Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
My wife always throws me a challenge … she actually enjoys that! Anyway, Laura loves tuna casserole and I don’t like tuna… so she asked me to make something I would like!
Well… I knew that I would have to :1) reduce the ‘fishiness’ of the dish and 2) disguise the meal… I think I succeeded in both areas.
Roger Freberg
Back in the 1950’s, new booming American families were struggling to meet their families dietary expectations, in a shorter amount of time and economically. Thus came the grandest invention in the kitchen , the birth of the casserole!
In many cultures, the name for the a popular dish is derived from the pot in which it is made. The name for the Spanish dish “Paella” descends from the type of pan used in creating it! The Romans and many European cultures had foods named after their ‘pots.’
The name was often the only thing that the many dishes had in common, so too, are an entire group of foods called ‘casseroles.’ The casserole is traditionally a ceramic pot with a lid that is now-a-days glass.
My wife threw down a challenge! Why not try to make something better from the dish that virtually every American has tried at one time or another… the Tuna Casserole. I had a few ideas, but I wanted to survey the field as to what ingredients were being used and there seemed to be some themes.
Basically, each had some commonalities: cheese, peas, mushrooms in some form or another, and a variety of fillers ( versions of mirepoix, potato chips and bread crumbs made many interesting). The more ‘upscale recipes substituted albacore for tuna, added wine, better and more spices, and butter and olive oil.
Stay tuned… recipe to follow.
Roger Freberg
ps. by the way, the above cookbook is the classic cookbook on the American Casserole phenomenon
The issue is very simple. If we want to ‘play ball’ with the Saudis, we have to play by their rules. Playing by the law of Saudi Arabia requires abandoning American ethics and principles. We really shouldn’t want to do this for a number of good reasons. I am reminded of a wonderful quote:
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” – President Thomas Jefferson
It is clear when we discuss Saudi Arabia, we are looking at significant differences in our world view. More importantly, we are looking at different underlying ‘principles.’ We are not talking about style, but of substance. We cannot accept the principles of the Saudis without walking away from bedrock American values, regardless of how much money is involved.
The most disingenuous aspect of Cal Poly’s entire parallelization, is their belief that somehow any culture exposed to the American way of doing things will naturally embrace our democratic and egalitarian principles. However, recent ‘academic’ studies have found no correlation. Folks accustomed to totalitarianism like it just fine.
So as Thomas Jefferson might have said: if fashion dictates we wear a veil then bend if you wish, but in matters of civil and human rights… stand like a rock.
Roger Freberg
Warren Baker, Mohammad Noori and company did a pretty good imitation of the trial in the cult classic movie “Animal House.”
Dean Wormer: I think we’ve heard enough, Mr Chairman.
Hoover: I was told I’d have a chance to spe…?
Greg Marmalard: That’s enough. The court will now render a decision.
Hoover: Look, you said I could spe…!
Doug Neidermeyer: HE SAID THAT’S IT! Are you DEAF?
Dean Wormer: Let’s finish this damn thing.
Bluto: [Coughing into his hand] BLOWJOB!
Delta Brothers: [Imitating Bluto] Blowjob! Blowjob!
Hoover: I don’t think it’s fair!
Dean Wormer: I’ll tell you what’s fair and what’s not!
Bluto: [Coughing into his hand] EAT ME!
Delta Brothers: [Imitating Bluto] Eat me! Eat me!
The problem is that it wasn’t all that funny at Cal Poly in living color. Here are a few PICTURES FROM THE PROTEST. Check out how ‘deeply concerned’ Cal Poly President Warren Baker was throughout the entire session. He was telling folks afterwards that he never had to answer to anyone before and he didn’t like it. Oh Warren, if we only had it on film.
We are still looking for that 2000 lb. Gorrilla to take on Cal Poly!
Here’s a sampling of what others are saying:
Joanne Jacob’s “No Terrorist Left Behind”
Fresno Bee “stirring passions in treatment of women”
MSNBC “women get the cold shoulder”
Roger Freberg
I always like to hand accolades out when the media help out a socially worthwhile story.
A Protest at Cal Poly over their proposed association with Saudi Arabia is hitting the news. We all know Saudi Arabia’s second leading export is terrorists, so why is Cal Poly’s Warren Baker & Mohammad Noori pushing this deal? Some suspect that it represents ‘big money’ and a sacrifice of a few seldom used American values.
It’s American blood for money.
Here’s what the local paper wrote about the upcoming protest:
“Cal Poly’s College Republicans have organized a protest set for Tuesday afternoon against the school’s plans to help a Saudi Arabian university create an engineering program.
The pact with University College of Jubail has been met with controversy because of Saudi Arabia’s record of discrimination against women, Jews and gays. Saudi women would not be admitted initially to the Jubail engineering programs.
Members of the Republican club plan to demonstrate opposition to the partnership at Cal Poly’s Academic Senate meeting, set for 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. in room 220 of the University Union. The Senate is expected to question university President Warren Baker about the Saudi pact.
Club members said they are gathering at the mustang statue near the Union at 4:15 p.m. to make posters and organize the demonstration.
Protest organizers said that members of other student clubs, including the Cal Poly Democrats, also plan to attend.”
— Antonio A. Prado
Roger Freberg