Pay Equity, is it a thing? Find out April 20 in Marin?

Pay equity; supposedly California has had it since 1949, did you know that? I thought not. That's because there are more loopholes in the law than there are holes in Swiss cheese (I feel a recipe coming on for loophole cheese souffle).

So now Senator Hannah Beth Jackson is introducing a bill to close the loopholes, and we can only hope, bring true parity to pay scales in the State.

The Marin Women's Political Action Committee is on it. April 20 we will host a discussion with Assembly member Mark Levine and Jennifer Reisch, Legal Director of SF Equal Rights Advocates 


So come and learn and speak up and take action! Politics is not a spectator sport and if affects all of us. 

$10 includes food and drink. Redwoods Presbyterian Church, 110 Magnolia Larkspur. 6 PM. RSVP Barbara at bmatas8139@aol.com or 897-1224.

 Swiss Cheese 
"Loophole" Souffle

• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• Pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 4 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup coarsely grated Swiss cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Butter a 6-cup souffle or straight-sided baking dish with 11/2 tablespoons butter. Dust the interior of the dish with the Parmesan and knock out the excess.
In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter and flour foam and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot milk, then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seasonings, then the egg yolks, 1 by 1.
Whip the egg whites to stiff, shining peaks, then whisk 1/4 of them into the sauce to lighten it. Delicately fold the remaining egg whites into the sauce, alternating with the grated Swiss cheese.
Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared dish and set in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the souffle has puffed 1 or 2-inches above the rim and has browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

The Intolerant Jackass Act - An Antidote to Legalizing Hate Crimes?

Are you an intolerant jackass? You are if you try to put an initiative on the California ballot that mandates killing gays. And there's a guy, an attorney no less in Southern California who has just such an initiative in the works. Yes, attorney Matt McLaughlin seems serious about his "Shoot the gays" initiative. He even ponied up the $200 to the Secretary of State's office to get the process started.

"The Sodomite Suppression Act" would punish any person who her commits the "the abominable crime against nature known as buggery" or even "who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification" by death "by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method." Anyone who distributes literature sympathetic to gays to a minor gets off a little easier with a fine  a fine of $1 million "and/or imprisoned up to 10 years, and/or expelled from the boundaries of the state of California for up to life."

Enter activist Charlotte Laws with her own initiative, the "Intolerant Jackass Act."  This
only semi-tongue in cheek would counter McLaughlin's mean spirit hate filled ballot measure by providing that anyone submitting such a measure would have to attend at least three hours a month of sensitivity training for a year and contribute $5,000 to a pro-gay or pro-lesbian organization.

The low $200 filing fee means any yahoo with a pencil and the ability to spell his own name can submit any kind of a wack-a-doodle language to be put on the California ballot providing they get the requisite number of signatures.

California Attorney General Kamela Harris has already taken the unprecedented step of petitioning the court to keep the "Shoot the Gays" provision off the ballot, even if it gets the required signatures, saying in an  interview with the Guardian: "This proposal not only threatens public safety, it is patently unconstitutional, utterly reprehensible, and has no place in a civil society,” 

Although unspoken, the specter is not unthinkable, that some deranged indivividuals, who sign the petition, may think they have now joined a vigilante mob that gives them carte blanche to execute gay people on the spot. Weirder things have happened.

Progressive Dems in Legislature going the way of the Dodo?

In 2014, my firm, GreenDog Campaigns ran an Assembly race in California's 10th Assembly District for Community College Trustee Diana Conti. She was running to oust a "moderate" Democrat, Marc Levine, who had been elected in 2012. In this overwhelmingly Democratic District, she could easily have come in second to take on the incumbent in the fall, (Califonria has a top two primary, which has seen brutal Dem on Dem fights since 2010), if it were not for some last minute "independent" mailers that boosted the Republican's chances in the primary.

Consequently our candidate was edged out of second place by the Republican, thereby assuring a win for the moderate Dem. We saw a similar thing happen in the special election in District 7 this year. The election in May is now between a moderate Democrat and a more progressive Democrat. If Republicans come out to vote for the moderate, we could see another progressive District go the way of the dodo bird.

This Sacramento Bee article describes the phenomenon: http://www.sacbee.com/...

We all know the dodo is extinct, right? But here's a recipe for Dodo and Nigerian Stew from The Alchemist's Kitchen:
 

• 3 Plantains (on the yellowish end)
• Vegetable Oil
• >1 lb chicken
• 1/4 red bell pepper, minced (I minced it all and froze the remainder in three separate bags for next time)
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 14.5 oz can diced tomato
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• <2 C water
• 1 chicken bouillon cube or equivalent
• Salt and Pepper
• Thyme
• Rice, preferably basmati or jasmine

This recipe can be made on the stove or in the crock pot.  Watch for distinction in directions.  Sautee onion and bell pepper in tomato paste in fry pan for crock pot or large stew pot for stove.  Move to crock pot if cooking that way.  Add chicken, diced tomato, bouillon, salt and pepper to taste, a dash of thyme, and water (less than one cup for crock pot, 1-2 cups on stove).  Don’t add too much water–remember, the diced tomato were canned in water and you don’t want it to taste too watery.  Simmer (1.5-2 hrs on the stove or >6 hrs in the crock pot), stirring occasionally and watching viscosity.  During the last 30-60 minutes, peel plantains by chopping off the ends, slicing down the side (just through the skin), and removing the skin.  Slice at an angle to make elongated pieces about a thumb joint thick.  Heat vegetable oil in frying pan.  Place plantain pieces in oil not touching.  Turn when the bottoms are light to golden brown.  Remove after the other side has reached a similar color and place on a napkin-lined plate to absorb excess oil.  Add plantains to stew and cook for a minimum of 10 additional minutes.  Cook rice according to instructions.  Serve with stew over rice.

The Inside Scoop on Campaign Consultants

Campaign consultants are like lawyers. They don't like to talk about their fees or how much money they make. Or give away the "tricks of the trade."

But in some rare moments of frankness, veteran California consultant Parke Skelton gives some honest insight into the practices of consultants. Also hear State Senatorial consultant Cortni Pugh of Hilltop Strategies and former State Senator Noreen Evans offer advice on how to hire a consultant for your next campaign.

This webinar was presented by Close the Gap CA, an organization dedicated to seeing more women in the California Legislature and is given here by permission. Enjoy and learn:


http://closethegapca.org/webinar/

And once you hire your consultant, cook up some Campaign Trail mix to fortify your precinct walking and wow your volunteers:

Yields 9 cups Units US

• 8 cups air popped popcorn
• 1 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 7 tablespoons butter
• ¹⁄₄ cup dark brown sugar
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°. In a large bowl, toss together the popcorn, peanuts and pumpkin seeds.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and cayenne until bubbling and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over the popcorn mixture; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Form small clumps of the popcorn mixture and bake until toasted, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.

A GreenDog St. Patrick's Day to you!

Now for the start of the campaign season, here's a GreenDog St. Patrick's Day pooch saying have a great day, hoist a Green Beer and don't forget to stock your political pantry now.

Tip - When hitting those St. Paddy's Day parties tonight, carry your endorsement and remit envelopes to help you with the "raising of the green."

To make your green beer, just do this. Drink wisely!

Directions

1. In a chilled pint size glass pour beer add food coloring and mix inches Enjoy!
2. "Slàinte!" (pronounced "slawn-cha"),.
3. As the Irish would say. The traditional toast is the Irish equivalent of cheers and means "good health" in Gaelic.

What's in Your Political Pantry?

Now that it's inching toward campaign season, it might be time to check on some items every candidate needs in her political pantry. What's in yours?

The first item on our checklist is a good answer to the question "Why are you running?" Remember it's not about why you think you'd like to be a City Council member/Senator/school board member; it's all about what's in it for the voter. Be able to tell them how they will benefit from you being in office and you're halfway there.

Number two: A budget. It's never too early to start planning that next campaign by checking the bank balance and knowing what your race is going to cost. Look at other races in the same District to get an idea if this is your first time.

Next, a few good supporters. Your friends and family, your colleagues. Any elected officials you can call on now to lock in their support before another candidate snatches it away? Get them on your pantry shelf first.

A timeline, even a vague one. When is filing? How soon before you need to start interviewing for a consultant, a manager, a fundraiser? Now is the time to line up those items and be prepared to pop your campaign cake in the oven on time and with all the right ingredients.

Now that your pantry is on its way to being stocked, relax and enjoy this mouth watering Democratic Blue Velvet Cupcake recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon Wilton royal blue gel food coloring
1 small dab of Wilton violet gel food coloring
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vinegar

Frosting Ingredients
1 lb. cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake pan with paper liners. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix well after each addition.

2. Mix cocoa and food colorings together to form a paste, and then add to sugar mixture. Mix well.

3. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla.

4. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour thick batter into cupcake papers. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

5. To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife, or pipe it on with a big star tip. Embellish as desired (Image

Captain Underpants Chapter II

So what do you think? In all the broo ha ha about Hillary's emails and Scott Walker's continuing gutting of worker's rights; Rand Paul's continued goofiness, we learn that Sonoma County Supervisor Efren Carillo, otherwise known as Captain Underpants, for an incident last year when he trotted over to a neighbor's house in nothing but the aforementioned skivvies, hoping the lady in question might find that an enticing sight that would cause her to open wide her bedroom door.

Or her window, as that is where he tried to gain access, causing her to call police. He blamed it all on demon rum and vowed never to touch the stuff again. "Satan punked me!" he complained, as off to rehab he went, following the surprising acquittal on a charge of "peeping."

Now back on the Board of Supervisors, and having reactivated his Facebook account (no pictures below the waist), his neighbor is suing his ass (I can't resist), for causing her humiliation and emotional distress over the incident. 

So what do you think? Should he run for re-election? Will anyone run against him? Does anyone care about this sort of stuff anymore?

It's the beginning of election season folks. These things matter. Your opinions count. Let's dish!

Today's recipe (really!)

Underpant toast

Surely this Impresses girls

We all know that girls love pants and all the paraphernalia that goes with them so Underpant toast has to be a winner, for the sophisticated man around town.

Recipe

	Begin with a conventional slice of toast, the type often made by a toaster or grill.
	Using a knife make a pocket by running it between the two sides.
	Next cover one side with Mayonaise, the type you normally use for stuff.
	Now cut the edge off.
	Then cut off the other corners and make an attractive Y shape in the mayonaise.

Serving Suggestions

	Sensible Pants
	Skimpy pants