I'm No Chef...

but I am a cook.. Marcella Hazen goes into the difference between the two.

Rockridge Stores During the Holiday Crunch

It's nice to read about my old 'hood, from childhood through college. The stores mentioned are some of my favorites, too: Market Hall, Rockridge Kids, and Pendragon. It is no wonder why I prefer the independent store over the big superstores. It's how I grew up. I also like that the selection at independent stores are smaller and more quality which makes it easier to find something good to buy.

Unhappy T.V. Viewers

There is no evidence of correlation vs causation, but a new study suggests that more television is linked with being happy or unhappy. Perhaps watching television can be correlated with not the act itself, but the non-action of other things. In other words, if you are watching lots of television you are not spending quality time with friends and family, doing productive work (unless you are a tv critic), etc. I know I always feel better if I have done something, it balances my love of television. Mmmm, television.

E.O. Wilson Has a New Book

E.O. Wilson is my entomologist crush. How awesome is someone whose life's passion is ants? And not only does he have this passion but he followed it and made a life as taking the lessons learned from studying ants and being able to extrapolate that to sociology of people and how ants are similar and different. I remember watching E.O. Wilson and James Watson (who discovered the molecular structure of DNA) on Charlie Rose discussing how peoples fears about human genetics were stalling science. Science/philosophy heaven. Okay, enough fawning. Wilson has a new book. Here is a review.

Vampire Myths Never Set in Blood

This article from Slate discusses how vampire movies, television, and novels always rewrite the rules to suit their needs. I'm surprising unbothered by this fact. In The Lost Boys garlic does nothing, fine by me, it is still one of the best Vamp movies ever made. How sad would it be if all vampire movies had to be the same? Very sad and no fun at all. What is it "they" say, rules are meant to be broken.

Pirates Never Said Arrrrr...

how disappointing is that. Turns out "arrrrr" is just a hollywood construct. Damn you, Hollywood! You've messed with my brain and all my pirate knowledge has been thrown for a loop. Anyhow, pirates are back in the news and here is some pirate info for your pleasure.

SF Conchords Promo

I can't wait for my favorite comedy to get back to the airwaves.

"Try Anything Once" Opinion Amended

I don't think I could handle trying this. Nope.

Speaking Up For Stem Cells

Quite literally. A windpipe grown using stem cells, so there is no need for anti-rejection drugs, like say methotrexate, which I can vouch is a bitch. Now, my father says not to get too excited about stem cells, they are not the end all to scientific and medical breakthroughs, but this is pretty damn cool.

It's all gravy!

"Gravy, American style, is composed of three elements: fat, flour and liquid. The fat can come from the cooking pan, or an outside source such as butter or bacon fat. The liquid can be composed of stock, pan juices, wine, milk, coffee, water — American ingenuity has produced countless variations, like red-eye gravy and sawmill gravy, made from the crusty bits of breakfast sausage in the frying pan." Gotta love American ingenuity!

New Watchmen Trailer

This looks SO good. I am only about a quarter through the graphic novel. But I swear I will finish it come the end of December. Swear it.

Post-Feminist Dating Chaos

I think the post-feminist mentality has been unfair to men, and in turn it has screwed over both sexes when it comes to dating. There is a confusion about the roles of men and women in dating. Not that gender roles are or should be simplistic, but an insistence on conflating gender differences with gender inequalities has meant that post-feminism has created an uncertain dating environment that is more complex than perhaps it need be. This article is a follow up to an earlier article on men not growing up. Read both.

MrPresident@Sucks-For-you.Com

That seals it, I could never be President. Ever. Not that I ever wanted that job in the first place. Can you imagine the pressure? No, thank you. But this takes it just that much further; no cyber correspondence. Makes sense, but still, ouch.

Where Did You Come From Boiled Bready Goodness?

Oy, Slate on the history of the bagel.

The Other Chinatown

Also known as the "real" Chinatown. :)

The Onion on Prop 8

Why did people vote "yes" on California's anti-gay marriage proposition? The Onion has the stats.

History Lesson starring Michael Cera

Have you ever heard a drunken history of the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr? How about watching it with Michael Cera playing Hamilton? Enjoy.

State Fair Fried Food Winners

Fried guacamole bites. Chicken fried bacon. Fried banana split. Guess the state?

FUCKING FOX!

It was bad enough when Fox announced that Dollhouse would air mid-season. Red flag number one. Then they made Joss rewrite the pilot. Red Flag number two. Then production stopped temporarily to rework the tone of the show. Red flag number three. The latest news it that Fox has decided to air Dollhouse on Friday nights. Television dead zone, second worst night after Saturday. And the Pilot will air on which Friday? The 13th. Bastards. Does this remind people of another show Fox screwed over? Uh-huh. It is Firefly all over again.

A Top 10 Cookbook of 2008 List

Mmmm, cookbooks. If I had endless amounts of money I would buy them all. But, alas, I think I will stick with buying the classics that I have yet to acquire. I am still in need of a Mark Bittman "How to cook..." cookbook and The Best Recipes, as well as something Claudia Roden. Though a book dedicated to Fat is really tempting.

New Dollhouse Trailer

I am tentatively excited. The chances this show will get canceled seem high to me. But who can predict television, really. Here's hoping the show is good and people tune in.

Oh No, They Didn't?

Uh, yeah they did. I like bacon. I like mayonnaise. I even like bacon with mayonnaise. BLT, anyone? But this is just not right. Best bit of this product: vegetarian and kosher!

Brrrrr

It got cold. Fleece-check. Primaloft coat-check. Hat-check. Scarf-check. What will I do come January? Um, freeze my ass off. I fancy the cold over the rain though. Anyhow, I promised more pictures, so here are a few to tide you over for now. Today was sunny and I got up early to get to a lecture on what my dissertation will entail. Let me just say that I think I miss Berkeley about--now. The llm program her only lets you have 3 meetings with your adviser here during the dissertation process in an effort to make the process fair...??? Okay, fairness is all fine and good, well kinda, but only 3 meetings is ludicrous. How about 6? I mean, if you are a solitary writer who doesn't need feedback than this seems fair enough, but what if you thrive on feedback, than it doesn't seem so fair. And what about the foreign students for whom English is a second language? I think they could use more than 3 meetings. Life isn't fair. So the school should just leave it be and let students be their own advocates to get time with their professors. As much or as little as they need. Okay, off the soap box now.