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Massachusetts voters will have the opportunity to vote on November 4 for a proposal that would decriminalize the possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, replacing the current criminal penalties with a $100 fine. Although not specifically addressing the Massachusetts proposal, I found this program, "It's Time for a Conversation" helpful in providing context and perspective on the issue.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
2008 Voter Turnout
By all accounts, voter turnout in 2008 is expected to set records. Most of the discussion in the media has been the effect that this higher turnout, and the influx of first time voters, is expected to have an impact on the presidential election.
There are other ramifications, however. In Massachusetts, we have several initiative proposals on the ballot. Question 1 proposes eliminating the state income tax, and Question 2, if passed, would reduce the current penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Question 3 would ban greyhound racing in the Commonwealth.
Question 2, in particular, will be affected by the number and demographics of the voting population. Young, liberal voters would be probably be more apt to vote for decriminalization than older conservative types.
The ballot questions generally get little press--and its not unusual for voters to show up on election day not having read or researched the issues that are behind the questions.
So the question I have is--are all these new voters conscientious enough to do their homework on the questions, as well as the candidates, before November 4?
There are other ramifications, however. In Massachusetts, we have several initiative proposals on the ballot. Question 1 proposes eliminating the state income tax, and Question 2, if passed, would reduce the current penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Question 3 would ban greyhound racing in the Commonwealth.
Question 2, in particular, will be affected by the number and demographics of the voting population. Young, liberal voters would be probably be more apt to vote for decriminalization than older conservative types.
The ballot questions generally get little press--and its not unusual for voters to show up on election day not having read or researched the issues that are behind the questions.
So the question I have is--are all these new voters conscientious enough to do their homework on the questions, as well as the candidates, before November 4?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Princess Nudelman
Did you hear about the dead goldfish that was sent voter registration materials? Princess Nudelman, late of Illinois, received registration materials in the mail.
Back in the dark ages, when I registered, it needed to be done in person, at Town Hall-- and I needed to produce a sealed copy of my birth certificate to prove that I was a citizen.
My daughter turned 18 a few weeks ago. In September, she received a form in the mail, filled it out and mailed it in. A few days before her birthday she received a confirmation back in the mail that she was now a registered voter in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- no evidence required.
The Nudelman family chose not to attempt to register Princess to vote--after all, as the Daily News noted
"The only "agent of change" Princess ever supported was the person who freshened the water in her fishbowl."
...But you have to wonder how many "Princess Nudelmans" did wind up registering?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Drive-Through Voting
When I first saw the title, "Fries With That? O.C. Offers Drive-Thru Voting" , I was sure it was a hoax--drive through voting? Sure enough, in the latest variation on early voting and absentee ballots, voters in Santa Ana, California will have the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility without leaving their car on October 20.
Voters will also be able to register without leaving their car. October 20 is the last day to register in California. Election officials estimate that approximately 3,600 people will register on the last day, either traditionally or by car.
The drive-through facility will be open until midnight.
Voters will also be able to register without leaving their car. October 20 is the last day to register in California. Election officials estimate that approximately 3,600 people will register on the last day, either traditionally or by car.
The drive-through facility will be open until midnight.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Next Bailout
If I seem a bit obsessed with student loan debt, it could be because of the ages of my children -- financing college is a big topic in our house. Discussions about "name" schools vs. affordable schools occur frequently--almost daily these days with a high school senior in the house. Last week I blogged about my concerns about what the levels of student loan debt would do to the economy several years out-- but it appears that it may exacerbate the current crisis, as well.
The New York Times has an article this morning, discussing the job prospects of graduates from top business schools. They mention one student who expects to graduate with $200,000 in debt. Think about that--$200,000--generally repayable over a 10 year period, at a 6-7% interest rate...with payments starting shortly after graduation.
How many of these kids are there? And without jobs, how will they pay these loans? And will taxpayers whose children have made trade-offs so they don't need to assume the level of debt required by a big-name school be expected to bear the burden of loan forgiveness for these bad choices?
We live in scary times, I think.
The New York Times has an article this morning, discussing the job prospects of graduates from top business schools. They mention one student who expects to graduate with $200,000 in debt. Think about that--$200,000--generally repayable over a 10 year period, at a 6-7% interest rate...with payments starting shortly after graduation.
How many of these kids are there? And without jobs, how will they pay these loans? And will taxpayers whose children have made trade-offs so they don't need to assume the level of debt required by a big-name school be expected to bear the burden of loan forgiveness for these bad choices?
We live in scary times, I think.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Pumpkin Cupcakes
While Jenny over at The Inner Bean has been working on her great Halloween Tombstone Project, I've been thinking about food. Halloween presents a great opportunity to "play" with food, and one of the easiest ways to do this is with cupcakes. Halloween cupcakes can range from simple desserts--topping a cupcake with candy corn, for example, to elaborately constructed monsters. Pumpkin cupcakes are a quick and easy variation-- you can put them together in about the same amount of time it takes to frost a plain cupcake.
What you need:
*Cupcakes of your choice, cooled and ready to be frosted
*Container of vanilla frosting
*Orange food coloring
*Orange decorating sugar
*Pretzel rods, broken into short pieces about 1" long
Step 1: Scrape the container of frosting into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add several drops of food coloring, and combine with an electric mixer until blended. Repeat if the color isn't dark enough, continuing until you're happy with the hue.
Step 3: Mound frosting on the cupcake, smoothing the top as much as possible.
Step 4: Roll each cupcake in decorating sugar.
Step 5: Use a bamboo skewer to draw segments radiating out from a bit off center of the cupcake. (A toothpick will make too thin a line).
Step 6: Insert a piece of pretzel rod where the segments meet.
If you feel like branching out into more elaborate productions, decorated cupcakes are fairly simple to reverse engineer. Here are some great photos that might inspire you!
What you need:
*Cupcakes of your choice, cooled and ready to be frosted
*Container of vanilla frosting
*Orange food coloring
*Orange decorating sugar
*Pretzel rods, broken into short pieces about 1" long
Step 1: Scrape the container of frosting into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add several drops of food coloring, and combine with an electric mixer until blended. Repeat if the color isn't dark enough, continuing until you're happy with the hue.
Step 3: Mound frosting on the cupcake, smoothing the top as much as possible.
Step 4: Roll each cupcake in decorating sugar.
Step 5: Use a bamboo skewer to draw segments radiating out from a bit off center of the cupcake. (A toothpick will make too thin a line).
Step 6: Insert a piece of pretzel rod where the segments meet.
If you feel like branching out into more elaborate productions, decorated cupcakes are fairly simple to reverse engineer. Here are some great photos that might inspire you!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Absentee Ballots and Civics Education
I don't always agree with commentator George Will, but he has a thought provoking piece in Newsweek about absentee ballots. He concludes that the increasing emphasis on voting early is eroding the national institution of Election Day.
One point that Will doesn't make, however, is about the role election day plays in the education of children. I can still remember accompanying my mother to vote as a child. She took the opportunity on the walk to and from the polling place to talk to me about voting, about what it means to be an American, and the responsibilities we have as citizens. I did the same when my children were young. Of course, parents could talk to their children about these things at any time -- but election day is a structured opportunity for civics education.
By making the choice to treat voting as something that needs to be done hurriedly, without gravitas, we're missing an opportunity to impart our civic values to our children, and leaving that job to MTV.
"The great national coming-together that Election Day has been and should be is a rare communitarian moment in this nation of increasingly inwardly turned individualists who are plugged into their iPods or lost in reveries with their iPhones....The coming of the public into public places for the peaceful allocation of public power should be an exhilarating episode in our civic liturgy."I agree with him. While absentee ballots are important to ensure that those who will not be geographically located near their assigned polling place on election day will not be disenfranchised, something is lost when voting is made too easy.
One point that Will doesn't make, however, is about the role election day plays in the education of children. I can still remember accompanying my mother to vote as a child. She took the opportunity on the walk to and from the polling place to talk to me about voting, about what it means to be an American, and the responsibilities we have as citizens. I did the same when my children were young. Of course, parents could talk to their children about these things at any time -- but election day is a structured opportunity for civics education.
By making the choice to treat voting as something that needs to be done hurriedly, without gravitas, we're missing an opportunity to impart our civic values to our children, and leaving that job to MTV.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Comfort Foods and the Financial Crisis of 2008
Yesterday, when the markets were in a death spiral, I wrote about Chicken Pot Pie. Well, it appears that I was on to something. Charlie Gibson did a segment on the nightly news tonight about comfort food. It appears there is not only an economic reason that people turn to basic foods in a financial crisis, but a biological one as well. Scientists have found that fatty-carbohydrate-laden dishes reduce stress--that in times like these, the "bad" foods are actually good for us! He didn't cite authoritative sources on the air--but if Charlie says it, its good enough for me.
The other interesting point mentioned in the segment was that amid the massive stock declines yesterday, one major company's stock actually went up--Campbell's.
The other interesting point mentioned in the segment was that amid the massive stock declines yesterday, one major company's stock actually went up--Campbell's.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Comfort Food for Crazy Times --Chicken Pot Pie
When the Dow falls almost 800 points, its a good day to focus on comfort food--specifically Chicken Pot Pie. What do you need to prepare this delicacy?
*Leftover chicken carcass, with some meat on the bones
*Leftover gravy
*One onion
*One box frozen mixed vegetables
*Pie crust
*Seasonings--I use fresh garlic, cardamom pods, pepper and rosemary.
Step 1: Prepare your crust. This can be as simple as taking it out of the box, or making your own. Place the bottom crust in a pie plate and set the top crust aside. If your kitchen is warm, put them both in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Chop the onion, and start it sautéing in one tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat.
Step 3: Take the meat off the chicken carcass, and set aside. You're aiming for about 2 cups. If you have less, you can add a few more vegetables.
Step 4: Measure your leftover gravy. Do you have 2 cups? Awesome! If not, add water or broth until you do have 2 cups of liquid.
Step 5: Turn your attention back to the onions. They should be soft, and maybe a little brown by now. If you needed to add liquid to the gravy, add 2 Tablespoons of flour to the pan, and sauté for a minute or so, then add the liquid-gravy mixture and cook until it starts to thicken.
Step 6: Season. I add 2 cardamom pods, a pinch of rosemary, 1 clove of garlic, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Step 7: Add frozen mixed vegetables to the sauce, and cook until thawed.
Step 8: Add chicken to the vegetables and sauce and mix well.
Step 9: Assemble. Place chicken-vegetable-sauce mix in bottom crust. Cover with top crust, and crimp edges. Brush top crust with milk or egg yolk, if desired. Cut vents in crust.
Step 10: Bake for about an hour at 375.
Enjoy! This is one dish that comforts your wallet as well as your soul.
*Leftover chicken carcass, with some meat on the bones
*Leftover gravy
*One onion
*One box frozen mixed vegetables
*Pie crust
*Seasonings--I use fresh garlic, cardamom pods, pepper and rosemary.
Step 1: Prepare your crust. This can be as simple as taking it out of the box, or making your own. Place the bottom crust in a pie plate and set the top crust aside. If your kitchen is warm, put them both in the refrigerator.
Step 2: Chop the onion, and start it sautéing in one tablespoon of butter on medium-low heat.
Step 3: Take the meat off the chicken carcass, and set aside. You're aiming for about 2 cups. If you have less, you can add a few more vegetables.
Step 4: Measure your leftover gravy. Do you have 2 cups? Awesome! If not, add water or broth until you do have 2 cups of liquid.
Step 5: Turn your attention back to the onions. They should be soft, and maybe a little brown by now. If you needed to add liquid to the gravy, add 2 Tablespoons of flour to the pan, and sauté for a minute or so, then add the liquid-gravy mixture and cook until it starts to thicken.
Step 6: Season. I add 2 cardamom pods, a pinch of rosemary, 1 clove of garlic, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
Step 7: Add frozen mixed vegetables to the sauce, and cook until thawed.
Step 8: Add chicken to the vegetables and sauce and mix well.
Step 9: Assemble. Place chicken-vegetable-sauce mix in bottom crust. Cover with top crust, and crimp edges. Brush top crust with milk or egg yolk, if desired. Cut vents in crust.
Step 10: Bake for about an hour at 375.
Enjoy! This is one dish that comforts your wallet as well as your soul.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Who Will Buy the Boomers' Houses?
During the debate at the University of Mississippi last Thursday, John McCain said, "This isn't the beginning of the end of financial crisis, this is the end of the beginning." The comment itself didn't spark controversy, and the candidates moved on to other topics, but it resonated with me.
I see another perfect storm brewing in a few years. At some point, the baby boomers will begin attempting to sell their houses -- whether because of infirmity, the desire to simplify or the need for cash. Whatever the reason, a fair number of four bedroom colonials will hit the market.
At the same time, college tuitions are spiraling out of control, with more students graduating with large amounts of student debt. When they marry, they'll combine two student loan portfolios. For many of them, the level of debt they've assumed will preclude a house purchase.
So who will buy all the baby boomers' houses?
I see another perfect storm brewing in a few years. At some point, the baby boomers will begin attempting to sell their houses -- whether because of infirmity, the desire to simplify or the need for cash. Whatever the reason, a fair number of four bedroom colonials will hit the market.
At the same time, college tuitions are spiraling out of control, with more students graduating with large amounts of student debt. When they marry, they'll combine two student loan portfolios. For many of them, the level of debt they've assumed will preclude a house purchase.
So who will buy all the baby boomers' houses?
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Butch Thompson, Piano Man
Driving home after dinner tonight, we happened to hear Butch Thompson playing piano on "A Prairie Home Companion". Butch had been a regular on the show a while ago, but he's moved on and is only an occasional guest these days.
When I got home, I went searching (that's what I do, after all!) to see if any of Butch's performances were online. I found this recording of him playing "A Solas", the piece we'd heard on the radio:
I also was able to find a few pieces of him playing in various ensembles. Although his solo piano is awesome, he's also quite an asset to a band -- we were fortunate enough to have him at one of our Blue Tent Parties a few years ago.
In addition to his performing skills, he writes frequently about jazz. He's considered a Jelly Roll Morton expert, and was a consultant for the Broadway show "Jelly’s Last Jam".
When I got home, I went searching (that's what I do, after all!) to see if any of Butch's performances were online. I found this recording of him playing "A Solas", the piece we'd heard on the radio:
In addition to his performing skills, he writes frequently about jazz. He's considered a Jelly Roll Morton expert, and was a consultant for the Broadway show "Jelly’s Last Jam".
Friday, September 26, 2008
Far Above Cayuga's Waters
One of the advantages of parenthood is that your children's experiences help you cycle back and reconnect with parts of yourself that you thought were left behind. I had the opportunity to go back to Ithaca, NY twice over the past few months, thanks to my daughter's college search. This was a particularly poignant journey, as I had been away from my alma mater for longer than it took Odysseus to find his way back to his Ithaca. While there I was struck not only by the changes, but also by how much things had not changed. Cornell University is still one of the most beautiful places on earth.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
BlueTent Party Online
I had an odd experience last week. I found myself on YouTube.
We have a party every year towards the end of August. (The kids always called it the "Blue Tent Party", because for years we put up a giant blue tarp in lieu of an actual tent. As of last year, we now have a real tent--but its still the "Blue Tent Party") Anyway, we hire a trad jazz band, everyone brings a culinary contribution, and we relax, kick back, and enjoy ourselves.
The guest list is as eclectic as the food. Friends from all phases of our lives--and friends bring friends. Well, this year, unbeknown to us, one of the friends of a friend recorded the party and posted it on YouTube. I was pretty shocked at first, but it is a great way to expose people to a niche music genre. There are 14 videos, and while not professional grade, viewing them will give those of you who missed this year's soiree a taste of what you missed!
We have a party every year towards the end of August. (The kids always called it the "Blue Tent Party", because for years we put up a giant blue tarp in lieu of an actual tent. As of last year, we now have a real tent--but its still the "Blue Tent Party") Anyway, we hire a trad jazz band, everyone brings a culinary contribution, and we relax, kick back, and enjoy ourselves.
The guest list is as eclectic as the food. Friends from all phases of our lives--and friends bring friends. Well, this year, unbeknown to us, one of the friends of a friend recorded the party and posted it on YouTube. I was pretty shocked at first, but it is a great way to expose people to a niche music genre. There are 14 videos, and while not professional grade, viewing them will give those of you who missed this year's soiree a taste of what you missed!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Zucchini
We have a garden.
I suppose I should clarify that. My beloved spouse has a garden. He rototills, plants, weeds, and tends to a variety of vegetables. I'm tasked with preparing what he produces. For years, we(he) have planted zucchini, without success. They grow, we get a few, the vines get infected with something...and die. Every September we hear zucchini jokes--people leave them on doorsteps and run away--almost like the fruitcake that gets passed around at Christmas--and we never quite understood the problem.
Well, this year--while the rest of the country is suffering with droughts--or hurricanes--or other natural disasters--the weather pattern here in New England has produced zucchini. Baseball-bat-sized-enormous-zucchini. ALOT of them. And they're still growing.
I suppose I should clarify that. My beloved spouse has a garden. He rototills, plants, weeds, and tends to a variety of vegetables. I'm tasked with preparing what he produces. For years, we(he) have planted zucchini, without success. They grow, we get a few, the vines get infected with something...and die. Every September we hear zucchini jokes--people leave them on doorsteps and run away--almost like the fruitcake that gets passed around at Christmas--and we never quite understood the problem.
Well, this year--while the rest of the country is suffering with droughts--or hurricanes--or other natural disasters--the weather pattern here in New England has produced zucchini. Baseball-bat-sized-enormous-zucchini. ALOT of them. And they're still growing.
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