> > Mxyzptlk or Mxyztplk, looked it up for you. 
> > Apparently the creators weren't too sure of
> > the spelling, either.
> As I recall they wanted something unpronounceable.  It also turned 
> out to be unspellable. 

Ab-ka-defghe-jickle-manop-kwers-tuwixiz, 
Rumpelstiltskin, the notion of "he who must not be 
named" has been in the literature for a long time - 
even BCE, if you're into that kind of thing.

> > > > figuring it's all a question of degree.
> > > Possibly, but we have to get our potatoes and shrimp and t-shirts 
> > > somehow.  
> > I might agree about the shrimp, but for myself,
> > production is very alien, as my products were on
> > the intangible side - editing, teaching, and making
> > music.
> Somebody's got to do it.  

Yep, dirty work it is, too.

> > > > An impossibly good deal is likely to be result 
> > > > of a misunderstanding, either that or taking 
> > > > advantage of a disadvantage, which is worse.
> > > Or the purchase of stolen merch.  That's been known to happen 
> too.  
> > I am not friendly with stolen merch. Do you remember
> I have lots of words for it, none of which can be printed.

There is the Jean Valjean issue, but beyond that,
I mostly agree. Causing strife unnecessarily is not 
good. Unnecessarily being a key word.

> > Bill the landlord with random frozen and canned goods,
> > which she'd obviously shoplifted (she always claimed it
> > was a gift from a friend, but what friend would give
> > a can of peas as a gift?). He accepted the stuff with
> > equanimity, turning down other gifts that she wanted to
> > give in lieu of rent. I was less favorably inclined to
> > these offerings when made to me, especially when they 
> > were offered in her usually aggressive way.
> Ack.  Back of the truck, much?  If not for the frozens, I'd have 
> wondered about dumpster diving too.  Store throw out all sorts of 
> things, often in code, if they're returns.  They can't be resold for 
> liability reasons and have to get tossed.  Fresh produce too, if one 
> orange in a bag gets moldy the whole thing goes out.  The frozen food 
> tends to indicate she swiped it.

That was my thought. One oddity was that her offerings
were off-brands - either she had bad taste or perhaps had
the Valjean mentality ... steal no more than is necessary
(in the novel, the guy did grow worse for a while, though).

> > > Meanwhile, young politicians never lie either; they just quote 
> > > statistics.
> > Old statesmen never die, they just misstate things.
> Old legislators never die, they just go on recess.

As do children.

> > > Sometimes you just have to Cezanne an opportunity to talk.
> > That was very good. I have to Giotto it down.
> Gotta love a good pun if one walks up; I'd rarely Turner down. 

So I'm going to Europe for Bonnie and Letitia's concert 
tour (this is true), and we'll be seeing a lot of the
stomping grounds of the great artists (this is true), and 
there will be Manet more opportunities to make bad puns
(this is largely up to you).

Ian Don't Look Coq au Vin [my title]
categories: Frenchish, poultry, main
serves: 4

1 lg chicken; serving pieces
;carcass of said chicken
2 pt dry red wine
1 c ;water
1 md carrot
1 md onion
1 celery [leaf]stalk
bay leaves and thyme to taste
bay leaves and thyme to taste [again]
;s&p
1/2 lb unsmoked bacon or pancetta
6 cloves garlic - one minced, rest whole
1 lb sm white onions; peeled
1/2 lb mushrooms; about 1" round
1/2 oz dried porcini
3 oz sweet butter
thickener; optional

another suggested title: Simple Food for Fancy People

You will note that this author often doesn't brown things.
I would brown the chicken in some oil first, but that's my
idea, not hers.

Make a stock using 1 pt wine, 1 c water, the carrot, onion,
and celery, and some aromatics. Let cook a good long time,
until you have 1 pt of liquid. Press the bones with a wood
spoon to get out the last of the goodness.

Put the chicken pieces in a deep casserole. Add the stock,
the rest of the wine, some more aromatics, the bacon, and
5 of the garlic (peeled). Cook covered for 30 min.

Meanwhile, saute the fresh mushrooms and the minced garlic
in 1-2 T butter.

Reconstitute the porcini in some warm water.

Stir-fry the onions in 1-2 T butter until they begin
to brown. Deglaze the pan with the porcini soaking water.

Add the mushrooms, porcini, onions, and deglazing liquid
to the chicken pot. Cook 20 min, shaking or stirring
gently on occasion. When the chicken is done, remove it
and the mushrooms and onions to a warm serving dish.
Thicken the sauce with cornstarch or arrowroot or some
such. Add 1 oz butter, correct seasoning, and pour over
the chicken. Serve hot.

adapted from Gillian Riley, Impressionist Picnics
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