Bottoms Up

Party til Le Claw strikes _{(two thousand)} 10!

I couldn't resist the invitation....

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I needed to find a date. So I decided to ask Google for a
comedian - musician - celebrity.

I should have been more specific...

And having seen that bunch... he's perfect:

1. He's exotic (from the UK)
2. He's got a fun accent
3. He'll never run out of something to say.

Enabling me to just smile, nod, and hog the bubbly.

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Now I've got the dress, and I'm ready to go:

See you in the 10's!

My Anti Year

`

Yes, 2010 will be my Anti-Year.

Why?... It all started when I read that alcohol is aging and that
'mixed drinks provide little to no nutritional value'. (Shocking, right?... Apparently those little olives and lime wedges just don't cut it.) Anyway, I thereafter resolved to add more antioxidants to my daily fare in 2010, just to balance those weekends out.

Luckily, I already like most of the top ones:
Red Wine
Dark Chocolate
Green Tea
Carrots
Apples
Unsalted Nuts
Berries

But the USDA declared that the # 1 antioxidant food is:
Small Red Beans


'Small red beans' ?!?... Huh.

Plus the USDA also says:
'Antioxidants work better in combination'

To that end I declare that my recipes in 2010 will contain as many antioxidants as I can fit in. And for my first attempt, and to ring in the new year, I decided to find a recipe that includes -all- of them.

Here goes... I give you:

recipe link: Chocolate Carrot Cake

Basically, to your fave devil’s food cake add:

1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
some cream cheese frosting
plus berries on top, for garnish

Remember to sub a bit of applesauce & green tea into the mix - to take the place of any oil, or plain water.

Now serve with a glass of red wine and
'Voila', we're in the top antioxidant zone*!

*provided we choke down a bowl o' beans first.

Lets toot in a Happy New Year !

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(sung to the chorus of 'Auld Lang Syne'*)

For antioxidants, my dear,
for an-ti-oxi-dants...
We'll take a cup of green tea yet,
for An-ti-Oxi-Dants!

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Pretty Fly

so fun: Video from onboard a toy airplane.
so fly: Letting kids shoot fireworks at it.

Didn't know you could aim bottle rockets that well.
btw, get ready to duck; the kids get amazing close.

link: 5 minute 'music video' version

Blythe Yule

A new spin on the holiday...

*...with some classical glass.

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Blythe Yule!

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* from Tchaikovsky's 'Nutcracker Suite'

Tinsel Toots

What happens if kitty sets off the metal detector at the airport? Do they x-ray the poor thing, send it home, or ...?

But just in case you don't care to worry about that,
here's one version of how tinsel first appeared:

The tradition of using tinsel when decorating a Christmas tree is said to have come from the story of a poor woman in Germany who had no decorations for the little tree she found for her children.

The tales goes that during Christmas Eve spiders in the tree wove webs around it and covered it with white strands. A local holy man passed by the humble home and saw the poor family's little tree decorated by the spiders. He said a blessing over it and the house.

By Christmas morning, the spider web strands had magically turned to silver and glistened on the sunlight to the delight of the poor woman and her children.

OMG, the plot for 'Tinsel Town's next 'Spiderman' movie.

;-)

Dances With 3D

Saw Avatar. My verdict:

It is 'Dances With Wolves' on an alien planet.
With brain transfers thrown in for fun.

Yup, the 3D and special effects were cool. But go to the late show so there will be fewer kids. Its PG-13, yet because of the toy tie-ins, and the colorful ads parents think its okay for tots... that is until the military action begins.

One poor kid (~4 yrs old) literally -ran- out of the theatre we were in. So, if you wouldn't bring your kid to 'Dances With Wolves', don't bring him/her to this. *If you need any further persuasion... the 6 previews made the entire show nearly 3 hours long.

Fun Fact: many sfx came via Weta of New Zealand

Ludicrous Hypocrites

`

That's what The Daily Mail called Prince Charles & Prime Minister Brown, plus a host of others, for taking separate private planes to get to the Copenhagen Climate Conference.

Too good for the train or the ferry, fellas?

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It looks especially bad for Charlie, because:

1.) He didn't have to be there,
2.) He's always touting the organic lifestyle, and
3.) His mum, the Queen, now rides the local:

Cheer up, Mum, you're saving the planet!

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*And don't get me started about my own reps...

Someday we'll get airships going across the ocean again.
Remember blimps? They carried 50 tons of cargo trans-Atlantic, and that was 70 years ago. Imagine what they could do today.

Google Fade In Fail

warning: rant ahead
people who don't use Google.com may safely skip this post!



Dear Google, don't add annoying 'features'!

I thought this 'test' of the fade-in would be over by now.

I'm tired of my 'quick' Google window, being delayed because of an unwelcome pause due to a silly fade-in. What're you thinking, Google.com, to make your homepage -less- efficient?!?


* Thankfully this guy shows some ways to circumvent G's fade-in (link in new window).

But why should these work-arounds even be necessary?

Hey Google! Phase-out the fade-in!!

/rant off

Energetic Art

Art, made with moving light.

E.N., in NYMag this week said basically that the most memorable art of the 00's will be niche tv, improved through consumer preference. Hm. I have to disagree. *(But I did laugh over her comment saying ''The New York Times pretty much lost its mind over The Sopranos...'' - so true)


As best new art I nominate 'Energy art' , made with either active light sources (bulbs, LEDs, etc.) or video, like Brian Eno's '77 Million Paintings'. (below)



I love the colors and the motion.

Hm. The sentence above actually makes it sound as if I'm just a simpleton who saw too many Christmas lights as a child - which may be true. Either way I think that active art is here to stay. (Of course the NYmag author could/would point out that her tv is just my art with the bonus of dialogue, but lets not get into that...)


So, your nominee for best new art of the 'oughts'?

Not Tiger Woods Mi$tre$$

Sorry I've been MIA recently...

_{photo: Contact Music}

... been shopping for a sensible outfit.

So I can deny my affair with Tiger, too.

Sigh. Its so tough to find a low-cut, crop top in winter.
Cuz when its freezing you need those matching gloves...

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“The perfect love affair is one which is conducted entirely by post.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Who knew the old dude kept a blog?

Too bad he didn't tweet that one to Tiger.

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Update:

There's talk in Hollywood about doing a made-for-tv movie about this, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Daily Mail, Jan 2010)

TrekNature in living color

Nifty bright flowers, plus


colorful fauna, and more.


I ran into this giant gallery of nature photos by accident, when I found this cool (large) photo of a Canadian red fox with jet-black kits. There are -lots- more here, and the photographers often explain where/how they get the shot. Plus you can join and critique. Nice website.

Love Notes

Because my SO doesn't read this.

My SO still thinks this blog is just about my guilty pleasure tv shows (that my friends IRL don't watch...) and thus never reads here. Therefore I decided I could post images of these quirky postcards I've been sending anonymously.




Plus: love note for tech minds

SO,.. Happy Anniversary... tee hee.

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p.s. Speaking of 'luv'... here's a unique 'love song' that I found whilst looking for a real one: (link fixed)

Banana Flip

Well, 'Flipping Out' Jeff -is- bananas.
Makes sense that his new gopher is too.

"Flipping Out" returns on Monday, August 17 at 10 p.m. ET/PT,

eta:


Can you believe it?... Jeff's new assistant used
'I have to win at checkers before I get up'
as an excuse for why he was late to work!

Does new boy's unique OCD make Jeff feel normal?...

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p.s. funny how blogger mangled my vacation posts
Hopefully I'll get them all corrected soon...

Great Falls

Want a big surprise on your vacation too?... Here's how:

Drive home thru NJ, via I-80, and stop for gas at exit 57.

You'll find a waterfall there that's 77 feet tall.

2nd only to Niagara in the east U.S.. Who knew?

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Way back, by Alexander Hamilton's statue:


Other side of the park, looking into the chasm:


link to more (not mine) Great Falls photos
(thanks to andy_szymczak, whoever/wherever he is)

wikipedia: Great Falls NJ

A few seconds of the falls in action:



Why doesn't NJ use *that* in their ads vs 'Garden State'?

I can see it now: 'Visit Noisy Joisey Falls'...

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*fixed post

U MST L@@K !

Above was the title of the link sent to me.

Have to agree - can't believe it til you see it.

*click* above for pics. (13 quick pics)

My jaw dropped open when I got to pic #6.

Yes, its a real Long Island, NY listing: via Sotheby's.


Remember, its only 4 mil so you better hurry.

Wall To Wall

Outside the set of CBS's new show:

'There Goes The Neighborhood'...

The -original- name of this show?

..'Block Party'..

Wonder what happened to provoke the name change?
I suppose we'll find out tonight. (promo below)

TMI Tom Hanks

* No, Tom H. never played Thomas A. - But the t-shirt image above reminded me of 'The DaVinci Code'.

Moving on...

'Micturition plays a role in nearly every film Tom Hanks has ever made. He either pees, talks about peeing, or makes some reference to peeing. When you click on the quiz link (below) you'll have to match the numbered scenes (on left) with his films on the right.'

If you're a whiz at this quiz, then you can be number one...

There's No "P" in Tom Hanks

Nanc's score?... 'Like a racehorse!'

I got: 100% (10 out of 10)

P.S. Did you see him in 'Terminal'?...

Then try this too: Airport Codes My Score?... I'll end up w/ lost luggage - only 79% (11/14)

Now We Are Six

Think back to when you were that age...

Watercolours by Kieron Williamson, age 6.
Kieron: ''I like painting because it's fun....
It makes me think of places I can't see.''


His talent was recognised by family friend and artist, Carol Ann Pennington, who offered to give him lessons.



(His mum, re: his first drawings) ''they were like the drawings of most 5-yr-olds but he really took off after going to some art classes.'' - No kidding.



His work goes on display Sunday - just before his 7th birthday - at Mrs Pennington's gallery, 'The Last Picture Show In Town'. (Cromer Road, Holt. Norfolk UK)

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Kieron's hero? - Norfolk landscape artist Edward Seago.
Compare Kieron's work above to Seago's at age 50.(below)




I think Kieron's well on his way - I'd buy one.


Daily Mail link has a bit more of Kieron's art.

The Flavor of WD-50

Does it sound appetizing?... Well,
remember the potty-mouth from Top Chef Masters?
_{image courtesy minxeats - click to go there!}
TWoP's Aemilia ate at his (Wylie Dufresne) place 'WD-50'.

See what you think of the items she tried:

Fried Frog's Legs w/ pomegranate reduction & fruit balls that were 'sort of like caviar w/kelp pieces on top'

Hanger Steak Tartare, on top of almond paste w/ hyacinth reduction with banana powder and crispy strings of fried sweet potato. 'combo of bloody tartare w/ sweet really sort of blew my mind'

Pork Loin with Coconut Mustard Sauce w/ fried sweet potato balls and pickled leeks with bitter greens, and 'these clear threadlike things on top that I can't remember, but they seemed vegetable in nature'

(dessert tasting menu)

Tart Ice Cream with powdery raspberry crumbles... 'when I broke it open with my spoon, it had a center of balsamic vinegar'

Cheesecake - very tart and citrusy w/ lime ice cream & a pineapple gel and gelatinous slivers of pineapple pieces with pickled raisins.

Caramelized brioche that inside had this caramel filling, along with a ribbon of buttercream, and with vanilla ice cream and a cardamom (?) foam.

Chocolate Ganache and Cardamom Cake and Peppermint Ice Cream - sitting on a bed of chocolate cookie crumble that had a hidden molten chocolate mint sauce underneath

My opinion?
Some of it sounds as tasty as real WD-40.

But she said she liked it - maybe b/c she got a kitchen tour?

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link- Aemilia's post re: her dinner, 4th one down.

Count to 300

...and you'll number all my posts so far.

---

So, for fun, lets peek at these other '300's.
;-)

*nice syncronization - lol at the :19 mark.

Beware of Lego-s with 5 o'clock shadows.

The movie '300' was a dynamic flick,
but it did take itself a tad too seriously.

I'll try not to make that mistake.

Huff This Way

I couldn't believe the article below.

A guy was huffing Redi-Whip in the dairy section.
They didn't arrest him til he went thru 28 CANS.

That's some fine security.

This could only happen at a WalMart:
http://www.newsherald.com/news/inhaling-76165-arrested-police.html

(blog post via text msg)

Seeing The Light

...when you swing LEDs on a rope.





The Flickr website has some amazing shots in their: 'Movement Of Light' collection.

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It would never have occured to me to try to combine a spinning led top with a flashlight... but it worked for this guy.

Kathy vs. Arnie

Doppelganger vs. Terminator, place your bets!


Tonight Kathy decides that in order to be an A-lister, she needs to become an activist. So she takes on the cause of Prop_8 (the proposition that outlawed gay marriage) in California, and she's marching on Sacramento.

This should be interesting;
'She'll be back, Arnie'.

---

see Kathy Griffin's doppelganger... * couldn't find a vid of her XF ep

Bringing Sexy Back

I was tagged in Miss C's challenge:

'What makes you feel sexy?'

Can't argue with her choice of sleeping in the buff.

But additionally, music puts me in the mood.


So for fun, here's a 'bad' vs 'good' comparison...

First, The Baaad:

*houstonpress*s 'Rocks Off' list.

They insist their ten (below) were chosen by a woman for a sexy night in. Ha, sorry guys, no fem would pick these unless she's a goth:

1) Street Hassle, Lou Reed's dying hooker? Seriously?
2) Libertango, : an accordian version?!... o so not hot.
3) Summertime, Joplin: her voice in this? - not sexy.
4) Superstar, SY's cover of an old 70's song -drags-.
5) Empty House, Air's 'Virgin Suicides' track drags too.
6) Sea Song, Doves: dull for a party of two.
7) The Operation, Charlotte G: a dissection song? Ew.
8) Inertia Creeps, Massive Ak: Repetitious & 'slowly'
9) Closer, 9 Inch Nails: FU like an animal? Charming.
10) Gabriel's Mercy Street 'perfect for drifting off' ??
- Nice tune, but lyrics of suicidal Anne? - Um 'No'.

On the whole, their songs are quite depressing.
My guess? A dateless old geezer picked'm.

comments from their own page:

played some of these with my wife ...
She gave me a 'wtf r u listening to?' look.

tried it and she went cold with the Lou Reed.
She up and left with the Janis Joplin...

When... hotel porn music just won't do

Holy balls, what a terrible list

If my man started playing this crap,
I'd have my clothes on by the end of song 1)

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Now here's my more upbeat list:

'The Good',

or 'Some Songs I'd Pick Instead'.

1) Of Peter Gabriel's music I'd pick In Your Eyes*
'* 'boom box' song from movie 'Say Anything'

- - Hm. - I'll just go with more movie songs...

2) remake: 'Anyway You Want It'
movie - Charlie's Angels Full Throttle ;-)

3) 'Take Me Away ' yes, from 'Freaky Friday'*
*included because it makes me laugh, and after that other list I needed a bit more humor.

4) 'Sky and Sand' from movie 'Berlin Calling'

5) 'Haan Tu Hai'(You Are The One) in 'Jannat'

6) 'Seasons of Love' from 'Rent'

7) 'Check On It' Beyoncé/Pink Panther movie fun

8) 'How Did You Know' from movie 'All My Life'

9)Hot Chocolate's You Sexy Thing in 'Full Monty'

10) oldies: 'NeverEnding Story' by Limahl
Included because I like the flow of his song.

plus this, because I like the video:Billy Idol's Cradle Of Love in 'Ford Fairlane'

(Was Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' in a movie?...)

So, anyway, that's my version of
Bringing Sexy Back... w/ snappy songs.

Sales R Up

via a dollop of moral outrage Down Under.

Yes, the tiny T's are a tad tacky. But the NZ concerned parents public outrage brought more attention to the shirts - just like an ad - so now they'll see even more of these...

"Mummy likes it on top"
"Wipe my butt sucker"
"So hot right now"
"I like big b00bs I cannot lie"
"I'm bringing sexy back"
"Practice safe sucks".
"The condom broke"
"Pardon my nipple breath"
"Living proof my mum is easy"

(Oops. Not quite what they intended...)


FYI: news.com.au is doing a poll about the shirts.

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Another bit of outrage-eousness:


Scary sculpture or amazing art? The locals in Delray Beach have their own concerns about an art piece depicting an 'anatomically correct' family. Its been installed at a mall in full view of passersby:

"I think the male figure might be offensive to some..."

Linda A. said she purposely takes another route when walking with her 6-yr-old. "He's gonna have questions," and "I don't think he's ready for that."

18-yr-old Taylor E. was taken aback when she saw the frontal view. "From the other side, it's not so bad. But now that we see it from the front, maybe they could take this one out," she said referring to the father.

* click pic for the article, but of course there's no explicit photos, even in the video - nerdy newsies neutered the nudes, naturally. Nuts.

An Amazing Trek

... into Spock's mind, among other places.

A farmer fan used GPS technology to build this 32-acre 'York Maze' in Yorkshire, UK as a tribute of sorts to the 40th year of 'Star Trek'. You can get lost running around Saturn, the Starship Enterprise, in Mr Spock's brain, or into a "Borg cube" that's being zapped right next to Picard's head.

*''See? Spock's brain is green too.''

Fun for the entire clan...

Bring food, H₂O, pointy ears & a GPS.

Daily Mail: York Maze.

Warrior Librarians

Do they have a biblio-battle-cry?

Had no idea that the American Library Association even had Book Cart Drills, much less a Book Cart Team World Championship.

Johnny Depth

... as Carol Channing !

{article} Musical legend Carol Channing has given her blessing to Johnny Depp's gender-bending plans to portray her in a film... (since) he revealed his "dream role" would be to play 88-year-old Channing because "she's amazing".

And the legendary singer/actress has given her approval - because she'd love to see how he would interpret her on the big screen.

"It is not a new concept to me. Not at all. Men have been imitating me for as long as I can remember. In fact, most of the impersonations I have seen have had a five o'clock shadow."

I suppose going from this:



to this:



isn't too far a trip...

scoop via: WENN News

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eta - first look at Depp as the Mad Hatter:



link: Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland

Just Park It

Garage getting too full?...



Can't squeeze in your car?...



Or you just want more space?...

Well, you won't exactly find any help here, because those images above are actually giant photos that are pasted on closed garage doors. So who knows what's actually inside?... but if it is an elephant don't you need a permit? And a pachyderm-scooper?


Daily Mail link has more pics.

*Their creator, Thomas Sassenbach, (at www.styleyourgarage.com) will customise any image on request.

Oogie Oogie Oo

... I'm so excited!

Got invited to a block blog party. Of course the note appeared when I was living it up at a fair in the next state over, so now I'm going to be way late to the party. Better hurry then, eh?

*pic leads to Mr. C's invite.

Oops, just re-reading his page, and I realize that in order to have the complete party experience I will have to put out. OMG - what have I gotten myself into? Wait, oh okay - he just wants each of us to offer up our own adjunct party plan, plus a few personal tidbits:

What books are on your favorite shelf?
What DVD's are on your favorite shelf?
What are your TWO favorite cookbooks,
...plus 3 recipes for your special guests.
And What will we be drinking.

Oh, I can do that.

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First thing you'll see is my welcome mat that's been waiting for you on the front porch for a few months now...

Now, as far as favorite shelves go... My favorite shelf of books? is always the one filled with the new ones I'm about to read. Nothing quite like the fun of opening an unfamiliar book. So here are the next ones on my stack: (*click* to enlarge any pic)
Favorite shelf of dvds? Again, its always the ones I haven't seen yet that are the most attractive to me, so here's the stack next to the DVD player. (warning: some chosen by my housemate - guess which ones.)
Two favorite cookbooks:

I'll serve up a main course of:

Then salad (top) and dessert.

Now on to the drinks...
*there's also leftover beer and mixers in the cooler from the weekend, but if you want soda its down in the laundry zone - so bring your flashlight.

Since all your vehicles will be clogging up my road, I think its only fair that I also invite the neighbors. I'll just go put my climbing boots on and knock on a few doors.
*knew Mr.C would appreciate this pic


Finally, (silly me I almost forgot!)

...in lieu of party games, every guest
must learn the required party dance:

*Lucky for most, its only 15 seconds long...

*no idea who they are, but they are enthusiastic, yes?


Having fun? Because if y'all want to stay longer I'll run and borrow some Caribbean-style tiki torches from the Lion-ess,... or maybe that jazzy "tudor revival" globe chandelier from Mr.C?

Nah, lets just wait for the moon to come out.