JoieBlog’s blog

An endeavor that I never thought I could achieve without a smoker, wood chips and some serious cuts of the best pork you could possibly find.  A sale on pork roasts at my nearest grocery ripoff  inspired my ideas and the possibilities.  Pulled Pork..... So here it is...my first attempt, well, outside of the catering company I worked for....

1 pork roast, removed of fat and salted
Salting- cover the roast with salt and let sit in a bowl for at least 2 hours.  Rinse roast and dry completely.
Dress- place in a pot (I use a cast iron round oven).  Rub with crushed garlic, black pepper, paprika and cumin.  Finishing touch- fill bottom of pot with spicy cider.
Cover and start the cooking at 250 degrees.
45 mins to an hour take the cover off and turn the oven down to between 170 and 200.  I cooked it overnight that way but please make sure you know your oven because some ovens burn hotter than others.  I awoke around 5 a.m. to the intense scent of pork roast.  I turned it off.  So, really, at least 6 hours.

I grabbed two forks and pulled the pork off the bone which is easy, it practically fell off the bone. 

Pork pulled

Put the meat back in the pot and add barbecue sauce. 
*confession- I did not make the sauce.  I bought it.  But next time, when I have more time, I will be experimenting with my own.
I put the sauce drenched meat back in a 250 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

Voila!

Pulled pork

  Not done the way the pros do it but I heard no complaints and my son even loved it!

I am sucha Gore girl. 

Swooning goregirl

"Thank You, Governor Granholm, for your introduction and your great leadership. Thank you, Michigan, for supporting me in 2000. I’ll never forget it. Congratulations, Detroit, on the Red Wings victory in the Stanley Cup finals.

I speak to you this evening as a citizen as of the United States. I speak to you also as a citizen of the world because the outcome of this election will affect the future of our planet. For America to lead the world through the dangers we’re facing, to seize the opportunities before us, we’ve got to have new leadership. Not only a new president, but new policies. Not only a new head of state but a new vision for America’s future.

I want to begin with a few words to my fellow Democrats. We have just concluded an historic contest among the strongest field of candidates any political party has ever offered for the presidency of this country. An inspiring group of men and a woman with experience and vision, competence and boldness. Their vigorous competition has attracted record numbers of voters in every part of America, reinvigorated our democracy, and helped to rekindle the spirit of our country. And now we’ve made our choice.

As the general election begins, let us remember our obligation to honor our highest values of our democracy, and conduct this campaign in a spirit of respect for the Republican nominee.

[Audience Boos]

No, no! In that case, I’m glad I brought it up, because as Senator Barack Obama has said, John McCain is deserving of that respect. He has demonstrated bravery in war and as a prisoner of war, and has served in the House of Representatives and in the Senate for many years. Moreover, he has demonstrated a willingness to debate some critical issues, including the climate crisis, that many Republicans have refused to discuss at all.

But even as we acknowledge his long experience, we must and we will make our case that America simply cannot afford to continue the policies of the last eight years for another four.

And we all know that a long tenure in Washington, DC is not the same thing as judgment, wisdom, and vision. Nevertheless, the other party seems to think that age and experience are factors that will work in their favor during this campaign.

But our shared experience as a nation tells us otherwise. I remember when one prominent Republican wondered out loud whether the Democratic nominee, and “really is grown up enough to be president.” Another used the phrase, “naive and inexperienced.” Yet another said, “the United States cannot afford to risk the future of the free world with inexperience and immaturity in the White House.” Who are they talking about? Every single one of those quotations came from the campaign of 1960, when the Republicans attacked John Fitzgerald Kennedy for allegedly lacking the age and experience necessary to be president.

Richard Nixon’s slogan in that campaign was “experience counts,” to which John F. Kennedy responded, “to exclude from positions of trust and command all those below the age of 44, would have kept Jefferson from writing the Declaration of Independence, Washington from commanding the Continental Army, Madison from fathering the Constitution, and Christopher Columbus from even discovering America.” On January 20th, 1961, as a 12-year-old boy, I stood in the snow in front of the Capitol as John Fitzgerald Kennedy took the oath of office. I know what his inspiration meant to my generation and I feel that same spirit in this auditorium here tonight building all over this country this year. I feel your determination after two terms of the Bush-Cheney administration to change the direction of our country.

In looking back over the last eight years, I can tell you that we have already learned one important fact since the year 2000: take it from me, elections matter. If you think the next appointments to our Supreme Court are important, you know that elections matter. If you live in the city of New Orleans, you know that elections matter. If you or a member of your family are serving in the active military, the National Guard or Reserves, you know that elections matter. If you’re a wounded veteran, you know that elections matter. If you lost your job, if you’re struggling with your mortgage, you know that elections matter. If you care about a clean environment, if you want a government that protects you instead of special interests, you know that elections matter. If you care about food safety, if you like a T on your BLT, you know that elections matter. If you bought poisoned, lead-filled toys from China or adulterated medicine made in China, if you bought tainted pet food made in China, you know that elections matter! After the last eight years, even our dogs and cats have learned that elections matter.

And this election matters more than ever because America needs change more than ever. After eight years of lost jobs and lower wages we need change. After eight years of incompetence, neglect and failure we need change. After eight years in which our Constitution has been dishonored and disrespected we need change. After eight years of the worst, most serious foreign policy mistakes in the entire history of our nation we need change.

In September of 2002, I argued strongly that the invasion of a country that had not attacked us would be a mistake, and would divert attention, resources and resolve from the effort to track down and capture those who had attacked us. I argued that the occupation of Iraq would be dangerous and harmful for our country. And I well remember how few elected officials were willing to take that position in favor of protecting our national security by remaining focused on the right objectives. But I remember that an eloquent legislator in Springfield, Illinois named Barack Obama spoke up boldly and clearly with the force of reason and logic to join in opposition to that blunder. To those who still do not understand that the withdrawal of troops from the search for bin Laden in order to launch a misguided invasion of Iraq was a mistake, it’s time to say: We need a change. To those who want to continue making that same mistake over and over again indefinitely, it is important for us to say loudly and clearly with our votes this November: We need change. We intend to have change.

To those who want to continue borrowing money from China to buy oil from the Persian Gulf and burn it in ways that destroy our planet’s environment, it’s time to say: We need change. Barack Obama knows that we are too dependent on foreign oil and carbon fuels, and has proposed a plan to create millions of good new jobs and renewable green energy conservation and efficiency. Here in Detroit you know we need to revitalize our automobile industry with a commitment to plug-in hybrids and low-emission vehicles to solve the climate crisis and create the jobs of the future.

The future is ours: not to predict, but to create. But make no mistake: we need to change our policies on climate. Not too many years from now the next generation will look back at the decisions we make this coming November and the policies we put in place in January of next year. Were we to ignore the warnings of the scientists around the world and look the other way as the entire North Polar icecap melts before our eyes and the consequences we’ve been warned about unfolded, our children might then well ask: what were they thinking? Why didn’t they act? Why didn’t they choose change when they had a chance? It is my deep hope that they will ask another and very different question. I want them to look back on this historic year and ask: how did Americans in 2008 find the moral courage to rise and successfully solve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve? How did they find the strength to change?

As Americans, we know that our democracy often moves very slowly, but we also know that when we must, we can shift gears quickly and suddenly pick up the pace to respond boldly to a great challenge. That’s what the Greatest Generation did to win World War II, and then came home to start the Marshall Plan, unify Europe, create the United Nations and create the basis for peace and prosperity for decades.

Many people have waited for some sign that our country is awakening once again. How will we know when a massive wave of reform and recovery and regeneration is about to take hold and renew our nation? What would it look like if such a change were beginning to build? I think we might recognize it as a sign of such change if we saw millions of young people getting involved for the first time in the political process. I think we might just recognize it if we saw that new generation casting aside obsolete and hurtful distinctions and reaching out to one another across the ancient divisions that have frustrated action in the past. I think we would know this change was coming if a new generation rejected the special interest politics of the past and the big money that fueled it, and instead used the internet to get small donations and unite Americans in a common effort to realize our common destiny. If we saw it coming, we’d recognize it by the words “Hope” and “Change.”

Perhaps we would recognize it if we heard a young leader rise up to say, “We’re not a red state America or a blue state America. We are the United States of America.” We would know that change was on the way if that young leader reached out not only to the supporters of the other candidates in his party, but also beyond partisan lines to Republicans and independents and said to us all: “America, our time has come!” I think we would recognize it in a candidate who, in response to those doubting our ability to solve the climate crisis and create a bright future, inspired millions to say, “Yes We Can.”

How do you treat your meat?

Do you give it a good pounding?  Rub it?  Drown it?  Roll it?

I'm not saying that I've been to dinner parties where steak was served and immediately thought they should have stuck with the Chipper Chicken.  I'm not saying that the bbq I attended last summer had the stringiest slabs I've experienced and I'm not saying that I am the guru of steak.  I've seasoned right before cooking, I've rubbed a combination of spices on steaks and I've marinated to a point that renedered the poor meat unrecognizable.  I am convinced that salting is the only prep my medium rares ever need.  But don't listen to only me, let me introduce you to Chef Jaden.  She is très très Steamy.  She explains the salting process so perfectly and gives illustration to boot!

If you want restaurant quality meaty goodness then take this lesson from her.

Steak

Mmmmmmm, that's what I'm having tonight.

Oh!  And check out her clever way of creating and storing herb n garlic butter.  Ever clever.

Such Happeningz

After recognizing Sylvia's work on the wall of our law offices mailroom and discussing the latest Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose zines with the boys that work therein, the announcement from both camps that they have new issues made for a fanfuckingtastic day.  Camille Rose Garcia is featured on the Hi-Fructose cover (WooT!) 

crg

This is not, however, the cover pic for the mag.













                                                                                                

Batgirl

Ray Caesar is featured in the new Jux.  This oldie but goodie was my very first myspace profile pic!(circa 2003)  I think she even hung around as a primary photo on my tribe profile as well.












There is a new band that I covet that is so unsigned and unknown that I find it frustrating that I can't find their music to dl anywhere.  I have two of their songs on my playlist.  That's it.  before i explode  need to get their name out to the masses.  There are no vids, no dl sites & they are barely on last.fm.  Luckily I have a close personal auditory relationship with Flunk and they seem to be able to calm me.

Now on to two shows coming up.  L'KEG Gallery has a 3 day "to-do" this weekend.  It's $5.  The cool part is that Lately Blu Blu is playing and Blue Jungle announced it as well...but are they playing???  I  don't know the other bands but trust me, they are in good company.

Second show is the Make Music Pasadena festival .  The lineup is insane.  The Raveonettes, Jesca Hoop, Dengue Fever & Jessica Fichot...for starters.

These..........are the happenings.  Go out and conquer.

Weeeee!
Ladytron chose my favorite new song of theirs for their next video.  Swoonalicious.

Bunnies are rad.

Gemesis people.  Gemesis.

Why over stuff the pockets of jewelers that already have a fortune when you can reasonably economize a way to wear something beautiful.  Like diamonds.
Not to mention?  I love saying "diamond seed".

Gemesis

Read here as to why cultured diamonds are a better idea.
I'm in love with this concept.

Blythe.....the 1972 Chatty Cathy of her time...

Blythe

I've been obsessed with this doll for years now.  I had one back before I was ever even my sons age and in the move from a rental to owning our lil piece of heaven in TC.  I have been monitoring her progress over the years and when I find a noteworthy custom job on her I find the need to share it.  Like now....
Gothic Lolita has been around for years.  I overwhelmingly approve with the phenomena and jump up and down like a giddy school-girl every time I see it put into action like this....

Custom blythe

AND...

Custom blythe2

Like I said...I'm obsessed.  Any incarnation suits me fine.  Even the "Fun on the prairie with the other F.L.D.S. wives" version.
Oh the fun I would have...
fun ala Madame Alexander...
Elphaba Blythe
Witchypoo Blythe

Witchypoo

Lenore Blythe
Metropolis Blythe
The Blythe of Frankenstein
Zombie Blythe
River Tam Blythe
Princess Leia Blythe
Okie...I could go forever dreaming these things up.

I will make them...ALL.

An interesting concept......

Knickerpicker

I guess for the men it's all about saving the embarrassment of trying to figure out what size your wife/gf is when you truly don't know.  I'm not a big "tryer on..er" and so this gives a good general idea.  I've ordered undies online before and have never really had a problem.  I can pretty much picture myself in them and take it from there.  I love the Brit's and I really do think they've got something here. 

Als ribbon

The month of May is a very important month indeed.  Aside from the bouncing baby boy's 9th bday it is also an awareness month.  There are diseases int his world.  There are livable ones and fatal ones.  There are cures and treatments for just about everything out there.  For ALS no cure, treatment or diagnosis lessens or strengthens what will inevitably be your fate.  Death.  The road to this conclusion is plagued with spikes.  I can only speak about my experience with this disease.  My father had it.  I watched him slowly deteriorate before my eyes.  First his speech, then his ability to eat, then to breath.  I took on the role of 2nd in command of taking care of him when he couldn't do for himself.  So I can safely say that this disease is an experiment in torture for everyone involved, especially my dad.  And so a multitude of falls, bumps and bruises, a g-tube, a trach, violent fevers, 2 respiratory failures & a very nasty bout with pneumonia later his body finally told him it was time to go.  And so he did.  January 21, 2000.

ALS

This month will be a big month for the ALS Association.  Please visit the site to see what activities you can participate in or simply make a donation.  I keep in touch with these wonderful people and keep up to date on new research but since they have no idea how people get it they have no idea how to stop it.  Stem Cell Research seems to have come the closest.  I know this to be an unpopular stance but I am all for experimentation.  It is necessary to help find ways to keep people like my dad on this earth longer.  It didn't work for him but to think of all the people that could possibly get this disease in the future and to even imagine that we could prolong their lives makes it all worth it.