I need a break from my current occupation.

I am taking a break from being Cherry. I got my feelings hurt. I am not nearly as tough as I hope I am. Or claim to be. Truth in advertising. For now, I am BellaDonna. So do not let my disguise fool you, Cher. I am planning no other changes. 

Hot Dog!

July is National Hot Dog Month.

I am not a sports fan. I am often surrounded by sports fans who, on crucial game days, require sustenance that is easy to make and goes well with beer. Hot dogs are also called wieners and frankfurters. 

I serve Texas Weiners with this sauce and chopped onions. This sauce is HOT so exercise discretion. For a milder sauce, omit the Cayenne Pepper.

This recipe comes from a chef who posted on the old AOL Comfort Food Board named Big Saab Guy. He actually lives in Texas. It will dress about 2 dozen hot dogs. I give it to you as he gave it to the board. You can keep the Sauce and the Hot Dogs warm separately and the sports fanatics can assemble and eat at will. Give lots of napkins.

The sign on the right comes from Plainfield NJ. It hangs on one of the original Texas Weiner joints in business since 1924. The Texas Weiner was actually created by a Greek in Paterson NJ.

Texas Hot Dog Sauce

1 pound finely ground Beef
3 tablespoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Thyme
1 teaspoon White Vinegar
2 cups Water

Very thoroughly brown Beef and drain. You want the pieces to be as small as possible. Really work to break them up as you brown them.

Add the spices and mix well. Add the Water and simmer for one hour, uncovered, stirring often. It should be the consistency of something like tomato soup.

Stir in the Vinegar. Then serve as follows: put a thin smear of Yellow Mustard on both sides of an open hot dog roll, then insert the Hot Dog, then a layer of finely chopped Onion, then drizzle the top with about a tablespoon of the Sauce.

Happy Juneteenth!

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  Homage to Ben Shahn

  Annee Robson

  Scarborough Art Gallery

  
  
  
  

Nonviolence means avoiding not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him. - Martin Luther King Jr. 

 

"Next time we may have to kill him." - John McGraw, suckerpuncher extraordinaire, on how to handle political protesters.

"I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters. " - Donald Trump.

Cartoon Art by Bill Day. Bill Day is a two-time winner of the RFK Journalism Award in Cartooning, and his cartoons are syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons. He is currently the editorial cartoonist for FloridaPolitics.com

I am a cute little old Italian lady. I am a lot cuter than John Suckerpunch McGraw or the Drumpfkopf. No one gives me a second thought, tapping around on my flowery cane.

No reason I cannot walk right up to a Trump supporter wearing a Trump button and smile and stick my tiny little Beltrame stiletto right into its balls or ass or thigh.

Stiletto is so sharp I would be doing someone else by the time it is felt it at all. No one would see it, so tiny and sharp. Designed for quiet assassination. They would not know until they saw the blood. Never mistake voluntarily peaceful for weak in this world.

Italians lived a long time under oppressive religious government and the mafia. We developed certain skills. Once the fascist woundings and killings have begun, all bets are off.

“Therefore the best fortress is to be found in the love of the people, for although you may have fortresses they will not save you if you are hated by the people.” - Machiavelli.

The Fascists chased my Nonno from Italy. Nobody is chasing me away. Want to play that game? Trust me, Italians do it better.

"You must know there are two ways of contesting, the one by the law, the other by force; the first method is proper to men, the second to beasts; but because the first is frequently not sufficient, it is necessary to have recourse to the second." - Machiavelli