Saturday's Scribe - The Cross of Terror

This story is, in my humble opinion, the greatest piece of crap grand-standing I have seen for a long time and, in my book, typifies a lot of what currently ails the United States of America!

9/11 Cross Lawsuit
A group of atheists has filed a lawsuit claiming the display of the World Trade Center cross at the 9/11 memorial in lower Manhattan is unconstitutional, calling it a "mingling of church and state."

The American Atheists, which advocates an "absolute separation" of government and religion, filed the lawsuit Monday to stop the display of the cross, arguing that it should not be included if "no other religions or philosophies will be honored," according to a statement on the group's website.

The cross, which consists of two intersecting steel beams that were found intact in the rubble at Ground Zero, was initially constructed on a side of a church in lower Manhattan. The cross was then placed inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum during a ceremony over the weekend.

Read more at Atheist group files lawsuit against display of cross at1 9/11 memorial

Killing paradise

A developer fell in love with the beautiful Murrumbidge River Corridor on the border of the ACT and Yass Shire - Now he wants to put 4,500 'affordable homes' on the heights overlooking it!

Riverview Group principal David Maxwell at the

development site near the Murrumbidgee River.

Photo: The Canberra Times.

I am so angry at this greedy, short-sighted fool I could just spit chips! Grrrrrrrr!

Not only will he contribute to the future degradation of this beautiful landscape, the logistics of serving such a density of population remote from the shire centre is ridiculously impractical!  I hope the council reject his proposal but under the current state planning rules they are really going to be up against it!

Feeding a cold

I reported I had a cold - it is slowly improving and I have to see the doctor for my monthly check-up today, so I may consider asking for some anti-biotics as it is now settling in my sinuses and upper respiratory tract as an infection.

JohnG suggested I try chicken soup, however, this is my recipe for a soup for those who have a cold.

PRAWN WONTON CLEAR SOUP


Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
20 round wonton wrappers
20 medium school prawns (shrimps) peeled and deveined
1 tsp corn flour
Pinch of Chili flakes
Pinch of sea salt flakes
1 stalk of fresh coriander, freshly chopped
½ tsp of onion flakes
1 cup of fish stock
2½ cups of water
Chopped green onion for garnish

METHOD

Lay the wonton wrappers on a flat surface and place a prawn/shrimp in the center of each wrapper.

Combine remaining corn flour with 2 tablespoons water to form a paste.

One at a time, brush some cornstarch paste around the edge of a wonton wrapper and fold the wrapper in half to make a semicircle, pressing edges together to seal. Then, holding the wonton with the curved edge facing away from you, bring the tips of the straight edge together and seal with more cornstarch paste. Repeat with remaining wontons.

Slowly bring a water and stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop the wontons into the boiling water. When the wontons rise to the surface, continue to cook them one minute longer. Remove with a slotted spoon as they finish cooking and divide them among the 4 bowls.

Sprinkle salt flakes, chili flakes, onion flakes and chopped coriander over the wontons

Pour hot clear fish broth over wontons and noodles in bowls and garnish with the chopped green onions to serve.

Masterfoods and McCormick's both sell the sea salt, chili and onion flakes. Here in Australia we can also get "Tasmanian Bush Dust". Tasmanian Bush Dust spice  is an "original recipe using Australian native produce" - macadamia nut, Tasmanian native pepper, bush tomato, other herbs and spices - this goes great in this soup as a change!

Busy days

Still struggling to get over my cold.

Had two drives Monday and Tuesday for HLSS - one to South Canberra and another to Goulburn and I'm about to head off to Canberra City (Civic) on my third in three days.

Service has been hit by illness and absenteeism (many drivers go away for their holidays at this time of year) so those of us who are available have had to double and even triple up!

Ciao all, catch you later.

Yass River Walk

Last week, during a break in our foul cold and windy weather, we had a nice day so i took Denny and we went for a stroll along one of the walking trails up the Yass River.

Below the Anglican Church:

And down to the river:

Up across the vehicular causeway to the upper pond:

Following the stream:

Past where the waterhens forage:

To the beginning of the bluff:

Round the riverbend to and past the bluff:

Back away from the bluff:

Return past the waterhen pond:

And back down to where we started:

Laid low with a cold!

Have this filthy rotten upper respiratory tract infection that has knocked me for a six!

Have some images to put up from my trek along the Yass River - will do this later today or tomorrow, whenever I'm feeling better.

In the meantime, I am her and I am reading all your blogs, coughing and sneezing all over them with a tap nose, so if your pc gets a virus, or worse, even yourselves, blame me as the vector! Geeez - wouldn't I be famous to e-spread the biggeest pandemic Flu  outbreak since the Spanish Flu in 1918! LOL!

US Government Rating and Credit Implications

New York, July 13, 2011 -- Moody's Investors Service has placed the Aaa bond rating of the government of the United States on review for possible downgrade given the rising possibility that the statutory debt limit will not be raised on a timely basis, leading to a default on US Treasury debt obligations. On June 2, Moody's had announced that a rating review would be likely in mid July unless there was meaningful progress in negotiations to raise the debt limit.


In conjunction with this action, Moody's has placed on review for possible downgrade the Aaa ratings of financial institutions directly linked to the US government: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Federal Farm Credit Banks. We have also placed on review for possible downgrade securities either guaranteed by, backed by collateral securities issued by, or otherwise directly linked to the US government or the affected financial institutions.

http://www.moodys.com/