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Today is National Carrot Cake Day

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To recognize this very important day – something created because some representative in some former session of the U.S Congress thought it was important enough to write and present a resolution for discussion, debate, and/or vote – here’s what I did.

I was reminded that I bought a piece of carrot cake in Phoenix, Arizona 10 days ago, but had only consumed part of it, and what remained of that delightful pastry was still in my refrigerator.

To symbolize what the U.S. Congress does with its time – and our money – I retrieved that half-eaten treat and sent it on a one-way trip down the garbage disposal and into the sewer system.

Topic

Though I perfectly understand why…

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

…I still must ask this one question: Why would you waste a perfectly good carrot cake?

You replied in the manner I was hoping for

In reply to Though I perfectly understand why…

Either humorous or sarcastic.

P.S. After 10 days in a cooler (in my car) or in the refrigerator (at my house), I thought it getting rather old – just like the over-spending by every session of Congress over the past forty years.

From Gregg Easterbrook (TMQ ESPN–long post)

In reply to You replied in the manner I was hoping for

In 1781, George Washington Said Federal Borrowing Was Wrong — It “Ungenerously Throw[s] Upon Posterity the Burden Which We Ourselves Ought to Bear” Last week, in his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama spoke of the need to restore fiscal discipline and end runaway borrowing. Members of Congress clapped and nodded approval. The following day — the following day! — the Senate voted to raise the national debt ceiling by $2 trillion, to $14.3 trillion. Resolve about reducing debt didn’t even last 24 hours in the Senate. Then on Monday, President Obama released his next federal budget proposal, complete with a projected fiscal 2010 deficit of $1.6 trillion — the worst-ever peacetime deficit — and $100 billion in new deficit-based spending that Obama neglected to mention when speaking to Congress. The president’s resolve about reducing the debt didn’t even last a week.

Just five years ago, it was considered shocking when George W. Bush submitted a federal budget containing what was then the worst-ever peacetime deficit of $271 billion, stated in today’s dollars. Now no one seems to shrug when the Congressional Budget Office projects mega-deficits for at least a decade to come. America has many problems, but no national emergency. If we are already borrowing to the hilt to subsidize today’s interest groups at the expense of the young, what will we do if there is an emergency?

A decade ago, the total U.S. national debt, converted to today’s dollars, was $7 trillion. This year the total debt will hit $14 trillion. That means that in the past 10 years alone, the United States has incurred as much debt as was accumulated by our republic in its entire previous 211 years of existence. And the plan is to borrow, borrow, borrow more without accountability or the slightest restraint.

In his address, Obama called for a “spending freeze” not now, but next year. I’ll quit smoking next year! The freeze would apply only to the roughly 15 percent of the federal budget that is not Social Security (the largest federal spending item), Medicare and Medicaid (No. 2), defense, interest on the debt — or anything Congress stamps the word “emergency” on, such as the “second stimulus” handout many interest groups are demanding. Actually, such legislation would be a third stimulus — Congress enacted a $152 billion debt-based stimulus bill in 2008, and a $787 billion debt-based stimulus bill in 2009. Calling the new bag of candy being demanded the “second” stimulus makes the idea sound less reckless and less like the institution of an annual giveaway to whatever special-interest groups have bought the most access that year.

In the course of conceding that no spending discipline would even be attempted until 2011 — I’ll lose weight in 2011 for sure — the president declared, “We’ve already identified $20 billion in savings for next year.” That amount would represent barely more than 1 percent of the projected 2011 deficit. But if the White House has “already identified” $20 billion that can be cut from the federal budget, why doesn’t the cut take effect immediately? Because we’ll quit smoking next year! When interest groups wanted handouts in the form of the 2008 and 2009 stimulus bills, and banks and Wall Street wanted handouts, the money began flowing right away, no waiting. When the president proposes an extremely modest spending restriction, it’s delayed until the following year — in order to give interest groups time to demand that the money be restored.

Won’t we be saved by Paygo? After listening to the presidential address, the Senate voted to impose the Paygo rule on itself — that any new appropriations must be offset by equivalent spending cuts or tax increases. The House of Representatives imposed the Paygo rule on itself in January 2007, and the U.S. national debt has risen by $5.4 trillion since. How can debt skyrocket under a pay-as-you-go system? Paygo applies to all spending bills — unless they are security, defense, entitlements or interest on the national debt (those categories are the lion’s share of federal spending) or unless they are “emergency” legislation. Essentially, every spending bill that has passed through the House in the past three years has had the word “emergency” in it somewhere, generating a waiver from Paygo. The Paygo concept is a complete fraud — it almost seems designed for the purpose of insulting the intelligence of voters. And now the Senate has joined the fraud.

During the run-up to the 2008 mortgage-market implosion, many individual Americans and many investment firms borrowed in an outlandish manner, living high briefly while acting as if tomorrow would never come. It came. For the past five years, the U.S. government, under Republican and Democratic control alike, has been borrowing in an outlandish manner as if tomorrow will never come. It will come.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/100202&sportCat=nfl#crisis

So I guess Gregg Easterbrook

In reply to From Gregg Easterbrook (TMQ ESPN–long post)

Just declared peace and we are no longer involved in two wars.

This guy has so many incomplete facts in this piece.

A spending freeze is not enacted now because the budget hasn’t passed, nor is the fisical year here.
I believe Obama’s budget includes funding for the wars, Bush’s “peacetime” budget didn’t.
Other than rambling on with inaccurate or misleading facts, does he have a point that we are unaware of?

Off-topic – What does this have to do with sports?

In reply to From Gregg Easterbrook (TMQ ESPN–long post)

While I follow his points, ESPN strikes me as an odd place to raise the topic.

Did he actually have one

In reply to Off-topic – What does this have to do with sports?

Other than whining about spending and deficits; which he clearly doesn’t comprehend?

Even at that age

In reply to You replied in the manner I was hoping for

You should still have been able to get the icing off the top.

Ther is always an upside.

icing off the top today. . . . .

In reply to Even at that age

….. equals filling around the middle tomorrow. (And I don’t need any more filling!)

Yes, I know. I’d already eaten the whole half, so what would it matter?

The whole half? Sure it makes sense!

10 days?

In reply to You replied in the manner I was hoping for

10 days is nothing :p

You’re probably right

In reply to 10 days?

It was probably fine after 10 days, but it certainly wasn’t fresh.

I’m pretty much a fresh kind of guy. I can’t get through a loaf of bread before some of it gets too stale for my liking. Some people would still eat it, but I’ll give it to the squirrels.

Hm.

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

I’m voting to have a “National Rum and Coke Day” lol :^0

That way, I can be like a politician. I take in really good stuff in good cheer, but what I spew out sometimes no one in America likes.

:^0

National Rum Day

In reply to Hm.

August 16th.

Hm

In reply to National Rum Day

I wonder if there’s a national Captain Morgan Day.

If so, I will take it off. :^0

jdclyde is the carrot cake master.

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

Ask for his recipe. It’s good stuff.

I’m with MPW; why didn’t you finish it off when it was fresh?

Why?

In reply to jdclyde is the carrot cake master.

Why didn’t I finish it off when it was fresh, you ask?

Well, it was a darn good – and fresh – piece of carrot cake when I bought it, and it was pretty large as well. I bought it in Phoenix; it was partially consumed when I reached Flagstaff; and it was half-gone by the time I reached Albuquerque, at which time I put it back in the cooler. I guess it suffered the same fate of a lot of left-overs that get put into my refrigerator – it was simply forgotten about. At least I still recognized what this was when I retrieved it.

A GOOD Carrot Cake

In reply to Why?

is VERY rich. You just normally don’t WANT a lot at one time.

On the other hand, I have never had GOOD carrot cake last long enough to go back.

Rumor has it. . . . .

In reply to A GOOD Carrot Cake

[i]jdclyde is the carrot cake master. Ask for his recipe. It’s good stuff.[/i]
-Palmetto

I’d love to have the recipe, jd, if you’d be kind enough to send it to me. Or better yet, since it’s National Carrot Cake Day, how about posting it in this discussion!

Are you a Lemon-Sugar or Butter-Cream icing Man?

In reply to A GOOD Carrot Cake

Declare yourself!

My declaration of carrot-cake-icing-obsession is open for all to see.

My waist, too.

Cream Cheese

In reply to Are you a Lemon-Sugar or Butter-Cream icing Man?

with powdered sugar. Recipe forthcoming.

You win!!!

In reply to Cream Cheese

Drooling seems to have beaten the recipe by a country mile 🙂

I feel strongly both ways.

In reply to Are you a Lemon-Sugar or Butter-Cream icing Man?

If I’m making it, cream cheese. If you’re offering, I’m happy either way.

My wife read that leftover chocolate can be frozen.

In reply to Why?

I had to explain the concept of ‘leftover chocolate’. She still regards it as a strictly theoretical construct.

That’s research SCREAMING for a government grant

In reply to My wife read that leftover chocolate can be frozen.

“The Effect of Delayed Gratification on Household Morale by Enforcement of Strict Dietary Control in the Decelerated Consumption of Cacao-Bean Extract”.

I can feel a PhD coming on …

A Hallmark Moment

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

First, as I have not noticed posts from you for a while, I presume you are back from your trip and that all went well.

Second, why did you not take full advantage of this day and celebrate in a more appropriate manner?

I would have thought that you would have researched who introduced the resolution along with the co-sponsors and sent them or there successors greeting cards thanking them for the chance to celebrate carrot cake. I might even ask why this is not a national paid holiday so that we can boost the food service industry by spending the day consuming mass quantities of carrot cake.

Chas

A hallmark moment indeed in our. . . . . .

In reply to A Hallmark Moment

….. national history! We should all be so proud.

Yes, I have been away for a while. I’ve been on the road, living in hotels, in campsites, and/or in other people’s homes for much of the last three months. The reasons and purposes run the gamut from very personal to professional. I have read and posted over that time, but very limited.

I actually did research these resolutions, and here’s what I found:

[i][b]How Special Observance Days Are Determined:[/b]

The President of the United States has the authority to declare a commemorative event or day by proclamation. Fewer than 150 are granted in an average year across all categories. While you may think the president has more important things to do, you may have noticed that while President Bartlet was solving world crises on “The West Wing,” he was also being asked to sign proclamations to authorize National Pomegranate Month and such.

Petitions are introduced by constituents, trade associations or public relations firms to honor industries, events, professions, hobbies, etc. The Senate issue commemorative resolutions which do not have the force of law. Some state legislatures and governors proclaim special observance days, as do mayors of cities, which is why there can be a National Chocolate Day and a National Chocolate Month, as well as two National Guacamole Days authorized at different levels of government. After the observance day has been authorized, it is up to the petitioner to promote it to the public. You can read more about it here.

Chase’s Calendar Of Events, published by McGraw Hill, is an official compendium of holidays worldwide. You can also apply to Chase’s for an official “event day,” and if they accept your holiday, they will publish it in their calendar. [/i]

Source:

http://www.thenibble.com/fun/more/facts/food-holidays.asp#proclaimed

(Yes, I actually embellished and exaggerated a bit about Congress writing, introducing, debating, discussing, voting, etc., but it was intended as humor and sarcasm. Nonetheless, there is a hint of truth to it and it is a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars.)

A list of all such days:

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html

I also presume that these days might change from year to year.

AHA! You’re just a shill for the ‘Big Carrot’ ag consortium!

In reply to A Hallmark Moment

Probably in bed with the beet growers co-op too, I imagine.

More Basic Agriculture

In reply to AHA! You’re just a shill for the ‘Big Carrot’ ag consortium!

Sorry, my agricultural support runs in line with the crops produced by my extended family.

I grew up with wheat, corn and navy beans along with the produce from my grandmothers 2 acres of gardens.

Today the family farms produce wheat, corn, soybeans, pumpkins, sweet corn, milk and beef.

The pumpkins are mainly for my sisters penchant for carving large numbers for her yard and a few for pies. So they hardly count as a crop.

Chas

Your family produces beef?

In reply to More Basic Agriculture

I thought cattle did that.

When is stick cake day?

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

Or have they made a “public observance” day of that yet?

What the heck is ‘stick cake’? No text.

In reply to When is stick cake day?

?

You throw it at the wall

In reply to What the heck is ‘stick cake’? No text.

and it sticks.

Kinda like the ricochet biscuit… 😀

Has to be

In reply to You throw it at the wall

Something in the water where you are.

You could have

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

eaten the other piece yesterday and produced nearly the same result today 🙂

Oh my! Thank you. . . . . .

In reply to You could have

….. for that graphic.

The State of Vermont is considering a bill to apologise for eugenics!

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

I read an article in the local paper that the Vermont legislature is debating a bill to apologize for its treatment of “undesirables” in state institutions 80-years ago. While it highlighted some abhorrent policies of the time, I can’t help thinking that the bill won’t really help the people who were hurt. At most, it’ll make the legislators feel better about themselves. But in the meantime, the state budget with it’s potential $50 million shortfall languishes.

SC is wasting time on a resolution affirming the 10th Amendment.

In reply to The State of Vermont is considering a bill to apologise for eugenics!

It’s already the law. The Republicans don’t need to waste time reminding us it exists, and the Democrats don’t need to waste time fighting it. It’s also a very odd position to affirm after the legislature took the governor to court over his refusal to accept last year’s federal stimulus money. Over two weeks wasted on this purely symbolic legislation, then they debated whether to shorten the session to save money. Meantime they still haven’t discussed how they’re going to make up the shortfalls in next year’s budget.

In my house

In reply to SC is wasting time on a resolution affirming the 10th Amendment.

I just decided that my wife and I are going to sponsor a Home Resolution supporting the Fifth Commandment. That’ll show those teenage pains in the a$$ who’s boss!

Given what the national pols are up to

In reply to SC is wasting time on a resolution affirming the 10th Amendment.

you may not need to worry about next year’s budget.

[i]House Votes To Permit $1.9T More Debt[/i]

http://www.10News.com/tu/5Niv2MZK4.html

That’s Fed; I’m talking state

In reply to Given what the national pols are up to

Of course the fed debt limit is higher. They’re in session a full year, they have to spend more money.

It’s also National Stuffed Mushroom Day

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

Sounds like there’s a meal hidden in there somewhere.

Ooooh… Yum.

In reply to It’s also National Stuffed Mushroom Day

Make for happy tummy. 😀

That’s sad Max, very sad, you should have done that ten days

In reply to Today is National Carrot Cake Day

ago, instead of biting into it. Carrot cake is a great bird feed, but that’s about all. They eat enough of it and you can easily catch them by hand.

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