buttermilk to cover, then the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Combine the panko, cornmeal, flour, paprika, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, adobo seasoning and salt and pepper to taste in a large, wide bowl; mix well. Dip the chicken pieces to coat evenly but lightly on all sides, shaking off any excess.

Add enough oil to a large cast-iron skillet to fill at least 1/8 inch; heat to 325 degrees. Add the bacon fat to taste; let it melt into the oil. If you don't have an instant-read thermometer to test the oil, toss in a pinch of coated chicken; it should bubble vigorously. The oil temperature should hover around 300 degrees while the chicken is cooking; adjust the heat as needed. Place a wire rack or screen on top of a rimmed baking sheet (to drain the finished chicken).

Add half of the chicken pieces (top sides down, where appropriate), placing larger pieces at the center and smaller pieces near the rim of the skillet. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, then turn over and cook for 10 to 14 minutes; use tongs to hold some of the larger pieces on their sides for even browning. (The coating may cause the chicken to look darker than you're used to.) The chicken should be done when its internal temperature is 170 degrees for white meat, 180 degrees for dark meat.

Use tongs to transfer to the chicken to the rack or screen. Repeat the cooking with the remaining chicken. Serve hot, warm or cold.

NOTE: The chef likes to marinate, coat and fry the pieces of chicken heart, which take about 6 minutes to fry. They taste a little like fried chicken livers.

The Rights of Cheese and Man

I've been saving this for nearly a year. It comes from a colleague that works at the Culinary Institute of America in Poughkeepsie, New York [and where my niece is now a student!]. As you can see by the picture, the work of "art" was crafted by the fine people at Cheez-its, one of the best snack crackers known to man [and a popular favorite of LBA for the ride home from daycare].

From the original article:

The French may be known for their love of the most pungent of cheeses and the British for the cheese-rolling antics, but the US claimed bragging rights in the world cheese stakes today when they immortalised the signing of the Declaration of Independence into the food-art hall of fame with a giant cheese sculpture in Times Square, New York.

Cheez-It cracker company employee, Troy Landwehr, worked eight hours a day for an entire week inside a 4ºC (40ºF) cooler carving the block of Wisconsin cheddar. He claimed that by spraying cooking oil over the block it would be prevented from melting, but was uncertain how long it might last: “That’s why it looks sweaty. It actually preserves the cheese.” One thing is for certain: if it melts before the celebrations begin, he’ll be right cheesed off (apologies).

The replica of an iconic painting by John Trumbull shows John Adams, John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin and others standing around a table signing the historic document, but this is not the first time Landwehr has recreated U.S. history with cheese. Last year he carved a cheese version of Mount Rushmore, depicting presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abe Lincoln.

It is likely that the giant cheese sculpture will quickly become old news to New Yorkers as it is swamped by hordes of tourists crowding for a photo next to its sticky surface: now all together now… cheese!

Happy Independence Day to all! Now I'm off to partake in the annual viewing of "1776." And Cheez-it has done it again for 2009.

Crime Wave at the Brave Astronaut Launchpad

Loyal readers may recall that Brave Astronaut was a crime victim shortly after moving into our great little town. We rebounded from that and have had no incidents since. Until this weekend. In the Brave Astronaut backyard, we discovered that two of the trees planted by our predecessors were plum trees and were bearing fruit this year (evidently it takes plum trees three years to decide to fruit). There is also a sour cherry tree, but I missed those, as they had all become dry, shriveled black dots.

I had been enjoying the fruit with my lunch and LBA had great fun plucking plums off the tree to eat in the yard on a comfortable summer evening. My neighbors were beneficiaries as well, as I shared with them a bag of the bountiful plums. I enjoyed the last of the ones I had picked on Monday with my lunch and Monday evening went out to pick a new bowlful of plums.

Much to my aggravation, every single plum was gone off the trees. Ripe ones, unripe ones, a few that had fallen off the trees to the ground, not one plum remained. There was no evidence of animals having done this (broken limbs, a gnawed plum on the ground, nothing) - it was clearly a human culprit. My neighbors did not see anything, but this clearly took place during the daylight and if only one person, they were in my backyard for at least 15-20 minutes. Yesterday evening, I emailed the Chief of Police to inform him of the situation. I didn't necessarily need to file a police report, I just wanted to let him know what was up.

Then this morning, I looked out on to my back deck and noticed a propane tank, which I had on the deck awaiting a fill up from a propane delivery service was missing. There were three tanks total and now there were only two. This obviously happened between 12:30am and 7:00am. I emailed the Chief again and received a very nice phone call from him.

I guess it's time to install a surveillance camera and perhaps an invisible electric fence. That might work. I'm aggravated by the whole thing, but I'll get over it. Sometimes, however, I feel like Nate Fisher from HBO's Six Feet Under, "I hate the living."

UPDATE: Mission Control has learned that my neighbor was confused about the delivery date for the propane and took back his tank early this morning. So no extra propane for him. Unless he gets on the Propane Taxi bandwagon.

Diane, Can I Have My Steak Back?

We are firm in the grips of the summer grilling season, so this recipe may have to wait until steaks must be cooked inside. Thanks to Cheverly Chef Scott for the posting.

Steak Diane
serves 4

• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 2 TB Dijon mustard
• 2 TB tomato paste
• 1 12 oz flank steak, cut in two
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 TB butter
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely minced shallots
• 4 TB cognac or brandy
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
  

Whisk together broth, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and tomato paste; set aside.

Start preparing the steak. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the steak. Heat oil in a skillet, add the steak and increase the heat to high, sear each side for 3 minutes, cook an additional 2 minutes per side on medium high heat. Remove steaks to a warm plate.

While the steaks are resting, in the same pan as you cooked them, sauté the shallots in butter for one minute on medium heat, stirring constantly. Carefully add the cognac to deglaze the pan. (this is alcohol and will flare up if it gets near the flame.) Increase the heat and cook until the cognac is almost evaporated. Stir in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Let simmer for a minute. Stir in the cream and cook for two more minutes.

Thinly slice the flank steak to serve. Drizzle warm Diane sauce over the steak on each serving plate.

100 Best Movie Lines in 200 Seconds

What? No "Attica!"?

Live Long and . . . Drink Romulan Ale and Eat Jello Ice Cream

But first - I'm weeping over the latest concoction from Coldstone Creamery. Then again, licking melted ice cream off of ones fingers is a summer ritual - is it not? Available until the end of July.

I have yet to see the new Star Trek movie, although I would like to. With the release of the latest movie, there was a flurry of news items regarding the food selections of the Star Trek genre. I saw this first on Kottke, which linked to a blog post on "The food of Star Trek." Romulan Ale for everyone!

Romulan Ale

Ingredients

• 25 ml. Vodka
• 25 ml. Triple Sec
• 25 ml. Blue Curacao
• 25 ml. Lemonade

Combine all in a tall glass. Add ice if you desire. Drink.

Rules to Live By

I didn't think I would make a good father. There are still some days when I don't think I do a good job with the two boys that I have. Luckily I have the best wife in the world who helps me each and everyday. With her help, I don't think I have critically damaged the psyches on my sons.

My father will turn 80 next month. I had your normal set of father-son problems growing up, but I think he and I are doing alright. Happy Father's Day, Dad.

I spotted this blog some time ago and have now subscribed to its feed. If you are a father (and even if you're not), take a look and you'll find it all - humor, sarcasm, directness. However, this guy better get a move on if he is going to cover all 1001 items, unless he has a really, really, long range plan for when his son will arrive.

1001 Rules for my Unborn Son

There's Just No Reason

As most of you know, the Brave Astronaut family had a mini-beach weekend last weekend in Wilmington, NC. On Sunday, we packed up and headed home. I was not feeling well so Mrs. BA had to do the bulk of the driving. We left Wilmington around 2:30 in the afternoon. From Wilmington, it is about 6 hours of driving time. So with a stop for dinner and some time for the boys to run around, we hoped to be home by about 10:00. [cue laughter]

We encountered a stray thunderstorm in Wilmington which delayed us right at the outset. We did OK on I-40 and then on the bypass up to I-95. We were only about 1/2 hour behind schedule when we stopped for dinner and some exercise for everyone. We piled back into the family truckster and crossed the Virginia border from North Carolina. We even managed to do OK on the I-295 jog around Richmond (most of this is from a hazy recollection as I fitfully dozed next to the saintly Mrs. BA, shouldering the yeoman's task. Then we reached the merge with I-95. That's where it all went to H E double hockey sticks. From south of Fredericksburg to just outside of Washington, we crawled. For. No. Reason. There was no accident, no rain or weather, just a Sunday afternoon on I-95 in the Commonwealth. We pulled up in front of the Brave Astronaut launchpad at nearly midnight. 9 1/2 hours after we left.

So it seemed somewhat absurd to read this. I've ranted about traffic in the DC area before. I've even proposed solutions. They are introducing a variable speed limit system on the Beltway. We already have one of those, it's called normal traffic. So with lots of new construction projects in the pipeline here in DC, how long until we are back to walking to work on the roofs of the stalled cars on the roads?

Ford's Theatre 2009-2010 Season

The 2008-2009 season at Ford's Theatre ended recently, when "The Civil War" finished its long run (enjoying that time off Amanda?). There will not be a presidential gala this summer as Ford's was visited by President Obama in February to celebrate the grand reopening of the theater and to commemorate the birth of Abraham Lincoln. So the summer months will see the halls of the theater give way to sweaty tourists. Except for a few days later this month, when the National Park Service will do some additional renovations.

My ushering days will not return until late September, when the 2009-2010 season opens. Here's the lineup. If anyone wants in on the ushering gig, let me know - it's a great time!

• "Black Pearl Sings!" - September 25-October 18 - Susannah, a song collector for the Library of Congress, travels the country seeking little-known melodies. When she encounters Pearl in a Texas prison, she discovers dozens of musical treasures rooted in the African tradition. Pearl must decide whether to give away her ancestors’ songs for a chance at her own freedom. Music unites strangers in a powerful story that illuminates America’s racial divisions and the attempts of two women to bridge them.
• "A Christmas Carol" - November 23, 2009-January 3, 2010 - this is a great adaptation of the Dickens classic. You should really see it!
• "The Rivalry" - January 22-February 14 - Over the course of seven debates, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas tackled the hot topics of their day: state’s rights, slavery and the intent of the Constitution. The Rivalry captures the fiery rhetoric and wry humor of those debates, while adding the insights of Douglas’s wife, Adele. As Lincoln and Douglas race for the chance to be U.S. Senator, Adele reexamines her own concepts of freedom.
  
• Little Shop of Horrors - March 12-May 23 - One of the most popular musicals of all time, Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of the well-meaning flower shop employee Seymour Krelborn and his wisecracking carnivorous plant, Audrey II. Seymour delights in the attention his leafy friend attracts, but when Audrey II develops a craving for human flesh, the situation spins out of control.

See you at the stage door!

Banana Cake

I've posted previously my recipe (well Cooking Light's recipe) for Banana Bread here. Most people who know me would not deny my enormous sweet tooth (which luckily my children have not inherited, yet). So here's a recipe I spotted a while ago for a Banana Cake (from the LA Times via the Amateur Gourmet), which should satisfy the cake need you might have.

Banana cake

• 2 2/3 cups pastry flour
• 2 2/3 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 large or 4 small very ripe bananas
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Into a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, mash the bananas. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until each is completely incorporated, then mix in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Finally, mix the dry ingredients into the batter just until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch greased pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden-brown on top, a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool on a rack.
   

Cream cheese frosting and assembly

• 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
• 5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
  

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and there are no lumps. Add the butter and whip until incorporated, then add the powdered sugar and the sour cream. Frost the top of the cooled cake, then slice and serve.

Congratulations to all those Graduates Out There

I have to admit to freaking out the neighbor boy the other day when I asked him how many more days of school he had. He replied, "two weeks." This was at the end of May. I stunned him with the tale of the dark days of my youth when we went to school until the end of June! His mother made him feel even worse with tales of year round school!

To celebrate the season of high school graduations, here are a few stories that showed up on the Brave Astronaut radar over the past few weeks.

1. Perfect Attendance - Really? This story from the Washington Post about a local high schooler and this AP story from June 1 about a student from Indiana that are graduating from their respective high schools with perfect attendance records. That is never having missed a day of school from Kindergarten through 12th Grade. I say again, really? My mother and the school nurses exchanged Christmas cards as a result of the time I spent in the nurse's office. I was constantly home - how else was I to get my Price is Right fix? Sure, there may have been some days that I could have gone to school, but my mother didn't push the issue. God bless her.
2. Dodging Gym - dodgeball anyone? While that "game of chance" is certainly passe in schools, evidently completing the rope climb is not. Unless you live in Little Falls, New York. There you can choose your gym experience in the form of Dance Dance Revolution. Really? What's next Wii? Get out there are dodge some balls, you big wienies! Then again, I did fulfill a phys ed requirement in college by bowling. And my sister got her requirement by taking "circus arts."
3. Local Flavor and Mandatory Archival Content Alert! - An elementary school in my hometown is in trouble with its former students. In 1981, students at Berry Hill Elementary School buried a time capsule on the school grounds. The site was later paved over for a parking lot. The time capsule is nowhere to be found. And the students are wondering what is up (or is it down)?

Feeling Old is Only a State of Mind

Trust me on this. Better yet, ask NJM - she'll tell you, I'm 12. Alas, the years advance, there's more gray in my hair than any other color and I definitely don't move as fast as I used to. So why is it that I subscribe to this particular blog? They do say the mind is the first thing to go . . . wait, what was I saying?

Wanna Feel Old?

The Brave Astronaut clan is on the road for a few days to attend the high school graduation of one of my nephews - oh good, something else to make me feel old.

And Now for a Little Libation

"Gummi bear? It's been in my pocket; they're real warm and soft."

Movie the above line is from? Anyone? Anyone?

In my youth (evidently a lot further back than I would care to admit - given the events of a few weekends ago, but I don't think that was just drinking), I was known to consume a jello shot or two. One night, some friends and I were at our local favorite watering hole and there were several girls mingling through the crowd offering shots directly from the bottle, with no glass - you just put your head back and let them pour it in - ah, those were the days). So a wake of nostalgia overtook me a while back when I spotted this - Vodka Gummi Bears.

Hey - it's summer time, about time for me to switch to my usual summer drink - a vodka collins. Perhaps I can make some of these for garnish.

How to Make Vodka Gummi Bears

• Vodka
• Gummi bears or worms, sugar-free or regular
• A glass container (a glass with plastic wrap over it will do - rumor has it plastic does bad things to vodka, so be sure there’s no plastic actually touching the vodka).
  

Put the bears/worms/fish into the glass dishes. Pour in vodka until it reaches the top of the candy. Using that much vodka makes the candy swell and take on a noticeable but not unpleasant “burning” alcohol sensation. If you don’t want the alcohol that strong, use less vodka. (The amount of time you let the bears soak has no impact on how alcoholic they are. They will suck up nearly every drop of vodka you put in, so the trick is to use the right amount for your taste. You can always add more if you taste them after a day or so and think they’re not alcoholic enough.)

Put the dishes in the fridge. Leave the bears soaking for a total of five days, but after three they should have absorbed about all the vodka they can. Give yourself time to leave them in at least a couple of days, if possible.

The alcohol content in each vodka gummi isn’t very high, but if you eat many of them, you’ll feel the effects. Be forewarned and plan accordingly.

To Remember

The Order of the Day - from General Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 6, 1944

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is will trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Where's the What?

First up, today marks the birthday of my oldest and best friends. While we don't have the same level of contact that we used to, he is a true friend (in fact he has been superb in helping me get through this recent computer crisis affecting the Brave Astronaut command console) and I wish him a very happy birthday.

Now on with the post of the day (coming from the newly mobile Brave Astronaut Command Console) . . .

When one goes to New York City as a tourist, it's a pretty safe bet that even if you are using an old dog-eared copy of a travel guide, you will be able to find your way to places like the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Madison Square Garden. You know why? Those names don't change. Make no mistake, I am certainly generalizing here, and New York is not alone in keeping its landmarks named for long periods of time. For the record, Europe certainly has a better track record of keeping their named stuff straight, they've certainly been doing it longer.

I noted with some derision an article some time ago about the tallest building in the United States, the Willis Tower. What's that, you've never heard of it? Sure you have. It used to be called the Sears Tower. The Willis Holding Group, an insurance company based in London has leased 150,000 square feet in the building and scored the naming rights in the process. Sears' naming rights for the building expired a few years ago and Sears relocated out of the building to the suburbs. And hey, let's face it, retail ain't exactly the best business to be in right now.

In the retail vein, I even heard the other day that the Chrysler headquarters was built in such a way that it could easily be converted to a shopping mall, in the event that Chrysler went bankrupt. Hey, guess what? There's going to be a new mall in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

And of course, there are always bright spots in the dimming economy. Remember Blob's Park? With the housing market in a nosedive, the developers who had planned to build on the site of Blob's Park have all but vanished and the Park is enjoying a Renaissance. Perhaps a summer outing? I'm always up for a good schnitzel . . .

Butterfly Pasta with Baby Peas

While I sort out my computer issues (I'm close to ordering a new laptop - and a hard drive enclosure, with the hopes the data can be retrieved from the old PC), here's a recipe that sounds good and it should appeal to my vegetarian friends out there. It comes from the Washington Post's Food section from last week.

Butterfly Pasta with Baby Peas

Summary:
You might say this is green cooking, as opposed to cooking green. Young peas, a little shallot, onion, butter and vegetable broth make a sweet sauce for farfalle.

If you want to cook greener, make a double batch of the sauce. Cool half of it and freeze it for up to 3 months. It could serve as the base for a dip (add sour cream or softened cream cheese) or as a pesto (puree with pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan cheese).

Serve with warm foccacia. 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces dried farfalle pasta
• 4 medium shallots
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons sweet (salted) butter
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 20 ounces fresh or frozen baby or petite peas
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 2 stems basil
• 6 ounces sugar snap peas
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain.

Meanwhile, mince the shallots to yield 1/2 cup. Cut the onion half into small dice to yield 3/4 cup.

Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and onion; cook for 6 minutes, until they are just soft. Add a little of the broth if needed to keep them from browning; they should stay a little creamy.

Prepare a bowl of ice cubes and water for the peas.

Add the broth (or what is left) and increase the heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then add 15 ounces of the frozen peas (about 3 cups) and boil for 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peas to the ice-water bath to stop their cooking (and any shallot or onion you may catch). Pour the broth into a blender and let it cool for 10 minutes.

While the broth is cooling, coarsely chop the parsley and basil leaves. String and stem the snap peas.

Bring a small saucepan of (unsalted) water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 5 ounces of peas (about 1 cup) and cook for 5 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl. When the water returns to a boil, add the sugar snaps to the water and cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to the bowl with the 5 ounces of just-blanched peas. As the sugar snaps cool, cut them on the diagonal into 2 or 3 pieces each.

Add the cooled 15 ounces of blanched peas to the cooled broth in the blender, along with half of the parsley and basil. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining parsley and basil, and puree until smooth.

Pour the puree into the same saute pan used to cook the shallots and onion, then add the cooked pasta and the remaining blanched peas and sugar snaps. Heat for 1 or 2 minutes over medium-low heat, tossing to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Divide among individual shallow bowls; serve hot.

Houston - We Have A Problem

Over the weekend, the Brave Astronaut Command Console (also known as the desktop computer that I use for everything at home) suffered a major malfunction. At this time, the computer has been diagnosed with a dead motherboard. I am hoping to be able to retrieve the data that is on the hard drive.

For now, Mission Control will be dark while I get this resolved. I'm going to need a new computer, likely a laptop. To my former Syosset High School friends (specifically the one in Louisiana and Florida), can you get in touch with me? I know you've got the IT background that I might need right now along with the recommendations of what I should be looking for.

Monday's Recipe: More Chicken

Last week, Monday's recipe returned with a recipe from the New York Times Magazine. This week features another chicken recipe from the Washington Post Food section from two weeks ago. It uses one of my favorite jams, Strawberry-Rhubarb (although the real things are used here) and some chicken thighs, like the Country Captain from last week.

It's also Memorial Day today, so it's a good day to have the first "official" summer barbecue.

From the author of the recipe:

This is my riff on sweet-and-sour chicken. I’ve cleared away the goop to get a dish that tastes great, with a fun mingling of flavors.

Gone is the canned pineapple, replaced with grilled pineapple slices. Out went the breading and frying; skinless chicken thighs are grilled instead. The fruity tang comes from a homemade glaze that is applied to both the fruit and the chicken. I’ve added some blanched and quickly charred scallions.

The dish requires a few steps, but I bet you'll like the results.

If you happen to have strawberry-rhubarb jam, you can substitute 3/4 cup of it for the strawberries, rhubarb, water and sugar. Just combine the jam with the onion and mustard seeds and cook for about 25 minutes, until the onions are soft.

4 servings

Strawberry-Rhubarb Glazed Chicken Thighs

For the glaze

• 1 stalk rhubarb (about 2 ounces), cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice to yield 1/2 cup
• 4 to 6 large strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice to yield 1/2 cup
• 1 small onion, cut into small dice (1/2 cup)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  

For the chicken and pineapple

• 8 scallions (root ends trimmed off), remaining white and light-green parts about 6 inches long
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound peeled and cored pineapple, cut into four 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices
• 8 (2 pounds) bone-in skinless chicken thighs
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

For the glaze: Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, onion, sugar, mustard seeds, salt and water in a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Stir to mix well until bubbles form at the edges. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure the mixture does not boil over, until it has reduced by half; the vegetables should be quite soft.

Carefully transfer to a blender. Remove the center portion of the lid to let steam escape, then place a dish towel over the lid. Puree until smooth, then add the vinegar and pulse to combine. Divide the glaze evenly between 2 small bowls.

For the chicken and pineapple: Prepare the grill for direct and indirect heat. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium (350 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them on one side of the cooking area. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for about 6 or 7 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil and place it on the grill.

While the grill is preheating, bring a shallow pan of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes (for thin scallions) to 4 minutes (thick), then use tongs to transfer them to a plate. They should be tender and bright green.

Lightly salt the pineapple slices and chicken thighs; season the chicken with pepper to taste. Place them on the grill over direct heat; close the lid. When the pineapple has good grill marks on one side (5 to 6 minutes), turn the pieces and move to the indirect-heat side of the grill.

Use one bowl of the glaze to brush the pineapple. Grill (with the lid closed) for 5 to 6 minutes. At the same time, turn over the chicken thighs once they have grill marks (10 to 13 minutes), allowing the second side to get color and grill marks (10 to 12 minutes). Then transfer to the indirect-heat side of the grill and brush with the glaze in the second bowl.

As the pineapple and chicken thighs are done, transfer them to a platter; use the space on the grill rack to grill the par-cooked scallions close to the indirect-heat side of the grill just for a few minutes, until they are slightly charred.

To serve, cut each slice of grilled pineapple vertically in half, placing a half-slice on each plate. Top with 2 grilled chicken thighs, 2 grilled scallions and a second pineapple half.

Take Your President to Work Today

A quick post (because I said I would try to be better) to point out that the President of the United States came to the National Archives today to give a "major speech" on terrorism, torture, and national security. He stood in the Rotunda of the National Archives and spoke eloquently (as he does so well) about the future of America, and why he believes closing Guantanamo Bay is essential. You can watch the speech from C-SPAN here. He gave the shout-out to the head of the National Archives, Acting Archivist Adrienne Thomas. We just need to teach him to pronounce "archivist" correctly.

This has not been a good week for the National Archives. On Tuesday evening, it was reported that a hard drive had gone missing from the National Archives. At the same time, the results of the National Capital Survey were released, which rate the agencies of the Federal Government. The National Archives came in next to last.

I love my job. Most of the people I know love their job. Who answered the survey? I know I did. And hey, the President came to see us, that's gotta count for something, right?

Monday's Recipe Returns

So I forgot to post a recipe last Monday. Did anyone notice? In fact, I have not posted here in a while. I have lots of posts in draft form that I hope to get back on track soon. To that end, here is a Monday recipe that I saw in the New York Times Magazine a few months ago. It's been on the fridge with plans to make - now someone else can get to it first. Sounds yummy.

Country Captain

• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 pounds (about 8) chicken thighs
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 tablespoons currants
• 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes and their juices
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
• Cooked white rice

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and the thyme in a bowl. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat until it foams. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, and fry, in batches if needed, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the skillet.

Return the skillet to medium heat, add the bacon and fry until crispy. Transfer to a plate. Once cool, crumble and set aside.

Add the onion, pepper, celery, garlic, curry powder and 1 tablespoon of the currants to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until soft and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, bring to a boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of an ovenproof casserole large enough to hold the chicken snugly in one layer. Arrange the chicken on top. Pour the remaining sauce over and around the chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for 15 minutes more.

Top with the crumbled bacon, remaining currants and slivered almonds. Serve with cooked rice and any condiments you wish. Serves 4.

A Bridge Too High?

I lived for several years in Poughkeepsie, New York, where I was a teacher at Poughkeepsie High School and worked at Filene's Department Store at the Poughkeepsie Galleria. I enjoyed getting out into the region, which was rich with history and stuff to do. One day, I will get back for the Dutchess County Fair and the Stormville Airport Flea Market.

One weekend I read in the paper that the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge was going to be opened for people to walk out on a portion of it (a piece of the western terminus, which was not affected by the fire that severely damaged the bridge on this date 35 years ago). That certainly sounded like a really good time.

I'll set the scene for you. It's autumn in the Hudson Valley, so it's a little cold and windy, high above the river (did I say high? the bridge is 212 feet above the surface of the Hudson River), and a group of people are walking out on planks of plywood to a small observation area. The metal railings are in disrepair or missing altogether. Even for someone who does not have a fear of heights - I had had enough soon after getting out there.

The tours were being sponsored by Walkway Over the Hudson, a newly formed group dedicated to restoring the bridge and creating the world's longest (and highest) pedestrian walkway. They are nearly there. Throughout this year, the Hudson Valley will celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson's trip up the river that now bears his name. During the first weekend of October, the Walkway Over the Hudson is scheduled to open. I would be up for a road trip up the Hudson . . . I'm assuming they have railings now . . .

The finished walkway will feature a 6,768-foot-long walkway, including 3,094 feet on the main span, 212 feet above the river. The deck would be 25 feet wide. There will be marked areas for bicycling and benches along the span. They will install an elevator on the Poughkeepsie side to bring people to the bridge deck. If you prefer there will be stairs, 22 flights of them. The walkway will connect to rail trails on both sides of the river. Developers are expecting that more than 150,000 visitors a year will cross the bridge.

Election Results

As most of you may know, I was running for Town Council here in Cheverly, MD. Today was election day and after all the votes have been counted, I came up short. The incumbent was reelected. I promise to the residents of the Ward that I will stay involved and keep the Council Member on message and make sure that he communicates to the residents about what is going on in the town.

My thanks to everyone who expressed their support of my candidacy and I am grateful to those who voted for me today.

Update: ChvBlog has several updates on the elections, including video and photos: here, here, here, and here.

Update 2: The local newspaper, the Gazette has coverage of the elections here.

C'mon - SEVEN!

Anonymous Advice for Wives, 1905

"Not the least useful piece of advice, homely though it be, that we can offer newly-married ladies, is to remind them that husbands are men, and that men must eat. We can tell them, moreover, that men attach no small importance to this very essential operation, and that a very effectual way to keep them in good-humour, as well as good condition, is for wives to study their husband’s peculiar likes and dislikes in this matter. Let the wife try, therefore, if she have not already done so, to get up a little knowledge in the art of ordering dinner, to say the least of it. This task, if she be disposed to learn it, will in time be easy enough; moreover, if in addition she should acquire some practical knowledge of cookery, she will find ample reward in the gratification it will be the means of affording her husband."

Today is my seventh wedding anniversary. It is also Election Day here in town and I am awaiting the results of my bid to become Town Council Member. Stay tuned to this space and also watch here for results.

I have absolutely no issues with my wife's cookery - she does a fine job. In fact, we planned on having a very nice rack of lamb last night for dinner, but the oven crapped out on us, so we had to wing it. Tonight's dinner will be a little more difficult, I am assuming to put together. Happy Anniversary to the best wife ever. I love you very much and don't know I made it without you around.

A few weeks ago in the New York Times Magazine, in the food column, there were two recipes, the first for Maida Heatter's Preheated Oven Popovers and the second for Sugared Puffs. OK folks, quick quiz, which recipe do you think I will be including? Not that I have anything against the popover (though their cousin the Pop-Tart is likely to find its way into my mouth), but the sweet, siren call of the sugary love is too much to resist.

Sugared Puffs (from David Lebovitz)

For the puffs:

• Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup flour

For the sugar coating:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease a nonstick popover pan, or a muffin pan with 1/2-cup indentations, with softened butter.
2. For the puffs, put the 2 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, milk, salt and sugar in a blender and whiz for a few seconds.
3. Add the flour and whiz for 5 to 8 seconds, just until smooth.
4. Divide the batter among 9 greased molds, filling each 1/2 to 2/3 full.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, until the puffs are deep brown.
6. Remove from the oven, wait a few minutes until cool enough to handle, then remove the puffs from the pans. You may need a small knife to help pry them out.
7. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Thoroughly brush each puff all over with melted butter, then dredge in sugar and cinnamon mixture to coat completely. Let cool on a baking rack. Makes 9 puffs.
   

Tomorrow is Election Day in Cheverly

As you may know, I am running for Town Council here in Cheverly. Tomorrow is Election Day. I am out and about today meeting with voters and will be greeting voters at the poll tomorrow. Wish me luck!

And here's to hoping that, if elected, I don't face any Council meetings like this one.

Dr. Seuss - Up to the Challenge

Both Mrs. BA and I read to LBA before he goes to bed. There is often much negotiation over "how many stories," "long stories or short stories," and then the negotiations continue once we are in bed - which one first, can he have another one after the pre-arranged number has been agreed to, etc. (We do try to read to SoBA - but he is usually more interested in grabbing the book and flinging it away, or flipping the pages from back to front rather than front to back - but we're working on it.)

There are several Dr. Seuss books in the repertoire, Green Eggs and Ham among them. As a result, I found this story very interesting. Evidently, after finishing (and publishing) The Cat in the Hat in 1955, Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss's real name) was challenged to write another book using only 50 words. (The Cat in the Hat had only used 223 words). Geisel collected on the bet when Green Eggs and Ham came out in 1960, using exactly 50 words. Okay, so they're repeated, but there are only fifty words in the story. Know what they are?

a am and anywhere are be boat box car could dark do eat eggs fox goat good green ham here house I if in let like may me mouse not on or rain Sam say see so thank that the them there they train tree try will with would you

Later, I found this story, published on what would have been Ted Geisel's 105th birthday, which detailed 10 stories behind some of the greatest hits put out by Dr. Seuss. As the parents of two small children, I've read most of them. I, however, avoid discussing the controversy. The Green Eggs and Ham 50-word bet, is on the list, here are the other nine:

• The Lorax is indeed about the logging industry and got Geisel in trouble with that industry.
• Horton Hears a Who contains the line, "A person's a person, no matter how small." This line was grabbed by pro-life organizations, but it is unlikely that Geisel meant it that way, especially since he sued to have one organization stop using the line.
• If I Ran the Zoo, published in 1950, contains the first recorded instance of the word "nerd."
• The Cat in the Hat was created because Geisel thought the Dick and Jane primers (wow - acid flashback) were boring. He was right.
• Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now! is not about Richard Nixon. Really, it's not.
• Yertle the Turtle is about Hitler. Really, it is.
• The Butter Battle Book is about the Cold War.
• Oh, the Places You'll Go, published in 1990 and the final Dr. Seuss book, is one of his best sellers as it is a perennial gift to graduates. It sells about 300,000 copies a year.
• The cartoon movie based on How the Grinch Stole Christmas featured Boris Karloff narrating and providing the voice of the Grinch. The man who provided the voice of Tony the Tiger sang, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch."

Two down, one to go

As previously reported here, I lost an election for a position I really wanted. Not to be outdone, I was also a candidate for a position in my national professional organization. On Friday, I learned that I lost that election too. I don't know what that means for me - but it may very well make it hard for me to travel to the Annual Meeting this year in Austin, Texas. Mrs. BA is already going as she has a speaking role at the conference, but I might be home with the boys for that week, instead of incurring the additional costs of all of us traveling to Texas.

This leaves me with one remaining election, that of Town Council Member where I live. That election is next Monday. I am in the only contested election in the Town, running against an incumbent, who is seeking his third full term (he was appointed to the remainder of his predecessor's term, when she was elected Mayor).

I have no sense of how this election will turn out, but I have been meeting many of the residents and have greatly enjoyed getting to know them and hearing their issues and questions. I have started yet another blog, specific to issues within the Ward I am seeking to represent. Regardless of what happens next Monday, I will stay involved in the town and work to make my community the best that it can be.

My thanks to those of you out there who voted for me.

Miso Glazed Flank Steak

With the weather that we had around here this past weekend, summer is certainly just around the corner. That will mean an increase in grilling and the preparation of Mrs. BA's favorite meal, flank steak. While her marinade is the popular go-to prep for the steak, I stumbled across this recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini.

Miso Glazed Flank Steak

• 1 tablespoon miso (a paste of fermented soy, barley and/or rice)
• 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (I use a low sodium tamari)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• shichimi tōgarashi (or other type of ground chili pepper, with or without added spices), to taste
• a small section of fresh turmeric or ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 slices flank steak (bavette in French), about 260 grams (9 ounces) total

In a medium bowl, whisk together the miso, mirin, soy sauce, oil, tōgarashi, and turmeric to form a paste. Add the meat, stir and flip to coat well on all sides. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice during that time. (You could prepare this in advance and marinate the meat for a few hours; keep the bowl in the fridge then and take it out 20 minutes before cooking.)

Place a lightly greased skillet or grill pan over high heat. When it is very hot, add the steaks to the pan and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes without disturbing. Flip the meat, brush it with what's left of the marinade*, and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the other side. (Depending on the thickness of the steaks and the hotness of your stove, this will produce rare to medium-rare meat; adjust the cooking time to the desired doneness).

Transfer the steaks to a plate or cutting board, cover with foil to keep warm, and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Serve with a salad of mâche, or slice into crosswise strips to eat with chopsticks over Japanese rice.

* For food safety reasons, most recipes instruct that the marinade in which meat has been marinating be cooked, but this is meat so fresh I would feel comfortable eating it raw, and very little marinade is left in the bowl, so I don't feel it's necessary to cook it off. If you prefer to be on the super-safe side, skip the brushing step.

Why I Don't Shop at Whole Foods

Well there are several reasons, but this one is my reason for never setting foot in one anytime soon. You see, Brave Astronaut doesn't like spiders. In any way, shape, or form. Perhaps I was a fly or other insect in some previous life. Mrs. BA is in charge of dealing with any spiders that make it into the launchpad. I can take care of other bugs, and have on some occasions, but spiders are off limits.

Update: There was a follow up story in the Tulsa World that the spider may not have been poisonous, but I don't care.

I'm out walking the Ward today in search of votes. If you see me out and about, be sure to say hi. But please don't throw spiders.

Everything New is Old Again

Coke is no longer "classic." People of a certain age (including me) will certainly remember the "soda fail" that Coca-Cola went through when the came out with New Coke in 1985. To combat the backlash, "Coca-Cola classic" was born and New Coke went away. Well now that nearly twenty-five years has passed since one of the biggest marketing blunders in history, the "classic" is being dropped from the name.

This is also the time of year when you can obtain Coke without high fructose corn syrup (it's primarily a Passover thing). Look for those yellow caps, people. Coincidentally, Pepsi has noticed and are preparing to launch their own line of cane sugar drinks. They're calling them "Throwback" drinks.

So it would seem we know where the marketing guys who came up with "New Coke" went to work after they lost their jobs . . . .

Tuna Noodle Casserole

In these tough economic times, we are all looking to make ends meet. My mother used to tell stories about making Tuna Casserole (with potato chips crumbled on top) early in my parent's marriage. While I like tuna sandwiches, I don't know if I can get behind the casserole idea. But here's a recipe from the Amateur Gourmet. He got it from this book. A few weeks later, he posted a "gourmet" version. You can read it here.

From the post:
"The assembly and cooking of this casserole couldn't be easier (which is why, I'm sure, it's such an American staple.)

• Boil 1 bag (12-oz.) of egg noodles until just al dente.
  
• Mix the cooked noodles with 1 (16 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup (I had two cans b/c I could only find 10 oz. cans), 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 (6 oz.) cans white albacore tuna drained, 1 large white onion (chopped), 1 16 oz. package frozen sweet peas and salt and pepper.
  
• Lay it all in a 2 1/2 to 3 quart casserole dish.

I have to make a confession here. In tasting this unbaked mixture to see if the seasoning was right, I REALLY liked it. Like way more than I should have. Somehow the uncooked tuna, the cold (still frozen) peas, the raw onion, the cheese and the just-cooked egg noodles worked some kind of magic in my mouth that let me ignore the gross, glue-like mushroom soup that was also mixed in there. If I ever reinvent a tuna noodle casserole (a subject I'll get to again at the end of this post), a raw food version might not be out of the question!

Into the oven it went--375 F--for 35 to 40 minutes (until bubbling.)

Out it came and on went the coup de grâce: crushed potato chips (a few handfuls.)

Back into the oven it went for 10 minutes."

MARAC - Session #15 - Flickr

Today is Saturday April 18. After a very full breakfast meeting, I have gone off to one of the two session blocks that are being held this morning. Mrs. Brave Astronaut will be chairing a session in the second set, so I wanted to get to one of these sessions. I have chosen to sit in and liveblog again from a session. While yesterday I wrote from the front of the room where I was serving as chair, today, I am in the back of the room, working on the laptop keeping people aware of this session.

The presenters for today's session on Flickr are:

• Barbara Natason of the Library of Congress
• Judith Silva from Slippery Rock University
• Jim Gerencser of Dickinson College (filling in for Malinda Triller, who was unable to come to the meeting)

The session is being chaired / moderated by one of my colleagues from the National Archives, Laurel Macondray. As noted, the session is about how archival institution are using Flickr to showcase their photo collections. Barbara is up first, fittingly, as the Library of Congress Flickr collection is one of the best that is out there.

Update #1: Faces (or backs of the heads, I told you I was sitting in the back) in the crowd was very popular (according to the comments from yesterday's session report): 2009 MARAC Distinguished Service Award winner Jodi Koste sitting up front (Congratulations Jodi!), several colleagues from my former archival home, the Rockefeller Archive Center, including Program Committee liaison for this session, Charlotte Sturm - one of the nicest people I know. Amy S. and Kate T. and Jean G. are all sitting closely together, surely dreaming about cupcakes. Jean will be featured at the next session, where Mrs. BA will be moderating. Sitting close by the Brave Astronaut is an archivist from the Central PA region, who is notorious (?) / infamous (?) for skipping out on MARAC meetings and leaving people in the lurch. The DC Caucus chair is in the room as are several members of the New York State caucus, including Ray Lefever, who got the shout out yesterday and University at Albany archivist Geoff Williams (go Great Danes!). Somewhere in the room is former MARAC chair Geof Huth. When Huth arrives at a session, you have surely hit upon a hot topic, because Mr. Huth's time is so important, despite his comment yesterday about people not paying attention in sessions if they are being "electronically distracted."

Update #2: The second presenter, Judy from Slippery Rock, targeted her talk at smaller repositories that are looking for an outlet for their photo collections. The link above will take you to the Flickr group for Slippery Rock. She gave a very quick presentation and turned it over to Jim who began to talk about Dickinson's plan. As Jim was wrapping up, the projector crapped out on him, sort of a bummer when you are talking about photos.

Update #3: A BIG MARAC Shoutout to Rob Jenson, who came in and got the projector up and running so Jim could complete his presentation with picture support! Jim is wrapping up and Laurel will invite questions from the audience. I am out of here so I can take over for Mrs. BA, who is looking after the boys, so she can get to her session.

I will try and put together a more robust wrap-up of MARAC Spring 2009 when I get back to the launchpad, which will be a long car drive away from here.

MARAC Charleston - Session #4

Today is Friday April 17. I am at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference Spring 2009 meeting in Charleston, West Virginia. I am serving as the chair for a session entitled, Web 2.0 State of Mind: From Theory to Practice, featuring commenters to this blog Kate from Archives Next and J in PA.

I have just completed my introductions of Jim and Kate and Jim is going to take the podium to talk about the different tools out there for us. The presentation is being recorded and when it is released, I will add a link to it.

Update 1: Jim is asking about what tools people are using in the workplace. While this blog was created to allow me an expression of my consciousness, I do try to hit on an archival topic now and again. The majority of the audience is using at least one tool. I use many Web 2.0 tools, including Facebook, Twitter, and blogging.

Update 2: Faces in the audience: The Director of the NHPRC is standing in the back of the room. The archivist at the College of William and Mary (who is also our Program Committe liasion - and uses Twitter). An archivist with the New York State Archives, who is a friend on Facebook. Several colleagues from the National Archives, including frequent commenter here, NJM. The man who hired me to work at the National Archives, and then retired is here, along with Dr. Ken Thibodeau, head of the ERA project at the National Archives, who offered an update during the morning plenary session.

Update 3: After a discussion by Kate about blogs in general, Jim discussed the Dickinson reference blog that he created. Kate has returned to the podium to discuss Twitter. You can follow her at @archivesnext. Other big tweeters are @amycsc and @adravan. I am on Twitter at Comment Moderation@legloaj.

Update 4: Kate is now discussing podcasts. Five minutes to go until the requested cutoff so we can get the audience involved.

Update 5: Kate have moved on to Flickr. There is a lot to cover in this session! Web 2.0 rocks!

Update 6: The time is now noon, and we are getting some good comments and questions from the audience. Kate is wrapping up (after talking about podcasts, video uploading, and now wikis) and we will see what directions the audience takes us!

Update 7: The Jim and Kate show continues. Jim may have just uttered the line of the conference: Viewing Web 2.0 tools as a playground - he swears he just made it up - but it works! Discussion and interaction from the audience continues. 12:20 and we're going to questions and comments. Only 10 minutes before the lunch is scheduled to begin. The Brave Astronaut family should be returning soon and we will head out to find lunch ourselves! Herein concludes the live blogging portion of Session #4!

It's the Spring MARAC Meeting - It Must Be Time for Playoff Hockey

The Brave Astronaut family is off to Charleston, WV for the Spring 2009 MARAC meeting. Tomorrow night is also the first night of playoff hockey. Here are my predictions and comments for the first round of the playoffs.

In the East:

• Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens: The Bruins were the best team in the East all season. The Canadiens were touted at the beginning of the season as being the team to beat, yet they limped into the playoffs. I don't expect it to be close. Bruins in 5.
• Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers: This series has resulted in some tension at the lunchtable. I take a fair amount of heat for my allegiance to my New York teams, although I am not very happy with the pinstriped baseball boys. But I am a devout Ranger fan. Which makes this prediction all that harder. I don't think the Rangers can do it again this year. Caps in 6.
• New Jersey Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes: I really don't like the Devils. Really. And I think the Canes can knock them down a few notches. Canes in 6.
• Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers: Can I just root for injuries in this series? I don't care who wins this series, but I think the edge goes to the Pengoons. Penguins in 7.

And on to the West:

• San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks: Despite a Stanley Cup win, I still can't acknowledge the existence of a team named for a Disney movie. And the Sharks have played really good hockey all season. Sharks in 4.
• Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets: The defending Stanley Cup champion Wings have their work cut out for them with the Blue Jackets, who have finished the season very strong. But experience should win out over the upstarts. Red Wings in 7.
• Vancouver Canucks vs. St. Louis Blues: The Canucks sit in the Brave Astronaut memory banks as the team the Rangers beat to win their last Stanley Cup in 1994. I prefer the Blues, returning to the playoffs after a long drought. Blues in 6.
• Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames: Chicago, one of the original six hockey teams has a long history. The Flames have been around for a while however, but the Blackhawks are the better team. Blackhawks in 4.

Apple and Maple Yogurt Cake

This recipe comes from Chocolate and Zucchini, a French blogger, who posts a number of really good recipes. This one seems to be no different. I might have to work it into the repertoire.

Apple Maple Yogurt Cake

• 240 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt (I used fromage blanc this time)
• 180 grams (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons) finely ground maple sugar*, divided
• 2 eggs
• 80 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)
• 220 grams (2 cups minus 2 tablespoons) flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• a good pinch salt
• one large apple of a variety that holds its shape when cooked (I used a Charden, which is a cross between the Clochard and the Golden, as the name implies)

Preheat the oven to 180° C (360° F) and line a 25-cm (10-inch) cake pan with parchment paper.

Set aside 1 rounded tablespoon of the maple sugar for topping.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, the remaining maple sugar, eggs, and oil. In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Peel the apple, then core, quarter, and slice it thinly. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and whisk it in quickly, until just combined. Don't worry about lumps and do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, arrange the apple slices on top, starting from the outside, and sprinkle with the reserved maple sugar.

Put into the oven to bake for 40 minutes, until the top is golden and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If you feel the apple slices might be browning too quickly, cover with a piece of parchment paper.

Let cool on a rack and serve, warm or at room temperature.

* If maple sugar is unavailable, substitute 3/4 cup maple syrup and use just 3/4 cup yogurt to make up for the extra moisture.

It's Masters Weekend!

Many who know me understand that while I play golf occasionally, I also enjoy watching it on TV. And this weekend that means the Masters. It is the one tournament that I try to never miss. One of these days I will get there in person (maybe when Archival Trash adopts me - he has tickets).

So while I will be glued to the TV for most of the weekend watching anyone but Tiger, our friends "across the pond" have come up with a game known as "Pub Golf" (seen on Buzz Feed) As defined by Urban Dictionary:

The pinnacle game of choice in the modern sporting era. The game involves visiting 18 different pubs, in 18 different locations, drinking an alcoholic drink of previously specified choice. The aim is to complete the course, and the winner is decided as to who can complete the course in the fewest number of consecutive "sips."

The lowest possible score in Pub Golf is 18 shots. This would require "downing" each drink in one go, and without stopping. Any player taking any more shots that the standard course par of 72 is deemed the winner.

Any form of drink "spillage" or players puking up invokes a penalty of 2 shots.

The rules are rather involved [taken from a website that features black text on a black background - so it was a bit hard to see]:

1. Each player must choose and consume ONE drink in each pub. Points are only scored for this ONE drink.

2. The winner shall be the player with the LEAST NUMBER OF POINTS at the end of the ninth hole.

3. Point scoring system: Just like real golf, we have defined what constitutes a 'par' ( i.e 0 points) for each kind of drink you may choose to consume. A bogey is one over par (i.e. +1), a birdie one under par (i.e. -1), an eagle two under (i.e. -2), and an albatross three under (i.e. -3). [The British creators came up with a very intricate scoring system based on alcohol contents of beer and the selection of mixed drinks, but I think it could easily be simplified]

4. Penalties:

• Failure to complete a hole (i.e. failure to finish drink) = 3 shots dropped (& no points awarded for your drink)
• Failure to have a drink at all = 4 shots dropped
• Puking = 3 shots dropped. The other players are encouraged to sneak on their competitors should any player attempt a quick 'tactical' spew.
• Failure to complete the course - instant disqualification and a very bad hangover.

5. Water hazards: Players are not allowed to go to the toilet at any hole deemed a 'water hazard'. Penalty = 2 shots dropped.

6. Bunkers: To get out of a bunker each player must consume one shot of their choice (single measure) in addition to their chosen drink. Failure to negotiate bunker - 2 shots dropped. Shot must be neat, i.e.: not water, ice etc, and downed.

7. Hole in one: Should a player DOWN a pint in one, then they may add -2 points to their score for that hole. Definition of down: finish a drink in one go, i.e.: drink a full pint of chosen beverage without taking the glass away from mouth and without taking longer than 30 seconds about it. On completion, the glass should be upturned on the player's head, thus ensuring the drink was actually finished.

8. Time: Play commences before 6pm. Competitors are allowed a strict half an hour to complete each hole. Should time be running out towards the end of the evening, the referee will have the discretion to further limit the time allowed at each hole.

9. Scorecards: Each player is responsible for maintaining his own scorecard. However, at the start of the match competitors will be allocated partners with whom they will play the round. It is also a players responsibility to ensure his partner's score is correctly kept. In addition, at each hole players must declare their score to the referee who will be responsible for maintaining a leaderboard.

10. Referee: A referee shall be appointed for each game. The referee shall be timekeeper, judge, and the final arbiter in all disputes. The referees' decision is final.

So, I think we should move the MARAC Metal Edge Open indoors and try this in Charleston!

Shrimp with Broccoli

Last week I lamented the lack of Baked Potato Soup in my life now that we live some distance from the Houston's restaurant that could provide it to us easily. Another culinary delight that is missing for me here in the Brave Astronaut neighborhood is good Chinese food. I miss Golden House. Perhaps I should add that to my platform for my Council Member Campaign - Good Chinese Food here in Cheverly!

My favorite order for Chinese is Shrimp with Broccoli, so I was excited to see the Amateur Gourmet post a recipe for it. Perhaps I will give it a shot here at home.

Enjoy!

Roasted Shrimp & Broccoli

1. Heat the oven to 425.

2. On a large cookie sheet, toss together 2 pounds of broccoli cut up into florets (but not teensy tiny florets, I like a little stem attached), 2 Tbs olive oil, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 tsp. ground), 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/8th tsp hot chili powder. Spread into a single layer and pop into the oven for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss together one pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined, with 2 Tbs olive oil, lemon zest from one lemon, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (I just eyeball the salt and pepper) in a bowl. When the broccoli's been in the oven 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the broccoli and toss (carefully.)

4. Roast another 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the broccoli is "tender and golden around the edges."

The Light Goes Dark

A sad note from the world of television. CBS Television announced this week that "The Guiding Light," which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running television drama has been canceled and will air its last episode on September 18, 2009. "The Guiding Light" debuted in 1937 as a 15-minute radio serial and premiered on television on the CBS network in 1952.

I admit here, which will surely lead to some ridicule, I watched Guiding Light for many years. My mother was a big fan of the CBS soap opera lineup: "Search for Tomorrow," "The Young & the Restless," "As the World Turns," and "The Guiding Light." My viewing years included the short-lived "Capitol," as well. "The Bold and the Beautiful" made its debut during this time as well, but I didn't watch that one. I had some dignity. My mother watched these shows religiously. Once VCRs became commonplace, she began to tape the episodes if she was out and then would watch them later.

I might have to fire up the DVR to tape the final episode. I am sure, wherever she is, my mother will be watching. I believe that in heaven you get to meet and talk to anyone you want. So I am pretty sure that my mother has been hanging out fairly regularly with Charita Bauer, who played the matriarch of the Bauer clan for 34 years. One of my mother's best days was when she went to a luncheon featuring Guiding Light actors and got to sit with the actor who played the villain Alan Spaulding. "The Guiding Light" featured the firmly-middle class Bauer family and the high powered Spaulding family, which ran Spaudling Enterprises.

I, of course, could drag you down into the depths of the twists and turns featured over the years on Guiding Light, but I won't do that to you. The end of Guiding Light will close a significant chapter in television history. In addition to the many records it holds, the show also served as a launch pad for many well-known actors, including Kevin Bacon, Sherry Stringfield, and Hayden Panettiere, just to name a few. James Earl Jones and Ruby Dee also appeared on the show, making Guiding Light the first show to feature prominently African-American characters. Many other Hollywood stars made appearances on the show for a few episodes.

So the Guiding Light is getting turned off. But, truth be told, haven't they just been telling the same story over and over and over? Isn't that the definition of a soap opera? And in my defense, while I watched Guiding Light, I enjoyed the parody of them a little more (see Tootsie and Soapdish).

Whither the National Archives?

Most people know where the Brave Astronaut punches his time card everyday. The National Archives has been in the news a fair amount lately. The Archivist of the United States, Allen Weinstein, announced his resignation in December 2008. Later, in January 2009, at the time of the Obama inauguration, it was noted (also here) that the Bush administration web presence had been replaced (as was expected), but that the Bush websites may not have been "archived" appropriately. There has even been calls from some to investigate NARA and our practices. Some of these black marks have come as the National Archives prepares to celebrate its 75th Anniversary this year.

But unfortunately today, it has all seemingly come to an end. I have learned the National Archives will close its doors due to the recent downturn in the economy. No more records will be taken into the holdings of the archives, the repositories were close to being full anyway. Some of the holdings will be sent back to where they came from. Those items that are deemed to have significant historical value will be auctioned off to try and meet the extraordinary deficits the National Archives has incurred.

The Charters of Freedom will still be available for viewing, however. Special viewing booths will be constructed allowing people access, where they can place a dollar in a slot. Then a curtain will raise up to allow viewing of the documents for a limited time. This will ensure their continued survival as repeated exposure to light was limiting their lifespan anyway.

Despite recently raising reproduction fees for researchers, additional revenue generating ideas will be instituted. If researchers wish to view any documents, they can make use of the viewing booths described above. Also, some staff may be used, wherein the documents will be held up to the glass at the Archives building for people to copy down the information.

A bake sale will be held today only, with proceeds to go to the purchase of apples, bread, and soup. Lines will form outside the public entrances to the National Archives Building.

In order to get this project underway, an extensive search was conducted for any and all correspondence with the date of April 1. All of that correspondence was then stamped with the words "April Fools" on it and placed on immediate display for today only.