Musing of the Moment: "Let's go Harlots"

I was with a colleague for lunch the other day, and over the course of the meal, she mentioned that a town in West Virginia that she lived near named itself after the local prostitute. 

This fact got me thinking...

If that town has a high school, what is its mascot?

The Whores

The Harlots

Call Boys/Girls

I can see it now: cheerleaders yelling, "Let's Go Whores." Or some fans yelling from the stand, "Play some defense, Harlots." 

Music Friday: "Thoughts and Prayers"

The Drive-By Truckers came out with a new album today, The Unraveling. 

I've only listened to it once so far, but this song (and its video) is the star of the opus right now. It's self-explanatory. 

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Keto (Porcine) Salmon Patties

When I was a kid, my mom made salmon patties on a fairly regular basis. It's a foodstuff of modest origins: canned salmon. 

I hadn't made salmon patties in ages, so I went for the most part off the recipe on the can, but I made some minor modifications, the main being substituting crushed pork rinds for bread crumbs. 

In the future, garnishing the patties with some freshly chopped cilantro seems in order. When Mrs. Nasty ate her patty, she slathered on guacamole, and she said it tasted great. 

Ingredients

1 can of salmon

1/2 cup of crushed pork rinds

1/2 cup of diced yellow onion, sweated down

1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

1-2 beaten eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Process

Because I hate raw onions, I sweated down the onions with some rosemary-infused olive oil. As they were cooking, one can crush the pork rinds and set them aside. Then I drained the salmon and picked out any nasty bits. 

Dump the salmon, onions, and pork rinds into a large bowl and then add the eggs. Add salt and pepper.

In a medium-high skillet, coat with neutral oil and cook until both sides are golden brown and delicious.

Musing of the Moment: Biden and Who at VP?

The Washington Post's recent article, "Biden and Sanders Are Breaking Away from the Pack of Candidates...," shows that Biden seems to be pulling away from the rest of the field if we can trust recent polls and the upcoming primaries in subsequent states after Iowa and New Hampshire. 

I will readily admit that Biden is not my favorite candidate, but I sure in hell will vote for him for President over the idiocy and corruption of Moscow Don. I cannot understand any Bernie supporter who would sit out the election because whatever candidate chosen does not have the requisite ideological purity. 

In fact, of the candidates, I like Warren, Klobuchar, Bloomberg, Steyer, Biden, and Buttigieg probably in that order. But I'm looking toward the general election. For me, the main decision is going to come down to who will be the Vice Presidential candidate. 

As for candidates for VP, I'm thinking Kamala Harris or Corey Booker. Warren would work too.

Music Friday: "Smooth Sailing"

I am anticipating a handful of new albums to come out this year (Pearl Jam, Isbell, Drive-By Truckers), but I am wondering if it's about time for a new album from Queens of the Stone Age. 

And that moves me to sharing this song performed on Austin City Limits. 

I need to keep watching that show. Because we moved to Hulu, that's a show I don't access to via the TV. But I suspect I could just watch the performances on their website though. 

Music Friday: "Grown"

Jason Isbell deservedly gets a lot of attention for his more recent albums, but one of my favorite songs of his comes from his first solo album. 

I identify with it because I remember the feeling of lusting after an older girl when I was a young boy. I secretly pined for the older girl who lived across the street from me. I would sit in a pin oak tree (I was a tree climber as a boy) and fantasize about her. 

As the lyrics (full lyrics below) state, "I learned how to lust."




"Grown"

Last night I heard the sirens' song,
and I followed it in the ditch.
Oh baby, I'm just carrying on, 
far be it for me to bitch.

Last night I heard the distant hum
of another damn hurricane.
Oh, Sunnie tell me where you've gone.
Are you still dancing to 'Purple rain'?

You took my little hand.
You took me to your room.
You taught me how to want something.
I learned how to move.

Oh, oh, you made me feel so grown.

Last year I heard your momma had
a little trouble with the thin red line.
I always knew that you could
understand and not undermine.

You took me to your room.
I let my eyes adjust.
You taught me how to want something.
I learned how to lust. 

Oh, oh, you made me feel so grown.

Oh, oh, you made me feel so grown.

All them years ago
you took a nervous little kid,
and you taught me how to slow it down just a little bit

Oh, oh, you made me feel so grown.
Oh, oh, you made me feel so grown.
Oh, oh, oh, oh you made me feel so grown.
Oh, oh, oh you made me feel so grown.

Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Steak & Chop Arm Roast with Mushrooms

I tried this today, and it worked out well. It's simple. 

Ingredients
1 arm roast
1 bottle of Lawry's Steak & Chop Marinade
2 packages of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
Lots of freshly cracked black pepper

Process
Get yourself a beef arm roast and trim the fat from it. Places the pieces of roast beef into a dish or ziplock bag and place the marinade in. Leave the marinated beef in the fridge overnight. 

Transfer the marinated beef into a slow cooker and cook it on low for roughly six hours. If there is any marinade left over, put it into the slow cooker. An hour prior to when you want to eat, wash and slice the mushrooms and add them into the crock pot. Add the pepper. Let the mushrooms cook for 30-45 minutes, but after the first ten minutes, use a spoon to mix everything together, break down the meat, and get the mushrooms in the sauce. 

Serve over rice, wide noodles, or riced cauliflower. 

Music Friday: "Limelight"

I've had a hectic day, and I just found via social media that Rush drummer Neil Peart has passed away. 

In his honor, I give you "Limelight." 

Musing of the Moment: "Washed"

I watch quite of bit of sports journalism on TV, and one phrasing I've noticed lately is that when a pundit wants to say that a player is no longer a viable player to his or her expected quality of play, they tend to say that someone is "washed" instead of saying "washed up." 

How did it come so important to cut the "up" and just say "washed"? For example,  someone could opine, "This season Tom Brady looked like he was washed, but you also have to consider the quality of skill position players he had at his disposal." 

I am for keeping the phrasing to remain "washed up" and ditching the phrasing of simply "washed." The latter sounds weird. 

Stay Positive: French Fries & the Chicago Dog

As Mrs. Nasty and I were sitting at a Freddy's yesterday, we had a brief discussion about what form of French fries are the best. She likes the thin little fries that Freddy's and Steak-n-Shake feature. However, they're probably my least favorite form of fries. 

With that said, I hereby provide my rankings of the forms of French fries:

1. Crinkle cut fries such as the ones features at Portfillo's and other places
2. Steak fries
3. Fast-food fries such as the ones at Wendy's and McHughs (for readers in east central Illinois)
4. Waffle fries
5. Curly fires
6. Thin little fries

So you might be wondering why I went to Freddy's when I don't like their fries?

Well, they have a good version of the Chicago dog. I get it just without the onions because I dislike raw onions. 

Now, if you cook onions, they're fine. 

A good Chicago dog, which I usually get when I go to Portillo's, has to feature a hot dog that has great snap to it. 

Huzzah for sport peppers. 

Musing of the Moment: Tua Going Pro

Going by most pundits' opinions, Tua either going pro or staying at Alabama was 50/50. 

I suspect he made the right decision to go pro. My hope is that he gets drafted later in the first round and goes to a good team rather than the bottom rung of the NFL. From what I've read, Tua was scheduled to have a medical examination on his hip last Friday, so it appears the prognosis was good. 

Good wishes to Tua, and I look forward to seeing Mac Jones man the offense next season. 

Music Friday: "Fight the Youth"

The video image below is the album cover of the first CD I ever bought, Fishbone's The Reality of My Surroundings, which came out in 1991. 

It's still probably one of my favorite albums of all time. And while I'm not an avid concert goer, Fishbone is one of the few bands I've seen in concert more than once. 

This song is the opening song on the album, and it's still highly relevant today, especially with the sickening rise of white nationalism and anti-semitism. 

For that reason, I'm providing the lyrics below. 

Fight the Youth

And now another story of stolen faith and tragic glory.
They claim to be your friends, 
but all the while they taunt you with lies.
They tell you what to think and how to face the world around you. 
You never question what you know inside is lax and untrue.

But take a look around.
We're not running anymore.
We're in the positive,
but we're ready for the war... for the war

Fight the Youth,
the youth with poisoned minds.
Ignite the truth.
Restore sight to these blind.
Fight the youth, the youth with poisoned minds.
And if they suffer, it's no fault but their own.

And every time I see the hatred that engulfs these children,
it makes me wonder if the quest for peace will someday subside.
I'm not afraid to wage the hopeless battles I must fight.
For I could never lose. I know my cause shines in the light.

Take a look around.
We're not hiding anymore.
Your weapon's cowardice,
and we won`t take it anymore... Anymore.


Fight the Youth,the youth with poisoned minds.
Ignite the truth.
Restore sight to these blind.
Fight the youth, the youth with poisoned minds. 
And if they suffer, it's no fault but their own.

And all the feelings of a generation fed with anger
make all the choices for a future where all nightmares come true.
I choose to fight for youth, to fight for truth, to fight for justice.
I choose to heal the wounds of sacrifice made by the children.

Sunday Hangover: Michigan

It should be clear to football pundits across the land that Mac Jones is not merely a back-up QB. He's a legit quarterback with a strong set of skills. He's a pocket passer who can, and did, throw the deep ball. 

The first offensive play of the game for the Tide showcased his arm strength and accuracy. 

If I was disappointed in anything, I thought Alabama could have run the ball more effectively, and the rush defense was lacking, especially in the first half. 

Then again, after looking at the box score, Najee Harris toted the rock 24 times for 140 yards. It was curious that Brian Robinson didn't get many carries with only three. 

Jeudy, in what will probably be his last game for the Crimson Tide, absolutely went off with six receptions for a whopping 204 yards.

With Lewis and Diggs sitting out because of the draft, the defensive line was hurting because its best pass rusher was not playing. And the D played without its top corner. 

However, Josh Jobe, who hasn't had much playing time this year, looked really good. He filled in for Diggs and looks to be a future strong contributor at CB. 

As we've seen all season, the two true freshmen linebackers played well. If Dylan Moses comes back, the linebacking corps could be really special next year. 

Looking ahead to next year, the Tide D needs to get much stronger and dominant against the run. 

As for the offense, we'll see which receivers go pro and who will be the starting QB. Even if Tua opts to go pro (he'll announce Monday), I like what I saw from Mac Jons. 

The team got good news recently with the announcement that LT Alex Leatherwood will return for his senior year.