Shotgun Schizo Cheney Assails Russia for its Human Rights Records
Liz, we've learned, can get pretty worked up, and it doesn't take much, though tonight what upset her upset us all. We've also just learned that one of the myriad advantages to having a great room is that you can steer clear of someone's aggressively gesticulating hands and arms. Oscar de la Hoya, watch out. Her hackles were up (straight up!), notwithstanding the amazingly good cocktail Schuyler served tonight. He called it The Spatini, and got the recipe for them straight from the Grey Goose Vodka group. What we all found magnificent were the Grey Goose Le Citron, and garnished with impossibly thin slices of perfect cucumber. Hmmmm. We were pretty content, but usually placid Liz was not anywhere close to ending her tirade

The Shotgun Calling the Repeater Rifle Dangerous
With the stellar record on human rights, prisoner's rights, repudiation of torture (Hah!), the loving embrace of the "little man" and his disdain for big business and the oil cartels who fund his retirement, and the innumerable lies of Dick (sorta rhymes with rick, or am I thinking of another word?) Cheney, the Shot gunner with the swastika perpetually etched in the corner of his lizardly lips actually had the chutzpah to criticize berate Russia. The point Liz was trying to make was that this creep of all creeps doesn't have a srtipped-vein leg to stand on. Seems to Liz, and by association, us, that Cheney makes Putin seem like the Archangel Michael, a man some dingbat once said you could see right through to his soul by peering at his big 'ol blue eyes.

The Shotgun Gunning Down Putin on Human Rights
In Berlin and Geneva, and yes, in every capital around the world, we've been reading Amnesty International's reports on the atrocities committed by this Hitlerian administration. A 32,000 word report commented on the "torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of detainees by U.S forces is widespread and, in many cases, sanctioned by top government officials (Bush/Cheney/Rumsefeld/Rice/Rove Cabal?) and although the U.S. government continues to assert its condemnation of torture and ill-treatment, these statements contradict what is happening in practice," quoted Curt Goering, the group's senior deputy executive director in the United States. "The U.S.government is not only failing to take steps to eradicate torture, it is actually creating a climate in which torture and other ill-treatment can flourish."

Poor Liz, through the hackles, you could see her skin crawl at the thought of such incredible hypocrisy.

Like a Bowl Full of Jelly
Not Christmas, but our bellies did jiggle like jelly, when Liz told some of the most asinine comments this paragon of fascism was spouting from his infamously venomous lips. Inanities such as:

"In many areas of civil society [like Cheney would know what those were] from religion and the news media to advocacy groups and political parties the government has unfairly and improperly restricted the rights of her people." Like the Gestapo White House run for Little Lord Fauntleroy by Cheney and Rove?

Cheney, who has illicit oil running through his thickened arteries, actually had the sang pétrolesque to pronounce, lip swastika twitching: "No legitimate interest is served when oil and gas become tools of intimidation or blackmail, and no one can justify actions that undermine the territorial integrity of a neighbor or interfere with democratic movements." Oh, Señor Halliburton must have forgotten about Afghanistan, Iraq, Venezuela and Bolivia. Jeez, seems like of the two Pee Wee has the higher morals.

Petro Sleaze
Could this have been said of Swastika-lipped faschio-crip Cheney: "He [Cheney] is a man of splendid abilities, but utterly corrupt. He shines and stinks like rotten mackerel by moonlight." John Randolph of Roanoke

The Magic Dinner Gong
Maybe after dinner Liz will calm down, though now of course she has the rest of us all riled up as well. However, with Shelley and Cathy, Marie Christine and Jean Paul in charge of organizing dinner, we'll all probably feel better soon.

For the amuse-bouche, or "tickle the palate" course, we were served homemade chicken liver Monégasque Chicken Liver Pâté with Pineapple on Homemade Brioche. If this "simple little dish" sounds good to you, we wish you had been a guest at our groaning old farm table (for 34 adults.) Although the sherry was ready on the sideboard, at the last minute the ladies decided to serve a magnificent Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs instead, and Liz's vapors were seen to float out the just-opened-a-crack windows.

Ah! Jean Paul. Food in his hands is like a when he takes the reins of one of his many horses. You wonder where the horse begins and the God takes over. (Or something like that, but you get the idea.) His Plank Smoked Salmon with Garlic and Hot Pepper, plated with smashed potatoes, scallions and truffles. With a wonderful fruit-forward Zinfandel from Rancho Zabaco, Sonoma County, this dish was perfection after Jean Paul plated the dish on our Pilyuivit plates!

For a different dish, rather than a traditional, for us, meat course, Jean Paul prepared one of his classics, Ratatouille. Perfectly delectable and amazingly satisfying. (Caught a glimpse of Liz smiling!) He and Marie Christine brought some exquisite bottles of Corbières from the Languedoc, an excellent, no, a superb dry red wine.

For dessert we had simple vanilla Madeleines, and the teenagers had some of Cathy's homemade vanilla ice cream as well. Then, we took our snifters of Grand Marnier and joined the kids back in the great room. Liz had calmed down, we knew everything she had said and thought was true, but for tonight, we just were thankful for a great dinner blessed by the company of so many friends and so many different faiths, all raining down peace on us, and hope for a soon-to-come regime change. Oh November, wherefore art thou?

Summary
One of the most sinister personages to ever sit on the stage of American politics, Dick 'Shotgun' Cheney, had the temerity to insult Russia on its energy policies and on its human rights records. Yes, the stomach churned, and mightily. A pig doesn't teach a sow anything about cleanliness, and hypocrisy of the most sordid kind continues to permeate this disgraced and corrupt White House, or should we call it the Dung House until we effect regime change?