Dakota

Garlic Scapes

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Much to our delight, we encountered a new vegetable taste sensation yesterday at the Farmer's Market - garlic scapes. We were drawn to their snake pit likeness, imagining them plated next to a tofu portion. However. at six dollars a pound it did seem an extravagance. When we mentioned to the dashing young farmer (they're all dashing these days, if you haven't noticed) that the scapes didn't seem to be selling like hotcakes, he said it was because the impact of the New York Times feature on garlic scapes was dying down. That did it. We sprang for a half pound.

For purposes of culinary purity, we decided on a simple saute in olive oil. The resulting vegetative experience proved to be rather like eating those tough blades of crab grass one pulled from the lawn as a child, and strung through one's front teeth. Not entirely unpleasant, but for the money, artichokes would have been a better investment. Perhaps making the more time consuming soup would have been a better choice, since overall chewiness was definitely a problem.

Our only regret is that we didn't take more raw pictures, since garlic scapes will be out of season momentarily and we'll have to wait for next year for some more artful shots

Photo note: Garlic scapes on first sighting

Shriveling Hope

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There's a new term floating around out there, which we're sure you would never want applied to you-- It is: "the low information voter"

In order to avoid becoming one, you had best read about the FISA legislation immediately -- Glenn Greenwald is a good place to start, or, if you are unable to concentrate on the written word Keith Olbermann, has made a video for your perusal.

Finished? Now send Barack an email before Monday to let him know how betrayed you feel by his "centrist" switch supporting immunity to all those telecommunications companies that let George W. Bush and god knows who else read your email and listen to your phone calls to their hearts content. It doesn't matter whether you were sharing state secrets, simple beliefs about preserving the environment can get you on a list somewhere that you simply do not want to be on these days.

Photo note: Curling up into something unrecognizable - a metaphorophoto

Addendum: how to get off a government watch list

Stunting Solar

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The New York Times reports that the federal government has, once again, put its head where the sun don't shine (forgive teh reference):

Faced with a surge in the number of proposed solar power plants, the federal government has placed a moratorium on new solar projects on public land until it studies their environmental impact, which is expected to take about two years.

The Bureau of Land Management says an extensive environmental study is needed to determine how large solar plants might affect millions of acres it oversees in six Western states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

But the decision to freeze new solar proposals temporarily, reached late last month, has caused widespread concern in the alternative-energy industry, as fledgling solar companies must wait to see if they can realize their hopes of harnessing power from swaths of sun-baked public land, just as the demand for viable alternative energy is accelerating.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” said Holly Gordon, vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs for Ausra, a solar thermal energy company in Palo Alto, Calif. “The Bureau of Land Management land has some of the best solar resources in the world. This could completely stunt the growth of the industry.”

Ah, but it makes perfect sense if you want to deed the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to your oily friends before you leave office. The last time Bush worried about an environmental impact was when he fell off his bike in '04.

We aren't the only ones to smell something repugnant

CleanBeta has discovered an internal study conducted by the Bureau of Land Management in 2003 that describes the enormous potential for concentrated and photovoltaic solar energy production on BLM lands in the same six states where it froze today’s projects. The study (attached below) recommends that BLM rapidly increase the number of solar energy projects on these public lands. In fact, this is what BLM did. In the five years since the document appeared, the Bureau began recruiting solar energy projects to select sites on federal lands, which led to the dramatic increase they are now using as an excuse to shut the project down. The document raises serious questions about the Bureau’s reasons for freezing the solar energy projects located on federal lands. Please read the document — Bureau of Land-Management-Solar Energy on Federal Lands Assessment

If you're not disheartened enough take a look at this

On a cheerier alternative energy note, the Boston Globe staff held their first annual Prius rally. The winner rolled into the final stop at the Humvee dealership registering a whopping 63 miles per gallon. We have, with maximum concentration, and many irritated drivers lining up behind us, managed 45 miles per gallon in the silver bullet . Practice makes perfect.

Photo note: All the solar energy panels you're going to see for awhile.

Dairy and Other Issues

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Since all of us here at Dakota spent precious blogging time composing a complaint letter to the town engineer concerning a foot high asphalt obstacle that appeared across the entire front of the cot by the sea, increasing the possibility of broken bones sustained on the property by 90%, we have little steam left for other important governmental commentary today. We suspect the town engineer is avoiding us, since he hasn't returned even one of the twenty phone calls we have placed since Monday at 7AM. The first nineteen were scrupulously polite

We were so upset that we would have sought solace in food, if it weren't so shockingly expensive. Instead, we had to make do with the food videos, "Yogurt" and "Mayo"

To be honest, we did have a miniscule scoop of raspberry Cyclops Frozen Yogurt (highly recommended, available at Whole Foods, made in New Zealand from Greek yogurt) even though it has a price tag as large as it's carbon footprint. Since it's probiotic, we felt it would it serve a medicinal purpose.

Photo note: In keeping with the theme, organic eggs, a mere $5.00 a dozen from Natural Way Farm where the chickens eat blueberries and are treated like queens. Natural Way is a horizontal, rather than a vertical farm

Ah Shucks

No photo note, just a simple thanks to those who initiated this idea, you know who you are. You may send your checks in any amount to campaign headquarters

Dear Nancy

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So that bitch Nancy had the nerve to send a fund raising letter on the very day she screwed all of us..

Since I took my bloggish time to chastise her, I am including our correspondence for your perusal.

Dear Dakota F,

I hope you had a chance to read the email that was sent from Senator Barack Obama. His message is critical for all of us who want to take our country in a New Direction. As Speaker, I can tell you that we need a Democrat in the White House and a strong Democratic majority in Congress to drive change forward. Our June 30th FEC deadline is vital to our success in November. All eyes will be on Democrats' fundraising totals as a measure of our party's unity and strength. I ask that you please help to show our commitment to across-the-board victories this November by making a contribution of $35, $50 or more at www.dccc.org/unitedforchange today.

Thank you for your support.

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House

Dear Nancy -

Thanks for your email. I will give to Barack's campaign, though I'm pretty disappointed by him at the moment. I want you to know that since you sold my civil liberties down the drain for the next six years today for some unfathomable political gain by not fighting against telecom immunity, I will never give to anything that has your name on it. You have "compromised " my privacy and I hold you personally responsible for not doing everything in your power, which is considerable, to protect the Constitution of the United States, and my rights thereunder. This is your job. And while I'm on the subject, you have failed me and the people of the United States by emboldening the criminals of the Bush administration with your preemptive assurance that impeachment is out of the question no matter what crimes are committed, and they are testing the limits on a daily basis. Why didn't you just keep your mouth shut. As their last epic gesture our criminal leaders are ready to start yet another illegal war with Iran and you, personally, have given them carte blanche to do so.

You have never offered a rational explanation for all this "compromising". I have come to think that Like all Democrats, your phone has been tapped, and you are being blackmailed with information they have gathered..

You will probably never read this email. Unfortunately anyone else in the government who wants to read it will have full access. I am glad to have your email address, since only California residents can write to you on your website.

Sincerely,
Dakota Feinstein

Nancy's email address, just in case you wanna keep it on hand is: speakerpelosi@dccc.org

Here's your reward for reading a rant and clicking on the dry clickies, Ten of the most shocking American political sex scandals They saved the best til last.

Photo note: The American flag twisted, with a skirt

Addendum: Glenn Greenwald on the subject

The Hook

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Recently, we were the reluctant recipient of an adorable email entitled "Dog Sense" which featured facts about dogs such as "Do you know that dogs can detect cancer and other serious illnesses and danger of fire?" and ended with a captivating photo of an English pointer lifting his leg on an Obama 2008 lawn sign. We were not amused.

Which is not to say that we haven't been amused. Take for instance, Christopher Beam's piece in Salon Rumors Obama Shouldn't Try to Correct in which he suggests that Obama start his own rumors like "Barack Obama is a DEVOUT CHRISTIAN. His favorite book is the BIBLE, which he has memorized. His name means HE WHO LOVES JESUS in the ancient language of Aramaic. He is PROUD that Jesus was an American." We also found the satirical offerings of the Public Service Administration amusing, as well as Jon Stewart's direct confrontation of the issues.

In the interest of balanced reporting of what has amused us, we offer this fact check video about Cindy McCain as well as "He Said It First" another Public Service Administration's offering, which you may not want to play on in front of granny or the boss.

Tee hee as they say in polite circles.

Photo note: The hook

Addendum: Take a quiz