Websites that make you cheer, do a backflip, or both

[shadzar]

Christians recruit. Judaism doesn't.

Generally speaking they don't actively recruit, but they accept converts.

Where the hell do you live? I want to be able to move there to get away from door-2-door Christians. They are worse than the people giving you a flower to join the Church of [insert new name each week].

@everyone else:

Ok I think I see what people are saying. Jewish can mean like African, French, etc as descendant other than just as the chosen practiced religion.

It would be like saying I am an Indian, because Columbus fucked up and couldn't read a map.

Bill Maher is half Jewish even though...well you can watch the movie Religilous yourself and see what he is or isn't...but his mother is Jewish meaning he is part Jewish even though he never knew it for years.

Don't know why that didn't hit me right off the bat. Maybe because I: a) don't know anyone that is Jewish, or b) they don't force the matter into the open because it really doesn't matter in day to day life of everyone around them like those crazy Christians do.

@tzor:

I thought all "Jews" came from Egypt originally, so how can they only be considered to be "maybe" a third group? You know the whole Moses, Red Sea, 10 Commandments, etc....

[mean_liar]

If his mother is Jewish, then he's Jewish.

"Jewish" is a tribe and for purposes of passing on "Jewishness", a matriarchal bloodline. They let people join the tribe but its a tribe, not a nationality.

Seriously, you're really this ignorant?

It's like referring to people as Gauls or Berbers or whatever. Now, most people aren't those because those tribes folded a long time ago and no one cares who's a Gaul and who's a Goth and who's a Visigoth, but if they did, those designations would transcend national boundaries.

[shadzar]

Seriously, you're really this ignorant?

I don't do religion.

[tzor]

Christians recruit. Judaism doesn't.

Generally speaking they don't actively recruit, but they accept converts.

Where the hell do you live? I want to be able to move there to get away from door-2-door Christians.

Jews; I'm talking about Jews.

It would be like saying I am an Indian, because Columbus fucked up and couldn't read a map.

He didn't have a map. Someone else made it up later.

I thought all "Jews" came from Egypt originally, so how can they only be considered to be "maybe" a third group? You know the whole Moses, Red Sea, 10 Commandments, etc....

Well technically eveyone came from Africa. As Jewish groups moved throughout the world they lived in the cultures that they occupied. This impacts culture and ethnicity.

On a similiar vein, where I live there is a tribe of Native Americans known as the Shinnecock, descended from the Algonquian tribe. Yet because of years of marriages, most of these "Native Americans" are more "African American" than than they are "Native American."

Jewish heritage is generally passed through as a maternal line (because while you may not always know who your father was, you know who your mother was). So in my case, since it was only my great grandfather (and not my great grandmother) on my mother's mother's side who was Jewish, technically I am not Jewish by the strictest sense of the tribal meaning.

[shadzar]

I never knew that. And people say the internet is just for porn and you can't learn anything form it.

Myself am just a descendant of the trail of tears. Not much is known about that branch of the family after that big...well you know how the trail of tears went and we can't find our family in any of the rolls. So I am just from The People.

I only ever call myself a Mutt since there is so much and don't bother with the rest since I don't try to pigeonhole myself into any group, so never really think about others in that vein either. Bob is Bob is all I know and care, since who you are is NOT who your parents are or their parents were as we are all individuals.

So thanks for the ethnicity lessons.

(Wonder if I should build my own casino? )

[Maxus]

http://www.tfsabridged.com/episodes/

Here you go, Virgileso.

[Crissa]

One of the basic tenets of christianity is converting, savings, spreading the good news, whatever the flavor calls it.

-Crissa

[Maj]

I only ever call myself a Mutt since there is so much and don't bother with the rest since I don't try to pigeonhole myself into any group

My dad's side of the family is from the UK, but I identify myself more with my mom's Italian side because I lived with my mom and the cultural traditions she brought with her (her parents both came through Ellis Island). In fact, my sister spent this last summer living in Italy, and she would constantly send home these eMails that said, "You know <this thing Mom always does>? They do that here. It's just like Italy."

It was actually a relief for my mom - our family's been slammed as not being American on lots of occasions, especially by my sister's friends - and it was vindicating to hear my sister finally "get" it.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that while I may be muttish, I still have a cultural identifier.

[shadzar]

You only have a few, so have something to identify with.

HEre is something that got me thinking one day and just popped out of my mouth with it while helping my mother when she wasn't able to do anything. Whoopi Goldberg on the View said she felt like she could put down her bags and didn't feel she had to leave, after Obama won.

I just asked where would she go back to New York? That is where she was born, so where else would she go?

Being American enough doesn't make sense to me, because either you are or you aren't/ Either born or applied for citizenship. Born in America means you are American with X heritage. Applied for citizenship like Ellis Island, etc means you were once one thing and now are American. The rest don't matter.

So Maj, were you born in America? If so then however you act, you are American.....If not born here but moved, do you have a greencard or should we call that sheriff in Arizona that the ICE is currently arguing with. j/k.

Who gives a shit where anyone is form. It is who you are that means people either like you or not. How you act is more important than where you were born or where your parents were born. That is why people need to get over a lot of their bigotry about others for being different. We just live in different places but are all humans, except for those on Fox News channel, and Rush Limbaugh.

BTW, hope this doesn't sound too insensitive, but got any pizza recipes. I loves pizza and take all recipes I can get if your mother would give any up.

(I still have to buy the crust, I can't ever make one work right! )

[Maj]

Whoopi Goldberg on the View said she felt like she could put down her bags and didn't feel she had to leave, after Obama won.

I have no idea the full context of this comment, but I can tell you that a lot of people packed their bags and left the US after Dubya was elected, and many more resolved to do so if McCain won the election.

Being American enough doesn't make sense to me, because either you are or you aren't/ Either born or applied for citizenship. Born in America means you are American with X heritage. Applied for citizenship like Ellis Island, etc means you were once one thing and now are American. The rest don't matter.

Logically, that seems to make sense, yet my best friends all consider me a non-American who just happened to be born in the "wrong" country. So there is a culture that identifies Americans as Americans, and it's possible for people to not fit the mold.

BTW, hope this doesn't sound too insensitive, but got any pizza recipes. I loves pizza and take all recipes I can get if your mother would give any up.

It's totally insensitive.



My family's from northern Italy (near Genoa), not southern Italy, where pizza originated. That means that our family food tends to be less with the tomatoes and more with the dairy - we joke that northern cooking is choosing a meat, an herb, and a wine, and adding cream. We're much more likely to eat Chicken Saltimbocca than pizza.

All that said, though... I love pizza, and since I love to cook, I love experimenting with pizza - it goes international around here. Remember, the concept of pizza is a crust, some toppings, a layer of cheese (I prefer to finish all pizzas with mozzarella because of its consistency), and a little time in the oven.

Here are some favorites:

• Classic Margherita (tomato sauce based): Tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella.
• Italian Tomato Sauce: Pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms, onions, olives, tomatoes, red peppers.
• Garlic Sauce (Ranch Dressing with garlic powder makes this simple): Ham, chicken, tomatoes, onions, spinach, red peppers, mushrooms (optional).
• French Onion Gravy: Onions, beef, exciting cheese (like parmesan or gruyere), mushrooms.
• Hoisin Dressing: Shrimp, onion, red peppers, green peppers, snow peas, spinach, cilantro.
• Thai Peanut Sauce: Chicken, spinach, broccoli, onions, shredded carrots (optional).
• Mexican Style (start with a salsa of Taco Bell Sauce): Beef (or chicken), red peppers, green peppers, olives, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, cheddar cheese.
• Barbeque sauce: Chicken, onions, mushrooms, red pepper, green pepper.
• Orange Sauce (Chinese style): Chicken, green onions, green beans, red peppers, carrot shreds, celery, mushrooms (optional).

(I still have to buy the crust, I can't ever make one work right! )

What's the problem?

[CatharzGodfoot]

(I still have to buy the crust, I can't ever make one work right! )

Here's an easy one:
[*] Whisk half a package of yeast into 1.5 cups warm water (killing the yeast is the easiest way to fuck this up).
[*] After 5 minutes, add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tsp kosher salt OR a scant tsp table salt, and 2 cups of bread flour.
[*] Stir for at least 5 minutes (!).
[*] Dump 1.5 cups more of flour onto your table (I hope it's clean). Dump the dough out on top of this.
[*] Knead for about 10 minutes (you can stop when it's nice and shiny). If it's sticking to the table, coat it with a bit of olive oil. If it's super sticky, add flour a little bit at a time until it's workable.
[*] Oil a big bowl, add the dough (turn it around to coat it). Cover with a damp towel or plastic, and let it rise for an hour.
[*] Put a thin layer of flour on your table, then divide the dough into 3 balls. Cover each ball with a lightly floured towel, and let it rise again for 20 minutes.
[*] Make each ball into a disc at least 10" in diameter (if it's not thin enough it will become like focaccia when you bake it).
[*] ...
[*] Bake at 450F on a baking sheet or stone scattered with corrnmeal.
[*] Brush the crust with olive oil when you take the pizza out, or better yet with olive oil that has minced garlic soaking in it.

It's probably not an Italian recipe, but it works for me.

[tzor]

I love northern Italian cuisine. Ironically it’s really hard to find on Long Island.

[shadzar]

(I still have to buy the crust, I can't ever make one work right! )

What's the problem?

I have written all them ideas and recipe down to try Saturday....well at least one of them.

The problem with my crust....I always end up with hard tack or something close to it.

I can make biscuits fine, banana bread fine, but ANY kind of crust becomes hard tack.

[Maj]

I can make biscuits fine, banana bread fine, but ANY kind of crust becomes hard tack.

That sounds like a yeast problem (ie: your dough isn't rising) firstly, or a cooking temperature problem (too low, too long makes it solid; a higher temp for shorter leaves the outside cooked while the inside's soft). The last thing to try if those two aren't the culprits is changing the pan - steel cooks differently than aluminum, so if you're using one of those two, try switching to the other. I've always gotten best results with a stone, though.

[shadzar]

I do use a stone. Oh well, guess I will try other yeast and watch it closer while baking it to make sure it isn't too hot/cold...

[mean_liar]

http://www.prx.org/the-moth

Story-telling, or skilled bullshittery. Take your pick. Either way, these programs are GREAT listening stuff.

[CatharzGodfoot]

Story-telling, or skilled bullshittery

I never thought there was a difference.

[shadzar]

Story-telling, or skilled bullshittery

I never thought there was a difference.

One is done by good authors and novelist, the other is done by politicians.

[Cynic]

Story-telling, or skilled bullshittery

I never thought there was a difference.

One is done by good authors and novelist, the other is done by politicians. ;)

You forget lawyers and college students writing papers for the latter. :-D

[shadzar]

I will give you lawyers, since it says skilled, but not the other.

[Username17]

This week's Oglaf was very very funny. He'd been falling into the one-pager updates that were pretty much one joke for a while, but the Lapis Luzuli one really paid off. NSFW.

-Username17

[erik]

http://ytmnd.com/browse/top_rated/alltime

go wild, much entertainment to be found

http://pi.ytmnd.com/
catchy god-dammit

[CatharzGodfoot]

This week's Oglaf was very very funny. He'd been falling into the one-pager updates that were pretty much one joke for a while, but the Lapis Luzuli one really paid off. NSFW.

-Username17

Bees really do make everything better.

[Cynic]

Bill Bryson made me more aware of Bears than Steven Colbert did and this was before I even knew of Colbert on the Daily Show*.

But [url='http://sale.images.woot.com/X-treme_Nat ... Detail.png]this[/url] is awesome.

motorsport definitely became something to watch...

[ubernoob]

Twilight explained