|
| The verdict is in: Highway to hell
Unfortunately, smooth talking and catchy slogans have won the 2008 election.
So where are we now? Good old-fashioned socialism. The "redistribution of wealth" Barack Obama advocates is just a wordy version of socialism. Hopefully, no one who voted for Obama is too attached to his property, as Obama wants to reclaim it for distribution by the state. If the American flag starts sporting a sickle and hammer, I'm moving to Mexico.
For hardcore liberals everywhere, today is a day to celebrate. A man who voted a straight ticket on nearly every liberal bill is now president-elect of the United States. The thought of a fellow left-winger in the Oval Office might even be enough to get a smile out of Nancy Pelosi.
The infamous terrorist organization Hamas will be equally thrilled, as the candidate they endorsed has won. Earlier this year, Ahmed Yousuf, Hamas' top political adviser in the Gaza Strip, said, "We like Mr. Obama and we hope that he will win the elections." Just a few years ago, who would have thought it possible for a terrorist-endorsed candidate to win the U.S. presidency? Insurgents in Iraq ought to be overjoyed when they hear the news that an American surrender is on the way and they have won. The U.S. forces that once doggedly pursued them are on the way out and that is reason for celebration.
Those interested in the moral decline of America will be among the party crowd. With a good chance of Obama appointing two or more Supreme Court justices, Americans can be sure abortion and gay marriage are here to stay. He has openly stated that he would like to ease drug laws. This makes sense considering his confession of high school cocaine and marijuana usage, but it won't do much to help the American people.
Second Amendment rights have never been in more jeopardy. For the first time in American history, there is a real chance law-abiding citizens could lose the right to own firearms. Gun owners won the most recent attack on constitutional rights, but liberal justices like the ones Obama would appoint could put an end to that. An old adage says, "A man with a gun is a citizen; take it away and he is a peasant." Americans may find out soon enough.
In 2009, Obama will be president and for that he deserves a certain amount of respect that comes with the office. Nonetheless, there is a bleak outlook for the next four years.
Now all Americans have to deal with the consequences brought upon them by those who were taken in by eloquent speeches and fun catchphrases. We'll see what kind of "hope" and "change" Americans really see in the next four years. Hopefully, they won't be so bad. But if they are, I hear the weather is nice in Cancún this time of year.
_____________________________________________________
The verdict is in: Let the good times roll
After eight years of questionable policies under the George W. Bush administration, the opportunity for a better future has finally come. As the next president of the United States, Barack Obama will have to tackle the problems of a terrifying national debt, the lack of development of alternative energy sources, an economic crisis that resulted from letting financial institutions run free and a damaged global standing.
Obama has his work cut out for him. Under Bush, the national debt rose from $5.6 trillion to more than $10 trillion, the largest increase in history. Though balancing the budget may be unfeasible, Obama is sure to take steps in the right direction.
Unlike Sen. John McCain, Obama has committed to letting the tax cuts established under the Bush administration expire in 2009. These tax cuts have cost the country roughly $2.9 trillion and have added to the nation's debt. Obama plans to enforce pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules, which would require any new spending to be offset by cuts to other programs.
However, Obama's disciplined outlook on fiscal policy does not mean that he won't invest money where it is most needed. Because of America's crippling reliance on oil, Obama promises to take steps to provide a clean energy future for America. Specifically, he has committed to investing $150 billion over the next 10 years into the private sector to accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, and other alternate energies. Obama plans to reinstate proper regulations in the banking industry, as well.
"Under Obama, there is going to be a return to regulation that had always worked since President [Franklin] Roosevelt passed the Glass-Steagall Act," said Terry H. Anderson, a history professor at Texas A&M. "Sen. McCain wouldn't do this because he spent his whole life trying to deregulate. The Republicans have attempted to deregulate the banking industry since President Reagan came into office, and even prior Republican presidents such as [Dwight] Eisenhower realized that they worked just fine."
The financial crisis is a result of deregulated financial institutions, and the ability for banks to invest in risky investments. Under an Obama administration, much-needed oversight will be put into place. This would have been less likely, however, under a McCain campaign, with core beliefs that conflict with the necessary regulations.
With Obama as president, there is an opportunity to raise the U.S.'s standing with the rest of the world.
"Virtually all of the world leaders are pulling for Obama," Anderson said. "They don't like our unilateral foreign policy and they want us out of Iraq. If it looks like we're going be in Iraq for 1,000 years, it's going to hurt our trade relations."
The rest of the world is much more receptive to Obama's plans for handling the war in Iraq than his predecessor's. Obama plans to end the war in a responsible manner by removing one or two brigades a month for sixteen months. This will allow U.S. forces to concentrate efforts toward the volatile war in Afghanistan.
The problems that face America are indeed formidable, but with new leadership comes hope. If Obama retains a strong commitment to fiscal responsibility and level-headed foreign policy, America can be propelled from a period of economic unrest and damaged global reputation to a period of increased prominence and prosperity. | | |
| 
So Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are going to adopt more children. You read that right. As in, there's Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, Knox and [Jolie-Pitt child #7 - TBA]... What the hell?
There was an article on The Superficial today talking about an interview Angelina Jolie did with Matt Lauer (sp?). I think they put it best:
"I should note that Angelina was also promoting her new movie directed by Clint Eastwood The Changeling
about a mother whose child is abducted. I can't think of a better
example of Angelina's acting range considering, if she lost one of her
kids, it'd take a few days for her to notice. "Wait, what? We lost one?
How can you even tell? Honestly, I stopped counting a long time ago.
Okay, which one was it? The Vietnamese one? *sigh* Alright, who wants
to go with Mommy to Asia to pick out a new brother? Get your shoes.
Hold on, you're not my child. Dammit, Brad, Gary Coleman's pretending to be one of our kids again! How long have you been here? A month?! Sonofa..."
Right?
| | |
| 
This summer in my travel blog I tried, unsuccessfully I think, to describe Kymyz, a Kyrgyz drink that people in KG just love. Why they love it, I’m not sure. I didn’t love it so much. Every time I turned it down (and believe me, I generally just close my eyes and eat something offered to me, unless I simply cannot tolerate it after several attempts), people would exclaim, “But it’s so healthy. Drink it. It’s good for you. And it’s tasty.”
Blargh. To give you a bit of background on what this stuff is, here’s a Wikipedia exerpt:
Kymys is made by fermenting mare's milk over the course of hours or days, often while stirring or churning. (The physical agitation has similarities to making butter). During the fermentation, Lactobacilli bacteria acidify the milk, and yeasts turn it into a carbonated and mildly alcoholic drink. Traditionally, this fermentation took place in a horse-hide container, which might be left on the top of the yurt and turned over on occasion, or strapped to the saddle and joggled around over the course of a day's riding.
And I came across a website called “Got Kymyz?” that I think describes its taste pretty accurately.
As far as taste is concerned, though first experiences with kymyz draw comparisons to sausagey milk or rotten ranch dressing with just a slight hint of tinfoil, the refreshing sour tang of a good vintage quickly becomes the perfect way to end a hot day. Or begin it, if that’s your thing. Keep in mind that the taste of a given batch changes as the drink ages, starting out sweet and tangy and finishing the season a riot of unholy gustatory explosions in the sinuses. Be forewarned, you’ll have to lay into vat of kymyz to get canned. Even a strong batch tops out at less than 3% alcohol (though some groups, like the Tuvans of Russia and Mongolia, distill theirs into a stronger potion called araka).
I don’t even really understand what a lot of those adjectives mean, but calling it, “rotten ranch dressing with just a slight hint of tinfoil,” or, “a riot of unholy gustatory explosions in the sinuses”... well it just feels right.
WHY DO CENTRAL ASIANS LOVE THIS STUFF SO MUCH?
thEnd | | |
| Cooking :)
I used to have no interest in cooking whatsoever. To
me, it was basically just a really big mess, but not a fun mess like a
surprise party -- more like one that requires a lot of planning
beforehand, like having a baby. But I've gotten really into it lately.
I don't know what it is, maybe I just needed my own kitchen in order to
get it. Last year I had to
start from scratch; I couldn't even make rice. So slowly, very slowly,
I worked my way up from macaroni and cheese to other simple dishes, as
well as a few concoctions of my own invention (don't even ASK how
hamburger stir-fry turned out). Over time I got better and better, and
started trying more and more new things.
Nowadays I find myself
constantly planning the next project - whether that's Martha's grape
tart (I learned how to make pie crust and jam!),
mango rice and black beans, plov (a Kyrgyz staple), or just basic stuff
like spaghetti or chicken pot pie. I've always been fond of food. I
like looking at it (My kitchen nook area is decorated all over the
walls with pretty photos I got from cook books. My amigo Jack calls it
"food porn"), smelling it, watching it on tv, shopping for it, eating
it... But now I'm discovering what a joy it can be to mix it together in interesting ways.
Each new dish or desert broadens my repertoire, and I approach cooking
like an art project. It's creative, but also practical. Perfect. AND I
get to clean!
I also find that I'm quite fond of chopping. It
suits my OCD. I eat a lot more veggies these days simply because I get
to chop them up beforehand. It's a delicious and nutritious grab-n-go
snack!
This is great. Currently my necessary staples are:
jasmine green tea
wine
brown sugar
red pepper flakes
black pepper
allspice
garlic salt
red bell peppers
cucumbers
onion
almonds
chips and salsa
milk
eggs
wheat bread
steel cut oats
grapes, strawberries, or some other type of berry
chocolate
I
ought to start taking photos of the stuff I make. I realize it's
probably a bit early in my cooking carrer to be planning a cookbook,
but it never hurts to have an album. You know, for days when you're
like, "Well I'm hungry but I don't really know what to do about it."
You can just take a peek at past cooking projects and be like, "Oh hey.
That's what I want."
You know who my hero is? Martha Stewart (that's right, you heard me). I think that's enough said.
thEnd | | |
|
