Do NOT Cross Paul Ryan

By Jeff Simpson

If you complain when Paul Ryan calls you lazy, and then do not vote for him, he will make you pay and pay dearly!  

House Republicans are pushing to restrict a low-income food aid program to children in "rural" areas, a surprising move that has Democrats and nutrition advocates crying foul.

The proposal, included in the House agriculture budget approved by a subcommittee this week, scales back an anti-hunger school lunch demonstration program set up in 2010 to feed "children in urban and rural areas" during the summer months when they're on break.

The twist comes in the wake of a popularized conservative meme about the moral hazards of free lunches for school kids. In July 2012, Fox News aired a segment on the "controversy" surrounding summer school lunch program, which it called "a valuable resource for families who are struggling and, critics say, a nice freebie for those who are not."

Maybe the poor and urban Americans will stop trying to have a say in our Country!  

Where Are The Nuggets On A Chicken Anyway?

And why in the world would anyone eat them?

American McNuggets (190 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat for 4 pieces) contain the chemical preservative tBHQ, tertiary butylhydroquinone, a petroleum-based product. They also contain dimethylpolysiloxane, "an anti-foaming agent" also used in Silly Putty.

This Christmas Was Much Better Than Last Christmas

Even though the weather left a lot to be desired, and the economy kept us from exchanging gifts per se, I would have to say this Christmas was much better than last year's version. The reasoning being for what happened and what didn't happen.

The thing that happened was that the dinner I made (slow-roasted standing rib roast (made all the better, thanks to Penzey's), baked potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower in a cheese sauce, dinner rolls and Lady Fingers Torte for desert) came out wonderfully. I've been making all of the holiday meals for my family since my mom passed away ten years ago. Even though I consider myself adept in the culinary arts, I always felt the stress of cooking since she had amazing skills in the kitchen, and she was an awfully hard act to follow.

But this year I outdid myself. And I really knew it when my dad, who rarely says many nice things about people to begin with, looked at me, with a tear in his eye, and said, "Your mother would have been proud of this." Trust me when I consider this to be high praise indeed.

Today, I must have been in the zone though. It definitely helped when a certain you-know-who didn't ruin my Christmas morning, like he did last year.

The Great Potato Famine of '10?

Earlier this month, Jason Haas noted that the state was experiencing a devastating infection of a fungus attacking tomato plants. In the comments section, I pointed out that this same fungus was jumping to potatoes.

Yesterday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel finally caught up to the story and pointed out that this fungus, which was also responsible for the great potato famine in Ireland has now jumped to potato plants in at least two counties.

Hopefully, the farmers and the government, if needed, are ready to deal with this infestation and minimize the damage to such an important product to Wisconsin.

Best Laid Plans

Well, I was supposed to be up at the northern castle, even has I write this, to quietly commemorate what would be my grandfather's 96th birthday.

But, not one, but two water main breaks within a few blocks of my home, my father's desperate, all of a sudden need to finally have his TV become digital ready so that he can go back to watching his VCY-TV, and a snowstorm has prevented that from happening.

Oh, well. It's not all bad.

You get to enjoy more of my enlightening and/or humorous, but always entertaining musings.

And my povitica arrived today. Povitica is an old world swirled bread dessert. My grandmother used to make it, and it was one of my grandfather's favorites. It was one of the few times he's allow himself to eat something sweet (he was borderline diabetic). When she passed on some 22 years ago, I thought that was the end of that delicacy for me.

However, a few years ago, my dad noticed an ad in the Sunday paper for povitica. It is even better than Grandma's. The first time we gave some to Grandpa to try, he almost cried for the joy of having it again.

So now before I wander off to bed, I'll think I'll have a slice for him.

Here's to you, Nonno.