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Ethiopian Kik Alitcha
Genene S. W. (original recipe)
I had relatives in California as a kid and later a girlfriend with roots there so I've visited
many times and have many fond memories. I also see a strategic significance to forging ties with
our West Coast friends, the largest Blue state, among the largest economies in the world, a
progressive leader, and a laboratory of progressive policies.
I like to point out that California, and liberals in general, owing to their compassionate
spirits and wanting to make the world a better place, will attempt to address issues that
conservatives don't even see a government role in addressing. Sometimes this is ill-guided,
like (I believe) the recently vetoed ban on children playing tackle football. My friends and
I were far from jocks but we played informal games of tackle football (without pads) and it's
weird to think we could have been banned from this. But children getting hurt playing football
is a real issue and I am sympathetic to the desire for a policy solution. Sometimes it's not the
right answer, so we assess this, and change course accordingly. It's called adaptive management.
Some problems California can't solve on its own. Greta Thunberg is cool. People ask her,
what difference does it make if the United States cuts its emissions since the rest of the
world isn't likely to? And she says, people in Sweden point to what the United States isn't
doing and ask the same thing about why Sweden should bother. So her point is, everyone can
point to someone else, but someone is pointing at you and that should be enough to matter,
so they can point to you for doing the right thing.
There is a lot the United States can do to show leadership by driving innovation and lowering
costs. But our own example is also important, and couples with the practical solutions needed.
In New York, we are trying, and we look to you, California, and see that you are trying. But
this is not safe-injection sites. This is not a policy experiment. We know what we need to do
and not every question is answered but it's time for decisive action and has been for decades.
I figure, California, you must be tired of all your heavy lifting on this important issue. Maybe
it's time everyone helped out and this became a National issue of clear urgency.
A national cap-and-dividend plan is a flexible strategy that uses markets but is not beholden
to them in reaching real-world targets for emissions reductions. It is simple but comprehensive,
equitable and targeted, ambitious yet politically feasible.
I say we need to mobilize to fight climate change like we are fighting Nazis in Europe.
Roof-top solar is right for so many reasons. Let's put solar panels on every public building
that can accommodate them.
In preparation for this post, I decided to read Bill Gates's book on the climate crisis. I was
prepared to disagree with him on key points. It was painful at times, but I read it.
On the positive side, it was well-researched and well-organized. I think his assessment of where
we are is mostly accurate. But where we disagree is on what will happen going forward.
The industry is doing everything it can to solve the technological challenges of EVs and costs
are coming down fast. Let's solve the organizational challenges! We need to plan ahead for dedicated
charged parking at nearly every residence in America, to accommodate universal EV usage.
Markets are good and a part of the solution, but we didn't defeat the Nazis by relying on markets.
I'd like to avoid the language of "war on this, war on that" but I can't help but find the metaphor
apt. We can look at climate change as an enemy, and mobilize our society and economy to defeat the
enemy, and if history is any indication, we come out strong, this time without bloodshed and loss
and trauma but with the same triumphant spirit of accomplishment, rising to the occasion in a time
of need. We can literally inspire future generations with our great deeds, saving the planet for
them.
We should be installing heat pumps in low-income homes as fast as possible! These will help lower
heating/cooling bills, save energy, and help lower the cost of heat pumps for middle- and high-income
homes.
More than any specific policy we need to think about it on these kinds of terms, with empowered
urgency. I think it is more urgent than Bill Gates does, but I also think people collectively will
go to greater lengths to achieve what is necessary. If you look at human civilization and how it
is organized, it appears pretty fragile. It holds together because we believe in it. We can reshape
it, believe in something better.
I support the Green New Deal and I feel like everyone should because it is about aspirations,
not an inflexible plan imposing specific solutions. A fundamental assumption underlying the GND
is that we can transform our economy so that it achieves goals of social and environmental justice.
Many assessments emphasize the enormous economic cost of weaning ourselves from fossil fuels and
frame the issue as environment vs. economy. But the economy is just what people are doing. Markets
help us organize this but they are not the only tool at our disposal, and ultimately, if we are
feeding, clothing, sheltering, entertaining, etc. our people and giving everyone something useful
to do, then our economy will be pretty OK, better even than it was before. The difference is merely
what people are doing, and this will require change which can be scary or even painful, but together
we can land this plane.
Ingredients
- 1 tso. fresh Ginger, minced
- 1 cu. dried Yellow split peas, washed and soaked overnight
Salad
Preparation
(I think this text is straight from the pdf.)
In a large pot over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the shallots and cook until soft and
translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, and ginger
and cook 2 minutes. Add the turmeric, salt, ground pepper, and 3 1⁄2 cups of water and turn heat to high.
Bring water to a boil, add the split peas, and reduce heat to medium-low. Place a lid partially on the
pot, but leave a gap for steam to escape. Simmer for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
yellow split peas are tender. Add more water if the water boils off too quickly.
When the peas are softened, remove from heat and mash them gently with a fork.
To make the salad: Combine all ingredients. I didn't measure, sorry. It's a pretty simple salad.
Discussion
I asked my mom to make this for me for my birthday and even my carnivorous dad liked it! The original
recipe calls for a bed of lettuce but I thought a salad would be even better. Unfortunately, my mom did
not see my text message asking that the salad be vegan, and I'm pretty sure the naan wasn't vegan either,
so maybe a couple of fails on that front but all in all I am happy with the results. I made a salad later
out of what I had around for purposes of this post.
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Colorado