Family Matters, Stupid Criminals, -and- Armed and Dangerous

Family Matters - majority voters bash Obama's "family" values
Stupid Criminals - hit-and-run suspect sues NYC over damaged car
Armed and Dangerous - police department arrests, jails, investigates 10 officers in 4 months

On this day in history: August 26, 1980 - Hotel workers discover a 1,000-pound time bomb at Harveys Resort & Casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Attached to the device is a ransom note, demanding that $3 million be delivered to a remote location by helicopter. After the delivery goes bad, bomb squad personnel are left to defuse the gadget by robot. The resulting blast blows a five-story hole in the structure and causes $12 million in damage.

Born on this day in history: August 26, 1960 - Branford Marsalis (1960-) Born in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana, musician Branford Marsalis comes from a jazz musician family. He became a national celebrity in 1992 when he signed as musical director for Jay Leno’s "Tonight Show." A Grammy Award-winner, Marsalis is also a music producer, writer and performer of film scores.

Scripture of the Day: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. - Romans 8:26-27

Video of the Day: Sand Animation of Animals - submitted by Cindy

Obama and his pals. Click to enlarge.

Images from yesterday's Harvest Christian Center Baseball Tournament await your viewing pleasure. From the index page for - the Local Events Photo Gallery - choose Harvest Christian Center Baseball Tournament 2008. You may view the images individually, or you may view them as a slide show. To view them as a slide show, click on the "start slide show" link at the left, below the first image. I shall be creating slide shows from photographs of the Olive Festival-both Friday night and Saturday-and will announce when the slide shows are available.

Never Too Young, Marooned!, -and- Matters of Life and Death

Never Too Young - 8-year-old girl files for divorce
Marooned! - Nebraska law allows abandonment of teens
Matters of Life and Death - Fed protects doctors from being forced to perform abortions

On this day in history: August 25, 2001 - Rhythm and blues singer Aaliyah and 8 others die in a plane crash on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. Excessive weight aboard the tail end likely caused the plane to go down.

Born on this day in history: August 25, 1930 - Sean Connery (1930 - ) Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, actor Sean Connery was cast in "Dr. No" as Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond in 1963, which made him an international star. He won an Oscar as an aging Irish cop in "The Untouchables" (1987). Connery was knighted in 1999.

Scripture of the Day: But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. - Romans 8:25

Video of the Day: Joe Biden's Racist Slip - submitted by Darin

Hear no evil! Click to enlarge.

What a pair! Click to enlarge.

The Corning Olive Festival parade took place last Friday evening, and the Olive Festival events filled Woodson Park on Saturday. Slide shows created from photographs of these events will soon be available online, and I shall alert readers of their availability.

The Harvest Christian Center baseball tournament took place yesterday afternoon. A slide show created from photographs of this event will soon be available online, and I shall alert readers of this availability.

Laura tended the grill Saturday evening. She grilled huge top sirloin steaks, yellow squash, Jalapeños, red bell peppers, and white mushrooms. She marinated everything with a marinade that I prepared from extra-virgin olive oil, granulated garlic, ground ginger, rice wine vinegar, and Tony Chachere's More Spice. It was delicious.

Yesterday morning, I made a large frittata using leftovers from Saturday's dinner. I sliced leftover top sirloin, red bell pepper, Jalapeño, and yellow squash. I cubed red potatoes and steamed in the microwave with sliced white onion. I sautéed the onions and potatoes, and added the leftovers. Laura took over. She seasoned the mixture with Tony Chachere's More Spice, ground black pepper, and granulated garlic. She whisked six eggs and poured over the mixture. I sliced cheddar cheese. Laura added the cheese to the frittata when the eggs were done, took the sauté pan to the table, and allowed the frittata to rest for five minutes—allowing the cheese to melt perfectly. We enjoyed half of this delightful frittata, and the balance awaits our dining pleasure later this week.

For dinner last evening, I made grilled chicken wings. Laura made a batch of Fridays beer-batter onion rings. It was wonderful. I removed the wing ends from a dozen large chicken wings, placed the wings in a zip-lock bag, and covered with Louisiana hot sauce. The wings marinated in the sauce for 8 hours. I grilled the wings over a high flame until they were nicely charred on both sides, brushing with reserved marinade prior to turning. I then turned off the flame under the wings, left the flame high on the front burner, and continued grilling over indirect heat for 45 minutes—brushing with marinade each 10 minutes. It was wonderful. Three chicken wings remain and shall follow Laura to work this morning for her lunch.

Crash!, This Land Was Your Land, -and- You're Not It

Crash! - DUI driver flees with body in window
This Land Was Your Land - man gets 6 months in jail for building fence
You're Not It - Colorado school bans tag

On this day in history: August 30, 1859 - At the University of Göttingen, PhD candidate Albert Niemann isolates the alkaloid C17H21NO4 from leaves of the plant Erythroxylum coca. Niemann names his white, powdery discovery "cocaine" and observes firsthand its peculiarly strong anesthetic effect: "it benumbs the nerves of the tongue, depriving it of feeling and taste."

Born on this day in history: August 30, 1918 - Ted Williams (1918 - 2002) baseball player "The Thumper" was the last baseball player to bat over .400; had .344 lifetime batting average; Hall of Fame, 1966.

Scripture of the Day: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,” (Ephesians 2:19)

Video of the Day: World's Tallest Man Meets the Smallest

I went shopping at Sav-Mor Foods (conveniently, a mere block from our house) yesterday at 3:30 PM, following my departure from my office. (Since I arrive at my office by 7:30 AM each morning, I generally leave at 3:30 PM.) It was 107 degrees. I took my purchases to Mr. Nitro, unloaded them into him, and returned my shopping cart to the storage area. I noticed the numerous shopping carts abandoned throughout the parking lot by unthinking, uncaring, un-Christian miscreants and was reminded of Joyce Meyer's admonition that we should always return shopping carts. I have always done so, but Joyce's directive always comes to mind whenever I see that others do not do similarly.

As I walked back to Mr. Nitro, I saw a tiny, frail woman of perhaps 90 or more, obviously struggling in the extreme heat, returning her shopping cart. I took it from her and said, "I shall return this for you." "Thank you," she said, "and God bless you!" I replied, "You are certainly welcome, and may God bless you, as well!" Common decency and human kindness seem such simple matters, yet they are eschewed by so many. This is unfortunate, certainly.

Last Evening's Dinner: I sautéed julienned white onion and minced garlic in extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt. When the onion was translucent and caramelized, I added sliced white mushrooms, ground turkey breast, ground black pepper, ground cumin, Italian seasoning, and ground Cayenne pepper. I sautéed this, stirring often, until the turkey was cooked. I diced eight large tomatoes (beautiful, delicious, home-grown tomatoes from Corey's garden) and added them to the sauté pan. When Laura arrived home, she tended to the pan, stirring and blending the ingredients and flavors. I cooked a package of Barilla fettuccine for 9 minutes. (The package recommends 12 minutes, but I find that 9 minutes produces superior, al dente results.) I drained the fettuccine and added it to the sauce. Laura stirred it, and I took it to the table. I broiled some garlic bread that Laura had prepared. At the table, we added fresh grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red peppers. It was a delightful meal.

A quantity of leftovers followed Laura to Chico this morning for her lunch, and there still remains sufficient leftovers for another fine meal.