...an Elephant is Soft and Mushy.

(apologies to Sam Gross)

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We're all blind men describing the elephant

and all my fellow letter writers have important facets of the truth to share. My candidate for underappreciated facet of this worldwide f.u.b.a.r. is the absolutely uninhibited lack of any ethical brakes on the juggernaut of post-Reagan "Masters of the Universe" capitalism. Along with creativity, a mindblowing stimulus package, and a truckload of good luck, we need a new Edmund Burke or a Frank Capra to teach us all over again that we must protect our civilization from the anarchy of thoughtless greed. Ethics is not that difficult; it's simply the reprioritization of the other over the self, of the future over the present, and of personal sacrifice over convenience whenever it helps the helpless.

-- Chris Deignan

@ JT_Lancer...

Young man, I have noticed you, and deemed you worthy of attention. Now please stop barking, take the pencils out of your nose and SIT DOWN.

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It's a good thing that those evil capitalists risked their own capital to build a development that provided you a place to live...

-- JT_Lancer

...I lived in a development that was built between 1923 and the mid-40's or so. Some wealthy RE developer bought a chunk of land on Long Island's gold coast, and named all the streets after Presidents of the United States.

Conspicuous in it's absence was, (can you guess?) Roosevelt Street.

(By the way, this fact was well-known to neighborhood historians, and it was not an accident.)

What a petty dipshit. No surprise, of course.

Yeah, you're right... it's kind of like yelling at a dog for barking.

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THIS is all it takes to stoke lib outrage?

Better tone up those jerking knees, fellas. Hey, I heard someone was groping a cardboard cutout of Hillary down the street...wait, he could be a Democrat. Never mind...

-- rattlerd

...was during an hour stop-over at LAS while taking a redeye from Oakland back home to NY. It was about 11:30PM, and the airport was cheesy, dirty, creepy- filled with cigarette smoke, slot machines, two-bit gangsters, rumpled obese buisnessmen and an assortment of other ragged souls.

I wish to get no closer.

"How do we know that these "Jesus jackers" aren't Biblical literalists on a crusade against the idolatrous worship of images?"

...or the rebellious adolescent spawn of obnoxious Bible-thumpers?

It is so easy to feel lonely here in the USA as things are. If any of you are out there and are truly lonely and miserable about it, please consider these possible remedies:

Go to a religious institution of your choice- Many Salonistas have expressed little regard for organized religion, but please consider that many go for the social interaction and sense of community, in addition to, or not, meeting spiritual needs. Most houses of worship have much to offer to a lonely person.

Not religous?

If you have never set foot in a Unitarian Universalist fellowship, then please open your mind and do so. See all the people who come to be changed, who seek, who truly appreciate a space where they are not force-fed dogma, but who are encouraged to take responsibility for their own spiritual growth. Listen to an inspiring sermon, tune in to the kid's story hour, listen to some lovelyt music (UU's LOVE music!) grab a blue (in many fellowhips, to identify one's self as a newbie) mug at coffee hour and talk to people. UU's are nothing if not gregarious. Look around you. Chances are, you will see others wearing a mask of lonliness, and you may be inexplicably drawn to each other. Go to UU during non-worship events, too. If you can sing, even if you think you can't, join the choir. Volunteer for something. Someone will find something useful for you to do, believe me.

That is how we build intentional community. Take part, and build your own beloved community.

...How does he make his hair do that?

First, some great pie tips and ideas:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01E6DC173EF936A25752C1A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2

I made a home-made pumpkin pie this morning for a dear friend across the street who is, unfortunately, quite ill. I used the article linked above for inspiration (I actually made the brandied pumpkin chestnut pie last year- it is to DIE for!).

The key is to get a good fresh sugar (pie) pumpkin, and like it says in the article, cut it into chunks and roast it in a 400deg oven. The sugars caramelize beautifully, and the excess moisture problem is eliminated.

I also took a tip from a prior letter (Thanks!!), and made a praline paste to press into the bottom of the (pre-baked) pie shell, first.

My version for the filling:

(You will need about 2lb of fresh pie pumpkin or butternut squash)

2 cups mashed roasted pumpkin chunks

8 oz heavy cream

4 oz. half-and-half

6 eggs (5 if large)

3/4tsp salt

1/4 c sorghum molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (sorry- it was all I had!)

1 tsp vanilla

Put everything but the pumpkin into a blender, and give it a good whirl until the molasses is dispersed. Next, add the pumpkin a little at a time. Pour into a pre-baked shell of your choice, top with pecan pieces and a sprinkle of coarse turbinado sugar (if you like). Bake in a slow oven 300deg or so, for about an hour.

Pour the remaining filling into an oven-proof dish and bake with the pie and serve to the crustophobes.

Enjoy, and Blessings to all of Salon-dom this lovely holiday season!