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DOOL Discussion Group
So Mr. ML went early today to vote...came back laughing. We have a new system involving Sharpie pens, paper ballots, and scanners. Rah rah...the scanner broke down, and some woman had to help him scan his ballot. So much for confidentiality...as if we care...
So then I went this afternoon. I was stopped by an election worker...nobody was allowed inside, because ''the machine was down.'' No prob...I had a pleasant conversation with the woman. A couple of more people came and stomped off...I didn't blame them, really. You get yourself here on an off-election, and then you wait...yes...35 minutes. I mean, come on...
So I got in there, and the Election Queen Bee started telling people that they had to switch positions or whatever. The eye-rolling told me that had been going on all day. One woman commented on my name. Still in a jovial mood, I made a comment...and was told by the Queen Bee that there was no time for small talk. I turned my head and stared at her...and looked around me at NOBODY and stared at her again. I asked her with a smile if the local cops were around for crowd control...and the workers snickered. She informed me that the elections were serious busines...I gave her a wink and said, "Come on...I know it's a long day.'' She smiled and relaxed a little...and then she had to give me my directions.
''Now, here's a Sharpie pen. Here's your paper ballot. Take the ballot, go to the privacy booth (a raised table with 4 partitions), and fill in the little boxes just like you did in high school. OK...no x's, no checks...that jams up the scanner. If you don't want to vote for a certain office, tell the person at the scanner...if it's not all filled out, it jams the scanner.''
I looked at her with incredulity. I asked where my voting booths were...and she told me they were inefficient.
WHAT?!!? So going in a voting booth and voting in 2 seconds is inefficient, but doing this tap dance is efficient? How stupid...
So I took care of this nonsense and scanned my paper...the guy at the scanner had a party that it went through. I turned with the Sharpie in my hand and almost got tackled....I actually was looking for a basket or something to put it in. Apparently, they couldn't put one on top of the scanner, because it would jam it up.
Help me, God...
Remember when the only voting problem was hanging chads? Oh - and before that when there weren't any problems with voting? Is it just me or are they just making voting more difficult in their attempts to make it more efficient?
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I wish I had read this before I went to vote. It would have made my experience so much better than it already was, if one could have done that! Your experience WAS funnier.
My not fave polling official was present. He seemed to be occupied with something on the other side of of the building...which was a different precinct. I was ELATED!!! He actually made my day that he was not available to harass me. I had a GREAT time voting today. In and out rather quickly.
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Oh, my recipe...I may have posted this before...delicious...I'm not into escarole, so the carbonara went over macaroni...
Pan-Roasted Chicken Carbonara (Rachel Ray)
Yields: 4 servings
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and add to the pan skin side down. Sear until golden brown, about 4 minutes, then flip and transfer pan to hot oven and continue roasting chicken until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
When chicken comes out of the oven, transfer it to a plate or cutting board to rest and return the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the pancetta to the skillet the chicken was cooked in and render until crispy and golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the pepper flakes and chopped garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add wine to the pan to deglaze, then the chicken stock, scraping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom. Reduce for about 2-3 minutes.
Place the egg yolk into a small bowl and whisk lightly with a fork. Add a large spoonful of the hot liquid from the pan to the bowl of yolks while stirring then add the yolk mixture back to the pan and stir over low heat until slightly thickened, being careful not to scramble the egg yolk. Remove the skillet from the heat and add in the grated cheese and parsley. Reserve the sauce warm while the escarole cooks.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon. Add the crushed garlic and anchovy filets and remaining crushed red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook until anchovies are paste-like and aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the escarole leaves to the skillet and cook until wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. Season the greens with salt and pepper.
To serve, arrange some of the greens on each dinner plate, rest the chicken on top and pour some of the carbonara sauce over everything