One day in third grade, our friend Barry showed us a pamphlet with a map of Vietnam inside. Scattered across the map were pictures of gas pumps. On the gauge of each pump was a number. The number reflected war dead in that area.

For convenience, we usually date our political awakening to that moment. It was Spring 1968.

As it happens, we don’t recall Vietnam joining OPEC in the intervening decades, so we can’t vouch for the research the pumps represented. But it was our first exposure to what later would be summarized as Follow The Money, which, when we think about it, is really just an adjunct to Occam’s Razor. The simplest explanation of a political act usually involves cash.

Hey, did you know Afghanistan’s a wonderful place to run an oil pipeline?

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If you were hoping that the ever deteriorating situation in Afghanistan might lead U.S. military and civilian leaders to just declare victory and go home, then I’ve got a spot of bad news for you. It comes in the form of a front page New York Times headline that reads: U.S. Discovers Vast Riches of Minerals in Afghanistan.

These are the opening paragraphs of the story in question:

WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.

An internal Pentagon memo, for example, states that Afghanistan could become the “Saudi Arabia of lithium,” a key raw material in the manufacture of batteries for laptops and Blackberries.

I hate to be the one to say it, but… well, let’s face it: we’re never leaving, now.

(Edit: OK, now that I’ve had a few moments for the story to sink in, I’ve got to ask the question: why the fuck were we prospecting in the first place? Does the U.S. military just make it a habit to travel around with a troupe of oil and minerals industry geologists wherever they happen to invade?)

Stinque’s soccer correspondent missed watching the Ghana-Serbia match today due to her own soccer matches, but based on the past games of the Ghana “Black Stars,” it is likely that the glue that held together the team in its 1-0 shutout of Serbia was defensive player Isaac Vorsah, an imposing 6’5″ playing in the German leagues, and one of the rising stars of African soccer at only 22 years of age.

He is therefore the World Cup Hottie of the Day for this Sunday.

In other World Cup developments, the Germans crushed the Aussies 4-0, after one of the Socceroos (yes that’s their nickname) was thrown out on a red card.  I’m feeling positive about Germany making it to the finals this year, and if you’re wondering, the other choices on my shortlist are Holland, Spain, and of course, Brazil.  Holland plays Denmark tomorrow in a game that will be a clinic showcase of precision ball-skills, and the disjointed returning champions Italy also plays tomorrow and I think that they could be upset by Paraguay.

Hottie photos are after the jump.  And I don’t feel bad about oohing over him even though he was born after I got a driver’s license. Neither should you, JNOV.

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Salmon Caesar Salad turned out OK:

A restauranteur I know told me to toast the bread before making croutons.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW4IiwmaYNk

Title: “The Overton Window”

Author: Kevin Balfe (attributed to Glenn Beck)

Rank: 5

Blurb: “A plan to destroy America, a hundred years in the making, is about to be unleashed… can it be stopped?”

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I think I need to give the Julia Child thing a rest this weekend, so something fairly simple: Salmon Caesar Salad:

Caesar Salad Components

• Romaine Lettuce, usually just the hearts. The romaine can be chopped, but was traditionally left whole and eaten with the fingers instead of utensils.
• Garlic Croutons: Don’t over think this one. Croutons are nothing more than toasted bread, in this case tossed with crushed garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper after being toasted. My favorite way to toast croutons is to fry them in oil, but you can also bake, pan fry or toast in a toaster oven.
• Anchovy Fillets (Optional): Not a part of the traditional Caesar salad but is now a common component in modern versions. I like to personally use whole, white anchovy fillets called Boquerones.
• Grated Parmesan Cheese: This can really be any hard, aged cheese that you desire. Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Asiago, and Pecorino Romano are all good choices.

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JNOV reports:

These are pictures of the 9th Ward: The levee where it broke and flooded the street, and houses with the graffiti that shows the date the house was searched — about a month after the flood.

All the open fields were neighborhoods that basically reverted to nature — there are only a handful of homes, plus some of those Brad Pitt solar homes. Everywhere you look is tall grass for blocks and blocks and blocks. Who knows what sort of wildlife is living in that grass?

The road near the levee is still not paved. Fats Domino still lives in the 9th Ward.