Comments

  12. says

    Hello everyone. Hope your Christmas Eve is going well.

    I’m hoping that some of you very knowledgeable people can give me a hand. My sister is giving my nephew (who will be turning 20 in January) a book for Christmas about how to be a good, considerate lover (in case you’re wondering I don’t know what book exactly). I had mentioned to her before that I thought it would be a good idea to give him some info about feminism and privilege etc. (the Schrödinger’s Rapist post was the one I had in mind specifically), so when she told me about the book, I suggested that maybe I could print off some material to include. She agreed.

    So now I’m here to ask for your suggestions. What top three/top five feminist posts or articles do you think would be good ones for a twenty-year old guy who will soon be launching off into the world?

  13. abb3w says

    (Off topic, but that’s one of the purposes for these Episode open threads, I suppose.)

    A Christian theist boldly declares final victory: link.

    Previous episodes that led to the declaration: Part 1, followed by Part 2.

    Given the shining example of open minds like this, I wonder why Hemant Mehta is willing to associate with Patheos. If PZ is running low on fools to mock, I suppose this guy could be given his fifteen seconds in the limelight. On the other hand, since Olson is now massively censoring responses on his blog, I’m not sure there’s much point.

  17. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    @cm

    You would have thought that once entropy was at a minimum, that was it… I will have to find something else that is imaginary (besides i, that is too useful.)

  29. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    @cm

    Not really… I dropped the mutant spawn of Echidna because I thought it might start gossip about the real echidna and I assumed in my own naive way that absolute zero, being the lowest entropy level and absence of energy, would make -1°K a safe bet for imaginary status.

    Silly me.

    Of course, since the cosmologists started with the negative energy talk, I have always thought that it is just a matter of time.

  31. Dhorvath, OM says

    Janine,
    I think it should come as no surprise that I found the SGM link to my taste. Very cool.

  33. carlie says

    Ing – are you working your way through the Netflix holiday list? :) (I ask because a) the fraggle episode is on it and b) I’ve watched a big portion of it)

    Ibis3 – unpacking the knapsack of privilege is a must-read pdf. Also, John Scalzi’s take on it. Also Men who explain things, which was the origin of “mansplaining”.

    The spot on the ceiling is not currently wet, but was at some point in the recent past. It is being studiously ignored until Monday. This should only be a problem if it indicates a secret top floor with an alien who likes to eat people.

    Living/dining room and kitchen have been cleaned, holiday decorations are up, tree is finally ornamented, the presents have been secretly moved from their secret basement hiding place to the closet in preparation for putting under the tree, and we are shortly going to be making ice cream truffles, which are surprisingly tasty.

  43. says

    Ing – are you working your way through the Netflix holiday list? :) (I ask because a) the fraggle episode is on it and b) I’ve watched a big portion of it)

    I had no idea those things weren’t personalized. Why the fuck is Santa Baby 2 on it (a, YTF does Netflix get sequals without the originals for streaming? b) How the fuck is that a classic?)

  46. carlie says

    I had no idea those things weren’t personalized.

    I think it’s a combination – some of them are “recomended for you”, and sometimes it’s stuff they’re trying to push in general. I’ve watched Blackadder Christmas carol, Roseanne christmas episode, Andy Griffith christmas episode, Cheers christmas episode, Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, Fraggle Rock christmas, episode, and Twilight Zone Christmas episode off that list.

    Holy crap, that’s a lot of tv. It was mostly all one night last weekend after finals were graded when I was trying to force some holiday spirit. Oh, and then there’s Bells of St Mary’s. That one pains me, because it’s been one of those “always watch” holiday movies at my house and at my grandparents’ house since I was little. But it’s soooooo sexist that the storyline really grates on me now (oh noes! Patsy’s mom is single! And her dad left them! Which makes Patsy’s mom a tramp and the only solution is to bring her dad back or Patsy will never graduate!), and of course all the religious stuff. But Ingrid Bergman is radiantly beautiful. And every scene with Bing Crosby you can tell he’s just crushing hard over her.

  48. says

    HI there
    So, christmas eve is almost over here, I already got rid of the make-up hand the ridiculous hairstyle (about 5 times a year I bother doing anything with them that’s not braiding) and waiting for Mr. to return for a whisk(e)y.
    Kids mostly behaved well and got too many presents.
    Dinner was yummie:
    Starter: variations of smoked salmon
    Main course: Deer goulash with Brussel sprouts and Bohemian dumplings
    Dessert: Macarons au “Lebkuchen” with apple-sauce cream and icecream.

    I got the book I asked for, I got a gift certificate for my favourite thread dealer, a dragon necklace from my sister and money from my grandmothers.
    And now I’m going to open the “Wichtelgeschenk”* I got from a friend.

    *Wichteln means that within a group, you make one gift and you get one gift. You usually don’t who gives you the present. Love it and kind of my only chance to get a gift or two I don’t have to specify in detail so there’s an element of surprise there.

  50. says

    Ing, I dare you to sit through Dirty Love. I double dog dare you.

    I…

    We are diminished as a species by the existence of that movie.

    Crazy Love, however, is disturbing and good (nice soundtrack, too).

    ***

    Janine, I’m sure I or someone has asked before, but have you ever thought about starting a music blog?

  52. janine says

    Janine, I’m sure I or someone has asked before, but have you ever thought about starting a music blog?

    People have been saying stuff like this to me for so long, I had people asking me why I don’t I start a fanzine.

    But writing never came easily for me and it is so hard for me to be coherent. Just witness my output in this blog.

  53. Weed Monkey says

    Oops. I roasted myself a chicken (with lemon, garlic, herbs and various chilies), and just realised that I wasn’t thinking pretty much anything an hour and a half ago when I put that thing in the oven: it’s upside fucking down. This might be just a tiny bit embarrassing if I had invited someone over for dinner.

    But I bet the breast meat is really moist this time, it’s been swimming in the juices. Will see when it cools down a bit.

  54. says

    People have been saying stuff like this to me for so long, I had people asking me why I don’t I start a fanzine.

    But writing never came easily for me and it is so hard for me to be coherent. Just witness my output in this blog.

    On the one hand, I see these two statements as contradictory. Whatever you think about your own writing, clearly other people here and elsewhere find it compelling.

    On the other hand, you should only do what you enjoy doing, and if you prefer to post links here I’ll continue to appreciate those. But a blog would organize everything in one place, and you could expand on your ideas.

    Just a thought.

  60. chigau (難しい) says

    For xmas eve DVD viewing the plan is to start with Pulp Fiction so it can be mostly watched before intoxication occurs.

  63. cicely, Disturber of the Peas says

    Oh holy hilarious Merry fucking Festivus
    Perry and Gingrich fail to qualify for Virginia Primary
    hahahahahahahah

    Yesssssss!!!
    –
    carlie, please pass this *high five* to Child 2, if you would be so kind. :)
    –

  69. janine says

    Gauze-Red Red Meat

    Flank-Red Red Meat

    Lather-Red Red Meat

    Braindead-Red Red Meat

    I had to have seen this band at least a half dozen times back in the mid nineties.

    I have spent too much time doing this today.

    Happy holidays.
    (Yes, I am a grizzled veteran in the ongoing War On Christmas.)

  71. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    The final page has gone up and it is worth it just for the initial picture – I shall have to fire off a thank you email just as soon as I fire off the ground to sleigh missile. If only the red suited one would stop diddling around in Dakar and get on with the UK.

    Happy monkey all, I have to go and watch the targetting scanner.

  72. carlie says

    Thanks, Cicely!
    Weed Monkey, I’ve read that’s the best way to roast chicken to keep the breast meat moist. I bet it tastes great!

    Spouse splurged on a rib roast for the big holiday meal. It was delicious. Trying hard not to eat more and make myself sick.

    Hope everyone has a lovely weekend. :)

  73. kristinc, ~delicate snowflake~ says

    Well we are winding pleasantly toward our traditional fondue dinner, and then bittersweet chocolate chip cookies and cocoa (for the minors) and buttered rum (for the old farts) in front of the s1 Doctor Who Christmas special with the kids.

    My Christmas Eve was made complete when I opened a long-awaited package containing a sealed vintage bottle of Chanel no. 19 — sheer beauty in liquid form. It’s a gift from me to me only, but maybe the best one of the holiday (don’t tell Mr Kristinc).

    Tomorrow: stockings, bacon and cheddar scones, homemade English muffins, chocolate. And then a trip to the inlaws’, which is not nearly as bad as it sounds and in fact in recent years has been downright pleasant.

    Merry merry Squidmas, happy monkey, and all that.

  79. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    Damn, he’s zig-zagging tonight. In the meantime, I am watching Bill Bailey… his version of Cars is most worthy.

  81. changeable moniker says

    NORAD Santa: Current location Ely, United Kingdom

    Close enough: time for bed, lest he not leave me any presents.

  84. Weed Monkey says

    carlie, you’re right, the meat is excellent. But had I planned this I would have turned the chicken around at some point to get the skin crispy, now it’s all soggy and not very pretty.

    Well, no big deal. And maybe next time I’ll remember to give it some thought.

  85. janine says

    Like Carole King, Neil Diamond was a Brill Building song writer who gained fame as a singer after his songs were recorded by others.

    Also, Red Red Meat and it’s successor band, Califone, sounds nothing like any version of Red Red Wine.

  86. says

    Here’s an anti-choicer who effectively admits that she’s in favor of slut-shaming, though she argues that she’s not against choice just for the purpose of excusing slut-shaming.

    Check out these revealing quotes:

    «Apparently “slut-shaming” is a real thing that people are against. This was taken at the SlutWalk Toronto…. Yeeeeah.»

    «if by “slut-shaming” you mean encouraging young women to behave in ways that will result in less pain for themselves, their children, and society, it is certainly on my list of reasons for opposing abortion. However, I hate to break it to you, reason number one is that I am actually nutso enough to believe in the sanctity of every human life.»

    «That is… profound, isn’t it? She went to college, lost her virginity, and found out sex was fun! So then she discarded all the morals her parents went to the trouble to teach her, and ”went right the f*** out” and got on birth control»

    +++++
    What’s amusing is that she apparently set out to write this article about how it’s totally not about slut-shaming at all, but by the time she was done she couldn’t resist doing some slut-shaming, and even admitting that that’s part of the motivation but not all of it!

  89. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    Well, I am disappointed… Santa entered stealth mode over central England and NORAD lost him. Fortunately he showed up on infra red and I did manage to get a shot off – many thanks, Sailor, the nitric did the trick – sadly, he deployed tinsel and bauble counter measures so I need to beef up the guidance system for next year.

    A very happy monkey to all, I need to go and sleep off the excessive quantity of red wine that I have consumed XD

  92. Beatrice, anormalement indécente says

    twooffour, anti-choicer is back on The dark side of Hitchens, armed with 10-screeners of blather.

  93. Sili says

    It’s one thing that the Pope is getting too old to stay up past Midnight, but isn’t it just a tad embarrassing that he still needs to read from a book to do a service? Is the entire Catholic hierarchy really so lazy that they can’t learn those bits by heart? It’s not like the text ever changes.

    His Latin is a nice crisp Germanic, though. I’ll give him that.

  94. says

    I think it’s a combination – some of them are “recomended for you”, and sometimes it’s stuff they’re trying to push in general. I’ve watched Blackadder Christmas carol, Roseanne christmas episode, Andy Griffith christmas episode, Cheers christmas episode, Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, Fraggle Rock christmas, episode, and Twilight Zone Christmas episode off that list.

    Either our tastes match exactly or it’s not at all personalized.

  97. says

    Well, this isn’t quite how I planned to spend Xmas morning.

    Picture if you will…
    An aging cat, with kidney problems, who really likes to drink water from the bathroom sink, not from his bowl.
    A household that indulges him in this by leaving a few cm of cold water in said sink.
    A recently renovated bathroom with a fancy sink that looks cool, but has no overflow drainage.
    Said bathroom also has a tap (faucet) that operates by pushing a lever in and out for on and off, and left and right for hot an cold.
    A vanity unit under the sink that is a nifty set of big, deep drawers.

    Now imagine that the cat somehow pushes the lever to “on” and “hot”.

    Add floor drainage that doesn’t work very well, because the floor is too level, and make sure that the bathroom is far from the living room so you don’t hear any glug glug glug noises.

    Result – about 100 litres of hot water filling the drawers and spilling onto the floor. And a very big clean up job. Lots of stuff to chuck out and replace. AAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!

    I have two lessons from this for anyone planning on renovating their bathroom:
    1. make sure your under-sink vanity has drainage holes, just in case.
    2. don’t buy lever taps if you have cats.

    Luckily, the spare bathroom is on a different water heater so I could have a shower afterwards.

    Next step: find something to wear that looks sufficiently festive and also OK without a bra (I had a mole on my back taken off just recently – right where the strap goes). Then head off to Eumides’ place for the GOOSE! And the HOBBIT PIE!!

  99. chigau (難しい) says

    Alethea
    I had no idea you live in a 60s sitcom!
    Have some sponges.
    ———
    Ing
    I have a fuckton of cheap beer. Want one some?

  100. says

    So today at dinner with my father’s side of the family, I had to hear no less than five times “you’re not bringing those electronic things to breakfast tomorrow.”

    Additionally I was told “we’re celebrating Jesus tomorrow.”

    Feel totally disrespected, and I feel like yelling that it’s not about Jesus, it’s about family so treat me like one.

  102. says

    I tried to do a reach out to my father and made a portrait of his kid…didn’t seem to like it and wound up storming out on the family (though not sure over what or if it was related but still).

    And a lovely time of listening to my uncle verbally abuse my cousin the guy seriously bullies the kid, because he’s a ‘tough’ parent…which apparently translates to belittle the fuck out of every thing the kid says

  105. Owlmirror says

    Feel totally disrespected, and I feel like yelling that it’s not about Jesus, it’s about family so treat me like one.

    Alas, it’s only about family if the family thinks that it ought to be.

    I overheard a godbot the other day, proudly proclaiming that he told his wife before they married that God came before her, and that it should be the same for her.

    Yeah, that’s a recipe for “family values”. “My imaginary friend is far more important than you are.”

  107. 'Tis Himself, OM. says

    About ten years ago we were all gathered for Christmas at the rich brother-in-law’s house. Another brother-in-law, who’s an alcoholic and apparently proud of it, was telling me a long story about how much he drank at some party. My eyelids were almost shut and he asked, “I’m not boring you, am I?”

    I said, “Yes.”

    The resulting argument was by no means boring.

    The wife’s family is now divided into two camps, the pro-alcoholic party and the bored party. My alcoholic brother-in-law hasn’t spoken to me in years.

  108. says

    My alcoholic brother-in-law hasn’t spoken to me in years.

    *hangs up “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”*

    Similar thing happened this year with a relative who started spamming facebook with the very aggressive ‘we’re a christian country fuckers!” spam. Threw hissy fit at me complaining about how bigoted and nasty it was and saying they’d leave since no one wanted to hear their opinions as a catholic anymore. Everyone apparently meaning the one black sheep of the family. Not sure how they thought giving me what I wanted was a good form of protest.

  109. carlie says

    Oh my word. Alethea, I feel your pain, I really do. I hope you have insurance that gets it fixed and fast, and that the huge dryers don’t drive you nuts.

    Hugs to Katherine and Ing, and strength to you getting through the weekend.

  110. shouldbeworking says

    I’ll leave the fancy coffee pot and the toaster in the pantry too. I escaped my messed up family and now we rarely speak. Everyone gets along well since we are 300 miles away from each other.

  112. ImaginesABeach says

    Apparently my husband mentioned to his sister that our 12 year old daughter does not believe in god. And that sister shared it with the other sisters and they are now assuring him over the phone that “it’s just a phase she’s going through.”

    Seriously? A phase? She has never been taught that there is a god. Why would not believing be a phase?

    My husband says he believes in god, although he better hope he’s wrong. He hasn’t been to church other than weddings and funerals since we’ve known each other, and as far as I know, the only praying he does is during coitus.

    If they try to preach to her tomorrow at Christmas lunch, we are leaving.

  113. chigau (難しい) says

    There are no factions in my Family.
    There are 3 of Us.
    We are all watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High (well, parent is asleep).
    We disagree all the time.
    No matter what happens, we all get up for oatmeal and toast.

  114. says

    Thanks for the suggestions, Carlie & Muse. Got some articles printed off. Hope he gets something out of them (realistically? hope he at least reads them).

    My condolences go out to all those who are suffering from annoying and hateful families. I wish I could invite you all over here to have some good (also religiousless) cheer.

  117. Classical Cipher, Murmur Muris, OM says

    Two different blog posts I’m working on in my head. One is about how I don’t like holidays (because I hate parties full of relatives in my house yelling YELLING ALL THE TIME sexist jokes and other stupid nonsense and with their children screaming and being loud and being everywhere). The other one is about how I’m lucky to get to celebrate holidays the way I do. Don’t actually know which to write. S’pose the latter is better, but I need to rant. Huh. Maybe I’ll rant here and write the blog post for my actual blog. I’ll think about it.

  119. echidna says

    Just finished a very appropriate holiday movie:

    Hogfather.

    Yes, it’s become our family tradition too. Along with white wine in the sun.

  126. says

    Hi Carlie, thanks but it’s not bad enough for insurance. Just a big clean up. Buy more toilet paper, wash the travel towels, that sort of thing.

    Am now satisfactorily full as a goog, and having driven home from the feast, I shall now pour myself a nice whisky, hang out online for a bit, and then get stuck into some more Xmas reading.

    Speaking of which, if anybody’s fancying PD James’ new Jane Austen pastiche (Murder at Pemberley or something), just don’t. It’s appalling. Long run-on sentences is not what Jane Austen was about. Sharp and witty is what we want, not meandery and soapy with insufficient research.

  127. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ Alethea

    Thanks for the xmas prezzie (murderous Sint vid)… XD

    Am now doing an dutch oven roast baby chicken. Popped stuffed chicken(garlic butter under skin) into teh le creuset. Awesome smells now pervade. *drools*

  128. kristinc, ~delicate snowflake~ says

    I do not know why anyone bothers to cook chicken by any method other than the Dutch oven. Oh, okay, I just remembered fried chicken, so I suppose I do know, but still.

    My favorite way is braised in milk with a little lemon peel, cumin, salt and pepper. Glorious.

  129. says

    Hi all. Another Xmas done and dusted. Work was pretty quiet, the weather here today was a little bit more interesting (or still is). Thunderstorms and rain on the way to work in the morning, and thunderstorms and lemon-sized hail in parts of the city on the way back home from handing over prezzies to the spawn. Was it something I said, god ?

  131. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ kristinc

    You must not forget that Romertopff (Linky) is not just for roasting xtian babies. Also great for roast chicken.

    My favorite way is braised in milk with a little lemon peel, cumin, salt and pepper.

    Post details….

  133. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    Good morning to all, good yule, happy saturnalia, happy birthday Isaac Newton and Humphrey Bogart (not forgetting Quentin Crisp and Stuart HaHaHaHaHaHall.)

    The great thing about wine boxes is that you can’t see at a glance what you consumed XD

  134. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    *BURP*

    Oh my giddy aunt. Far too much food.

    The great thing about wine bottles is that you can see at a glance what you consumed: “Barefoot” Merlot from California.

    The Pagan celebration to celebrate the lengthening of the day has been great.

    *BURP*

    Next year I will eat less though.

    *Farts*

  135. Don Quijote says

    … y santas pascuas… (and that’s that). The fiesta is over for us (Nochebuena) and my wife is making steak and kidney pie for lunch. She’s English don’t you know.
    Going to visit her family for new year in England. Hooray! Indian restaurants,roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, fish and chips and British beer.

  136. echidna says

    Hi all! Wild weather in Melbourne as we were heading out to the evening family gathering. Trees knocked over, huge hailstones and quite a bit of water on the road.

    Hey Rorschach! I raise a glass to you.

  137. opposablethumbs, que le pouce enragé mette les pouces says

    Over for use too, Don – my fellow Brits tend to adopt a slightly bemused air when I explain that we don’t celebrate xmas, but when we don’t celebrate it is midnight on the 24th.

    Presents have been given, favourite food has been eaten (milanesas, as it happens) and games (cards, charades and scrabble) have been played until 4am (OH just does not know when he’s beaten. Ha. And I got a 7-letter word for only the second time in my life) And coincidentally it’s nice to think that SonSpawn, who was once not expected necessarily ever to learn to speak, let along read and write, can now play scrabble (probably not going to win, but can actually join in and play (and ended up with about half as many points as the runaway winner (me) and only a few less than the other merely mortal players (it is a well-known fact that scrabble is evil and devious, and the OH very often wins because he is evil and devious like that. We initially instituted the Tripartite Language Rule because it wouldn’t have been fair to him to play only in English (or fair to me to let him have two or three languages and me only one). Then he had the unmitigated gall to start winning, and I realised that evil and devious is the way to go. )). I feel like parentheses today.

  138. carlie says

    Good morning! Or evening, as the case may be.

    Our best present-opening moment:

    Child 2 opens ocarina, tries blowing a few notes, and says “Well, I can’t really play this yet.”

    Child 1 points recently-opened sonic screwdriver at it, sonics it, and says “There. It should work for you now.”

  139. Niki M says

    /delurks

    Happy Monkey, everybody! I’m attempting to embarass myself with my shiny new copy of Just Dance 3 with the S.O. sleeps. After 10 years of solo holidays, it’s taking some getting used to spending one with someone I actually like.

    /relurks

  140. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ echidna/rorscach

    knocked over trees and golfball hail…

    Holy Hera Cow! I thought Melbourne was heaven on earth.(Pfffffft)

    Spawnphontes may be going to Uni in Oz (Melbourne nogal) next year, so you all had better start saving for the beers when the rest come over.

  142. janine says

    This silly holiday has frozen the undead thread. Two and a half hours with a comment. This cannot be tolerated.

  143. Psych-Oh says

    Happy Monkey, all. Tried to write earlier, but what is up with FTB? Sorry some of you are enduring bad family moments, and happy that some of you are enjoying good family moments.

    The hubby got me the coolest gift: Our family is going to DC for the Reason Rally in March, and then I am registered for the American Atheists Convention! I may actually get to see some of you all… plus, the great and powerful, PZ.

  144. Tethys says

    Every time I read the title of this thread “The monkey does the work” my brain adds the phrase “or else it gets the hose again”.

    /wednesday

    Happy Monkey everybody! It was celebrated yesterday with the traditional hours long gift opening torture session (one at a time starting with the youngest or my Mother will cry…really..sigh) in a small room with several screaming children. My ears are still ringing from the sheer decibel level of my large family all yelling over each other.

    I will today spend crocheting sea-life, and chatting with spawn-sons on the phone.

    Does anyone have recipes or ideas of what to do with leftover duck? I have the whole bird and quite a bit of meat.

  145. Nutmeg says

    Tethys: Duck recipes coming your way! Here are my two favourites to start.

    Garlic Duck Skewers:

    Ingredients

    6-8 skinless duck breast fillets
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    10-12 cloves fresh garlic, minced (no, that’s not a typo, you really need that much garlic)
    3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    3 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    wooden skewers soaked in water for 30
    minutes

    Slice duck fillets across the “grain” of the meat into 3/4-inch-thick strips.

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add sliced duck to the bowl, toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for one to four hours (I prefer 12 or more hours), turning occasionally.

    Remove meat from marinade and drain, but do not pat dry. Place skewers into the meat and grill to desired doneness over a well-oiled, medium-hot grill. For medium-rare, cooking time is approximately three to four minutes.

    Stuffed Duck Breasts

    Ingredients:
    Duck breasts, skin removed
    Cream cheese
    Thinly sliced bell pepper strips
    Bacon
    Low-sodium teriyaki marinade (I like the “30-minute Marinade” brand)
    Toothpicks

    Use a very sharp knife and cut a “pocket” in each duck breast from the side, without going all the way through.

    Marinate the duck for 8-12 hours. Put about a teaspoon of cream cheese in each pocket. Put a few strips of bell pepper in the pocket too. Wrap each breast in bacon and use the toothpicks to hold it all together. Grill until done (~20 minutes, I think).

    Duck is generally best when it’s rare to medium-rare. If you google Ducks Unlimited or Delta Waterfowl, their websites will have more recipes.

    This is assuming you have some meat that’s not cooked yet. For cooked duck, I’ve heard good things about duck sandwiches. We also make stroganoff with duck instead of beef – you might be able to do it with cooked meat.

  147. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    @chigau(difficult???)

    I never listen, although I did catch a snippet on the news: same old god bothering platitudes.

    The Dr Who xmas special was good though.

  149. Sili says

    love moderately ॐ says:

    Sili: reading from a book signals that they are relying on something authoritative.

    Thanks. Now I feel stupid. I here I thought I was the perfect sheep.

  150. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    Pharyngula the Opera, Act 8 1/2, scene 33 1/3. Syrup level extreme.
    [start Lifetime/Hallmark Movie script]

    Tis the day before Squidmas. The big board shows only a little activity, and the PZ locater shows him at his daughter’s place and off-line. Somebody sprang for some iPads for the Pullet Patrol, which are located under the bar where they can be reached, and some of the pullets are watching fox hunts and appear to be cheering for the chasers, while a couple have a mad fury of pecking going on. A woman of indeterminate age is checking receipts, and smiling at the totals. A Squidmas tree is in the corner looking evil, with tentacles wreathing. Packages and gift sacks are under the tree.

    A taste-off for IPA beers appears to in progress whereby a lot of tasting, singing about the pros and cons of each brew as people takes sips. A bald-headed fat man is busy keeping the small glasses topped off. The IPA beers are shown on one of the side displays, and it looks like electronic voting for the favorite is in progress, but the results aren’t displayed.

    Someone posts on a thread with “freethinker” in their nym, and after a while one of the taste-testers notices and points it out to everybody. Without pausing the taste-test, a few people drift toward their computers for a brief response and return to the testing, looking up to follow the thread as others do the same. The “freethinker” claims to be an atheist, but can’t spell it right and is apologizing for Xianity. Everybody is busy sing the qualities of the beer, and their responses to the obvious concern troll, which increase slowly in vitriol , and fail to notice one of the fast pecking pullets starts softly clucking up a storm. Unnoticed on the list of beers, a new entry appears, as the lady behind the counter looks up and notices the entry, shakes her head and smirks, and then goes back to her accounts. The rest of the pullets cease watching the fox hunts and start pecking too. The fat man noticed the head shake and smirk, and looks up, and winks at the pullets.

    The poor concern troll is soon exposed and runs away after claiming Pharyngulites aren’t “freethinkers”, like he never looked up the definition of the term. The final votes are called for (obviously dubbing for the fat man), and everybody goes back to their computers or use their handhelds to vote. A drum roll fills the silence while the last votes are made. The display flashes the names of the beers, and finally solidifies on PP Brewing™ IPA, winning by a 10-1 margin. Everybody looks at each other, and then look over to where the pullets are ROFLTAO. At this time, a disheveled woman with a small child enters the saloon and stares at the laughing pullets. The woman behind the bar clucks a loud command, and the pullets, like a synchronized swim team, dance troupe, or marching band, seem to peel themselves one by one up off the floor and strut though a tunnel marked “Pullet Palace” while still laughing, as the woman and child stare at the spectacle. The taste-testers wave their drinks at the pullets, extolling the virtues of chicken fast food, but otherwise take the joke in stride. The real winner appears on the display, and some folks cheer. The woman behind the counter sees the woman with the child and asks her what she wants. When the reply is to use the bathroom and get a drink of water, and then they would leave.

    Everybody looks at each other, and one of the woman testers steps forward, getting a nod from the woman doing the accounts. The woman tester sings the equivalent of “follow me”, and leads the duo toward the facilities, singing in soothing tones, but asking questions like a social worker. Everybody else springs into action, with a singing discussion of the issue and the waving of tab cards. A few go to pick up things under the tree, avoiding the waving tentacles. When the women and child return, the one sounding like a social worker gives the usual tale of woe, being thrown out/running from a household due to maltreatment from fundie religious belief. Family is available for help, and has been reached, but due to the holidays, unavailable for couple of days, and the shelter was already full.

    The social worker type points the woman to a table, as the man fat brings some turkey pasties and water/milk from the back room, singing already paid for, and if you need more, let him know, as the woman and child dig in ravenously with muffled “thank-you’s”, but no grace which is noticed by everybody. The woman of indeterminate age says a room is available upstairs and is already paid for, along with food for that time period. The room will by guarded for your safety, and in timely fashion a squad of Lilac Berets™ appear with military precision and the child claps in delight. A quilt is draped over the woman’s shoulders, and she it told to hang onto it, as its previous owner no longer needs it. Packages and bags are set in front of the woman and child. The disheveled woman breaks out crying, asking what kind of place is this, like she’s expecting a trap? When hearing a description of the place, all the disheveled woman says is “thank FSM, he threw me out because I stopped believing. The religious charities also turned me down. I’m safe”, as the curtain comes down.

    [/end Hallmark/Lifetime movie script]

  151. chigau (難しい) says

    Serendipitydawg
    難しい is one of my favourite 日本語 words.
    —
    My Mother likes to listen to the Queen’s message.
    So we listen.
    —
    The instructions to my e-book reader contains this:

    Pinch in to zoom out.
    Pinch out to zoom in.

    Zen-like, no?

  154. chigau (難しい) says

    A quilt is draped over the woman’s shoulders, and she it told to hang onto it, as its previous owner no longer needs it.

    That’s when I started crying.

  157. says

    CM, neat Legos links.
    ++++++++++++++++++++
    FDR’s Fala Address
    excerpt:WELL, here we are together again – after four years – and what years they have been! You know, I am actually four years older, which is a fact that seems to annoy some people. In fact, in the mathematical field there are millions of Americans who are more than eleven years older than when we started in to clear up the mess that was dumped in our laps in 1933.

    We all know that certain people who make it a practice to depreciate the accomplishments of labor – who even attack labor as unpatriotic – they keep this up usually for three years and six months in a row. But then, for some strange reason they change their tune- every four years- just before election day. When votes are at stake, they suddenly discover that they really love labor and that they are anxious to protect labor from its old friends.

    I got quite a laugh, for example – and I am sure that you did – when I read this plank in the Republican platform adopted at their National Convention in Chicago last July: “The Republican Party accepts the purposes of the National Labor Relations Act, the Wage and Hour Act, the Social Security Act and all other Federal statutes designed to promote and protect the welfare of American working men and women, and we promise a fair and just administration of these laws.”

    You know, many of the Republican leaders and Congressmen and candidates, who shouted enthusiastic approval of that plank in that Convention Hall would not even recognize these progressive laws if they met them in broad daylight.

  158. Sili says

    I hate this laptop with it’s stupid Apple ripoff keyboard. And this new version of Opera ripping off Firefox instead of keeping the nice features that actually made it useful.

    But at least I love Hepburn. Fuck Tracy and his ‘morals’.

  159. Serendipitydawg (Physicists are such a pain sometimes) says

    @chigau,

    難しい is one of my favourite 日本語 words.

    I am just grateful for Google translate, as bad as it is…

  161. Sili says

    Heh. Only during the last scene with the poor brontosaur did I realise the Grant’s “zoologist” was named “David”. Fun fun fun.

  162. says

    A song for onion girl and the other PET mods.

    Y’know, it is awfully convenient that you took this action right as I was going on vacation and couldn’t get to a PC (and therefore, by your apparent reasoning, couldn’t defend myself against your lies… guess you didn’t count on me having a smartphone).

    ####

    Have access to satellite TV for the first time in months, and I won’t even be able to watch the Doctor Who Xmas special because Mom’s watching a DVD (of a series she’s literally worn out a VHS tape of).

  163. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ The Sailor

    Going through the link you posted (incredible how little things have changed), I see a quote hat could apply to religion too:

    According to that technique, you should never use a small falsehood; always a big one, for its very fantastic nature would make it more credible – if only you keep repeating it over and over and over again.

    (Though this also applies to Bushes WMD’s in Iraq.)

  164. John Morales says

    Benjamin, way to go.

    (Don’t ever try to defend yourself, if ever on a court of justice)

  165. chigau (難しい) says

    Really, Benjamin?

    … guess you didn’t count on me having a smartphone …

    I do hope you are twirling your moustache or petting your cat as you say that.

  168. says

    Benjamin, as your friend, please don’t do this.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    theophontes, I know, that’s what struck me too. Change a few details and Obama could have written it. (Especially if you’ve seen the poutrage about Bo-gate.)

  169. kristinc, ~delicate snowflake~ says

    theophontes: not much to it. Good size chicken, maybe a pint of milk, two or three strips of lemon peel and half a teaspoon of ground cumin. Brown the chicken nicely in butter, plop it in there breast side up, pour the milk in, throw in the cumin, lemon peel and salt & pepper, and roast uncovered till yummy.

    The milk separates and ends up a golden, smoky sweet sauce perfumed by the cumin.

    A smashed garlic clove is a nice addition but not necessary.

    It was originally a Jamie Oliver recipe, but with half a stick of cinnamon instead of the cumin.

  170. Katrina says

    RE: roasting chicken.

    Once I started roasting them impaled on a half-emptied beer can, I can do it no other way. The family absolutely loves the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness that it imparts. I generally by the least expensive beer I can find (Rainier Beer, this time) because it really doesn’t matter in the end result.

    Not only that, but the bird isn’t steeping in its fat and you get a perfectly golden skin all the way around.

    If I could figure out how to cook a turkey that way I would so do it.

  173. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    No new thread for xmas?

    PZ is being terrorized by the cat who is out to kill him. He’s busy keeping his feet dry.

    Oh, PZ, the SB login is borked.

  175. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    A recipe for Indian style rice:

    3 cups white Basmati rice (from India)
    2 cups frozen peas
    3 medium onions
    2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
    2 serrano chilies, chopped or split lengthwise
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or ghee = clarified butter)
    1 cinnamon stick (hard tight curled small ones, not soft loosely curled large Mexican cassia
    1 whole star anise
    1 handful fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
    2 cups fresh mint leaves, soaked, washed, chopped
    2 whole cardamon pods, or use 1 teaspoon ground dried
    1 bay leaf (retrieve later)
    1 pinch brown mustard seed (brown preferable, but you can use yellow if it is all you have), or pinch dried mustard, hot if you have it.
    2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste, or grate (finely) fresh ginger and fresh garlic to equal
    or
    3 garlic cloves, chopped
    2-3 tablespoons fresh ginger finely grated (micro plane zester)

    2 teaspoons ground turmeric
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 pinch curry powder

    Heat pan on 7 (electric) or “med-high” (gas flame). Add oil and butter. Heat. Add peppers, onions, chilies, and all solid spices, as opposed to ground or fresh herbs. Add ginger and garlic. Cook down until onions are soft and well browned, but not burned. Turn down head, add ground spices and rice. Stir together and cook slightly. Add 2 cups of water for each cup of Basmati rice (instead of 3 with long grain regular rice) = 6 cups water total. Turn heat back up and bring rice to boil. Cook 20 minutes. Cover, turn down heat, and cook 10 more minutes, adding peas, cilantro, and mint during this last cooking. When water is absorbed, serve hot.

  176. Katrina says

    {{hugs}} carlie back.

    Kitty is still alive and feisty as ever. Each time we think she’s done for, she pulls it out. I suspect she had a UTI this last time, but her regular vet has been relocated to a different clinic and the new one strikes me as a dog person, so we didn’t take her in. Now, she’s in one of her better phases. She even played “monster” today under the pile of torn gift paper.

  180. kristinc, ~delicate snowflake~ says

    Our cats received a 6-pack of ping pong balls today, so there has been much bouncing and gleeful manic darting.

  181. jamescasterlin says

    I think I have slept more today than I have in a while. Need it though.Hope everyone had a Happy Monkey day

  182. chigau (難しい) says

    Katrina @679
    My laptop is a POS and my connection, too.
    but your link doesn’t work

  183. cicely, Disturber of the Peas says

    The “spoons” approach to disadvantageous physical/medical shit works well, though I suspect that if it had been me, I’d have cast it in D&D terms:

    Every day, the DM rolls 4d6 behind the screen; this will be the total number of minutes-worth of knees you will have for that day. This information is kept from the player, and the time used (for standing, walking, and (hypotheticially) dancing/ice skating) is rigorously accounted for. Adverse conditions and occurences (a jarring landing when stepping off a curb, for instance) may cause minutes to be deducted from the knee pool. Nothing adds minutes to the knee pool. When your minutes are gone, your knees are done for the day; for verily it is written, “I am not made of knees, you know!”, and “Don’t spend them all in one place.”

    So tweasure your knees….
    –

  184. Katrina says

    chigau, thanks. I was afraid of that. It’s a link to an image on Facebook. Supposedly, it’s a “sharable” link, but apparently it’s only sharable to other FB users. I’ll have to find an alternate place to post it.

  186. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ The Sailor

    (your linky failed)

    It is amazing how much things stay the same in American politics (though I do think the Bush years remain the lowest point since slavery). A few months ago on TET, I brought up the book by Mark Twain: “The Gilded Age”, which, although written in 1873, rings so familiar to us. Lobbying and interference in Washington politics to suite self-serving agendas.

    Obtain a free copy of the book here: Gutenberg –The Gilded Age by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner

    @ kristinc

    [chicken in milk]

    Wow, that sounds simple. I shall certainly give it a try. Q: Once it is in the oven I do not need to turn it? (I would be worried about it drying out.)

    I roasted the bird with the lid on yesterday. It was so soft and succulent that it fell of the bone. The pope’s nose fell off by itself and had to be retrieved from the vegetables below. Omnomnomnom…..

    @ Katrina

    Let me get this right… place half full can of beer in pot and plop bird on top (tail down, neck up)? Nothing else to add? Wow, that is simple.

    @ Nerd

    Thanks for posting. I can delight in the mere reading of that recipe. *drools*

  187. Katrina says

    theophontes, yup pretty much. I usually sprinkle the skin and cavity with whatever seasoning I want. There are holders that make the thing more stable. You can usually find them where grilling supplies are sold. One other piece of advice: use the 16 oz/ 500 ml cans. Any smaller, and the hot can becomes rather difficult to “extract”. Any larger, and it’s hard to get the can past the rib cage.”

    This looks similar to the one I use. I just set it in the bottom of the roasting pan. I use a thermometer to tell me when the chicken is ready. Works every time.

  188. Katrina says

    I have a stray quotation mark available, if anyone needs one.

    —-

    Beer is not absolutely necessary. The other day, I found at the last minute that I was out of cheap beer, so I grabbed my son’s empty Mountain Dew can, rinsed it out, and poured some box wine in it. Worked like a charm.

  190. kristinc, ~delicate snowflake~ says

    theophontes: if I’m truthful, although the recipe calls for roasting uncovered the entire time, I usually leave the lid on for at least part of it. Often I mean to take the lid off halfway through for better browning but I forget and it ends up on there the entire time. (When I do uncover it, I try to remember to spoon a little cooking liquid over the bird from time to time.)

  192. says

    *waves to echidna*

    Oh, this is marvellous :

    Christmas time is here by golly: disapproval would be folly.
    Deck the halls with hunks of holly, fill the cup and don’t say when.
    Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens, mix the punch, drag out the Dickens.
    Even though the prospect sickens—brother, here we go again.

    Stolen from here

  193. says

    And from the same Hitchens article :

    I once tried to write an article, perhaps rather straining for effect, describing the experience as too much like living for four weeks in the atmosphere of a one-party state. “Come on,” I hear you say. But by how much would I be exaggerating? The same songs and music played everywhere, all the time. The same uniform slogans and exhortations, endlessly displayed and repeated. The same sentimental stress on the sheer joy of having a Dear Leader to adore. As I pressed on I began almost to persuade myself. The serried ranks of beaming schoolchildren, chanting the same uplifting mush. The cowed parents, in terror of being unmasked by their offspring for insufficient participation in the glorious events…. “Come on,” yourself. How wrong am I?

  194. says

    HI there
    I hope you had all a good time.
    Over here the holidays are almost over.
    We spent Xmas Eve at my parents’ with my grandmas and yesterday was the “In-laws, extended edition” which only sounds bad, because I really like them, especially the aunt who hosted the reunion this year.
    Today lunch at my parents in law, which is just a normal occasion.
    I’m already combining shopping lists for New Year’s Eve.
    I’m still wondering what veggies to serve with a lemon-ginger-chicken stew, medieval style.

  195. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    @ gilliel

    ginger – medieval

    I don’t know if they had such stuff. Try substituting umbles. (The poorer medieval peasants would have to substitute acorns.)

    More seriously: Definitely aubergines and julliened carrots (at the end) also consider chopped peanuts or, if you feel extravagant, some cashew nuts and waterchestnuts. Courgettes would also be nice. If you are going the vietnamese route you could add sprouts and (spicy vietnamese) greens at the end.

  196. theophontes, Hexanitroisowurtzitanverwendendes_Bärtierchen says

    Giliell (I should never type from memory) … sorry and Hial Tpyos.

  197. says

    theophontes
    Well, the recipe claims to be authentic (well, not peasant authentic, of course), but I’m actually going more for “the feeling” than for the “real thing”, which means that the second and the third course contain potatoes anyway ;)
    Combining a menu avoiding the things Mr. doesn’t eat isn’t easy anyway.

  200. 'Tis Himself, OM. says

    One of the joys of working in the hospitality business is I’ve got to be at work for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. So since I’m working on those days I’ve got today and Monday the 2nd off.

    I don’t know why they want me there. Someone decided all senior management will be on site next weekend. I don’t interact with the public particularly much and as long as I’m swiped in (even salaried employees have to swipe in) then nobody will complain about what I’m doing. I’ll probably start on my end of month financial report (which should be done by the accountants but I do it because the guy who should be doing it hates to do it).

    Enough whining by me. Enjoy Boxing Day, those of you who celebrate it.

  204. Ms. Daisy Cutter says

    Has anyone else been following the Hugo Schwyzer firestorm in the feminist blogosphere? He’s a high-profile “male feminist” with whom Clarisse Thorn, who bills herself as a “reasonable” feminist (as opposed to all those man-haters, y’know), did a fawning interview on Feministe the other day. I’ve never liked him because I’ve always found him condescending, paternalistic, having a very narrow idea of what a “good man” should be like (which is all wrapped up in het marriage and children and concepts like “honor” that shouldn’t be gendered), and scoldy about sex.

    The interview reviewed that Schwyzer, who’s a professor, used to sleep with his students regularly. But that was okay! Because he was An Addict And A Drunk, and He’s Reformed! And it’s not really all about his victims, it’s all about him, and his quest to find “redemption” and “forgiveness.”

    Have I mentioned yet that Schwyzer is a xtian pastor? Who has yet another way of making feminism All About Him — insisting that it be seen through the lens of his xtian “values”?

    Then one Feministe commenter linked to a post from Schwyzer’s personal blog almost a year ago, talking about how, in 1998, he’d attempted to kill both his ex-GF and himself with gas. But, see, it was okay, because both of them were pathetic drunks and addicts, and he in his dudely wisdom thought they’d both be better off dead. He let the cops think it was a murder/suicide pact.

    (Also, he’d just had sex with her after a drug dealer had sexually abused her. And her parents were “furious” with him when they found out, and for some reason still can’t bring themselves to forgive him. And he made sure to check with his lawyers before posting the story to ascertain that he couldn’t be prosecuted anymore. And he posted the story in response to a friend who felt guilty because… the friend had accidentally let his dog out into the coyote-infested Hollywood Hills. Totally comparable, amirite?)

    Clarisse Thorn, the interviewer, shut down the thread after allegedly receiving emails complaining about its “ugliness of tone.” Then she threatened to ban from Feministe anyone who continued to send her and Jill Filipovic, Feministe’s owner, (gasp!) “swearing” emails. AND she put up a NEW post with comments pre-emptively disabled, scolding people for not giving poor pitiful Hugo a chaaaaaaaaaaannnce to show how much he’d changed.

    (She also claimed that “feminists” never really deal with the topics of justice and accountability. A lot of feminists of color and womanists on the ‘net had something to say about that. Two words: Angela Davis.)

    Rather than fill this post with links and let it sit in the filter for a while, because PZ is probably still enjoying time with his family, I’m going to just link to the nostra culpa post from another Feministe mod. There are, unsurprisingly, Hugo-stans, 12-step-bots, and “forgiveness” guilt trolls in the comments, but there are also some excellent comments, particularly from Piny, EG, DonnaL, Zuzu, and to a lesser degree Matt. I think the following exchange deserves especially to be called attention to:

    DonnaL: I’m as deeply troubled as many others by the idea that there’s something wrong with holding against Schwyzer that he tried to murder his ex, now that he’s “confessed,” and that we should all forgive him because he’s turned his life around and redeemed himself (and apparently hasn’t tried to murder anyone else, so far as we know). Not being a Christian, I am generally of the firm belief that nobody even has the right to forgive someone who commits a crime like his other than his victims, no matter how sincere the repentance (which I don’t really buy with respect to Schwyzer in the first place), and that any “atonement” should be directed to the victims, not to anyone else.

    EG: Yes. This is a point well-made, in my opinion. The ideas that forgiveness and redemption are things we should be granting, that we have the power to grant, that all they require is confession and repentance, that they are things we have a duty to grant each other–those all seem to me to come out of a system of cultural values deeply invested in Christianity, with its emphasis on redemption and repentance. There is, of course, some good to be said of those ideas, but they are also ideas that should be interrogated, because they can be used as an excuse to celebrate abusers and silencing their victims. There are people whom I feel no need to forgive, both personally and in a political sense. Many people felt no need to forgive Christopher Hitchens. Nobody has a right to forgiveness from anybody, and forgiveness in and of itself is not necessarily a virtue.

    I’m only halfway through the comment thread, which is up to 340 as of this writing.

  205. Psych-Oh says

    Theophontes – your chicken looked amazing!

    I swear, every school break my kids are ill. Why don’t they tell you in the parenting manual the sheer number of times per year that children are incubators of horrible single celled-organisms?

  206. Nerd of Redhead, Dances OM Trolls says

    I’m finally heading around the Lake to visit my mother. If I can ever get the Redhead in the car.