Big Tex rides again, just as the Tea Party fades into the sunset

The "Great State Fair of Texas" opens this weekend, and you know what that means....it's gonna rain!  That little squirrel in Pennsylvania has nothing on Big Tex's ability to predict the weather.  Lows in the 60's with a 90% chance of rain Saturday night.  I need the 60's, and we need the rain.  :)

To bring you up to speed, Big Tex was the huge talking statue that stood at the entry to the fair grounds for decades.  He was dressed up in western duds (I always thought it was rather cheesy) and was revered by many.  At last year's fair he caught fire, the motor that made his mouth move malfunctioning:

Looks like he had a rather serious crotch issue, too.

But all is right again.  More money was raised and now the new Big Tex has been unveiled:

Gotta keep the rednecks happy!

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I'm shocked!  Absolutely shocked.  New Jersey Senate candidate Corey Booker is in hot water because of Tweets he exchanged with a stripper at a vegan men's club.  

This just boggles my mind....imagine, a vegan strip joint!  

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I honestly believe the Tea Party Republicans have suicidal tendencies.  Yesterday their lackey, House Speaker John Boner, actually said, "We will refrain from deliberately sabotaging the global economy if President Obama:

1.  Allows more drilling on Federal lands.  (OK)

2.  Drops regulations on greenhouse gasses  (*GASP....WHEEZE*  sure, we need more greenhouse gasses, right?)

3.  Builds the Keystone XL pipeline.  (Surely we can find a way to do it safely)

4.  Stops paying for the Consumer Financial Protection Agency.  (All for screwing the public, raise your hand  *their Big Banker buddies really hate that one* ) 

5.  Makes it harder to sue for medical malpractice  (Fair enough)

and

6.  Halts health care reform for a year.  (Umm....why not just try reforming health care reform starting right now?)

This is an agenda for absolute disaster....for the Tea Party.  Hmm....come to think of it, go ahead.  Good riddance.

Happy weekend everyone.  :)

S

It's the little things....

We have a new toy, the result of The Great Corny Dog Incident of '13.

It's a convection toaster oven.

It all began on a warm summer's eve last week when K and I both wanted something to eat, but not a full blown meal.  She asked, "How about a couple of corny dogs?"  Ummm....OK.  As pre-heating the big 'ol electronic hot box under the stove takes so long, K just nuked 'em in the microwave instead.  

Gag!

The breading tasted like it had been soaking in water for several hours.  It was just awful.  She said a small countertop toaster oven would have been the way to go, except we didn't have a toaster oven.  She said it just makes cooking something simple for two (or was it cooking something for two simpletons?) so much easier.  I've never had a toaster oven, and as I've written about in the past, my mother wasn't a cook at all, so this was an all-new concept for me.

K always kids me about my tendency to run to Consumer Reports before I buy anything much more than a pair of socks, and this purchase was no exception.  There were several Breville toaster ovens rated on top, but they were $180....not gonna happen!  Next highest rated was this little Oster model.  I couldn't find it at any store locally, so it was Amazon to the rescue.

It arrived yesterday and we gave it the ultimate test....yep, corny dogs again.  This time I think even Consumer Reports would have approved, if they were to ever test corny dogs.  They were crispy and delicious, just like the ones Fletcher's cooks up at the Great State Fair of Texas.  ;)

And let me just say for the record, yes, they were 100% pure beef (from select cuts of the ear, hoof, and ass) and the breading was pure natural / green / organic / free range, too.  I'm pretty sure.  

S