take back the fish

Finally Friday

2005-05-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hunter, anyone can believe anything that works for them I suppose. The problem is when these beliefs interfere with the orderly and progressive functions of society. As is the case now in Kansas.

-personal belief statement; 'progressive values' means that every person is entitled to equal protection and all the privileges of belonging to our culture. Everyone has a fundamental right to dignity, happiness (in the Jeffersonian sense) and freedom from want. Also personage is defined as broadly as possible. Progressive values are an 'inevitable tide' in history. The immoral conservative agenda to resist social change is not only doomed to fail but will continue to cause social turmoil and waste time and resources that could be better used to resolve pressing problems.-

this weekend, fish kabobs - next week salmon croquettes?

humpday

2005-05-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

Baked seabass stuffed with herbs. My rule was not to post recipes unless I had cooked the dish. But I was thinking about this one and haven't gotten to the store yet. I have eaten it but not cooked it. Thyme, sage and, of course, crab boil.

Big news from Kansas. I thought this whole teaching creationism thing was dead. So I went to the 'Discovery Institute' website and read some of their papers. Very long on sophistry short on ways and wherefores. Their best arguments against evolution where strawman - it is always easiest to prove someone wrong regarding what you say they say rather than what they really say. But I keep looking for the scientific proof of divine intervention that they kept mentioning. The only thing I found was more argument of complexity. Now here is the thing about creationism, young or old earth varieties, no matter how often these worn-out arguments are shot down they keep rising from the dead. Perhaps that is proof of the divine source of these arguments, after three days they rise up! As simple as possible...Things change over time. Even the way life puts organs to use changes over time. A bombardier beetle didn't suddenly have super hot fluid shooting out its ass. Things progress incrementally, over vast periods of time. Evolution is blind, eyes did not start out as the fine focus organs they now are for us, they started as light detectors. Bits and pieces were added. Sure now it only works because all the bits are in place but in the past there were other functions or other ways of functioning that did not require all the bits we have now.

Anyhootily, I have had to face facts that I am a strong atheist even thought that position is not entirely rational. The weak position makes more sense but is not as emotionally satisfying. I believe there is no god. In fact, I do not believe that any supernatural entities or forces exist or can exist. So when asked to consider the possibility of ID I am at a loss. There is no intelligence out there. Basically, the purpose of science is to understand how things work. Supernatural explanations preclude that possibility so they are by definition outside of science. To me you either take it or leave it. The Steves have it.

lets get this party started

2005-05-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, to get this blog going I have cut and pasted some stuff I posted elsewhere. But from now on it'll be all fresh, I promise! (LIE)

Marx was wrong. Religion/superstition is the constipation of the masses. Someday it will pass. I believe in hedonism and rationality. Society is built on delayed gratification. Marriage is built on delayed self-gratification.

No doubt there are limits to human understanding. But there still is an objective reality, "I refute it thus...ouch!" We are limited in our ability to perceive and comprehend nature BUT within those limits we can know a lot about the cosmos and even ourselves. Case in point, this internet thingy. The thing about science that makes it different from anything else that has come before is IT WORKS!

I had the depressing thought recently that only rationality will save us for the eco-disaster that looms in the decades ahead. And 98% of us hold irrational beliefs. I know this is a ‘thread’ worn topic but - how can someone believe in absolute truth coming out of a flat-earth mytho-historic document? or any absolute truth for that matter. And, sorry, Wicca (or any other new-age crap including astrology)? Please, if you can't swallow the hypocrisy of the dominant religions why bother? Listen carefully, its all superstitious crap. The world if full of marvels: we don't need magic. A nice meal with some good wine and fucking after, that’s magic.

There is a branch of human endeavor which is pretty darn good at creating realistic, objective models of the world. it has given us a more real understanding of the cosmos than any other method ever has and has given us the ability to destroy create and extend human lifespan. I’m talking' 'bout rational empiricism and, not to put too fine a point on, nothing else has ever come close.

Last Sunday I poached a big ol' salmon fillet in white wine, shallots and garlic. Pulled it out just when all the meat was opaque. I had cut off the thin strip of belly meat and broiled it with teriyaki sauce for an appetizer. I kept the oven hot and slid the fish in then deglazed the pan with more wine and sautéed some mushrooms.

A real man drinks red wine with fish
Soooooooooo goood!

This weekend I made stuffed sole. Simple, very rich, nice presentation. I took four large sole fillets. I bought 3/4 lb. cleaned bay shrimp. When I got home I grated about 2/3 cup havarti cheese. I mixed the cheese with the shrimp and added a beaten egg and 1/2 tsp curry powder. I flowered the fillets and then rolled them around about a large handful of the shrimp mixture. I splashed the fish with more beaten egg and rolled the thing around in some bread crumbs. I baked the four rolls at 300 deg for about 25 min.

corrections - too much shrimp; 1/2 lb would have worked, should have put parmesan cheese and parsley in the bread crumbs.

Here is a simpler one that everybody loves; get some white fish, tilapia is good, make sure its fresh of course. Get an iron skillet hot and wipe some oil on it - very little. Then sprinkle some crab boil or some kind of Cajun seasonings on in a thin, even layer. Wait until it smokes and turns black then throw the fillets on. You want them to sear and just cook through. Have your guests seated at the table and put the fish straight from the skillet to their plates. Offer fresh lemon wedges and Dixie beer.