Wednesday Night Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 08:30:35 PM EST
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The Inspector General's report on the FBI's abuse of national security letters to obtain phone records using made-up terror emergencies was released today and is available here. The ACLU weighs in, "OMG, 2000 Emergencies That Never Were."

On a lighter note, legendary fashionista and journalist Blair Sabol, often called the Abbie Hoffman of 7th Avenue, whose irreverent and biting Village Voice columns (that were always right-on target) I never missed in the late sixties and early seventies, and who now is a friend of mine in real (not online) life, has been writing a column the past few months, "No Holds Barred" for the New York Social Diary. Her latest is on the Fox News blonde anchors, "Blair's Blondes." [More...]

Here's a snippet, but go read the whole thing, because she's just great and in a league of her own.

Personally I'm hooked on Fox News and Biz stations cause I cant get over how blonde and bombshelled you must be as a woman to get any air time at all.....There is very little difference between their cleavages, platinum hair color, high gloss lips and tarantula eyelashes.

Once upon a time Ann Coulter was THE longhaired leggy original. Now she looks like Mary Poppins. Obviously Fox Network genius Roger Ailes upped the sex ante a while ago. He figured it out and got it right. Sex sells. So what else is new?

Nor has she lost her punch:

The only brunette in the bunch is Kimberly Guilfoyle who has always dressed like a dominitrix even when she was married to the mayor of San Francisco. But now her knee black boots, va va va voom v neck tight black sweaters and shorts skirts are legendary. Vampira or Cinemax soft p*rn star? Which look is she going for?

She ends with a quip about Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin.

If it's sports you're looking for, you can head on over to SportsLeft where BTD has been writing. There's even comments.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

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Wednesday Night Open Thread | 78 comments (78 topical)

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It was blatantly apparent (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 08:45:19 PM EST

that Fox employed these above-average looking women for their broadcasts, considering their audience is over-whelmingly male (and conservative). Take a look at CNN: there are some above-average looking men on their newscasts for other obvious reasons: their demographic is more women than men.

I for one love seeing Anderson Cooper reading the news.

And I hope this isn't out of line, but I want to thank the commenters on TL who have emailed me saying they missed me and hope that I stick around to keep commenting. I cruised the blog yesterday after almost a year and saw an oppty to post. Cheers to all.

Ha. I also enjoy seeing (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Cream City on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 08:56:02 PM EST

Anderson Cooper.

Reading the news, not reading the news, whichever.

:-)

(and also a welcome back to you)


Thanks CC (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:04:20 PM EST

I always thought a 5 from you on my comments was like getting a gold star from my favorite teacher back in elementary!

and i see we have the same taste in guys ;-)


Ha. (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Cream City on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:15:23 PM EST

You teacher's pet, you. I was going to give you a 5 -- but now I get to warm up for my first-day talk next week. I don't give 5's; I just record them, because you earn them.

(Okay, it works a lot better with funny cartoon PowerPoints, which I do on the first day to fool the class into thinking there will be funny cartoon PowerPoints every day -- so they come back the second day, anyway.)

So . . . you have earned a 5! And you also get the greatest wish of every teacher's pet: You get to stay after and clean the blackboards.


Hilarious (none / 0) (#17)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:17:31 PM EST

I thought I was Mr Cool in the 3rd grade going to the basement of the school and running the erasers through that machine that removed/blew out all the chalk dust from them. Ah, 1976. I was 8, Jimmy Carter was president and I was just discovering the joys of owning pre-Disco 45s!


What? You had a machine to do that? (5.00 / 1) (#29)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:46:46 PM EST

Wow, the modern technology of 1976! In the 60's we had to go outside and clap the erasers together for the nuns, all the while breathing in the chalk dust.


: And you saved poor souls (5.00 / 1) (#30)
by Cream City on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:50:29 PM EST

in Purgatory by offering up your sacrifice, I'm sure.

: oh YEAH! (none / 0) (#32)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:54:03 PM EST

That's when Texas was super-Democratic. We had the latest and the greatest tools in school! Progressive eraser cleaners! WooHoo!

: "Had to" ??? (none / 0) (#71)
by ding7777 on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 03:27:23 AM EST

In the public school I went to it was considered a privilege to be the chosen eraser clapper

Ha. Reminds me (5.00 / 1) (#31)
by Cream City on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:52:25 PM EST

of going to my son's grade-school graduation awards ceremony. Everybody got an award for something. But clearly, one of his classmates stumped the teachers. Apparently, the kid snuck out of class often to go smoke a cig with the janitor.

So he got the Junior Custodian Award.

I was SO glad that it was not my son whose name was called out for that one.


: Greatness! (none / 0) (#33)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:54:54 PM EST

I wish I would have been that cool but I was too worried about making good grades. Nerd, thy name is Angelo!

Glad to see you back tx (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:05:01 PM EST

That is true, the male newscasters are certainly above average too. I'm sorry I disparaged the blonds above that way. Blond and beautiful does not = dumb...though throw FOX in there and the odds of dumb increase.


Of course I can't even spell blonde (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:06:50 PM EST

so I'm just going to stop now.


: S'okay (5.00 / 1) (#57)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:54:26 PM EST

The vast majority of English speakers/writers don't know the diff anyway. Just us pedantic copy editors...

thanks ruffian (none / 0) (#8)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:06:05 PM EST

I don't wanna clog up the string with a lot of TY's, so this will be my last Jeralyn.


no problem (none / 0) (#36)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:00:46 PM EST

welcome back and carry on, it's an open thread.


: Thanks JM! (none / 0) (#37)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:06:32 PM EST

btw, I loved your analysis of Coakley.

Gotta tell you, though (none / 0) (#55)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:53:07 PM EST

most of those Fox blondes ain't dumb at all. If they were, they wouldn't be so scary. They're pretty smart-- er, as smart as you can be and be a knee-jerk conservative that is.


yeah (none / 0) (#4)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:00:27 PM EST

glad you're back. I also took a leave of absence. I quit politics for quite a while. It was just too much with the 11 dimensional chess and all...


: thanks Ga6thDem (none / 0) (#7)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:05:13 PM EST

that's a lotta dimensions! I can barely get past a game of checkers with my 11 yr old nephew

maybe Scott Brown (none / 0) (#11)
by CST on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:08:30 PM EST

can get a job there once he gets kicked out of the senate in 2012.


OR (none / 0) (#12)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:10:14 PM EST

find his spot, once again, in the pages of a magazine...clothed of course!


I heard a chunk of his (none / 0) (#58)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:55:20 PM EST

press conference today. I wouldn't bet the ranch on his getting kicked out anytime soon.


: I think it totally depends (none / 0) (#78)
by CST on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 11:14:04 AM EST

on what he does once he's seated. When I made the reference to president Snowe, I wasn't joking about his running for president in 2012.
I was talking about the fact that if the administration is smart they will try to recruit his vote on important legislation the way they try to recruit Snowe. He is a republican who can be pressured by the left.
If he starts voting too far to the right, he will get kicked out. Of course, in order for this to work, Democrats need to propose legislation that people actually want. So he can feel that pressure.
But if he acts like a knee-jerk republican who is just trying to derail Obama's agenda no matter what the issue is, he will be gone in 2 years.
Based on the language he's used to date ("this wasn't about Obama") - I imagine he knows this.

I tend to think... (none / 0) (#76)
by kdog on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 08:48:58 AM EST

its just a television thing...not so much unique to Fox.

It is hard work to find anybody on boob-tube that isn't cheesecake or beefcake...cable news, local news, regular programming...unless they're playing the freak or are vets from the era when brains trumped looks.


20 hrs and counting . . . (5.00 / 3) (#20)
by nycstray on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:24:11 PM EST

since my niece's water broke. Talked to my mom at the 12hr point and she still hadn't advanced that far . . . they're hoping it happens tonight . . . . can't wait to 'see' the lil' dude :)

mazel tov! (5.00 / 2) (#23)
by CST on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:26:42 PM EST

Thanks! I need to correct that, it's 17 (none / 0) (#24)
by nycstray on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:30:50 PM EST

and counting. The text she sent me was 2AM her time.


: How exciting (none / 0) (#39)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:21:23 PM EST

My daughter went all the way to the 24 hour limit after her water broke.
Your niece will surely deliver one way or the other in the next few hours. I forget, you know if you're having a great niece or nephew?
Looking forward to your announcement :)

My water never broke; it had to be (5.00 / 1) (#52)
by Anne on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:43:41 PM EST

broken for me...

Hope all goes well and the little guy and his mom do well...congrats to Auntie Nycstray and Cousin Dot...!


Re the Blonde=Dumb stereotype, how stupid (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by Ellie on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:34:26 PM EST

... are feckin' eedjits that premise their humor (and apparent world view) on using Melanin to measure intelligence?

In the category of humor that actually makes me laugh, this Toob'd clip on the Mass. debacle was hilarious (featuring a group that remains less despised than libruls.) via Riverdaughter.

Also called pigment, melanin is a substance that gives the skin and hair its natural color. It also gives color to the iris of the eye, feathers, and scales. In humans, those with darker skin have higher amounts of melanin. By contrast, those with less pigment have lighter or more fair skin coloring.

That video is just hilarious (none / 0) (#35)
by Cream City on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:59:56 PM EST

The line about dragging on like Stalingrad did me in.


: I had to take a pee-pee break ... (none / 0) (#53)
by Ellie on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:47:00 PM EST

... at "He just cares about equal rights ..."

Funny clip (none / 0) (#72)
by ding7777 on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 03:36:23 AM EST

Funny and scary (none / 0) (#1)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 08:36:55 PM EST

I see Palin's strategy here...she is going to look like a rocket scientist by comparison to those anchors. The dark hair, the 'smart girl' glasses....

there isn't an (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:11:31 PM EST

optometrist or an eye-glass maker that can perform the miracle of making Mrs. Palin look smart.


Personally (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by cawaltz on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:21:19 PM EST

I believe she is a pretty savvy woman with good political instincts even if I do disagree with her on many issues.


Quitting her job (5.00 / 1) (#22)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:25:56 PM EST

as governor, IMHO, doesn't qualify as good political instincts. It tells me that she is chasing the almighty dollar (which is fine if that is her value system), but doesn't and cannot see a commitment through. She's too unfocused and is even more thin-skinned than Obama. For goodness sakes the woman responded to David Letterman's remarks!


It is when you look (5.00 / 1) (#42)
by cawaltz on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:24:49 PM EST

at the state Alaska is in right now. You might say she got out while the getting was good. From what I understand they are looking at budget deficits.

As for David Letterman, as a mother, I would have done the exact same thing. He had no business making her children fodder for jokes.


Did she actually respond to Letterman, or (none / 0) (#45)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:28:36 PM EST

did she simply answer a question about it to a reporter who was prying?

My recollection was a reporter brought it up.


Either way (none / 0) (#62)
by cawaltz on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 11:45:50 PM EST

What he did was disgusting. I don't care if he "accidentally" did use the wrong daughter's name. It was NOT FUNNY at all. I am of the opinion that only a pig would find a rape joke humorous to begin with let alone think there was humor in suggesting a 17 year old would be raped for visiting NY. Yuck-o


OK - now you've gone way (none / 0) (#70)
by Inspector Gadget on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 01:47:33 AM EST

off the topic. I didn't think she deserved the criticism from Capt Howdy when she didn't ask to speak into the mic just to respond to Letterman, she answered a reporters question. There's a difference.


My point was (5.00 / 1) (#74)
by cawaltz on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 06:06:05 AM EST

that as a parent I found what Palin did reasonable whether it was in response to a question or not.

If someone had said what was said about one of my children(and I have a 15 year old daughter) I would have been furious and I definitely would have made it clear that what he did was reprehensible.


: Nope (none / 0) (#81)
by cawaltz on Fri Jan 22, 2010 at 01:27:55 PM EST

I'm not going to castigate a person for having her family with her at the convention and even if she had her daughter as a keynote speaker it would not have made what Letterman said any less reprehensible.

So, what are we going to do (none / 0) (#10)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:08:08 PM EST

about getting the technorati on board with getting Obama to put on his Democratic trousers and start being a REAL Democrat?

I've wondered (none / 0) (#16)
by Ga6thDem on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:17:12 PM EST

the same thing but I dont think it's possible. he's too emeshed in those 90's GOP arguments to understand what being a democrat means.

Since he will cave on anything and everything, i think that he should be bypassed and take everything straight to congress. If you could somehow get congress to start passing decent legislation he would sign it.


It's going to take A LOT (none / 0) (#18)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:21:13 PM EST

of undoing. When you have the likes of Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks' wife (her name escapes me) screaming out "happy birthday Michelle Obama!, our first lady!" on the red carpet of the GG, it gives on the impression that all is well in the land.

Honestly I think it will take the old hands to come out of retirement and maybe, JUST maybe, admit that there were some mistakes made, and try to fix this before the gains made in 08 are lost.


: Rita Wilson (none / 0) (#40)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:22:55 PM EST

nt

Into The Wild (none / 0) (#15)
by CST on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:16:55 PM EST

on tv. Hard movie to watch. But I also see the appeal.

He's both infuriating and intriguing in a messed up way. Kind of my type though.

: I always (5.00 / 2) (#21)
by CST on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:25:35 PM EST

feel bad for the parents though. And the old man.

: Yes, so sad (5.00 / 2) (#28)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:41:12 PM EST

Horrible to think about dying all alone like that. I listened to the audiobook and the movie is very faithful to the true story.
There was a similar story I read recently in a magazine about a young man that was hiking in the Grand Canyon this summer and took a wrong turn. He got into a position where he could not climb out of the canyon, and could not get down to the river because it was a high steep drop. He wrote a diary in the notepad feature of his blackberry, which had no reception in the canyon.
in both cases simple mistakes were made, though people try to say they had no business doing what they did. The kid in 'Into the Wild' would have been fine with an up-to-date map that showed the lodgings just a couple of miles from where he was, and the one in the Grand Canyon should have stuck to the map he had instead of following a dry creek bed instead. It is part of some peoples nature to take these adventures - none of us would be in America if it weren't. But it is heartbreaking to think of the way they died.

: Loved the book... (none / 0) (#77)
by kdog on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 08:57:49 AM EST

could totally relate to the appeal of dropping out, burning the social security card.
Civilization can be so dirty...so dirty yet so easy. The Wild...so hard, yet so pure and so clean.

Letter to a House Progressive (none / 0) (#25)
by ruffian on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:31:03 PM EST

Posted by olvlzl at echidne

he progressives in the House and Senate have to take a lesson from other political minorities that have gotten their way. You have to hold your nose to study them but the Dixicrats and their successors, today, Republicans and Blue dogs, achieve their ends through united obstruction. The success of the strategy is clear as can be by their success over the past year. Pleasing them is the easy road the Obama administration has taken and it is what will put it out of office baring a miraculous turn around. Frankly, I see little sign of that without House progressives mounting an obstinate resistance. Given the present realities in Washington, the destruction of the foundations of the Democratic Party, it is the role forced on you.

Another attempt at a spine implant, but maybe it will take this time.

thank god for open threads (none / 0) (#27)
by Lil on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:41:09 PM EST

I am watching CSI:NY and can't believe how dumb it is. I am a tv junkie and will pretty much watch anything, but this episode is pushing my limits. Thank goodness for your entertaining comments.

: What? (none / 0) (#63)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:17:28 AM EST

you have a problem with silicon in lingerie football?
They must be running out of material.

ugh. (none / 0) (#34)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 09:59:09 PM EST

There's a stupid status floating around Facebook right now that is blatantly anti-immigrant and pro-Christianity(and not in the best sense). I just gently debated a friend about this status and quizzed her as to why she would post such a thing. She came back a bit aggressively and surprisingly, well, proud of her ignorance. I politely excused myself, told her goodbye and deleted her as a contact. Another friend posted said (ridiculous) status, and I posted to her that I just deleted someone over that non-sense. She deleted the status! Crazy.

: I'm not on Facebook (none / 0) (#79)
by Chuck0 on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 11:31:07 AM EST

and never will be. But you've piqued my curiosity. What IS the status you are talking about?

are any bakers reading? (none / 0) (#38)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:17:04 PM EST

I decided to bake cookies tonight but I'm stuck. the recipe says "baking soda." My box of baking soda says it's for cleaning pots and pans. Is it edible, or is there some other kind of baking soda that goes in cookies? And does anyone know the difference between baking soda and baking powder?

Here goes: my can of baking powder (none / 0) (#41)
by oculus on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:24:38 PM EST

lists ingredients as baking soda, cornstarch, sodium aluminum sulfite, calcium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate.

Baking soda box lists only one ingredient: sodium bicarbonate.


You've got the right baking soda (none / 0) (#44)
by Inspector Gadget on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:26:11 PM EST

It is a miracle product and very edible. In a pinch, I put some in a glass of water to manage indigestion :)


Also useful for removing tea stains (none / 0) (#46)
by oculus on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:28:57 PM EST

from mugs.


great, thanks (none / 0) (#48)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:31:25 PM EST

I have both but I'll follow the recipe and use the baking soda.


Definitely not interchangeable (5.00 / 1) (#49)
by oculus on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:32:02 PM EST

for purposes of baking.


: I interchanged once (5.00 / 2) (#64)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:20:18 AM EST

with an equal quantity of baking powder.
That banana bread could have been the star in a Japanese monster movie by the time it stopped rising.

Jeralyn, watch out (none / 0) (#59)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 11:01:03 PM EST

for how old it is. The "Cook's Illustrated" people tested both baking soda and baking powder and found they were greatly degraded after they'd been open three months and nearly completely ineffective after six.

I'm now dating both when I open them, and toss them and get new after 3 months. (I always wondered why sometimes my baking powder biscuits would bake up gorgeously light and tender and sometimes stay nearly flat and gummy. Now I know!)


Why out of context can be fun (5.00 / 2) (#65)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:22:31 AM EST

"I'm now dating both..., and toss them and get new after 3 months."


: Heh! (5.00 / 1) (#67)
by gyrfalcon on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:37:29 AM EST

As a matter of fact, in my younger days...

Just found a comparison (none / 0) (#50)
by Jeralyn on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:35:56 PM EST

How Are Recipes Determined?
Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe. The ultimate goal is to produce a tasty product with a pleasing texture. Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as buttermilk. You'll find baking soda in cookie recipes. Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Recipes that call for baking powder often call for other neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk. Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes and biscuits.
Substituting in Recipes
You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (you'll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you can't use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.

What did we do before Google?


Yep, that box you use for deodorizing + cleaning (none / 0) (#51)
by Ellie on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:38:45 PM EST

... is a tried and true baking ingredient.

Baking powder (double-acting) just combines the baking soda with stabilizing ingredients and a "failsafe" (hence double-acting) for good measure.

Soda requires an acid (lemon, lactic acid as in milk or yoghurt, vinegar, or the like) to create bubbles that aerate the dough.

The bubbling action of baking soda + vinegar, which is safe for most surfaces and kind to critters big or small, still beats most of the chemical crap out there. Just apply a bit of baking soda to your cleaning cloth and then schpritz some diluted white vinegar and water to bubble off the gunk. (Note, don't mix the soda and vinegar together as the bubbling is immediate, and you'll have nothing but a "dead" mix.)


Also great on clogged drains (5.00 / 1) (#56)
by caseyOR on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:53:20 PM EST

So much better for cleaning clogged drains and so much less toxic than Drano.


: My Mom (none / 0) (#60)
by txpolitico67 on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 11:10:59 PM EST

uses baking soda to clean her jewelry

Baking is really chemistry that (none / 0) (#54)
by Anne on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:50:27 PM EST

tastes good...

Some baking chemistry:

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat!
Baking Powder
Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent already (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). Baking powder is available as single-acting baking powder and as double-acting baking powder. Single-acting powders are activated by moisture, so you must bake recipes which include this product immediately after mixing. Double-acting powders react in two phases and can stand for a while before baking. With double-acting powder, some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven.
How Are Recipes Determined?
Some recipes call for baking soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe. The ultimate goal is to produce a tasty product with a pleasing texture. Baking soda is basic and will yield a bitter taste unless countered by the acidity of another ingredient, such as buttermilk. You'll find baking soda in cookie recipes. Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Recipes that call for baking powder often call for other neutral-tasting ingredients, such as milk. Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes and biscuits.
Substituting in Recipes
You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (you'll need more baking powder and it may affect the taste), but you can't use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. Baking soda by itself lacks the acidity to make a cake rise. However, you can make your own baking powder if you have baking soda and cream of tartar. Simply mix two parts cream of tartar with one part baking soda.

Hope it all turns out well!


: My daughter (none / 0) (#66)
by CoralGables on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:24:27 AM EST

took a one day class last week called, "The Chemistry of Cookies"

Occam's HotWax- Village won't say The Left .. left (none / 0) (#47)
by Ellie on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 10:29:13 PM EST

Really, the mental contortions to avoid even looking at this simple explanation for the Coakley/Brown result defies all reason.

But No! No! It must be that the Dems didn't pay sufficient homage to, eg, the booger-eatingly dumb Chuck Grassley (R - Iowa)

Donna Brazile (none / 0) (#61)
by gyrfalcon on Wed Jan 20, 2010 at 11:27:21 PM EST

is on my TV waxing eloquent and ecstatic about how the Mass. vote shows that the American people want real bipartisanship where the Dems. and Repubs. all get together and bring people together and sing Kumbaya until we all rise up into heaven and transmogrify into--

Whew! <wiping brow>

: Oh, Ms Brazile! Is there no massive Dem failure .. (5.00 / 1) (#68)
by Ellie on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 12:40:46 AM EST

... you can't worsen with cheerleading!

: she's a channel flicker for me (none / 0) (#69)
by Jeralyn on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 01:29:20 AM EST

Soon as I see her. Though to be fair, I stopped watching all of the cable news channel after the election because they are not in HD here...until Haiti when I got glued again. Anderson Cooper is just about the only one worth watching. I didn't watch any coverage of last night's election. It's just a cacaphony of uninteresting, repetitive pundits who know no more than anyone else, and all with an agenda to push.

I read (none / 0) (#73)
by Ga6thDem on Thu Jan 21, 2010 at 05:25:11 AM EST

where Tip O'Neill told Jimmy Carter that "we won 290 seats running against Nixon and we can win 290 running against you." Maybe the current crop of Dems needs to give Obama this message.