Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Spring recipes from The Food Network

 

Carla noted that video.  I love The Food Network and we haven't done a video recipe in some time. Recipes:

0:00 - Intro 0:05 - Alex Guarnaschelli's Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto 9:29 - Jeff Mauro's Radish, Avocado and Asparagus Salad 14:04 - Bobby Flay’s Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Black Olives 17:23 - Geoffrey Zakarian's Spring Pea Salad with Jamon and Mustard Vinaigrette 23:17 - Anne Burrell's Grilled Asparagus with Poached Egg 28:59 - Katie Lee Biegel's Sugar Snap Pea and Radish Salad 38:45 - Ree Drummond's Burrata & Spring Vegetable Toast 44:49 - Alex Guarnaschelli's Steamed Whole Artichokes 49:39 - Geoffrey Zakarian's Spring Radish Salad 52:25 - Ree Drummond's Spring Grain Salad


News?  Christopher Wells (Vatican News) reports:


In a statement issued on Friday after expanded federal immigration enforcement operations, the Archbishop of Los Angeles, José Gomez issued a statement saying he was “troubled” by the raids.

The Archbishop said he is praying for the community, and “that everyone involved will exercise restraint and calm.”

While agreeing that “undocumented immigrants who are known terrorists or violent criminals” are unwanted, Archbishop Gomez said “there is no need for the government to carry out enforcement actions in a way that provokes fear and anxiety among ordinary, hard-working immigrants and their families.”

Echoing the position of the US bishops, the Archbishop repeated his call for the US Congress “to get serious about fixing our broken immigration system that leads so many to seek to cross our borders illegally.”

Noting the “coherent” immigration policies in other countries, Archbishop Gomez said the United States likewise needs a policy “that respects the natural rights of people to emigrate in search of a better life and also ensures control” of the border.

“it’s been almost 40 years since the last reform of our immigration laws,” he concluded. “That’s too long and it’s time to do something about it.”





This is C.I.'s "The Snapshot" for Tuesday:


Tuesday, June 10, 2025.  Chump continues to tank the economy but still makes time to attack Los Angeles, Senator Elizabeth Warren has some findings regarding DOGE, Junior continues to put the health of all Americans at risk, and much more.

Let's start with the troubled US economy and the culprit behind it Donnie Dementia.  Steven Benen (MADDOW BLOG) explains:


Donald Trump clearly wants the public to believe he recently struck a trade deal with China. The president did not actually reach such an agreement, but he’s leaned into his fictional narrative with great enthusiasm lately.

Last Thursday, for example, the Republican published an item to his social media platform, noting that he’d spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about “the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal.” Soon after, during an Oval Office event, he again touted the same “trade deal.”

A day later, Trump posted a follow-up item, announcing the members of a delegation who would travel to London to meet with Chinese officials about “the Trade Deal.”

The bad news is that the “trade deal” in question does not exist, no matter how many times the American president pretends otherwise. The good news is that administration officials will actually have some discussions with their Chinese counterparts. NBC News reported:

About a month ago, Trump announced what he characterized as a “deal” with China, but the closer one looked at the details, the more the truth came into focus. Georgetown University professor Abraham Newman wrote a great piece for MSNBC that explained, "While the U.S. did avoid a major economic calamity, this is not a deal. The U.S. blinked. ... Far from some diplomatic coup, the U.S. climb down reflects the economic risks of maintaining such high tariffs.”

The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal came to the same conclusion, noting, “[T]he China deal is more surrender than Trump victory.”

Complicating matters, while the White House and Beijing reached a tentative agreement that paused the two countries’ tit-for-tat tariffs, both countries have since accused each other of violating the agreement.

All of which brings to mind Peter Navarro, the White House’s top trade adviser, who boasted in April, “We’re going to run 90 deals in 90 days.” Navarro added that such a plan “is possible” in part because “the boss is going to be the chief negotiator.”

Roughly two months later, the grand total currently stands at zero. Generous observers might be inclined to give Trump credit for striking a deal with the U.K., but as The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank summarized in his latest column, that deal is really more of a “vaguely phrased framework with Britain that still hasn’t been made public.”

That 90 deals in 90 days?  Announced in April?  July 8th would be the deadline.  The administration wasn't pressured by Congress.  This wasn't, "Show progress or get out of Iraq."  This was a brag that Chump and his people announced and made.

Viewers of THE 11TH HOUR WITH STEPHANIE RUHLE knew that boast was empty because Stephanie spoke of this repeatedly and addressed with multiple guests.  

Donnie has dementia so he may not have realized how untrue the boast was but Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent had to know that was never going to happen.

Donnie Dementia flaps his gums and is so far gone that he never realizes when the clock ticks out and he's yet again been unable to keep his word.



President Donald Trump’s signature trade policy is threatening to backfire by upending other top priorities: the revival of US manufacturing and the American Rust Belt. 

In Illinois, Trump’s tariffs prompted a compressor maker to delay a key equipment purchase after an ambitious factory revamp. Rockwell Automation Inc., a Wisconsin-based producer of factory tools, says some manufacturers are putting projects on hold because of uncertainty over costs and future demand. Snap-on Inc. is seeing similar hesitancy among car mechanics.
The warnings underscore the rising worry that turbulence from Trump’s trade wars will smother the progress US manufacturers have already made revving up American factories. Manufacturing payrolls fell by 8,000 last month, the most this year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. US and Chinese negotiators will resume trade talks Monday in London, as the world’s two largest economies look to resolve disputes over tariffs and technology.

In the US, perhaps nowhere is the anxiety higher than in the Midwest, which is still home to the nation’s highest concentration of manufacturing employment even after bleeding jobs early this century from the rise of offshoring. 

“Overall, it is going to be a drag on the US economy,” said Gus Faucher, chief economist for PNC Financial Services Group in Pittsburgh, calling the tariffs a tax that will raise prices. “In particular, it’s going to be a drag on the Midwestern economy.”


He has ruined the US economy and that is one of the many things -- all bad -- that he will be remembered for.  Kalyeena Makortoff (GUARDIAN) emphasizes:


Businesses hit by tariffs should start reviewing their bonus policies and how deeply they may need to cut executive payouts if they hope to avoid a public backlash, lawyers have said.

Partners at the Silicon Valley law firm Cooley said that while pay was probably the last thing on bosses’ minds as they scramble to adapt to Donald Trump’s unpredictable tariff policies, pay committees should start assessing their options soon.
“Many will encounter rising material costs and reduced profit margins, particularly given the significant pressure on the supply chain,” a memo by its top lawyers said.

“Taken together with the recent stock market volatility, companies (both public and private) will need to address the impact of these challenges on their business and, importantly, consider the effects on director and executive compensation programs.”
Cooley – whose clients have included Netflix, Apple, Meta, and Twitter before its takeover by Elon Musk and rebrand as X – said that without a proper review of pay policies, companies may end up handing big bonuses to bosses while the rest of the workforce suffers from cost cuts and job losses.

That may be due to remuneration policies that do not automatically account for the impact of so-called “black swan events”, such as a dramatic U-turn in US trade policy or a global pandemic.

Jason Ma (FORTUNE) reports a number of economists are stating the big problem for the economy, even bigger than the tariffs, is going to be the disappearance of immigrants from the US.




It's day five of Chump's attack on Los Angeles.  A lot of propaganda out there as Chump tries to get support for his illegal move of sending in the National Guard for a protest that is not violent.  Wally, Cedric, Betty, Ann, Isaiah, Elaine and I did a joint humor post about our inept FBI:



It's a humor post.  But the linked part is real and the actual words.  The FBI has, for 75 years now, had a Most Wanted list.  Yesterday they added an unnamed person to the list.  It's some guy that threw rocks.

Yes, the list that once boasted names of serial killers and Osama bin Laden, now boasts a rock thrower.  A rock thrower.  They consider him armed and dangerous To which we added:


SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS . . . ESPECIALLY IF THE UNNAMED AND UNKNOWN PERSON IS STANDING NEAR OR IN THE HISTORIC ROCK GARDEN AT THE LAPD ELYSIAN PARK ACADEMY.

An unknown rock thrower is now the ten most wanted person by the FBI.  

Let that soak in and then grasp how idiotic and out of touch Chump and his administration truly are.

It's all part of the nonsense to inflame and frighten the US public.

And to flood the zone with lies because facts don't look good for Chump.

For example?  Last night on MSNBC,  Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell discussed how, in his first term, Chump spoke of how a president could not just send the national guard into a state. 




LA Mayor Karen Bass also spoke with Rachel last night to get the truth out and what has taken place.  



Some BLUESKY posts.

Acyn
‪@acyn.bsky.social‬
That's CNN's Jason Carroll that's being detained. (Video removed because it's making everything below 'float' when community sites repost.)


Aaron Parnas
‪@aaronparnas.bsky.social‬
BREAKING: Kamala Harris issues statement on Los Angeles.
June 8, 2025 at 6:33 PM
6.7K reposts
382 quotes
23.3K likes
 
Chump lies to try to garner support for his abuse of office.  He and his whole administration are nothing but liars. I am so sick of the liars.  It's bad enough that they break the law and they don't have any background that should have made them a Cabinet Secretary but when they lie about it on top of that?   Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy (USA TODAY) reports:


Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has fired all 17 members of a committee that advises the federal government on vaccine safety and will replace them with new members, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on June 9.

At issue is the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices, which makes recommendations on the safety, efficacy, and clinical need of vaccines to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It comprises medical and public health experts who develop recommendations on the use of vaccines in the civilian population of the United States.

“Today we are prioritizing the restoration of public trust above any specific pro- or anti-vaccine agenda,” said Kennedy Jr., who has a history of controversial views on vaccines. “The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies.”
Kennedy Jr.'s decision marks a reversal from what a key Republican senator said the Trump Cabinet member had promised during his confirmation hearings earlier this year. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said Kennedy had promised to maintain the committee's current composition.
"If confirmed, he will maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes," Cassidy said.


As Lawrence O'Donnell observed last night, Junior has no accomplishments of his own and has just gotten through life on his father's name -- a name he degrades daily.  

He lies to Congress -- even Republicans in Congress -- and he destroys public health.  He's not qualified for this job and we will be dealing with his garbage for years.  Nikki McCann Ramirez (ROLLING STONE) adds:

  Last month, Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" commission released a report that reiterated his own conspiracies about vaccines - and was riddled with citation errors and outright fake research. The so-called MAHA report alluded to disproven claims from vaccine skeptics that the vaccine schedule recommended for children in the United States is overloaded and potentially harmful. 

The attack against the independent vaccine advisory board is the latest instance in which Kennedy has attempted to mold the nation's leading public health systems around his own pseudoscientific agenda - with the health of millions of Americans in the balance. 



We're late in nothing this but let's get in now.  Plan will be to explore it in the next snapshot.  From Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:


Warren Highlights 130 Potential Acts of Corruption in Musk’s 130 Days in Government

Since Election Day, Musk’s staggering net worth has increased by over $100 billion. 

Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a new report entitled, “Special Interests over the Public Interest: Elon Musk's 130 Days in the Trump Administration.” 

The report provides 130 examples of unethical or potentially corrupt actions that benefit Musk or his companies — one for each day of Musk’s service as a Special Government Employee.  While serving as an adviser during the Trump transition, as a “Special Government Employee” in the White House, and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has increased his net worth by over $100 billion. Meanwhile, many pending enforcement actions,creating at least $2.37 billion in potential liability for his companies, are now either stalled or have been dismissed.

The new report includes a list of 130 actions by Musk or Trump administration officials that broke ethics norms and precedent or may have violated laws regarding federal employees’ participation in matters in which they have a financial interest, laws against bribery and gratuities, or the rules prohibiting use of government positions for private gain — all while benefiting Musk’s companies.

The report breaks these actions into 15 main categories, including:

  1. Official government time and resources have been spent promoting Musk’s businesses.
  2. Under the Trump Administration, federal government agencies — perhaps influenced by Musk or seeking his favor — have entered or explored new lucrative contracts for his companies and turned to his companies’ services. 
  3. During the Trump Administration, federal agencies have dropped investigations into Musk companies, declined to enforce regulations against them, or foregone penalties that appear to have been warranted.
  4. Largely guided by Musk’s DOGE, the Trump Administration has hamstrung the agencies overseeing Musk’s companies, gutting their staff, throwing sand in the gears of their operations, and embedding DOGE staff loyal to Musk.
  5. Agencies have pursued policy changes and regulatory approvals that benefit Musk’s companies.
  6. Musk received special access to sensitive government meetings, classified information, and proprietary government data that can boost his companies.
  7. Musk has been involved in selecting and installing personnel loyal to him in agencies that regulate or contract with his companies.
  8. Musk appeared to redirect foreign aid and immigration policy toward his personal parochial interests rather than the public’s interest. 
  9. Musk companies reportedly use the promise of federal assistance — or threat of federal penalties — to extract better deals from business partners and competitors.
  10. The Trump Administration weaponizes federal enforcement powers against Musk’s enemies.
  11. Musk’s influence-peddling in Congress will benefit his bottom line.
  12. Musk secured deals with foreign nations and companies, often after using his unique access to Trump Administration policy discussions and staff. 
  13. Musk’s family members also receive new business opportunities – soon after Musk becomes top advisor to the president.
  14. Musk uses his influence to meddle in the political and judicial processes in ways that could help protect his political — and financial — interests.
  15. Despite his calls for the government to practice “maximum transparency,” Musk has failed to inform the American people of critical information about his potential conflicts of interest. 

###


And we'll wind down with another  press release from Senator Warren's office:


“The full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at ED remains unknown…” “This [is]... dangerous for... an agency that handles an extensive student loan portfolio and a range of federal aid programs for higher education.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led senators in pushing the Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to open an investigation into new information obtained by her office revealing that DOGE may have gained access to “two of [Federal Student Aid] FSA’s internal systems: Financial Management System (FMS) and Partner Connect,” in addition to sensitive borrower data. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) joined the letter as well.

Following DOGE’s “takeover” of ED, the senators opened an investigation into the matter. In response, ED disclosed that DOGE supported a review of FSA’s contracts, and to conduct this review, ED granted “one employee [] read-only access” to two of FSA’s internal systems, which both hold sensitive personal information for people on Title IV loan and grant programs. 

ED also disclosed that it had since “revoked” that employee’s access to both of those systems. Alarmingly, ED did not indicate why the DOGE employee’s access had been revoked, whether this employee has retained access to any other ED databases, and what actions the Department has done to ensure that student loan borrowers’ sensitive information would not be released or misused.

“Because of the Department’s refusal to provide full and complete information, the full extent of DOGE’s role and influence at ED remains unknown,” wrote the senators. “This lack of clarity is not only frustrating for borrowers but also dangerous for the future of an agency that handles an extensive student loan portfolio and a range of federal aid programs for higher education.”

The senators are requesting that the ED OIG conduct a review to determine whether ED adhered to the Privacy Act, and also determine the impact of DOGE’s new plans to consolidate Americans’ personal information across government databases.

Senator Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign in a coordinated effort to fight back against President Trump’s attempts to abolish the Department of Education:

  • On May 20, 2025, Senator Warren and 27 other senators pushed for full funding for the Office of Federal Student Aid.

  • On May 14, 2025, Senator Warren led a Senate forum entitled “Stealing the American Dream: How Trump and Republicans Are Raising Education Costs for Families,” highlighting the consequences of Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education (ED) and President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” for working- and middle-class students and borrowers.

  • On May 13, 2025, Senator Warren agreed to meet with Education Secretary Linda McMahon and promised to bring questions and stories from Americans across the country to highlight how the Trump administration’s attacks on education are hurting American families.

  • On May 6, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the consequences of President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon’s reckless dismantling of the Department of Education for American families in a Senate forum.

  • On April 24, 2025, Senator Warren launched a new investigation into the harms of President Trump’s attacks on the Department of Education, seeking information on the impact of the Trump administration’s actions from the members of twelve leading organizations representing schools, parents, teachers, students, borrowers, and researchers.

  • On April 10, 2025, following a request led by Senator Warren, the Department of Education’s Acting Inspector General agreed to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

  • On April 2, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Mazie Hirono, along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence chatbots.

  • On April 2, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren launched the Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.

  • On March 27, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a letter to Acting Department of Education Inspector General (IG) René Rocque requesting that the IG conduct an investigation of the Trump Administration’s attempts to dismantle the Department of Education.

  • On March 20, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Trump Administration’s decision to slash the capacity of Federal Student Aid to handle student aid complaints.

  • On February 24, 2025, in a response to Senator Warren, Secretary McMahon gave her first public admission that she “wholeheartedly” agreed with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education.

  • On February 11, 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Andy Kim sent Linda McMahon, Secretary-Designate for the U.S. Department of Education, a 12-page letter with 65 questions on McMahon's policy views in advance of her nomination hearing.

###


The following sites updated:





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