Freaky Friday

Yep.

The Ugly Canadian.

Usually the "Ugly Canadian" is a total dweeb who sews a Canadian flag on his backpack and labours under the misconception that the world loves him and will totally forgive him if he is rude, demanding, ignorant of the local culture and mangles the language. According to Mr. Murray Dobbin, however, the Ugly Canadian is one who doesn't do enough to ward off global warming, supports the military effort in Afghanistan, is appalled by China's many human rights abuses and seeks new economic opportunities . Mr. Dobbin's screed is basically anti-Harper and is so ridiculous that it shouldn't be responded to but I will- a little. Canada is not even remotely polluting when compared to China whose people are nothing more than coolies living in cancer villages. Canadian troops are doing more to stabilise a restive region of the world that countries like the former Soviet Union screwed up in the first place than peaceniks who decry Canada's presence there.

I'll stop here and suggest that Mr. Dobbin compare his lot in Canada to one in North Korea or Cuba. No doubt, his screed would have gone unnoticed by the half-literate populations there as their access to the Internet is strongly controlled or non-existent.



When not eliminating Africans or Asians to save the planet, getting rid of one's household pets become the next best thing in saving the planet from global warming the causes or existence of which no one can really prove absolutely. According to a recent book, Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, by Robert and Brenda Vale of New Zealand, household pets have a very sizeable "carbon footprint". Assuming one buys into this footprint (or pawprint, as the case may be) stuff, let's point out that owning a pet can be costly, therefore, many choose not to get one. If some people do, they might go overboard in its care. Even so, given this absurd notion, I'd rather spend an entire afternoon talking with my dog (God rest his fluffy soul) than drown in the "green" cesspools created for everyone by hypocrites and extremists. He was more intelligent, charming and definitely more cuddly.



(how can anyone eat a face like that?)

Cap and trade, essentially, is a sort of barter system wherein a central authority sets a limit (cap) of emissions companies can expel. Companies must purchase "credits" which allow them to expel emissions. If they must emit more, they must buy these credits from companies which expel less. If one wasn't paying attention, it seems like a decent enough idea. In truth, it's as useless- and harmful- as carbon off-sets (paying someone else to make up for your "environmental mistakes" by planting trees and such). An article in the Wall Street Journal maintains that cap and trade serves only to tax, create unemployment and move industries elsewhere:

We should add that all of this is precisely what Kyoto envisioned. The idea is to tax Western industry and then send the proceeds to developing countries as an incentive to join the anticarbon crusade. But unless governments close their borders to foreign investment, business will flow to where the carbon tariff is least punishing. China and India understand this, which is why they won't agree at Copenhagen to anything that reduces this advantage.

It's a waste of time.

And now for happier things....

Ffffffffudge......

In this time of peace and happiness, it is important to share love and by love I mean fudge. Here is a recipe for cream cheese fudge:

5 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
Pinch salt
3-1/2 cups sifted or strained confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Line an 8 inch square pan with a doubled length of regular-weight aluminum foil, shiny side up; set aside. In small heatproof bowl, combine chopped chocolates. Set over hot water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl); stir frequently until almost melted. Remove from heat and hot water; carefully dry bowl bottom and sides. Stir chocolate until melted and smooth. Set aside.

In large bowl, beat softened cream cheese and salt with large spoon or sturdy hand-held electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and incorporated; scrape bowl bottom and sides and mixer beater(s) with rubber spatula frequently. Add vanilla with last half-cup of sugar.

All at once, add melted chocolates, which should still be warm. Immediately blend in thoroughly. The fudge will stiffen very rapidly, so if you start blending it in with an electric mixer you'll probably need to finish blending it in with a large spoon. Make sure the fudge is an even color; scrape bowl bottom and sides well.

Working quickly, scrape fudge into prepared pan. With back of a large spoon, press fudge into as even a layer as possible (you might have to finish this by using the backs of your fingertips, but do so as briefly as possible. A slight oily layer may form on top, but this will be reabsorbed quickly.)

Chill fudge for at least one hour before cutting. To cut, use a large, sharp, straight-edged knife. Remove uncut fudge, still in foil, from pan; transfer to cutting board. Peel foil back from edges. Cut into small squares. To keep cuts neat, it will be necessary to rinse the knife blade under hot water, then dry it, frequently.

Store in refrigerator, tightly covered, or freeze. Fudge can be eaten refrigerator-cold or brought to room temperature, covered, before serving.

Variation: For fudge that is slightly less sweet and a shade darker in color, use 4 ounces of milk chocolate and 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate.

Here is a recipe for Glögg (drink responsibly!):

3 sticks	cinnamon
2-3 pieces	dried Seville orange peel
2-3 pieces	dried ginger (not ground)
some 10	cardamom seeds (whole)
some 10	cloves (whole)
1 cup (2.5dl)	water

Also:

sugar

1 bottle of wine (or similar amount of black currant or grape juice for a non-alcoholic alternative)

What to do:

· Heat spices and water to boiling, then turn off heat and let stand overnight

· Sieve/filter out the spices

· Add the wine (or juice)

· Add sugar to taste (that should be a minimum of one deciliter (=2/5 of a cup); we’re talking Swedish cooking here!). You probably have to heat it first so that the sugar dissolves, then see if you want to add some more

· Heat. Note that alcohol evaporates at 72 degrees Celsius (or is it 78?) so you want to be a bit careful!

Serve hot with raisins and blanched almonds (dropped into the cups after serving). Glögg is normally served in tiny cups (the cups from your Turkish/Japanese/etc. souvenir tea set will be perfect), and some tiny spoons are useful for fishing out the raisins and almonds.