hey

Here’s @dduane​’s first take on it and the finished product. We’ve made even more photogenic batches since.

Kneading is easy as well; either let your machine do it, or if you don’t want to or don’t have one, get hands-on. It’s like mixing two colours of Plasticine to make a third. Flatten, stretch, fold, half-turn, repeat - it takes about 10 minutes - until the gloopy conglomeration of flour, yeast, salt and water that clings to your hands at the beginning, becomes a compact ball that doesn’t stick to things and feels silky-smooth.

Here’s what before and after look like.

My Mum used to say that if you were feeling out of sorts with someone, it was good to make bread because you could transfer your annoyance into kneading the dough REALLY WELL, and both you and the bread would be better for it.

Then you put it into a bowl, cover it with cling-film and let it rise until it doubles in size, turn it out and “knock it back” (more kneading, until it’s getting back to the size it started, this means there won’t be huge “is something living in here?” holes in the bread), put it into your loaf-tin or whatever - we’ve used a regular oblong tin, a rectangular Pullman tin with a lid, a small glass casserole, an earthenware chicken roaster…

You can even use a clean terracotta flowerpot.

Let the dough rise again until it’s high enough to look like an unbaked but otherwise real loaf, then pop it in the preheated oven. On average we give ours 180°C / 355°F for 45-50 minutes. YM (and oven) MV.

Here’s some of our bread…

Here’s our default bread recipe - it takes about 3-4 hours from flour jar to cutting board depending on climate (warmer is faster) most of which is rise time and baking; hands-on mixing, kneading and knocking-back is about 20 minutes, tops, and less if using a mixer.

Here ( or indeed any of the other pics) is the finished product. This one was given an egg-wash to make it look glossy and keep the poppy-seeds in place; mostly we don’t bother with that or the slash down the middle, but all the extras were intentional as a “ready for my close-up” glamour shot.

I think any shop would be happy to have something this good-looking on their shelf. We’re happy to have it on our table.

Even if your first attempts don’t work out quite as well as you hope, you can always make something like this…

Dear Viewer, The world is vast and full of wonders. So on Friday, the 13th of January, please… watch something else. #ASOUE

Casey’s Questions and Answers (these were ace questions, Casey): – What do you geek out over the most? A show, a type of technology, a part of history you’ve learned about, etc.? I think the impact of media/fiction in general. How it impacts the way people think and relate to the world. How it alters how we treat each other and who we become. Most importantly how we can become intentional about using it to make ourselves better. – If your bedroom could only be painted one color for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? Grey. It’s not as blinding when the light hits it as white is but it’s just as a clean and cool of a tone and I love it. – What songs do you relate to on a spiritual level? (stealing from @impossiblyeclecticduck)  “Bad Blood” by Bears Den and lately “Mercury” by Sleeping At Last (thanks ethan). – What’s your favorite YouTube video? Right now, I enjoy watching Hank Green’s video about when he was scammed. About how he’d rather be a trusting person and get taken advantage of every once in a while than close himself off and assume the worst of people. He also acknowledges he’s coming from a place of privilege when discussing his idealism though which is refreshing. – How do you feel about having breakfast for dinner? Solid decision. Especially if it’s Waffle House. – What’s your favorite day of the week? I like Sunday morning because you can do things while other people are at church, like movies or parks and NO ONE is there. – How have you changed as a fan [of anything] over the years? (stealing from @impossiblyeclecticduck again whoops) My decision to give content creation a solid shot really changed my focus from consumer to creator and made my commitment and focus to different communities more analytical but also made me more grateful for them. – What/who inspires you most? Right now Gene Roddenberry is helping me through a lot. Not just what he accomplished and his relentless fighting spirit but also his ability to move on from truly horrifying mistakes that many others would never have recovered from. When he was in the military he caused an accident and innocent people died. The guilt he would have had to overcome in order to keep going is astounding to me. The fact that he went on to save countless more lives as a crash investigator and create one of the most radically positive/optimistic pieces of media ever made is impressive and very hopeful. – Night owl or early riser? Usually up late. If I’m somewhere I really like though, like the mountains, I get up pretty early because I actually want to be in the world. I got up so early in maine it was amazing. – What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done that you were proud of yourself for doing after? Telling someone I was in love with them. – What fandom have you been in the longest? I’ve been consistently very into the xfiles since childhood.

My questions:

1. Favorite movie/tv trope? 2. Genre of music that makes you feel most empowered? 3. TV show that’s the most comforting for you lately? 4. Favorite album? 5. Song that reminds you of your childhood the most? 6. Do you like the weather/nature where you live? 7. If I were to put three items in a circle to summon your ghost what would they be? 8. What show would you recommend most freely to others? 9. Do you like scary movies? 10. What would your ideal chill day look like? 11. Can you recommend me any books?

People!

A forty hour work week is considered full time.

It’s considered as such because it takes up the amount of time we as a society have agreed should be considered the maximum work schedule required of an employee. (this, of course, does not always bear out practically, but just follow me here)

A person working the maximum amount of time required should earn enough for that labor to be able to survive. Phrased this way, I doubt even most conservatives could effectively argue against it, and out of the mouth of someone verbally deft enough to dance around the pathos-based jabs conservative pundits like to use to avoid actually debating, it could actually get opps thinking.

Therefore, if an employee is being paid less than [number of dollars needed for the post-tax total to pay for the basic necessities in a given area divided by forty] per hour, they are being ripped off and essentially having their labor, productivity, and profit generation value stolen by their employer.

Wages are a business expense, and if a company cannot afford to pay for its labor, it is by definition a failing business. A company stealing labor to stay afloat (without even touching those that do so simply to increase profit margins and/or management/executive pay/bonuses) is no more ethical than a failing construction company breaking into a lumber yard and stealing wood.