Rockman walked past the large red sign the read “Off Limits To All U.S. Personnel” without a glance. Even if… Read full post »

Thanks to Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, the pro-life debate is once again front and center. Republicans across the country are climbing over one and other to condemn Akin’s idiotic remarks. Mitt Romney has declared that while he is pro-life he would make exceptions in cases of rape and i… Read full post »

This Friday, November 11, 2011 we will celebrate the 93rd anniversary of the end of the First World War. Four years of completely senseless slaughter that toppled centuries old European Empires, nearly wiped out an entire generation of young men and ultimately paved the way for Adolf Hitler a… Read full post »

I have done it countless times. I have walked to the door, turned and called out, "I'm going to the store, anyone need anything?" Usually they call back, soda, candy, chips or some other kind of empty value junk food they know I hate buying and can ill afford. "Well… Read full post »

1) Willie Mays 1,000 Watt smile

2) The 2011 World Series

3) Tommy John Surgery

4) Watching Ron Washington hopping around in the dugout is a hell of a lot more fun than watching some guy with a clipboard in a headset scream at a guy up in a booth… Read full post »

It was almost forty-two years ago that I attended my first large protest march in DC. The November 1969 Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam was only a stones throw away from Freedom Plaza where the Occupy DC people were set up. I dragged my twelve year old son… Read full post »

I have been working in foodservice in one capacity or another now for more than forty years. I washed dishes, bussed tables, flipped burgers and tended bar. I've worked in fine French Country Inns and Irish Pubs and even did a stint in a topless bar. Over the years I have… Read full post »

For two years I have been living with my three, teenaged children as their sole care giver and while that may sound like a barrel of laughs to some of you, believe me it's not all fun and games.

5:00 am - the time I get up for work six… Read full post »

For more than twenty five years I have been proud to tell people that I'm clean and sober. George HW Bush was president when I took my last drink and Ronald Reagan was busy laying the foundations for our present day financial calamity when I took my last hit of… Read full post »

Like millions of other people I have been hit by the recession. I am barely managing to scrape by these days whereas ten years ago I was living pretty well. Now I make less money, I have trouble putting enough money together every month to make ends meet and I… Read full post »

My kids left to spend a week with their mother and her family on vacation up in Maine this past weekend. I will miss them of course but even though I'll still be getting up and going to work every day I look on this week as my vacation as… Read full post »

I have just re-read Hard Times by Studs Terkel. For anyone who is not familiar with the book or with Studs, it is an oral history of the Great Depression. I read it years ago and found it a remarkable book yet most of it went in one ear and… Read full post »

1. Susan Sarrandon

2. We'll always have the Cubs to kick around

3. No danger of falling ice in Texas Stadium

4. We don't have to spend a week reading about Brett Keisel's beard. 

5. Beer, dog, workin' on my tan.

6. Billy Loes

7. Babe Herman

8. Hall of… Read full post »

I used to compete in the Restaurant division Chili Cook Off in Virginia back in the 1980's and one of the things the chefs had to do was judge the individule competition. Everyone there made the "best" chili I was ever going to taste and nearly all of it was awful. Not… Read full post »

Since I have now put the wraps on my third, count 'em, third divorce I do believe I am as qualified as hacks like Dr Laura or Dr Phil to dole out advice on love and marriage. While there are no naked pictures of me floating around cyber space like… Read full post »

The descent into madness has begun. I have crossed over to the dark side. For all of my OS friends, don't worry I haven't become a republican or a football fan, it's worse, I now own a slanket. I didn't buy it, it was a gift but I knew exactly what… Read full post »

Forty years ago I thought Daniel Ellsberg was a hero. Former Marine, Vietnam vet (as a civilian advisor), Pentagon Defense Analyst who put it all on the line to expose the massive lie that was the Vietnam war. With the wisdom of hindsight, I still think he's a hero. I… Read full post »

I knew I was in for trouble as I was driving home from work Saturday morning. I  made arrangements to leave work early to attend the Rally to Restore Sanity and Reason or to Keep Fear Alive. As I was driving in on Rte 66 a metro train was heading… Read full post »

I tried, I really tried. For nearly eight years I didn't eat any red meat and I was fine with it. I'm getting older, I need to watch my weight and my blood had the consistancy of molasses. The fact that I cook for a living and I constantly have to… Read full post »

Rep. John Boehner recently demanded that President Obama's economic advisors step down en masse. Mr Boehner who takes his ties to the Orange Lobby to new heights feels that the GOP did a much better job driving the economy to the brink of total ruin and they'd like a chance to… Read full post »

This is a very simple dish. Hard to believe how delicious it is. All you need is some very ripe tomatoes, good quality olive oil, a little salt and pepper, chopped parsley and some good, hearty country style bread.

Start by slicing the bread and toasting it on a sheet pan… Read full post »

It's better to use seedless watermelon for this obviously but a standard seeded melon has better flavor.

2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

1 red bell pepper, remove all seeds and ribs, roughly chopped

1 small red onion, roughly chopped

2 very ripe tomatoes, skin and seeds removed

1 smal… Read full post »

I am told that the Half Smoke is a Washington, DC specialty which I find hard to believe since here in the Nation's Capital we are constantly told that we have no local culinary specialties. Well take that Baltimore! I love a good crab cake and I'll put my recipe up against… Read full post »

I missed Woodstock, I've written on OS before about how it was one of the great regrets of my life. The series of events that caused me to miss the festival are too long to go into now but needless to say all these years later I would have loved… Read full post »