Grandmama's Vegetable Soup

My maternal grandmother made the best vegetable soup I've ever had. Grandmama used whatever vegetables were available from the garden. Boy, did they have a garden!

I've never been able to exactly replicate her soup but here's a good approximation. Or you can use whatever you have available. Since I don't garden, I use a mixture of fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables.

1 ham bone with attached meat
or
country ham pieces, chopped

Simmer the ham in 2 quarts of water for at least 2 hours. Remove the bone and reserve the broth. Allow the meat to cool. Remove a meat from the bone and chop fine. Return the meat to the pot.

12 oz Corn
12 oz Green Beans
12 oz Butterbeans
2 15 oz cans of Tomatoes, chopped
1 can Rotel
12 oz Carrots, sliced
12 oz Okra, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium cabbage, cored and chopped
Hot sauce to taste (My favorite is Marie Sharps Fiery Hot.)
Salt to taste (Be careful! The country ham provides a lot of salt.)
Pepper to taste

Add all ingredients up to the onions to the stock and ham. Add enough water or stock to cover all ingredients by 1 inch. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 2 hours. Adjust seasoning. Add the cabbage and simmer another 30 minutes. Add the hot sauce and adjust seasoning a final time.

Serve with cornbread.

This makes a rather large batch of soup. Even the starving horde composed of myself and my cousins could never eat it all. Thankfully, it freezes well!

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Well, where do you stand?

Where do you see yourself? On the Enterprise or the Millenium Falcon?

I grew up during the age of Star Trek. But I don't remember watching it as a kid. I don't think my parents allowed me to watch it. When it appeared in reruns, I watched it whenever I could.

But, I vividly remember sitting Star Wars in an almost empty theater opening week. And then sitting through a second showing!

If I had to choose one over the other I guess it would be Star Trek. I don't consider myself a Trekkie, but I find the Star Trek universe more complete.

Again I ask the question. Where do you stand?

Italian Cream Cake

One of my favorite cakes made by my paternal grandmother was the Italian Cream cake. It's a cake I don't see much anymore. So I present it here.

Cake Layers

1 stick butter
1/2 C of shortening
2 C sugar
2 C flour
1 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 C coconut (packed)
5 eggs, separated
1 C pecans, chopped

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, flour, soda, salt, and buttermilk and cream well. Add nuts, coconut, and flavorings. Fold in beaten egg whites. Bake in 3 layers at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 1/2 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/2 stick margarine
1 1/2 boxes 10 X sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C pecans, chopped

Cream the cream cheese and margarine. Add sugar and vanilla. Cream well.  Added pecans and mix well.

Frost the cake layers and the top.

Source: Taste and See that the Lord is Good, "ABC" Senior Adults, First Baptist Chruch, Sylvester, GA. 2008 Morris Press Cookbooks.

My Two Cents - Boycotting the Companies that do Business with the NRA

As I write this over a dozen companies have announced that they will be discontinuing their relationships with the NRA. It seems that most of these companies are stating that "consumer complaints" were the reason for these decisions.

If I understand correctly, these companies were providing discounts on products or services that were offered to the NRA membership.

Did the NRA membership attack a school? Have they harmed schoolchildren? What has the NRA membership done to harm others? Nothing. But if these companies feel that they cannot be associated in any way with the NRA, that is their right.

The anti-gun movement must "do" something. Even if what they are doing has no effect on gun violence or the safety of schools.

Now I see that some retailers are refusing to sell non-firearm products from companies that have subsidiaries that manufacture firearms. This I can understand. If these retailers feel that they will be better served by forgoing the possible profits to be made from these products, that is their right.

I hear that Dick's Sporting Goods has decided to stop selling AR-15 pattern rifles (for the second time). Dick's stopped selling AR-15 pattern rifles in 2012. But, it seems that their subsidiary Field and Stream was still selling these rifles. That seems rather hypocritical.

I can respect those companies that try to live up to their values. Even if I don't agree with them. But the flip-flop nature of Dick's and its subsidiary upset me.

Cats and their antics

When growing up my family always had either cats, dogs, or both. I have had occasion to curse at them, play with them, and be loved by them. They are both a burden and a joy. Thankfully the balance has always fallen on the side of joy.

Meet Flash and Tuffy. They are the current feline residents of the Bear's Den. The energy they bestow to our home takes some of the stings out of life.

Flash and Tuffy in a quiet moment

A Blast from the Past

Many years ago, when I was just beginning my career in Information Technology, I was introduced to The Bastard Operator from Hell. This minion of the devil has tortured computer users for years. (Thankfully it's fiction!) Enjoy the schadenfreude.

Uncle DF's BBQ Sauce

I recently shared my grandmother's BBQ sauce recipe. Her brother also had a good one. In the name of variety and equal time here it is.

• 1 large lemon
• ½ C water

Half and squeeze the lemon and add to water in a saucepan. Boil until tender. Strain.

• ½ C Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbls Hot Sauce (I use Marie Sharp's Fiery Hot)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 Tbls A1 Steak Sauce
• 2 C ketchup

Add all ingredients to the strained lemon water. Bring to a low boil. Bottle when cool.

Add 6 oz of horseradish for cocktail sauce.

SpaceX's new project Starlink

On February 22, 2018, Elon Musk's SpaceX launched two communications satellites to test the company's proposed internet access from low earth orbit. The service will be known as Starlink. As a former satellite internet user, this really gets me excited.

Once upon a time, there was a young high tech redneck fed up with the limitations of his dial-up internet access. (Guess who?) He found that there weren't many options available. One service he remembers used the satellite to download data, but still needed a dial-up modem to upload data. This seemed less than desirable. He persevered in his search and finally found a service called StarBand.

The service worked as advertised! It gave him downloads of over 500Kbps which was over 10 times the speed he had previously. The only drawback was the horrible latency. Ping response was >1500 ms. Imagine the path the signal had to trace. First 22,000 miles from his dish to the satellite. It was actually 22,236 miles, but who's counting? Then 22,000 miles to the ground station.  Then out across the internet to the destination and back to the ground station. 22,000 miles back up to the satellite and then the final 22,000 miles back to his dish. Just the 88,000 miles is a significant portion of a light second. 88000 miles /186000 miles per second is approximately 0.473 seconds or 473 ms.

StarBand gave this high tech redneck the speed he wanted. However, the latency made using some applications difficult or impossible. Online games were in the impossible category, but most applications worked.

Starlink plans to address this latency. With the satellites in low earth orbit at between 684 and 823 miles, which should only take 8ms rather than the previously mentioned 473 ms.

In addition, there will be more than one satellite. This launch included the first two of a planned 800 satellites in the first phase of the project. Assuming all goes well there could be as many as 7,000 launched into very low earth orbit at about 211 miles.

If Starlink can deliver on its promises of 1 Gbps download speed at a competitive price, this could be a big change. Many people live, whether by choice or circumstance, where there is little or no internet access. Two such areas that I have experience with are rural Alaska and small islands off the mainland. This could give such areas a much-desired link to the rest of the world.

Good luck to Starlink, SpaceX, and Elon Musk!

BBQ Wars

In a previous post, I mentioned that differing opinions on BBQ styles and sauces had probably started a lot of fights.

It seems that I was right! (Language warning)

Granny's BBQ Sauce

Differing opinions on styles of BBQ and BBQ sauces have probably started more fights than differing political opinions.

My paternal grandmother made a wonderful BBQ sauce that I dearly love. I find it goes equally well with pork, beef, or chicken. And while I have not tried it on other meats I feel it will work well with most.

• 1 C Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 C Ketchup
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce 
• 2 Tbsp of hot sauce (Granny used Tabasco. I like to use Marie Sharp's Fiery Hot)
• 2 Tbsp A1 Steak Sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp  black pepper
• Juice of ½ lemon

Combine all ingredients and bring to a low boil. Bottle when cool.

Pierogies and Onions with Kelibasa and Pineapple

Pierogies are something that I didn't grow up eating in the South. I discovered them when a friend's wife served them at a big dinner one night. I fell in love with them that night. Then when we lived in Alaska I found a Russian delicatessen that sold freshly made pierogies. Yum.

Over the years I have served pierogies as a side dish. As time passed it evolved into what I present in this recipe. This recipe is actually for two dishes that complement each other.

Pierogies and Sauteed Onions

• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 4 Tbsp of butter
• 1 C water
• 1 1lb box of Mrs. T's Four Cheese Frozen Pierogies
• Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the onions and sautee in the butter over medium heat until they begin to caramelize. Add the water and pierogies. Cover and steam for about 10 minutes while moving the pan gently to keep the pierogies from sticking.

Kielbasa and Pineapple

• 1 lb of kielbasa sausage
• 1 20 oz can of pineapple chunks, drained with the liquid reserved

Slice the kielbasa into coins. Cook the sausage over medium heat stirring frequently. Once the sausage is browned add the pineapple chunks. Stir until heated thoroughly. Add about half the liquid and cook until slightly thickened.

Serve the two together and enjoy!

Computer Security - Are you doing it right?

We all own computers. You probably wouldn't be reading this if you didn't have some type of computer! Whether it's a phone, tablet, laptop, or a desktop they are all computers. You must take responsibility for your own computer security because no one else is going to do it for you.

To help you protect yourself, I want to suggest a few actions you can take. Individually each of these is simple, but when combined should give you excellent protection.

• Run a single, reputable security package

Regardless of which security software you choose, it must be configured correctly and updated on a regular basis. Also, note that I said that you should “Run a single, reputable security package”. Multiple security packages are not a good idea. In this case “more” is not “better”. Multiple security packages can slow down your computer and in some cases conflict with each other.

My personal recommendation for Windows is Windows Defender. It has been included in Windows since the release of Windows 8. Before that, it was an optional download called Microsoft Security Essentials and worked with Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. Another reason for using Windows Defender is that you've already paid for it since it is part of Windows!

For other operating systems you will have to do your own research. (I'm a Windows guy and haven't touched a Mac in over 20 years!)

• Keep both your operating system and applications up to date

No software is perfect. As the saying goes, "To err is human, but to really screw up requires a computer!" Known security vulnerabilities are corrected by these updates. Most software and operating systems now have the means of updating themselves. Turn on automatic updating in Windows! If any applications you use offer automatic updates, turn it on also! If your software does not offer automatic updates, check with the publisher often for newer versions.

• Run only the minimum number of programs on your computer necessary to perform your work

Each program added to a computer increases the possibility of a vulnerability being introduced to your system. Remember the KISS principle.

• Have an offline backup and keep it current

Most modern viruses and malware will seek to infect files on each computer attached by way of a network. This means one computer can infect ALL computers on a local network. The only way to reliably protect against this is to have a backup that is not connected to the local network.

A backup stored on a removable device such as a USB flash drive or an external hard drive is ideal in my opinion. Once the backup is made, the device should be removed from the computer or network and stored in a safe location away from the computer. By separating your backup from your computer, hopefully, the same disaster that takes out your computer will not take out your backup.

Another popular method of backup is to use a service such as Carbonite, Mozy, or iDrive. These services are great in theory. Since they backup your files as they are changed and back them up offsite. However, these services require a monthly subscription fee.

• Don’t click on popup windows – Use ALT-F4 to close them

Attackers are getting more clever all the time. Popup windows and messages are one of the many ways infections can happen. They can do mean things like this: No matter what part of the popup window you click on (even If it is a “close” or “cancel” button) you can still get infected. If you see a window that looks suspicious, use the keyboard combination of ALT-F4. This will close the active window without having to click on it.

• Do not download anything that you did not seek out and only download it from the original source

Did you just see an ad for software that promised to make your computer run like new? Don’t click on that ad! Stop and re-read my third point. If it is still something you need, then use your favorite search engine to find the website of the company that makes the software and then download it from there. Don’t go to your favorite software aggregation site to download a piece of software you need. If you need something, go to the author’s or publisher’s site to download it.

• Don’t click on links in email and beware of attachments

When you receive an email giving you a link and asking you to use it to accomplish a task, be careful! Example: you receive an email from your bank stating that your latest statement is available and gives you a link where you can view it. Don’t click that link! Instead manually navigate to your bank’s website and then log into your account to view the statement.

Email attachments have been a source of virus and malware infection for years. Don’t open email attachments from senders you don’t know or from friends/co-workers that you were not expecting. If there is a question about the attachment, contact the sender before opening it.

• Practice the principle of least privilege

This means that you should have as your main user account on your computer one that has only the minimum privileges necessary to accomplish your work. In other words, don’t use an account with administrative privileges to do your daily work.

• Use strong passwords, avoid password reuse, and use a password manager

What is a strong password? A strong password uses a random mix of upper case letters, lower case letters, numbers, and punctuation. The longer the password the better. This is a good strong password: 1$yTc7@rosRz. Notice that it uses uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. It is also not a good idea to use the same strong password on multiple sites. If one site gets compromised, the bad guys have your password to all the sites on which you used the compromised password.

Because strong passwords are hard to remember, a program called a password manager will help you keep up with your passwords. In addition to remembering all those complex passwords, many of these programs will help you generate good passwords and warn you about password reuse. There are many password managers available. A few examples are LastPass, Dashlane, and Sticky Password.

• Avoid questionable websites

Today all it takes to get infected with malware is to view a website that has been infected. The simple act of displaying the page is enough to compromise your system. Stay away from sites promising free music, coupons, etc. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Stay on well-known and reputable sites.

• Employ multi-factor authentication if an application or service offers it

Some sites and services offer what is known as multi-factor authentication. These generally involve two or more items. Usually, something you know and something you have. An example of multi-factor authentication might be this: you log into your email site with your username and password (something you know). The site then asks for a code. You would then check an application on your phone (something you have) for a code and you must enter this code on the next screen of your email site before it will complete the login process.

This gives much stronger security since a bad guy would need both your username/password and your cell phone to gain access. He might get one, but probably not both.

• Lock your computer/phone when not in use

When you get up from your computer, you leave it available for anyone to access and possibly install malware, or steal sensitive data. When you leave your computer system you should either manually lock it or have the screensaver set to lock after a short period of inactivity.

• Use drive encryption

Computers and phones are stolen every day. Imagine the treasure trove of personal data contained on your system. They would be of great value to an identity thief. Laptops and phones that leave your home are especially vulnerable to theft.

To protect these systems you might want to use drive encryption. Microsoft includes BitLocker as part of Windows 10 Pro. BitLocker is also available on the Pro version of Windows 8 and the Ultimate versions of Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Other vendors such as McAfee and Symantec also make drive encryption software. There are also free, open source programs that provide drive encryption such as VeraCrypt.

Both iOS (Apple) and Android (Google, Samsung, and others) phones offer encryption. In some cases, it is turned on from the factory. Check your phone and make sure that encryption is enabled. Phones are lost/stolen more often than computers.

• Explain these security practices to your family

Try to ensure that all family members old enough to use a computer are familiar with these security practices and that they understand the purpose behind each. One of the best defenses you can have is an informed and vigilant user.

Hopefully, this article will give you something to think about.

Pinto Beans and Corn Bread

Let's talk about comfort food. Dried beans were always a staple in my family. Even to this day, one of my favorite meals is Pinto Beans and Corn Bread.

The lowly bean doesn't need much to help it. If you've got a leftover ham bone, great! Or some country ham trimmings and pieces.

• 2 C dried pinto beans
• 2 qt water
• ham bone or country ham trimmings and pieces
• salt and black pepper to taste (be careful if using country ham)

Wash and sort the beans. Cover the beans completely with water and soak overnight.

The next day you will drain the water from the beans. Place the beans in a soup pot or dutch oven. Add the water and ham bone. Make sure that the beans are covered by at least 1 inch. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender usually 1 1/2  to 2 hours. Check the water level in the beans as they cook. Top off the water as needed. Once cooked, season with salt and pepper.

• 1 egg
• 1 C milk
• 2 C of self-rising cornmeal (or substitute 1 1/2 C plus 6 Tbsp of cornmeal and 2 Tbsp of baking powder)
• 2 Tbsp of vegetable or bacon grease

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. I use a 12" cast iron skillet to cook my cornbread. Add the oil to the skillet and place in the oven to preheat for 5 to 8 minutes. Beat the egg and add the milk. Mix well. Slowly add the self-rising cornmeal until thoroughly incorporated. Remove the skillet from the oven and carefully make sure that the grease completely coats the skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet. Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve the pinto beans and cornbread with butter and your favorite hot sauce. I like Marie Sharps Fiery Hot. You can find it on Amazon.

Own an electronic device or computer? Keep it updated!

Every owner of a device, be it a computer, a cell phone, or any internet connected device, should know how to update that device. Not only do these updates provide new functionality, but they fix known and theoretical weaknesses in your computer that can be exploited! So update to protect yourself and others. This single task will provide you best return on investment for the time spent on anything else you can do to protect yourself.

What follows is an admittedly incomplete list of the type of devices I am talking about.

• Desktop and laptop computers
• Tablets
• Smartphones and smart watches
• Routers
• IoT (Internet of Things) devices - video doorbells, voice-controlled speakers, smart light bulbs, etc.

Many of these devices can be set up to update automatically, but it is always a good idea to check them regularly to make sure they are updating correctly.

Here are a few articles to get you started on your journey to an updated device. They may not be the latest information, but they will at least point you in the right direction.

Windows 10 - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027667/windows-update-windows-10

Mac OS X - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201541

Linux - https://www.linux.com/learn/linux-101-updating-your-system

iOS - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204204

Android - https://www.techadvisor.co.uk/how-to/google-android/update-android-3614890/

Remember that if this is not something you feel comfortable doing on your own, there are many local computer technicians that would be happy to consult with you!

My Two Cents - School Shootings

I guess, like so many others, I need to get this off my chest. Here goes . . .

Banning firearms of a particular style, raising the age to buy a long gun, repealing the second amendment, or other such ideas will not work in this country. Why not? For one reason, there are too many guns, both legally and illegally possessed, in this country for any of these to ever work.

I am one of those "old farts" who remember going to school and walking through the student parking lot. It seemed as if every other pickup had a gun rack in the back window with one or more firearm in it. You could be assured that they were loaded. And no one got shot.

Why?

Because our families raised us differently than it seems most children are being raised today. We were raised to respect our elders. We raised to say "Yes, Ma'am" and "No, Sir". We were raised to treat others as we wished to be treated. We were raised to respect human life. We were raised to understand and apply the four rules of gun safety. All of these beliefs and ideas shaped what we thought of the world and those around us.

Today, I see little of this being taught. I saw this in our schools when I worked as a teacher. I see this in my encounters in public.

Again, why?

I can theorize as well as the next guy as to what the possible contributors might be. The breakdown of the nuclear family and the resulting lack of male role models. The "Me First" mindset that seems to permeate our culture.

So, what do we do about it?

Ultimately, it is going to take our society addressing some of the factors listed above. Then we need to consistently apply the numerous gun laws that we already have on the books.

So what do we do in the interim as these changes slowly make their way through our society? I have one suggestion. It is not new or original. It comes from my time spent in teaching. Train and arm those teachers and administrators who are willing to volunteer for this duty. Just as many teachers feel it is a duty to teach the following generations, many of them feel that same duty to protect their students.

I'm reminded of a quote from Benjamin Franklin, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" This applies just as well to this situation.

Sausage and Potato Soup

This soup is my version of The Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana. It is simple, quick, and hearty.

• 1 lb of sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean's Sage sausage or substitute your favorite sausage)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4-6 potatoes, chopped
• 4 cans of chicken or vegetable stock
• 1-2 tsp of your favorite hot sauce (I prefer Marie Sharps Fiery Hot Sauce. It's a habanero sauce with a carrot base. Wonderful flavor!)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 qt milk
• 2-3 C kale (I use a package of frozen kale)

In a dutch over or a large soup pot, brown the sausage and drain. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the potatoes and stir. Add the stock, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over low to medium heat until the potatoes are tender. This usually takes 15-20 minutes.

Add the milk and kale. Bring the soup back up to temperature while stirring often. Do not boil.

Serve with garlic bread.

Taco Soup

One of my favorite cool weather meals is soup. I prefer hearty soups and stews.

Taco Soup

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 2 cans of beef or vegetable stock
• 1 (4oz) can diced green chilies
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
• 1 can whole kernel corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can mild or hot chili beans
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 (1 oz) package ranch dressing mix
• Shredded cheese (topping)
• Sour cream (topping)

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown ground beef until no longer pink. Drain excess fat, add taco seasoning. Add the remaining ingredients – except for the cheese and sour cream, and cook at a simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Serve soup topped with cheese and sour cream along with tortilla chips.

It Begins

Hi, my name is Bear and I'm a high tech redneck. Think of this as my own 12 step program.

I have multiple reasons for starting this blog.

1. Increase my writing skills. They could use some help.
2. Provide myself with a mental vent.We all need one.
3. Allow me to share some the knowledge that I have gathered through my short time on this earth.

Subjects that I will cover will include, but not be limited to: technology, cooking, home brewing, politics, and science fiction and fantasy literature.

I hope you find my musings informative and possibly entertaining.