Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Hey Vets...bend over and spread yur cheeks mates.. ya just took one in the butt !!


Well Sir.....here's a story y'all don't know about Cookie......

Back in 2001...following 9/11 and President Bush's call for folks to come out of retirement and help their country...many Veterans, as well as myself joined the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and other such agencies....to answer that call. In hind-sight...not one of my smarter moves....and here's why.

First off...let me give y'all a little background regardin this here Cookie. I'm a Disabled Vietnam era Vet (80%)...however...my disability is primarily for scaring and has limited affect on my physical abilities. Following my Honorable, under Medical Conditions Discharge from the United States Navy Seabee's (4 years active duty), I became a Police Officer for the City of Syracuse, New York, and retired as Detective Sergeant after over 20 years of service to my community.

Now Sir...with all my prior Military training, Security experience, Law Enforcement background AND...having been a Certified Airline Passenger & Baggage Screener with a private security firm at the same Airport I would be working at.....I was a natural for the TSA. After passing all the medical exams, written tests and other criteria for TSA employment, I was trained and assigned to the TSA at an Airport about fifteen minutes from my home.

Upon beginning my duties as a Passenger and Baggage Screener, I also met other retired persons from various Police agencies, some of whom I had worked with previously and knew them to be very Professional individuals. There were many retired Professional folks, educators, businessmen and business owners, medical folks, retired career Military people...you get the picture.....

Now...from this point on...be it known that I am writing ONLY about the extremely dysfunctional TSA management at the Airport I was assigned to......I cannot speak from a first hand viewpoint regarding any other locations.

After a couple of months...it soon became apparent to many of us, including another retired Police Sergeant, that the TSA management at this Airport was extremely dysfunctional and abusive to its employee's. Screeners were treated by management with the greatest of disrespect....a small example being that we were often referred to as "shoe-sniffers" (a term coined by a manager because we had to have passengers remove their shoes).

Whenever we would advise a management person that some policy, procedure or management action was against whatever Labor Law or Regulation was being violated....the response was quite often..."We're the Federal Government...we'll do whatever the "F" we want to do...you got a problem with that?" Most folks...needing a job...backed off and took it...however...myself, the other retired Police Sergeant, and about twenty other folks eventually contacted the AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) out of Washington, DC and informed them of what was going on. It's at this point I and the other Police Sergeant became a Union Activist for the first time in our lives.

A meeting was arranged for the AFGE organizer and any interested TSA persons to meet at a local convention center/Hotel. The evening prior to the meeting...just as we we're being dismissed from work...a Supervising Manager advised us all that they (Management) knew about the Union meeting and he informed us menacingly that we we're being watched. This of course scared many potential members off. A few months after the meeting, it was announced by TSA management that the TSA was going to "RIF" (Reduction in Force) a certain number of persons nationwide.

Now Sir....It should come as no surprise that in our Airport...and across the country, most of the persons "RIFed" had either organized AFGE Union meeting(s) or had attended them. Gee...Big Surprize! When "Rummy" (Donald Rumsfeld) was questioned by the press as to why the TSA was "downsizing" at a time when the National Security threat level was in the process of being raised (April-May 2002)...he stated that the TSA needed to get rid of some "Rif-Raf". Interesting term for professional folks dontcha think?.

In that myself and another locally "RIFed" person where both Veterans and/or Disabled Veterans, and should have been let go last (GI Bill of Rights). The AFGE initiated a lawsuit stating that our "Veterans Preferrence" rights (as set forth for GI's after WWII) had been violated...and we should not have been RIFed (an anagram word for Fired) before other less senior people. The lawsuit was made into a Class Action suit by the AFGE on behalf of all Vets and wrongfully terminated Screeners across the country who had been let go. This Class Action Law Suit has been in court since late 2002, that is till yesterday.

Well Sir....I was notified yesterday regarding the court's ruling. The United States District Court in the District of Columbia has ruled that the FAA(Federal Aviation Agency) and the TSA (Department of Homeland Security) ...get this... DO NOT have to abide by these Veterans Rights.

So...if I get this straight...the same Government that set up Veterans Rights to help war veterans, you know...the same Government I did my duty to...To Protect, Serve and Uphold...DOES NOT have to abide by these Laws themselves...Laws that which MUST be followed by ALL other businesses across the country!! As the church lady from SNL would say...."Now isn't that special?"

The Cookie Man would appreciate it if anyone reading this article who knows anyone in any Veterans group anywhere, the American Legion, the Disabled Veterans of America, the Vietnam Vets of America...any vets group...please forward this along to them.

In closing I'll say this. I love this great country. I, along with many others, especially Vets...could not believe how badly we were treated by TSA management at our Airport. I'll go along with the court's ruling...only because there is no other choice...but in my opinion...we were done wrong on several levels. I truly believe it's time for Congress to look into the efficacy of the TSA and its management style, procedures and actions.......but...that's just my way a thinkin.......Cookie......

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Hasenpfeffer... Gesuntite.....


"Hmmm...I say thar Brair Rabbit.......I wonder why I gets hungry everytime I play's with ya?"

Well Sir....fer all a ya that don't speak German...Hasenpfeffer is a German Rabbit stew...and its very very tasty by the way...

...and Gesuntite means "God Bless Ya".....you make the connection....

Now Sir...if'n y'all like a very good rabbit stew...and some folks...specially hunters...still do...here's a couple a German Hasenpfeffer recipe's fer ya....

Now Sir...these recipe's ain't my own...but they be so damn close to the same ingredients, quantities and cookin process's as mine that maybe they was a takin frum me t'begin with.....anyways...I'm gonna put them inta the post just so's I don't have to re-type everything twice...I'm lazy that way. This first one is frum epicurean.com and the second one is frum an anonymous chef.....I think you'll enjoy both of the them....


GERMAN HASENPFEFFER:


Ingredients:


4 lb Rabbit

1 1/2 cups Dry red wine

3/4 cup Cider vinegar

2 ts Salt; optional

1 ts Freshly ground black pepper

1 Bay leaf

1/2 cup Onions; chopped

1 tbs Mixed pickling spice

1/2 cup Flour

4 tbs Butter

1 cup Onions; thinly sliced

2 tbs Sugar

1/2 cup Sour cream

1/2 lb of mushrooms...cleaned and halved


Directions:


Cut rabbit in serving-sized pieces. Wash, scrape, and soak in salted cold water for 1 hour. Drain and dry.

In a glass or pottery bowl mix together the wine, vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, chopped onions, halved mushrooms and pickling spice. Add the rabbit and let marinate in the refirgerator for 3 days. Turn the pieces occasinally.

Drain the rabbit; strain and reserve the marinade.

Dry the rabbit with paper towels and roll in flour.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven (Cast Iron if'n ya got one) or deep heavy skillet; brown the rabbit and sliced onions in it.

Pour off fat and add sugar and 1-1/2 to 2 cups marinade. Cover and cook over low heat 1-1/2 hours or until rabbit is tender.

Turn the pieces occasionally and add more marinade if needed. Taste for seasoning. Mix the sour cream into the gravy just before serving.

Hasenpfeffer - German Rabbit Stew (Simplified)


2 1/2 pounds rabbit (up to 3 lb) -- cut up

2 cups dry red wine

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 bay leaves


Place cut-up rabbit in flat refrigerator container.

In bowl, combine remaining ingredients; Pour over rabbit.

Marinate one to two nights in the refrigerator.

Place marinated rabbit in Crock-Pot. Add 1 1/2 cups marinade. cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours.

Remove meat to warm platter. Thicken gravy, if desired. Serves 4


Well Sir...there y'all go...so if'n ya likes rabbit....enjoy yur meal naybor......Cookie....

Here it is Ladies....

Here it is Ladies...Theeee most sought after...non-clothing item from Victoria's Secret on the market today. Introducing...for the first time.....THE VICTORIA'S SECRET MIRROR.....


A good old Cookshack Hat-Tip to Bothenook over at A Geezers Corner whom I borrowed this photygraph frum........

Humphh.. I must be gettin soft.. Chicken Marsala.. and Crab Cakes w/Avocado Cream.

Well Sir....maybe I'm a goin through a mellow period...hell I dunno...just felt like puttin up just one of many photygraphs sent t'me by a good friend a mine who is also a professional photygrapher...Bob Walker frum Syracuse, NY.....


OK...enuff a the sappy stuff...lets get on to other things...mainly good food.

My new found friend, Sue Gertson frum Eagle Lake, Texas...has sent me a whole passle a recipe's...and they all sound great...so lets get to it......

Chicken Marsala



"A delicious, classic chicken dish -- lightly coated chicken breasts braised with Marsala wine and mushrooms. Easy and ideal for both a quick weeknight entree AND serving to company."

Original recipe yield: 4 servings.

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

20 Minutes

Ready In:

30 Minutes

Servings:

4 (change)


INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup Marsala wine
  • 1/4 cup cooking sherry

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Susan Gertson

Eagle Lake, Tx.


Crab Cakes With Avocado Cream-Susan Gertson

2 limes

¼ c low fat Mayonnaise

¼ tsp pepper

1 lb crabmeat

1 tbs cooking oil

1/3 c plain breadcrumbs

1 avocado

1 jalapeno seeded

½ c low fat milk

¼ tsp salt

Grate tsp lime peel and squeeze 2 tbs juice

Mix I tbs lime juice with mayo, pepper, lime peel and stir with crab meat

In non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium heat.

Shape crab mixture into four 3 in, round patties, coat with crumbs. Add crab cakes to skillet: cook 6 min, or until golden brown on both sides.

Mix avocado, jalapeño, milk, 1tbs lime juice and salt until smooth. Serve over crab cakes.

Susan Gertson

Eagle Lake, Tx.


Man...if'n those two recipe's don't get yur tongue slappin the roof a yur mouth...ya must be dead....Y'all take care and God Bless........... Cookie....


Sunday, August 27, 2006

Take Eye Test at yur own risk.....

CAUTION!! This Eye Test is fer folks over 50 years old...and who ain't offended by a little nudity....SO PROCEED AT YUR OWN RISK.....

Eye Test

As you know I have some very serious eye problems and I routinely undergo various tests to determine how things are regressing. I just had my annual check and my doctor gave me a new test that he uses to measure the amount of retinal pigmentation loss one experiences after or around the age of 50.? This is a relatively new test.


He gave me a copy of it to put on my computer so I can test myself every few weeks. I asked for permission to forward it to others and he graciously said I could, seeing it was new and so valuable. So I am sending it to family and friends who are around the age of 50 or have loved ones in the age range. I thought you would love to have a copy for your computer too .














Now Sir....if'n y'all weren't blind afore...ya probly are now...so...those that can still see after lookin at that thar Froggy ....below there be a new Traffic Safety Sign that is just a poppin up all over New York State and Texas...so a big Cookshack Hat-Tip to Sue Gertson of Eagle Lake Texas fer sendin me the picture she took of the sign....


This bein Sunday and all...I just figured the sign was kinda appropriate cause it is a little on the Religious side...so if'n yur concerned over Political Correctness, Religion and all...just don't look at it you PC idiots.....

Have a nice Sunday Y'all....The Cookie Man is back......