Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Call it HR 1388, Call it DOCID: fr04fe09-106 FR Doc E9-2488 Whatever you call it, we were never told until AFTER the action. . . by Gennai Zazzen on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 9:33am


Federal Register: February 4, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 22)
DOCID: fr04fe09-106 FR Doc E9-2488
Presidential Documents
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
NOTICE: Part II
DOCID: fr04fe09-106
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:

[[Page 6115]]
Presidential Determination No. 2009-15 of January 27, 2009

Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related To Gaza
Memorandum for the Secretary of State
By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Act, that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act in an amount not to exceed $20.3 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for the purpose of meeting unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, related to humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza.
You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.


(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, January 27, 2009
[FR Doc. E9-2488
Filed 2-3-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P


SUMMARY:
Presidential Documents

DOCUMENT BODY:
[[Page 6115]]
Presidential Determination No. 2009-15 of January 27, 2009

Unexpected Urgent Refugee and Migration Needs Related To Gaza
Memorandum for the Secretary of State
By the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 2(c)(1) of the Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (the ``Act''), as amended (22 U.S.C. 2601), I hereby determine, pursuant to section 2(c)(1) of the Act, that it is important to the national interest to furnish assistance under the Act in an amount not to exceed $20.3 million from the United States Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for the purpose of meeting unexpected and urgent refugee and migration needs, including by contributions to international, governmental, and nongovernmental organizations and payment of administrative expenses of Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration of the Department of State, related to humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees and conflict victims in Gaza.
You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.


(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, January 27, 2009
[FR Doc. E9-2488
Filed 2-3-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P

What's next before the Muslims take over? HR 1388 PASSED by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 17, 2011 at 9:00am

Whether you are an Obama fan, or not, EVERYONE IN THE U.S. Needs to know.... H.R. 1388 was passed, behind our backs.   You may want to read about it...It  wasn't mentioned on the news... Just went by on the ticker tape at the bottom of the CNN screen...Obama funds $20M in tax payer dollars to immigrate Hamas Refugees to the USA . This is the news that did not, and will not, make the headlines.
By executive order, President Barack Obama has ordered the expenditure of $20.3 million in "migration assistance" to the Palestinian refugees and "conflict victims" in Gaza .. The "presidential determination" (ain't that nice?) which allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians with ties to Hamas to resettle in the United States , was signed and appears in the Federal Register. Few on Capitol Hill, or in the media, took note that the order provides a free ticket replete with housing, transportation and food allowances to individuals who have displayed their overwhelming support to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the parliamentary election of January 2006.
Now we learn that he is allowing thousands of Palestinian refugees to move to, and live in, the US at American taxpayer expense. These important, and insightful, issues are being "lost" in the blinding bail-outs and "stimulation" packages. Doubtful?  To verify this for yourself:    www.thefederalregister.com/d.p/2009-02-04-E9-2488

YOU MUST PASS THIS ON...    AMERICA NEEDS TO  KNOW... Friends,  WE are losing this country at a rapid pace.


Don't know whether you've seen this one before, but it's well written and argued by a man with clean insight and common sense. by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 17, 2011 at 9:45am


  When Will Obama crack in Public?   Posted: April 19, 2011         by Mychal Massi

With these being among the kinder rebukes being directed at Obama, and with people becoming less intimidated by his willingness to use race as a bludgeon, with falling poll numbers in every meaningful category and an increasingly aggressive tea-party opposition – how much longer before he cracks completely?  McCann continued: "[His] performance was the culmination of four years of outright lies and narcissism that have been largely ignored by the media, including some in the conservative press and political class who are loath to call [him] what he is in the bluntest of terms: a liar and a fraud. That he relies on his skin color to intimidate, either outright or by insinuation [against] those who oppose his radical agenda only add to his audacity. It is apparent that he has gotten away with his character flaws his entire life, aided and abetted by sycophants around him. ..."  , April 15, 2011).  Steve McCann wrote: Obama's speech "was chock full of lies, deceit and crass fear-mongering. It must be said that [he] is the most dishonest, deceitful and mendacious person in a position of power I have ever witnessed" ("The Mendacity of Barack Obama," AmericanThinker.com Today, criticism is coming from all sides. A senior Democrat lawmaker said, "I have been very disappointed in [Obama], to the point where I'm embarrassed that I endorsed him. It's so bad that some of us are thinking, is there some way we can replace him? How do you get rid of this guy?" ("Democrats' Disgust with Obama," The Daily Beast, April 15, 2011)  But during an afternoon speech to address the budget/debt, he took his scornful, unstable despotic behavior to depths that should give the nation cause for concern. Displaying a dark psychopathy more representative of an episode of "The Tudors" television series, he invited Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to sit in the front row during his speech and then proceeded to berate both Ryan and Ryan's budget-cutting plan. Even liberal Democrats were put off by the act. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough questioned the sanity of Obama's actions.  It appeared, at that time, as if he were "fraying around the emotional edges." That behavior has not abated – it has become more pronounced. While addressing the nation, after being forced to explain the validity of his unilateral aggression with Libya , America witnessed a petulant individual scowling and scolding the public for daring to insist he explain his actions.  At that time, I wrote that not having things go one's way can be a bitter pill, but reasonable people don't behave as he was behaving. He had insulted Republicans at their luncheon, where he had been an invited guest. I had speculated that was, in part, what had led him to falsely accuse Supreme Court justices before Congress, the nation and the world, during the 2010 State of the Union address.   I wrote that it was beginning to appear the growing mistrust of him and contempt for his policies was beginning to have a destabilizing effect on him.  Obama continues to exhibit behavior that, at best, can be described as mobocratic and, at worst, reveals a deeply damaged individual. In a February 2010 column, I asked,  The American people have been sacrificing; it is he and his family who are behaving as if they've never had two nickels to rub together – and now, having hit the mother lode, they're going to spend away their feelings of inadequacy at the taxpayers' expense.  Expensive, ill-fitting and ill-chosen wigs and fashions hardly befit the first lady of the United States . The Obamas have behaved in every way but presidential – which is why it's so offensive when we hear Obama say, in order "to restore fiscal responsibility, we all need to share in the sacrifice – but we don't have to sacrifice the America we believe in."  The Obamas behave as if they were sharecroppers living in a trailer and hit the Powerball, but instead of getting new tires for their trailer and a new pickup truck, they moved to Washington . And instead of making possum pie, with goats and chickens in the front yard, they're spending and living large at taxpayer expense – opulent vacations, gala balls, resplendent dinners and exclusive command performances at the White House, grand date nights, golf, basketball, more golf, exclusive resorts and still more golf. In the 1950's they called it acting (NIGGER RICH) At a time when many Americans can barely afford Burger King and a movie, Obama boasts of spending a billion dollars on his re-election campaign. Questioned at a recent appearance about the spiraling fuel costs, Obama said, "Get used to it" – and with an insouciant grin and chortle, he told another person at the event, who complained about the effect high fuel prices were having on his family, to "get a more fuel-efficient car." 
The coming months of political life are not going to be pleasant for Obama. Possessed by a self-perceived palatine mindset, that in his mind places him above criticism, how long before he cracks in public? Can America risk a man with a documented track record of lying and misrepresenting truth as a basic way of life, who is becoming increasingly more contumelious?




Mychal Massie is chairman of the National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives-Project 21 – a conservative black think tank located in Washington, D.C. He was recognized as the 2008 Conservative Man of the Year by the Conservative Party of Suffolk County , N.Y. He is a nationally recognized political activist, pundit and columnist. He has appeared on Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN, NBC, Comcast Cable and talk radio programming nationwide. A former self-employed business owner of more than 30 years, Massie can be followed at 
                                             http://mychal-massie.com/premium/



"Is Obama unraveling?" I wonder. . .

Excerpt from the "Back of the Moon Chronicles" - June 16,2011 Husband of the Year Awards by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 17, 2011 at 3:14pm

The 6th place goes to: The United Kingdom



followed closely by...The United States of America in 5th Place.

 
 
and then...Poland is in 4th Place position.

 

                                          3rd Place must go to...Greece



 
 
It was very, very close, but the 2nd place prize was given to. . . Serbia  
 
 
The 1st Place Award goes to The Irish who are true romantics. Look, he's even holding her hand... 

Back of The Moon Chronicles - June 6, 2011 @ 11:25 am by Gennai Zazzen on Monday, June 20, 2011 at 4:01pm Monday, June 6, 2011, 11:25 AM [General]

Saturday, I kayaked 8 miles on the river. It was a gorgeous day! My left shoulder was very painful and weakened quickly, but I stuck to it and made it home in record time, 1hr 45 mins. I did find my focus shifting a bit into unwanted territory, but I did manage to ward off the blues! I can still hear my patient's words to me... 'If I die before you get back, I want you to know that I'll be thinking of you and Ellen (my co-worker).'. I felt a bit wary of leaving her then, but she said that I could go and she would see me later. I never did. She died later that day and yet though she was physically gone, I can still feel her presence somehow. When I am tired, I can feel a hand touch my shoulder or I hear a wavery voice calling my name, her voice. She haunts me, but in a good way. I do miss her. I suppose I always will.


. . . forevermore . . .

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Excerpt from "Back of The Moon Cronicles" - June 20, 2011 - Mission Impossible by Gennai Zazzen on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 11:08am


Came home the hard way. I was drifting down river and met up with some real red-necks. The three fellows were on their small craft/boat drinking and thought that harassing a female relaxing on her kayak was  entertainment. I did not even realize the danger until I felt someone grab my leg right above the knee! I did not look to see who it was as I rolled off the side, capsizing my craft. I grabbed the small bow line and pulled it away as I swam. Those three creeps could not tell where I was until I righted the thing and took off toward shore. They were quite rowdy and I was not very certain, but that they might follow. Fortunately a couple on their boat were approaching my location at a fast enough speed to disturb these wackos.They saw the approaching vessel, revved up their engine and took off south at high speed.  Needless to say my mission to daydream was a Mission Impossible today! One good thing though! I met a really very nice married couple. I sat on their deck talking to them until I was certain those men had put enough distance between us. I changed my course, and paddled north back to Dutchman's Landing.
I was so much enjoying the sensation of just lying there floating south, eyes closed.   Feeling nothing but the hot sun and a light cool breeze upon my skin. My extremities as well as my hair were trailing in the cold water. Just floating..... Oh, well! I will try again Wednesday morning. Wish me luck!
Greenland kayak just purchased this year! Yea!!!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Zen Archery (a story told to me 39 years ago) by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:49am

 A young Japanese archer took great pride in the excellence of his marksmanship with a bow and arrow. Having read a lot of pithy Zen stories and received some basic training on mindfulness, he soon came to the conclusion that he was a true master of archery. So he decided to travel to a remote mountain monastery in order to challenge an old Zen master, who was reputed to have once possessed great skill with a bow and arrow.
After having arrived at this monastery he eventually managed to persuade the old Zen master to compete against him. The old man was reluctant to accept this challenge, as he had not touched his bow in many years. He first had to dust and wax his bow before testing its pliancy, then gently brush the cobwebs away from his quiver and arrows.

The young archer set up a straw target at eighty paces. He drew back the string of his lethal-looking bow, and released an arrow that sped straight into the central eye of the target. Then, notching and shooting a second arrow, he managed to split the shaft of his first arrow along its entire length. With great pride in his prowess he turned to the old man and said, “Now let me see what you can do.”

Instead of notching an arrow the old master beckoned the youth to follow him. Leading the way up a steep and narrow path they eventually arrived at the top of a narrow gorge with sheer walls. A long and springy pine trunk bridged the top of this chasm, while far below two hundred feet of vertical cliff faces enclosed the turbulent roar of a mountain river, with sharp rocks protruding above the chaos of its thundering white waters. The old man stepped lightly onto the narrow pine trunk and walked briskly to its middle. He calmly strung his bow, drew an arrow from the quiver behind his shoulder, notched it, and then let it fly straight into the trunk of a tall and distant pine tree.

The young archer felt his heart rise to his throat when he saw how the pine trunk on which the old man stood was bouncing from the momentum of his bow-shot. He could hardly even bear to look as he felt the paralyzing spasms of vertigo seizing control of his body. His stomach churned, his ears rang from dizziness, and the dark shadow of oblivion was threatening to eclipse his consciousness. The old man stepped lightly back from the narrow pine bridge and said, “Now let’s see what you can do. Can you split my arrow from the middle of the pine bridge, or shall I do it for you?”

By now the young archer was on the verge of feinting, with a complete lack of control over every nerve and muscle in his body. He could not take one step towards that pine bridge, which was still quivering ominously. With trembling hands he grasped the old man’s shoulders and pulled him back from the edge of the precipice. Then he fell limply to the ground, his trembling body hunched in fetus posture, his heart and soul drained of all the strength, courage, pride and certainty that he always believed were his.

When the young archer had regained a bit more control and composure, the old man said to him: “You certainly have great skill with the bow and arrow. But you seem to have very little skill with the mind that controls these weapons. This is a dangerous predicament for an archer, especially when he has to face the reality of war, where violence can arise upon any kind of terrain and under any conditions. Pride, anger and fear are the inner enemies of every warrior. I have trained many young archers, and those who were afflicted with pride always tended to end up making me their target. When their arrow hit the mark they would always praise their own skill, but when the arrow went amiss they always blamed the straightness of the arrow.”

The young man remained at the monastery for the rest of his days, though he no longer thought of himself as an archer or a master. In the course of time the old Zen master died and the younger man became his successor. Two unstrung bows and quivers of arrows still stand against the back wall of the monastery’s storeroom, where the dust and cobwebs of many years have settled thickly upon them.


Back of the Moon Chronicles - Wednesday, June 22, 2011 by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 24, 2011 at 11:44am

Watched a couple of whitetail deer crossing the Hudson River just north of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge in the early morning mist. They were headed toward Thompson's Island. I was sitting in my kayak just soft paddling  under the bridge south to VanNorden's Bay 5 miles away.  I can feel nothing but the emptiness of the sky above me and the power of the river beneath my keel. Someone is calling from a passing canoe. I see a wave of a hand. I waved back. I rolled over. drenching myself totally. I would NOT recommend doing this too often in the Hudson River. PC-B's are still active here. I forgot 'cause I love to roll my kayak. Oh, well, we all have to die sometime. I just got my lethal dose!!! :(
whitetail deer swimming across river
http://blog.epa.gov/blog/category/cleanup/hudsonpcbs/

Excerpt from - "Back of The Moon Chronicles " by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, June 24, 2011 at 1:39pm

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 -

"LUCY!, I'M HOOmme!!" ...and so I have returned! After being on the go from 2009 to present day, I have found that using SPARKPEOPLE.com has been next to impossible for me with my hectic schedule.Today, I perused the exercise plans posted here on this site for new ideas. Nothing strikes my fancy as yet. I am on the go, never home and as a rule never bring my cell with me when I do go out walking/kayaking/bicycling/driving my BSA. I loose weight as long as I cook my own food and stay away from processed items. Being a Vegetarian makes that easy. Also, most important, I drink a gal of water per day. Of course, when I capsized my kayak, I then exceeded my gal/day goal. Hudson River Water??? I DO NOT recommend drinking it!! ACK!!! PTOOEY!!! I do pilates and yoga 3Xs /week and Oriental Dance (some call it Belly Dancing), in addition to my aforementioned outdoor interests. This site is great for people who are home and/or have the time to sit still. I do not. Even during the winter months, I found myself X-country skiing and snowshoeing rather than sitting at home.When I was at home, I did my inside stuff,ie: dancing, pilates, yoga, AND tai chi. I also put my bicycle up on the wind trainer and rode it inside which drove my house bunny crazy!! She hates the whirring noise it makes! LOL She dashed about looking for a safe place and I found her hiding out tucked inside one of my mukluks! Her little rump was sticking out and she dug herself in refusing to budge. I had a heck of a time pulling that rabbit out of my boot! Anyway, I have got to go outside and put up the new fence in the front boundary line here at home, and then I am going to look into the possibility of cooking up some Pad Thai. This is a perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. Add more tofu if you like. Yummmy!
Better get to work!
                                                                          Bye!!                           

The sad looking fence

Blackavar, my House Bunny

Excerpt from: "Back of the Moon Cronicles" - June 25 thru June 29, 2011 by Gennai Zazzen on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 1:18am

We arrived in Guiana, Sat JUNE 25th.  June 26,2011 - Am in a Piper Super Cub with Mitch Sinclair at the controls,  flying over the Amazon River Basin! Mitch is my friend of 20 years, who has been my compatriot in my misadventures on this glorious planet of ours. His wife, Liz is a saint! She stayed home with the children while I whisked her hubby away on this crazy, last minute trip. She says that she forgives me, since I am the reason why they got together in the first place, 18 years ago. I love them both!

The Amazon Basin is bounded by the Guiana Highlands to the north and the Brazilian Highlands to the south. The Amazon, which rises in the Andes Mountains at the west of the basin, is the second longest river in the world. It covers a distance of about 6,400 km before draining into the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon and its tributaries form the largest volume of water. The Amazon accounts for about 20% of the total water carried to the oceans by rivers. Some of the Amazon Rainforest is deforested because of a growing interest in hardwood products, palm oil,etc... .
Politically the basin is divided into the Brazilian Amazônia Legal and the Peruvian Amazon.
The most widely spoken language in the Amazon is Portuguese, followed closely by Spanish. On the Brazilian side Portuguese is spoken by at least 98% of the population, whilst in the Spanish-speaking countries there can still be found a large number of speakers of Native American languages, though Spanish easily predominates.
There are hundreds of native languages still spoken in the Amazon, most of which are spoken by only a handful of people, and thus seriously endangered. One of the most widely spoken languages in the Amazon is Nheengatu, which is descended from the ancient Tupi language, originally spoken in coastal and central regions of Brazil. It was brought to its present location along the Rio Negro by Brazilian colonizers who, until the mid-17th century, used Tupi more than the official Portuguese to communicate. Besides modern Nheengatu, other languages of the Tupi family are spoken there, along with other language families like Jê (with its important sub-branch Jayapura spoken in the Xingu River region and othes), Arawak, Karib, Arawá, Yanomamo, Matsés and others.
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries. The basin is located mainly (40%) in Brazil, but also stretches into Peru and several other countries, eight in total. The South American rain forest of the Amazon is the largest in the world, covering about 8,235,430 km2 with dense tropical forest. For centuries, this has protected the area and the animals residing in it.
Not all of the plants, animals or native tribes that live in the Amazon Basin are known because of its huge unexplored areas. No one knows how many species of fish there are in the river. Plant growth is dense because of the heavy rainfall. One tropical fruit tree that is native to the Amazon is the abiu. There are thousands of plants, all in different colors, sizes, and shapes. Also, there are many vines and huge trees that give shade when the weather is hot.
The Amazon river Basin has an equatorial climate. Annual rain fall is approximately 1500-2500 mm. Day temperatures typically reach 30-35°C, while night temperatures reach 20-25°C.
On June 29th, When I return to NY, USA, I will post this with the surviving photos, if any. On June 27th, took a spill and got water in everything! So much for a water proof camera! Of course it did not help that I was replacing the batteries at the time! Piranhas were there, but did not bother us. Mitch caught a few for dinner though, yummy? "Eat the fish that bit you! ", he said. I answered him," You were the one bitten last time we were here in the dry season, not me! You eat 'em!" I stuck out my tongue at him, grinned and sat down to my meal of yams, bananas, nuts and acai berries.
These moments are more precious than any photograph ever taken. I would not trade it for anything in the world.
Blue Morphos Butterfly

Black Dome is a 3,973 foot mountain peak near East Jewett, NewYork.by Gennai Zazzen on Monday, July 11, 2011 at 12:06pm

I climbed it, yesterday while in the area. 7 mile round trip hiking. Whew! Took a few shots. Had a picnic at the summit and enjoyed the space. Wish ya could've been there. The drive on my bike was fun and the hike was a last minute decision. A delaying tactic that paid off! :D


On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn
On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn

L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Trail Again!
On the Trail Again!
View frm top of Black Dome
View frm top of Black Dome
Black Dome Mtn
Black Dome Mtn
On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn
On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn
L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Trail Again!
On the Trail Again!
View frm top of Black Dome
View frm top of Black Dome
On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn
On the Black Dome Trail Looking at Thomas Cole Mtn
L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
L-R Blk Dome, Thomas Cole Mtn, Blackhead Mtn
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Blk Dome Trail
On the Trail Again!
On the Trail Again!
View frm top of Black Dome
View frm top of Black Dome
Black Dome Mtn
Black Dome Mtn

July 14 at 6:08am · Bastille Day

Bastille Day is the French National Day which is celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale (The National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France. The oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe is held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.

July 14 at 6:26am on FaceBook

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein

A Luna Moth rested for 5 hours on my screen door, yesterday

"Love is a powerful tool, and maybe, just maybe, before the last little town is corrupted and the last of the unroaded and undeveloped wildness is given over to dreams of profit, maybe it will be love, finally, love for the land for its own sake and for what it holds of beauty and joy and spiritual redemption that will make [wilderness] not a battlefield but a revelation."

– T.H. Watkins, Redrock Chronicles: Saving Wild Utah, 2000

This moth was photographed on the screen-door this a.m. I believe it is a Luna.

Tiramisu Martini - A Real Pick Me Up!

Prep Time:
5 Min
Ready In:
5 Min Servings Yield 1 cocktail
Ingredients

1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vanilla flavored vodka
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger creme de cacao
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger coffee flavored liqueur, Patrón XO Cafe
3 jiggars/shot glasses full of half and half
Directions

Pour the vodka, creme de cacao, half-n-half and coffee liqueur into a cocktail shaker over ice. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted. Strain into a chilled martini glass to serve.

Tiramisu - literally means "pick me up" * It tastes soooooo good!!! * :) by Gennai Zazzen on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at 8:26am



Prep Time:
30 Min

Ready In:
3 Hrs 30 Min

Servings  Yield 6 servings
Substitutions: Instead of Kirschwasser use 3 tablespoons of Patrón XO Cafe and use brewed espresso instead of coffee. Also instead of ladytfingers, one can also use a simple 2 layer white spongecake recipe or savoiardi (look like very thick ladyfingers).

Kirschwasser is a clear, colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double distillation of morello cherries, a dark-colored cultivar of the sour cherry. However, it is now also made from other kinds of cherries. The cherries are fermented complete (that is, including their stones). Unlike cherry liqueurs and so-called “cherry brandies,” Kirschwasser is not sweet.
The best Kirschwassers have a refined taste with subtle flavors of cherry and a slight bitter-almond taste that derives from the stones.
Kirschwasser is often simply called Kirsch in both German- and English-speaking countries.


Ingredients
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1 cup white sugar, divided
  • 1 pound mascarpone cheese
  • 6 egg whites, stiffly beaten
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons kirschwasser
  • 1 1/4 cups strong brewed coffee, cold
  • 25 ladyfingers
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder


Directions
  1. In a medium bowl beat together the egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar. Using a wooden spoon stir in mascarpone cheese, beaten egg whites, cream and kirschwasser; stir until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Dissolve remaining 2/3 cup sugar in coffee. Quickly, to avoid complete saturation, dip ends of ladyfingers in coffee mixture. Place ladyfingers in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch glass baking dish. Spread a layer of cheese mixture over the ladyfingers; repeat layers, ending with cheese mixture.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Sprinkle with cocoa just before serving

Pick me up!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Excerpt from: "Congress Attempted to Remove ‘Natural Born Citizen’ Requirement" - Vision to America

There were eight attempts by members of Congress during the years Barack Obama was developing a power base and running for president to remove the Constitution’s requirement that a president be a “natural-born citizen,” suggesting an organized strategy, according to a new video.
Documentation for this video comes from a variety of congressional records showing that beginning June 11, 2003, and continuing through the most recent effort, Feb. 28, 2008, there were eight proposals targeting that constitutional requirement.
It outlines the specifics:
  • June 11, 2003, Rep. Vic Snyder, D-Ark., brought HJR 59. It was intended to “permit persons who are not natural born citizens of the United States, but who have been citizens of the United States for at least 35 years, to be eligible to hold the offices of president and vice president.”
  • Sept. 3, 2003, Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., brought HJR67, which would have done the same as Snyder’s, only the requirement to be a citizen was lowered to 20 years.
  • Feb. 25, 2004, Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., brought S.B. 2128 to “try to counter the growing Democrat onslaught aimed at removing the natural born citizen requirement.” But it defined NBC as someone who was born in and is subject to the United States,” which was not the understanding of the framers of the Constitution.
  • Sept. 15, 2004, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., brought HJR 104, “to make eligible for the office of president a person who is not a natural born citizen of the United States but has been a United States citizen for at least 20 years.
  • Jan. 4, 2005, Conyers, D-Mich., HJR2, the same as Rohrabacher’s.
  • Feb. 1, 2005, HJR15, Rohrabacher, to require only 20 years citizenship to be eligible for the office of president.
  • April 14, 2005, Snyder, HJR42, requiring 35 years’ citizenship.
  • Feb. 28, 2008, Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., tried to attach to SB 2678, Children of Military Families Natural Born Citizen Act, an amendment clarifying what “natural-born citizen” includes. Obama and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., were sponsors.

Read more: Congress Attempted to Remove ‘Natural Born Citizen’ Requirement | Vision to America http://visiontoamerica.org/2054/congress-attempted-to-remove-natural-born-citizen-requirement/#ixzz1RKxRLLI

" Sneak attacks against our Constitution ?!!  Everything is unraveling !???? Have The protections that were laid in place by the founding fathers of this sovereign country called the United States of America finally become obsolete? Who is to say? Only a handful of people seem to make the decisions in this case, at least a handful in comparison to the numbers involved regarding the general population. This question should be brought before US, THE PEOPLE, NOT Those few sitting on their duffs in the White-House.
Apathy is our worst enemy in this case. I have heard of keeping your enemies closer than your friends, but I NEVER heard of letting them rule the roost!!!" - Gennai 

The Active Life - Excerpt from "Back of the Moon Chronicles" - July 1, 2011 by Gennai Zazzen on Friday, July 1, 2011 at 10:51am

If an expert does not have some problem to vex him, he is unhappy.
If a philosopher’s teaching is never attacked, he pines away.
If critics have no one on whom to exercise their spite, they are miserable.
All such people are prisoners in a world of objects.
Whoever wants followers seeks political power.
Whoever wants reputation holds an office.
The strong man looks for weights to lift.
The brave man looks for an emergency in which he can show his courage.
The swordsman wants a battle in which he can swing his sword.
Men past their prime prefer a dignified retirement, in which they can seem profound.
Experienced lawyers seek difficult cases to extend the application of laws.
Poets, writers and musicians like festivals in which they can parade their talents.
The benevolent, the dutiful, are always looking for chances to display virtue.
Where would the gardener be if there were no more weeds?
What would become of business without a market of fools?
Where would the masses be if there were no pretext for getting jammed together and making noise?
What would become of labor if there were no superfluous objects to be made?
Produce! Get results! Make money! Make friends! Make changes!
Or you will die of despair!
Those who are caught in the machinery of power take no joy except in activity and change.
The whirring of the machine!
Whenever an occasion for action presents itself, they are compelled to act: they cannot help themselves.
They are inexorably moved, like the machine of which they are a part.
Prisoners in the world of objects, they have no choice, but to submit to the demands of the matter.
They are pressed down and crushed by external forces, fashion, the market, events, public opinion.
Never in a whole lifetime do they recover their right mind!
The active life!
What a pity!
                                                                        -Chuang Tzu

Monday, July 4, 2011

Excerpt from the" Back of The Moon Chronicles"- 1987.

 The best way to effect change is through deed NOT intent. Consider doing this and be truly conscientious in your commitment. When Opportunity knocks, OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!!!

Inflagrante dilicto!!! - Early July 4th Firework Display 2011 - Excerpt from "Back of The Moon Chronicles"

by Gennai Zazzen on Monday, July 4, 2011 at 1:48pm

 I have been caught absolutely speechless! I blew up my brick oven??? Who was the turd that put a spray-can in it? Well, I can honestly state that my genetic code will not be passed down the ancestral  line. My darlin' little VILLAGE IDIOT of a CHILD is going to pay dearly! Holy Cow! What a fireball!!!??!!! Does my Accidental Death and Dismemberment policy cover death/maiming by BBQ? The distance that burning spray-can traveled when it went airborne was over 20 feet! It landed on the tin roof of the barn and rolled off into the open rain-barrel! I think someone upstairs likes me?! LOL Have a great 4th Everyone. And be safe!!! Please!!!!  :)