Text 26982, 100 rader
Skriven 2009-08-04 05:39:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: govts 969
=================
 GJ> It is very tempting to suggest that the Mafiosi would not allow the
 GJ> government to horn in on their most profitable business, as I have
 GJ> read that the Mafia has, or used to have such power.

I'd be surprised if the Mafia had a great hand in the marijuana
traffic, as there seems to be so much amateur presence. Hard
drugs, yes; weed, no. Anyway, the Federal government has some
animus against the Mafia, so though the municipalities may be
ineffective, it is by no means a piece of cake for the bad guys.

 GJ> These days South Australia is the main marijuana
 GJ> growing state in the country, with the growers easily identified by a
 GJ> dead Ford station wagon parked in an overgrown front yard, and wires
 GJ> by-passing the electricity meter to avoid the huge electricity bill
 GJ> resulting from 24 hour bright lighting for the hydroponic rooms.

So why aren't they prosecuted for fraud against the
electricity provider?

=

 GJ> When that "dangerous liquids" rule started, I was in Singapore, and
 GJ> passengers were told that we could buy bottles, etc at the Singapore
 GJ> duty free before flying to other countries, _except_ to USA, India and
 GJ> Israel.  Soon afterwards, India was taken off the banned list.  I
 GJ> don't know what rule applies now.

USA and Israel would have a secondary security screening within
the sterile area, for reasons unknown to me. I used to have to
go through up to 4 security screenings to get from the Schengen
area at Frankfurt to the Red Carpet Club then back to the
Schengen area and then to USA departures. The last couple times
I just used the Lufthansa lounges, which are nicer anyway.
Singapore is easier to deal with: the USA-level security is
just at the gate entrance.

 GJ> I think at that last Salem picnic we managed to smuggle some bottles
 GJ> of moonshine ..er.. beer from a grog shop across the border in a
 GJ> private car without being caught by the Revenuers.

In the off season, nobody cares: it's too expensive to post
a Massachusetts cop at every entrance to the state. But around
Thanksgiving and Christmas, the New Hampshire state stores do
a great business, and the staties do a great business, and I
don't know where the confiscated booze goes. Back to the New
Hampshire stores or into the great maws of the police? It's
entrapment on the part of the state and stupidity on the part
of the customers. But the risk may be worth it now: a 6.25%
surtax is now levied on alcohol in Massachusetts, effective a
couple days ago: the tax used to be included in the price; now
we have to pay that older tax plus the regular state sales tax.

 GJ> What is tarhonya?
 ML> It's a noodle dough cut or sieved into little irregular bits
 ML> that are sometimes likened to barley. Partway between orzo
 ML> (KJCJDS thinks they are interchangeable) and spaetzle.
 GJ> Perhaps like risoni, some of which I have?

I presume risoni are big orzo? Tarhonya are actually a
bit more irregular than any of the extruded pastas, as
they're made by rubbing through a coarse sieve or in
the fingers.

Buttermilk Pound Cake with Glaze
cat: dessert, healthy
Yield: 16 servings

Vegetable cooking spray
1 1/4 c sugar
1 1/4 c Splenda granular
3/4 c butter or margarine, softened
1 ts vanilla
3 eggs, slightly beaten
4 egg whites
1/2 c applesauce
3 c all-purpose flour
1 ts baking powder
1/4 ts salt
1 c buttermilk

Heat oven to 350F. Spray and flour loaf or tube pan.

Beat the sugar, Splenda, butter, vanilla, eggs and egg
whites, and applesauce on low speed, scraping bowl
constantly for 30 sec. Beat on high speed, scraping
bowl occasionally, 5 min.

Beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt alternately
with buttermilk on low speed. Pour batter into pan.

Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out
clean, 60 - 70 min. Cool 20 min; remove from pan.
Drizzle with Buttermilk Glaze if desired.

Buttermilk Glaze: Combine 2 Tb powdered sugar and 1 ts
buttermilk in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Ebony 10/08
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