You don’t have to copyright my comment! It is free to whoever wants to use it.
I’ve been a guest at Bettina homes for many years. My regret is that I was not at the home in Harvard Square to be a part of the discussions that I know took place over this trial and its verdict. They have some really unbelievable conversations – especially on race. So, I have to join the conversation via email. I understand,as a former guest in the network, my comments are accepted for Bettina Network’s Blog? If not, let me know. If yes, I will see it published – except, like most people, please don’t publish my name. I am not afraid of backing up my comments, I just don’t want anyone to pick up my name and start to harrass me.
My contribution to the conversation comes from listening to the juror. It was clear racism was deeply embedded in the jury deliberations. In the USA denial is the way racism continues and the way folks are able to go to Church on Sundays and feel good about themselves even when they have participated in some really low-down racism. They neither own up to nor are they even conscious of their sin. In this case, I think they were – the tears show some unconscious understanding of what they were doing. The juror saw Zimmerman very positively and could relate to him. Martin, however, in her comments, deserved what he got. How dare a Black man think he could question being stalked and treated in a demeaning way by someone like a Zimmerman. Afterall, Zimmerman was the neighborhood watch person – Martin was the hoodie wearing ‘punk’ – according to Zimmermans description. She said, she felt he was fully repentant and would be careful with his gun in the future. I wonder if that is true – or if he got the taste of celebrity from killing a Black man and will want more? So he becomes even more reckless and irresponsible with his gun. There are always two sides and her and the jury’s racism only allowed them to see the side which cast Zimmerman in a positive light and Martin as a stereotype. Her comments about Martin, as she quoted Zimmerman, were of a man looking in windows and clearly as someone who did not belong in the neighborhood because he was Black. Has anyone explained to her and the rest of the jury the definition of profiling? By the way, how could she quote Zimmerman who he did not testify at trial?
If you had any doubts that the Martin-Zimmerman decision was racist,or that the make-up of the jury was crucial to getting Zimmerman exonerated by the State of Florida, her comments erase those doubts.
I think this was a done deal before the trial – and I am not alone in that opinion. The Department of Justice was considering filing charges against Zimmerman because the State of Florida was refusing to do so (by dragging its feet). I think when they discovered the DOJ was coming, the State of Florida got its act together and started this trial, but did not intend for it to be a fair trial. A public show so DOJ didn’t come in to get a conviction after they covered for this neighborhood watch person for almost two months. To go forth with the kind of jury they picked – and to look at the history of convictions of Blacks in Florida and the refusal of the Florida prosecutors to charge some Blacks under the ‘Stand your Ground’ law – I don’t see how Trayvon Martin could get any kind of justice. It was a clear stacked deck before the case even started to be tried.
Thanks for the platform!
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Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.
Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.
Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.
Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net
This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com
TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com
IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!
1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.
A Guest Responds – Popcorn and Mosquitos
Sunday, July 28th, 2013Thank you for the recipe for an exceptional snack. I tried it and it was sensational.
I had to make two tries before I got it right. The main problem was keeping the popcorn crisp while adding the simple syrup and the chocolate. I messed up the first try and had soggy popcorn. The second try it was perfect. I let the syrup cool a bit before pouring it over the popcorn. Hot simple syrup right off the stove is guaranteed to give you a mess. The same thing with the chocolate. I added heavy cream to the chocolate chips while melting them, stirred the pot until it was all blended and when cooled a bit, added it on top of the simple syrup and the popcorn. I think the experience of doing this is actually what made it work the second time. I was too anxious with my first try and thought I knew it all the first time I made this snack. The blog read like it would be a snap. Once you figured out how to keep the popcorn crisp through the entire process and into the eating of this snack, it was a snap. But until then it was a worry.
When I melted the chocolate chips and poured them over the popcorn, it was a bit stiffer then when I added heavy cream to the chocolate while it was melting. The chocolate, with heavy cream added did not harden on top of the popcorn, which added to the texture and taste of this fantastic snack. I suspect whichever way you use the chocolate it will be a matter of personal taste.
The snack lasted about two minutes and I made lots for just three people.
My second comment is about mosquitos. I’ve read lots this season about what to do to fend off mosquito attacks – from staying inside when its dawn and dusk to all kind of remedies.
One I got from a stay in a Bettina home, which I haven’t found on your blog, worked. It has been tremendous for me and my children. Vitamin B1. We take one Vitamin B1 capsule before going out – about 15 minutes to 1/2 hour before going outside and whether its high sun or dawn or dusk we have had no mosquito bites. According to the breakfast where I picked up this tip, your skin would smell like mosquito repellant even though the only thing you did was to take this one Vitamin B1 tablet. Sure enough, my skin smells like mosquito repellant. When I get that odor I know I am good to go outside for several hours.
Hope this helps someone!
Ed. Note: The blog recipe the guest is referring to is: An Incredible Snack – Bettina Style, published May 28, 2013 and can be found categorized in Bettina’s Blog under Bettina’s Cookbook
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Learn More About How We Use Your Donation!
[give_form id=”3763″]
______________________________________________________________
Want to join us? Have a home that you want to open to become one of Bettina Network’s Hedge Schools? Call us and lets talk – or email us.
Ed. Note: Members of the Bettina Network Lifestyle Community can contribute to the Bettina Network Blog whenever they have anything they want to say and be heard by this fantastic group of people. Send your blog to bettinanetwork@comcast.net or mail it to us at P. O. Box 380585 Cambridge, MA. 02238 or call us on the telephone at 617-497-9166 to tell us what you want to say and we will write it for you.
Volunteer with Bettina Network Foundation, inc. to work estate sales; to help move items from one home to another; to contribute your ideas on how we can better use our resources in this effort to relieve and eliminate homelessness and poverty. We also need photographers; designers; and more. However much or little time you have, we are grateful.
Send your event information to be included in Bettina Network’s Menu of Events to: bettina-network@comcast.net
This is a curated blog so you cannot write your responses at the end of each entry. TO RESPOND TO THIS BLOG email bettina-network@comcast.net or info@bettina-network.com
TO LEARN MORE about Bettina Network, inc. try www.bettina-network.com
IF YOU ENJOY OUR BLOG, USE OUR SERVICES TO BOOK ACCOMODATIONS WHEN YOU TRAVEL!
1-800-347-9166 inside the U. S. or 617 497 9166 outside or inside the U. S.
Tags: bed & breakfast, Bettina Networks Cookbook, breakfast table talk, Caramel Popcorn with Chocolate Topping, Mosquito Repellant, Mosquitos, Popcorn, Vitamin B1
Posted in Bettina's Cookbook, Breakfast Table Talk, Guest comments, Reader Feedback, Uncategorized | Comments Off on A Guest Responds – Popcorn and Mosquitos