Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday Kitchen Report - They Call Me Tater Salad
Saw this recipe in the latest issue of Esquire, and I just had to make it.
Fortunately we had almost all the ingredients in stock, and acceptable substitutes for the rest.
My changes:
It's still cooling and setting up right now, but the sample I had was AMAZING! When it's cool, I'll add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Highly recommended.
Fortunately we had almost all the ingredients in stock, and acceptable substitutes for the rest.
My changes:
- We only had purple potatoes from the farmer's market so I used those.
- I added some funky purple and red and yellow carrots, also from the farmer's market. Sliced them into very thin discs.
- No capers.
- Substituted sardines for anchovies.
- I used three whole red peppers that I roasted under the broiler for 30 minutes. Half a cup my ass! Roasted red peppers are some of the best things in the world.
- I went heavy on the crushed red pepper, as I always do.
It's still cooling and setting up right now, but the sample I had was AMAZING! When it's cool, I'll add the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Highly recommended.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Add another to the Win column
It's official: Democrat Scott Murphy beats Republican James Tedisco in the battle for Kirsten Gillibrand's vacated NY-20 seat.
Not a huge fan of Murphy and his whole Blue Dog thing, but we certainly don't need any more Republicans of any stripe in government, so I'll take it. Upstate is pretty rural and conservative, so even Dems have to have some funny ideas to get elected.
Not a huge fan of Murphy and his whole Blue Dog thing, but we certainly don't need any more Republicans of any stripe in government, so I'll take it. Upstate is pretty rural and conservative, so even Dems have to have some funny ideas to get elected.
Keep this handy for your next wingnut smackdown
The torture timeline - at least what we know so far.
BAKINTYM
Sitting at a red light on the way home, I noticed that on the license plate on the car in front of me.
I figured out what it said, but it made no sense for a couple seconds. Then I zoomed out a bit, and realized the car was a DeLorean. Mint freakin' condition too.
Well played, sir.
I figured out what it said, but it made no sense for a couple seconds. Then I zoomed out a bit, and realized the car was a DeLorean. Mint freakin' condition too.
Well played, sir.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Nerdpocalypse
This comment thread right here, breaks the nerdmeter beyond repair.
Does swinging at a pitch constitute a melee attack or does it require a saving throw?
Yes, you read that right. A D&D argument among SABRmetricians. Get your fallout shelters ready.
Does swinging at a pitch constitute a melee attack or does it require a saving throw?
Yes, you read that right. A D&D argument among SABRmetricians. Get your fallout shelters ready.
Who said this?
"I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment."
Did you guess George W. Bush?
Sullivan has more.
Did you guess George W. Bush?
Sullivan has more.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I can't believe this happened
Now the question is: are Republicans this stupid, or are they playing to their stupid constituencies?
Seriously? Trying to gotchya a fucking Nobel Laureate?
Seriously? Trying to gotchya a fucking Nobel Laureate?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Best. Translation. Ever.
And when I say best, I mean worst.
Wow. Apparently, Videogum had a "high school freshman with one and a half semesters of introductory French" translate it for them.
Beautiful.
Wow. Apparently, Videogum had a "high school freshman with one and a half semesters of introductory French" translate it for them.
Beautiful.
Nobody could have predicted...
...empty seats at Yankee Stadium.
And while we're at it, here's the Yankee defense so far, courtesy of NoMass, who really should have direct links by now.
Of course, this is a really small sample size, but utterly consistent with the past 4-5 years.
The numbers represent runs saved above or below position average per 150 games (UZR/150).
UPDATE: To clarify, at this point, Swisher will give up 70 more runs over the course of a "season" than an average RF. Again, small sample size, but he is definitely below average.
And while we're at it, here's the Yankee defense so far, courtesy of NoMass, who really should have direct links by now.
Of course, this is a really small sample size, but utterly consistent with the past 4-5 years.
The numbers represent runs saved above or below position average per 150 games (UZR/150).
UPDATE: To clarify, at this point, Swisher will give up 70 more runs over the course of a "season" than an average RF. Again, small sample size, but he is definitely below average.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Consumption junction
Well done chart estimating how long the Earth's natural resource will last at the current rate of consumption.
Click to embiggen.
Yikes.
(via Gizmodo)
Click to embiggen.
Yikes.
(via Gizmodo)
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Beer Blogging - Flying Dog (TasteLive 4/19/09)
Kerberos Tripel - 12oz, 8.5%ABVThe Pour - Thin pour, very light head that faded quickly
The Color - A slightly hazy golden-orange body.
The Nose - Barnyard/straw, an orange/citrus aroma opens up the nose like a shot of smelling salts (and I mean that in a good way), clover. It screams Belgian.
The Taste - A touch of sweetness with a hint of caramel, balanced with an orange-peel bitterness. Does not hit you over the head with alcohol; a "sneaky" 8.5 if there ever was one. Very full mouthfeel, lingers on the palate for quite a long time. Getting some hints of banana now that the beer's opened up (and warmed up) a bit. Did I mention this lingers? My beer's been done for 5 minutes, and there's still a pleasant bitterness lingering on the back of my tongue. Now, when I posted that last thought at TTL, my friend Jeff's reply was "Yeah, lingers along the middle of my tongue all the way back." The only thing I could think to say to that was "LIKE MY COCK!" but I didn't want to tweet that publicly. So that was a special message directTweeted to him. Take that, Mr. "I can do 11 minus you divided by FUCK!"
The Verdict - B+.
Horn Dog Barley Wine - 12oz, 10.2%ABVThe Pour - Standard pour, building a nice tall head that lasts.
The Color - Deep orange amber.Very, very slight haze.
The Nose - Getting some barnyard/manure on this one. What the hell is up with my nose tonight? Also, coffee/mocha/chocolate, nutmeg, fig.
The Taste - Raisins, raisins, raisins. Very sweet, more than a little out of balance. Vanilla, molasses, chocolate/mocha. A hint of hops lingers nicely, but I can't get over the syrupy mouthfeel.
The Verdict - B-. Just too damned sweet. Which is strange, because I gave this an A- last time I beerblogged it, and it's been one of my favorite barleywines since I discovered it.
UPDATE: It was less cloying today, but still too sweet. A problem with the batch?
Double Dog Double Pale Ale - 12oz, 11.5%ABVThe Pour - Slightly thicker than average pour, nice long-lasting head.
The Color - Golden amber, medium haze, abundant floating sediment.
The Nose - Cigar box, hops, clove, pine forest. There's a lot going on here. Some tropical fruit too?
The Taste - Holy shit. This a hop monster. Bitter orange peel, corriander, and yes, pineapple. My nose isn't broken after all. Great beer.
The Verdict - A
UPDATE: Revisited this one, and nothing changes. I probably nursed this for 2 hours over yardwork and cooking, and it was good to the last drop. Tons of hops character, perfectly-balanced, and a totally sneaky ABV. I'll definitely keep this in the summer rotation. Wonderfully refreshing.
Gonzo Imperial Porter - 12oz, 9.2%ABVThe Pour - Standard thickness, HUGE head, which is to be expected at almost room temperature.
The Color - Brown/black, totally opaque.
The Nose - Caramel, smoke, honey.
The Taste - Everything a porter should be, but maybe a bit too sweet.
UPDATE: I was pretty hammered by the time this one came around, so I had another one today to give it a fair shake. The verdict is the same: too sweet. Everyone was raving about this last night, but I just don't see it. It's basic porter, and flawed at that.
The Verdict - C (downgrade from B- during the tasting)
An-ti-ci-paaaaa-tion
Sitting here with the Canis Major mixed pack of Flying Dog brews, waiting for 8pm to roll around so the latest TasteLive session can start.
One each of Double Dog Double Pale Ale, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Gonzo Imperial Porter, and Kerberos Tripel. Bill did the math on the bud points for me - tonight's tasting is 7.6 standard beers, not bad for a two-hour tasting session. Certainly less damage than the Dogfish tasting last month, which - if you drank all of them - was about 14 beers...
One each of Double Dog Double Pale Ale, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Gonzo Imperial Porter, and Kerberos Tripel. Bill did the math on the bud points for me - tonight's tasting is 7.6 standard beers, not bad for a two-hour tasting session. Certainly less damage than the Dogfish tasting last month, which - if you drank all of them - was about 14 beers...
Thursday, April 16, 2009
More literary, and some funny
Posnanski on Frost's The Road Not Taken. Bravo. I think about this a lot. If any one thing I did, ever, was different, would I still be here where I am today? How do I balance regret with the fact that I like where I am? I have a terribly crippling conscience, among other issues I wouldn't know how to begin to describe; there are so many things I wish I'd done differently. But if I had, I wouldn't be with Erica, with a nice house in Saratoga (a great little city), doing work I enjoy and at which I excel. I try to remember that whenever I get down on myself, but it's hard sometimes.
Do you ever think about the parallel universe you? Do you ever go back to that fork in the road - maybe you had two job offers at the same time, or two people you had to choose between relationship-wise, or any similar decision point - and wonder where the other road led?
In other news, Big Daddy Drew's latest Penthouse column is hilarious. (The ads on the page seem to be work-safe.) Ahhh, macho hang-ups... always a source of amusement to me.
Do you ever think about the parallel universe you? Do you ever go back to that fork in the road - maybe you had two job offers at the same time, or two people you had to choose between relationship-wise, or any similar decision point - and wonder where the other road led?
In other news, Big Daddy Drew's latest Penthouse column is hilarious. (The ads on the page seem to be work-safe.) Ahhh, macho hang-ups... always a source of amusement to me.
Some more links
A very interesting take on the health care system.
California is so fucked.
The rally may soon be over. Anyone ready for Dow 6500?
The world economy hinges on American consumer? We are sooooo fucked.
The Debt Puppy! Seriously, read this and the link in it.
Why we pay taxes: summary, and detail.
More on the soda tax.
An amusing account of a MASSIVE 50-person teabagging.
If this guy is a "journalist"...
Obama, transparency, and civil liberties: FAIL.
Benen is being generous when he calls them "low" information voters.
Government: always criminal. ALWAYS. Do you know what shortening yellows does, other than increase potential ticket revenue from red-light violations? It increases accidents and deaths. But hell, more $74 fines for Shittown. Woo-HOO! Who fucking cares who dies?
The smartcar: unsafe. But don't expect to hear that from publications that want Mercedes advertising dollars.
Holy crap I want this car, $2000 routine service be damned.
Winguts lying again.
California is so fucked.
The rally may soon be over. Anyone ready for Dow 6500?
The world economy hinges on American consumer? We are sooooo fucked.
The Debt Puppy! Seriously, read this and the link in it.
Why we pay taxes: summary, and detail.
More on the soda tax.
An amusing account of a MASSIVE 50-person teabagging.
If this guy is a "journalist"...
Obama, transparency, and civil liberties: FAIL.
Benen is being generous when he calls them "low" information voters.
Government: always criminal. ALWAYS. Do you know what shortening yellows does, other than increase potential ticket revenue from red-light violations? It increases accidents and deaths. But hell, more $74 fines for Shittown. Woo-HOO! Who fucking cares who dies?
The smartcar: unsafe. But don't expect to hear that from publications that want Mercedes advertising dollars.
Holy crap I want this car, $2000 routine service be damned.
Winguts lying again.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Happy Anniversary
Harlequin Romance Novels, giving you shower-nozzle masturbation material for 60 years.
(h/t Videogum)
(h/t Videogum)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Onion rulez, you drool
TJ sent me the latest (both NSFW):
Prison Economy Spirals As Price Of Pack Of Cigarettes Surpasses Two Hand Jobs
and this one is fucking brilliant:
Study: Children Exposed To Pornography May Expect Sex To Be Enjoyable
Wow.
Prison Economy Spirals As Price Of Pack Of Cigarettes Surpasses Two Hand Jobs
and this one is fucking brilliant:
Study: Children Exposed To Pornography May Expect Sex To Be Enjoyable
Wow.
Linkdump
More evidence that ethanol is a scam, "green"-wise. Unfortunately, politicians need Iowa, so nothing will ever be done about it.
So, wait... the "conservatives" are defending the "extremists?" Tart with more on the complete lack of understanding the nutzoids have, irony-wise. Remember "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about?" Hey, wingnuts: Suck. On. That.
Tbogg, in his own inimitable way, does a number on the wingnut umbrage. Also, he mercilessly mocks the teabaggers. And more.
Obama - kicking pirate ass since 2/19/09.
And speaking of pirates - EPIC FAIL by Newt et al. on Obama's handling of the rescue.
DAMN I love that video. Just think about this: these fuckheads wanted the captain dead. They don't give a shit about "life" in any form; they're just out for political gain.
Yes, tax the fuck out of soda.
Come on Bobby, what's it gonna be? You fuck.
More tea-bagging goodness. "If you are planning simultaneous teabagging all around the country, you're going to need a Dick Armey." *headdesk*
Iowa Republicans - not so familiar with the constitution, federal or state.
Palin's nominee for Alaska Attorney General - in favor of rape. And of course bigoted in many other ways.
Lies, damn lies and Ari Fleischer
Fuck Harry Reid. Better Democrats, please.
Goldman Sachs - their numbers are all bullshit.
So, wait... the "conservatives" are defending the "extremists?" Tart with more on the complete lack of understanding the nutzoids have, irony-wise. Remember "if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about?" Hey, wingnuts: Suck. On. That.
Tbogg, in his own inimitable way, does a number on the wingnut umbrage. Also, he mercilessly mocks the teabaggers. And more.
Obama - kicking pirate ass since 2/19/09.
And speaking of pirates - EPIC FAIL by Newt et al. on Obama's handling of the rescue.
DAMN I love that video. Just think about this: these fuckheads wanted the captain dead. They don't give a shit about "life" in any form; they're just out for political gain.
Yes, tax the fuck out of soda.
Come on Bobby, what's it gonna be? You fuck.
More tea-bagging goodness. "If you are planning simultaneous teabagging all around the country, you're going to need a Dick Armey." *headdesk*
Iowa Republicans - not so familiar with the constitution, federal or state.
Palin's nominee for Alaska Attorney General - in favor of rape. And of course bigoted in many other ways.
Lies, damn lies and Ari Fleischer
Fuck Harry Reid. Better Democrats, please.
Goldman Sachs - their numbers are all bullshit.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Missing link
Forgot this in the linkdump. Posnanski with a great post on Tiger, the Masters, his early days in the sportswriting business, and being assigned to the Augusta despite knowing nothing about golf.
Teabagging!!!
Rachel Maddow does her best...
I couldn't have made it through that. "Who wouldn't want to teabag John McCain?" OMFSM.
And speaking of tea parties, this is really the kind of wingnut we're dealing with.
Unreal. What's the saying? "Not all Republicans are stupid, but all stupid people are Republicans?" I don't know, that "Not" may need to be dropped.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
I couldn't have made it through that. "Who wouldn't want to teabag John McCain?" OMFSM.
And speaking of tea parties, this is really the kind of wingnut we're dealing with.
Woman: [Shouts] “Burn the books!” [applause]
Man: “I don’t think you were serious about that, were you?”
Woman: “I am too.”
Man: “Burn all the books?!”
Woman: “The ones in college, those, those brainwashing books.”
Man: “[laughs] Brainwashing books?”
Woman: “Yes.”
Man: “Which ones are those?”
Woman: “Like, the evolution crap, and, yeah...”
Unreal. What's the saying? "Not all Republicans are stupid, but all stupid people are Republicans?" I don't know, that "Not" may need to be dropped.
Friday linkdump
Sullivan sums up the tea-party nonsense nicely.
The anti-gay marriage doofuses must not be aware of the intertubez. Even better, after announcing their gay acronym, some smart pro-marriage-equality realized they hadn't even reserved the fucking web address! So the bigots can M4M themselves all they want, but 2m4m.org is a pro-gay-marriage web site.
Wingnuts, making up their reality as they go along.
CNN - as bad as Fox.
That flip-flop could have sprained a neck!
The chemical industry is threatened by Michelle Obama's organic garden. Cheesus.
In wingnut-land, increasing the defense budget is a decrease.
Goldman Sachs tries to shut down an anti-GS website.
Joe Klein properly disposes of Krauthammer. Klein seems to have really come to his senses the last couple years.
Do not buy a new car. Great comments too. That's good site with a smart bunch of readers.
The anti-gay marriage doofuses must not be aware of the intertubez. Even better, after announcing their gay acronym, some smart pro-marriage-equality realized they hadn't even reserved the fucking web address! So the bigots can M4M themselves all they want, but 2m4m.org is a pro-gay-marriage web site.
Wingnuts, making up their reality as they go along.
CNN - as bad as Fox.
That flip-flop could have sprained a neck!
The chemical industry is threatened by Michelle Obama's organic garden. Cheesus.
In wingnut-land, increasing the defense budget is a decrease.
Goldman Sachs tries to shut down an anti-GS website.
Joe Klein properly disposes of Krauthammer. Klein seems to have really come to his senses the last couple years.
Do not buy a new car. Great comments too. That's good site with a smart bunch of readers.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Speaking crazy to power
Jon Stewart sets the wingnuts straight.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | M - Th 11p / 10c | |||
| Baracknophobia - Obey | ||||
| ||||
"Deeply fucked in the head"
Indeed.
How come, when I head out of town on business, or Erica is out of town at a yoga retreat, I don't need a hall monitor? And I'm one of those immoral/amoral atheists!
Seriously, when I'm in Hotlanta for 5 days for a trade show, my concern won't be "how will I resist temptation?" It'll be "where's the best local food and drink?" Now, sure, it's the south. Will there be southern girls and sundresses and legs and boobs as far as the eye can see? Damn right there will be, and I'll be enjoying the show. But not for one single fucking second will I have to "fight temptation." Roommate, boss and I will just appreciate, maybe say a "hoo-WHEE" under our collective breath, and have another damned drink. Because there's nothing better than tax-deductible meals at the Capital Grille.
When you boil it down, religion is all about the penis and the fear of women. The weak-minded have such a fear of life and of their own frailties it's ridiculous, so they project their stupidity on the rest of the world and decide that we need control, especially the women (everything is their fault, of course).
I hate these people.
How come, when I head out of town on business, or Erica is out of town at a yoga retreat, I don't need a hall monitor? And I'm one of those immoral/amoral atheists!
Seriously, when I'm in Hotlanta for 5 days for a trade show, my concern won't be "how will I resist temptation?" It'll be "where's the best local food and drink?" Now, sure, it's the south. Will there be southern girls and sundresses and legs and boobs as far as the eye can see? Damn right there will be, and I'll be enjoying the show. But not for one single fucking second will I have to "fight temptation." Roommate, boss and I will just appreciate, maybe say a "hoo-WHEE" under our collective breath, and have another damned drink. Because there's nothing better than tax-deductible meals at the Capital Grille.
When you boil it down, religion is all about the penis and the fear of women. The weak-minded have such a fear of life and of their own frailties it's ridiculous, so they project their stupidity on the rest of the world and decide that we need control, especially the women (everything is their fault, of course).
I hate these people.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
{crickets}
In Binghamton, an immigrant killed a lot of people. Predictably, the wingnuts pounced.
I notice this morning's cop-killing in Pittsburgh was committed by a white 'Merkun wingnut:
Come on Pam, come on Michele. What's your take on this one?
I notice this morning's cop-killing in Pittsburgh was committed by a white 'Merkun wingnut:
Police did not immediately release the gunman's identity, but his friends at the scene described him as a young man who thought the Obama administration would ban guns.
One friend, Edward Perkovic, said the gunman feared "the Obama gun ban that's on the way" and "didn't like our rights being infringed upon." Another longtime friend, Aaron Vire, said he feared that President Obama was going to take away his rights, though he said he "wasn't violently against Obama."
Come on Pam, come on Michele. What's your take on this one?
Friday, April 03, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Linka dinka doo
Mark Cuban gets it right.
Bill James on the Orioles and other things.
Tweak your Google Image searches.
In praise of strong coffee.
The next bubble to burst?
Beating back the the "lower taxes will raise federal revenue" bullshit, one blog post at a time.
Worst wresting character ever. I can't believe this is real, but that guy was apparently a real WWF character. Is that supposed to be intimidating? Should I be afraid he's going to get glitter on me?
"We cannot have a better first person to attack health care reform than someone who ran a company that ripped off the government of hundreds of millions of dollars." Awesome. A criminal former health care exec is the best representative the right wing can find to fight health care reform.
Republicans - criminally insane? Or inveterate liars?
1619 federal charges against The Hair.
Do you people know how embarrassing it is to have George Will be one of your fraternity brothers?
Joe the Dumber strikes again. Christ these people are ridiculous.
Yes, this is why I see 5-6 troopers and sheriffs a day on my commute. Tickets and fines are the only revenue a lot of municipalities can increase quickly and easily.
Bill James on the Orioles and other things.
Tweak your Google Image searches.
In praise of strong coffee.
The next bubble to burst?
Beating back the the "lower taxes will raise federal revenue" bullshit, one blog post at a time.
Worst wresting character ever. I can't believe this is real, but that guy was apparently a real WWF character. Is that supposed to be intimidating? Should I be afraid he's going to get glitter on me?
"We cannot have a better first person to attack health care reform than someone who ran a company that ripped off the government of hundreds of millions of dollars." Awesome. A criminal former health care exec is the best representative the right wing can find to fight health care reform.
Republicans - criminally insane? Or inveterate liars?
Do you people know how embarrassing it is to have George Will be one of your fraternity brothers?
Joe the Dumber strikes again. Christ these people are ridiculous.
Yes, this is why I see 5-6 troopers and sheriffs a day on my commute. Tickets and fines are the only revenue a lot of municipalities can increase quickly and easily.
Best April Fools stunt ever
I have to admit I got suckered into this big time, and I never fall for this shit. Very well done, boys. That's why you've been on my must-watch list since day 1.
The tone, the pacing, the cross-talk - EXACTLY like the show itself. A+ for effort. And F- to me.
The tone, the pacing, the cross-talk - EXACTLY like the show itself. A+ for effort. And F- to me.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Well, that settles it
I guess I'll never see a game in the new Yankee stadium either.
Because this is all I'll be able to afford...
How do you spend a billion+ on a stadium and let this happen to your fans?
Unpistevable.
Because this is all I'll be able to afford...
How do you spend a billion+ on a stadium and let this happen to your fans?
Unpistevable.
Howie Long: "real man" or insecure douchebag?
Does anyone else hate those Howie Long Chevy commercials as much as I do? You know, the ones where you're a pussy you're not a real man if you drive a Ford?
I haven't posted on them because KSK did it so brilliantly back in January, and well, I can't top that. Anyway, they're back for a second helping.
Awesome, as always.
And while we're at KSK, let's check into a little fanfic with Dreamboat, Gisele, and Bridget. Oh, and Tawwwmy from Quinzee. Disturbing. But accurate, I'd imagine. If I imagined such a thing.
I haven't posted on them because KSK did it so brilliantly back in January, and well, I can't top that. Anyway, they're back for a second helping.
Awesome, as always.
And while we're at KSK, let's check into a little fanfic with Dreamboat, Gisele, and Bridget. Oh, and Tawwwmy from Quinzee. Disturbing. But accurate, I'd imagine. If I imagined such a thing.
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