David Petraeus and mistress

Good morning 99percenters!

Did you know that March is Women’s History Month? The commemoration began in 1981 when Congress passed a resolution asking the President to proclaim “Women’s History Week" beginning March 7, 1982. Fast forward and since 1995 Presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

It was fifty years ago today that a protest march was organized in response to the fatal shooting of protester Jimmie Lee Jackson by an Alabama State Trooper on February 17, 1965. Jackson was protesting outside the Dallas County, Alabama courthouse to bring national attention to the resistance of black voting. That march was intended to be a peaceful protest. The route went from Selma to Montgomery crossing the Alabama River over the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

This evening's music features Chicago blues harmonica player and singer Lester "Mad Dog" Davenport.

We’ve all heard of “From Farm to Table,” a philosophy of locally producing goods and delivering them to local consumers. Now we have “From Prison to Table.” Yes. Prison. Incarceration. Farm prison to your table.

Do you ever shop at Whole Foods? Have you perused their seafood? Ever bought the tilapia? Turns out the tilapia are "farm raised" by inmates incarcerated in a Colorado prison facility.

Good morning 99percenters!

Some words of wisdom…

A conservative is a man who just sits and thinks, mostly sits.
Woodrow Wilson

A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Come, come, my conservative friend, wipe the dew off your spectacles, and see that the world is moving.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton

You can't do progressive government from the inside. You have to rally those outsiders and make them a force.
Jim Hightower

This evening's music features r&b singer and guitarist Barbara Lynn.

Good morning 99percenters!

Ever think about what people around the world eat? I’m not talking about the shrimp fried rice, or tacos, take-out around the corner from your house. I mean how do local cooks in other countries prepare and serve food. What’s on a plate along the Mediterranean? Scandinavia? Asia?

A good indicator is what we serve our kids for lunch. It’s all about what we teach them and accept as normal. They take their signals from us.

Today’s Special: Risotto

Risotto. Cooking it is almost a lost art in this country. It's time intensive, needs to be served immediately and doesn't reheat well. Hence it doesn't appear on the menu of most restaurants anymore. And, that's unfortunate. This delicacy from northern Italy can be served as a side dish, or it can easily make a jump to the main course.

Try it. You're gonna like it. With a little bit of practice, you'll be able to wow your family and friends by serving them this creamy treat. The ingredient list is short. Arborio rice is a must. It's a short grain, very starchy variety named after the town of Arborio in the Po Valley. You can find it in most quality grocery stores. Don't even think about substituting. Next, you'll need chicken stock. If you don't make your own (that's another diary), please buy a high quality one. Bouillon cubes will not do here.

This evening's music features Chicago bluesman Earl Hooker.