Universal Freedom of Speech

Show your support for freedom of speech by signing this letter of solidarity with Oriana Fallaci. You can also buy her book, The Force of Reason, which triggered this ridiculous trial.

Disney tragedy

Update (6/30/06): It looks like my suspicions have been confirmed, although no official cause of death has been made at this time.

You may have heard about a recent tragedy at Disney World in Florida. A 12 year old boy, Michael Russell, died after riding the "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster" at the Disney-MGM theme park. I have a feeling it was related to an undiagnosed health condition as was the case last year when Daudi Bamuwamye, a 4 year old boy, died after riding Epcot's Mission: Space. Autopsy reports found that Daudi's death was caused by "an irregular heartbeat linked to an abnormal thickening of the heart muscle". The parents even admitted they knew about this condition but a cardiologist had deemed him healthy 2 years prior to his untimely death. Of course, the family is now suing Disney (no doubt at the urging of every drooling lawyer under the sun) claiming the company " should not have allowed such a small boy on the ride, did not provide adequate warnings about the potential hazards associated with the ride and did not do enough to help Daudi after he lost consciousness"(via sptimes.com).

As a pediatric nurse and a human being, I feel sick whenever I hear about a child dying and have great empathy for the family. However, that does not make it acceptable to blame others for an unfortunate event. Bad things happen to good people everyday. Sadly, many lawyers are eager to turn personal heartache into cash. I'm sure they'll be beating each other off with a stick to take advantage of this recent tragedy.

Flip-flops are bad for your career!

OK, I love flip-flops as much as the next girl (I have at least 10 pairs), but wearing them to the office? Puhlease! Come on, ladies. They make cute, professional, and comfortable footwear, too.

The New York Times' war against the war on terror

I know I'm a little late responding to this issue, but better late than never. I'm truly astounded at the complete arrogance The New York Times has shown during the last week. To hide behind the First Amendment when you have commited a treasonous act is cowardly and despicable. By The Times' own admission, the government program to track terrorists through financial transactions is legal and it works. Then why did they do it? According to NYT executive editor, Bill Keller, the decision to publish the secret program was a matter of "public interest". Really? That's funny because I thought it was in my best interest to be protected from terrorists which is what this program was established to do. Thanks, but no thanks, Bill.

Hugh Hewitt dissects Bill Keller's pathetic response to the public.
More original and altered WWII posters here (you'll have to scroll down a bit).

North Korea and Iran

What the hell is going on here? Where is the outrage? North Korea is fueling up their ballistic missile for a test run (which is known to be capable of traveling to the west coast of the U.S.) and Iran is showing no signs of stopping their uranium enrichment program. And what are we (and by "we" I mean the rest of the world, not just the U.S.) doing about it? Hmmm...not a damn thing. Two of the most dangerous nations on earth are currently demonstrating their hostility toward the rest of the world and yet we just sit and wait.
We'll wait until mid-August when Iranian President Ahmadinejad claims he'll be ready to respond to the U.S. proposal (because it takes that long to think of a good way to reject a proposal or accept a proposal that you don't intend to abide by) and we'll wait until N. Korean President Kim Jong Il fires off a missile toward my front door. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I hope to God our defense systems are working.

Happy Belated Mother's and Father's Day!

This pic of Mom, Dad and their favorite guy (grandson Jack) was taken last year at a concert in the park. You can't beat a sunny day with family, good food, and fun music. Right, Mom and Dad? Thank you for being such amazing role models. I am grateful for all of the years you both worked so hard, in and out of the home, to provide us with a great life. Love you!

Italian journalist, Oriana Fallaci, faces jail time

It appears that you can't even have an opinion in Europe if Islam is anywhere near the subject. Oriana Fallaci is on trial for portraying Islam in an unflattering light. In Italy, it's called "vilification".

In [Fallaci's] case, the religion deemed vilified is Islam, and the vilification was perpetrated, apparently, in a book she wrote last year--and which has sold many more than a million copies all over Europe--called "The Force of Reason." Its astringent thesis is that the Old Continent is on the verge of becoming a dominion of Islam, and that the people of the West have surrendered themselves fecklessly to the "sons of Allah." So in a nutshell, Oriana Fallaci faces up to two years' imprisonment for her beliefs--which is one reason why she has chosen to stay put in New York. Let us give thanks for the First Amendment (via WSJ).

It will be interesting to witness the outcome of this trial. Fallaci, who is in her mid 70's and has cancer, won't live to see the long term effects of Europe's paralyzing fear of Islam. As she wisely stated, "The moment you give up your principles, and your values . . . the moment you laugh at those principles, and those values, you are dead, your culture is dead, your civilization is dead. Period."

Hopefully, Europe wakes up soon.

The Emerald Isle

I finally get to take a real vacation after working for three years! Woo hoo! My friend Heather and I are going to visit Ireland in July and I need some suggestions for sightseeing. Any ideas? I know it's not a huge country but we only have 10 days so it's still gonna be a mad dash to see everything of interest. Any tips on how to see as much as possible while still having fun would be very appreciated. Go raibh maith agaibh (that's thank you in Irish Gaelic)!!

Summer is almost here!

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream Prepare this ice cream at the peak of strawberry season, from April to June, when the berries will have an intensely sweet aroma and flavor. If you can find the wild strawberries known as fraises des bois, use this variety.

3 cups half-and-half
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 tsp. vanilla extract



In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the half-and-half until steam begins to rise from the surface, 4 to 5 minutes.

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until blended. Gradually add the hot half-and-half, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a clean saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 8 to 10 minutes; do not allow the custard to boil.

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve set over a clean bowl and stir in the strawberries and vanilla. Nestle the bowl in a larger one filled halfway with ice and water and cool the custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Makes about 1 quart.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Can you believe it's June already? I thought I'd kick off the warm summer months with something cool and refreshing. If you try this recipe, you better invite me over for a taste test. :)