I'm starting energized by calling Democrats in Pennsylvania. Today we are calling Democrats whose mail-in ballots were not received.
I just spoke with a 71-year-old woman who swears she mailed it in 3 weeks ago. I walked her through the website where we saw the status that it had not been received, and then we made a plan for her to get to her polling location by 3:00 today.
Right? Because 1) You can't get a fresh cherry pie anywhere for love nor money; and 2) People use revolting Granny Smith apples for pies. I pick fifteen pounds of blueberries every summer and freeze them for my pies.
My mother used Cortland apples. They make wonderful pies but hard to get outside of New York.. Butler’s Orchard usually have them for a few weeks and sometimes Wegmans as they are a chain that started in New York.
I'm in Massachusetts and can get to orchards within an hour or so. My preferred and only pie apple is Northern Spy, but I like mixing them with Russets or Spencers.
I'm kind of sad to be missing the Watching of the Returns, but I'll be working the polls, which, among other things, means that I'll be without access to the outside world from 2 pm to 11 pm, or whenever they send us home. On the plus side, I'll be occupied in a good way and will not have the time to stress out.
In 2008, I was an election worker, and we had to arrive before the polls opened at (so 5ish), and couldn't leave until everything tied out correctly. I got home after midnight. Spouse and I sat in the den watching the returns, and crying joyfully over Obama's election.
Since we retired to a rural area, the opportunities to serve have diminished -- the poll workers are entrenched. But I remember that day with hope and satisfaction. Please, God, that Kamala prevails.
Here is my hand, friend. But apple and peach, and sometimes mixed berry, are the only fruit pies for which I make my own filling. My crust skills are very weak, plus I make kosher-style, so no lard. I find that the Giant has a decent line of frozen kosher pie crusts to work with.
Being in Oregon's Willamette Valley, I mostly make blackberry pies. (Blackberry bushes are everywhere here & are considered weeds.) I make pie crust with butter & lard.
I make pies all year long. I love 'em. I voted for (tart) cherry as my favorite. Blueberry is great because it is the easiest. No peeling or pitting or slicing. Fruit pies are my favorite, but I love custard pies, too--pumpkin; lemon meringue; etc.
I'm trying to get my wife to make pies since her mother passed. Her mother (in Door County, WI) made a REALLY good apple pie (and apple sauce) with fresh picked apples from the orchard next door, and a DAMN GOOD cheery pie with fresh picked cherries fror the orchard across the street.
Tom, making pies (as well as eating them...) is an equal opportunity enterprise, as you may have noticed from some comments here. Almost as satisfying as assuring yourself your Invite entries should have inked.
I make pies; blueberry outranks the others. I only make cherry when I can go to the one orchard that has pie-cherries. This happens maybe once every other year.
I’m a little indignant rhubarb got left out. And that seems a far safer thing to hyper fixate on than anything else which may be going on today, so I’m considering rolling with it.
I make an apple pie with walnuts and cranberries that is excellent, if I say so myself. I taught myself to make pies during Covid, and I am proud that I came out of the epidemic with one positive skill.
The secret to the crust is to never skimp on butter. Never. Pie is not about skimping.
I hope you are right about the election. I am working all day to collect early ballots from drop boxes, and plan to drug myself to sleep tonight without watching the results.
Our county (in a battleground state) may be processing and tabulating and counting ballots for a week, and I plead with readers not to interpret this as nefarious. We want each legally cast ballot to count, even those of our rivals. We are nerds about this.
Thanks for letting me natter away while I share a vehicle with someone from the other big party as we make our duly appointed rounds. My companion sees the world very differently from me, but we believe in the democratic process. We are not friends exactly but we peacefully coexist. May it be so for all of us going forward.
My quibble with Gene's theory is that I personally know smart, educated people who buy 100% what Trump is selling and don't even recognize that he is only selling it because he knows people buy it but he is fully aware it is pure bullshit. Someone whom I know to be sane, has a JD and an MBA and is CFO of his company tried to tell me that if Kamala wins it will be the end of free and fair elections in the USA. And he was dead serious.
Shankar Vedantam (among others) calls religion a "terror management system" (in his book Useful Delusions). Strikes me as close to Gene's argument. He then wonders whether he, as an atheist, should confront a bereft spouse or parent whose belief comforts them in the face of such loss.
Why would anyone confront a bereft spouse or parent whose beliefs they don't agree with? Talk about "terror management"! Such behavior would make one: an evangelical atheist, very rude and unpleasant at best.
It's not too late to help get out the vote tonight in Western states. Phonebanking is easier than you might think, and there is training. Mostly you just leave voicemail messages. As Noodles & Cabbage posted below, you can have great conversations that make a difference. I started phone-banking on Friday even though I was afraid to do it.
If you're interested, go here and select a training at right. I'm heading back to calls to AZ now, but look forward to being part of the fun (I hope) here tonight. https://go.kamalaharris.com/calls/
I wish I could believe your assertion that Trump voters are less motivated than Harris voters. Between the evangelicals who think he is the instrument of God, the businesspeople for whom money is God, and the rest of the MAGA faithful wearing diapers and buying gold tennis shoes, I am very doubtful.
As an extraordinary exemplar of Skinner's reinforcement theory of child development --- the negative end of it specifically --- you need only look at the large orange "grab 'em by the democracy" guy hoping to be declared Führer. "And it came to pass that Fred Trump so hated the world he gave it Donald."
I was sure somebody would bring it up. Once I saw they hadn’t, I did have the hope that I might prevent it from cropping up, just in case. Incorrect pedantry is worse than regular pedantry. (It’s an idiom! They’re not for literal interpretation!)
My Pigeon Paradigm prediction : Kamala -- BOTH Larry Sabato AND Matt Groening pick Kamala. SIMPSONS Season 11/Episode 17 = "Bart to the Future". Lisa is elected President and is wearing the same lavender dress + pearls combination that Kamala wore at both Biden's Inaugural, and when she accepted Nomination at DNC convention. "Keep Calm ala and Carry On!"
I'm starting energized by calling Democrats in Pennsylvania. Today we are calling Democrats whose mail-in ballots were not received.
I just spoke with a 71-year-old woman who swears she mailed it in 3 weeks ago. I walked her through the website where we saw the status that it had not been received, and then we made a plan for her to get to her polling location by 3:00 today.
There are a lot of calls to make
https://events.democrats.org/event/684133/
Fucking fake news! BLUEBERRY goddamit!
Right? Because 1) You can't get a fresh cherry pie anywhere for love nor money; and 2) People use revolting Granny Smith apples for pies. I pick fifteen pounds of blueberries every summer and freeze them for my pies.
My mother used Cortland apples. They make wonderful pies but hard to get outside of New York.. Butler’s Orchard usually have them for a few weeks and sometimes Wegmans as they are a chain that started in New York.
I'm in Massachusetts and can get to orchards within an hour or so. My preferred and only pie apple is Northern Spy, but I like mixing them with Russets or Spencers.
Huckleberry beats blueberry but they’re hard to get.
I'm kind of sad to be missing the Watching of the Returns, but I'll be working the polls, which, among other things, means that I'll be without access to the outside world from 2 pm to 11 pm, or whenever they send us home. On the plus side, I'll be occupied in a good way and will not have the time to stress out.
In 2008, I was an election worker, and we had to arrive before the polls opened at (so 5ish), and couldn't leave until everything tied out correctly. I got home after midnight. Spouse and I sat in the den watching the returns, and crying joyfully over Obama's election.
Thank you for your service in pursuit of democracy.
Since we retired to a rural area, the opportunities to serve have diminished -- the poll workers are entrenched. But I remember that day with hope and satisfaction. Please, God, that Kamala prevails.
I'm pretty sure she did in my precinct (which encompasses much of the City of Takoma Park) but of course we did not ask.
Show of hands: who makes pies? In particular, do you make any of the pies in Gene's pie chart?
Here is my hand, friend. But apple and peach, and sometimes mixed berry, are the only fruit pies for which I make my own filling. My crust skills are very weak, plus I make kosher-style, so no lard. I find that the Giant has a decent line of frozen kosher pie crusts to work with.
Being in Oregon's Willamette Valley, I mostly make blackberry pies. (Blackberry bushes are everywhere here & are considered weeds.) I make pie crust with butter & lard.
I make pies all year long. I love 'em. I voted for (tart) cherry as my favorite. Blueberry is great because it is the easiest. No peeling or pitting or slicing. Fruit pies are my favorite, but I love custard pies, too--pumpkin; lemon meringue; etc.
I'm trying to get my wife to make pies since her mother passed. Her mother (in Door County, WI) made a REALLY good apple pie (and apple sauce) with fresh picked apples from the orchard next door, and a DAMN GOOD cheery pie with fresh picked cherries fror the orchard across the street.
Cheesehead here who used to be able to pick fresh, as you do. Miss that! But we get wonderful fresh blueberries here in Florida!
Tom, making pies (as well as eating them...) is an equal opportunity enterprise, as you may have noticed from some comments here. Almost as satisfying as assuring yourself your Invite entries should have inked.
I make pies; blueberry outranks the others. I only make cherry when I can go to the one orchard that has pie-cherries. This happens maybe once every other year.
Hand up here 🤚 It’s a tough choice between 🍎 and 🫐 , but love pies 🥧 of all kinds.
I’m a little indignant rhubarb got left out. And that seems a far safer thing to hyper fixate on than anything else which may be going on today, so I’m considering rolling with it.
There is a wonderful recipe on NYTCooking for rhubarb upside down cake the I highly recommend.
Ooo. May have to check out. I’m still bummed that it’s been too hot the last few years for our garden rhubarbs.
Yes!! Rhubarb pie. I planted rhubarb plants in Virginia and moved one year later (poor planning). It's been 8 years and I still miss my rhubarb.
Strawberry rhubarb.
BTW, Wiki says that rhubarb is a vegetable. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhubarb
So a pie made out of it would be health food.
Both fruits and vegetables are healthy.
To your health, sir.
And yours.
The NYTCooking recipe looks good, and Rick Bayless has a terrific recipe for a similar cake that I made at least once a year: https://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/rhubarb-and-jamaica-skillet-upside-down-cake/
What about Strawberry-Rhubard pie?
It depends on the ratio, but I am generally in favor.
Nope. Never. Just rhubarb.
Pecan is the best pie. I will not accept opinions to the contrary.
The best pie is any pie I make.
Period.
I make an apple pie with walnuts and cranberries that is excellent, if I say so myself. I taught myself to make pies during Covid, and I am proud that I came out of the epidemic with one positive skill.
The secret to the crust is to never skimp on butter. Never. Pie is not about skimping.
I hope you are right about the election. I am working all day to collect early ballots from drop boxes, and plan to drug myself to sleep tonight without watching the results.
Our county (in a battleground state) may be processing and tabulating and counting ballots for a week, and I plead with readers not to interpret this as nefarious. We want each legally cast ballot to count, even those of our rivals. We are nerds about this.
Thanks for letting me natter away while I share a vehicle with someone from the other big party as we make our duly appointed rounds. My companion sees the world very differently from me, but we believe in the democratic process. We are not friends exactly but we peacefully coexist. May it be so for all of us going forward.
Blessings and enjoy the Ambien nights.
If Kamala wins, I'll want a better sparkler than Korbel. In honor of her state, how about one from Schramsberg?
Billecart-Salmon
Indeed. Although if we're going French, among the larger producers I've always preferred Deutz.
Damn, y’all are FANCY! Still a Ruinart fan, but Taittenger, mmmmm.
My quibble with Gene's theory is that I personally know smart, educated people who buy 100% what Trump is selling and don't even recognize that he is only selling it because he knows people buy it but he is fully aware it is pure bullshit. Someone whom I know to be sane, has a JD and an MBA and is CFO of his company tried to tell me that if Kamala wins it will be the end of free and fair elections in the USA. And he was dead serious.
This is why we are all so scared. Honestly to know so many who actually find him even slightly palatable is nuts.
He always says "the other side" is doing what he does or wants to do.
Shankar Vedantam (among others) calls religion a "terror management system" (in his book Useful Delusions). Strikes me as close to Gene's argument. He then wonders whether he, as an atheist, should confront a bereft spouse or parent whose belief comforts them in the face of such loss.
Why would anyone confront a bereft spouse or parent whose beliefs they don't agree with? Talk about "terror management"! Such behavior would make one: an evangelical atheist, very rude and unpleasant at best.
I had the same thought. Randy Newman answered Shankar's question with one of the most depressing songs ever written.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMdWKfOLCro
Thank you. That was beautiful!
It's not too late to help get out the vote tonight in Western states. Phonebanking is easier than you might think, and there is training. Mostly you just leave voicemail messages. As Noodles & Cabbage posted below, you can have great conversations that make a difference. I started phone-banking on Friday even though I was afraid to do it.
If you're interested, go here and select a training at right. I'm heading back to calls to AZ now, but look forward to being part of the fun (I hope) here tonight. https://go.kamalaharris.com/calls/
I wish I could believe your assertion that Trump voters are less motivated than Harris voters. Between the evangelicals who think he is the instrument of God, the businesspeople for whom money is God, and the rest of the MAGA faithful wearing diapers and buying gold tennis shoes, I am very doubtful.
As an extraordinary exemplar of Skinner's reinforcement theory of child development --- the negative end of it specifically --- you need only look at the large orange "grab 'em by the democracy" guy hoping to be declared Führer. "And it came to pass that Fred Trump so hated the world he gave it Donald."
Huh, I’m surprised no pedants who don’t understand idioms have jumped out to proclaim that pigs don’t have sweat glands.
Maybe 'cause you got in first Sam.
I was sure somebody would bring it up. Once I saw they hadn’t, I did have the hope that I might prevent it from cropping up, just in case. Incorrect pedantry is worse than regular pedantry. (It’s an idiom! They’re not for literal interpretation!)
Regarding the Pie Chart: I'll take one of each.
My Pigeon Paradigm prediction : Kamala -- BOTH Larry Sabato AND Matt Groening pick Kamala. SIMPSONS Season 11/Episode 17 = "Bart to the Future". Lisa is elected President and is wearing the same lavender dress + pearls combination that Kamala wore at both Biden's Inaugural, and when she accepted Nomination at DNC convention. "Keep Calm ala and Carry On!"