Back in Dallas

 

Here we are, punters, back at Dallas HQ for Easter Monday and it's not bad. Birds sing, the sun shines and all's well in this small urban haven, a far cry from the race  track chaos of the 'sprawl. In fact, it's more peaceful than the Country Compound because there's no roosters here. Don't get me wrong, roosters play their part and add a kind of problem farm authenticity to the scene, but they're mighty loud. Maybe not as loud as shrieking peacocks, but still.

In other news, you may have followed the pretty remarkable rescue of one of our downed pilots, all kinds of hyper specops action, and some say more than that. They think the raid was a play to get at the mullahs' uranium, and maybe they have a point. But what do I know? Nothing. Why? Because SECWAR Hegseth hasn't been returning my calls. C'mon, Pete, pick up the 'phone.

What if America is already far richer than anyone in the swamp is allowed to admit?

What if the real drag on the Republic isn’t taxes, isn’t debt, isn’t even the deficit, it’s Europe?

What if NATO was never a mutual defense pact, but a 75-year subscription America forgot to…

— John Ʌ Konrad V (@johnkonrad) April 6, 2026

Speaking of Persia, 47's been blowing up the airwaves with all kinds of mad bomber incendiarism, "Praise be to Allah!" and dropping an F Bomb on the Straits of Hormuz, It'll be a "GUSHER," and on. What do you make of this? Serious question.

My take, for what little it's worth because SECWAR's apparently blocked me, is something like this: Team Trump hoped for a quick fix. Bold call, didn't get it. So pump up the volume and the bombs and the threats until the other side gets it and walks away before a JDAM hits their bedroom. 

Quite the message. But oh dear, Team Mullah refuses to bend the knee, with their blend of zero sum perverse martyr Islamic sensibility. Next step, 47 gets really loud in the probably doomed expectation that IRGC gets that memo, Viz. if you don't step away from the country we're going to utterly destroy you.

As you know, gentlemen and gentlewomen, the US is more than capable of carrying out the threat of destroying Iran as a functional country. 47, it seems, would prefer we didn't but isn't afraid to go Godzilla all-in if that's what it takes. That's the message, as I see it, Pete might agree, I don't know, he isn't answering calls, perhaps he's busy.

Personally, I'd love it if the Islamo-Marxists who run Persia were taken down, whether we do it remains to be seen. Whatever the case, it's one heckuvva gamble, not least with people's lives, and I hate that. Granted, wars must be fought given our fallen imperfection, but we, as Christians, are about life not death. We build, they destroy. Let's pray the US is on the right side of this Eastertide equation.

Forgive the ramble and feel free to comment on the sit. In other words, what's your take? Over to you.

Cano Arma Virumque,

LSP

On The Other Side

 

Well that was a lot of fun. Spirited Easter Masses followed by the roast beef of Old Texas, Yorkshire pudding, carrots, roast potatoes, outrageously heavy English silver, Gerrards thank you very much, and general mahogany pounding all 'round. Great result, Christ has risen.

Then today. Wake up, amble downstairs and survey the kitchen. Marvel at the fact of its cleanliness. Yes, we cleared up after last night's celebration, make strong coffee and head out onto the back porch. Check the news on your phone and... lo and behold, the Pope's dead.

Well he was 88, to be fair, he also hated the Latin Mass and loved mass immigration into the West. I love the Latin Mass and hate mass immigration into the West, so we disagreed on that. But I won't bang on, may he rest in peace, even if he was a behind-the-times Vatican II empty the pew com/symp Liberation Theology Jesuit.

Who knows, maybe Ignatius Loyola will give him a stern talking to. And who knows who will succeed him? I don't and don't pretend to, though perhaps you do. Feel free to weigh in, no rule. In the meanwhile, leftover beef is being transformed into a beef and mushroom pie. Stand by for updates on this exciting culinary adventure.

Your Old Friend,

LSP

Easter Monday Cooking With LSP

Birds sing, exotic ducks roost on top of Eduardo's roof and all's well in LSPland, in that balmy springlike way we so love. Alleluia, Christ has risen from the grave and death and Hell have no more dominion over us. 

That in mind, I fixed a G3 monocle on a boneless 6-7 rib roast lurking in the thievish corners of the fridge. Why not cook that beef up, after all, it's Easter Monday. And here's it is, brushed with olive oil and seasoned with pepper and salt, ready to go onto a vegetable trivet and into the oven.

Now, before you say how could you possibly afford that on your miserable stipend, so-called LSP? I'll tell you this little beast was bought at a 50% markdown firesale. Margin calls aside, great result, and here's the plan. 

Roast for 15 minutes at 500* then at 325*for 12 minutes per pound. Test with a meat thermometer at around 50/60 minutes, it should come in at 125-130* for medium rare awesomeness. Next up?

just a kid

Take the life giving beef out of the oven, celebrate your not inconsiderable victory with a glass of the right stuff, cover the meat in foil and let it rest for around 20 or 30 minutes, it'll continue to cook to tender, juicy perfection. 

As it does, fire some potatoes in the oven at 425* along with Yorkshire pudding batter in a preheated tin or skillet(s), boil up carrots or whatever, there's no "rule," and after 20 minutes or so remove from oven. In the meanwhile, and this is key, make gravy from the beef's drippings and remains of the veg trivet (which should include garlic cloves, onion and carrot, which you crush and strain, obvs).

hey now

Strife o'er, cut the beef. Serve the veg alongside. Place several Yorkshires on the plate. Stand askance at the sheer beauty of the thing and add gravy. Then fall upon your scoff like a warrior. Well, that's the projection and let's see how it goes, so far we're at the seasoned beef resting to room temp stage, with YP batter in the fridge, let that rest, important.

Stay Tuned,

LSP