Breakfast at Tiffany's – Because I Do Not Know

Cocktail of the Week -- Tail of the Dog Edition

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So New Year's is over, and you have a couple of bottles of decent champagne left laying around. Or maybe your head is pounding, and you need a little of the tail of the dog that bit you. I have about 100 cocktail/punch recipes featuring champagne, so choosing one was difficult.

For no other reason than I like the name (and the drink features expensive French liqueur -- about $62 a bottle), I bring you Milk of Amnesia:

Ingredients

4-5 oz. champagne
1-2 jigger Chambord raspberry liqueur to taste

Instructions

Add ice cold champagne to glass, slowly add chilled Chambord until desired raspberry flavor is achieved, give it a gentle stir to mix.

This comment comes from the recipe's contributor:

This will taste like a delicious raspberry soda. Make sure you use a decent champagne, but don't waste your money on expensive stuff. However, I strongly recomend using Chambord. I know it hurts $$$ but the other (cheaper) brands never taste as good.

And with that, Happy New Year's, y'all.

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:24 PM
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The Red States Respond

Spencer over at World View passed this along. My comments in red (get it? get it?) ...

Open Letter to the Red States:

We're ticked off at the way you've treated California, and we've decided we're leaving. (God, what took you so long?) We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. (There are, what, like 10 of them?)

In case you aren't aware, that includes Hawaii (Much of Hawaii wants to be its own country, so you'll have to count them out if we're splitting up), Oregon (Um, is Oregon even a state? Sorry, Vince, no offense), Washington (That's OK, we have enough rain down here), Minnesota (Where a professional wrestler was governor; you'll be sending them back soon enough), Wisconsin (The Packers suck), Michigan (Most of the cars anyone buys nowadays are made in the South nowadays), Illinois (We'll trade you Cleveland for Chicago, but you gotta keep the Cubs) and the entire Northeast. (So far, I'm not seeing the downside.) We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country of New California. (How will the New Yorkers feel about being part of "New California? And would the president be this guy?)

To sum up briefly: you get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states. (Slave states? This would include, then, the Blue States of Maryland and Delaware, as well as Washington, D.C. -- where slavery remained legal even after the American Civil War began and also after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. In fact, it could include almost all of the Northeastern "slave states," as many of them did not truly end slavery until the mid-1800s.) We get stem cell research (The Tulane University Center for Gene Therapy -- in Louisiana -- is the first U.S. government-funded center to produce and distribute well-characterized adult stem cells to researchers around the globe, and I believe the Canadians actually get credit for pioneering stem cells) and the best beaches. (You do indeed have the best bitches.) We get Elliot Spitzer. You get Ken Lay. (Ask John Whitehead about Mr. Spitzer's integrity. And Martha Stewart is from Blue State New Jersey.)

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand. (Opryland closed in 1997. Y'all don't get the newspaper up there?) We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. (Let's see ... we have Dell, a good number of the oil companies, AT&T, Eli Lilly, FedEx and Procter & Gamble among others. I think we'll survive. And you have Tyco.) We get Harvard. You get Dollywood. (This comparison makes no sense, proving that whoever wrote it did not go to Harvard. But in a football game, Harvard would be a 28-point road dog to Dollywood.)

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs. (Prove it.) You get Alabama. (Yeah, and you get New Jersey.) We get two-thirds of the tax revenue; you get to make the red states pay their fair share. (When we give you back all your retirees who strain our health-care system and refuse to vote for school property taxes because they have no ties to the area, we'll see how it works out for you.)

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22 percent lower than the Christian Coalition's, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms. (You mean like Bill Clinton's mother?)

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce (Lettuce? We're so jealous), 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve French wines at state dinners) (No, sweet tea, thank you.) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal (We won't need it once we start drilling in Alaska, and we've got all the oil since California won't build anymore offshore platforms), all living redwoods, sequoias and condors (Now those condors sure would look good mounted over my fireplace, though), every single Ivy league school (We'll get Dartmouth back soon enough; New Hampshire isn't strong Blue), and their Seven Sister schools... Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT included.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs) (But we're deporting all the old snowbirds who moved South and to Arizona), 92 percent of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornados, 90 percent of the hurricanes (and 0.1 percent of earthquakes and 2 percent of forest fires) , 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100 percent of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson, the University of Georgia, and the Ku Klux Klan. (And you get Michael Moore, the Bloods and the Crips. I'll give you the University of Georgia part.)

We also get Hollywood (You can have it, although I thought everything was shot in Vancouver anyway.), Yosemite (And we get the Grand Canyon) , and the Smithsonian (Actually, we would get the Smithsonian under the "slave state" rule mentioned above.), thank you. (No, thank y'all.)

Very Truly,

Founders of New California

[author unknown] (I don't blame you, I wouldn't sign my name either. By the way, I'm Jake.)

Well, hell, I could have finished the music post by the time I did all of that. Later, I promise.

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:04 PM
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Friday Ketchup

I didn't think far enough ahead last night when I said I would continue the South/Music post today. This being Friday, I don't have the time to continue the research needed to complete it. I'll put it on the plate for Sunday night or Monday, when I have more time.

Friday is traditionally Cocktail of the Week, so that's upcoming. But first, some housecleaning and in the next post, I'll respond to Spencer's "letter."

Earlier this week, BaT hit the milestone of visitor No. 8,000. He/she/it hails from Menlo Park, Calif., and arrived via Ethan's Brat Boy School. Thank you, again, to everyone who reads this humble blog.

The comment of the week goes to Vince, who upon viewing the crazy dog video billed as exclusive footage of me, said: "Remind me to keep my bone away from your mouth."

And the non-BaT post of the week goes to Jay, who bemoans (get it? get it?) the "new black" of pretend homosexuals. I hope Trent doesn't sue him for copyright infringements.

0 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 4:48 PM
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Some Good Things About The South -- Music, Part 1

Spencer's comment -- and Jayberg's subsequent followup remarks -- set in motion thoughts about educating people from outside the Southern United States (particularly gay people, who seem to really have a warped sense of what it's like down here) about some of the good things we have. Yes, I know we have our fair share of baggage and backwoods.

But I've traveled throughout the States and the world, but I still come back here. It's home. So here's my mission for the next few weeks: Point out some good things about the South. Let's start with the obvious -- music:

The South is by far the richest area of music in the United States. The musical heritage of the South was developed by both whites and blacks, both influencing each other directly and indirectly. The South's musical history actually starts before the Civil War, with the songs of the African slaves and the highlands folk music brought from Europe. Blues was developed in the rural South by Blacks at the beginning of the 20th century. In addition, gospel music, spirituals, country music, rhythm and blues, soul music, bluegrass, jazz (including ragtime, popularized by Southerner Scott Joplin), and Appalachian folk music all were either born in the South or developed in the region. Rock n' roll began in the south as well.

Let's take it by category ...

Blues -- Muddy Waters, born in Mississippi, is the greatest of the greats (with apologies to fellow Magnolia State native B.B. King). "I've Got My Mojo Working" ... wow, simply masterful. And his influence was enormous. Elvis, The Rolling Stones, Zeppelin, the list goes on and on.

Gospel -- By this category, I believe the experts mean "white" religious music, as spirituals is listed as another category. So let's stick to traditional Southern gospel. And when you talk about Southern gospel, you only need to mention one word: Vestal. It's like Cher, Madonna or Brit-(cough, trash)ney. A native of Alabama, Vestal Goodman had the most amazing voice. She died two years ago this week, and yet I still get chills when I hear her belt out the alto parts in her family's famous "I Wouldn't Take Nothin' For My Journey Now" or "Rock of Ages."

Spirituals -- When Mahalia Jackson from uptown New Orleans sang "Move on up a Little Higher," the world stopped spinning for just a few moments. The granddaughter of a slave, she summed up why she refused to sing anything other than gospel music: "Gospel music is nothing but singing of good tidings -- spreading the good news. It will last as long as any music because it is sung straight from the human heart." I hope she's playing in Heaven the week I die.

Country -- Obviously, there are so many to mention here. Start with Alabama native Hank Williams ("he died at 29 from the lovesick blues"), who along with Muddy Waters combined to influence what we now call rock 'n' roll. Then the other greats: "The Man in Black" Johnny Cash of Arkansas, Patsy Cline of Virginia, Waylon Jennings and George Jones of Texas, Loretta Lynn of Kentucky, Tammy Wynette of Mississippi ("she's the Elizabeth Taylor of country music"), Alan Jackson of Georgia, Randy Travis of North Carolina and Dolly Parton of Tennessee (a bonus: She was in "Steel Magnolias"). And the list goes on and on; feel free to add more in the comments section.

(Note: Merle Haggard was a California native; and Garth Brooks' and Reba McEntire's home state of Oklahoma isn't technically in the South, but does have Southern tendancies. Ed: We can't win 'em all.)

This post is getting out of hand, and it's getting late. We continue the music discussion tomorrow.

CORX: The original post stated "Oklahoma is technically in the South ..." I meant to say "Oklahoma isn't ..." The post is now corrected.

4 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:28 PM
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EXCLUSIVE: Video Of Jake!

I admit it ... this is me.

6 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 7:13 PM
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Wednesday Housecleaning

Once again, I'm slow to show the link-love that others are giving BaT. So here we go (and you'll find these in the blogroll on the left now) ...

Confused Jake -- the more Confused Jake, that is -- is from "across the pond." If I understand correctly from this comment, he's actually Irish. Not a mutt like me, but a true-green Emerald Islander. He also has some pretty touching posts about his struggle over whether he should come out to his family. As I try to find a comment I made to him about this, I'm slightly embarassed. Maybe I didn't actually post it, or I may have made it in a conversation over at Ethan's place. Regardless, check out the other Jake and offer him some encouragement to do what he thinks is right.

Second, check out The Sporting Life. He hasn't updated in awhile (since the regular football season came to a close), but his site is much more than athletic events. And, hey, he's Southern and an Auburn man!

Third, there's Kahil and Andreus over at My Kahil. I've only found my way to their blog a couple of times. But now that it's on the roll, I'm sure to visit more often. Wait, I found the missing post referenced above. It seems I posted that to Kahil. LOL. Damn. Regardless, it applies to you, too, Confused Jake. Read it and pretend I also posted that in your blog. Kahil has even more advice to the other Jake -- although it's not fit to print for a family newspaper.

And not to lump this into link-love, but Jayberg -- BaT's token Mexican Jew -- over at JaySix & FB reports that Armi is the mother of a beautiful baby girl. Let's hope mother and daughter are doing well.

UPDATE: See? I'm not crazy, I did post a comment to Confused Jake. OK, maybe I am crazy, but this is not the proof of it that I once thought. Thanks to Confused Jake for straightening (cough) me out on the matter.

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:31 PM
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Not In My (Flooded) Back Yard

This article on the NIMBY (Not in my Back Yard) syndrome sums up the faults of New Orleans' "leadership" that led to the nightmarish Katrina aftermath in the first place. You'll need to read the whole thing to fully understand, but here are some highlights:

In one of the post-Katrina era's ironic role reversals, the same local officials and residents who once screamed at FEMA to get trailers to New Orleans quickly are now fending off the 17,777 trailers that FEMA has on hand in Louisiana and says it can deliver immediately.

"My concern was strangers coming into my neighborhood that I knew nothing about," said Dianne Galatas, one of several St. Rose residents who fought plans to put a 200-trailer site in her neighborhood for New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board employees. Amid the clamor, the board withdrew the plan last week, citing a lack of local infrastructure.

"It's a nice and quiet and safe neighborhood, and that's how I'd like to keep it," Galatas said. "I don't want my neighborhood ruined because theirs is."

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Mayor Ray Nagin tried to sweep aside such opposition last week when he released his list of trailer sites. The move triggered howls of outrage from City Council members and some residents, and the administration quickly began backing off what seemed a bold proposal, a cause and effect that underscored the power of the "not in my back yard," or NIMBY, camps.

Nagin's hasty backtracking last week seemed at odds with his rhetoric, with which he has repeatedly and forcefully attacked the NIMBY stance. At one of his town hall meetings, he went so far as to label the resistance "not very Christian," and to call the NIMBY mind-set deeply insulting to the far-flung evacuees who want to come home.

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But local officials are anything but united in their views, particularly in New Orleans, the jurisdiction with the greatest need. When the City Council passed an ordinance giving members the final say on trailer placement, Nagin vetoed it, declaring the measure moot because a declared state of emergency gives the executive the exclusive power on temporary housing decisions. Last week the council unanimously overrode that veto. A possible court battle looms.

That combination of unprecedented demand and all-too-familiar political turf battles has slowed the area's overall recovery at a time when housing is desperately in demand, according to FEMA.

"Of course we would like to have put up more trailers and believe we would have put up more trailers if we had not had some of resistance we've had," FEMA's McIntyre said. The number of trailers in Louisiana "could be a lot higher" than the nearly 23,000 that are occupied or awaiting tenants, he said. Another 6,700 units are still being set up.

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That galls Glendalyn Lewis, who lost her eastern New Orleans home and is living in Texas with her husband. She said she is anxious to return to the city and pointed to her long education career and the success of her children as evidence that evacuees shouldn't be branded as riffraff.

"You forgot about those who did hold down their jobs, who reared their kids: just everyday people," she said. "That's what they forgot about. We weren't the enemy, but now it seems that we are. My city appears not to want me. That's the worst part."

Granted, not everyone who is displaced is a good, upstanding citizen like Ms. Lewis. And as a former resident of the area, I certainly understand the fears -- no matter how selfish -- of those who live in New Orleans.

However, this is where real leaders come in. Instead of pandering to fears, real leaders assess what must be done for the good of the whole city. Without the so-called lower classes, hotels, restaurants and public services cannot function in New Orleans. These are the people who sweat and toil in what many of us would call menial jobs. Yet they are the oil to New Orleans' engine.

Mayor Nagin and the worthless New Orleans City Council -- the same ones who decried federal "inaction" in the hours after Katrina -- must find the backbone to allow FEMA to provide affordable and decent housing so that its citizens can return and move the city forward.

Alas, the people across the country who know little about the mechanics of ward politics and Louisiana patronage were quick to blame the federal government for the Katrina disaster. Perhaps now they see what I've pointed out numerous times here at BaT: The problem is in New Orleans City Hall and the Governor's Mansion.

As this mentality will only grow, I fear we will all regret our rush to demand billions of dollars to help a city which will not -- possibly cannot -- help itself. So to the residents and "leaders" who say, "Not in my back yard," I agree. Let's send our money and those trailers to people in Mississippi and Alabama who were also impacted by Katrina.

If New Orleans wants to fend for itself, then let it. We'll see how those property values hold up once the whole place is a swamp again.

4 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 9:00 PM
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Random Post-Holiday Monday

I won't even attempt to make rhyme nor reason of this post. Here's just some stuff I found interesting on this day-after-Christmas ...

You don't know his name, but you do know his face. Droopy-eyed character actor Vincent Schiavelli has died at age 57. Most people of my generation will remember him as Mr. Vargas, the science teacher in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Interesting media observation: Although Schiavelli died of lung cancer, there's no reference to whether he was a smoker. (You'll recall past conversations about this on BaT.) Could it be because this obituary was written out of the AP's Rome bureau?

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An-na, An-na, An-na, An-na Ni-cole! The Bush Administration is siding with Anna Nicole Smith in her 10-year fight to cash in on her one-year marriage to an 89-year-old oil tycoon. Just wondering ... if she loved him so much (she was a 26-year-old stripper in Houston at the time), why didn't she take his last name as a sign of love and devotion. Could it be that she is simply too dumb to remember any name but Smith?

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If completing 75-yard touchdown passes or sacking the quarterback isn't enough for you video-gamers out there, you can now experience the "real" world of professional football by instructing your animated, gangster-wannabe self to gamble and shoot steroids in "Blitz: The League." In the expansion pack, you'll also be able to beat up your baby's mama, be charged with rape and cry as you become a prison bitch for a real street-thug.

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I'm only guessing here, but it should be only a matter of days before a fatwa is issued against this woman. Wafah Dufour, who's father is Osama bin Laden's half-brother, appears in GQ magazine, shows a lot of skin and rejects her infamous uncle -- all while pleading for Americans to accept her. Frankly, I've never heard of her, and considering he has 53 brothers and sisters, ol' Osama probably doesn't know her, either. Well, you know, if he was still alive.

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Brad Renfro is a sad, sad case. Busted on Skid Row trying to buy heroin just a couple of days before Christmas. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, this one from the L.A. Times is worth about a million. Let the countdown to his public overdose begin.

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In a plot to delay my champagne-popping and some old people's bedtimes, scientists are holding 2006 back by a second. The so-called "leap second" will allow the atomic clocks to adjust to changes in the Earth's rotation. Well, I don't care. At 11:59:59, I'm unleashing the cork regardless!

(That is, unless I'm already asleep. Then I don't care.)

5 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 4:49 PM
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For Unto You Is Born Today

The Christmas story, as told by the Gospel of St. Luke, Chapter 2, verses 1-20:

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone to his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city called Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them at the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said to them, "Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born today in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men."

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us."

And they came with haste, and found, Mary, Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for you and your families on this special day. Nollaig Shona Duit!

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:47 AM
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Oh, Christmas Tree!

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"Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall."

-- Larry Wilde, "The Merry Book of Christmas"

4 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 10:07 PM
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Cocktail of the Week -- Butter Makes It Better Edition

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'Twas two nights before Christmas, when all through the house
Shakers were shaking, as we all got soused.
The big mugs were filled, and we started to hum,
Because when it's cold out, there's nothing better than Hot Buttery Rum.

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 bottle dark rum
Boiling water

Instructions

In a bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Refrigerate until almost firm. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture into 12 small mugs. Pour about 3 ounces of rum into each mug (filling about halfway). Top with boiling water (to fill the remaining half), stir well and serve immediately.

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

0 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 4:42 PM
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Kilt Killing Public School Craziness

Rather than encouraging a student to embrace history, culture and knowledge, a high school principal in The Show-Me State shows us he's a first-class ass:

Nathan Warmack wanted to honor his heritage by wearing a Scottish kilt to his high school dance. Then a principal told him to change into a pair of pants.

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Warmack, a defensive lineman on the football team, lives in Jackson, a growing, largely middle-class city of about 14,000 people about 110 miles from St. Louis.

He got interested in his family's Scottish ties after seeing Mel Gibson's 1995 movie "Braveheart," about William Wallace's battle to overthrow English rule in 13th century Scotland. Warmack reads books about Scotland and visits Web sites to learn more about his family's genealogy.

He bought a kilt off the Internet to wear to his school's formal "Silver Arrow" dance in November. Warmack said he showed it to a vice principal before the dance, who joked he'd better wear something underneath it, and Warmack assured him he would.

The school's principal, Rick McClard, however, had other ideas. At the dance, he ordered Warmack to change. The boy refused, saying he was honoring his heritage. The principal -- who you just know is like almost all high school principals: a control freak with zero personality and even less humor who gets off on bossing kids around because no adults will listen to him and probably beat the hell out of him on the playground way back in the day -- handled the incident with true class:

Warmack alleges McClard told him: "Well, this is my dance, and I'm not going to have students coming into it looking like clowns."

A clown? Yes, a clown. Now imagine this McClard -- Mc-Lard, get it (see he even had one of those names that get you beat up on the playground -- saying to an African-American student wearing this that he or she looks like a clown ... or to an Arab student wearing this. Imagine the uproar.

Yet, Warmack has the misfortune of being Scottish, which have no defenders in the ACLU-loving chattering classes. Instead, the school system superintendent (who, no doubt, was also beaten up as a child and is not only a control freak but a power-hungry one) backs the principal for eliminating a "distraction."

To which one observer remarked: A distraction "from what? From the intense concentration it takes to dance?"

So forget those plummeting test scores. Ignore the "oral-sex-in-the-bathroom" stories. Let's concentrate on what matters: Eliminating those "clownish kilts" from our public schools! Take a few moments and sign this petition supporting young Nathan and his interest in his heritage. And here's hoping Nathan reads the Scottish Declaration of Independence, signed in 1320, which in part reads: "We fight not for glory nor for wealth nor honours; but only and alone we fight for freedom, which no good man surrenders but with his life."

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 7:57 PM
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George and Jesse Sittin' In A Tree

Two interesting articles to pass along tonight ...

George Clooney has spent a fair amount of time -- along with others detached from reality in a place called Hollywood -- criticizing America (while bravely overseas), once famously saying that the United States couldn't "beat anyone anymore." But the guys over at Faces from the Front look at some of Clooney's movies and come to a surprising political conclusion:

So what is the Foreign Policy of George Clooney's movies?

It rejects Realism and maintaining the status quo. At one point it advocates the use of force to topple Saddam. It excortiates the optomism of getting Iranian Mullahs to accept liberty without force. It blames Realism for the malaise in the Gulf region by squealching those who would upset the status quo in favor of reform.

The foreign policy of Archie Gates and Robert Barnes could be implemented unilaterally and by force. It would not seek to maintain the status quo. It would export liberty, economic freedom and democracy or allow and encourage liberty, freedom and democracy, even if it may lead to unpredicatbility in the short.

The foreign policy of Clooney's charachters in Three Kings and Syriana is actually very similar to the one he and Hollywood often denigrate--neoconservativism.

That's right ... George Clooney, promoter of neocon ideas. (Hat tip: Instapundit)

And then there's our old friend Jesse Jackson. The Reverand Without a Church pisses all over Christmas and America by lecturing the United States about how awful we are:

Let us all remember the true spirit of Christmas this year. Protect the babies in the dawn of life. (BaT: Well, except for the aborted ones.) Care for the elderly in the dusk of life. Nurture the sick; shelter the homeless. Stop for the stranger on the Jericho Road. Work for the promise of peace. Surely that is what Jesus would want under his tree. Merry Christmas everyone.

Um, yeah, OK. Bad, greedy Americans! Bad!

Let me throw out a few figures. Americans contribute about $250 billion a year to charities. Not the American government. Just the Average Joes like you and me. Taxpayers also fund about $16 billion a year in developmental money, spread out around the world in humanitarian assistance programs like the World Bank. This is more than double the amount contributed by any European nation. Japan is second at around $9 billion annually. America is the largest contributor to the U.N. budget at 22 percent, or $317 million, in 2004. It gives over 56 percent of the World Food Program budget and $72 million and $94 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, respectively. (Credit: The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank)

Of course, all of this from a man who ended a boycott of Budweiser after the company ponied up more than $500,000 to his organization and established a $10 million fund to help blacks purchase beer distributorships. (His sons purchased one of these distributorships worth more than $30 million and, mysteriously -- not! -- Jackson ended his boycott of the company.) We won't even talk about the half-million he used to pay off his mistress.

That sure would help a lot of strangers on the ol' Jericho Road, wouldn't it, Jesse? In other words, have a Coke and a smile and STFU.

3 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 8:52 PM
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I Ran, He Ran, She Ran, We All Ran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Holocaust-denying president of Iran is once again banning all Western music from the Islamic "republic," including George Michael, Eric Clapton, the Eagles and Kenny G. (OK, OK, so maybe we can understand two of the four.):

Music was outlawed as un-Islamic by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini soon after the revolution. But as the fervor of the revolution started to fade, light classical music was allowed on radio and television. Some public concerts reappeared in the late 1980s.

Western music, films and clothing are widely available in Iran, and hip-hop can be heard on Tehran's streets, blaring from car speakers or from music shops. Bootleg videos and DVDs of films banned by the state are widely available in the black market.

Following eight years of reformist-led rule in Iran, Ahmadinejad won office in August on a platform of reverting to ultraconservative principles promoted by the revolution.

Since then, Ahmadinejad has jettisoned Iran's moderation in foreign policy and pursued a purge in the government, replacing pragmatic veterans with former military commanders and inexperienced religious hard-liners.

Here's one I have a feeling Ahmadinejad might need to put on his list: "You Dropped a Bomb on Me." We can only hope the younger generation of Iranians continue their demands for freedom and rise up against this repressive regime. If they don't, the next bombs dropped won't be from The Gap Band.

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:44 PM
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Tuesday Link Love

Yet another discovery of a blog linking to Breakfast at Tiffany's that I have missed -- until now. Go on over and check out Weltanschauung, Spencer the Chicago Comedian's blog. Today, he's asking for captions for the Time magazine cover with Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono.

Although if he's the comedian, maybe he should be the one supplying the jokes. Nevertheless, he loves Breakfast at Tiffany's the movie, and my oversight has been corrected. He's now on the blogroll to the left under "Gay (or close to it)," although he may not be gay. But considering he links to tons of gay blogs, I'm guessing he is.

Either way, Duane is finally on top of someone, even if only for a few days until Spencer proclaims his proper category.

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:29 PM
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For The Queen Who Has Everything

Tonight marks the near-end of my shopping season. I only have a few gifts left, and those are only stocking-stuffer-type items. After two weekends of travel for other Christmas-related social events, I must now focus on The Big One: Christmas Day with the family.

My strategy is to hit the mall later in the evening, once the little ones are all nestled snug in their beds -- and not screaming and crying.

But apparently, I'm low class -- at least compared to what the rich people have on their Christmas gift lists. The people at Fox have compiled a list of the five most extravagant gifts (with my comments in red):

And the winners are ...

5. For the High-End Hippie: Spiritual Lingerie's unique body chains start at $1,250 and are hand-designed to stimulate centers of spiritual energy on the body and enhance what the person needs most. (Or you could go here -- Warning: NSFW! -- and find a nice "stimulator" for less than $50.)

4. For the die-hard "Sex and the City" Fan: Jacob and Co.'s New York Skyline pendant set in 18k white gold, $8,000, is a better keepsake than a pair of Manolo Blahniks. (Are there really any "Sex and the City" fans? Here's guessing anyone who watched that show spent all their money on the above sex toy site and can't afford an $8K piece of jewelry.)

3. For the thirsty jet-setter: Krug's limited-edition champagne trunk, $45,000, features a truffle grater, mother-of-pearl caviar spoons and, of course, three bottles of Krug's finest champagne. Drink up! (How about wine-in-a-box, some plasticware and four bottles of MD 20/20?)

2. For the always-traveling CEO: Henk's $20,000 silent rolling suitcase has 22 moving parts and is made out of everything from red Italian burl to horse hair. Lest we forget, it fits in all overhead storage compartments. (So that's what happened to Mr. Ed. At least he's flying first class.)

1. And finally, the gift of all gifts: a flying car. Moeller International is selling several prototypes of their M400 Skycar for $3.5 million, also featured in the fantasy section of the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book. Though the Skycar is not meant to be driven or flown just yet, it is no doubt a collector's item, especially for the aircraft enthusiast. (It's not meant to be flown or driven? Hence the name SKY-CAR. No one said rich people weren't stupid. Case in point here.)

Frankly, I'd rather have one of these. But the odds of either being under my tree are equal: absolutely zero.

CORX: NTSF? WTF? Obviously, I meant to say NSFW (not safe for work). I'm not sure where NTSF came from or what it stands for; it has since been corrected.

5 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 8:34 PM
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Cocktail of the Week -- The Irish Christmas Edition

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The Irish (and those of us who are from Albion's Seed) rarely need an excuse to drink. But when we do have one, it makes us feel much better. And Christmas is one of those times. Holiday cheer abounds, as do a few annoying family members.

There's a fine line between drinking for enjoyment and drinking to escape these obnoxious kinfolk. We seem to not only walk that line, but often smash it with a rather large hammer. So here's a little cocktail to help you celebrate an Irish Christmas. It's strong, yet sweet and light -- as well as delightfully Christmas-colored. (Who says we only do green beer.) We like to call this installment of BaT's Cocktail of the Week: Drunk on Christmas.

Ingredients

3 oz. melon liqueur
2 oz. Irish whisky
1 oz. apple schnapps
4 oz. sweet and sour
Ice cubes
Maraschino cherries

Instructions

Mix and shake the whisky, melon liqueur and apple schnapps with ice. Fill whisky sour glass with ice. Strain mixture over ice in glass. Fill with sweet and sour. Garnish with several free floating maraschino cherries.

Nollaig faoi shean is faoi shonas duit! (Translation: A prosperous and happy Christmas to you!)

3 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 3:59 PM
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Thursday Night Power-Blogging

A busy day today, and after braving the mall to buy some Christmas presents, I need to blow off some steam. What better way than to exercise the mind with some good old-fashion power-blogging. So sit back and hold onto your hat.

Progress contines in Iraq, where democracy in action there puts the American electorate to shame:

Up to 15 million Iraqis -- including large numbers of Sunnis, who boycotted the January elections -- voted in historic parliamentary elections Thursday to establish a permanent democratic government amid only scattered violence.

The polls stayed open one hour later, until 6 p.m. local time (10 a.m. EST), because of such high turnout. Long lines were reported in some precincts, said commission official Munthur Abdelamir, some of which wrapped around neighborhood blocks. The commission said results will be announced within two weeks.

The brilliant actor Morgan Freeman says the more we focus on our differences in America, the longer the differences will remain:

Freeman notes there is no "white history month," and says the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it."

The actor says he believes the labels "black" and "white" are an obstacle to beating racism.

"I am going to stop calling you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man," Freeman says.

Speaking of race, this analysis asserts that the fatality odds were actually against whites when Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans:

But the state's demographic information suggests that whites in New Orleans died at a higher rate than minorities. According to the 2000 census, whites make up 28 percent of the city's population, but the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals indicates that whites constitute 36.6 percent of the storm's fatalities in the city.

African-Americans make up 67.25 percent of the population and 59.1 percent of the deceased. Other minorities constitute approximately 5 percent of the population and represented 4.3 percent of the storm's fatalities.

Overall for the state, 658 bodies have been identified. Forty-seven percent were African-American and 42 percent were Caucasian. The remaining bodies were either non-black minorities or undetermined.

The first couple (lesbians, of course) legally joined after Vermont passed its civil-union law in July 2000 are splitting up. Violent behavior is being blamed. BaT experts predict a mixing of green and red plaid in the wash is to blame:

Bari Shamas, a member of the Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force, said gay relationships are prone to the same difficulties as heterosexual marriages.

"There's no proof that our relationships are any better than heterosexual relationships," Shamas said.

And these two may not be lesbians but they certainly are deserving of some violent behavior upon their empty heads:

Two German women have been arrested for giving a Hitler salute and singing a neo-Nazi song to foreign tourists on their way to Germany's Sachsenhausen concentration camp museum, prosecutors said Thursday.

Finally, you still have 45 minutes to vote for Ethan over at Brat Boy School for Best LGBT Blog of 2005. Go here now while there's still time. Every vote helps, and don't be discouraged by the current total. Some reconciliation of the numbers is possible once validation begins.

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 7:48 PM
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Canada: America's Best Friend?

The Bush Administration, which sat by as the French and Germans based U.S. policies to gain votes at home in previous elections, has apparently decided to draw the line with Canada.

"It may be smart election-year politics to thump your chest and constantly criticize your friend and your No. 1 trading partner. But it is a slippery slope, and all of us should hope that it doesn't have a long-term impact on the relationship," the U.S. ambassador to Ottawa, David Wilkins, said in a tough speech to the Canadian Club at the Chateau Laurier.

The 20-minute address reverberated on the campaign trail. Liberal Leader Paul Martin, who had promised to repair relations with Washington when he became Prime Minister two years ago, vowed yesterday to continue to defend Canadian interests "against anybody."

---

Mr. Wilkins, who did not name the Liberal Leader directly, said his government is growing exasperated with the Canadian government's constant attacks on U.S. environmental and commercial policies.
"Canada never has to tear down the United States to build itself up," Mr. Wilkins said.

He said Canada shows little respect for U.S. concerns. He acknowledged irritants such as the softwood lumber dispute and the war in Iraq, but called on Canada to accentuate the positive.

"What if one of your best friends criticized you directly and indirectly almost relentlessly? What if that friend's agenda was to highlight your perceived flaws while avoiding mentioning your successes? What if that friend demanded respect but offered little in return? Wouldn't that begin to sow the seeds of doubt in your mind about the strength of your friendship?" Mr. Wilkins said.

Would you keep a friend around who was constantly negative toward you? And the shoe could go on the other foot. It sounds as if Canada feels slighted by the United States, as well. Perhaps it is time for a new alignment of the nations. (Although, I'd really like to keep Western Canada. I find people from places like Calgary much more pleasant than the European wannabes in the East.)

Let's take a vote now ... to all the nations of the world, you choose. Who would you prefer to have on your side: The United States or Canada?

I'll be over here.

P.S.: Don't forget, we're down to the wire for the Weblog Awards 2005. Go here now and vote for Brat Boy School as Best LGBT Blog. Voting ends at midnight Eastern on Thursday.

0 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:49 PM
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Your Noses Or Your Life

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0 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:46 PM
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One Last Push for Ethan

Only two days of voting left for Weblog Awards 2005. Ethan of Brat Boy School is closing in on the big prize: Best LGBT Blog. He's made up tremendous ground, and he's facing a juggernaut . But we can do it. As of only a few minutes ago, he trailed by a mere 140 votes.

Please go here and vote for Brat Boy School now. Then vote for him tomorrow at work and then again at home tomorrow night. Then repeat before midnight Thursday. You can vote once from the same IP address every 24 hours. So don't delay.

Vote now!

And he's the cover boy for the January issue of Instinct magazine. Pretty damn cool.

If you doubt that it's worth your trouble, you should know Ethan's story. The day before his high school graduation, he was force-outed by someone, and the result was being kicked out of his home. But he has survived, and he's doing some great things with his life. He's one of the most positive people you'll ever run across.

So don't delay. Vote now, tomorrow and Thursday. Do it!

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 7:42 PM
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Richard Pryor, 1940-2005

One disadvantage to slipping out of town for the weekend is that I was unable to post sooner on comedian Richard Pryor's death. But one advantage is to judge the reaction -- and the assessment of his impact on entertainment, culture and race relations in the United States.

Here's what some observers had to say:

Roger Simon, blogger and writer who worked with Pryor -- "In actuality, Richard was one of the sweetest people I have ever met, always empathic and extremely generous. I once sat in his office as he gave hundreds of thousands to a hospital in South Central Los Angeles on the strength of a phone call, as long as they promised not to mention his name. And while the drug problem undoubtedly made it difficult, he was quite loving toward his kids, several of whom I came to know, especially his daughter Rain, who years later launched a standup career of her own."

Renee Graham, Boston Globe -- Sure, he could make us laugh, perhaps harder than anyone else ever had. But he also made us think and feel, long after the laughter faded away. Richard Pryor will be remembered as a comic, but that's too small a label. Comics tell jokes to get a laugh; Pryor told harsh, hilarious stories, and got your heart. And, as was often the case with his dazzling tales, as we recognized ourselves, we also found our truth.

Stanley Crouch, New York Daily News -- When we look at the remarkable descent this culture has made into smut, contempt, vulgarity and the pornagraphic, those of us who are not willing to drink the Kool-Aid marked "all's well," will have to address the fact that it was the combination of confusion and comic genius that made Pryor a much more negative influence than a positive one.

The Los Angeles Times: "Richard was always upset with Bill Cosby," comedian and friend Paul Mooney told The Times in 1995. "I think he wanted to be Bill ... . But I always liked Richard's stuff better. Bill didn't wow me. He wowed white people ... . Black people sank into Pryor's material like an easy chair ... . That's what his talent was: talking about black people to black people."

Captain Ed, Captain's Quarters -- While I would hardly claim to agree with much of what Pryor said and did in his life, he never quailed at talking about his failures and making them part of his always-hilarious act. His brutal honesty towards his own shortcomings made his pointed barbs at others around him easier to take and to get a laugh. He inspired two generations of comedians and helped pioneer stand-up into an art form.

Me? I loved Richard Pryor. In anything. Even the horrible movies. He was wonderful in "Lady Sings the Blues" and "Stir Crazy." (Yeah, that's right! That's right! We bad!)

But my favorites were films of his standup routines, especially Richard Pryor: Live in Concert" ("There are 2 billion Chinese people livin' in China. That's how you know someone's doing some serious f*cking ..." and "Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip" ("I went to penitentiary one time, not me personally, but me and Gene went there for a movie. Arizona State Penitentiary Population: 90 percent black people. But there are no black people in Arizona, they have to bus motherf*ckers in!")

In my sheltered childhood, Richard Pryor was taboo. But I still remember when I was about 14 and somehow secured a bootleg tape of his album, "That Nigger's Crazy." And somehow my father found it. Instead of turning narc -- which meant my mother would have burned the tape then burned my tail -- we spent the next half-hour or so listening to it while she was gone to church.

''My uncle said, 'Boy, don't you never kiss no p*ssy. I swear don't you never kiss no p*ssy' ... I couldn't wait to kiss a p*ssy. Sh*t, they were wrong about everything else."

We laughed and laughed. I discovered something that night. He was one messed up individual with a mouth that could shame a sailor, and people might not openly admit to liking Richard Pryor. But they can't help but laugh. As one of his album liners declared: "Calling Richard Pryor a comic is like calling JFK a politician."

He was one funny mofo.

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 4:51 PM
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Cocktail of the Week -- No Alcohol Edition

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Technically, the following recipe shouldn't be called a cocktail, as there's no alcohol. But that should make some people happy. And her, too, I suppose. But two me, two drinks are required at Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate or bastardize): egg nog (featured last week) and warm cider.

Now this isn't the cider you can buy bottled in a store, where they throw a little cinnamon into some weak apple juice and call it delicious. No, this is full of tasty ingredients and comes from the kitchen of famous Cajun chef John Folse, who I had the pleasure of meeting when I lived down there.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups cranberry juice
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3 cups apple cider
2 tbsps packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 tbsps grenadine
3 cinnamon sticks
3/4 tsp whole cloves
1 orange thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, rinsed

Instructions

In a large pot, combine cranberry juice, orange juice, apple cider, brown sugar, rosemary, grenadine, cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Serve in a decorative punch bowl immediately or keep heated by serving in a crock pot set on low.

If you just have to have alcohol, buy a bottle of Maker's Mark and sip on it while you cook the cider. Cheers, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 11:51 AM
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Putting Christ And A Squirrel Back In Christmas

The absurdity of political correctness has risen to new heights. In several places now, I've heard Christmas trees called "holiday" trees. This in an effort to avoid the "Christ" portion of Christmas.

Dare I ask exactly who puts up a Christmas tree? Better yet, who puts up a holiday tree? Jews? None that I've met. Muslims? Granted I only have two friends who follow Islam, but neither one of them decorates a green tree with white lights -- and why would they? I don't fast with them during Ramadan. Jesus H. Christ (sorry for the pun), what is wrong with this country that we are so oversensitive we can't call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree. Do we call a menorah a multipronged candlestick?

I'll give the retailers "happy holidays," but just barely. It is quite possibly that someone enters their store who doesn't celebrate Christmas. "Happy holidays" is generic and therefore covers a lot of ground -- including New Year's, Chanukkah and even people who normally would claim to be offended by "religion" but like the idea of giving and receiving overpriced electronics and crappy cologne.

But a "holiday" tree. Good grief, we have become a country of such pussies. (And I've said the same thing when the shoe is on the other foot and the nutjob religionists try to take the joy out of Halloween by calling it satanic.)

So do me a favor: If you're one of those people who abhor the idea of Christmas and the simple fact that we mark the birth of Jesus Christ on this day, please make sure you are at the office on Dec. 25 and that you don't accept "holiday" pay. After all, by taking the day off, you are contributing to the repression of millions of happy children everywhere.

But if you agree with me -- and you're tired of all the killjoys out there -- go here and watch Foamy give them an earful. (Make sure you have your sound up and do not listen to this at work or around small children. Foamy has a filthy mouth.)

/Rant off

UPDATE: Apparently Lowe's sells "holiday" trees to the Anglos, but if you're Latino, you can still buy a Christmas tree. Well, then, Feliz Navidad!

5 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 8:20 PM
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A Date Which Will Live In Infamy

Please take a few moments tonight to remember the brave Americans who faced down tyranny, on this, the 64th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

"December 7, 1941 -- a date which will live in infamy. The United States Of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by Naval and Air Forces of the Empire of Japan. It is obvious that planning the attack began many weeks ago, during the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American military forces, I regret to tell you that over three thousand American lives have been lost. No matter how long it may take us to over come this pre-meditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory. Because of this unprovoked, dastardly attack by Japan, I ask that the congress declare a state of War." -- U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Two pieces of Pearl Harbor trivia:

1. Who was the only member of the U.S Congress to vote against the declaration of war on Japan? Surprisingly, it was a Republican from Montana. And a woman. Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving two separate terms -- 1917-1919, where she (and several others) voted against U.S. entry into the First World War II, then returning for one term in 1941. She died in 1973 at age 92.

2. "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." This quote is widely attributed to Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto, and is one of the more famous sayings of World War II. However, no one can find proof that he indeed said it. Instead, it seems to be an invention by the writers of "Tora, Tora, Tora."

A lesser-known quote, however, certainly sums up Yamamoto's feelings that Japan could not win a protracted war with the Allies and that the "sneak attack" -- Japan had not technically declared war on the United States before the bombing -- would bring about American fury. "I can run wild for six months ... after that, I have no expectation of success."

He was right.

We must never forget the sacrifices made that day -- and the many others that have followed. God bless those who lost their lives that day and beyond and provide comfort to their families.

3 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:40 PM
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Then Who Would Be Left to Lead Mass?

Author, blogger and University of Florida (cough, cough) graduate Wayne Besen takes the Vatican to task in this Gay.com column for the Catholic Church's recent "no gay urges" pronouncement for future priests. (You can read the background and my thoughts in this BaT post from Nov. 22.) Besen calls upon all gay priests currently in the Catholic clergy to leave the church.

From 1965 to 2000, the number of priests in the United States dropped 30 percent; the number of nuns, 54 percent. If every gay priest came out of the closet and left the priesthood, the Vatican would collapse within a week. To remain in the Catholic Church as a gay priest after the release of this document is to be the abused wife that runs back to her husband. It is time to take a strong moral stand and leave an institution that has deemed you unworthy.

If you are a gay priest who sees the church as merely a jobs program, than please stay. But if you have a conscience and care about the church, the gay community and the truth, it is time to leave this increasingly intolerant institution in protest.

To stay is to perpetuate the problem and to be a willing actor in active persecution. It is a betrayal of self and pastoral values. The writing in this document is also the writing on the wall. The Catholic Church has left you. Isn't it time to leave the church?

Such action would certainly lead to an interesting Sunday morning in parishes around the country -- when 90 percent of church members walk in to find themselves priestless.

4 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:06 PM
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I Humbly Suggest ... (Vote For Ethan!)

Kevin Aylward's Wizbang site is again sponsoring The Weblog Awards. And give him credit, while he is a conservative blogger, his awards list is very inclusive -- including a gay category. Several very good GLBT blogs are nominated, but I humbly suggest you go there now and vote for Ethan over Brat Boy Bulletin.

Why Ethan? Well, he's an underdog for one, against some of the more established gay blogs. But, more importantly, he's the top referrer to this site, and he has consistently rated BaT highly on his partners page.

I encourage you to vote in every category. However, if you don't have that much time or knowledge of other blogs, at least give Ethan your support here. You can vote once every 24 hours, so frequent the site daily for the next 10 days and vote.

Well, what are you waiting on?

UPDATE: Ethan is currently in third place, slightly ahead of Boi from Troy (who I also enjoy reading). And Trent is nominated in the Culture/Gossip category, so vote for him, too.

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:19 PM
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How the Warren Commission Failed

History professor Gerald McKnight is publishing a new book on the JFK assassination investigation, tantalizing titled, "Breach of Trust: How the Warren Commission Failed the Nation and Why." I think you get a pretty good idea that McKnight doesn't buy the "lone nut" theory that Lee Harvey Osward acted alone in the murder of President John F. Kennedy.

The History News Network publishes this article taken from McKnight's work. Although the whole book must be read to determine its worthiness, from what I can tell McKnight believes rogue military and intelligence agents did it to provoke an invasion of Fidel Castro's Cuba.

Putting the pieces of evidence together, a pattern emerges that points to a more realistic hypothetical explanation than the official version. Kennedy was removed from office by powerful and irrational forces who opposed his revisionist Cuba policy. By 1963 senior military and CIA officers had arrived at the conclusion that Castro's Marxist government was not about to fall if a "higher authority" did not intend to overthrow it.

For a Bill Harvey, a Desmond FitzGerald, a Lyman Lemnitzer, and other like-minded highly placed professionals in the military and intelligence communities, Kennedy's 1962 no-invasion pledge was tantamount to giving Castro an intolerable degree of sanctuary. The CIA, its influence with the Kennedy White House already compromised because of the Bay of Pigs imbroglio, seethed at the prospect of becoming even more marginalized. If the White House would not commit to a military solution of the "Castro problem," the morale and motivation of the antiregime Cubans would be irreparably damaged. CIA agents specializing in covert operations, the celebrated secret warriors of the Eisenhower years who carried out the vital and dirty work for freedom, braced themselves, expecting increasing difficulty in recruiting agents and sources, keeping already recruited agents, and continuing or intensifying intelligence-gathering and other clandestine operations against the Castro regime.

For these CIA hard-liners, stalwarts of the Harvey-FitzGerald faction, bent on revenging the humiliation of the Bay of Pigs by getting rid of Castro, Kennedy may have crossed his Rubicon when he gave the green light to Attwood and a policy of accommodation with Cuba's leader.

McKnight's conclusions would then fall in the Jim Garrison school of thought -- at least one of Jim Garrison's schools of thoughts -- you know, after he blamed the queers.

Nevertheless, it is still intriguing that even after all of these years, we remain interested -- and that most Americans do not believe Oswald singlehandedly killed the most powerful man in the world.

P.S. Blogger must be down. While I can post, I can't seem to see BaT nor other Blogspot sites. Sitemeter shows no visits in at least the last hour, so this must be a more serious issue than a momentary crash. Here's hoping we're back up soon.

14 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 4:54 PM
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Cocktail of the Week -- It's Not Christmas Without Egg Nog Edition

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I've heard egg nog described as an "acquired taste." Me? I find it too sweet for heavy consumption. However, no Christmas party (or whatever you celebrate) is complete without some grown-up egg nog. Even if it's just a sip.

And what says love more than homemade alcoholic beverages? Why, you could claim you're from West Virginia and just brought this in from the still in the back yard. Actually, if you were really from West Virginia, your still would be in the kitchen and your fridge would be in the back yard -- but I digress. Ladies (we have two of them reading now!) and gentlemen (I'm not sure if we have any of those), I present to you "Jake's Egg Nog."

Ingredients

6 separated eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint heavy cream*
1 pint milk
1 pint bourbon
1 oz. rum

Instructions

Separate the eggs (please tell me you know how to do this -- divide the yellow from the not-so-yellow). Beat the yolks well. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar. Clean and degrease the beaters and bowl. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat in 1/2 cup sugar. Fold in yolks to whites. Gently stir in the heavy cream, milk, bourbon and rum. Serve well chilled in small cups. If you double this recipe, you should be able to fill a standard punch bowl.

*Heavy cream, also called heavy whipping cream, is whipping cream with a milk fat content of between 36 and 40 percent. It's usually only available in specialty or gourmet markets. Do not try to substitute light cream, half-and-half or regular whipped cream. The first two can't be whipped, and the latter doubles in size when whipped and may not react well to the other ingredients.

I know, I know: rules, rules, rules. But to make up for it, if you have a favorite holiday drink recipe, send it to jakemccafferty AT comcast DOT net. I'll publish them next week in this space. Cheers!

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 6:41 PM
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World AIDS Day
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To my friend, Max. We lost you far too early, but you will never be forgotten. You faced death as you faced life: determined, strong and with a smile. God bless you, brother.

Check out Jason's Room for more on World AIDS Day.

Bristol-Myers Squibb will donate $1 for every person who participates on its Light to Unite site, up to $100,000. I was No. 98,577, and by the time I refreshed it was 99,000. Regardless, get your booty over there and show them some love.

BaT Disclaimer: Bristol-Myers Squibb is a former client.

UPDATE: The 100,000-mark has been surpassed. Still, don't let that stop you. Go here now.

1 comments Jake McCafferty last posted at 5:55 PM
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Welcome To The BaT Party

Check out two new sites of interest over on the blogroll.

The first, Right Democrat, is under "History & Politics." He (or maybe she) is mysterious about his (or her) identity, but describes the blog as thus:

Right Democrat is the voice of Democrats who believe in social conservatism and economic populism. This site is dedicated to revitalizing the moderate-conservative wing of our party. For too long, both parties have ignored the concerns of working and middle class Americans.

The Moveonner left thinks that late term abortion, gay marriage and gun control are the core values of the Democratic Party. They are wrong and such thinking will only lead to many more years of Republican rule. The Democratic Party must embrace mainstream values. We need to appeal to people of faith. It is imperative that Democrats win back the values and national security voters.

Democrats can then focus on issues like health care, education, protecting Social Security, fair trade and protecting the rights of workers and consumers. Mainstream Democrats have to reclaim their party and drive the "trickle down" Republicans from power. The public is tired of empty Republican promises, however, the Democratic Party must become the party of working families again to prevail.

OK, so maybe we don't agree on everything ... gay, anti-abortion gun owner who can't stand Jimmy Carter here! ... but I've enjoyed what I've read so far. Check on this post on Henry "Scoop" Jackson, whom I referenced in a post yesterday.

Second, once again, I am embarassed to find a site linking to BaT to which I have not returned the favor. That changes tonight. The Gays of My Life joins category founder Armilish in the "Not Gay But Maybe Close To It" section (which is my nice way of saying f*g hags, although I prefer to call mine "fairy dust").

The blogger, Megan, works in government and what I would guess is Utah. I hope it's state government, because if she's not I bet she's blogging on my federal tax dollars. (Just kidding! Not really.) She describes her site as "a fascinating, satirical account of a single, straight woman and her gaggle of gay boyfriends."

Of BaT, she says: "I love this blog almost as much as I love the movie." Flattery will get you everywhere, Megan, or at least on the BaT blogroll. Welcome and thank you.

Today, she has touched the fourth rail of gaydom: Questioning whether men can really be bisexual. Watch it, girl, those who claim so can be very vicious about the subject. Go check her out.