"The release of atom power has changed everything except our way of thinking...the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker." ALBERT EINSTEIN
G'Week, Mate! (does that work for you? It works for me.)
Life is filled with beautiful coincidences! In the June 17th newsletter, I referred you to an inspiring speech by Bill Moyers. I had never heard of him before then but was mightly impressed by his political vision. I just recently found out that he interviewed Erica Jong on the subject of 'Sappho' and he mentioned that his favourite Sappho poem was the two cewnturies old, 'Fragment 64':
Beautiful. Several years ago, I set four of these fragments,
in a work called 'Evocation of Sappho', to original music and
performed them, with the assistance of a woman soprano, at a celebration
for my friends, Judy Small and Sue Dyson. Two years ago, I was
able to recorded my own version of 'Fragment 64' on my
CD, FREELOVEDAYS. Here is the Lyric
Page
The latest on those 'Mobile Biological Weapons Labs' found in Iraq? The trailers are actually exactly what Iraq said they were: facilities to fill weather balloons, sold to them by the British themselves. More on this below in the '10 Lies'.
Some of you might be aware that about 30 years ago, I wrote a song called 'My Home Ain't In The Hall of Fame', which has since been recorded by quite a few US country artists, the most recent being Robert Earl Keen Jr, from Texas. Keen even put out my song as the first single release off his new CD 'Gravitational Forces'. Lately, however, it's come to my attention that Robert Earl Keen Jr is also George W Bush's daughters' favourite country singer! Doing some simple logic, that would mean that my song has probably been on high rotation around the Bush household. Should I be happy or sad? Good question. I suppose we shouldn't punish the children for the sins of the father. I can't imagine their dad singing it in the shower or on his liver machine. (I am working on a special song, at the moment, for Boy George W. called, 'My Other Office's a Jail Cell.')
I made sushi over the weekend, for our daughter Sara's birthday, for about 50 people, so I've included a colourful recipe below for two variations of the California Reverse Roll.
Also, by request of Chef Andrew 'Sweet Potato' Duffield, from this issue onwards, there will be a Newsletter Archive Page and Recipe Index at the bottom of the page, so that anyone interested can find previous articles.
Melbournians, don't forget: this Saturday July 5th, I'm vibrating strings and cords on Josie Parrelli's Chartbusting '80s television show, Channel 31 uhf, at 8:30 pm, and then, joining Kavisha Mazzella and friends over at Rucker's Inn, in Northcote, at 9:30 pm for some songs and some jamming. All the details are in last week's June 25th newsletter. (See the Archives below.)
I usually endeavour to mail out my newsletter once a week.
But if anyone is really hungry for cutting edge information from
the US, I suggest writing to Joe Simonetta, who is currently running
for Congress, (he is a Democratic Party candidate in the 2004
election for Florida's 13th Congressional District seat and everyone
knows we need some help in Florida!) - request to be put on his
mailing list. He is a terrific information source, and a generous
guy. His mail outs cull the best of the best stuff that others
send to him, as well, and are emailed 5 times a week or more.
I look forward to them and have no problem at all getting a lot.
(Heck, look at how much you have to read in the newspaper to find
one good bit and you have to PAY for that!)
Here's Joe Simonetta's Website.
and email: jrsimonetta@comcast.net
(Drop him a line and wish him well . You got to trust an Italian
from Harvard Divinity School named Joe! I'm waiting patiently
for him to send me his grandmother's bacalla recipe.)
The Fourth of July is a special day for US citizens - Independence Day, the day the American Coolonial Revolutionary Government (now known popularly as the USA) declared itself free of British Rule. As you can read below, the folks that committed themselves to this path paid a price that is not usually taught to school kids. (I never knew any of this when I was growing up in the American school system.) Are we willing to risk our personal safety and security, in a similar way today, speaking out and standing up for a more just and better world for ourselves and future generations?
"Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning" lightning hopkins
Joe
-------------------------
THE 4TH OF JULY
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the United States Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants,
nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well
educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing
full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw
his Ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold
his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced
to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress
without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions
were taken from him, and poverty was his reward. Vandals or soldiers
looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,Walton, Gwinnett,
Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the
British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for
his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to
open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis
Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed
his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.
Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his
gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived
in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and
his children vanished. Some of us take these liberties so
much for granted, but we shouldn't. Remember: freedom is never
free!
(thanks to Bob Komniey)
---------------------
Statement of Sarah Brady, Chair of the Brady Campaign,
on Michael Moore's 'Bowling for Columbine'
" The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and I would like to extend our praise and congratulations to Michael Moore on 'Bowling for Columbine's' Oscar for Best Documentary. We are very pleased that 'Bowling for Columbine' is receiving the acclaim it deserves. The news is the latest success for Michael, whose film explores gun ownership and gun violence in the United States. The film presents to millions of Americans the horrors of gun violence and the destructive attitude within the NRA. His hard-hitting film inspires dialogue and activism across the nation on gun violence prevention. And the Award helps focus much needed attention on an issue that the NRA wants legislators to ignore.
From the Columbine High School security camera tapes to the cartoon skit representing the history of guns in America, 'Bowling for Columbine' entertains, educates, and energizes. Michael's candid interviews with gun enthusiasts and with the NRA's Charlton Heston illuminates how far we have to go to reach our vision of an America free from gun violence.
Since the passage of the Brady Bill (1993), more than 800,000 prohibited purchasers have been denied weapons at gun stores. But there is much more work to be done--79 Americans die each day from gun violence. We thank Michael Moore for his courage to address gun violence in our nation and we are very thankful for his talented work. "
As the nation's largest national, non-partisan,
grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence,
the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with
the Million Mom March is dedicated to creating an America
free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home,
at school, at work, and in their communities.
---------------------
10 Appalling Lies We Were Told About Iraq
By Christopher Scheer, AlterNet
June 27, 2003
"The Iraqi dictator must not be permitted to threaten
America and the world with horrible poisons and diseases and gases
and atomic weapons."
George Bush, Oct. 7, 2002, in a speech in Cincinnati.
There is a small somber box that appears in the New York Times every day. Titled simply "Killed in Iraq," it lists the names and military affiliations of those who most recently died on tour of duty. Wednesday's edition listed just one name: Orenthial J. Smith, age 21, of Allendale, South Carolina.
The young late O.J. Smith was almost certainly named after the legendary running back, Orenthal J. Simpson, before that dashing American hero was charged for a double-murder. Now his namesake has died in far-off Mesopotamia in a noble mission to, as our president put it on March 19, "disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger."
Today, more than three months after Bush's stirring declaration of war and nearly two months since he declared victory, no chemical, biological or nuclear weapons have been found, nor any documentation of their existence, nor any sign they were deployed in the field.
The mainstream press, after an astonishing two years of cowardice, is belatedly drawing attention to the unconscionable level of administrative deception. They seem surprised to find that when it comes to Iraq, the Bush administration isn't prone to the occasional lie of expediency but, in fact, almost never told the truth.
What follows are just the most outrageous and significant of the dozens of outright lies uttered by Bush and his top officials over the past year in what amounts to a systematic campaign to scare the bejeezus out of everybody:
LIE #1: "The evidence indicates that Iraq is reconstituting its nuclear weapons program ... Iraq has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes and other equipment need for gas centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons." President Bush, Oct. 7, 2002, in Cincinnati.
FACT: This story, leaked to and breathlessly reported by Judith Miller in the New York Times, has turned out to be complete baloney. Department of Energy officials, who monitor nuclear plants, say the tubes could not be used for enriching uranium. One intelligence analyst, who was part of the tubes investigation, angrily told The New Republic that, "You had senior American officials like Condoleezza Rice saying the only use of this aluminum really is uranium centrifuges. She said that on television. And that's just a lie."
LIE #2: "The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." President Bush, Jan.28, 2003, in the State of the Union address.
FACT: This whopper was based on a document that the White House already knew to be a forgery thanks to the CIA. Sold to Italian intelligence by some hustler, the document carried the signature of an official who had been out of office for 10 years and referenced a constitution that was no longer in effect. The ex-ambassador who the CIA sent to check out the story is pissed: "They knew the Niger story was a flat-out lie," he told the New Republic, anonymously. "They [the White House] were unpersuasive about aluminum tubes and added this to make their case more strongly."
LIE #3: "We believe [Saddam] has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." Vice President Cheney on March 16, 2003 on "Meet the Press."
FACT: There was and is absolutely zero basis for this statement. CIA reports up through 2002 showed no evidence of an Iraqi nuclear weapons program.
LIE #4: "[The CIA possesses] solid reporting of senior-level contacts between Iraq and al-Qaeda going back a decade." CIA Director George Tenet in a written statement released Oct. 7, 2002 and echoed in that evening's speech by President Bush.
FACT: Intelligence agencies knew of tentative contacts between Saddam and al-Qaeda in the early '90s, but found no proof of a continuing relationship. In other words, by tweaking language, Tenet and Bush spun the intelligence180 degrees to say exactly the opposite of what it suggested.
LIE #5: "We've learned that Iraq has trained al-Qaeda members in bomb-making and poisons and deadly gases ... Alliance with terrorists could allow the Iraqi regime to attack America without leaving any fingerprints." President Bush, Oct. 7.
FACT: No evidence of this has ever been leaked or produced. Colin Powell told the U.N. this alleged training took place in a camp in northern Iraq. To his great embarrassment, the area he indicated was later revealed to be outside Iraq's control and patrolled by Allied war planes.
LIE #6: "We have also discovered through intelligence that Iraq has a growing fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical or biological weapons across broad areas. We are concerned that Iraq is exploring ways of using these UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] for missions targeting the United States." President Bush, Oct. 7.
FACT: Said drones can't fly more than 300 miles, and Iraq is 6000 miles from the U.S. coastline. Furthermore, Iraq's drone-building program wasn't much more advanced than your average model plane enthusiast. And isn't a "manned aerial vehicle" just a scary way to say "plane"?
LIE #7: "We have seen intelligence over many months that they have chemical and biological weapons, and that they have dispersed them and that they're weaponized and that, in one case at least, the command and control arrangements have been established." President Bush, Feb. 8, 2003, in a national radio address.
FACT: Despite a massive nationwide search by U.S. and British forces, there are no signs, traces or examples of chemical weapons being deployed in the field, or anywhere else during the war.
LIE #8: "Our conservative estimate is that Iraq today has a stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons agent. That is enough to fill 16,000 battlefield rockets." Secretary of State Colin Powell, Feb. 5 2003, in remarks to the UN Security Council.
FACT: Putting aside the glaring fact that not one drop of this massive stockpile has been found, as previously reported on AlterNet our own intelligence reports show that these stocks if they existed were well past their use-by date and therefore useless as weapon fodder.
LIE #9: "We know where [Iraq's WMD] are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south, and north somewhat." Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, March 30, 2003, in statements to the press.
FACT: Needless to say, no such weapons were found, not to the east, west, south or north, somewhat or otherwise.
LIE #10: "Yes, we found a biological laboratory in Iraq which the UN prohibited." President Bush in remarks in Poland, published internationally June 1, 2003.
FACT: This was reference to the discovery of two modified truck trailers that the CIA claimed were are potential mobile biological weapons lab. But British and American experts including the State Department's intelligence wing in a report released this week have since declared this to be untrue. According to the British, and much to Prime Minister Tony Blair's embarrassment, the trailers are actually exactly what Iraq said they were, facilities to fill weather balloons, sold to them by the British themselves.
So, months after the war, we are once again where we started with plenty of rhetoric and absolutely no proof of this "grave danger" for which O.J. Smith died. The Bush administration is now scrambling to place the blame for its lies on faulty intelligence, when in fact the intelligence was fine, it was their abuse of it which was "faulty."
Rather than apologize for leading us to a preemptive war based on impossibly faulty or shamelessly distorted "intelligence" or offering his resignation, our sly madman in the White House is starting to sound more like that other O.J. Like the man who cheerfully played golf while promising to pursue "the real killers," Bush is now vowing to search for "the true extent of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs, no matter how long it takes."
On the terrible day of the 9/11 attacks, five hours after a hijacked plane slammed into the Pentagon, retired Gen. Wesley Clark received a strange call from someone (he didn't name names) representing the White House position: "I was on CNN, and I got a call at my home saying, 'You got to say this is connected. This is state-sponsored terrorism. This has to be connected to Saddam Hussein,'" Clark told Meet the Press anchor Tim Russert. "I said, 'But I'm willing to say it, but what's your evidence?' And I never got any evidence.'"
And neither did we.
Christopher Scheer is the managing editor of
AlterNet.org. He can be reached at feedback@alternet.org
(Thanks to Joe Simonetta for forwarding this, and the following
article.)
-------------------------------------------
"Impeach Bush!" Echoes Through
Bush Fundraiser
In the last week, the movement to impeach George W. Bush has entered a new and exciting phase. The call for Bush's impeachment, which began as a mass grassroots campaign, is increasingly the focus of commentary in the electronic and print media, on the Internet, and in swelling street demonstrations that have confronted George W. Bush as he engages in a whirlwind fundraising tour.
While George W. Bush was handed millions of dollars from his wealthy constituency at fundraising events this past week, the impeachment movement made its voice heard in the streets outside. On Friday, June 27, thousands of demonstrators, including anti-war activists and members of the VoteToImpeach.org campaign, confronted Bush on two separate occasions, in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The effectiveness of the demonstrators resonated far beyond Bush's ballrooms and was reported by media around the world.
"[D]emonstrators shouting for US President George W. Bush's impeachment gathered outside a hotel here where the president was helping raise $3.6 million for his re-election campaign. The protesters accused Bush of lying about the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq, a central justification for the US-British invasion of Iraq in March," read the Daily Telegraph and Melbourne Herald in Australia (Ed Note: All RIGHT! - 'up there cazaly. . . ') and many other news reports around the world.
The demonstrators' calls for impeachment were so loud and spirited
that they could be heard throughout the hotel in Los Angeles while
Bush conducted his $2,000 per plate fund-raiser. At the same
time that Bush told a crowd of south California's elite that "I'm
loosening up," the lobby of the Century Plaza Hotel ballroom
was echoing with the chants of "Stop Bush!" "Bush
Lied!" and "Where are the Weapons of Mass Destruction?"
and "Impeach!"
To Help
------------------------------------
BILL MOYERS INTERVIEWS ERICA JONG ON 'SAPPHO'
June 27, 2003
MOYERS: Why would Erica Jong, the most contemporary
of women and the most modern of writers, go back almost 3,000
years to the life of a poet about whom we know very little?
JONG: Well, you know, I read Sappho again in my 50's.
MOYERS: Again? You had read
JONG: I had read her in college and I didn't get it. I
think that the things we read in college, we're too young to read
in college. I mean, we read ANNA KARENINA. We've never had an
affair with a dashing officer. We read CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. We
know nothing of the feelings of Raskolnikov and his rage.
So I read Sappho, you know, at another time in my life. And suddenly
I realized here was a woman speaking to me across 2,600 years.
And her concerns were my concerns.
MOYERS: Plato called her what? The tenth muse?
JONG: The tenth muse. (more)
(thanks to Maireid Sullivan)
-------------------------------------------
FUNNY BIZNESS
Two Mississippians are walking toward each other, and one is carrying
a sack.
When they meet, one says, "Hey Tommy Ray, whatcha got in
th' bag?"
"Jes' some chickens."
"If I guesses how many they is, kin I have one?"
"Shoot, if ya guesses right, I'll give you both of 'em!"
"OK. Ummmmm...five?"
Ida Mae passed away and Bubba called 911. The 911-operator
told Bubba that she would send someone out right away.
"Where do you live?" asked the operator.
Bubba replied, "At the end of Eucalyptus Drive.
" The operator asked, "Can you spell that for me?"
After a long pause, Bubba said, "How 'bout I drag her over
to
Oak Street and you pick her up there?"
Know why they raised the minimum drinking age in West Virginia
to 32?
They wanted to keep alcohol out of the high schools.
What do they call reruns of "Hee Haw" in Mississippi?
Documentaries
Where was the toothbrush invented?
Arkansas. If it were invented anywhere else, it would have been
called a teethbrush.
Did you hear about the $3,000,000 Tennessee State Lottery?
The winner gets $3 a year for a million years
A new law was recently passed in South Carolina so that when
a couple gets divorced, they're still brother and sister.
What do a divorce in Alabama, a tornado in Kansas and a hurricane
in Florida have in common?
No matter what, somebody's fixin' to lose a trailer.
(thanks to Maireid Sullivan again - she should
know!)
--------------------------
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
I don't know how many of you have been plagued by 'business' letters, mostly from the African continent, which tell of long lost deceased namesakes who have left millions of dollars unclaimed and solicit your assistance in getting the money out of their country? I must have gotten at least 25 over the past six months and my brother, Frank, and I are having an unspoken competition to see who can come up with the best replies. Here is my latest. (I've alternated Mr Tember's letter, and my responses.)
Dear One,
I write to intimate you of a matter that requires an urgent attention.
But briefly, I am Mr Kone Ismail Tember, the first son of late
Dr Ahmed Tember he was the chairman/CEO of the Sierra-Leone national
Gold & Diamond Mining Corporation.
- Dear Mr Kone (any relation to the Koneheads of Adelaide?),
I AM One! How did you know? (Was it my winning smile?) Let
me introduce
myself back. I am Guesppi Michael Alyisius Dolce, first son of
Frank Senior
of the Ailing Foot, who was a professional bowler for many years
until
swollen thumbs forced him to lick stamps for the US Post Office.
(He still
has his original bowling balls, however, which my brother and
I could be
willing to sell to your mother for $ 9.95 - act now while she's
still able
to throw. - These have been very popular with other African businessmen
who have contacted me, some have succeeded in shrinking them and
making rear view mirror
decorations.)
It is my pleasure communicating with you for the first time
and believing that it will lead to a better relationship between
us. I also hope you will
not impede this trust and confidence I repose in you.
- Thank you for the positive attitude and your belief that
our relationship
will only get better. (Do you have Amway in Sierra Leone - if
not, would you
be willing to look at business proposal that could help you achieve
your
dream?) I trust you are right about this being a good experience
as I am
still in denial about my previous failed relationships with other
Sierra-Leone propositions. (One of them eventually wanted to do
it 'camel style') - I hope this one works out - otherwise it's
Dr Phil for the both of us.
I send this letter from Abidjan in Cote d'Ivoire where I
have an official refugee status with my mother after leaving our
country due to an event
that took place on February 2001 which led to the arrest and detention
of my father and six other men after a face off with the Sierra-Leone
government on allegation of subversive activities and treasonable
offences which was nothing but a mere political persecution.
- Don't I know it? Your letter finds me also a refugee from
an oppressive and illegal
government, the USASS led by Life President Gregorius Dubya Bushenko
the
Stutterer. I am currently in house arrest, in the lower chamber,
at the
home of our Prime Minister, Papa Johnnie Howl Lard, and have only
been
allowed one piece of mail in the last 12 years, which fortunately
was your
letter. They tried to also detain my brother but after listening
to a few of
his theories on chess, they released him.
After five months in the military detention camp my father was announced dead by the government special press release. Though I do not know to what extent you are familiar with the event and crisis in Sierra-Leone, however during the disturbance and prior to my father's death he gave me all the documents for the secret deposit he made in a security company in Abidjan.
- Sorry to hear about your Pa. He was a fine man no doubt -
and doubtless
proud of the honest and straight-shooting son you've become. (Oh
yeah,
before I forget - Please send a copy of that press release as
I collect
government death certificates. Small world. A 'Build it and they
will come'
kind of thing, I guess.)
The deposit is US$ 22.5 million US Dollars, he made the deposit in one trunk box (cash), but the real content of the box was not disclosed to the security company officials as this was deposited as personal effect .(for security reasons)
- Lucky he was able to outwit those bozo security officials!
Man, what a
bunch of losers. Imagine thinking that trunk was filled with women's
lingerie when all that money was wrapped up in all that pantyhose!
Your dad
was a clever guy. (Where did he find all that stretchy underwear
anyway? Isn't that
forbidden in your religion - or is it only forbidden for women
to wear them?)
However I have gone to the security company to confirm the deposit and establish ownership, please I need your assistance urgently in moving this fund abroad for investment, when the fund is properly secured we will jointly invest in any business you consider profitable.
- I have a couple of business ideas. I want to attach all the
voting machines
in Florida to the backs of dolphins, for one. A High Colonic for
Karl Rove
and Tony Blair immediately. Al Gore must be recognized as the
President in
Exile and brought back, from Saturday Night Live, to take his
righful place
as head of the American people. A nice head rug for our own Prime
Minister.
What else? A full tax credit on penis extensions for Howard, Blair
and
Bush. I think that should cover it.
I will be glad for your resolved assistance, I will kindly appreciate if we can talk and emerge words with action. With all honesty to the stated data in my message, i assure you of the genuity of this proposal.
- Emerging words with action is my speciality. Previously,
my words would
emerge normally but just sit there on their lazy word buttocks.
Now, however,
they emerge much more motivated and ready to get the job done.
I'm a regular
talking fool. (Would you like me to add you and your family to
my newsletter?)
I will particularly be happy if you can help so that my elderly mother will be happy also all the rest of our life solely depends on this fund.
- Kone Kone! Chill. Your mom will be fine. She can come and
stay with us for
awhile. (Can she cook Seirra-Leone bacalla?) In our country however,
we
don't call them 'elderly' - we call them 'youth challenged' .
It is the fear of betrayal from anyone around us here that confirms my decision to contact a neutral individual like you, and I want you to educate me on investment potential in your country since I would not like to invest or stay in any of the African country, except otherwise.
- You are right to fear betrayal. Be very afraid . . . of betrayal.
The two
timing back stabbing lying bastahds are everywhere. And that's
just in my
house. Outside its worst. You picked the right man for the job.
Neutral
is my middle name. I'm always in neutral, especially when I try
to back up.
I'm so neutral that I have permanent picket fence impressions
in my backside. My
philosophy is: Don't ask me anything cause I dont know nothing.
You've also
come to the right guy for investment ideas. I got this great idea.
Let me
run it by you. We could set up a bogus email mailout and mass-mail
it to a
lot of overseas suckers, saying that we have all this money in
an account
that we want to get out of the country. Then when some fool responds,
we
string them along, gradually charging them fees and sums to get
the money
released in their name until they get fed up and then we move
on to someone
else. What do you think? Could it work? Would it work in your
country? ( Have
your service call my service.)
I will not hesitate to give you 20% or negotiable of the total sum for your assistance. So if you will be able to assist me, please do urgently reply me for further clarification and confirmation and in order to stop further contacts. please E-mail immediately you receive this message.
- I would encourage you to cease further contacts with others.
We NEED to keep this between ourselves. (But if you insist, I
could offer you my entire newsletter list if you could send me
a couple of those nice handmade baskets you make out of elephant
grass, as a kind of gesture of good faith.) I guess you aren't
too familiar with overseas currency exchange rates either: 22.5
million doesn't go very far in Australia these days. 22.5 million
US dollars is only equal, after taxes, to about $39.95 Australian,
with the dollar the way it is. Therefore I would have to
ask for a larger percentage - say, 21% - is that OK?
Thank for your anticipated co-operation, May Allah bless
you.
Your Sincerely,
Kone Ismail Tember
- Thank you for your blessing. I'm sure Allah would approve
of your activities.
May I also give the blessing of our Melbourne family tribal diety,
the Brother of the Rainbow Snake - ours is called the Overcast-and-Slightly-Cloudy
Snake. May He Slither and Seep all over you and Protect you always
in His Sacred Moulted Skin and Droppings.
your future aussie partner
Joe
---------------------------------
FOOD SECTION
BACCALA UPDATE
" Joe - you must have a bad translator - in the Sicilian
dialect the word Baccalaru also means the female part of the anatomy!
I have many friends who are Sicilians and have listen to their
lingo often. In fact my Godfather is Sicilian! "
(Thanks for this essential information to Emilio
M Fiorenza. He should know!)
-------------------------------------------
California Reverse
Roll Sushi
This recipe presupposes that you already know how to make a sushi
nori roll. This particular variation has the rice on the outside
rather than the inside and a choice of two different coatings:
toasted sesame seeds, and red lumpfish caviar.
INGREDIENTS:
4 sheets Sushi Nori
4 cups cooked organic white sushi rice
2 Tablespoons sushi rice seasoning (a subtle sweet-sour mixture
of rice vinegar and mirin rice wine.)
1 avocado, cut in half, remove seed, peel and slice
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
mayonaisse
can of tuna fish (with red chilli, if available)
4 cooked prawns or shrimp, shelled, deveined and halved length-wise.
1 cup organic sesame seeds, dry roasted
1 jar Lumpfish fine caviar (red fish eggs)
2 Sushi Mats
To serve: soy sauce, pickled ginger, wasabi paste.
Spread the sesame seeds evenly on a flat dish. Spread red caviar evenly on another flat dish. Set aside.
Mix the sushi seasoning in with the rice evenly. Toss with a fork or wooden spoon to cool the rice. Do not stir. When rice is cool or room temperature it is ready to use. Hot rice will cause the nori to fall apart.
Cut each sheet of nori in half, creating eight equal size pieces measuring 4 inches long by 7 1/4 inches wide. (Or use the entire sheet to make one large roll.)
Place a sheet of nori on the first sushi mat with the smooth, shiny side facing down on the mat. Spread approximately 1/2 - 1 cup of cooked rice on the sheet, covering the width and length of the sheet, leaving only about 1/2 inch of the sheet closest to you uncovered. Press the rice down firmly against the nori. Place the damp towel on top of the rice. (This is the main difference in the technique. The wet towel allows you to manipulate the sticky rice surface.) Turn the rice covered sheet of