Daily Entries for the week of
Sunday, September 25, 2022
through
Saturday, October 1, 2022
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It’s Saturday, October 1, 2022
Welcome to the 1,560th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Joe Friday
Photo of Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday from the television series Dragnet.
NBC Television - eBay front back
Permission details
Pre-1978, no mark
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Commentary
The largest contributor to inflation is the cost of energy.
And everyone seems to be bemoaning the fact.
But where is the bevy of new and original ideas?
A special tax on those whose wealth is over $10,000,000.00 to give to the working class as annual subsidies.
Nuclear power. Sorry, for the next ten years.
Increasing demand for electric vehicles: charging stations, subsidies, whatever it takes.
Reduction of the use of automobiles.
All ideas are valid, all ideas welcome.
Think out of the box but let’s solve energy and we’ll solve inflation without putting Americans out of a job.
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Dr. Mike shares:
Staffing shortages keep one-fifth of psychiatric beds out of commission.
By Jessica Bartlett Globe Staff, Updated September 28, 2022, 7:33 p.m.
Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association and the Massachusetts Association of Behavioral Health Systems found that 19.9 percent of inpatient psychiatric beds at surveyed facilities were offline due to staffing shortages.
LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF/FILE
Health care providers have made progress on one of the most acute shortages in Massachusetts, with a new survey suggesting a number of desperately needed inpatient psychiatric beds have been added over the last 18 months. Yet a seemingly intractable labor shortage continues to undermine any momentum within the industry, with hundreds of other beds ready but unavailable because there aren’t enough workers.
The results underscore the difficulty of making progress on a crisis that has rippled through the health care system. With tens of millions in state aid helping to boost salaries and ramp up recruiting, psychiatric facilities have made a concerted effort to increase capacity and reduce the lengthy waits for an inpatient bed for seriously ill patients. So while there are now more psychiatric beds than a year and a half ago, about 130 by one count, that doesn’t necessarily mean more patients are getting necessary care. Indeed, among the facilities in the most recent survey, for example, officials say there are 568 that remain empty because they don’t have the staff for them.
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Can you define this Word: Amuses Bouches
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They're the kind of people who'd stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to entrust them with a Cuisinart, let alone the economy. The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn't bother to stop because they'd want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club”
~ Dave Barry, Dave Barry Slept Here: A Sort of History of the United States
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
W Foods had fresh kosher turkey.
I asked if they would cut one and sell me half only.
They would.
I did.
One of the best turkey dinners ever. The bird was awesome.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Seine w Kat
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Short Essay
Joe Friday is a fictional character created and portrayed by Jack Webb as the lead for his series Dragnet. Friday is a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department.[1] The character first appeared on June 3, 1949 in the premiere of the NBC radio drama that launched the series. Webb played the character on radio and later television[2] from 1949–1959 and again from 1967–1970, also appearing as Friday in a 1954 theatrical release and a 1966 made-for-TV film.
Friday had joined the police shortly before World War II; Ben Romero was his first partner. After Friday was discharged from the U.S. Army, he returned to the police and the pair eventually reunited in the Detective Division, prior to the events of the series.
Over the earlier run of the series, Friday was partnered with Sgt. Ben Romero (Barton Yarborough), Sgt. Ed Jacobs (Barney Phillips), Romero's nephew, Officer Bill Lockwood (Martin Milner), and then (for the rest of the radio run as well as the 1954 film and the 1951 television series) Officer Frank Smith (first Herbert Ellis, then Ben Alexander). For the 1960s revival, Friday's partner was Officer Bill Gannon (Harry Morgan).
During the 1958–59 season, Friday was promoted to Lieutenant, but when the show was revived in 1967, he was again a Sergeant without any on-screen explanation; Webb later explained that in the real LAPD, the Lieutenant rank is a supervisory position and involved less investigatory time in the field, which would change the structure of the show.
Friday narrated every story, providing details in voiceover of what happened and where. He had several bits of consistent dialogue that remained throughout the series.
The opening narration in the original 1951–59 TV series remained brief and straightforward:
"This is the city, Los Angeles, California... I work here... I'm a cop."
What followed was the introduction of the story's plot:
"It was [day of the week and date], it was [weather conditions] in Los Angeles; we were working the [day|night] watch out of [police division]. My partner is [name]. The boss is [name]. My name's Friday."
In many openings from episodes of the 1967–70 revival series Friday would add assorted details about Los Angeles ranging from its geography and history to its landmarks and population, the latter of which would often lead to observations about how most of the people are good while some go bad, leading to the phrase:
"...That's when I go to work; I carry a badge".
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Definition of Today’s Word
The term ‘amuse bouche’ is French for “mouth amuser”—think complementary little bites that chefs send to diners at the start of their meal. Amuse bouches can range from just one dish to as many as six or seven.
The advantages of having these morsels are plenty: guests get pampered while experiencing the chef’s culinary vocabulary as much as the kitchens get a gastronomic sketch pad to play with techniques and flavors without feeling obliged to include the items in the fixed menu.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Friday, September 30, 2022
Welcome to the 1,559th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
I Love Lucy
Title lettering extracted from opening credits of the TV sitcom I Love Lucy.
Desilu Productions SVG conversion by JBarta - Own work (Original text: Own work, derived from this screen grab.)
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Commentary
Am I too enthralled with the descriptions of the great Japanese restaurants?
What I mean is this: I am expecting to have the greatest flurry of meals that I have ever had.
And I am talking about the greatest restaurants that France has to offer as the standard.
Is this asking too much?
I have had Japanese banquets so wonderful that I would match these close against their French competitors.
And I am talking Japanese restaurants in America against French restaurants in France.
It seems to me that native Japanese restaurants have it all over their American counterparts.
Not too far-fetched.
We’ll see.
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Writing
I’ve completed transcribing all of the activities that the tour has arranged for us. For the most part, I’m pleased with their planning.
Two items that need to be resolved. The first is that we have two half-days that are free and one full day free. I have to plan those.
And the second is where the activity threatens to be so long as to impinge on my dinner reservations.
I’ll resolve those in the coming week.
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Can you define this Word: metafiction
For definition, see below, immediately after the Short Essay
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“If God had wanted us to be concerned for the plight of the toads,
he would have made them cute and furry. ”
~ Dave Barry
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Tuesday, my dear friend Cindy and I had lunch at LA Voile. We sat at a sidewalk table. The weather was perfect.
We each had a soup and then we each had a plate of the classic Bifsteak with pommes de terre frites. All was delicious and the company was great.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Amuses bouches served to Kat: an array of seven v. the usual single.
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Short Essay
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The series followed the life of Lucy Ricardo (Ball), a young, middle-class housewife living in New York City, who often concocted plans with her best friends, Ethel and Fred Mertz (Vance and Frawley), to appear alongside her bandleader husband, Ricky Ricardo (Arnaz), in his nightclub. Lucy is depicted trying numerous schemes to mingle with and be a part of show business. After the series ended in 1957, a modified version of the show continued for three more seasons, with 13 one-hour specials, which ran from 1957 to 1960. It was first known as The Lucille Ball–Desi Arnaz Show, and later, in reruns, as The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour.
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Definition of Today’s Word: Metafiction
Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own constructedness in a way that continually reminds the audience to be aware they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story-telling, and works of metafiction directly or indirectly draw attention to their status as artifacts.[1] Metafiction is frequently used as a form of parody or a tool to undermine literary conventions and explore the relationship between literature and reality, life, and art.[2]
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Thursday, September 29, 2022
Welcome to the 1,558th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Giorgia Meloni
CPAC 2022 con Hermann Tertsch y Victor Gonzalez.
Vox España - CPAC 2022 con Hermann Tertsch y Victor Gonzalez.
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Commentary
I ordered a pair of percussion socks. I tried them on and by stimulating blood flow and being thermal they seem to be perfect for wearing on the plane where my feet always get cold.
I’ll have them on for a full day going.
But unwilling to put them on again without washing I ordered a second pair for the return trip.
They’ll be delivered on Friday.
I note that I started packing two months ago and I am still not done. Wow! It’s me, I know that much. But it brings me security.
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From the corner of an Old-School Anonymous Lefty
To the question of whether ‘Lefty’ supported Meloni:
No! At heart I am a Marxist and an advocate for demilitarization, world peace, and economic equalization.
Meloni and Biden are both extreme right wingers to me, with the addition that Biden is a war monger as well. He grew up to be Dick Cheney. Well, actually, he never grew up and he was always in the Bush-Cheney camp.
Meloni represents what happens when the EU implements neo-liberal economic policies on a continent and Biden represents what happens when the US implements neo-liberal polices in the world. Both depend on central domination and imperialism, couched in the guise of diversity, multiculturalism, equity, etc. (both for and against)
Meroni represents a reactionary right wing nationalism against Biden’s reactionary expansionist right wing, technocratic, militaristic imperialism. The context for both is a declining US economy.
As you have noted on your blog, we have to fix the economy. We CANNOT do that as long as the economy is dominated by a military-industrial complex. There can be no Green economy or fair economy unless there is peace. Peace comes from not making war, not making bombs, not making bullets.
We talk about taking away the right to bear arms but who gave these companies the right to make bombs?
The US choose war for us and choose war for Europe. The consequences of this are yet to be seen. But there will be no winners in this one.
Does that explain it 😊
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Dr. Mike shares: from Massachusetts Medical Society:
Homeless advocates, mental health professionals and public policy experts said the millions used for policing during that period could have been better spent on health and recovery services. “There would be so much scrutiny on $4 million if it were used transparently for services and couldn’t be as easily dismissed as a line item in a police department budget,” said Maggie Sullivan, a nurse practitioner at Boston Health Care for the Homeless. “That much money could make a really significant dent at Mass. and Cass. Who should ever wait for a detox bed if there’s $4 million to spare?”
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Health
In fifty years I’ve had no trouble with my teeth, not even a filling.
But I felt a sensitivity in a section of my gums and went to see the dentist.
She bonded a tooth.
A day after and the bonding seems to have been the right call.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“It always rains on tents.
Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds
for the opportunity to rain on a tent.”
~Dave Barry
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
For dinner on Monday I had my leftover Feijoada which I mixed with the last scoop of Beef and Chili I had bought from W Foods. It was delicious.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Wedding feast at Cana
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Short Essay
Giorgia Meloni (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒordʒa meˈloːni]; born 15 January 1977) is an Italian politician and journalist. A member of the Chamber of Deputies in Italy since 2006, she has led the Brothers of Italy (FdI) political party since 2014, and has been the president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party since 2020.
Meloni joined the Youth Front, the youth wing of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a far-right political party with neo-fascist roots, in 1992. She later became the national leader of Student Action, the student movement of National Alliance (AN), MSI's legal successor. She was a councillor of the Province of Rome from 1998 to 2002, after which she became the president of Youth Action, the youth wing of AN. In 2008, she was appointed Minister of Youth in the Berlusconi IV Cabinet, a role which she held until 2011. In 2012, she co-founded Brothers of Italy (FdI) and became its president in 2014. She took part in the 2014 European Parliament election in Italy, and in the 2016 Rome municipal election as a mayoral candidate; she was not elected in either election. After the 2018 Italian general election, she led FdI in opposition during the entire 18th Italian legislature, letting FdI grow its popularity in opinion polls, particularly during the Draghi Cabinet, in which FdI was the only opposition party. FdI was the most voted party in the 2022 Italian general election.
A right-wing populist and Italian nationalist, her political positions have been described as far-right, although she rejects this label. Meloni describes herself as a conservative Christian woman and claims to defend "God, homeland, and family". She is opposed to abortion, euthanasia, and to partnerships, marriages, and parenting by same-sex couples, stating that nuclear families are exclusively headed by male–female pairs. Opposed to the reception of non-European migrants and multiculturalism, she has been accused of xenophobia and Islamophobia. A supporter of NATO, she maintains soft Eurosceptic views regarding the European Union and was in favour of better relations with Russia before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, which she condemned, pledging to keep sending arms to Ukraine. She has expressed controversial views, such as praising Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in 1996 and Nazi collaborator and co-founder of MSI Giorgio Almirante in 2020.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Wednesday, September 28, 2022
Welcome to the 1,557th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
LaVerne and Shirley
Cast photo, 1976. Standing, L–R: Carole Ita White, Phil Foster, Eddie Mekka, Betty Garrett. Middle row, standing: Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams. Seated: Michael McKean, David Lander.
ABC Television - eBay item photo front photo back
1976 cast photo from the television program Laverne and Shirley. Standing, from left: Carole Ita White (Rosie Greenbaum), Phil Foster (Frank DeFazio), Eddie Mekka (Carmine Ragusa), Betty Garrett (Edna Babish). Middle row, standing: Penny Marshall (Laverne DeFazio), Cindy Williams (Shirley Feeney). Seated : Michael McKean (Lenny), David Lander (Squiggy).
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Commentary
So much work to do to get ready for trip.
Just Monday, I had two lessons in technology.
One is I had to capture in a format recognized by my blog platform all photos texted to me.
My technology friend chose the audio cable I needed for my super headphones. I ordered and received it. Today I installed it and reviewed all the buttons.
I needed a tooth bonded. Not immediately, except that the threat of a gum inflammation when I was in Japan was too terrible to face so I had to do it today.
Today I had to lift weights and submit to an agent and create a post and eat a meal designed to empty my freezer and refrigerator.
Had the news on to hear for myself that, as of October 11, Japan will no longer require visas for Americans.
Realized I should take a couple of flash drives with me. Got them and added them to my packing. Also changed my Packing List to include flash drives.
I worked on my restaurant and hotel schedule.
All the while hearing the tick tock: 18 days to go.
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Dr. Mike shares: from the Boston Globe:
City records show the popular Boston artificial turf field repeatedly failed shock absorption tests over the last three years, placing thousands of children who have been playing there at high risk for serious head injuries. It’s just one of scores of aging artificial turf fields in Boston and across the state and country that have not been regularly monitored and tested, despite warnings from experts.
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Writing
I’ve designed and completed a schedule of all the restaurants and all the hotels I will be patronizing. It ensures I capture every piece of information I will need, including destinations written out in Japanese for the benefit of taxi drivers who do not speak English. Most of them.
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Screen time
In a later episode of The Extraordinary Attorney Woo she shares her first kiss. I declared this to be the most anticipated, romantic, and loving kiss ever portrayed on any screen.
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Social Life
Am looking forward to spending lunch time with Cindy. Thursday I’ll see LouLou. Then I have no appointments yet until I leave for Japan.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants,
today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.”
~ Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
Two emails from the greatest restaurants in Japan, perhaps the world. They are not very welcoming.
The availability of an English version of this page does not guarantee that the restaurant can provide services in English unless otherwise stated. Please be aware that, even if stated, there may still be days when English speaking staff are unavailable.
*All seats at this restaurant are reserved by waiting list. Available dates are not made public. First, register the date you want to reserve on the waiting list. The concierge will confirm availability and contact you to let you know if you can make a reservation.
Blog meister responds: I write it off to the eccentricities that make the chefs willing to go to extraordinary lengths to produce great food.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
On Sunday I had a chicken cutlet served with asparagus and peas, and a bowl of clam chowder for an appetizer, And don’t forget delicious rice made in a newly purchased Rice Cooker. I used ½ stock and ½ water to cook the rice.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Eiffel Tower meet Kat, Dom’s daughter in Paris
Aw, she’s a cutie.
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Short Essay
Laverne & Shirley (originally Laverne DeFazio & Shirley Feeney)[1] is an American sitcom television series that played for eight seasons on ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley starred Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams as Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney, two friends and roommates who work as bottle-cappers in the fictitious Shotz Brewery in late 1950s Milwaukee, Wisconsin. From the sixth season onwards, the series' setting changed to mid-1960s Burbank, California. Michael McKean and David Lander co-starred as their friends and neighbors Lenny Kosnowski and Andrew "Squiggy" Squiggman, respectively; along with Eddie Mekka as Carmine Ragusa, Phil Foster as Laverne's father Frank DeFazio, and Betty Garrett as the girls' landlord Edna Babish.
Featuring regular physical comedy, Laverne & Shirley became the most-watched American television program by its third season; in total, it received six Golden Globe nominations and one Emmy nomination.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Welcome to the 1,556th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Galadriel the Teacher
The elf teaching men
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Commentary
Yippee!
On Saturday night I got an email from my restaurant concierge service.
My last open dinner has been reserved at another of Japan’s (and the world’s) greatest restaurants.
So my serious meals are in place.
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Social Life
I have two social events this week, plus a dentist visit on Monday.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“Camping is nature's way of promoting the motel business. ”
~ Dave Barry
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
From Tucker J:
Hi Dom,
If you don’t mind I’m really enjoying having something to write about every week as long as you don’t mind reading it.
Here’s the latest on Rings of Power
Blog meister responds: Wonderfully done. A great way to keep the players and scenes separated and clear.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
I’d forgotten how much I love Swordfish. I seared/broiled a piece for Saturday dinner. It was wonderful.
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Pictures with Captions from our community**
Touring Boston
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Short Essay
“Am I a peril?”
“No, you’re here to help.”
Five episodes ago, at the start of Rings of Power, Middle-earth was a land of isolationists. The Elves took on the role of protectors of the entire realm and because of that most of the humans they watched over resented them and kept their people separated. Even Númenor, literally isolated due to being an island harbored their own issues due to their history with the elves. The series presented a world where humans detested the watchful eyes of elves and in many cases, would prefer the unblinking eye of Sauron. The outliers in all this are the Dwarves and we get a microcosmic version of their race’s opinion of the Elves through Durin’s hurt feelings at his treatment by Elrond. A once fruitful friendship has been left to wither.
In “Partings”, the tensions between outsiders and locals are put on full display. Many characters throughout this episode make unpopular decisions, fueled by instinct, that are unpopular in their respective communities. Few reflect this theme better than Nori and The Stranger. Though Nori was raised by a tribe that actively avoids others for the dangers they might pose, her heart is open. It’s a beautiful character trait to have but The Harfoots are so rooted in their ways that they can’t understand her viewpoint. Nori’s faith in The Stranger’s appearance, assuring him he’s here to help, spells out Nori’s ways plain. Her belief is noble but how can she really know his purpose on Middle-earth when he himself is so lost?
The Brandyfoots may have more to do with Nori’s compassion than was readily apparent by welcoming The Stranger to their caravan. This storyline allows Director Wayne Che Yip to dazzle us visually with their migration from the Old Forest to the Grove, as we follow a path charted by where food grows most abundantly. Poppy’s mother’s walking song provides a beautiful soundtrack as we watch two wheelbarrows trek across the marshes. We see true warmth in the Brandyfoot family and how it radiates outward like a lit fireplace on a cold night.
Sadly, it is a very cold night and the Brandyfoot’s warmth can’t do much against the other Harfoot’s old ways. Malva wishes that they be banished unless The Stranger can prove he’s not a danger. He’s able to prove his quality with some heroics later in the episode but even saving Nori, Poppy, and Malva isn’t a clear path toward the positive. Nori sees that the magic The Stranger can create is wondrous but also out of his control. Her faith in him is tested and she can’t be sure which side she’ll come down on.
On Númenor, the Queen Regent has offered up her navy to protect the Southlands, yet another unpopular opinion this episode presents us with. Yet the idea of the people of Númenor going to war isn’t a bad idea to everyone. When Kemen tries to convince his father Pharazón to act, we’re treated to the greed at the hearts of so many men. Pharazón sees this war as an opportunity to unite the south and more importantly, take control of trade routes.
Like Pharazón, the High King Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker) has ulterior motives. Hoping to smooth things over, the tactful Gil-galad invites Durin to dinner so he can give him the third degree about what’s happening in Khazad-dum. Gil-galad and Celebrimbor come clean about their intentions: They know about the mithril, and it’s necessary for the survival of the Elves. Mithril contains the light of the Valar that keeps the Elves’ eternal souls healthy. If the Elves don’t get mithril soon, they must return to the Undying Lands or die on Middle-earth. Which begs the question: will they drive the Dwarves to dig “too greedily and too deep” and bare the wrath of the Balrog? Knowing the future of Moria the LOTR novels/films spell out makes these moments carry so much weight.
On the watchtower Ostirith, the Southlanders are as split as the Númenóreans. Half want to stay and fight in a Helm’s Deep scenario; the other will kneel to Adar, who, like Arondir, Galadriel, and The Stranger, is an outsider too. Adar displays his power before the Orcs, forcing them to hold their skin to the sunlight. He wishes they could experience the sun as he does, complicating his character with a layer of sorrow. He almost seems to regret his decision to become a Dark Lord, but his motivations and allegiances are shifty. He’s an Elf living among Orcs, but when he’s mistaken for Sauron by the barkeeper, he is appears upset about it.
After forcing the barkeeper to kill Rowan, in a harrowing example of Adar’s brutality, we return to the top of the Ostirith watchtower, where Arondir trains Theo on the bow. Arondir explains his connection to the people he was supposedly policing all these years. It’s a beautiful moment where a person who is considered an outsider by those around him knows more about them than they do. This episode hits that theme pretty hard and by its end we see that where there was once isolation, now there is collaboration. Rings Of Power asks its characters to choose between their heritage and friends. Should Elrond betray Durin for the sake of the Elves? Should Míriel listen to King Palantir and cancel the trip to Middle-earth? Lord Of The Rings remains skeptical of political maneuvering, emphasizing the importance of genuine community connection and friendships to guide these characters to the light.
Appropriately, “Partings” ends with us setting sail for Middle-earth, the Orcs marching to Ostirith, and Elrond and Durin heading back to the mines. Elrond chose friendship over heritage, appealing to the goodwill of another for the benefit of all. Still, Gil-galad’s hard stare reminds us the conspiracy isn’t entirely unmasked. The last few episodes set up a series of showdowns, and if we had to guess. the Harfoots are heading directly toward the middle of it all. Nori says that The Stranger is here to help. Let’s hope she’s right.
· Tucker
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
*Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Monday, September 26, 2022
Welcome to the 1,555th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Matcha Genmaicha
Loose Matcha Genmaicha tea.
No machine-readable author provided. Kyd assumed (based on copyright claims). - No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims).
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Commentary
Matcha Genmaicha (made of green tea and roasted rice) is full of antioxidants.
If consumed regularly, it can help boost your immune system and drain toxins from your body.
Green tea is a force against hypertension and may lower your blood pressure.
Drinking green tea on a regular basis may help lower your risk of developing heart disease.
The abundant nutrient L theanine in green tea promotes relaxation.
Matcha Genmaicha is the first tea I have ever loved.
I’ve tried to enjoy tea for many years, never happened. At best, I tolerated it.
This tea has a mild, grassy flavor with the nutty smell of brown rice.
It is much less acidic than most teas because of the starch from the brown rice.
Pronounce it: ‘gain my cha’.
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Dr. Mike shares: from SHIRA SCHOENBERG Sep 20, 2022
ONE OF GOV. Charlie Baker’s biggest initiatives that he attempted, but failed, to pass would have reoriented health care spending so a greater portion of health care spending went toward primary and behavioral health care, rather than specialty care.
Legislation that Baker sponsored would have required health care providers and payers to increase spending on primary and behavioral health care by 30 percent over three years compared to 2019 levels, while still staying under a health care benchmark that sets targets for total health care spending.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“I love the Olympics,
because they enable people from all over the world to come together and--
regardless of their political or cultural differences--
accuse each other of cheating.”
~Dave Barry, Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism!
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
Here are two different responses to my manuscript submissions. The first, a form letter:
Dear Dom,
Thank you so much for your interest in representation by Martin Literary Management. I regret that we’re unable to take you on as a client at this time. I receive hundreds of queries a month and as such must turn down many projects that might have great commercial potential.
Please know I personally read each query and that some of these rejections are based strictly on the subject of material, which may not be an appropriate fit for my interests. I have worked with many clients who endured long terms of rejection before they found the winning combination for themselves. They refused to give up, as I hope you will continue to do. Thank you again, and I wish you all the best in your publishing journey.
Best wishes,
Lindsay Guzzardo
Powered by QueryManager.com
And the second, a personal response from an agent who was attracted:
Dear Dom,
Thanks so much for sending along the sample pages of MYSTIC WARRIOR: REMIT TO HELL. I’m sorry to say, though, that I just wasn’t as completely drawn in by the material as much as I had hoped. What with my reservations, I’d better bow out. Thanks so much for contacting me, though! I really appreciate it and wish you the best of luck.
- Andrea
Andrea Somberg (she/her/hers)
Harvey Klinger Inc.
Blog meister responds: I’ll keep on truckin’.
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Genmaicha. See Commentary and Lead Picture and Short Essay.
Although these headphones are large to take, the plane ride is so long [17 hours there and 13 hours back] that major concern and planning for the flights is in order.
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Short Essay
Genmaicha (玄米茶, "brown rice tea") is a Japanese brown rice green tea consisting of green tea mixed with roasted popped brown rice. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as "popcorn tea" because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process and resemble popcorn, or as "people's tea", as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea, making it historically more available for poorer Japanese. Today all segments of society drink genmaicha. It was also used by people fasting for religious purposes or who found themselves to be between meals for long periods of time.
The sugar and starch from the rice cause the tea to have a warm, full, nutty flavor. It is considered easy to drink and to make the stomach feel better. Tea steeped from genmaicha has a light yellow hue. Its flavor is mild and combines the fresh grassy flavor of green tea with the aroma of the roasted rice. Although this tea is based on green tea, the recommended way to brew this tea is different: the water should be at about 80–85 °C (176–185 °F), and a brewing time of 3–5 minutes is recommended, depending on desired strength.
Genmaicha is also sold with matcha (powdered green tea) added to it. This product is called matcha-iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶) (lit. genmaicha with added powdered tea). Matcha-iri genmaicha has a similar flavor to plain genmaicha, but the flavor is often stronger and the color more green than light yellow.[citation needed]
In South Korea, a very similar tea is called hyeonminokcha (현미녹차; "brown rice green tea"), while the word hyeonmicha (현미차), which is a cognate of genmaicha, refers to an infusion of roasted brown rice in boiling water.
* The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Pictures with Captions from our community are photos sent in by our blog followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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It’s Sunday, September 25, 2022
Welcome to the 1,554th consecutive post to the blog
existentialautotrip.com
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Lead Picture*
Carrie Bradshaw
Screenshot of Carrie Bradshaw, portrayed by actress Sarah Jessica Parker, from the television series Sex and the City, Episode 1 (1.01): Sex and the City, originally aired on June 6, 1998. Copyright © 1998 Home Box Office, Inc.
DVD screenshot, Episode 1 (1.01).
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Commentary
They got their wish.
The rich are going to continue to get rich by emasculating working America.
The middle class will be legally forced to surrender their gains of the last couple of years to pay for the ‘defeat of inflation’.
Why are thepowers happier with the frighteningly long food lines that America endured until President Biden’s policies took effect?
So wrong.
So wrong.
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A Thought from Dr. Mike:
Massachusetts residents looking to get a jab of the new Moderna bivalent COVID-19 booster may have to wait a bit longer.
There is a “temporarily limited supply” of the vaccine shots nationally, as the Cambridge-based manufacturer ramps up its production of the latest booster batch, a spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health told Boston.com on Friday.
A post on the Northampton city website earlier this week stated DPH issued a notice on Monday about the shortage after orders for boosters slated to arrive that day were canceled unexpectedly.
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Chuckles and Thoughts
“I love the Olympics, because they enable people from all over the world to come together and--regardless of their political or cultural differences--
accuse each other of cheating.”
~Dave Barry, Boogers Are My Beat: More Lies, But Some Actual Journalism!
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Social Life
This week I have two dates that didn’t exist three days ago, on Tuesday and on Thursday.
That’s enough for me this week with Japan drawing closer.
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Mail and other Conversation
We love getting mail, email, or texts.
Send comments to domcapossela@hotmail.com
or text to 617.852.7192
Dad,
This might be a cute idea for the blog.
My daughter Kat is becoming a birder! She attends a group expedition every Monday. She sends along this link to Godwits and their migration.
BTW: She’s on vacay in Paris with her boyfriend Will.
Blog meister responds: Loved the article. Have a great time!
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Dinner/Food/Recipes
Kat’s boyfriend and I had dinner at Abe and Louie’s.
It was a great time and the food was predictably terrific.
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Short Essay*
Caroline "Carrie" Bradshaw is a fictional character from the HBO franchise Sex and the City, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker. Candace Bushnell created Carrie as a semi-autobiographical character for her column "Sex and the City" in The New York Observer, which was later compiled into the book Sex and the City and adapted into the television series. Parker reprised the role in the films Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2, and the HBO Max series And Just Like That... Bushnell also authored the young adult novels The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City featuring the character. The Carrie Diaries was adapted into a CW prequel series of the same name, with Carrie portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb.
In the SATC television series, Carrie is a columnist and fashionista based in New York City; her weekly column, "Sex and the City," provides the narration for each episode. When the series premiered, the character was praised by critics as a positive example of an independent woman in the vein of Mary Richards. However, retrospective analysis tends to place more emphasis on the character's repeated and often unrepentant infidelities, with many critics instead viewing her as narcissistic.
*The Blog Meister selects the topics for the Lead Picture and the Short Essay and then leans heavily or exclusively on Wikipedia to provide the content. The Blog Meister usually edits the entries.
**Community Pictures with Captions are sent in by our followers. Feel free to send in yours to domcapossela@hotmail.com
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