Hiroshima: 1945-2008, and beyond…from yesterday August 6….Nagasaki up next, August 9

Bits:

Because the effects of that atomic bomb, still eating away at the minds and bodies of the hibakusha, have for decades been so underestimated, a complete picture of the damage has yet to emerge. Most severely neglected have been the emotional injuries. Therefore, the city of Hiroshima is initiating a two-year scientific exploration of the psychological impact of the A-bomb experience.

We who seek the abolition of nuclear weapons are the majority. United Cities and Local Governments, which represents the majority of the Earth’s population, has endorsed the Mayors for Peace campaign. 190 states have ratified the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. 113 countries and regions have signed nuclear-weapon-free-zone treaties. In 2007, 170 countries voted in favour of Japan’s United Nations resolution calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Only three countries, the United States among them, opposed this resolution. We can only hope that the president of the United States elected in November 2008 will listen contentiously to the majority, for whom the top priority is human survival.

openDemocracy

Gee, think they’d vote for B.O.?

You know, I might feel sorry for these people…provided that they feel sorry for their heinous acts against the Americans, British, Aussies, all of the islands they conquered, the people they mass murdered, their death marches, Rape of Nanking, the Koreans they slaughtered and a whole damn host of other atrocities. BUT they won’t.

Chinese Olympics

onepointsixoneeight is providing exclusive coverage of the Chinese Olympics. The coverage starts today.

“Flight 93 Families Divided”

Tom Burnett Sr. entered the lion’s den on Saturday to oppose the crescent memorial to Flight 93 (now called a broken circle). An excerpt from the beginning of the Somerset Daily American‘s banner headline story about division amongst the families:

“Tom Burnett Jr. led the effort to take the plane back,” his father said. “When I was on the design jury, I saw the red crescent of embrace and realized it was an obvious and blatant symbol of Islam. It does not properly honor our people — those Flight 93 heroes. I think it’s a travesty that it’s moved along so fast.”

He called for an investigation into the design. When he has brought up his concerns, some of the task force and advisory commission members have dismissed him, he said.

“This is a cataclysmic mistake,” he said. “I’m going to save you from yourselves. I’d like to ask for an unbiased, transparent, honest investigation. This is just a terrible, terrible mistake. I’m asking every American — we must stop this mistake. This panel doesn’t own the design, I don’t own it, Pennsylvania doesn’t own it, all of America and all of the world own it.”

He said he is also tired of the controversy, but that they must honor the heroes properly. It will reverberate in history.

“I’m not going to stop fighting this thing, it is very, very bad,” Burnett said. “Wake up. Get your heads out of the sand.”

Other Flight 93 family members roared back. What is usually a three hour quarterly meeting of the Memorial Project stretched to five hours as over twenty people signed up to speak on both sides.

more here

Harissa Spaghettini Recipe

Keep in mind as you head into this recipe that the range of harissas available for purchase is vast – trust your taste buds, and if any of you have favorite brands, give a shout in the comments. One tube might be tastelessly tomato-y, the next tongue-torchingly hot. That being said, the best road to a great harissa is to make your own, but I’d be lying if I said I’m religious about it – hence, the tube of red in my refrigerator door.

Harissa paste/sauce recipe, on the “make your own” link.

A few quick notes – you can substitute any whole whole pasta, really. Cut the kale into big bite-sized pieces. Harissa can be found in many ethic food sections, or you can make it yourself.
3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
a big pinch of fine grain sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons harissa (paste)
8 ounces (1/2 pound) whole wheat spaghettini
1 small bunch kale, well-washed and deveined
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
zest of 1 lemon
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, place the cloves of garlic on a cutting board and sprinkle then with a big pinch of salt. Crush with the flat side of a knife. Now crush and chop, crush and chop until you have a garlic paste. Alternately, you can use a mortar and pestle. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic paste, harissa, and olive oil. Set aside.
Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook per package instructions. Just before the pasta is done add the kale to the pasta water, count to six, drain and set aside.
Heat half of the harissa dressing in the now empty pasta pot Add the pasta and kale, black olives, pine nuts, and lemon zest. Stir over the heat for a minute or so, then turn everything out onto a platter and drizzle with the remaining harissa olive oil.
Serves about 4 – 6.

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Warning Signs Can Be Blatant

Ladies, when you look at a prospective date, the following shirts are very good reason not to go on that date.