March 2, 2008 :: Making breadsticks

Bread dough
300 g flour
pinch of salt
herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
liquid: warm water, yeast, honey (about a cup)

Mix, knead, flour, place in covered bowl, and put in warm place to proof...it should double in size.

Preheat oven to 450

Sauce
5-6 tomatoes (vine ripened or roma)
half a red onion (small to medium diced)
4 cloves garlic (roughly diced)
basil, thyme
olive oil
bake for 35 minutes partially covered

turn out dough
sheet pan w/parchment paper - sprinkle with masa
portion the dough into 3/4 inch knobs
roll into breadsticks
top with eggwash or olive oil
sprinkle with salt
bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown

Mar 1, 2008 :: Holly's a cutie!

Couldn't be happier with my gal!

Mar 1, 2008 :: Virginia Court ruling may be fatal for HRTA -- dailypress.com

This article from my old hometown is a good article on a classic con law/admin law hypo of in-state federalism and the issue of protecting one municipality from another's elected officials, separation of powers (delegating taxing authority), and an administrative agency (a general-assembly created transportation authority) trying to overreach.

Seems like the whole problem could have been avoided by having the authority submit its "proposed taxing plan" to the general assembly to ratify instead of having a direct taxing authority.

Court ruling may be fatal for HRTA -- dailypress.com

"The Virginia Supreme Court stripped taxing power away from the controversial Hampton Roads Transportation Authority on Friday, unanimously ruling that the regional body and a similar panel in Northern Virginia are unconstitutional.

In a 23-page opinion written by Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, the court said the General Assembly attempted to sidestep the constitutional protections against tax increases by passing that power down to local officials."

Hmmm.

Feb 29, 2008 :: Recording classes with my compuer :: Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones

Enterprise Mac | Tom Yager | InfoWorld | Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones | March 28, 2006 01:09 PM | By Tom Yager: "Mac podcast/audio tips 1: Microphones
Filed under: Creative Pro

The podcasting craze gives me an opportunity to dust off my professional audio producer's cap. I'm having a blast, and as I climb back in, it strikes me that some of the knowledge I take for granted isn't that common for folks who are just taking up podcasting, streaming, soundtracks and other do-it-yourself digital audio."

Feb 26, 2008 :: More snow

It's 2:30am and it's snowed less than an inch since 11pm.

What a weak showing of snow since the average per occurrance over the past month has been 2-10 inches.

Sunday on Mt. Evans, it was snowing quite nicely, good wind blowing, and my beautiful bride and I did a good 1500 feet of ascent up the snow trail in waist deep powder on either side of the lofted several inch thick trail pack.  Fun.

If you deal with wine, you have to develop your sense of smell which consists of much of the wine connesour's ability to distinguish wine. I heard on NPR when I was in DC that such a kit exists that demonstrates the isolated scent of distinguishable wine scents. This kit sells for $400, which, to me these days, is a king's ransom. However, the news segment also mentioned the kit containing the twelve scents that wine lovers should know that SHOULD NOT be in their wines. The wine industry would rather us not have THIS information, but if you want to be serious about knowing when you've got a bad bottle, perhaps $109 plus tax and shipping is a good buy.

If you agree, then you should buy this: Make Scents of Wine 12 Aroma Faults Kit

The Make Scents of Wine Faults Kit is a perfect compliment to the Master Kit!

Questions Addressed:
- What are the major faults in the aromas of wine?
- How to recognize them?
- How did these faults occur?
- How and when can they be avoided?
- Can we eradicate them or lessen their effects?

FEATURES:
- 12 Aroma Vials
- A Booklet
- Presented in a cloth-bound book

12 Aroma Vials:
1) Vegetal, 2) Rotten Apple, 3) Vinegar, 4) Glue, 5) Soap, 6) Sulphur, 7) Rotten Egg, 8) Onion, 9) Cauliflower, 10) Horse, 11) Mouldy-Earth, 12) Cork

These 12 reference molecules are directly linked to the moecular composition of thes wines affected enabling the 12 faults most commonly found in wines to be memorized and identified.

Producers and consumers can now consult this guide at the slightest hint of problem. This kit is often used by wineries to test wines for faults! You will immediately know when the waiter has brought you a bad bottle!!

Feb 21, 2008 :: First client helped

For one of my clients with a jury trial, I spent at least 15-20 actual hours of preparation, not counting all the off hours, rolling through the voir dire, opening statement, closing statement, all the facts, all the direct testimony, and cross-examination.

We all showed up at 8am as court set it on the docket for the jury trial. My witnesses were there and were going to do slendidly, they were prepped and ready. My defendant was clearly in the right. I will probably never know what actually happened, but my suspicion is that all the preparation showed. I would expect that law students spend exponentially more time preparing for these "smaller charges" than a government prosecutor ever could or would spend. The fact is that the prosecutor, who spoke with the complaining witness, decided just before the case was assigned to a court with a jury, to dismiss the charges.

All dressed up with no place to go, and the client's goal was certainly fulfilled, without spending the day to do it. And then I got to go to a class I was certain I was going to miss.

Maybe it all does work out in the end.