http://www.newtimesbpb.com/Issues/2006-04-27/news/tailpipe.html "Along the way, they got to see the gruesome underbelly of a sport that seems to be nothing but gruesome underbelly."
posted by Tina on 5/23/2006 | 0 comments | #
hilarity ensueshttp://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id
=386136&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=&ct=5 This cracked me up on a Monday morning. Read the story, and then watch the video for the priceless look on the guy's face. The transcript below calls it a "look of horror". In follow-up, he isn't really a cabbie, but it sure makes for a funny story.
posted by Tina on 5/15/2006 | 0 comments | #
nigerian e-mail scamhttp://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/articles/060515fa_fact I had no idea people actually fall for this scam. It is unbelievable.
posted by Tina on 5/14/2006 | 0 comments | #
Tina's cooking secretsLast night, I made this chicken:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/231348 I was skeptical when I read the recipe because it seemed almost too simple, but I figured if the simplicity was good enough for Thomas Keller, it would be more than good enough for me (plus it didn't require marinating or brining which I didn't have time for). It turns out this chicken has the most delicious, crispy, salty skin ever. And the meat was good without "infusing" any flavours (didn't even use the thyme). I tried his suggestion of buttering the meat, which I thought was a bit weird, but it didn't really need it.
Served the chicken with a mango salad:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106065 I was also skeptical about the balsamic vinegar with mango, but it tastes good. I also added an avocado, and squirted a bit of lime juice in to prevent the fruit from browning.
There you have Tina's secrets of cooking - follow the recipes found at Epicurious, and people will think you're a better cook than you actually are.
posted by Tina on 5/12/2006 | 0 comments | #
the bike manhttp://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/10/world/europe/10cnd-biker.html?
ex=1147492800&en=83272106d17931e9&ei=5070
posted by Tina on 5/11/2006 | 0 comments | #
books are losing meOver the last three weeks I have attempted and failed at three books. I got halfway through Lost Cosmonaut by Daniel Calder before realizing it would not improve. I had such hope for this book! He documents his travels to places tourists rarely, if ever, visit. The least you could hope for from such a book is that the writer has something interesting to say about the places he visits or insights into different cultures and people. But he does not! The book is also scattered with tangents and useless information and although I am not opposed to useless information per se, he could at least try to tell stories in a more engaging way. This book is essentially Calder (who I imagine would be an insufferable travel companion) saying, "I am so interesting because I am traveling to places not on the tourist track. Therefore, I must be superior to everybody else (and funnier, and wittier, and clearly more intelligent). I am an untourist! But, wow, these places really are as boring and unstimulating as could be expected but I will force myself to stay so I can write a book about this uninspiring experience and make fun of the local population and fail to make any kind of meaningful connection with anybody I might meet as it would detract from the story." Yeah, it really is as crappy as that. But look what this reviewer says! Opinions differ widely, I guess.
I also attempted David Foster Wallace's book, Consider the Lobster, a collection of various essays he has written over the years. The first essay held considerable promise, documenting 1998's AVN awards (essentially, porn awards). It was clever and, I must admit, rather fascinating. Then I started the next essay, lost interest, moved to the next essay, lost interest, and so on. Most of the essays are dominated by pages of aggravating and way-too-clever footnotes. I may make another attempt at some of the later essays, but so far the AVN award essay is the only one worth recommending.
Finally, Planet of Slums, which I think has hope so I won't write it off yet. It reads a bit like a scientific report, rather than journalistic non-fiction. It isn't bad, and the subject matter is interesting, so I'm going to plug away at another couple of chapters and see if it can grab me.
posted by Tina on 5/03/2006 | 1 comments | #