Q.'s Quote of the Day: 03-23-07

“But I venture the challenging statement that if American democracy ceases to move forward as a living force, seeking day and night by peaceful means to better the lot of our citizens, then Fascism and Communism, aided, unconsciously perhaps, by old-line Tory Republicanism, will grow in strength in our land.”
~~Franklin D. Roosevelt, November 4, 1938

What he has warned us of is there. See the effects of Bushco and company on our country. Nascent Fascism and a corporate oligarchy that sees nothing wrong with wiping away any chance of survival of those in the so-called lower classes by dismantling the safety net, and disenfranchising the least of these. The gap between the haves and have nots is widening every day.

We must fight these powers! Or...we will be returned to a life of slavery in everything but name. I hope those who unwittingly stand with these corrupt power mongers see the error of their views soon. We can't endure another span of years like the last six.

Pray for our democracy, our constitution, our people. We are all we've got. You might not agree, but where are you on the spectrum? Near the bottom? If you are, get a clue. They are using you.

This is where I stand, with fangs bared.

Q.

Thoughts on John Edwards and his Lady Wife...

I felt deep sadness when I heard that John Edwards' wife Elizabeth in now in stage IV cancer. My heart goes out to them, and my deepest respect. To continue on a gruelling campaign whilst dealing with one's beloved spouse battling cancer takes great fortitude and courage.

Of all those who make up the early field of Democratic candidates for the 2008 Presidential Election, John Edwards has been getting my attention a lot lately. He is gaining points on my chart by his honesty, his forward-thinking ideas, his concern--and plans--for the grinding poverty ignored by Republicans. There's much more, but I'll stop there. It's still early in the 'season', but Edwards is looking better every day.

Now...he has a heartbreaking personal event to deal with. It is one that has touched, and is touching, a greater portion of the population than almost any other event. Most of us have a parent, a friend, an associate, a child...someone...that has been touched by cancer. My mother died of it. My sister has had three bouts of it, yet still lives. Friends have battled it--some died, some triumphed--for a time. We can all understand what they are feeling. We can all understand the strength it takes for them to decide to continue on the campaign trail.

John Edwards, I salute you--and Elizabeth Edwards--you are in my prayers. May you both have the clarity and strength to do what you need to do. Blessings and compassion for you both. I now know what a Statesman and his Lady look like.

In Love, Light, and Peace,
May Healing suffuse you both,
In the Name of the Mother of All Living,
Strength and Courage in full measure.

Sincerely,

Q.

Q.'s Quote of the Day: 03-20-07

“For you are powerful, not that you may make the weak weaker by oppression, but that you may make them powerful by raising them up and defending them. You are wise, not in order to laugh at the foolish and thereby make them more foolish, but that you may undertake to teach them as you yourself would wish to be taught. You are righteous that you may vindicate and pardon the unrighteous, not that you may only condemn, disparage, judge, and punish.”
~~ Martin Luther, sermon Two Kinds of Righteousness (1519), in Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings, ed. Timothy F. Lull and William R. Russell, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005), 138.

Got this gem from Mahanoy over at Street Prophets a while back (maybe last week, I can't recall exactly...heh heh), and it's a good one to think on.

In Love, Light, and Peace,

Q.

Adventures in Baking

My sweet fang was twanging tonight, so I dug out a nice box of Betty Crocker Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffin Mix and decided to play with it. I wasn't in the mood to wrangle with muffin cups, so I decided to make the mix into a loaf instead. There was a convenient recipe on the back of the box for this conversion, and here it is (with commentary):

1 box of muffin mix (Betty Crocker brand as the box obviously states. I think any brand that makes a full dozen muffins will work, IMHO)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil of your choice (I have Mazola on hand)
2 eggs
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine (I melted it to a liquid)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use 8"x4" or 9"x5" loaf pan, lubed with appropriate slippery stuff. Stir all ingredients except butter/margarine (I missed that bit there, and added it in, too. After seeing my mistake, I added a bit more flour to compensate for my chemistry error.) together until blended. May be a tad lumpy, but that's allowed. Slide mass into loaf pan. (If you put oil into the bowl first, I discovered, the dough just slides right out in one blob, leaving no residue to scrape out of the bowl, sadly.) Bake for 35-40 minutes, until toothpick slides in and out cleanly, and top of loaf is golden brown.

The extra butter I mistakenly put in with the dough was meant to be used to make lemon-butter from a bit of the icing, included in the box, mixed together with it. Oh well. My screw up. I didn't plan on lemon-butter anyway.

The jokers expect this to serve 16! What a crock! It will serve three very nicely, and the slices will be thicker than newspaper, too.

Yeah, I'm not supposed to be making things like this to eat...but...sue me! I just wish Marko the Were-Lynx could have a piece, but he's across the Big Water in the Mother Country (Czech Republic, for those who guessed something else) and will never taste this bit of Q. Cooking.

Right now, I'm waiting for the timer. Got about 8 minutes to go.

-- (ten minutes later...)

It came out purrrr-fect. Yum! Apparently, the added margarine did no harm. Another successful adventure in baking!

Heh heh,

Q.