quip: mup-it-up

A friend of mine posted a note related to Statler and Waldorf from the Muppet Show today. I adore the ornery and disagreeable old men because of their sarcastic wit and the brilliant execution when hammering the rest of the cast. The inspiration of remembering them made for some interesting replies to people today. It’s been a while since I had a day like today… so there’s a few of them here

I use this line a lot so it’s funny for me to actually write it down. A coworker and I were testing out some music streaming stuff on a site. We had three songs queued up. As the third one was finishing:
Me: This next song is my favorite!
Friend: What song?
Me: Silence

Friend: I’m not 31 until August, so, it’s also offending me at the same time it isn’t working.
Me: Maybe it is working correctly then

Me: I love when things work right
Friend: But this isn’t working right
Me: I know, I wasn’t referring to this

Friend: Ok, it appears to be working right now, maybe it just timed out
Me: My uncle used to put me in time out too
Friend: oh?
Me: Yep, but much like what will probably happen with this shortly, I wasn’t any better after than before

Listening to another song:
Me: oh, my favorite part is coming up!
Friend: (trying to hum the chorus) you mean that?
Me: No, I meant the ending

Friend: You’re being quite sarcastic today… Are you going to be agreeable to anything?
Me: Yeah, I’ll agree that I’m sarcastic.

While reviewing a page for Michael Jackson’s “Bad”
Friend: Ok, this isn’t bad
Me: Yes, it is! It’s Michael Jackson

Friend: Ok, I think I fixed it kinda, it looks better, anyhow.
Me: That’s because you’ve gone cross-eyed

Me: I do like me some good music
Friend: So you like this then
Me: No, I said I like good music
Friend: You’re killing me today
Me: No, I’m pretty sure it’s the music not the conversation

Friend: Dammit, it’s broke again
Me: Quit trying to fix it and it won’t break again

Me: Oh, I like this song
Friend: What song, we haven’t picked one yet
Me: That’s what I like

Friend: I wonder if we do this if it’ll do something
Me: of course it will
Friend: what’ll it do, ya think?
Me: something

Friend: Do you like anything?
Me: I like peanut butter.
Friend: I meant music wise
Me: oh, I do sometimes… it’s just being a product of a semi-conservatory music school means I learned to do two things really well: 1) practice and 2) hate music.
Friend: hahaha… well, what do you like when you’re not hating
Me: everything you hate
Friend: you’re just saying that to piss me off more

mixtape: who i respect

There’s an aweful lot of hype going on today in memory of what was an amazing entertainer. His work in his youth and through his adult solo career is nothing to scoff at. The team he had around him helped him write and produce amazing songs, choreograph amazing dance moves, script and produce amazing videos, run a huge business… but, all the hype got me to thinking, who do I really admire and what entertainers have really meant something special to me and changed music and the world around them.

Scott Joplin “Maple Leaf Rag” – Scott’s work is essentially the foundation of ragtime and early Jazz as we’ve come to know it. He challenged music and himself by composing everything from short melody to full operas and was eventually awarded a Pulitzer prize for his contribution and is honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Huddie William ‘lead belly’ Ledbetter “Goodnight, Irene” – There’s a lot of controversy surrounding aspects of his life most of which were products of the times, but the single, undisputed fact is Lead Belly took folk and blues to new levels throughout his tenuous career and helped define both genres to popular culture through coverage in Time and Life magazines despite most of the stories being as much hearsay as fact and was the supposed model for a reformed sinner. In the end he’s honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Robert Johnson “Cross Road Blues” – What the man could do between his voice, his guitar and his toe tapping is almost unreal and his songwriting talent exploited it to its fullest. The legend is almost as important as the few recordings that survived to help define blues. He received the Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames despite being relatively unknown during most of his actual career.

‘Jelly Roll’ Morton “Black Bottom Stomp” Somewhere between where Rag left off Jazz picked up and blues spun off you’d find Jelly Roll’s sound. He was an innovator and prolific songwriter who’s only downfall might have been overboasting his already extravagant contribution to music. He’s honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

WC Handy “Memphis Blues (Boss Cump)” – He took the blues from a not very well-known regional music style to one of the dominant forces in American music and defined and then immediately began to blur blues. Due to his it effected the typical use of the 12-bar pattern in all derivative forms of music and left a lasting impact still being felt today. He’s honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Count Basie “One O’clock Jump” Basie’s legacy is more than the sum of its parts, as he spanned from early big band right into the early rock and roll era almost seemlessly. Few musicians enjoyed more collaborations with as wide a range of people as with whom Basie worked and he left an indelible mark on every one of them. Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Louis ’satchmo’ Armstrong “Heebie Jeebies” There is something about Satchmo’s sound, between his voice and his horn, that is so distinctive and so influential it defies definition. He brought a range of styles to performance that helped redefine the music of each era he played in. He is honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

‘Duke’ Ellington “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” Ellington pushed big band from the 3-minute 78RPM single to a full art form and his effect on contributing members of his band helped define several generations of composers. Ultimately awareded thePulitzer prize for his contributions, Grammy’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is honored by the NAPM and Library of Congress and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Billy Strayhorn “Take the A Train” Mostly known as an Ellington classic, Strayhorn penned it and his work with Ellington’s band helped bring individual solists to the forefront of a composition. Billy was also one of the first openly gay entertainers. His legacy is rich even though he didn’t receive as many accolades as hi contemporaries.

Ella Fitzgerald “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” The first lady of Jazz was truly a supreme vocalist and performer. Her work with Ellington, Armstrong and Basie only helped cement what was a stunning style and interpretation of music and her presence was immeasurable as she essentially reinvented the Great American Songbook. Several presidential awards plus NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames only touch on her true legacy.

Nat ‘King’ Cole “Straighten Up and Fly Right” – As important as his style as a vocalist and accomplishments as a pianist, he was first black American to host a television variety show and was a personality beyond just being a performer and he one of the first performers to refuse to perform in segregated venues. His accomplishments are included in the NAPM and Library of Congress honors and he was inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Sammy Davis, Jr. “I’ve Gotta Be Me” – Sammy was an iconic charactor. The only black member of the Rat Pack and equally as important as Martin or Sinatra, Sammy defied catagorization as a performer spanning singing, dancing, acting and just being himself. Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe-nominated and Tony Award-nominated only scratches the surface of his accomplishments

Dizzy Gillespie / Charlie Parker / Max Roach “Ko Ko” – The three essentially helped invent be bop as a style together and changed the way their respective instruments were used. Separating them and their accomplishments could (and I probably) should have done, but together they are by far and away defining on this recording for Savoy and changed music irreversibly from that moment on. Again, all three had amazing careers and accomplishments on their own influencing music and culture, but separating them from themselves was too difficult.

Miles Davis “So What” – He may not have been a virtuoso in the traditional form but his ability to find stunning musicians to play in his bands and craft exceptionally diverse songs were two of his more astonishing traits. He helped make every musician he worked with better and blended styles and sounds so effortlessly some still are genre-less concepts. He’s honored by the Grammys, NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

‘Muddy Waters’ Morganfield “Rollin’ Stone” – His own band spawned the careers of countless other musicians, his collaborations helped define careers and he himself is considered one of the founders of Chicago blues and an electric guitar style and tone that is still imitated today. There was no limit to what not only his playing, but his personality could do. He’s honored by NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Willie Dixon “Hoochie Coochie Man” – The song is associated with Muddy Waters but Dixon wrote it and penned a great many hits for other blues man. His song writing and his style as a bassist were seminal points in the transition from blues to rock and to this day his catalog is still coveted by artists looking for cover songs. He’s honored by NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

Charles ‘Chuck’ Berry “Johnny B. Goode”- In essence probably helped invent rock and roll taking influences from white country, black blues and his own interpretation of performance to generate a uniquely defiant sound. His guitar work especially is notable bringing together the use of both choppy rhythmic riffing and solistic efforts to make the instrument a centerpiece of the new sound. He’s honored by the Grammys, NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames among his some of his accolades.

Jimi Hendrix “Purple Haze” – In his extremely short career redefined guitar with his unorthodox style of playing, changed recording with his approach and generally took the Clapton, Beck & Page idea of blues-rock and threw it for such a loop that players are still trying to understand it. His life was cut short by it’s own excess but his legacy is as lasting. He’s honored by the Grammys, NAPM and Library of Congress honors and inducted into several Hall of Fames.

recipe: poisson de polenta

Corn meal mash is one of those seeming universal recipes that any culture discovering corn meal decided to make a variety of. The Italians have some of the most well known polenta recipes, many of which are stewed, chilled, rolled and then fried, but what you may not know is grits in the south are nothing more than the American variant of polenta. Add a little cheese, or some fish, or a pork product or eggs or a variant of salsa, honey, molasses, herbs, etc and you can take this from breakfast or desert treat and turn it into a wonderful savory or sweet dish. French have been doing both and you’ll find a lot of Delta variants not under the polenta name to draw from with an open mind. My first exposure to this was seared cheese grits with a prawn etouffee topping (fan-freakin-tastic, it was the fried version of grits with a butter-garlic and alligator-andoullie egg side-dish, argh, I’ll have to share that recipe another time… as I drool over my keyboard now). You can do great things with grits and these are some special grits…

onion
bell pepper
celery
garlic
cayenne pepper
black pepper
butter
corn meal
water (or veggie stock) *
bay leaf
rosemary
black pepper
house seasoning
cilantro
fish fillet **
chicory or collard (or other dark leafy green) ***
butter

Dice the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic
Saute the veggies over low heat until the flavors begin to meld and they begin to brown
Add the stock (will be a 4:1 stock to corn, or as low as 2:1 for a thicker, heavier recipe – increase the corn meal slightly if using straight water in the ratio), dried rosemary, bay, bring up to a boil
Add the corn meal at the boil and bring to a simmer
Add the cayenne pepper, black pepper and allow to steep for 15-20 minutes, be sure to check on the liquid level to ensure the proper viscosity
** If serving with fish fillet, season both sides of the fillet with house seasoning, place over the fillets over the polenta to steam while cooking
*** If serving the dark leafy greens fresh, place the leaves above the fish fillets at the same time over the polenta to steam while cooking, you can use frozen and integrate it into the polenta, you can add them under the fish.

Once the whole thing is finished cooking, place the greens on the side (drench in ice water to retain the green leaves if necessary)
Remove the fish fillets to set
Place leaves of greens on the bottom of a bowl
Pour the polenta into the bowl
Set the fish fillets over the polenta
Garnish with sprigs of the greens and the cilantro
Serve with hot sauce, i suggest Crystal in this case

You can fry the polenta in this case, it’ll be just as good as the sausy dish, simply let your mash cool in the fridge to a thick pasty texture, roll out on a board using wax paper or your rolling skills, till you have a 1 inch or so log, cut about 1/2 to 1 inch patties out of it, preheat your cast iron skillet till just below smoking, drop each patty on the skillet for 1/2 to 2 minutes depending on your preference of doneness and reserve with above assets, a completely different treat and just as splendid. A really nice variant on this is to include the collard or chicory inside the polenta, which will be even that much richer a flavor. Also, with the fried version, you can do more sauce wise to go with it… so have fun!

recipe: burgers espagnole

Typically, when one makes hamburgers they simply slop together some ground meat and plop it on the grill. Mayhaps, they add some veggies and some seasoning to them and maybe then use what is called a filler to help bind it. However, there are some really deep flavors you can add to a burger recipe if you have people that enjoy rare to at best medium meat and don’t need ketchup as their primary topping.

This might seem like a lot but it builds on two principles of the typical mother sauces, the Espagnole and the delta cooking idea, I’ve blended the two and taken several liberties so you will have to accept it for what it is. Delta cooking, built upon a mixture of cultures and flavors is probably one of the truest forms of American cooking. The French influence in Cajun cooking is especially prominent and as all the Delta styles come together one of the most influential veins in it is Franco-American. Typically, this would be off a veal stock to be a real espagnole, but in this case, a solid beef stock or broth will do more than enough. If you are a really good meat worker you won’t need an egg to help in the emulsification nor will you use bread crumbs in the thickening process because a great roux and some really sweet cooking techniques for people that appreciate burgers done rare (do NOT try to serve these well done) you’ll enjoy.

the espagnole:
red wine, burgundy is good, merlot on the lighter end works ok too, the better “quality” wine the better it should turn out, never cook with something you wouldn’t first drink
stock (beef or veal)
bay leaf
crushed rosemary
onion, garlic flakes
dried celery leaves
black pepper
flour
butter

Combine the wine and stock (1:1), bay, rosemary, onion, garlic, celery, black pepper allow all of the above to cure for between 2 and 24 hours
Combine equal parts, by weight, of flour and butter. Begin to brown them over low heat, do not allow to burn. Continue to mix until the mixture becomes between a dark peanut butter and light brick color.
Add the wine/stock and seasoning combination, mix thoroughly, bring up to a boil and then back down to a simmer and reduce by at least half.
Allow to cool, reserve some of it for sauce for the burgers if you’d like. *remove the bay leaf!

the burgers:
garlic cloves
peppers either a poblano or large Anaheim
celery stalks
onion
cilantro
black pepper
ground beef
Andouille sausage (de-cased – or other ground or shredded similarly spiced pork)
the espagnole
large mixing bowl

Above mixed veggies all finely chopped (finer the better, use a food processor if you’d like)
Put the veggies with the ground beef, sausage, cilantro in a mixing bowl and slowly add the espagnole. Do Not over-mix / overwork the meat. Only add enough espagnole to gain a wet consistency where the meat still sticks together itself.
Spit the meat into fist sized balls and lightly press the balls between your palms to form burger patties. Do not press the patties to be too thin. Season both sides of the patties with black pepper (and house seasoning).

You can grill the burgers or sear them off on a cast iron skillet. I suggest, either way, cook the first side 2/3 of the way and flip only once to complete the cooking for the balance of the time. Do no press the burgers while cooking, allow them to cook and keep the juices in, pressing the juices out just dries the burger out, it doesn’t really reduce the fat content or anything. Before serving allow the burgers to rest a few minutes for the juices to redistribute. Reheat the remaining the espagnole while the burgers are cooking, add Crystal Hot Sauce while it reheats to give it a little extra kick.

mixtape: june reading

Odd mix of reading this month. I reached back into the archives yet again for one reading, tested the breadth of my reading ability with a challenging text and took yet another chance on a recommendation on a third. What probably ties these together is their challenge of sociological idealism in socio-political and socio-religious values. They each approach it from uniquely different concepts… in different millenia… for different reasons, but it is hard to argue they weren’t aiming at similar concepts. Be it personal growth, social development or spiritual enlightenment it is amazing we’re still striving to achieve over such a stretch of time for many of the same things. That being said, here’s the quick overview of what I read:

Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird – Scout is an alter-ego of mine…Always felt that way from first reading. However, Lee’s work remained under a dusty pile aside from other works from my youth I’d begun to re-read. So glad am I now to pull it back out and realize how stunning her interpretation of the time was and what it means to grow up and find one’s self amidst turmoil in socio-political change. Her approach to innocence and personal development is quaint, but it is more the flair for simplicity in the sub-stories that makes the book so much fun. The division between pre-and-post trial also helps generate an undulating effect with a lasting result of the reader having to grow up with the characters and the plots simultaneously.

Fyodor Dostoevsky the Brothers Karamazov – Dense and complex, insightful and endearing, difficult and satisfying. It made me feel conflicted (the same way Mary Shelley does) but enlightened in the way it moves between the character development. Dostoevsky created some of the most brutal and chaotic entities and weaved them through heartache and turmoil with a dramatic flair that even if there was not an underlying social value would still be immeasurably memorable. Pathological complexity drives the development of the story with a visceral critique of humanity leaving the reader with a disdain for the father and only a fleeting compassion for the sons while self-assessment becomes a foundation for interpretation. In a world of no right or wrongs but choices and circumstances Dostoevsky exploits this fully and inexplicably. Idealism is tortured at all levels and once the reader navigates the depth of this experience they should be left with a hole in their heart and a differentiated view of the world around them.

Philip Pullman the Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) – Challenges the reader (young as it is supposedly aimed and older as it would be accepted) to reconsider socio-political and religio-scientific ideals. Building on The Golden Compass Pullman pulls together something in the vein of Lewis, Tolkien, et al., to create a wonderfully dramatic and complex weave of a fanatasticism. The references to Milton (indirectly with Paradise Lost) and Keats (directly naming) are a nice touch to the development of the story which takes the serialized novel to yet another generation of readers. Not having read the first book and picking up mid-story shows the ability of Pullman to craft over a series while maintaining a freestanding piece. The ending ranks up there with the way viewers probably felt watching Star Wars V: the Empire Strikes Back (no spoiler) but the overall development of the plot has more twists and turns getting there than a country road. What I most enjoyed was how the philosophical concepts translated as Pullman shifted world to world presenting unified sets of challenging ideas.

mixtape: traveling tunes

I hate the process of traveling, but I love going places. Go figure. Due to my disdain for the process of travel, especially air travel, I needed to piece together what I would consider a calming influence for it. An espresso and a good mix of music later and I’m usually alright. The return trip home from Madison, Wisconsin was a balance of the serenity I sought and the aggression I feel when navigating throngs of people, security, scheduling, luggage retrieval and the sight of home coming into view from the aircraft window. I grew up on thrash and speed metal so there’s always a bit of a soft spot for it and although many of these bands are derivative of one another they all bring something to the table that makes them stir my heart and keep me sane. It was a great trip and this was what I considered a great way to end it.

“Epoch of War” Becoming the Archetype from the Physics of Fire
“My Delight” Fear My Thoughts from Volcanus
“the Path of Least Resistance” Scar Symmetry from Pitch Black Progress
“Sworn to a Great Divide” Soilwork from Sworn to a Great Divide
“a Moment of Clarity” the Defaced from Karma in Black
“Monocromatic Stain” Dark Tranquility from Damage Done
“What I’ve Become” Lamb of God from Ashes of the Wake
“Relentless” Nodes of Ranvier from the Years to Come
“An Ocean Between Us” As I Lay Dying from An Ocean Between Us
“Rose of Sharon” Killswitch Engage from the End of Heartache
“Vulture” A Life Once Lost from Hunter
“Grace for Euccession” Extol (thrash) Synergy
“Embraced Desolation” Into Eternity from Buried Oblivion
“Ancestry of the Anarchist” Byzantine from …And They Shall Take Up Serpents
“Bloodwork” Living Sacrifice from the Hammering Process
“Nothing Remains” Chimera from self-titled
“the Great Dividers” Unearth from the Oncoming Storm
“Death Anxiety” Bleeding Through from Declaration

There were more, this was the first part of what I put together before I stopped keeping track while distracted by reading

Capital Punishment II post-post season-pre free agency fun

Another year, another Capital Punishment installment… So, the Caps suffered from yet another breakdown against the Pens. The second time of which resulted in a Pens Cup. Clearly, I am destined to hate the Pens. Ha! Anyway, let’s not dwell on the complete collapse that occurred in game 3 to bring the Pens back into the series and game 7 to give the series away and look at all the outstanding things to build on and what changes are destined to happen as well as hopes to what would strengthen the team

08-09 Season
The Caps finished the regular season 50-24-8 for 108 pts. to take the SE Division and the #2 spot in the Atlantic. Unlike the comeback they posted last season to roar into the playoffs from the dead, this year for the most part the Caps handled the day-by-day task of winning fairly well. There were periods of largess in each game which continually begged the question – can the Caps actually play a full sixty minutes of hockey? Sometimes, yes, but mostly not. In part, due to youthful exuberance and in part due to nagging injury the Caps struggled to string together dominating full games but their record speaks high enough to the talent they have.

The Good
Ale Ove – 56 goals and 110 points was enough to go #1 in goals and #2 in points this season. He once again won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, David Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award. The biggest two knocks of Ove are is shots on goal and his two-way play. His 528 SOG is nearly double the next player, which somehow seems to imply he’s not accurate. However, his % conversion is .106 which is just above average for the league when taking 200 SOG or more in a season and dead on for guys shooting over 300 (Blake has a .083 on the low end versus Carter’s .135 on the high end), albeit a little low compared to most of the 40+ goal club. Consider this though, how many of those SOG for Ove ended up setting up his line mates for shots by taking the D / goalie out of position? Those 54 assists didn’t come from nowhere either. As for two-way play, he was plus 8. Not exactly the stellar two-way forward but certainly nothing to scoff at for a kid in their early 20s that is an offensive juggernaut.

Mikey Green - Everything that Ove is on offense is exactly what Mikey brings from the blueline. You cannot argue with his numbers, stunning the league with his ability to navigate the neutral zone quickly and step up on the play, press the offensive zone and score. He is a linchpin in keeping the overall Caps offense strong because he adds such a unique dimension to the attack. The downside, and it can be a very big downside, is he is so young and aggressive that he gets caught behind transitioning plays allowing odd man rushes down the ice. His speed allows him to get back quick but pinching in has also cost the Caps goals on the other end.

Nickie Backstrom & Alexander Semin – If there were two bigger underdogs in the league than these two you’d be hard pressed to find them. Taking Semin’s numbers the last two seasons considering he was sidelined and stretching them out across a full 82 games and he’d be a juggernaut in the vein of any of the big name wingers. Backstrom is already there as a center. And yet, both are not only overlooked because of Ove and Green on the team, but perhaps even moreso because of other outstanding players around the league.

Simeon Varlamov – The goalie situation would have been extra-ugly if it weren’t for Brent stepping up and playing spectacularly during Theodore’s meltdown and then Varly stepping up again to do the same when Johnson went down with an injury. The biggest positive of it has to be the emergence of Varlamov, under the pressure of the playoffs, who is yet another product of fantastic Caps scouting, drafting and player development in their system. If Varly is anything like either of the last two drafted goalies the Caps had, they should be good for a few seasons in net and it could become a lot of fun to watch. Adding Varly to the Caps young core gives them one of the most solid home-grown style teams assembled in the league if his post-season play is any indication of what could come.

The rest of the Youthcorps – As if the five already mentioned weren’t enough, consider how much Thomas Flieshman, Jeff Schultz, Brooks Laitch, Eric Fehr,Tyler Sloan and grew up this season. Although not all were Caps first round pics, they broke into the NHL as Capitals though that dominant Caps system. Fleishman found a goal scoring touch and a place rotating in-and-out of the top few lines, while Laich came into his own as a center feeding the puck well and doubling his assist’s total. There is a lot of talent developing too as Eric Fehr played his first full season and Sloan was called up to prop up an oft-injured defense corps, both providing flashes of potential.

The Bad
Jose Theodore – No one expected him to come in and do what Huet did. No one expected him to come close to what the Caps saw for over 10 years with Kolzig or even be the flash in the pan of Jim Carey. But the rubics cube that is Theodore never managed to even get one side of the puzzle lined up. This turned out to be a good thing though, as it eventually necessitated Varlmov to play. Should be interesting to see, what, if anything can be done to move him in the off-season so the albatross noose he creates can be loosened.

Mike Nylander - Second stint as a Cap was no more productive than the first. He never quite fit into any role. He couldn’t center any line effectively either as a skills player or as a role player and never quite clicked with Boudreau to make matters worse. Disenfranchised he was reduced beyond being a backup to being a benchwarmer and hardly was effective as that by the time the playoffs came around. It’s not a knock on Mike, the Caps just aren’t the right team for him, again. He’s perfect trade-bait for the right offer.

Chris Clark – Unfortunately for Chris 18 games last season only increased to 32 games this season due to injuries. His presence is immeasurable. He is a force, when he’s healthy and on the ice, both as a gritty role player and as the team Captain providing veteran leadership. Ironically enough, the lack of Chris’ presence is measurable, as when he went down the team carried on winning and for the last two season’s despite not carrying an actual captain due to Chris’ injuries the Caps were playoff bound. There is no reason to cut Chris loose unless the injuries continue to pile up, but his role on the team has to be in doubt.

Free Agents
Three classes of UFA are broken down as follows for the Caps. There are four noteworthy players in this mix that their loss will be toughest on the Caps, especially if the Caps don’t fill their production and their role playing leadership either through trades or other FA acquisitions. Ideally, it would be nice if these guys didn’t leave but
As for the RFA group, there are a couple of notable guys the Caps should make moves to retain based on their contributions and how they fit into the Caps system that produced the numbers it did throughout the season.

UFA-G3
Donald Brashear, Jakub Cutta, Sergei Fedorov, Alexandre Giroux, Bryan Helmer, Brent Johnson, Viktor Kozlov, Graham Mink.
UFA G6
Staffan Kronvall
RFA G2 Untendered
Andrew Joudrey, Daren Machesney, Travis Morin, Sasha Pokulok
RFA G2 Tendered
Chris Bourque, Eric Fehr, Boyd Gordon, Milan Jurcina, Shaone Morrisonn, Steven Pinizzotto, Jeff Schultz, Kyle Wilson.

Sergie Federov - The mighty Russian should have found a home with the Caps finally, after the exile years wandering post-Detroit. He seemed happy in the system and was having a career resurgence. His veteran leadership would help any young club, for sure, but including him on the Caps with the depth of Russian talent was a godsend. It not only helped Semin and Ove and later Varly, but also brought out the best in Viktor Kozlov after a mediocre stint as a Cap thus far. The added depth he provided by being responsible two-ways and even playing D on occasion was a huge part of the Caps success the last year and a half. Rumors are all probably true and he’ll be in the Russian league next year.

Donald Brashear - Huge veteran presence in the locker room and demanding player on the ice. Donny is one of the last of the old school tough guys. He can fight, he can hit but it’s more his presence that keeps things in check as he stabilizes threatening attitudes and can play rough and tough against any third or forth line or be used to be aggressive physically on any top line. He’s responsible both ways providing some extra depth at the blue line while occasionally having a scoring touch. One would hope he too had found a real home with the Caps, but as a FA he’ll be coveted by a number of teams, especially in the east.

Viktor Kozlov - A roller coaster ride of a time with the Caps saw Kozlov go from seeming washed up to seeming extraordinary. His overall numbers were not too bad, but it was more about those magic moments where Ovechkin, Semin, Backstrom, Federov, Fleishman and he would come together as different variations of two stunning top lines. When it feel apart it wasn’t pretty but the addition of Federov really seemed to invigorate him. No word yet on what he, or the Caps, intend to do, but rumors have him following several expatriots to the Russian league.

Brent Johnson – The perennial backup goalie stole the #1 slot away from Theodore and only relinquished it when playing more than 20 games finally took it’s toll on him physically. He carried the Caps the majority of the season (overshadowed of course by another backup doing similar – Clemmensen in NJ – and by Varly’s play come the playoffs). He could come back (Caps are talking to him) but with Theodore still in the mix (and difficult to unload) chances are, he’ll be backstopping behind someone else next season. After all the quality years Johnson provided backing up Kolzig it’ll be sad to see him go.

Milan Jurnica & Eric Fehr – Tendering an offer to both guys should be huge. They have arbitration options right now, which could play a role in how Washington chooses to continue handling them. Jurnica spent the majority of his short career as a Cap (after two seasons in Boston bouncing between the big club and the minors) and provided solid D and timely scoring. Fehr is more a product of the Caps system and his first full season as a Cap really shouldn’t be his last with the potential he’s shown.

Holes to Fill – FA moves & Trades
Stay-at-home Defenseman – When the wily veterans of your defensive corps are Tom Poti and John Ernskine there is room to build, especially when the youngsters Green and Jurnica have a penchant for hopping up on the play a solid veteran blueliner would be a huge asset. The Caps need probably more than anything a seasoned veteran who can stay back and be responsible through the neutral zone and control the play down low on defense and help the youth better balance their responsibility on defense. The ability to strip the puck and create outlet passes would be an added bonus.

Defensive Forward – The first line is pretty solid as is, but the second and third lines could be full of holes losing so many veterans. A right winger that offers both a scoring touch and a lot of veteran grit and toughness would offer depth and balance. With the way the Caps roll lines already, being able to get an opposite side winger that can move from first to third line as necessary and provide the kind of solid two-way play the youth so desperately need would be a linchpin to being able to help the youth and the scoring. A center would be nice in this role as well, but the Caps will get more depth out of a winger here.

Tough Guy – It does not have to be a traditional enforcer like what Brashear did the past few years. It could be what Langway, Iafrate, Stevens or Witt brought to the table with the huge hits back in the day of defense, or it could be a really brutal forwards like Hunter, Hatcher, Konawalchuck or Carpenter brought. If they can get someone to bring that level of consistent checking and role playing grit and grind it would help define either the defense or the later line offense and give a truly balanced presence to the team. If they could pick up a true enforcer, there would be no harm in it considering what some of the rest of the east has, but a more balanced tough guy who can layout the opposing offense anywhere on the ice would be just as nice.

Resolve of the Backup Goalie – Is it Theodore? Is it Johnson? Is it someone else? Is Varly really the starter? These are serious questions that deserve serious consideration and if the answer is Varly is the starter is Theodore really your best backup? If they cannot move Theodore’s contract, this is a null point, for now. If they can, is Bret the best asset? Or, are there other goalies that could assist.

Nice to Have Moves
A Russian Vet – Losing Sergie and Viktor might not seem like a lot but the two truly stabilized the youth of the team and considering the Eastern Bloc influence on the Caps (not just now, they’ve always had top notch old-school Eastern Europeans) it would be nice to see the Caps continue that history into the new season. If they cannot, they will need some solid veteran ethnic diversity that will help bring together those young kids they’re developing from outside of the traditional USA-Canada minors.

Veteran Two-Way Forward – As much as the Caps have offensive openings either needing a defensive forward or a tough guy, they can actually support either or both in almost any position, but if they get either in a winger, they need the opposite in a center, or vice versa. They can move more kids through the system, but remember how truly young the Caps are and they will have half as many veterans going into 09-10 than they had coming out of the 08-09 season. That staff is an amazing generation of home-and-semi home grown but at some point you need experience to help fill in the gaps. The Pens were blessed from day one with huge names and great experience in developing their youth, the Caps have gotten this far with shrewd moves and fantastic cross-franchise development.

mixtape: happy father’s day

So, the theme mixes continue and I realize I really enjoy the challenge of piecing these together. The hidden theme on this one is father’s day. Well, of course, because that’s when I’m making it and for my pa. Follow the track letters down and it spells a surprise! These are all songs my dad really enjoys. We were listening to a much longer mix and pieced this together from that from his reactions and things he and I grew up listening to together. We have fond memories going to one of our first concerts together (Metallica, ACDC), some of our earliest shared listening (Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden), recording me playing drums in the basement (Rush, Dream Theatre) and even a Father’s Day concert past (Black Sabbath). Great memories and hopefully a mix he truly appreciates too.

“Hell is High” Black Label Society from Shot To Hell
“Albatross” Corrosion of Conformity from Deliverance
“the Path” Down from III: Over the Under
“Pure Rock Fury” Clutch from Pure Rock Fury
“You Better Believe It” Mountain from Over the Top
“Fire” the Jimi Hendrix Experience from Are You Experienced?
“Ace of Spades” Motorhead from 1917
“T.N.T.” AC/DC from High Voltage
“Head Out To the Highway” Judas Priest from Point of Entry
“Enter Sandman” Metallica from the Black Album
“Run to the Hills” Iron Maiden from the Number of the Beast
“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” Black Sabbath from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
“Disciples of the Watch” Testament
“Achilles Last Stand” Led Zeppelin
“YYZ” Rush from Moving Pictures
“Pull Me Under” Dream Theatre from Images and Words
“Arriving Somewhere (but not here – edit)” Porcupine Tree from Alivewing (the Deadwing mixes

recipe: pernil y patatas mexicana

So, for a pre-Father’s Day gathering the bourbon and tequila came out, so did the cigars and so did the cooking. Rain was not going to stop us from enjoying a wonderful meal despite it being entirely too wet out to attempt the BBQ. The pernil recipe is something my Dad had put together with Iberian friends that we’ve adapted here. It is, by no means, perfected, but you go with what’s available. The potatoes are something I put together from several recipes, it is, again, by no means meant to be “authentic” in any other way than what I’ve learned is some recipes come from what you can get fresh regularly. We had a joyful time cooking, and catching up on a way too short weekend to be what we are, a family, and really, nothing is better than a family spending time together. You know how a great meal like this really is great? One. Hours after everyone is still talking about it, not how ‘great it tasted’ but how much the ‘experience’ impacts them. Two. every distinct smell you cooked with comes back again and again and again, for hours on end after the last dish is put away. Three. You are still so adoring from how it felt you are inspired to do something like this… write it down! A couple of notes: Pork shoulder is the upper pork back on the bone, it may be called pork butt in some butcheries, not the butt is not the ass of the swine, it is the upper back, and that’s the piece you want. It is better if it comes with the fat and the skin included. Yes, I know, supposedly, fat is bad (but remember kiddies, fat IS flavor), and you’re probably used to me cooking low carb, low fat fish recipes, trust me, do this one right, please. You can do pulled pork in a slow cooker and replicate this recipe splendidly, no question, but would you want to, knowing that charred skin is waiting for you as a treat from under a broiler?

Pernil mojo
garlic
onion
pepper
cilantro
sour orange (naranja agria – though, fresh orange can work, zest skin squeeze juice keep separate)
pepper – black and white corns (lightly heated, coarsely ground)
cumin
paprika
olive oil
large mixing bowl

Finely dice the onion, pepper, garlic, cilantro.
Zest the orange skin, just the pulp and the dice up the left over pulp.
Combine all the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl along with the cumin, paprika
Toss with olive oil
Allow the ingreds to meld for a few hours in the fridge.

Pernil Recipe
Mojo
Pork Shoulder
baking dish

Lightly slit under the skin with a knife and slip your fingers between the fat and the flesh of the pork.
Once most of the skin and flesh are separated, massage the mojo in between.
Anywhere there is exposed flesh, create deep punctures in it with a knife and massage the mojo into the slits.
Place the pork in a bag with the rest of the mojo to marinate for several hours to a day.

Once the pork is marinated allow to come up to room temperature in a baking dish while your oven (or smoker or crock pot) preheats. You are looking for about 225-275 degrees tops.
Once the cooker is preheated, transfer the meat to the appropriate cooking vessel and allow to very slow cook for between 4-8 hours, until the internal temperature is about 185 degrees. Baste, as necessary and appropriate with the mojo, do not disturb the slow cook too often. Once maybe twice might be enough while checking the temperature.
During the last 5 minutes of cooking if under a broiler or if you have an open flame grill to transfer to, char the exterior skin over the high heat.

Patatas Mexicana Recipe
potatoes
cubanella peppers
jalapeno peppers
onion
garlic
Chroizo (charisse sausage, although linguisa will work too)
olive oil
broiler or grill
large skillet or fry pan

Char all of the pepper in the broiler. This is done by placing the peppers in high heat in the broiler, turning frequently, until the outer skin turns black. Place the blackened peppers in a bag, seal the bag and allow the peppers to steam themselves for a minute or two. This will help separate the skin from the flesh. Be very careful handling the peppers as they are very hot from broiling. Peel away the pepper skin and then coarsely chop the flesh. The charring is done to give the peppers a fuller and more rustic flavor, plus, it rids us of the tough skins.

Coarsely chop the onion and garlic
Slice the potato into thin rounds (crosswise circles so they look like potato chips)
Slice the charisse
Preheat the skillet with a bit of olive oil. It should be hot enough that the potato when they hit the oil begin to fry up immediately.
Add the potato, all the veggies and the charrisse to the skillet in that order.
Once everything hits the skillet, allow it to cook through to the point of becoming crispy on one side, then turn everything once to brown the other side.
If you do it right, you can probably remove the whole skillet worth as almost one large flavorful piece, serve on a platter garnished with fresh cilantro and serve it family style.

I like serving this with a warm three green salad and a corn salsa and some bread to sop up all the juices (there are some nice unleavened flat breads or corn bread to use, I’m not a bread maker so you’ll have to figure them out on your own)

quip: Swap this next time…

In the on-going anti-piracy debate, another blow was struck. The Jury in the retrial of Thomas-Rasset’s RIAA file sharing case not only upheld the decision of the previous jury, they dropped the hammer on the fine. I’m neither vilifying nor defending the RIAA here (there will be a follow up commentary later regarding them) I’m simply passing along some of the good-hearted humor this case brought between industry cohorts of mine as we continued the never-ending piracy conversation armed with this new information

Me: So did you hear Rasset’s case verdict?
Friend: Yeah, crazy man.
Me: Lesson? Consider ~2k became 222k became ~2mm… Next time pay the 2k and STFU!
Friend: What I want to know is, who was on this jury?
Me: It was a Jury of her Peers… I guess next time she won’t distribute corrupt music files with spyware attached…
Friend: Hahahaha, always the danger of file-swapping
Me: Yeah, because you know, when I download p!nk mp3s I’m anticipating on getting the pornographic pink to go with it

Friend: Wow… just wow… and, I’m still shaking my head at 1.92mm.
Me: Do some math really fast and think about the percentage increase at each trial. Want to be sick? Max. pen. is $150k per infringement… she’s only at 80k/per right now!
Friend: yikes!
Me: That’s the national debt!

Friend: So much for being noble and fighting the system
Me: I dunno man, the law is pretty clear, constitution sets copyright, USC T17 defines it and piracy’s been illegal since before this lady was born.
Friend: Fine, that’s true but still. Who thought of it like that sharing songs?
Me: First off, it’s like someone breaking the 55mph speed limit, and then bitching about getting a ticket. Seriously, quit trying to blame someone else, you fkd up, you got caught. It hasn’t changed since pre-school. Maybe if we went back to sitting in the corner with a dunce cap on things would be different.
Friend: hahaha, i could see it now, we’d all have one permanently attached if that were true.
Me: I saw that once, it was on tv back in the day.
Friend: CONEHEADS! … but really though, there’s a difference between willful defiance, like speeding, and unintentional like early file-sharing.
Me: exactly, coneheads, thanks! … and No, there’s not. Ignorance of the law doesn’t make you less responsible for one, and two, piracy has been illegal since before she was born and no one that lived through the late 90s missed the Napster cases. Or that was one helluva rock they were under. I mean, how big is Mt. Everest really?!?!
Friend: HA! but it was different going after a ‘company’ rather than the individual being responsible.
Me: All too true, it’s never the persons fault. BS argument. Think about this though: Suppose she answers phones for a living, right. She gets a dollar per call she answers. Now, suppose someone decides to cut into the circuit going to her phone and rigs an automatic machine to grab the call first. She’s not gettin paid because she’s not answering calls. The answering machine isn’t getting paid either, it’s just there, answering the phone. Do you feel sorry for her because she’s not getting paid?
Friend: Where do you come up with this stuff?
Me: You don’t want a peek into my mind…

Don’t think I’m not sympathetic to the grandiose size of the fine and simply making humor at her expense…there is a foundation to some of this argument (more on that later)