Now this is arriving in style (via www.dornierseaplane.com).
“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”
— Sun Tzu (thanks @BobLarrivee)
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
The regional topography and tectonic influences around the Haitian earthquake. Courtesy of NASA Earth Observatory.
“Eloquence didn’t imply intelligence or deep analysis.”
— Ender Wiggin, Ender in Exile
Dr. Vannevar Bush’s 1945 article is amazing to read on a computer connected to the world wide web. Even more so on an iPhone.
2 Minute Breakfast Frittata Recipe
For those resolving to eat a better breakfast, particularly something low carb that can be prepared on a busy weekday morning in about 2 minutes, this egg frittata recipe is for you.
It needs about 30 minutes on the weekend to prepare, and another 45 in the oven, then it’s off to the frig to be sliced and microwaved as needed. Thanks again to our friend Tay who introduced us to his perfected process up at the chalet.
Ingredients
18 Eggs
1 Head of Cauliflower (for low carb base) or 20 oz of Hash Browns
8 oz Heavy Whipping CreamÂ
1-1.5 Bags of Spinach
1 Onion
16 oz Cream Cheese
Olive Oil
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
15 slices of Bacon and/or 1lb of Sausage
7 oz of Salsa
Instructions
Chop cauliflower to resemble hash browns, or use hash browns, mix with olive oil and line the bottom of 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the top with Tony Chachere’s. Broil for approximately 15 minutes, avoiding any burning.
Fry the bacon, cut or grind the meat, chop the spinach and onion (which can be sautéed along with the bacon) and add along with the cream cheese (softened in the microwave) to a large bowl. Mix.
Remove pan from oven (now set to pre-heat at 350). Make “egg-tight” layer over the cauliflower or hash browns with bowl contents.
Whip eggs and cream (careful to not over blend) adding salsa for last 3 seconds of whipping. Carefully pour over contents of pan, ensuring that layers remain intact.
Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes (checking frequently after 30 minutes). A clean toothpick or knife will tell you when it’s cooked through. When complete, let cool and store in refrigerator.
Enjoying
On a busy morning, cut out a suitably sized piece, sprinkle with some shredded cheddar cheese, and microwave for about 2 minutes. Excellent hot breakfast to get the day started!
Reading: In the President’s Secret Service
There is nothing like being sidelined at the start of your winter holiday by a violent case of stomach flu making its way through the family. Well, as this was our fate this year thanks to some inconsiderate partygoer, about the only positive outcome was some late night reading time that my recovery afforded.
While my to-read stack has been accumulating during many months of busy work and family life and is now three full bookshelves long, I simply grabbed off the pile of recent Christmas gifts and dove in.
In the President’s Secret Service by Ronald Kessler provides a brief history of the Secret Service along with many anecdotes about several of the more recent presidents and their families. While tabloidish at times, it also makes a serious case to the management of the Service and its sponsors in the federal government to modernize their equipment, improve the retention of agents, and either expand their budget or limit their scope.
Lyndon Johnson, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore and the entire Carter family are depicted as nearly deplorable at times, while Ford, Reagan and both Bush families honorable and respectful. Rather than introduce a spoiler, I’ll let you discover for yourself the nickname given to LBJ by those exposed to his bare character. An assessment of the current administration is polite but guarded.
As someone with both a fascination of and tremendous amount of respect for a group of dedicated professionals willing to take a bullet for their client, I found the book to be both a quick, entertaining read, but also a somewhat depressing case study of poor management and unevolved thinking.
Kessler, Ronald. In the President’s Secret Service.
Witness my triumphant return to the links today thanks to Golfshot on the iPhone. Nifty GPS-enabled range finding with aerial photos and lots of statistics. Yes, I need plenty of practice.
“Ask yourself how many shots you would have saved if you always developed a strategy before you hit, always played within your capabilities, never lost your temper, and never got down on yourself.”
— Jack Nicklaus
The winter break is upon us and our thoughts shift from the marketplace to the mountain. Crisp nights, bright fires, warm mugs and quality time with family and friends.

