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Terrorist and Hezbollah commander Samir Kuntar... Tango Uniform
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Page 6: Politix
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-Short Attention Span Theater-
MSNBC's Brzezinski: Donald Trump Would Beat the Hilldebeest
[Daily Caller] MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski predicted that Donald Trump would be able to defeat Hillary Clinton in the general election because "he will do things that none of those candidates will do."

Friday on "Morning Joe," Brzezinski explained that "the Democratic Party has a problem if Trump wins the nomination."

NBC's "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd explained, "This Republican electorate is not into compromising right now. They want bright colors; they're not looking for nuance. And I think Rubio's trying to do nuance, because that's the way you would have done it before."

"And we'll see, maybe the voters when they go into the caucus, when they go into the polling booth in New Hampshire, they'll get a little more pragmatic," Todd suggested. "Maybe that will matter to them who matches up best against Hillary Clinton. But I don't see it right now. I think they want bold."
Posted by: Besoeker || 12/20/2015 06:17 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  If nuance = "Vote for me and I will screw you." Rubio is there...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 12/20/2015 11:47 Comments || Top||

#2  So now what? A president presiding over a dysfunctional government that is bankrupt govt?
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 12/20/2015 18:21 Comments || Top||


This Week in Books
Another week/weekend of guests, which is good, so I present a book I read as a child, and have purchased for my children, as a timely subject and potential gift.
Cathedral - The Story of Its Construction
David Macaulay
Sandpiper, 1981

I can only vaguely review this book, as it is highly visual. First, the author/illustrator according to the flap:

David Macaulay, long an admirer of Gothic cathedrals, takes us beyond emotion and enlarges our appreciation of the cathedral by explaining it in terms of structure and space.

His study of architecture at Rhode Island School of Design, several trips to France, and much careful research have enabled him to create a unique book.

Born in England, David Macaulay and his wife now make their home in New England. Besides doing freelance illustration and graphic design, he teaches an interior design course at the Rhode Island School of Design. Cathedral is his first book and a perfect combination of his own interests, talents, and enthusiasms.

His current whereabouts most likely have changed since that passage; his other books in this style include:
Castle
Town (Roman)
Pyramids

They are all fantastically illustrated. Using simple line drawing and shading, Mr. Macaulay captures shadows and textures. The illustration on page 55 depicting the construction of the vaulted ceiling is breathtaking in detail and composition. The accompanying text:

The carpenters then installed pieces of wood, called lagging, that spanned the space between the centerings. On top of the lagging supported the course of webbing until the mortar was dry. The webbing was constructed of the lightest possible stone to lesson the weight on the ribs. Two teams, each with a mason and a carpenter, worked simultaneously from both sides of a vault - installing first the lagging and then the webbing. When they met at the center the vault was complete. The vaulting over the aisle was constructed in the same way and at the same time.

At the link, an example of the drawing prowess of Mr. Macaulay can be seen on the cover art. Additionally there are plans and elevations which are both straightforward and informative.

Mr. Macaulay builds an imaginary cathedral. Although there may be specific projects with interesting developments and problems solved, this generic cathedral keeps it simple -- Amazon suggests ages 10-12 -- yet conveys that the steps illustrated in his book were applied to all Gothic cathedrals. I introduced this book to my daughter at age 4, and hough she didn't understand much of what I read to her, she loved the pictures. From the Preface:

The cathedral of Chutreaux is imaginary, but the method of its construction corresponds closely to the actual construction of a Gothic cathedral. The story of its almost uninterrupted construction, however, represents a somewhat ideal situation. For owing to either financial or structural problems or both, the completion of many such undertakings was delayed for as long as two hundred years.

There was a series of videos made based upon Mr. Macaulay's book series by PBS (1985, 60 minutes). They add storyline to the books as well as on-location descriptions and explanations by Mr. Macaulay himself, usually accompanied by a guest host.

I suggest the video if the book is for a youngster, and the video is adult friendly. It is an excellent book for the suggested age group, good for those who appreciate fine line drawing, and a solid coffee table book. Buck for the hard cover edition.

Also available is Underground, which I have not read, and a revised color edition of Cathedral which I am sure is fine, but for me there is something quite intriguing about excellent pen and ink.

At the request of moar sugar, I will present a bonus. A simple, well used recipe from last week's book The French Recipe Cookbook. No guarantees on a post next week, so if anyone has a book and the likely time, let me know in the comments.

Apple Tart - Tarte aux Pommes
2 lbs. medium cooking apples, peeled, quartered, and cored
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup fine sugar
4 tbsp. butter
3/4 pound shortcrust or sweet pastry
creme fraiche or lightly whipped cream, to serve

This can be made ahead of time and reheated. Also, if substituting pears, a sprinkle of cinnamon is good.

Cut each cooking apple quarter lengthwise into two or three slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar and toss to combine.

Try to keep pieces as uniform as possible.

Melt the butter in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat and add the apples. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 12 minutes until the apples are just golden brown. Remove the frying pan from the heat and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375F.

Two gotchas here. Do not burn the butter when melting it, and you will continue to cook your apples even though the heat is off. Me, I skip the next step by purchasing those pre-made pie crusts and the mix goes right onto the dough.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to a 12 inch round and trim the edge if uneven. Carefully transfer the pastry round to a baking sheet.

There is a recipe for the shortcrust/sweet pastry in the book, Page 249.

Spoon the apple slices onto the pastry round, heaping them up, and leaving a 2 inch border all around the edge of the pastry.

I drizzle any remaining liquids over the apples after the next step.

Turn up the pastry border and gather it around the apples to enclose the outside apples. Bake the tart for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and browned. Serve warm, with creme fraiche or cream.

The crust is just rolled up along the outside, leaving the apples exposed. Roll the dough like ocean waves as the circumference rolls over the top and back towards the center. Drizzle the juices, a sprinkling of cinnamon if desired. If you are handy in the kitchen and use a store-bought crust, thirty minutes from peeling to oven.
Posted by: swksvolFF || 12/20/2015 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


-Land of the Free
Sheriff Joe: Executive Order or Not, '€˜I'm Not Surrendering the Guns'
[Breitbart] On December 18, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio referenced President Obama's pending executive action on gun control and said executive order or not, guns will not be surrendered.

Arpaio talked with Breitbart News about a number of gun-related issues and indicated that an ongoing problem is that guns and gun control have become part of the "political situation." As a result, Democrats react to the criminal misuse of guns by grandstanding to punish law-abiding citizens with gun control.

The same thing happens after a terror attack, such as the one that took place in San Bernardino on December 2. Since then, Democrats have pushed to add the no-fly list to background checks, to expand background checks, to pass an "assault weapons" ban, and to institute and fund a national gun buyback.
Posted by: Besoeker || 12/20/2015 05:49 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Politix
Boyd, Trump and the OODA Loop
[TheFederalist] Air Force fighter pilot John Boyd's theory about confounding opponents with a constantly shifting battlefield applies to Donald Trump and all GOP aspirants.
Posted by: Grunter || 12/20/2015 11:51 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This fellow has got too much free time. I have never read so much gaseous bloviating in my life.
Posted by: Dale || 12/20/2015 16:04 Comments || Top||

#2  Very interesting article. I have been a student (and fan)of Boyd's OODA Loop for years. We use the OODA Loop unconsciously every day of our lives.

But from the 20,000 ft level, in politics, what does this accomplish? When the candidates, their staff, backers, and all their minions have the Great Dogfight (presidential and congressional elections), and one wins, fair, foul, or hook or by crook, what will he or she do then? We now have a bankrupt nation, with the leaches firmly ensconced in Washington, DC., how is the new president going to make change? How will he or she make this nation sustainable and strong?

Like it or not, this nation is heading for a crisis we cannot avoid. And for good or ill, it will be sorted out and resolved. Stout hearts, lads and lasses, the barometer is dropping we are heading for a storm.

Posted by: Alaska Paul || 12/20/2015 16:38 Comments || Top||

#3  We now have a bankrupt nation, with the leaches firmly ensconced in Washington, DC...

I think that's about right. There would be so much institutional resistance in the Federal hackerama, the only thing that would possibly fix it is 535 Ted Cruz's in Congress and as President. Even then, I wouldn't be 100% sure.
Posted by: Raj || 12/20/2015 16:57 Comments || Top||

#4  Raj---that is totally correct. The Congress makes the laws. If they have the lawmaking power, and they can use it wisely, they can start breaking up the entrenched bureacracy. It is a huge, long term project, and I think that the way it will go down is a massive default in the Federal govt.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 12/20/2015 18:19 Comments || Top||

#5  Strange tho. Cruz voted for TPA, in fact helped McConnell draft it, which enabled an up or down vote for TPP, which he sneakily voted against, which made his "conservative" creds, which further -- totally -- bankrupts the USA. Better check out the full background of these upstanding Senators.
Posted by: pyromancer76 || 12/20/2015 19:18 Comments || Top||

#6  That is the way typical congress critters act. The bill is a fait accompli with the votes, so the congress critter votes nay for show.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 12/20/2015 22:17 Comments || Top||



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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Seafarious
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Two weeks of WOT
Sun 2015-12-20
  Terrorist and Hezbollah commander Samir Kuntar... Tango Uniform
Sat 2015-12-19
  Yemen Government Forces Capture Capital of al-Jawf Province as Peace Talks Go on
Fri 2015-12-18
  Over 800 migrants try to storm Channel Tunnel in France: Official
Thu 2015-12-17
  30 Dead in Boko Haram Attack on Three Nigeria Villages
Wed 2015-12-16
  Top Saudi, UAE Commanders among 150 Forces Killed in Yemen Tochka Attack
Tue 2015-12-15
  Breaking: L.A. School District shut down due to credible terror threat
Mon 2015-12-14
  40 die in Damascus airstrikes
Sun 2015-12-13
  Gambia now an Islamic republic, says President
Sat 2015-12-12
  US sez 3 ISIS Top Dawgs die in airstrikes
Fri 2015-12-11
  North Korea claims it has hydrogen bomb; experts skeptical
Thu 2015-12-10
  37 killed in Taliban siege at Khandahar airport
Wed 2015-12-09
  Daesh loses large part of Ramadi
Tue 2015-12-08
  Clash among the supporters of Taliban chief and Mullah Rasool leaves 24 dead
Mon 2015-12-07
  Yemen's Aden governor killed in car bombing claimed by Islamic State
Sun 2015-12-06
  AQIM shares responsibility for Mali hotel killings

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