ETCETERA THE Q & A KIDDUSH CLUB Our Country, 'Tis of Thee ... Best Drinks hat better reason to throw a party than our nation's birthday? You know, there's a reason our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in July ... a backyard bash in Michigan would suck in February! We charged our members to seek out drinks that will make your Independence Day party squeal with delight, like the sound of that bottle rocket your juvenile neighbors light off at 1:30 a.m. And, while you wouldn't necessarily find these drinks at the Kiddush Club (we're a staid lot), we hope to score an invitation to your soiree so we can try them out. Forget the rockets' red glare; we'll expect some glazed-over red eyes after knocking back a few of these puppies ... Happy Birthday, America! CHERRY BOMB Ari Adler: Press Secretary and Cat Herder Extraordinaire ii. s the communications director for Michigan's Republican speaker of the house, media guru Ari Adler has the job of keep- ing the message on point for his boss with the state's sometimes wily media corps. Like keeping lawyers in line, control- ling reporters has been compared to herding cats. To that end, Adler, 43, has lassoed RT quite nicely. Louis Pasteur might not approve, but the active ingredient in this drink will light up your night sky: 1 oz. Brandy, 1h oz. Triple Sec, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. grenadine, 4 ice cubes. Combine all ingredients in a shaker and get agitating. Strain into some swanky glasses, garnish with a maraschino cherry and serve. FIRECRACKERS RT: How did a nice Jewish boy from Waterford end up as communications director for the Michigan speaker of the house? AA: I worked as a newspaper reporter and editor at weekly and small daily papers throughout Michigan after gradu- ating from MSU. One day in the mid-'90s, on the job as a newspaper editor, apparently a frustrating day, I applied for a position at the House Republican Communications Office on a whim. I never expected to get a call, assuming they wanted a PR person not a journalist. It turns out they wanted to hire a journalist to beef up their media relations. Once you're in state government, you tend to stay, and I did. Despite work- ing for the House, MDOT (Michigan Department of Transpor- tation), the Senate and now the House again, I have always moved forward in my media-relations career. RT: How"partisan"are you? (Would you ever consider working for the other side?) AA: I'm not as partisan as people might think. I see my role in media relations as being a fountain of information, a source for the media of all types to fulfill their role within society. Certainly, I am more ideologically aligned with the conservatives than the liberals. That's why I'd never feel I could do a good job for Democrats, not that they'd probably want me after all the years I've played the role of the enemy. RT: Between the time you worked for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema (who served 2002-06) and now-Speaker Jase Bolger, how has the way information is disseminated changed? AA: There is so much more information available for ev- eryone to make educated decisions because of the Internet in general and social media in particular. It's made my job both easier and more difficult. It certainly has increased the volume of work and the hours needed to accomplish my job. RT: How does the mouthpiece for a politician unwind when your words are always being monitored? AA: It's difficult because of the constant attention and in- terpretation of what I'm saying at work and on my own time. Because of the 24-hour nature of social media, it's tougher to strike a work-life balance. I tend to unwind only when I can stop talking and tweeting so I enjoy the solitude of listening to music while riding my bike or even just mowing the lawn. RT: Has the business of politics (in Lansing) changed since Rick Snyder became governor? The attitude has changed and is much more positive. It's not just because we have one party in charge. There's a new feeling that the Legislature can take action and move on, and that just because we have a whole year to pass a bill, we don't have to take that long. It's the first time I can remember when people are in awe of our speed because it's so fast and not because it's so slow. RT: What would you do if a "Weiner-gate" happened on your watch? AA: I've been pretty outspoken about [former N.Y.] Con- gressman [Anthony] Weiner because I'm frustrated by the media coverage of the incident. Social media isn't his issue, integrity is. Politicians are human and they make mistakes. People are willing to forgive human frailties but not dishon- esty. In any public relations crisis, a quick and sincerely hon- est reaction is key to surviving in the court of public opinion. RT: Do you have any political aspirations of your own? AA: I don't have any aspirations to hold office myself, but I would like to continue advancing my career as a media- relations professional. If I stay in politics that means moving on to serve a governor. An office on Pennsylvania Avenue might be nice, too. — By Red Thread Staff With a nod of gratitude to our South- ern neighbors, we suggest refraining from lighting this drink's namesake for fear of injuring your mixing hand: 11/2 oz. tequila, cracked ice, tonic water, lime wedge. Pour the tequila over the ice in a highball glass. Fill with tonic, stir and garnish with a lime wedge. STAR-SPANGLED JELL-O SHOOTERS Yes, we know many of our readers aren't in college anymore, but that shouldn't stop you from partying like a sophomore on occasion. How psyched will your guests be when you offer them Jell-O shots? Dare we say,"Very!": 4-cup package of Jell-O, 2 cups of boiling water, 2 cups of vodka. (Jell-O is a brand name but is not certified kosher. Kosher gelatin brands include Kojel and Kolatin. Any flavor vodka will do, but don't exceed 100 proof.) Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water and let it cool. Add the liquor. Pour about 1/8- to 1/4-cup into little plastic cups and chill. We trust you can figure it out from here. AMERICAN FLAG Because the theme counts for this holiday, serve up some Ameri- can Flags. When prepared properly, this shot will look red, white and blue. (And, if it doesn't come out, it will still taste quite lovely!) It's like a liquid chocolate-covered cherry: 1/3 cup of grenadine, 1/3 cup of Creme de Cacao, and 1/3 cup of Blue Cura- cao. Mix in the aforementioned order and drink up. OLD GLORY A variation of the previous offering, this drink should guarantee the color theme you may have missed before: 1/2 oz. grenadine syrup, 1/2 oz. vodka and 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao. THE SCALLION: A SATIRE INDEPENDENCE DAY PUNCH Michigan House OKs Gun Bill for Toddlers Reps seek to abolish age restrictions for concealed weapons permits after passing similar legislation for hunting. By Drew P. Hodensack LANSING — Ceding to the clamor of prepubescent bloodlust, the Michigan House of Representatives recently passed legisla- tion allowing children under the age of 6 to carry a concealed weapon — provided they promise not to shoot unless their life — or milk money — is threatened. "That government can dictate when an American citizen is'old enough'to own a gun is just absurd,"said Peter Grey, regional director of Michigan Friends of the National Rifle Association."It's just another example of how govern- ment is the problem; the only thing that calms my 6-month- old grandbaby is the cold steel barrel of my Smith & Wesson." This latest bill was preceded by approved legislation allowing children less than 10 years old to obtain a hunt- ing license. The hunting bill, which was passed in an 85-23 vote by the House, is now waiting for action by the state Senate, which recently passed similar legislation. "We figured, why give playground bullies the upper hand?" said Rep. Pe- ter Pattalia (R-Presque Isle), sponsor of the revised hunting bill. "If these thugs know Johnny is packing, they'll think twice before they try and grab his lunch. And, after Johnny takes them out, he can go straight to the woods and kill Bambi for dinner!' R./ There's something about a punch- bowl that seems so nostalgically American, we couldn't give you suggestions without including a classic punch recipe. Of course, this punch also packs one so keep those pesky kids away from this bowl: 26 oz. Rye, 2 bottles of sherry (Kedem and Tio Pepe are kosher), 3 bottles of ginger ale and 3 oranges, sliced. Pour two bottles of ginger ale into a bundt pan and add two of the sliced oranges — freeze to use as an ice ring in the punchbowl, into which you've poured the Rye and sherry. (It won't dilute the punch as it melts.) Add the third orange to the punch and have a good time. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July! — By Red Thread Staff 16 July 2011 I RED THREAD www.redthreadmagazine.com •