Heh.

Why do I find this strangely comforting?

"Tehran, Oct. 30 – Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the latest cabinet meeting in the Iranian capital that “if we were permitted to hang two or three persons, the problems with the stock exchange would be solved for ever”, according to a Tehran-based newspaper.

Ahmadinejad was addressing a cabinet meeting held to discuss the rapidly deteriorating situation at the Tehran Stock Exchange, the daily Ruznet reported on Sunday.

Iran’s ultra-Islamist President first sent jitters through the country’s markets when he said on the eve of the presidential elections in June that “stock exchange activities are a kind of gambling and we are against them”. Gambling is banned in Islam. (SOURCE)"

hmmm.... didn't Bin Laden make his money from his family's oil business? Surely they were involved in the stock market. Ahmadinejad may be onto something here!

h/t: Lex

Today's lyric spot brought to you by my son...

And if you've already read my "??? WHAT???" post, be afraid. Be very afraid. It's another Kevin story.



If you have kids, chances are you've seen Shrek. If you have the DVD, there's a special feature section that includes a music video. Donkey is featured singing a bit of a Sir Mix-A-Lot song to his new honey, the Fire-Breathing Dragon. It's kinda fast and hard to understand, but here are the lyrics:

Big butts and I cannot lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung
Wanna pull up tough
Cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearing
I'm hooked and I can't stop staring
Oh, baby I wanna get with ya
And take your picture
My home boys tried to warn me
But that butt you got
Makes me so horny

Shrek only features the first few lines, from the beginning through "sprung". However.... when translated through the ears and mind of a 5 year old, it comes out like this:

Big butts I cannot ride
No one Cinci-nine
I want a girl in my life
You'll get sprung

Alrighty then... I think I'm in BIG trouble with the parents of a LOT of little girls....

(We have this recorded as a .wav file, but I can't figure out how to link it. If anyone knows how, please let me know so that you can hear it straight for the little darling's mouth, m'kay?)

???? WHAT ????

My son Kevin is an absolute trip. That kid... Even his teachers tell me "If he wasn't so darn cute, he'd be in trouble a LOT more". *sigh* Guess I should start making time for my weekly meeting with the principal, eh?
The things that kid comes up with amazes me. Tonight was no exception.

He was in the shower, and I was washing his hair. He started playing with his fiddly bits, so I told him to stop playing with his penis. He said, "Mommy! Don't call it that!" So I asked him what I was supposed to call it then. He said, "Nuts. Weiner. Pacifier."

!!???!!??? A WHAT??!???! !??!!!?? PACIFIER??!!??? !???!!! !!???!!

Oh, holy hell... I was afraid to ask, but I knew I had to. My mind was racing to REALLY REALLY bad places.

"Um... Kevin? Who told you to call it a Pacifier?"

<
<
<
<
<
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(this is the part where John would put something like "read the rest of the story in extended traffic", but I don't have "extended traffic", so you'll just have to bear with me.)

He looked me straight in the eye, and said "It was on that commercial, Mommy. The one that goes "Oh, I wish I was a Pacifier Weiner...."

Closing my eyes and letting out a huge "PHEW"... I told him I'd be right back. I ran out of the bathroom, buried my face in a pillow and DIED LAUGHING!

OMG.... A Pacifier Weiner... What next?

Serenity, Courage and Wisdom

God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things which should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

~Reinhold Niebuhr, 1934

I know this is a common, famous saying, but I sure do like it. So many things we approach with the attitude of "I don't like it! I'm going to change it! Screw the rest of you!" Sometimes, we're right. Sometimes, we're wrong. I wish I had the wisdom to know the difference EVERY time.

New Puddle Feature

Quote or Joke of the Day!

I'm going to try to put up a quote of the day every day now. Some days it may be a joke or a poem, or a lyric spot. You just never know what will catch my eye from one day to the next. Here's your first installment. Enjoy!

He, therefore, who desires peace should prepare for war. He who aspires to victory should spare no pains to form his soldiers. And he who hopes for success should fight on principle, not chance. ~Vegetius, @ 375 A.D.

This was a favorite quote of both George Washington AND George Bush (Sr.). It exemplifies why we go to war, because sometimes politics fail, and we must resort to war to restore or maintain peace. A contridiction the anti-war movement just can't get their minds wrapped around. Train your soldiers, stick to your principles, and defend your ideals, then you will achieve moral victory, and hopefully, win the war as well.

Inconvenient

That's what I thought yesterday afternoon when I tried getting off the highway after picking Kevin up from school due to early release.

I was going to take him to Burger King for lunch before heading to the babysitter's house. When we approached the exit for Burger King, traffic was backed up onto the highway. Uh oh... must be a wreck up there! How inconvenient! The next closest Burger King was past the babysitters house, so I would have to backtrack to get back to her house. Harrumph. But, I kept going, planning on taking the next exit and hitting the next Burger King.

Approaching the exit, I saw blue flashing lights, confirming my suspicion that there was a wreck blocking the exit ramp. But as I got up to the police car, I realized there was no wreck! He was simply parked there, blocking traffic from getting down the ramp. Then I noticed the helicopter. And the police car blocking the exit on the OTHER side of the highway. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE????

My mind raced. Is it a chemical leak? A SWAT incident? A fire? What could it be?? Traffic was only moving in one direction as I drove over the bridge. Then it hit me. I knew EXACTLY what was going on.



USMC SSG Rick Pummill was being buried. This was his funeral procession. The guilt that overtook me after grumping about my "inconvenience" was embarrassing. I actually turned red. SSG Pummill was killed, along with two other Marines, on Oct. 20 when their Humvee was struck by an IED. Pummill had given up his cushy recruiting job for a combat assignment, arriving in country just three months ago. Now he is gone.

He left behind his 3 year old son, pictured above, stroking his father's casket. His wife, Chantal, was there to accept his Purple Heart and folded flag, presented to her "on behalf of a grateful nation". At the end of the service, Marines released a flock of white doves representing the peace and freedom SSG. Pummill dedicated his life to.

Fly free, SSG. We'll see you on the other side. We are, indeed, a grateful nation.

Caption it!

"Stuck on Stupid"

tee hee!

Why do men have nipples?

I heard about this book a while back, but I finally bought it the other day. It's full of odd, seemingly worthless bits of cocktail party knowledge. But it's fun to find out weird stuff like "Why do men have nipples" and "Is it dangerous to pop zits". So... here are the answers to those questions and a few more little tidbits of strange knowledge.

Men have nipples because...
We all start out with the same exterior body as embryos. At about 6 weeks, the male sex chromosome takes over and prevents mammary glands from developing. Men are thus left with nipples which don't do anything but stick out when it's cold. Did you know that men can actually develop breast cancer? It's rare, but true.

Is it dangerous to pop zits?
Sort of. Popping them can push the zit-causing bacteria further into your skin, causing more redness and swelling. The real "danger zone" is the triangle which stretches between the bridge of your nose to each corner of your mouth. The veins in this area drain into the cavernous sinus. Squeezing zits in this area can lead to a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, infection called cavernous sinus thrombosis (a blood clot in the sinus cavity).

We shiver when we get cold because....
It's the body's way of warming up. The rapid movement of your muscles (shivvering) actually generates heat and helps warm us up when we are very cold.

Wot in the helk is an ice cream headache anyway?
Who knows! But the most likely cause is the constriction of blood vessels in the roof and rear of your mouth. When those pain receptors get overloaded, they refer the pain back to your head, creating a headache. So, the next time you get an ice cream headache, rapidly rub your tongue against the roof of your mouth to warm it up. Kewl, huh?

Get out of the tub! You're all pruney!
WHY MOMMY??
Because your outer layer of skin has absorbed too much water. The epidermis, the outer-most layer of skin, is very thick on our hands and feet. As the epidermis swells from absorbing the water from the tub, the layer underneath does NOT swell, causing buckling, or wrinkling.

Do Were-Kittens, er, uh... I mean WereWOLVES really exist?
Yes! Kinda. Porphyria is a rare blood disease. One type, cutaneous porphyria, causes symptoms which include sensitivity to sunlight, excessive hair growth, discolored skin, and skin lesions. It can also lead to tightening of the skin around your mouth, which may cause your incisors stand out more.
Another genetic disease, called congenital hypertrichosis universalis, also causes excessive hair growth all over the body, including the face. When the Castle Argghhh's European Castle tour hits Austria, we can see pictures of the first family known to have been struck with this disease at the Ambras Castle near Innsbruck.

Stop the world... I wanna get off!
Not that I've ever experienced this, but... why does the room spin when you're drunk?
Because when you are intoxicated, alcohol actually changes the density of your blood which affects your vestibular system (the center of balance and equilibrium). When your vestibular system is out of synch, you feel dizzy, which results in the spinning room sensation. (I hope you never get vertigo. It's a constant hangover without the benefit of the drunken stupor that precedes it. icky stuff)

And finally... I leave you with a fraternity stunt.
Can you really ignite a fart? YES. Although I wouldn't recommend it. (I can't believe people really researched this stuff, but since they took the time to study it, I figure I'll pass it along) Farts are comprised of about 59% nitrogen, 20% hydrogen, 9% carbon dioxide, 7% methane, 4% oxygen, and 1% hydrogen sulfide gas. It's that 1% hydrogen sulfide gas that makes young children cower in fear as Daddy emerges from the bathroom. The more sulfur-rich your diet is, the gassier you will be. Now, back to the original question. It's the hydrogen and methane that ignites when you "light one up". Mercaptan, a sulfur compound, is also the reason that asparagus makes your pee smell funny, btw.

If you want to learn more really weird shit, go buy the book.

And while you're there, you can pre-order American Soldier's new book! (I'm thinkin' AS is gonna be REALLY proud that I added a link to his book pre-order along with a book that explains farts.)

I CANNOT STOP LAUGHING

Between Froggy and Matt, I have the worst case of the giggles today.....
OMG!!!!!

A rose by any other name is just a rose...

...unless her name is Rosa. RIP, Rosa Parks.

Lex posted about her life and death today, and followed it up with an interesting article from the Washington Post about Condi (Rice '08!!!). I left a VERY long-winded comment, which I decided to leave here as a post. So here you go:

Racism is a hatred I do not understand. Why should your ethnic background, accent, color of your skin, or shape of your eyes, matter? There’s no reason.

My Dad’s family is from the South- WAY South. Lower Alabama. My Great-Grandpa’s family owned slaves, so I am not ignorant about racism. My Grandmother was born in the old slave quarters. My Dad has a couple of uncles who still use the “n” word. I find it disgusting and unacceptable.

Racism isn’t something you are born with. It’s taught by your parents and other adults around you. I am fortunate to have grown up with parents who did not teach me to become a racist. We are not raising our kids to be racist either.

My son started a new school this year, and about a week into school, he started talking about Tom. Tom this, Tom that. It was so nice to see our son excited about a new friend. They wanted to set up a play date, so I talked to his Mom. She had an obvious Asian accent and was a little hard to understand. Unfortunately, the play date didn’t work out that time, but I learned something very interesting about my son. He doesn’t care that Tom doesn’t look exactly like him, nor do his parents sound like us. I was so proud. He likes Tom because he’s a cool kid. He doesn’t NOT like him simply because he’s different.

We had to explain to him why some people in his school had “brown” skin. He was simply curious. It had nothing to do with prejudice. We also make sure that our boys are not afraid to play with kids with disabilities, nor do they make fun of people with disabilities. Last year Thomas had a girl in his class who was blind in one eye. The eye was very freaky looking- it was totally light blue. The whole eye- not just her iris. At first, Thomas said he “didn’t like her”. Within a week, he was fine with her, and so were the rest of the kids in the class. His initial reason for not liking her was because her eye looked so weird (it really did look weird), but we told him he needed to pay attention to the person, not her looks.

If everyone would just pay attention to the person, and not their looks, we could rid this world of racism. Prejudice will always exist, but as adults, we should do all we can to prevent it from passing on to our children.

Come on... it's funny!

I love GW as much as the next Conservative, but you have to admit that his bumbling use of words is kinda funny.

Donald Rumsfeld was giving the President his daily briefing. He concluded by saying, "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian Soldiers were killed in Iraq." "OH NO!", exclaimed Bush. "That's TERRIBLE!"

His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.

Finally, Bush looks up at Rummy and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

*this is, of course, a JOKE*

Just don't leave me out in the rain- I might rust...

Fe... Iron
You scored 24 Mass, 42 Electronegativity, 55 Metal, and 0 Radioactivity!

I don't really need to describe you do I? You're the backbone of any well put together group... communally minded, out going and social, but you don't demand to be the center of attention. Without groups of people like you, human society would crumble. I mean that... don't change. With respect to realtionships, I don't know what to tell ya. I guess I'd reccommend a first row transition metal... or if you don't mind being submissive then go for an oxygen... everyone else will wonder how you ended up with one of those drama queens, but you'll probably secretly love it and he/she will bring out colors of you that you didn't know existed.
Link: The Which Chemical Element Am I Test written by effataigus

ILOVEYOUGUYS!!!!

Via email, from my friend Karen.....

WHEN WE GIRLS DRINK TOO MUCH............

1. We have absolutely NO idea where our purse is. (which is why I carry my lipstick, ID and money in my pocket instead)

2. We believe that dancing with our arms overhead and wiggling our butt while yelling "WOO-HOO!" is truly the sexiest dance move evah. (OK.. everything but the "Woo-Hoo" part)

3. We've suddenly decided that we want to kick someone's ass- and honestly believe we could do it. (DAMN STRAIGHT! I'll get your ass for something! I don't know what it is... but I'll think of SOMETHING!)

4. In our last trip to pee, we realize that we now look more like a homeless hooker than the goddess we were just four hours ago. (Just remember not to ACT like the homeless hooker, ladies)

5. We drop our 3AM sub sandwich on the floor (which we're eating even though we're not the least bit hungry), pick it up, and eat it anyway. (When you're drunk, doesn't the 5 second rule get extended to 5 minutes?)

6. We start crying and telling everyone we see that we love them sooooo much. (Thus, the title of this post)

7. We get extremely excited and jump up and down every time a new song plays because "OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS SONG!" (Even the ones you've never heard before)

8. We've found the deeper/spiritual side to the geek sitting next to us. (Nanophysics! OMG! How interesting!)

9. The man we're flirting with used to be our 5th grade teacher. (OK- I've never done this one. My 5th grade teacher was an African-American woman I affectionately now refer to as "The worst teacher I EVER had")

10. The urge to take off articles of clothing, stand on a table and sing or dance becomes strangely overwhelming to us. (See any Castle party if you have any doubts. Fortunately, this is just NOT an uncontrollable urge)

11. Our eyes just don't seem to want to stay open on their own, so we keep them half-closed, thinking it looks exotically sexy. (Well, it's better than using toothpicks, and less painful too)

12. We've suddenly taken up smoking and become REALLY good at it. (Never done this one either- smoking is nasty)

13. We yell at the bartender, who we believe cheated us by giving us just lemonade, but that's because we can no longer taste the gin. (!!@*&*&%$$ Bartenders!)

14. We think that we are in bed, but our pillow feels strangely like the kitchen floor- or mop. (Or dashboard, or the wall, or the table, or the birdbath...)

15. We start every conversation with a booming "Don't take this the wrong way, BUT..." ("You look really fat in those jeans!" *quickly followed up by #3 above*)

16. We fail to notice that the toilet lid's down when we sit on it. (Who in the HELL puts the lid down anyway? I have a hard enough time getting my boys to put the seat down, much less the lid!)

17. Our hugs begin to resemble wrestling take-down moves. (Used in conjunction with #6)

18. We are tired, so we just sit on the floor wherever we happen to be standing, and take a little nap. (I just need a little nappy-poo... m'kay?)

19. We begin leaving the buttons open on our button fly jeans to cut down on the time we're in the bathroom away from our drink. (Priorities, ladies! Priorities!)

20. We take our shoes off because we believe it's their fault that we're having problems walking straight. (DUH! What else could it be? I've been walking since I was like, ONE. I'm WAY older and more mature than that now.)

Fiddly Bits

A whole lotta nuthin, but at least it's something new to read!

I have to tell you what Kevin said yesterday. I swear, that kid is so damn funny. He had his Batman costume on yesterday, complete with mask, cap and "Bat-a-rang". He asked me, in all seriousness, if he looked "just like Bruce Wayne".
"Oh, yes! You do, Kevin! You look JUST like Bruce Wayne."
He smiled, touched his fingers to his mouth and said, "Yeah. I think it's the lips."
ROFLMAO!!!!!! Oh man....

The Castle is promoting THREE birthdays today. Happy Birthday!

David hosted the Carnival of Recipes this weekend. And if you've never been to Beaufort, you should go. It's awesome!

On a personal note, I'm fighting off a cold and recovering from a bout of mascara-wand-in-the-eye-itis. Damn girly shit.

Firepower Forward is on the move- to Pakistan.

OK. That's it for now. Maybe more later.

Definition

Coward. As defined by Websters.
Main Entry: cow·ard
Pronunciation: 'kau(-&)rd
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French coart, from coe tail, from Latin cauda
: one who shows disgraceful fear or timidity
Coward. As defined by AFSister.


Courage. As defined by anybody.
Main Entry: cour·age
Pronunciation: 'k&r-ij, 'k&-rij
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English corage, from Old French, from cuer heart, from Latin cor -- more at HEART
: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty
synonyms COURAGE, METTLE, SPIRIT, RESOLUTION, TENACITY mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. COURAGE implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty. METTLE suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience. SPIRIT also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened. RESOLUTION stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends. TENACITY adds to RESOLUTION implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.

UPDATE:
I'd like to add one more word to the list of synomyms for Courage. It is simply TRUST. But to trust someone with the life of your child, after seeing her shot by an unknown source? That's Courage.

Names. Everybody has one. What's yours?

Your Expression Number is 9

An idealist and humanitarian, you strive to make the world a better place. You do your best when you follow your feelings and sense of compassion. Deep down, you dream of being loved by many. You are capable of much human understanding and have a lot to give to others. While you are very ambitious, you never lose site of perspective. You have an abundance of creative talents... you just need to tap into them. Although you are a giving person, you can become selfish if you are ignored. If you are not able to help people, you tend to shelf your talents. Without others, you become aloof and start to lack sensitivity.

What's Your Expression Number?

That's what my real name came up with when I tried the quiz. Interesting. Perhaps there's more to names than just the story behind them. Maybe.
BillT decided to leave the story of my name up to me to tell- both the real name, and the nickname. So... here you go.

"What's in a name"

My name is very odd. Odd names always have a story to tell. Here's mine.

My Dad grew up in the South, with some very oddly named relatives, like Garneta, Willadean, Monroe, Eunice, Jewelene, Galen, Harrol, Freda, Melinda Dawn and Dorthelea. Dorthelea is my Dad's older sister, and Melinda Dawn is her daughter. When Dorthelea was young, no one could pronounce her name, so she started going by her initials, DB. Eventually, she settled on the spelling of Dbie. The year before I was born, Dorthelea and her baby, Melinda Dawn, were in a car accident, and they were both killed. Dad decided to name his first daughter after his sister- but instead of giving me her formal name, he gave me her nickname.

Melinda Dawn was 18 months old when the accident occurred. It also happened to be Christmas Eve. Being named after someone who died a violent death is so strange. I used to have this incredible fear that I would be killed in a car accident with my 18 month old baby, just like she was. Of course, it never happened. My Mom was afraid that I would die when I was 18 months old. Again- never happened.

Isn't it weird what kind of thoughts about your life and death enter your mind when you have a story attached to your name?

And now.... for the nickname of Were-Kitten.
This one is all BillT. Blame him- or thank him, lol.

A couple of years ago, a stray kitten showed up on our doorstep. It was badly malnourished and starved for attention as well. It was a little calico manx (no tail), and sooo precious. He stayed in our garage for about a month and then disappeared. Some kids who saw our sign said his name was Salsa, so we were hoping that Salsa had made his way home again.

Every couple of months, he'd make his way back to our house for little visits. I don't think he ever made it home and has been roaming around the neighborhood since we first found him. Last winter, during a snow storm, Salsa showed up at the back door, frozen and wet. Pitiful. I opened the door, wrapped him in a towel, and sat down on the couch with him. Our other three cats were NOT happy, so I tried to keep them away from each other.

After about 45 minutes or so, Salsa was all warm and dry, and I was ready to put him back outside. Just then, Claire, our alpha kitty, jumped up on the couch and suddenly noticed Salsa. RRRRRAAAR!!!!!!! GROWWWWWWL! But no fight. Salsa was on edge though, and it was hard to settle him back down. When I thought he was settled, I picked him back up to put him out. That's when *it* happened. He bit me. Hard.

Needless to say, I let go. He started to run, so I grabbed him with my other hand. He bit me again. Hard. DAMN IT!!!! With Salsa's teeth still dug into my hand, I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and took him outside. ARGGHHH!

Dumbass. I now had feral cat bites on both hands. Knowing how dangerous cat bites can be (puncture wounds that close up around the bacteria deep inside the wound), I scrubbed. I scrubbed, and scrubbed, and poured alcohol on the bites for an hour. The next day, my left hand (which had a deep bite in that meaty part of your hand below your thumb) was so swollen and sore I could hardly use it. My right hand (with bites on the first knuckle of my pinky) wasn't in much better shape.

I tried cleaning them, but had to go to the doctor several times for cleanings and antibiotics- he almost sent me to the hospital for IV drugs. UG....
When I told Bill why I had been so quiet on the computer (because it hurt to type), he dubbed me Were-Kitten, in honor of my feral cat bite and problems that ensued. Funny... but the Scruples appeared about the same time that Were-Kitten made her debut. I think they corrupted her.

Oh, and AFSister- that's an easy one. My brother's in the Air Force.


So... how did you get your name(s)?????

KEWL! I found my Halloween costume!

Of course, the boys are always asking me to be a Princess (cuz I am, ya know), but these days, I'm feeling a little more daring. Like this:




Whatcha think?

h/t: ARGGHHH!. aka, Abhorrent Ravenous Geek-Grabbing Horror From The Haunted Hills.

(and when Punct figures out how to correct this code on her site, I'll fix mine, because I have nooooo idea how to do it)

Walter Reed

A quick note to point out some fantastic write-ups about Walter Reed this weekend.

Be sure you visit Gunn Nutt and check out all of the pictures of their counter-protest outside the hospital. The signs they added to Sheehan's Group W bus are priceless! My favorite was a picture of iraqikurd, holding up his sign which read "Let our troops finish their mission". Gunn Nutt links his story which originally appeared a while back at Free Republic, but I'm adding here as well. It's outstanding!

And, as if you haven't all been there already (cuz I know you all go read Matt before you come see me everyday), go read Blackfive. If nothing else, because I love his banner "The Paratrooper of Love"... And if you buy one of the shirts, you'll be sending a donation to Soldier's Angels!

Speaking of Soldier's Angels..... I've been told to keep my kitty eyes and ears perked up for news on Project Valour-IT.
*perked and primped, and waiting for further instructions, MA'AM!*

Carnival of Recipes is up!

Go visit ALa for the latest in PORK recipes!

And speaking of PORK..... I'm off to the zoo with my little piglets.

See ya layta!

Cooking TINS 101

This is a really easy recipe, and it's sooooo good. But before you make it, MAKE SURE YOU READ THE TINS!!!!!!!!!

Pork Tenderloin with Scallion Sauce

1 bunch of scallions, cut into 1/2" pieces (about 1 cup)
1 cup canned chicken broth
salt and pepper
3/4 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2" slices
2T olive oil

Put the sliced scallions, a dash of pepper and the chicken broth in a pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the scallions are very tender. Puree the mixture in a blender, then return to the pan. Boil the sauce until thickened; reduce heat to low, cover and keep warm.

Heat oil in a skillet until it is hot, but not smoking. Lightly salt and pepper the pork slices. Saute pork slices in the hot oil for about 6-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, spoon scallion sauce over the pork medallions. Goes great with au gratin or sour cream & chive potatoes, steamed green beans, salad and a nice, crusty bread. Dress up the bread with seasoned olive oil for dipping. MMM-MMM GOOD!


Now...
You may be wondering how this recipe could possibly lead to a TINS. The first time I made this recipe, it was FANTASTIC. Easy and delicious, just like I was hoping. The second time, however.... I ran into a little problem. After boiling the sliced scallions in the chicken broth, I poured it into my blender just like the recipe says. I held my hand on top of the blender, hit the puree button, and POOF!!!!!! The hot liquid nearly exploded out of the blender, burning my hand. So, logically, I let go of the lid.

WHIRRRR! SPLAT! The blender was still on, so the boiling sauce flew out of the blender and hit me in the face. Since I wear glasses, this also meant that it got behind my glasses, burning the skin around my eyes. I finally got the blender turned off and ran to the sink, splashing cold water on my face and hand. It hurt like hell... I went to the bathroom. There, in the mirror, I saw my face for the first time. My eyes were swelling up, and blisters were forming around my nose and under my eyes. DAMN IT! Off to the hospital....

So, Mrs. Morrison.... How exactly did this happen again?
Well, you see, it's a matter of physics. Hot liquid creates steam. In an enclosed area, the steam and hot liquid take up all of the space, leaving no room for expansion.

Lesson learned. When putting hot or boiling liquids into a blender, LET IT COOL DOWN FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!! (please note, that this step is no where to be found in the recipe)

And yes... I've made it plenty of times since the explosion with no problems.

My War

By CBTFW.... just in case you didn't know already.

CBTFW (which stands for Colby Buzzell Fukc This War) had a blog, aptly named "My War". It was a fantastic read. So good, it got "voluntarily" shut down, like so many other great milblogs. Fortunately, CB saved his posts and listened to his heart and his regular readers, and decided to use the posts as a part of a book about his experiences with the Army.

I started reading CB's blog way back when. His blog is the reason I started mine- because I needed a blogger ID to comment on his site. I didn't do anything with my site for almost a year, but "My War" is the reason I became AFSister. I met some fantastic people as a result of CB's blog. ALa, Jen, Free, and Ciggy are just a few. When CB shut down... we were all quite unhappy and encouraged him to organize his posts into a book. We all told him it would be a best seller. He wasn't so sure. Here we are, over a year later... and "My War" has, indeed, become a book. I have no idea how many books are listed on Amazon, but I do know this: "My War" is at #540 and climbing rapidly. It jumped from 609 to 540 between yesterday and today.

Me? I got my copy a week before it was actually released to the public (cuz I'm speshul... OK, not really- I just pre-ordered it from Amazon. haha). It's FANTASTIC! Here's my "official" review of CB's book.

I started reading CB's blog about two years ago. Wow... two years! His style was unique. I could almost hear him saying "Oh yeah? Well let me tell you THIS story" and he would just break out into storytelling mode. Reading CB's words was like sitting around a campfire swapping stories. I was so sad when he had to take his blogsite down. Every once in a while, we'd get a teaser. Then finally.... THE BOOK!

I knew it was coming, and I knew it would be out in October, but man... to actually get the book and be able to read those stories again- priceless. As a reader of his blog, I was happy to see that the old posts were there, as well as some biographical information and supplemental posts. Have you ever read a story, fiction or non, and felt like you were being talked to by the author? Reading "My War" is like attending a one-man Broadway show- a highly entertaining, conversational evening told first-person.

"My War" is not fiction. It's a first-hand account of what leads young men to sign up for the military, and how war affects their lives. It's about fighting for your life, and the lives of others in a foreign country. The language is raw- so consider yourself warned if you are easily offended. It's also not meant for someone looking to glorify war or someone looking for a disgruntled Reservist's criticisms about the war. It's a talk with a war veteran. Enjoy it.. open your eyes and ears, and learn from it.

I really like this guy. He's an in-your-face, conversational, intelligent writer. If you haven't bought his book yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??????????

un..der inky-dinky- dooo

You are the the Swedish Chef.
You are a talented individual, nobody understands
you. Perhaps it's because you talk funny.

FAVORITE EXPRESSION:
"Brk! Brk! Brk!"
HOBBIES:
Kokin' der yummee-yummers

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Wild Strawberries...and Creme"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Der Swedish Chef Kokin' Bokin'"

QUOTE:
"Vergoofin der flicke stoobin mit der brk-brk
yubetcha!"


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Eh? Who dey funny! 'Ear, yikkin, yikkin yikkin, got de noo-nool soup for yuuuu!

(translated: HA! That's funny. Here, chicken, chicken, chicken...I've got the noodle soup ready for you!)

you are priteer then the sun

Thomas has been experiencing some severe separation anxiety lately. I'm not really sure why. Perhaps he senses the tension in the house, I don't know. Last week he blessed me with the picture above. Needless to say, it made my whole week, so I had to share it with "the hole wirld".

In case you're having problems reading it, it says:
"I Love you Mommy. More than the universe, the whole world, and farther than the farthest planet. You are prettier than the sun. Mommy, you are pretty."

*melt*
Nothing melts my heart more than my son... nothing.
I love you, Itty Bitty Dude- even more now than I did when you really were an itty bitty Dude.

Blogroll Updates

I need to update my blogroll. Some of the ones I have linked don't exist anymore (thank you OpSec bullies!), and I've found some new ones I really like.
Such as:
The Mommy Blog
Mindy cracks me up. And she grew up in Dayton like I did. Wheee!

Mustang09 is Pro-Victory! He's a Minn-e-so-cold National Guard member in Iraq.

Neptunus Lex
Why it's taken me so long to roll him... I have NO idea. It's embarrassing, I tell you...

MSG Wegner has what I consider a pretty unique job in Iraq. He's working with the farmers to increase their yield and improve their farming techniques. Who'd a thunk the Army would get involved in that sort of mission?

And I also realized today that I haven't rolled Cassandra. How weird is that? *sigh* She's the SnarkMistress- how could I have missed rolling her? feh. ARGGHHH! Ok... This just sucks. I finally realize that Cass isn't on my blogroll...ON THE DAY SHE DECIDES TO SHUT DOWN!!!! *sigh* I feel like Trek and his Old Spice cologne. Maybe Cass isn't fond of Puppy Breath perfume.... *sigh* Well, I'm leaving the link. She's leaving her archives up, and hey.. if she changes her mind, the roll will already be there.

That's all folks! (said in my best Porky Pig, in honor of Piglet's plight)

Pork! Pork! Pork!

In lieu of the Muslim outcry over Pooh's friend, Piglet, I thought I'd put up my first 100% totally non-PC post, by highlighting PORK! The Other White Meat! In find it insanely ridiculous that anyone could find Piglet offensive. He's a little guy with a pink striped sweater, who's lived his entire life within the 100 Acre Wood, harvesting haycorns, hunting Heffalumps, helping T-i-double-grrrr get his bounce back, and playing with little Roo and his best pal, Pooh. Yeah. He's dangerous, alright. Careful folks! Turn your back on this little piggy and he'll go weeee weeee weeee, all the way home (if he doesn't go to the market for roast beef first). Morons. The only thing even half-way offensive about Piglet is his sing-song little voice, and that's only annoying after watching Pooh over and over again for a few hours.

This week's Carnival of Recipes is all about PORK! If it ain't pork... save it for another week, folks. Send your favorite PORK recipe to recipe.carnival@gmail.com. Our favorite Blonde Blogger, ALa, is hosting this week. Interestingly enough, the only other time I've submitted a recipe to the Carnival, it was a PORK recipe for BLT Dip. I get more search engine hits for that recipe than any other post I've done. I'm not sure that's a good thing, but hey- it still counts as a visit, right? I'll be submitting a new one this time- Pork Tenderloin with Scallion Sauce... complete with a cooking 101 TINS.

But first, I thought I'd give you all some PORK fat.

In 2000, Cincinnati celebrated it's rich history in the meat packing industry by asking local artists to decorate pig statues. They called it the Big Pig Gig. The pigs were displayed throughout the city, and auctioned off at the end of the summer. 140 charities received the auction proceeds, which topped out at around $840,000.00. Some were sold on eBay, and some were sold at the live auction.

Have you ever wondered where the term "PORK barrel spending" came from? It dates back to an 1865 article written by E.K. Hale, titled "PORK Barrel". He was referring an early American practice of slaveowners giving barrels of salted PORK to slaves and watching the "feeding frenzy" that followed. Today the term is often used in the political area to describe politicians who request funding for government programs in their specific district, but spread the financial burden for the program across all taxpayers. The politicians toss the "salted PORK" (in the form of public works projects) to their constituents, who pay them back with a "feeding frenzy" of votes or political favors.

Well, I think that's enough about PORK for one night. I'll leave you with this: Guess what we had for dinner in the Jungle tonight? BLT's... *grin*

Why are we here, LT?

One of my favorite milbloggers has been extremely quiet lately. He broke his silence with a fantastic post yesterday. I would love for you all to stop by Currie's place and offer some words of encouragement. He's been really down this whole deployment for a variety of reasons (loss of friends, command changes, and war, in general), and he's struggling with the questions "Why are we here?" and "Should I re-enlist?" When he gets back to the States, Currie's run for Congress will really kick into gear. All you Cali bloggers... watch out for my boy and get his ass to Washington.

Chin up, head down and watch your ass, Currie. Only 92 days to go.

What is this world coming to?????

Cats and Dogs, living together... Mass Hysteria!

From the "whot in the heck were you thinking" file... meet our new puppy. Elvis has entered the Jungle. He leaves the building every 45 minutes, just to let you know. Oh- and he sings. Sort of. Most people would call it a pathetic puppy howl. *grin*

First, the Good News....

Six years after her disappearence, Jessica Baker's killer has been CONVICTED!
I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. It's a bitter-sweet victory though, on so many levels. First, he wasn't actually convicted of killing the nine-year old girl. He was only found guilty of tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse. Christian Gabriel was drunk at the time of the murder. Prosecutors claim he was driving drunk and hit Jessica in his van, then buried her body somewhere. There wasn't enough evidence to actually charge him with her murder, although it is widely believed he is the killer. Hell, it took 5 year to find anyone connected to her death at all, so this conviction is really, really good news. I just wish the maximum sentence was longer- it's only 6 years. Hopefully, investigators gather enough evidence to charge and convict him of her murder, but this is a good start. Gabriel has admitted the whole thing, so I can't understand why he hasn't been charged with her murder. Read his testimony HERE.

More good news:

140 members of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment returned home to Columbus, Ohio yesterday. They have spent 185 days away from home, fighting the war in Iraq. Not all came home. 16 came home in caskets; 6 of those were from Cincinnati. I've posted on all six throughout the past few months. There may have been 140 Marines returning home, but there were around 1,000 family members waiting for that final "DISMISSED!" call. Many had children greet them; one had a new baby to come home to. Cpl. Frank Rye's wife was 3 months pregnant when he was deployed. His 12 year old daughter, Brittany, rushed across the lot, crashing into her father and collapsing in tears in his arms. His wife, Edith, stood off to the side, holding 3-month old Benjamin. Rye found her; took his son in his arms for the first time, and rocked his baby for the first time ever.

When the Rye's got home, they had one more suprise waiting for Frank. His wife contacted a local auto body shop, told them her husband was at war and his truck needed a little work. It was falling apart- it needed more than just a little work! But the result was incredible- including a custom paint job featuring a flag, the Statue of Liberty, and the New York skyline- including the twin towers. If you click on THIS STORY, you'll find video links off to the right. It's priceless.


And now... the bad news.


Cincinnat has been wracked with reports of missing children over the past couple of days. 20-month old Aliyah Starling Myrick was taken by her estranged father, Darius Myrick, Thursday night. Her beaten body was found by a jogger just over 12 hours later. IMHO, the police really screwed the pooch on this one. They told Aliyah's mother to stop chasing Darius, return home, and let the police start looking for him. So she did. If she (and other neighbors who were chasing him) had continued chasing after him, little Aliyah would probably be alive today. So sad. You can hear her 911 call by following the link above, and clicking on the 911 call listed on the right. Darius has been arrested and placed in the psych ward at a local hospital. I'm not sure if I hope they fry the fucker, or let him become someone's prison bitch. I don't care if he is "crazy"... he murdered his baby and should be punished accordingly.

Then, last night around 9PM, two children were seen being stuffed into the trunk of a car at our main Post Office center. When the postal workers confronted he man, he ran to the car and took off. He hasn't been found yet, and the kids haven't been reported missing either, which leads me to believe the children are his own. God, I hope they find those kids- alive.

UPDATE!!!!
The children who were seen being stuffed into a trunk were identified, located, and are FINE! Their idiot father was letting them "play" in the trunk... That man needs parenting classes. Feh. God must have heard my plea, because the kids were found, alive. Thank you, God!

Whip it out!

It's time to whip out your wallets for women who aren't afraid to whip it out..... and stick 'em in a mammogram machine.
The 2005 Boobiethon starts today!

The Boobiethon was started four years ago to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Over $17,000.00 has been raised over the past few years. This year you have the option of donating to either the Komen Foundation OR The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The 2005 Boobiethon will run from Oct. 1 through Oct. 8. All donations are 100% tax deductible. If you donate $50.00 or more, you will be given a special password giving you access to even more pictures. Not all of the shots are of women- some men have also submitted some pretty interesting boobie shots too.

By clicking on the link provided above, you will be directed to the photos page, so it's not necessarily work-safe. This link will take you to the main page for the Boobiethon, which IS work-safe. Be sure to check out the links on their sidebar for more information on breast cancer awareness and fundraising.

If you have a boobie shot you want to submit, there's still time- photos will be accepted until Oct. 7. Well, with all the times I mentioned "boobie" in this post, I ought to get lots of Google search hits, LOL! I just hope you take the time to look at the whole site and make a donation, instead of just looking at the pictures. Some are really fantastic, by the way.

Gee.. and here I thought I was a Marauding Marsupial!

Apparently, I'm a cute li'l flappy bird....


You are Woodstock!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Quiz courtesy of Marcie... *giggle*

***CORRECTION***
Now I'm an Adorable Little Rodent... How did *that* happen? I was a kangaroo this morning, and now I'm a hamster????
Interesting... wonder what I'll be tomorrow...

A different kind of 5 for 5

FbL tagged me with another meme..... *grump*
But I'll play along, since I did tag her with the last one, LOL!

5 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Travel more- like the elusive Denizen European Castle Tour
2. See my children grow up to be happy adults
3. Learn to speak Scruple-eze
4. Return to Puerto Rico and Homestead to see what it's like post-hurricanes
5. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight

5 things I can do:
1. I'm very creative, artistically, that is.
2. Lick.... stamps (what else did you think I meant?)
3. Find fun in just about anything
4. Play
5. Laugh at myself *giggle*

5 things I cannot do:
1. Take a decent still life photograph
2. Go two years without banging up my car
3. Get my ass shot off in Vietnam
4. Say "Worcestershire Sauce" or "Butterick"
5. Write a post, comment email or IM without using ...'s somewhere

5 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Vin
2. Vin
3. Vin
4. Vin
5. Vin

Oh... not 5 EXAMPLES.. 5 THINGS! Let me try again...

1. Vin
2. Vin
3. Vin
4. Vin
5. Vin

*grin* What can I say? Old habits die hard...
*huh huh huh... she said "hard"*

1. Respect
2. Sense of pride
3. Dazzling eyes *swoon*
4. Broad chest/strong shoulders
5. Willingness to protect me


5 things I say most often:
1. The kids names
2. "F... S... Financial, this is Dbie, can I help you?"
3. I love you
4. Hi!
5. *sigh* (which isn't technically a word, but I do say it a lot)

No... I'm not going to tag anyone with this. Rather, I'd like to see you pick one of the 5 questions and answer it in comments.
Come on... just do it... you'll feel better if you do!
(see... I told you I couldn't write a post without using ... )

Save your pots and pans for another day

Wendesday, October 5, 2005 is "Dine For America" day!

After Sept. 11, 2001, some Seattle restaurants pulled together and decided to donate the profits from one day to the American Red Cross's relief fund. When restaurants from other cities heard about their efforts, they joined in. Not just a few- 8,000 restaurants. They called it "Dine For America" day, and they raised $20 MILLION dollars for disaster relief. HOLY COW! $20 MILLION DOLLARS!

They're doing it again this week, raising money for the American Red Cross's Disaster Relief Fund, benefiting disaster victims in the United States. Restaurants such as Olive Garden, Smokey Bones, Red Lobster, Applebee's, Arby's, Macaroni Grill, TGI Friday's, Chuck E. Cheese, and THOUSANDS of other national and local restaurants are involved. As of 9/27, over 13,000 restaurants were invloved, so there has to be some near each one of us. You can find a complete list HERE.

Go out for breakfast. Go out for lunch. Go out for dinner. Just go out and eat on October 5. Come on.. you know you want to! You gotta eat- you might as well make it worth something other than a full belly.

Introducing..... Were-Kitten!

She's my new virtual pet. You can play with her if you'd like, but just remember...She's MINE. ALL MINE... go get your own.
*cue eeevil laughter*

Breaking up is hard to do

I've filed for divorce. Some of you found out by reading my husband's site. I might as well put it out there on mine. But, unlike my husband, I will not be discussing the details on my blog. It's between me and him... and none of you want to be dragged into it.

That's pretty much all I have to say on the subject.