NonCensus

Several days ago, we got a letter in the mail, stating that we would soon be receiving our 2010 census form, if we hadn't already gotten it.

The following day, we got our census to fill out. Being the responsible citizen that I am, I filled it out, and dropped it off at the post office that very day!

Yesterday, we received a post card, reminding me that I was legally obligated to fill out the census and return it. The census that I mailed back last week? That one? Oh. Just checking.

Am I the only one who feels that this is a blatant overkill and waste of tax payer money? Not to mention the amount of paper it used, delivering those useless "It's coming! Get ready!" and "fill it out or else!" letters.

I understand that if someone fails to reply, then an actual person has to go to the house, knock on the door, and fill it out themselves then and there. I get the overwhelming cost in that.

However, with the overwhelming publicity this census has been given (there is even a bilingual Dora commercial on the 24/7 kids channel exclaiming "Help your parents fill out their census forms! It will help bring new daycares and playgrounds to YOUR neighborhood!" Uh, seriously?) there was no need to waste money and resources on a warning mailer, which arrived the day before, if not the same day as, the census.

And since everything is barcode it, scan it, input it, over it, it certainly seems like it would be easy enough to wait more than a day after receiving the survey, and then send out a reminder to those who haven't yet responded.

I know the USPS is hurting for money and all...but really? Really?

Just checking.

Cooking with Saki

Happy St. Patty's Day, Blogfans! Put down your pint, because we're going to make a sweet treat in honor of the green holiday - Rainbow Cupcakes! I'll wait while you calm down; I was excited too.

Are you settled? Good.

If you've been imbibing in the Irish tradition of drinking yourself into a stupor, find a designated driver (and someone to supervise your oven use) and Erin Go Braugh yourself to the store to pick up:

1 box of white cake mix

Whatever your cake ix calls for (eggs, oil, etc)

1 box of food coloring

Cupcake wrappers

A lovely assistant

Grab your lovely assistant, and award 10 points to Gryffindor if she makes leprechaun faces while you make your Rainbow Cupcakes:

Follow the directions on the back of the box and whip up that mix. I'm not going to hold your hand through this one, Blogfans. Just do what the box tells you to do. once it's all mixed, separate into six small bowls. You'll want to use bowls slightly larger than the white ones shown, because it yielded quite the batter-y mess on my counters:

In the first bowl, add 9 drops red and 6 drops of blue food coloring

In the second bowl, add 12 drops of blue food coloring

In the third bowl, add 12 drops of green food coloring

In the fourth bowl, add 12 drops of yellow food coloring

In the fifth bowl, add 12 drops yellow and 4 drops of red food coloring

In the sixth bowl, add 18 drops of red food coloring (Love that red dye!)

Mix each bowl, respectively, until the color is even throughout:

Line your cupcake tin with wrappers and add a spoonful of the purple batter to the bottom of each wrapper. It might not cover the whole bottom, and that's okay, just make sure you get some in all of them. Follow suit with the ROY G BIV* rainbow (that's Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet for all of you science slackers). Pop them in an oven that has been preheated to whatever your cake mix box says, and bake for the recommended amount of time. Again, consult the box. Also, don't mock my dirty oven. Dinner overfloweth last night:

Once they cool, top them with a delicious cloud of whipped cream, and some gold coins, if you're super fancy**.

* But omit indigo, since it's been banished from the rainbow and has gone to hang with Pluto in the land of Fun Things Scientists Have Done Away With

** Much to the dismay of my children, we are not super fancy.

Perspective

Just when the Caterpillar thought her world was over, she became a Butterfly

Ferocious Beasts

Just two pitbulls, living up to their savage reputation: