We thought it was the beginning of a new thing when a professional basketball team –The Miami Heat – did their version of the Harlem Shake. We thought other teams will see the need to follow-suit. But not the Timberwolves. No, they quickly put an end to that. And they did so using someone in a Miami Heat jersey!
Well, you be the judge. Listen to Nancy Reagan and then President Ronald Reagan as they both sat in the residence of the White House and delivered a message on drugs.
Ingredients: 4 12 oz. button mushroom (cremini, quartered) 4 12 oz. fresh mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, chanterelle) 1 12 lbs top sirloin steak (boneless beef, cut into 1 inch cubes) 2 tbsps olive oil salt 2 carrot (cut into 14 inch thick slices) 1 onions (cut lengthwise into thin wedges) 2 garlic cloves (sliced thin) 12 cup red wine (dry white or, beef or chicken broth) 16 oz. white beans (great northern, navy or cannellini, rinsed, drained) 14 12 oz. diced tomatoes (with garlic and onion undrained) chopped parsley (garnish)
Directions: 1. Put a large skillet over high heat and add all the mushrooms. Shaking the pan from time to time to prevent the mushrooms from sticking, dry sauté them until they being to release their water. Keep cooking until the mushrooms begin to brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat down to medium-high. Brown the beef cubes in batches, turning to brown at least two sides of the meat. Remove from skillet, add to the bowl with the mushrooms and sprinkle salt over them.
3. Add the carrots and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and cook another 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and return the cooked beef and mushrooms to the pan. Continue cooking 3 more minutes.
4. Stir in the beans and tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes more. Add salt to taste. Serve, garnished with chopped parsley.
Remember when Republicans and Mitt Romney said that the only way the economy would recover was if Mitt Romney was elected in November? Well Romney wasn’t elected and today, the stock market hit a new high – a new record.
If Romney was in office, Republicans would be praising him now as the savior. Well, I’m not going to praise President Obama as savior, but I will give him and his policies much credit for helping lift the economy out of the dungeons Bush left it in.
The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average reached an all-time high Tuesday on news that China was pledging to plow more money into its economy, returning the markets to highs not seen since before the 2008 financial crisis.
By noon Tuesday, the Dow was up more than 145 points, or 1.03 percent, to 14,273.70, blowing past both an intraday record and a closing record that were both set in October 2007, during a time when the economy was just peaking and headed toward disaster. The previous intraday trading high was 14,198.10; the closing record was 14,164.53.
Sheldon Adelson was a heavy donor to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He really wanted Romney to win. He held fundraisers and even traveled overseas with the Republican candidate. At one point in the campaign, Adelson bragged that he would donate as much as $100 million dollars to make sure that Romney win the election.
Now we know why. Imagine if Romney had won. Sheldon Adelson would have definitely had a say in a Romney administration and could have possibly been in charge of the government department now investigating him. Imagine that!
Sheldon Adelson
The Las Vegas Sands Corporation, an international gambling empire controlled by the billionaire Sheldon G. Adelson, has informed the Securities and Exchange Commission that it likely violated a federal law against bribing foreign officials.
In its annual regulatory report, filed with the commission on Friday, the Sands reported that its audit committee and independent accountants had determined that “there were likely violations of the books and records and internal controls provisions” of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
The disclosure comes amid an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation into the company’s business activities in China.
It is the company’s first public acknowledgment of possible wrongdoing. Ron Reese, a spokesman for the Sands, declined to comment further.
The company’s activities in mainland China, including an attempt to set up a trade center in Beijing and create a sponsored basketball team, as well as tens of millions of dollars in payments the Sands made through a Chinese intermediary, had become a focus of the federal investigation, according to reporting by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal in August.
In its filing, the Sands said that it did not believe the findings would have material impact on its financial statements, or that they warranted revisions in its past statements. The company said that it was too early to determine whether the investigation would result in any losses. “The company is cooperating with all investigations,” the statement said.
I will say the First Lady‘s pilot series “Fireside Hangouts” was a success! With live access on three online sites, I would’ve however liked to have had more and a wider variety of participants, but other than that I enjoyed tuning in and watching Mrs.Obama in action. She was warm, friendly, engaging, informative, open and candid, even at one point revealing that she and The President, as she referred to President Obama quite often, worked out together every morning; that she and her daughters,Sasha and Malia take time out regularly to workout indoors by putting on CDs and dancing all around their White House digs; and that as a youngster she enjoyed playing the piano and would love to take up lessons again after the family leaves the White House in 2017. She even got her guests to do the ‘Dougie‘ with her! First and foremost she kept the idea of making good nutritional foods and exercise accessible to all children in the forefront of the half hour dialog and vowed to continue her efforts to bring two other of her initiatives, Let’s Move! Active Schoolsand the MyPlate Recipe Partnership into effect in the near future. In typical Capricorn fashion, Michelle Obama has taken the fundamental, imperative concept that ‘good nutrition and proper exercise leading to bright, confident and competitive youths who grow up into bright, confident and competitive adults’ and made it fun, practical, relateable and do-able! And she was the picture of health herself. With glowing skin, and sporting her new bang-do, her hair full of body with a healthy sheen she looked radiant wearing a short strand of large pearls, a blue, grey and black large floral print dress with short sleeves that showed off her famous ‘power arms’ and grey pumps, Michelle Obama shows that the best way to set a good example of good health and beauty, is to be one! You Go M.O.! ♦
Polls are showing that NYers are pretty kool with the notion of a lesbian mayor, as City Council Speaker Christine Quinn continues to take the lead in the race for New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. According to a Quinnipiac University poll released last week, 37 percent of Democratic voters favored Quinn and another poll had 78 percent of NYC voters showing they were “comfortable” or “enthusiastic” about the prospect of an openly gay mayor. If Quinlan does win she will be the first female and the first openly gay mayor in New York City history. Its certainly what I’ve been expecting ever since a skinny, big-earred, mixed-heritaged, intelligent, 47 y.o.Ilinois senator ran for and won the Presidency of the United States of America, becoming the first African-American to do so. And you can bet there’ll be more ‘firsts’ like these in this prophetic year. Shift Happens in 2013!!! ♦
Berlinians are protesting a construction project to move whats left of The Berlin Wall in Germany from its original spot to place somewhere else in order to make room for an access road for new luxury apartments.The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic in 1961 meant to cut off West Berlin from East Berlin, preventing massive emigration and defection from the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period. In November of 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down in the midst of huge celebrations on both sides. Speed ahead to 2013 where Berlinians are now protesting against the removal of a 70-foot section of the wall’s longest remaining expanse which is covered in paintings and graffiti and dubbed the East Side Gallery. Viewed as a historical monument by the protestors, the wall is also a popular tourist attraction, containing the famous “Fraternal Kiss” painting showing the two past German leaders Leonid I. Brezhnev and Erich Honecker locked in a kiss. Protesters have successfully prevented any further construction by work crews until city officials, land developers and relevant players in the protest can meet and settle on a solution. Sort of leads back to why the wall was built in the first place doesn’t it? Austerity vs Communism? Oh well, we all know now that history definitely has a way of repeating itself. ♦
A new report claims a record number of adults and children in the city are currently homeless.The Coalition For The Homeless is set to release a study Tuesday that says an average of more than 50,000 people slept in shelters nightly in January. Of those, more than 21-thousand were children.The coalition says the number of homeless is the highest it has been in three decades and that the numbers have gotten much worse under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Department of Homeless Services says the report is “not based in reality.” Officials said the increase is a direct result of the loss of a popular program which helped the homeless pay for their own housing. “Well I think you need to look at the full picture,” said DHS Commissioner Seth Diamond. “There are fewer people coming into the shelter system than there were two years ago, 9 percent fewer families came in in 2012 when compared to 2010. The reason numbers have risen is a direct result of the loss of the advantage subsidies, something the coalition aggressively advocated for.” h/t NY1 Maybe we can get Commissioner Diamond some street cred by getting him out into the streets to patiently explain his fact-finding methods to the hundreds of homeless out here. ♦
Remember the New York police officer who was arrested for his cannibalistic plot to kidnap, kill, cook and eat women? Well his case is now being heard in New York and things are getting hot… no pun intended.
Gilberto Valle – NYC Cop on trial for Cannibalism
NEW YORK (AP) – Jurors appeared uncomfortable Monday as prosecutors showed an apparently staged video of a screaming woman being cooked alive over an open flame and other disturbing images from websites devoted to torturing and eating women – evidence prosecutors say proves a New York City police officer was involved in a cannibalism plot.
Officer Gilberto Valle visited web pages showing various women, FBI computer forensics examiner Stephen Flatly testified at Valle’s kidnapping conspiracy trial. “Some are dead. … A couple of them appeared to have been strangled.”
As Flatly described the images that were displayed on video monitors in federal court in Manhattan, some jurors put their hands over their mouths. One shook her head. Another wiped his brow.
One cannibalism website allegedly visited by Valle promised customers they would “only receive the highest quality human beef.” The jury also heard how the officer allegedly looked up “how to tie up a girl,” “human meat recipes” and other topics the defense says were part of a fetish fantasy that never posed a real threat.
The FBI analysis of Valle’s laptop yielded a video of a naked woman hanging over an open flame and screaming in agony. It was not indicated in court whether staged or real but it seemed staged. A flame sometimes rose near the woman’s crotch but didn’t appear to linger long enough to singe the skin, and the camera at one point focused on her sweating body.
There also were several photos of women with bright red apples stuffed in their mouths.
Another image of a woman roasting on a giant spit was discovered in a computer file that Valle kept on a former college friend that prosecutors have identified as a target of the alleged plot to kidnap, torture and eat women.
You are sitting there, vulnerable, on a table, naked except for a flimsy gown and waiting for the doctor to come in. It is bad enough that you hate this exam anyway, but you grin and bear it for your health. Finally, the doctor comes in. You lie back on the table and assume the position, this time completely vulnerable. But this person has your best interest at heart, right? Or does he?
Women at Johns Hopkins Medical Center were being filmed in this vulnerable position by their doctor. Dr. Nikita Levy was carrying around a camera in his pen to take pictures of his patients as they lay in this position.
Dr. Nikita Levy
A Johns Hopkins Hospital gynecologist accused of secretly videotaping patients wore a pen around his neck that may have been used to conceal a camera, according to the employee who reported the doctor.
The employee told hospital officials of her suspicions Feb. 4, according to a letter from the hospital’s CEO, Dr. Paul B. Rothman. The letter was dated Tuesday and sent to the law firm of Silverman Thompson Slutkin & White, which is working with the Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center. The law firm gave a copy of the letter to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The employee’s report to officials ultimately led to the discovery that Dr. Nikita Levy had been recording patients during exams at a Hopkins clinic.
Ths is outrageous!
Women go to the gynecologist to make sure that they are healthy. They trust their physician with their lives, so to speak, and do not expect such a breach of trust to happen to them. Dr. Nikita Levy was under investigation for these lewd acts when he killed himself on February 18th in his home.
So you’ve worked all your life trying to achieve “the American dream” and making ends meet. But of lately, it seems like no matter how hard your work (providing you have a job) and how much overtime you put in, that American dream has become an illusion and making ends meet gets more and more difficult.
Well there’s a reason for that and Republicans are playing a vital role in making sure your struggles continue.
Do you have any idea what’s really happening in this country where wealth distribution is concerned? I’m sure you think you do.
We’ve heard a lot about the top one percent and we’ve watched in amazement as Congressional Republicans defend this group while asking the rest of the country to do more with less. The top one percent are the group of people who Republicans go to bat for. They are the ones Republicans want to give more to – through service cuts and raising taxes on the poor to maintaining and creating more tax loops for the rich.
As you watch this video, keep in mind the Republican’s role in how income inequality is distributed in this country.
Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama traveled around the country celebrating the third anniversary of her signature initiative Let’s Move!, her goal being to ensure that all our children grow up healthy and reach their full potential. Today the celebration continues! Join the First Lady for her first ever Let’s Move Fireside Hangout.You can tune in and join by going toLetsMove.gov., the Let’s Move! YouTube Channel and the White House Google+ Page at 11:10 a.m. ET this afternoon. Mrs. Obama will participate in a completely virtual conversation from the Blue Room of the White House, speaking with families from around the country. The hangout will be moderated by Kelly Ripa, co-host of LIVE with Kelly and Michael. My office and I intend to tune in at work! ♦
Chris Rock is too funny. And now he’s taken two comedians, Deshawn Raw and W. Kamu Bell under his mentorship after catching their acts on YouTube. America has watched the 47 y.o. Rock, born Christopher Julius “Chris” Rock III , grow from a scrawny kid doing stand-up comedy in New York City’s Catch a Rising Star to executive producer for Raw’s comedy series, D-Raw for Comedy Central and Totally Biased, Bells’s late night talk show picked up by FX. I love this dude for reaching back and pulling others up. Rock explains the reason for doing so, this way,
“Mentors are just a radar to let you know what’s coming up, and I’ve had a lot of good ones.”
It does help that Bell and Raw are Hella-funny! Here’s a promo clip from Bell’s show. Laughing is food for what ails you. Thanks for the prescriptions Rock! ♦
Have you heard the one about the rich old coot who hid a chest filled with gold coins, diamonds and emeralds, who’s challenging people across America to go on a wild goose chase in search of the buried treasure? Its true! Hoping to encourage people to go out and explore trails and scenery live rather than from in front of on their TV screens, 82-year-old multimillionaire Forrest Fenn buried the chest with its treasure three years ago and is back in the limelight again stirring up interest in the chase. Never really offering any proof that the treasure actually exists, it’s a bit condescending for a multi-millionaire to insinuate that the only way to motivate us couch potatoes is to tempt us with riches. I mean he’s right, but it’s still condescending . Last Wednesday Fenn appeared on TODAY reporting that he’s received over 7,500 emails — some thanking him for encouraging people to get outdoors and others asking for guidance in finding the treasure.
In his self-published memoir The Thrill Of The Chase, Fenn says that there isa poem with nine clues he says will lead to a 40-pound chest containing the haul. Check it out. And BTW, anyone who figures out the clues and finds the treasure, there’s a 20% finder’s fee if you viewed this Ezkool blog site. I’m serious!
As I have gone alone in there
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.
Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.
From there it’s no place for the meek,
The end is drawing ever nigh;
There’ll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and water high.
If you’ve been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to cease
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.
So why is it that I must go
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak
So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold. ♦
Robert Bea is a University of California-Berkeley engineering professor who appeared as the first trial witness to testifies at last Tuesday’s BP trial case involving the pollution of the Gulf coastline from the colossal oil spill 3 years ago. Bea testified as an expert witness on behalf of the people and businesses suing BP, who he said had failed to implement their own new safety plan on the ill-fated Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, even though the company realized a blowout in the Gulf of Mexico was highly probable. Bea stated that it was “tragic” and “egregious” that BP , who leased the Deepwater rig from a company called Transocean, didn’t apply its own safety program to the rig that exploded on April 20, 2010, killing 11 workers and spawning the most massive oil spill in the history of oil spills in the nation. And what did BP lawyers have to say about it? BP lawyer Mike Brock counter argued that the company expected Transocean to make certain the rigs it leased-out were safe to operate–standard industry procedure. Is that it!!? For the last 2 years now, BP has been throwing up commercials with local Gulf business owners carrying on as if its business as usual there. And although its understood the areas is trying desperately to save itself, there’s no denying the dangerous amount of oil and its carcinogens that still floats in the Gulf’s waters, the irreparable damage to the ecosystem and the arrogance of BP in court trying to pass the blame to someone else while still raking in billions of dollar in profits 3 years after the disaster. It won’t be business as usual for quite some time. What do I think should happen? My dream scenario would be for BP to be drained of all its resources, applying it all towards the revitalization of the Gulf, and that the company, once stripped and bankrupt, is dismantled and destroyed, forever and ever. And that would still be the nicest thing that could happen. ♦
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