The Ankle Biter @ Quibbling.net

Today’s must-read of the day- or at least, it’s a must-read if you’re as baffled by all this Zacarias Moussaoui stuff as I am.

Like, I get what the screwup was with the witnesses and why the judge has been threatening to pull the death penalty off the table. What I didn’t get were the legal issues involved about arguing for the death penalty.  It seemed black-and-white to me- if Moussaoui is a 9/11 co-conspirator, then he was involved in the horrifying deaths of over 3,000 people, and anyone who is pro-death penalty would vote to stick a needle in his arm, and anyone who is anti-death penalty would vote for life imprisonment.

But murder is a violation of state laws, and this is a federal case.  Dahlia Lithwick and Robert Weisburg have the explanation I’ve been looking for of the government’s case, and what a giant contortion it is. 

How ’bout we let the government try him on terrorism charges and let the states try him for murder, ‘kay?

• Exposure: Family Pictures that Don’t Suck
  Good advice for amateurish shutterbugs like me
  (tags: photography portrait howto)

Finished Maccharoni

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

Do you see this? Does it make your mouth water? Tom and I learned how to make this last night at our cooking class at Galileo. It was so good, I spotted one of the waiters taking a big ol’ bowl of it for himself after class. Not that I blame him- I’d do it too.

• bakingsheet: SHF #17: Strawberry Shortcakes with Mascarpone Cream
  (tags: recipe strawberry biscuitshortcake)
• don’t eat alone: the recipes: samosas
  these don’t sound hard at all
  (tags: samosas recipe)

I really enjoy reading Positive Liberty regularly for a dose of rational libertarianism (unlike anarcho-libertarians, who just skeeve me out). But as an added bonus, they examine the political issues raised by Battlestar Galactica. This time, they’re tackling the question of what to do when the will of the people will eventually lead to the downfall of a civilization in last night’s episode,Lay Down Your Burdens. Also, I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed the resemblance between Baltar’s office and Governor Petemaine’s office in Blazing Saddles.

And while we’re on the topic of last night’s BSG… (here be spoilers)
(more…)

It’s not that I mind Emeril Lagasse per se. Not at all.

But the man gets ridiculous applause for putting garlic in the food. Garlic!

Where’s my applause? I should be getting a standing ovation for all the garlic I use!

• Recipes : Irish Lamb Stew with Herbed Goat Cheese Dumplings : Food Network
  (tags: lamb recipe)

Sign #1: He has to specifically break away from his conversation with the CQ reporter (who is hanging on every word he says) to say hello to you.

Sign #2: When you say offhandedly to someone you just met, without thinking anything of it, “Oh, no, I knew Mike before RedState,” and her eyes get wide as she says, “REALLY?”

Yes kids, Mike existed before RedState. He makes weapons-grade sangria, and he’s the god of the hookup (thanks again for the pass to the conference, dude).

• i was just really very hungry.: Is my blog burning: tartine edition
  garlicky hummus. also known as the food of the gods.
  (tags: recipe hummus garlic cooking)

Today, in the office, we actually had a debate about whether it is indeed hard out there fo’ a pimp.

And if so, how much sympathy do we actually have for the plight of the American pimp?  (Answer:  Not much.)