Saturday, November 20, 2010

Rare Color Photos From Imperial Russia

Emir of Bokhara, 12910
I was looking through the Huffington Post website today and they had a series of photos taken between 1900-1915 in Imperial Russia and in color. The images are startling. Here is a link to see the slideshow. Go take a look. It is an extraordinary opportunity to see these images.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Republicans block extension of Unemployment Benefits

Yes, that's right. While shouting out that they can't authorize this extension of unemployment benefits because it will increase the deficit, Republicans hypocritically push for extension of tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that would add $700,000,000 to the federal deficit. Is there anyone else out there who thinks that there is something radically wrong here? 

This from Alan Grayson, D-FL:

"I think it's a sad moment," said Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) after the vote. "It appalls me that the Republicans keep pitching and pitching and pitching the tax cuts for the rich and won't join in a bill to help people keep their homes and not have to live in their cars." 

As I write this, the bile is rising in my throat. The hypocrisy, corruption and plain inhumanity of these creatures is simply revolting.  

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Republicans Block A Vote On The Paycheck Fairness Act

Senate Republicans have once again shown that they are firmly in the pocket (more like firmly up the a$$) of big business by blocking a vote on the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that would assure that women are subjected to a payscale that is unequal to men. The Republicans have said that it would lead to "excessive litigation on to the small-business community." "This bill appears to go way beyond the Lilly Ledbetter Act and I am concerned what the impact would be, said Senator Susan Collins, R-ME (equally paid as much as her Senate counterparts and therefore couldn't give a rat's a$$). 

If the business are concerned that there might be excessive litigation then they had better be sure that they are not discriminating against women when paying them for the same work as men.

Really people... when will all Americans be treated equally? In another 235 years? 500 years? Never? Caramba!

If you stupid women in Maine want to vote for a woman who hates her gender so much that she will vote for a system that requires women to work harder than men for the same pay then you fools deserve what you get, but don't foist this witch and her backward reactionary ideas about equality on the rest of us.

Today in repressed religious countries

I was just going through my "stats" for the House Party web site and I found an entry for a recent visitor from Jidda, Saudi Arabia. The entry also showed that person downloaded the photo to the left. Figures, doesn't it? These guys, who live in a country where women are respected less than their livestock; where women are hidden behind yards of (I would assume) searingly hot fabric, download photos of women with massive knockers from gay-themed web sites. 

How peculiar!

Today's "Crab" Session

I'm a big fan of food. (Someone's put sodium pentothol in Frenchy's afternoon Old Fashioned again!) Not just eating it but preparing it talking about it and watching folks on the TV preparing it. What I find aggrivating is watching these guys on TV telling you about this "great recipe" that you "must try" and then giving you a recipe that calls for Ceylonese monkey nuts or shredded orchid petals or something that you would never have in your house and even if you did go out and buy some, it comes in a package that you wouldn't use up in 3 lifetimes. Why can't they give us recipes that use things that we might already have in our fridge? 

Can someone please send me a recipe that calls for these items from my fridge? 2 slices of smoked turkey, 1 container of Chobani pineapple yougurt, a bottle of Cholula sauce, 1/3 bottle of queen-sized (go figure) olives (minus two for tonight's martini) and a 1/2 bottle of Tio Pepe sherry?

If Ted Allen, Alex Guarnischelli, Donatella Arpaia, Bobby Flay or Cat Cora can make something out of that I'd be impressed!

Can't wait to see this!

Growing up I was a great fan of reading comic books. Not the Marvel comics like X-Men (although I do like that Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in the movies), Spiderman, Hulk, etc. , but DC (Detective) comics. Those would be  Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Justice League, Green Hornet (my similar "can't wait to see it when the movie comes out " gush is here) and of course my very favorite Green Lantern (green being my favorite color). I mean... what growing-up-gay boy could resist that tight, form-fitting suit, the square-jawed superhero and of course the fact that his powers come from jewelry? Well not me!

Next summer we are going to be treated to Ryan Reynolds putting on the power ring and becoming Green Lantern, one of the Guardians of the Universe. I have seen the latest trailer and the movie looks fantastic. Any of you gurls want to go see it with Frenchy? Let me know in the "Comments" section.

Check it out!

Anne with a jar of Aunty Frenchy's "Not-Quite-Kosher" Dill Pickles
I had the good fortune to be called by a dear friend of Frenchy's House Party who you may remember from an earlier post (Anne Levine's Ham Toss). Anne has a really fun radio show at 12:00am Tuesday (Monday-Tuesday) on WOMR in Provincetown called, oddly enough, "Anne at Night". She discusses all kinds of things in a terrific chat-style format that makes you feel as though you are having a great conversation with a couple of old friends. Anne is joined in the show by her most lovely friend Mike Hall and together they charm the pants off of you for a couple of hours. You should really try to catch the show if you can. Don't worry, they do have a "stream" that goes up on Tuesday for those of us who have to go to bed early for work the next day. 

Anyway, Anne called and asked if I would like to chat for a bit for the show. I said that I would and we talked about a whole spectrum of things; DADT, DOMA, old sayings, eating out, pickles, and of course Thanksgiving. I really did have a great deal of fun. Now you can enjoy the conversation too. Here is a link to the audio stream and our chat begins around the 1 hour 17 minute mark, although if you have the time listen to the whole show. It is a panic.

I'll let you know when my agent, Izzy Blattberg of Kronmann, Silverstein, Fetter and Doyle, hammers out a deal to appear regularly. In the meantime... Go... listen... enjoy!

Fun Photos

A few of my faves:

I think this is hilarious.

The one in the "occasion sweater" should be carrying the sign from above.

This young man has more than cupcakes on his mind...

Frenchy as a child... Mama has a lot to answer for.

Dreams from my diet

This photo is from a postcard I bought at The Liberace Museum in Las Vegas. It has a recipe for Liberace's Sticky Buns on the back. Send a message to Frenchy's House Party if you'd like the recipe. Post your request in the comments section and I will get it right out to you.

After the explosion at the Vatican's Meth Lab...

This is where pumpkin pies come from