Yeah...and there you thought Stephen King was SCARY.
Still staying up late so you don't have to...lol!
The interviews were conducted town hall style, which was nice. Show-cased the candidates well.
First up was John Kasich. As the GOP contenders go...he was the most sane (normal) person representing them. It is the party's bad luck that this guy didn't have a stronger following. He could have won them the election. Although I don't agree with all his politics (especially the cuts to Social Security and Medicare)...if I were in a position to have to pick a Republican, it would have to be this guy.
Next was Ted Cruz. What can you say about Ted? Ted would like this country to be a theocracy, assuming it is HIS religion that runs it. See the problem here? Ted's talking point last night was how he was going to MOVE the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Said it would "Send a Strong Message". Damn what anyone else thought. Acceptable Risks and all that. It is amazing how risks are ACCEPTABLE when it isn't your ass..or your kid's ass on the line.
Next.
Donald Trump. What can I possibly say about this Narcissist that he hasn't already said about himself, eh? The most revealing moment of his time was when he was asked point blank if he would tell his supporters to NOT resort to violence...and he danced around the question and said he didn't have that kind of influence with them...with a grin that suggested he knew completely otherwise. Oh, and continually whining about how UNFAIR things are. Apparently, he didn't get that memo about Life. Remember, this is the guy that promises rioting in the streets if he doesn't get the nomination.
Moving on...
Then there was Hillary. Not quite as strident as she has been in former debates. The main takeaway from her speech was that she was Pro-Israel. To hear her talk you would think she was The Jew on the stage instead of Bernie. Seriously. And smiling all the while she talked about war...war...war...to borrow a phrase she used at the last Debate... "BASTA" War may make you and your rich friends a lot of money...all it makes the rest of us is lifetime enemies, grow-your-own terrorists, and dead sons and daughters.
Last was Bernie. And I am glad he got the last word...really I am. The biggest takeaway for me was when This Elderly Democratic Socialist Jew has the audacity to not just suggest, but say out loud, that both Israel and Palestine have a right to their separate States, and that he favors a Two-State Solution. Seriously, you could have heard a pin drop.
I applaud him.
In World News: ISIS Claims another terrorist attack. This time, three bombings in Brussels. This is the 70th attack they have claimed now world-wide. I know it is belaboring a point but it was a very very very bad idea to overthrow/remove several of the Middle East Dictators who kept all this crap in check. Just saying.
This week is another flurry of Primaries and Caucuses...with several strong Bernie wins predicted. The Rally Turnouts have been YUGE.
Rallies from Arizona, Washington, Utah and Idaho
So, a lot of people "Feeling the Bern"
I am hopeful.
Nicole sending me a shot of her Registration and letting me know that both she and James (...my usually apolitical eldest off-spring...) will be voting for Bernie in our May Primary. There IS hope! Even James has voiced that he realizes how we can't possibly allow Trump to become POTUS.
He and Nicole already reaping the first delicious harvests of Spring. No...no mushrooms yet. But an entire day spent sans children:
Gone Fishin'
Nicole's first ever catfish!
And James with their day's catch
Catfish! It's WHAT'S for Dinner!
Skinned and fileted, some fried right then, some frozen- and even some portions frozen for ME!
You guys ROCK!!!
I see fried Catfish, hushpuppies, coleslaw, sweet tea and maybe a peach cobbler in my near future.
Easter Catfish?
Nicole finished turning up the garden today...soon we commence to plant to cool weather crops. So excited!
A Trip to Cox's Nursery is in order soon!
Should have a list by Thursday.
Perfect Timing, Easter and all... because my Chocolate from Portugal finally arrived.
Slowly experiencing chocolate from all over the world.
You would be amazed at the differences!
Sampled a Square from each (except the white...Idgy is the White Chocolate Connoisseur...so I am tucking that tablet Chocolate Brancho (bar) in her Spring package for her take on it).
Chocolate Cereais: Kind of like a Nestle's Crunch Bar only thicker and way way way more crunchies (crisped rice) and very sweet milk chocolate surrounding them. Let Chris try this and he LOVED it!
Chocolate Amendoas: Basically milk chocolate (once again- very sweet) Sweeter than ours. Almost too sweet. And the almonds are chopped into tiny pieces and distributed throughout the entire bar. I preferred this approach. Very good!
Chocolate Leite: Just your basic milk chocolate...but much much sweeter than the American version. Too sweet by itself. Dipping it in Peanut Butter seemed to help.
Chocolate Negro: Dark Dark Chocolate. Although the label says no less that 50%...this was probably closer to 80%-90% Very little sugar. Tastes a lot like Baker's Squares. Needs more sugar. Will be great to bake brownies with, though!
And,although I said I would never ever sit through one again...I watched a Portuguese Bullfight. Completely different than the ones in Spain. Both the Bull and the Matador (matadors) survive. Every time. Instead of barbed barrillos they have a velcro mat on the bull's shoulders and the barillos have flat velcro heads. It annoys the bull...the barillos flopping about...but no blood shed.
Referred to as a Bloodless Bullfight...it is actually almost a comedy. With one really annoyed bull with wrapped horns to prevent any goring. Velcro barillos, and a team of bullfighters known as a Suicide Squad. Usually 8 or nine of them working as a team to fight the bull to a standstill. More difficult than one would imagine...after all we are talking 2000 pounds of pissed off Pot Roast. The bull gets a sporting chance, and is not killed. The matadors get tossed, mashed, and roughed up a lot, but not gored. A win is when/if they fight the bull together to a standstill and one of the matadors grabs the bull's tail and the rest of them release the bull. The matador is pulled water-ski fashion behind the angry bull for several feet. Then the crowd cheers. The event is over. The matadors probably soak their beaten and battered body in Epsom Salts that night and the bull returns to his stall...probably eats a good meal...settles down and probably wonders about the fool humans who he has tossed about for the day. Maybe he tells his bull buddies how he kicked their asses.
Portugal has outlawed the killing of Bulls in bullfights since 1928 and I think that is wonderful.
Working on my landscape painting tonight...and (obviously) anxiously awaiting the Primary returns.
Go Bernie!
More Anon...
