Althouse: Home!

May 15, 2008

Home!

I'm re-ensconced in Wisconsin and back to blogging "the way things look from Madison, Wisconsin" (which was the end of my original blog subtitle).

We got delayed 2 hours because, the pilot said, the door on the plane wasn't closing and that might be a problem. We're all I should think so! and then it becomes clear that the door in question is that bathroom door, at which point, we pretty much all want to say We'll hold it! but delays are normal and making people not go to the bathroom or go with a nonclosing door is abnormal, and abnormal things lead to bad press and lawsuits, so the normal thing is the thing that's done and we had to deplane and replane.

Anyway, I'm back in the heartland.

51 comments:

Methadras said...: Has it really been a year already? I thought you felt like staying in NY afterall?; 5/15/08, 5:06 PM
MadisonMan said...: Welcome home. Enjoy the quiet. All you'll hear is the munch munch munch of Gypsy Moth caterpillars!; 5/15/08, 5:10 PM
Irene said...: Welcome back! How do those Redbuds look?; 5/15/08, 5:15 PM
1775OGG said...: Welcome back. However, you're still one state too far east from God's Country, excluding Mpls and StP!

So, how's life in hotbed of Socialism and Radicalism? Are the Weathermen groups over there getting ready to bomb the Madison Campus?

At least you're now safe from the NYC crazies!; 5/15/08, 5:21 PM
Trooper York said...: Obviously God wanted you to stay in Brooklyn.

Do they have Kobe Beef sliders and little lobster rolls in Petticoat Junction? Just askin'

Well on the bright side, you can get some new chickens.; 5/15/08, 5:38 PM
blogging cockroach said...: well i know im shedding a little cockroach tear
because althouse is all that much farther from my home here in cambridge mass
but on the other hand she never made it up to boston as far as i know
so i never got to scurry under the table at a meet up
i would never want to go to a new york meet up however
imagine palladian stepping on you

and trooper if you are feeling sad
heres something to cheer you up--

go sox; 5/15/08, 5:49 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: That's the problem with those tacky mobile home doors -- their screws undo themselves and they quickly go bollox. No offense intended to actual mobile home dwellers. Although I do recommend, in these, erm, turbulent times, of hard hurricanes, outrageous tornados and even earthquakes in the heartland, you seek more solid dwellings.; 5/15/08, 5:51 PM
1775OGG said...: Victoria is a Brit? Who knew?

bc, it took you a long time to cross over to this side of the pond but if you're willing to forswore loyalty to the Queen (Down with the Royals and all their ilk!) then "welcome!" Otherwise, go live in that small piece of British Soil up in Concord; said only in the most friendly and peaceful way, Cousin!; 5/15/08, 6:00 PM
Trooper York said...: Hey cockroach, how could you root for the Red Sox. Manny has those pointy shoes like all the spanish dudes do to kill the cockroachs in the corner.; 5/15/08, 6:05 PM
vbspurs said...: Welcome back, Blogger Lady!

It'll take you about a week to get all comfy, ship-shape and comme il faut again, but that's a small price to pay to be home.

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/15/08, 6:12 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Welcome back to Madison, although I'm not there to actually greet you.

I made the most delicious soup just now. It was contrived from the waning leavenings of the freezer, the pantry and the refrigerator -- an amalgamation that would be certain to get me kicked right out of any reputable culinary school. Here's what I had that I really needed to get rid of:

*Really old home-made chicken stock that by any measure should have been tossed a week ago. Supplemented with a can of store bought chicken stock (contains an overabundance of salt) plus 2 cups of water.

*Here's where I go weird; I added a tablespoon fish sauce which is anchovy water, more or less. Weird innit? Chicken and fish?
*The remainder of a jar of tamarind paste, another Asian ingredient used in Thai noodles.
*Three tablespoons mirin, a Japanese ingredient, sort of a fermented sweet wine usually combined with saki but instead ...
*The remainder of a small bottle of chardonnay which sort of substitutes for vinegar or lime.

↑ That's the end of most of the weird stuff, unless you count
*A small sack of conchiglioni, which are the giant shells you usually stuff with something.
*Frozen green beans totally freezer burned with ice chunks on them.
*Frozen corn that should have been tossed weeks ago.
*Tablespoon miso paste, which is kind of like peanut butter except made out of fermented soy beans. Served before meals in Japanese restaurants and even eaten for breakfast in Japan. Lasts an eternity. I have tons of it. The lids sealed themselves shut.
*1/4 onion, 3 garlic cloves, the only fresh ingredients.
*chile flakes. A dreadful mixture, from a restaurant sized container. A regrettable purchase.

See how I got it all going on there? Salty, sweet, sour, bitter, hot/spicy? A mad party for your tongue. I'm going to call it the "Get Ready for Shopping Soup." It's totally unreproducible. I would never consider inflicting it on anyone.; 5/15/08, 6:17 PM
XWL said...: I don't know that the midwest in general and the upper midwest in particular can lay claim to 'heartland' status anymore.

Changes in demography, changes in settlement patterns, and changes in our national temperament all council against considering any place in WI to be 'heartland' (and Madison especially).

If you were asked to describe the 'heartland' of the United States early in the 1800s, WI wasn't even a state yet, so probably Virginia, or Eastern Pennyslvania would have made better choices.

By the early 1900s I think the midwest, earned its 'heartland' designation, but only after a massive change in our society, and many dislocations imbetween.

Now in the early 2000s, the center of gravity has shifted south and west once again. We are an urban/suburban nation, a more hispanic nation, a younger nation, a more politically moderate nation in general when compared to the folks in the midwest in particular.

I think you'd have to go for a place more like Birmingham, or San Antonio, or Phoenix to find a place that has a stronger claim on 'heartland' status nowadays.

Phoenix especially is more like what this country will be over the rest of the century than any place in the midwest I suspect, so as far as the 'heartland' of the 21st century, I think it's way out west in a place like Phoenix.

But there definitely was a time when that 'heartland' status belonged in the midwest, just not anymore.; 5/15/08, 6:21 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: Oh I forgot the frozen chicken bits that were the result of making the stock. It was either use them now or toss them. Two small bags freezer burned.; 5/15/08, 6:22 PM
vbspurs said...: I made the most delicious soup just now.

Nothin' says home, like cookin' up a storm.

A black lady from Mississippi once told me that, and I've never forgotten it.

As for me, I ordered a foot-long Italian Sub (white/all the way) from one of the best Italian joints in town.

I can't cook. :(

...and to answer your questions, Old Grouchy, in order:

1-Yes. 2-No. 3-Tuesdays, mostly. 4-And depends if "auntie" is in "town".

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/15/08, 6:25 PM
Chris Arabia said...: I think you might have gotten out just in time -- this post had a bit of a Seinfeldian vibe to it.; 5/15/08, 6:50 PM
vbspurs said...: Man dressed as Darth Vader attacks fellow Church of the Jedi members; 5/15/08, 6:53 PM
1775OGG said...: bc and Victoria: FYI, there are two small pieces of sovereign British soil in this country! One is at the south end of the Old North Bridge in Concord, Mass., the other is in the Sandwich Islands where Cap't. Cook was buried. so, dear old auntie's presence has nothing to do with that little piece of Anglo/Yank history! The one in Concord is where two British soldiers were buried after the dust-up on April 19, 1775. Don't know if the RA ever identified those two abandoned by their army on the long retreat back to Boston Town!

But, since we are a kind and forgiving nation, all is forgiven; And, Brits are conditionally welcomed to the land of freedom!; 5/15/08, 6:53 PM
Cyrus Pinkerton said...: Trooper York shouldn't feel sad. The Yankees are absolutely the best last place team that money can buy!; 5/15/08, 6:57 PM
blake said...: Victoria is a Brit? Who knew?

Everyone but you?

It's part of her charm: She's an immigrant, with all the America-lovin' goodness that ought to imply.

She's Althouse's Tracy Ullman, minus the funny wigs and goofy voices.; 5/15/08, 6:59 PM
vbspurs said...: "Shaneesha don't lie! I don't lie!"

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/15/08, 7:07 PM
titusherecomesthe mirror man said...: Welcome home to Mad City.

I just got off the phone to mom in Wisconsin who said it was in the 70's. Nice weather to welcome you home. Parents are opening up the cottage by the Dells this weekend.

Now what are you going to do?

What place or thing do you want to do first now that you are home?

Fabulous restaurant? Store? Farmers Market? Concert on the Square? The Union Terrace? Cafe?; 5/15/08, 7:07 PM
Trooper York said...: Cyrus baby I am never sad. It's very early in the year and nobody is running away with it. We will reach out and reload to get some more starters. Joba and Mariano will rule as usual. Plus some of our big guns are hurt. You see I have faith. Faith in my God. Faith in my country. And faith in the New York Yankees, the greatest sports franchise in the history of the world.

But thanks for caring; 5/15/08, 7:10 PM
Kirk Parker said...: All that fuss over a lavatory door? Don't they carry duct tape as part of their normal maintenance supplies? Sheesh, the lessons of Apollo 13 are all forgotten...

Victoria,

Well, the founder of the Jedis, Barney Jones, is right about one thing: "Obviously some people are going to laugh about it".; 5/15/08, 7:11 PM
vbspurs said...: Kirk, goes to show anything is possible with a 2 1/2 gallon BOX of wine in ya.; 5/15/08, 7:17 PM
titusherecomesthe mirror man said...: I love Trooper. He fabulous for a straightie.; 5/15/08, 7:17 PM
blake said...: >>"Shaneesha don't lie! I don't lie!"

Hee hee.

Hey, that Darth Vader dude's a real dick.

Funny, tho'.; 5/15/08, 7:19 PM
titusherecomesthe mirror man said...: I am going out again tonight.

Two nights in a row is generally too much for me but a friend from Jersey is coming to visit me so I need to get my pussy in the shower and bring it on again.; 5/15/08, 7:19 PM
titusherecomesthe mirror man said...: Fabuous straighties are exceptional and amazing Americans.; 5/15/08, 7:20 PM
Trooper York said...: Right back at you Titus. You make me laugh, and I can't think of a higher compliment. In my book, that’s the most important thing. Not what you do with your thing...
Miss Thing.; 5/15/08, 7:20 PM
reader_iam said...: Hey, did you guys see this?

LOS ANGELES - A Missouri woman was indicted Thursday for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against a 13-year-old neighbor who committed suicide.

Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis, who allegedly helped create a MySpace account in the name of someone who didn't exist to convince Megan Meier she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans, was charged with conspiracy and fraudulently gaining access to someone else's computer.
...
MySpace issued a statement saying it “does not tolerate cyberbullying” and was cooperating fully with the U.S. attorney.

U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said this was the first time the federal statute on accessing protected computers has been used in a social-networking case. It has been used in the past to address hacking.
...
Both the girl and MySpace are named as victims in the case, he said.; 5/15/08, 7:56 PM
rhhardin said...: Duct tape is approved for temporary wing repairs on a Cessna.

I think it has to be actual duct tape for ducts, however, and not the stuff they sell under the name duct tape.; 5/15/08, 8:02 PM
blake said...: Yeah, it's all over the tubes, reader.

Any idea why it's dateline LOS ANGELES?

MySpace is located here, maybe?; 5/15/08, 8:22 PM
blogging cockroach said...: old grouchy--i am a 100 percent kinda green-blooded american cockroach
but i thought that in honour of all the british regulars at althouse here
--i mean victoria and simon and peter who never visits anymore dammit--
not the british regulars that showed up at concord mass on april 19 1775
that i should try to up the britishness of the comments
and raise the tone with a little snooty spelling
anyway whats more boring than a couple of idiotic americans
or idiotic anybodies
arguing about the meaning of words and calling each other names
but you know i said nothing about brits in this post
although i did talk about yankees
--poor trooper york--
you must be reading my bit over at polar bear central
which i thought was basically dead
so i could get a word in between the usual calling of names these threads can degenerate into

looks like i was wrong

looks like i end sentences w/prepositions too

but this is a much more entertaining thread
so lets not call names
lets read readers link which is interesting and sad
and pay a little visit to the old north bridge
in concord mass just a little jaunt up rt 2 from where i live
never noticed the british regulars graves
--not you victoria no not you--
but then if you are a cockroach hiding in the picnic basket
its hard to pay attention to the old manse etc
i would visit the famous sleepy hollow cemetery in concord mass
if all those famous dead authors were not so damned
--dusty--
i mean theres not a thing to eat around there
except you could go over to the concord inn
and get boring yankee food
but frankly id rather read more about chip ahoys fridge; 5/15/08, 8:44 PM
reader_iam said...: Sorry. I've mostly been otherwise submerged today. Sorta reminds me of the way things used to be ... lol.; 5/15/08, 9:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Welcome home!

Once the heartland is in your blood, it binds you to it forever. I miss it more every day.; 5/15/08, 9:22 PM
blogging cockroach said...: hey reader--
thanks anyway for mentioning that
i am not on the web 24/7 like some here
so that was an interesting heads up
for those of us who are discriminating with our internet time

anyway that is indeed a sad story all around
i think we are all better off reading newspapers
than fooling with this computer stuff
i mean you write a letter to the editor and sign it
'concerned citizen,' and no one will look any further
but on the internet you can mess w/people's minds,
and kids hang themselves
so we have come a longways away from actual concerned citizens and letters to the times
haven't we....; 5/15/08, 9:35 PM
vbspurs said...: but on the internet you can mess w/people's minds,

Newsflash: That's been possible ever since two people got together in the same cave.

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/15/08, 10:08 PM
Simon said...: Welcome home. :); 5/15/08, 11:01 PM
blake said...: Sorry. I've mostly been otherwise submerged today. Sorta reminds me of the way things used to be ... lol.

Oh, I didn't mean to be snarky... But now I'm jealous. Who let you off the Internet?; 5/15/08, 11:04 PM
reader_iam said...: You know, what's so bizarre, to me, is that--in a "house" chock-full of supposed techies and actual lawyers & so many others who are so much more educated and/or hip--no one picked up on the latter three paragraphs I excerpted; all three, but especially the middle one.; 5/16/08, 12:12 AM
reader_iam said...: blogging cockroach:
you're welcome to eat off my counter anytime,
but do you prefer chunks or crumbs
light left on or light turned off
in other words fine dining or diner fare
or perhaps both
who said cockroaches aren't discriminating
not I; 5/16/08, 12:21 AM
blake said...: Oh...did you WANT to address the issue of creeping federal authority into the cyber-world?

I don't. I'm hoping if I don't it'll just go away.; 5/16/08, 1:11 AM
reader_iam said...: (hard cases make bad law); 5/16/08, 2:34 AM
reader_iam said...: (law of unintended consequences); 5/16/08, 2:36 AM
reader_iam said...: ( ... ); 5/16/08, 2:37 AM
reader_iam said...: Oh, and in the interest of crystal clarity, since that's no doubt needful? If it's possible to have less than zero compassion for someone, then that's what I have for Lori Drew.; 5/16/08, 2:41 AM
reader_iam said...: Still. It's an "and"--not an "or."; 5/16/08, 2:46 AM
blake said...: Well, isn't it just that "DO SOMETHING" attitude that causes problems in so many ways?; 5/16/08, 2:57 AM
vbspurs said...: (what?)

Cheers,
Victoria; 5/16/08, 2:58 AM
reader_iam said...: No way am I ever again going to list specific comment references again at Althouse (I might be off by a minute). Anyone who's that interested can go scroll, the way that I do all of the time, here and everywhere. Everyone else can just ignore and skip. Ain't that much of a challenge. (Either way, by the way.); 5/16/08, 3:03 AM
titusherecomesthe mirror man said...: Good morning fellow republicans.

I got laid again tonight.

This city has too many options.

I need to move.; 5/16/08, 3:43 AM