09/18/04 09:46 - ID#35618
Cannin' tomatoes with Nonna
Today was canning tomato day. Last year was my first experience and I went today to repeat the lovely experience. Nonna is just great. Just the right kind of old-world charm, grandmotherliness, and just plain sparkling joy that everyone needs in their lives. She really makes me happy. She's 86 and only moved to America in her 40's. Her primary language is still Italian but she gets around in English as well (though it helps if you have a smattering of a romance language to get the full effect, she has these great idiosycratic words that slip in, ie: always suppone instead of suppose...). And the stories... She remembers living in Italy during WWII! Her brother actually had a bomb dropped on him and had to be dug out of a crater. She blends this perfect kind of innocence with a great pragmatic common sense. Anyways here are some pics from the tomatostravaganza:
First you must prepare the bottles, some fresh basilica and a pinch of sale
Next peel the skin from those guys, make 'em shine
They're ready to be popped in the pot for a 20 minute boil. You can already smell how wonderful they'll taste!
Permalink: Cannin_tomatoes_with_Nonna.html
Words: 220
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/18/04 11:00 - ID#35617
Remeber this?
sidenote: Deaf children in Nicaragua have created their own language. A special education school which opened in the 70's and never taught official sign language has documented the progress of the language from simple hand gestures to a genuine language. Very cool. The study also finds (as if there was much doubt) that children are the true inventors of language, tugging and changing existing rules until novel structures are found. Kids rock. Who invented the word dude though?
Permalink: Remeber_this_.html
Words: 140
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/17/04 10:11 - ID#35616
it feels like ooooh-oo-oo-oo-ooohhh
talkin' how we gotta use water,
but i always use some milk and cream for you, cause...
i think you kinda sweet
you with your sparkling cufflinks
'n i swear on my mama 'n papa,
it feels like.......
Permalink: it_feels_like_ooooh_oo_oo_oo_ooohhh.html
Words: 44
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/16/04 10:58 - ID#35615
Can you feel me
Do you ever find yourself trying to escape value? I wrote a whole journal (which I am too lazy to now link to) about the nihilism of goals. Success eludes only those who seek it. Or label it at all. If I strive for nothing than everything is success. Or failure for that matter. But it's all a lie. All bullshit.
Pointless entry that I sould probably delete so as not to depress. But in the sense of keeping the history I'll leave it. Who the hell cares anyway.
Permalink: Can_you_feel_me.html
Words: 183
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/16/04 11:09 - ID#35614
Read this book!
This is a book that I believe every American should read. Admittedly, it is about taxes and so may seem a bit dry, but it is chock full of details that will make your blood boil.
Did you know that the richest 1% of the population is about 5 times as rich as it was 20 years ago, but that the bottom 75% hasn't gone anywhere in terms of real income?
Do you know what payroll taxes are? They're the taxes you pay for Medicare and SS, 6.2% + 1.25% which are matched by your employer (a total of 15.3%). Once you make over about $87,000 you don't pay that anymore.
Do you know that for all of our progressive tax system (and oh-so-much complaining on behalf of the rich) the real tax rate for all Alericans is almost the same. Taking into account the payroll taxes we all end up paying somewhere around 20% (with both the megapoor and megarich paying less).
Do you know the IRS audits one of every 70 poor people claiming the Earned Income Credit (a social welfare program to slightly boost the working poor's income), but only one of every 200 or so people making over $100,000?
Do you know the IRS has just about zero ability to analyze (much less understand) the majority of complex tax shelters used by the megarich to hide their income from taxes?
Do you know what the so-called Death Tax is? Sounds scary right? Bush would say it's taking the family farm away from struggling farmers. But that would only be true in any sense if the farm was worth millions of dollars, the Estate tax (it's proper name) was for years before Bush a tax on income after death in excess of $1,000,000 (this year he's raised it to $2.5 million). That means the vast majority of us (unless we hit the lottery) will have zero need to worry about it.
Do you know that corporations just don't pay what they're supposed to? The corporate tax is a flat rate: 35%, but in the last five years 60-70% of corporations paid no tax (many even got refunds!!). [inlink]terry,182[/inlink] All you telling me that even with the internet boom these corporations just didn't make any money?
So anyways the book goes into detail about all of these subjects and more. You don't need to understand taxes to take away from it that the rich are getting richer at the expense of you and me. The tax burden has been and continues to shift onto those least able to carry it. It needs to be fixed. But first of all it needs to be at least basically understood by all Americans. Read this book!
Permalink: Read_this_book_.html
Words: 441
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/15/04 12:12 - ID#35613
Atwater House petition signed
We definately don't need anymore parking lots on Elmwood. My idea for the last couple years has been to completely remove cars. We should erect two massive parking garages on either side, say one around Tupper and another at Bird. Then we bring the trolley back (yes 100 years ago Elmwood was trollifyed ). You can park at either end and then walk/trolley to you destinations on Elmwood. Think how nice a car free Elmwood would be. No disgusting car smells/noises (especially the motorcycles), no backups during rush hour, no death-defying bike rides around cars and peds alike. Of course this is all pure fantasy. I can't expect Buffalo to ever do it, for any number of reasons, lack of cash being number one. But the dream sure is nice.
Permalink: Atwater_House_petition_signed.html
Words: 145
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/14/04 10:19 - ID#35612
A juror to be
Permalink: A_juror_to_be.html
Words: 288
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/13/04 09:55 - ID#35611
why weather.com why
[size=m]Pollen count high in area!!!![/size]
My god, what next? Fungi spores? Extra-acidic soil indicators! Trees blowing dangerously to the left today!! Slight chance of mud on your shoes if you traverse the lawn!!!
Permalink: why_weather_com_why.html
Words: 65
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/13/04 09:14 - ID#35610
Let's go get us some big guns
Can't wait to go at it with those deers in the fully automatic mode, I'm hoping to take an entire herd in under 3.5 minutes.
On a better note. I am shouting out my thanks to:
[size=l]Elaine M. Urban[/size]
She found my ID and bank cards where I left them at the beach. She then drove to my house and put them through the mail slot. Isn't that just the kind of good samaritanism that you think doesn't exist anymore? She is apparently a piano teacher so if you need any lessons please give her a call @ (716) 877-9531.
Permalink: Let_s_go_get_us_some_big_guns.html
Words: 177
Location: Buffalo, NY
09/12/04 01:22 - ID#35609
So you don't feel so upset
(e:robin) I thought you were a jackass last night honking at jaywalkers for no reason. I think I even called you a nasty name. Sorry, I guess. Next time maybe throw some kind of party favor at us instead. We didn't end up doing anything that night at all. We passed the party you might have gone too. Seemed jammin'. Saw (e:trisha) and (e:paulnotpaul) (though I'm not sure he still deserves hi (e:) since he hasn't written in months) and they said they were gonna tear the attic down around themselves. The walls were already listing. Hope you had a good time if you went.
Lastly, (e:floppydonkey) go spend some quality time with your girlfriend (e:maidencateyes) in the sun. You could always record the game and watch it this evening.
Permalink: So_you_don_t_feel_so_upset.html
Words: 252
Location: Buffalo, NY
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