Greening

The Hill
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

As I said in the notes to this photo on flickr, the city has started spraying this green fuzz on the hill. I assume it's supposed to be sod, but after closer investigation it sure doesn't look like it. It looks like green insulation or, well, fuzz.

Today was spent on the kitchen floor (it hadn't been mopped in months and wound up needing serious scrubbing) and weeding out the backyard to plant these vegetable planters I purchased the other day. I'm also going to buy some herbs and other bulbs, and make a mulch pile for fertilizing. Although, after looking at the planters a couple hours after finishing in the backyard, the alley cats might beat me to it. I'm heading to Custom House in a bit for an evening of meat and beer, then I fire up the grill tomorrow for my more traditional take on steak.

A Time for Rememberance

Memorial Day is the time when, among other things, we are supposed to remember the men and women who have died in military service to their country. And we should take the time to commemorate the over 3,400 people who have died in a senseless, criminal war.

We should also remember that these folks fight to defend our country from threats both without and within. No greater threat from within than the President of the United States.

From The Progressive:

(The directives) defin(e) a “catastrophic emergency” as “any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government function.”

This could mean another 9/11, or another Katrina, or a major earthquake in California, I imagine, since it says it would include “localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies.”

The document emphasizes the need to ensure “the continued function of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government,” it states.

But it says flat out: “The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.”

Given the Bush administration's callous disregard to the basic tenets of the Constitution, we should be scared. We have 2-1/2 years left of this administration, its criminal, secretive, authoritarian Cabinet, and the Congress' inability to find the fortitude to charge these men and women with treason. The damage they have caused to the Constitution, the most sacred of laws that govern us, has been untold. At this point, any and all references to Nazi Germany, Stalin's USSR, and other fascist regimes is apt and on point.

This weekend, remember the more than 3,400 troops who lost their lives for this thoughtless, criminal military action. And pray for justice for the men and women ultimately responsible for their deaths.

Getting Better

Spring in the Air
Originally uploaded by bridgeportseasoning.

so that camera I bought at the thrift store? Piece of shit. I essentially wasted a roll of film.

Luckily, the Canonet is as good as ever. Emmy's feeling better, as well, as evidenced by her sniffing around in this shot taken at 36th and Lituanica a couple weeks back.

The Poetry of Profanity

Definitely NSFW, here's WWF great the Iron Sheik in a shoot interview with RF Video, which speializes in the shoot interview genre.

He says the phrase "piece of shit, no-good motherfucker" with such eloquence that one wonders if this was one of the first English phrases he learned when he came over from Iran. The story of how he carried the eightball over for Jake Roberts is classsic.

More of Me

I could really benefit from cloning right about now. The weekend was unusually busy, with two sold out shows at work, and I had to be up on a few hours sleep each night to attend the National Restaurant Association trade show at McCormick Place for Chicagoist. We'll be filing two separate reports this week on it. I found myself drawn to the seminars on sustainability and organic produce, and a seminar this afternoon with Rick Tramonto and Paul Kahan did not disappoint. From what I gleaned from those two - and the other panelists - the major stumbling block toward awareness on sustainable produce is educating the consumer, since customers largely don't ask questions of their chefs or educate themselves on the subject. I also have enough Cholula samples to last the summer, or the next bloody mary.

From there it was another lazy Sunday brunch at Cuatro with Sue and the Professor. The area around Motor Row is fast gaining some destination restaurants, with Jerry Kleiner's Room 21 just down the street from Cuatro. I might need to check it out in a couple weeks. and that brings us to the eMusic song of the week. And this week, I have two.

The Athens-based band Southern Bitch combines high octane Southern rock with the best riff robbery this side of Angus and Malcolm Young, courtesy of the husband/wife team of Adam and Wendy Musick. Comparisons to AC/DC are apt, as this band plows forward with a "three chords and the truth" philosophy that fuels the best rock and roll. Their 2006 release Strong Medicine is more Southern-fried, putting Southern Bitch in the same territory with contemporaries Drive-by Truckers. For my money, I prefer the intrcacies of their 2005 release Snake in the Grass. There's a guitar interplay on that record between the Musicks that recalls at times Scott Asheton of the Stooges or the more commercial Sonic Youth recordings. I've included two trakcs for you to get a feel for what I have no idea I'm talking about.


Southern Bitch: "Could It Be"

Southern Bitch: "Free Man Now"