BREAD AND CIRCUSES?

1910–15; translation of Latin pānis et circēnsēs; from a remark by the Roman satirist Juvenal on the limited desires of the Roman populace.

Is this what we've come to?

We are more exercised by whether or not Beyonnce (a talented but limited performer) pre-recorded her version of the National Anthem or not than we are by anything those living jokes in the White House or in Congress are doing.

There was nearly as much press over Michelle Obama's bangs than there was over the actual words of her spouse which sounded to me like a further slide into socialism was being engineered by his administration.

We get the kind of government we deserve - so if we don't start paying close attention, we ARE screwed!

EASIEST COCKTAIL SNACK EVER!

This recipe is from my late mother - Irene Savko Miller - and was always a huge hit with people.

Buy one or more pounds of either hot or mild Italian sausage. Allow to come to room temperature (for food safety reasons, do not let it sit out too long), form into small balls and brown in skillet until browned on all sides. Do not crowd the pan or the balls won't develop a nice brown crust. (A combination of hot and mild works very well too.)

PLEASE NOTE: They will not be cooked all the way through at this point!

Place browned sausage balls onto a cookie sheet and put into the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees to complete the cooking process.

Serve slightly warm with a container of toothpicks and a bowl of unsweetened applesauce onto which you have sprinkled a fairly good quantity of cinnamon hearts. The sausage balls may be dipped into the applesauce and then eaten. Yum.

People love these and they're an easy treat to serve at your next festive gathering.

HILLARY CLINTON'S HEALTH

Okay. It is a well known fact that I find Hillary Clinton to be a contemptible creature with very little to recommend her lack of character. That being said, what are you right-wing idiots thinking when you make the snarky and snide comments I have recently read? This is a fe4llow human being, folks! If we want the dialogue to become more civil, you don't start that by being nasty and contemptible - no matter what the other side says or does. And I admit, I have indulged in some of that same poor behavior myself from time to time, particularly as it pertains to our "ceremonial" president (h/t Hill Buzz for that fine description) and the execrable John F. Kerry.

However, having suffered some of what Mrs. Clinton has been through of late and being pretty much in her same age group - although older - I wish her only the best in her recovery from what has had to be a frightening health scare. I suffered a stroke about three years ago. It was extremely mild and left no lasting symptoms, although I subsequently had to undergo what I described as two "roto-rooter" operations to clear the carotid arteries on both sides of my neck. My surgeon was so deft that I have virtually no scar visible, despite the incision from just below each ear down nearly to my collarbone.

So I wish Mrs. Clinton a speedy and complete recovery. It's probably a good thing that you're no longer going to be under the pressures of the Department of State, despite my humongous reservations about your possible replacement.

It's 2013. If improvements are to be, they must start with ME!