My ISP

Lack of posts are due to a home connection that has been up/down the past two weeks. More on the details of me raising Hades to get compensation at a later date....I would rather not have a tv then be w/o a net connection. :(

3 Present Obsessions....

1. Zante Currants--->Sheesh, these things are freakin' excellent. I never intentionally avoided currants in the past, but also never would typically seek them out in my dried fruit purchases. Well, a few weeks ago, I just thought, "Currants need me and I need them." I bought some and they are my newest staple. Great fiber, great taste and basically you could cut the average raisin in thirds and you have the size of currants, but with a more intense flavor. I throw them in plain yogurt, cereal, oatmeal and even pancakes. You should upgrade your dried fruit consumption to include these badboys.

2. Podcasts---> I have been aware of podcasts since they came out, but since I was not an extremely early adopter of the ipod, they were not a practical situation for me although you do NOT need an ipod to enjoy them, but the past 2yrs have been a good experience with podcasts and I. I really got into them when we got our treadmill and I have never looked back. I subscribe to over 30. The great thing is that these are FREE because I would never pay for any and they are excellent in terms of legit content. Some of the my subscribtions range from several National Geographic, NPR, various health/science/food shows and several others I enjoy. Get on this train before the FREE ride is over!

3. Sunday Newspaper---> I don't know. Maybe it's the feel of the paper or the ink or slightly raised type. With so much time spent getting news online or the occasional TV outlet, in the past and present, I would not really dedicate that much time and money to reading the local Sunday newspaper. Well, the past few months, I have purchased one on Sunday and it just feels like a retro trip, I suppose. Growing up, my family was never really a "newspaper family" and if I were anywhere that a paper was, I would typically hit the sports section and possibly the front page. Now, I still read sports, but it's not a knee jerk reaction since I definitely do the bulk of my sports reading online. I like front page stuff, but I focus on the nation/world section, features, home/food sections and down the line. Plus, the cost (99cents) for the paper is easily paid for by the numerous grocery coupons that are in it. It’s a win/win situation in my eyes.

Free Coffee Day @Starbucks

Well, well....today was Starbucks Coffee Break Day and for the uninitiated or those too lazy to click the link, that means they gave a free (that is FREE) 12oz coffee to anyone who asked between 10am and 12pm. A coworker was out in the vicinity of a Starbucks and I asked her to stop and grab me a cup if the line was not too long or if it were no trouble. Well, she did and all I can tell you is I have NO IDEA how people can live on coffee all day. I don't drink coffee at work...EVER. #1 I just don't require it to wake me up. #2 Maxwell House is not even coffee to me. #3 Unless I brew it right then and there and begin to sip, the taste is sub par at best. So, anyway, she brings me this coffee. I'm thinking to myself, "Self, how is it that a 12 oz seems like such a small cup when I see other people on a daily basis bring in Starbucks, Panera, Coffee Beanery, 7-11, Dunkin Doughnuts, etc. in cups or mugs 3X as large as what I had. Man, are these people sick? And, I was just drinking a pretty benign Breakfast Blend of Starbucks. These other people rock several espresso shots and other hardcore creations. Amazing.

Honestly, if I was able to get Starbucks free everyday, I would take a sip or two and toss the rest. I only go there if I have a gift card or someone decides they want to make a run and feels like paying. I think the company is the definition of hypocrisy, but that's another post. I sipped about 3oz of that free coffee today and it found it's home in my trash can.....

Disgusting Product-O-The Day

What do you get when you cross a hot dog with a pizza? A sausage-crust pizza.

[Click image for more detail]

Only in Japan, baby!

Abercrombie and Disposable Income....

I try to keep an eye on fashion trends so I am not a walking time warp for the 90s. I certainly don't jump at every new trend for the sake of it being "trendy", but I would be lying if I said I don't peep catalogs and my inbox does not occasionally get occupied with fashion news, future trends and industry tid bits. Well, today I was checking out this email from A&F. Call me crazy, but why is the demographic for that clothing plunging to the teen set? Really. The models are mostly in their teens and the styles are pretty overly casual. I know, I know, AF does use that stupid tag line of "Casual Luxury". Lame! What teen has the disposable income to drop $69 on a button up shirt, or $59 on a pair of "distressed" shorts or a polo. That is crazy. I would certainly not consider myself an AF person since I like to mix up my wardrobe and can usually find at least one piece from any store I go to or site I visit although I have a shirt or two from AF I got on clearance and notice at least the two I have to be of slightly higher quality than your average brand...SLIGHTLY. Certainly not enough to drop $69 on it several weeks before it hit clearance.
Back to my point of this post. Since it does seem AF's target audience is younger than I and many college students, how do these teen kids afford this crap? Man, I could go broke trying to get all the latest clothes from this place. I know the vibe in the store is like we are supposed to be transferred to the 90210 zip code and flossin' like we were in Bev. Hills, but come on... I guess daddy's credit cards keep these kids looking good and you can catch me at the clearance rack if you need me... :p

Local news can be tragic...

I am sure you have heard about the story of the guy who strangled his wife and dismembered her in MI. Truly horrific, sad, numbing and any other adjective to describe a reality that seems stranger than fiction. The children (4 and 6) are the beneficiaries of a future without both parents due to an unparalleled selfishness on the part of the twisted actions of their father who committed this terrible crime to his family. There are so many details in this story that make a person sick and with the constant stream of media attention given to tragedies across the world, this story upsets me greatly. Is it because it happened locally? Is it because I have a child and could not imagine her being without her parents? Is it because you never REALLY know what happens within the four walls of people's homes? Does this do anything to confirm my distrust of human beings? Let me think about that....Uh, yes.

Say a prayer for these two kids because they have a rough future ahead of them. :(

I am what I eat....

Are you? Or, I should say, I smell like what I eat... :p What I am getting at is are there certain foods that you eat that offer certain physiological responses more so than other people? Example 1: You've heard the story of eating asparagus and if you urinate soon (from 1 to 24hrs) after, that it has a really awful scent. Well, I am here to say that I LOVE asparagus, but avoid a bathroom after me at all costs if I consume several spears. It's bad, but it's my biology; I blame my genes. :p Example 2: Garlic. Sheesh....I realy love garlic and eat it weekly, but eating some Lebanese food with garlic paste will immediately begin diffusing from my skin. It's crazy...especially so, since I can actually smell it. It matters not if the garlic is cooked, sliced, minced or pressed, my biology reacts with it and the olfactory sense is stimulated beyond "normal". Example 3: Onions....Ok, you get the point.

Am I an anomaly or as common as the next cat?

In the spirit of Baby Posts....

I bring to you the Sculpted Baby Cake....Actually,The Making of....

This is both disturbing and fascinating to me at the same time.....WHY...just WHY?

I wish all of you a great Friday and I will proably have nightmares tonight thanks to this vid... :p

The Miracle of Birth...

I'm sure you may have heard about this story.

Amillia Taylor was born as the world's youngest surviving premature baby. Amillia was born at a Miami hospital after less than 22 weeks of development. Since then she's been incubating and is expected to go home soon.

Those tiny translucent feet are amazing. Hold your own hand out in front of you, and imagine those feet poking through your fingers. She was 10 OUNCES when born (280 grams), and 9.5 inches (240 cm). That's just longer than the length of your hand.

I think the science behind keeping this baby alive and soon to go home is amazing.

Oh, and the picture below is a peek into the labyrinth that is my mind in that sometimes I do a picture association with certain images....

Obesity, Fake nails and Tattoos

So, we have all seen these people of the female variety that seem to focus their attention from the forearm to the fingers and cankles to the toes. What I mean is why is it that these women don't save the cash on getting their nails done on a weekly basis or the tats on their cankles or wrists and mix in a workout or two to work on the more global issue of their heart-taxing weight? Really. I remember as a young lad of 12 or 13, my mom (as many moms do) would be describing someone by saying, "She has a pretty face." Translation: Not too easy on the eyes and a nice person. Ok, I am not trying to come across as a complete superficial idiot, but that just makes me laugh. I'm certainly not the authority on looks, but I'm just pointing out the greater good for a society of people laying off the vanity in ONE area and focus on FULL vanity. LOL! Bump up that heart rate honey so that my insurance premiums don't keep sky rocketing because you love cupcakes and drive and not walk a city block on a consistent basis.

Anyway, obesity is just one aspect. I truly HATE fake nails. This post was inspired by a trip to the grocery store when my eyes played witness to this oBEAST young women with horrible fake nails and a rose on her wrist, but in the past I have noticed a disproportionate number of obese women who seem to think that getting their nails did and tats on wrists and ankles makes them hot. Not hot at all.....and that's all for now.

Inside the Actors Studio

The Bravo cable channel is no secret to anyone, right? I don't usually make time to watch Bravo on a regular basis, but have been drawn to certain shows in the past as short-lived as it may have been. I had a break in my daily routine today and happen to be channel surfing and caught James Lipton and he had Dave Chappelle on the show. Talk about pure comedy....both Lipton and Chappelle had me cracking up. Seriously, you have to see that.

I'd love to see James Lipton pissed off. LOL! The guy is high drama anyway.


Bonus:
For all the Transformers fanboys out there, peep the Soundwave Interview, Part I.

Party Product-O-The Day?

Then: great naval tragedy. Now: an adventures slide for your kids!

Buy it here.

Super Bowl Impressions

Did your team win?

Oso,
No need to answer that one. :p Nice implosion Monsters of the Midway....Seriously though, that game was a waste of time. The commercials sucked (other than ONE from Doritos and ONE from Bud Light) majorly.

The first few min of the SB were decent, but it just went down hill from there....I think multiple turnovers is just sloppy play.

Was the weather a factor? Yes, but still. I expect minimal mistakes and a close game; that did not happen. Sometimes it ends up that way, sometimes it does not. This was pretty much a disappointment.

The halftime show was OK. I like Prince, but I just think the league went for a "safe act" and wanted no wardrobe malfunctions. Well, I don't recall seeing Prince's breast. Crisis averted. :p

I just kept thinking after each horrid commercial, "Wow, there goes ANOTHER 2.6million".....what a joke.

Now, I can just focus on the NBA and keep an eye on the off-season moves by my Lions.

Top 3 at this moment...

My top three Hip-Hop singles are:

Make It Rain (the remix)--Fat Joe
Throw Some D's--Rich Boy
This Why I'm Hot--Mims

The Omnivore's Dilemma

I recently finished this book from Michael Pollan and all I can say is the daily question of "What should I eat today?" has taken on a new meaning for me. I THOUGHT I was a conscious and concerned consumer when it comes to selecting the food I buy for myself or my family, but this book really shed some light on things in this country that I did not consider in the past to the extent that was discussed in the author’s research.

A few things:
Take corn (which is subsidized by the gov.) out of the US economy and a collapse will soon follow OR at least a radical shift in eating habits. Case in point, HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) is derived from corn. Take a look at most of the processed snacks, drinks and even bread that you eat and you will most likely find HFCS as a main ingredient. HFCS are man made; they are derived from corn through chemistry in a lab. Think CHEAP. At even half a penny cheaper than sugar or any other sweetener occurring in nature (like agave nectar, for example), you are talking about billions of dollars in savings for the huge food and drink companies that can then get dumped into marketing budgets. HFCS were not even a reality until the 70's and used commercially in the mid-eighties. If you look at the ingredients in a Coke in the early 80's, sugar was used to sweeten it. Check that now and you will find HFCS and possibly sugar as well, but HFCS will be more of primary ingredient. Again, COST.
The book also reminded me of how the USDA and FDA are just big business vehicles with "standards" and certainly not enough inspectors to truly screen a disgusting and horribly "grown" product (meat and poultry). I knew this already, but the author pointed out a story in which he spent time on a farm with a farmer who was getting so many roadblocks in front of him for having a meat processing operation because the USDA would certainly not want to be exposed with so many dirty secrets in how the US consumer's meat is processed. The bureaucracy that this farmer has to slowly go through is just ridiculous. For example, he has an open area and/or glass paned-viewing area where any visitor can see the processing (slaughter) of animals. That is UNHEARD OF for a big industrial meat processing operation since again, secrets of how the food supply is just not very sanitary or the well-being of the animals is not considered.
This book is not a PETA, tree-hugging love fest in any stretch of the imagination, but it is essentially the story of a writer who spent time with a few small scale farmers and was let in on the realities of how the USDA wants to choke out anyone not on a factory farm with animals that have never seen the light of day or the conditions of workers (mostly immigrant or illegal) is absolutely horrible. We all ask ourselves, "What am I going to eat today?" Do we care HOW our food was derived? Do we care if what we eat was created in a lab? Do we only concern ourselves with COST above any other variable? These questions are deep and the answers shed light on many of the issues in this country from a socio-economic, political, health and cultural perspective.
The book also shed light on how HUGE of a business ORGANIC has become and will continue to be. With some estimates saying growth is at 20% a year, you have the developings of a major player in the food business. Organic food producers need to make money though, so you have many companies who follow the lazy and insulting "guidelines" of the USDA to get that ORGANIC designation.
The book was nice a read with subtle transitions through its 20 chapters and I highly recommend it. Also, keep in mind this order for healthy produce and meat options: Local organic --> local conventional --> regional organic --> regional conventional --> country organic --> country conventional......you see where I am going? The further you go out, the more negative impact it can have on your health and the health of the environment.

People should think about these things.

Sprats in Oil

So, the maintenance guy at my work is Russian. SUPER-RUSSIAN, even. This guy was an engineer back in his motherland and has done general maintenance jobs since he has been in the US. He is an absolute trip! His Russian accent is "POOOOR-FICT" (as he would say) and we talk about various subjects every few days. The other day, he is flipping out in his work area and calls me to help him with some "email problems". Well, I had a few min to spare and went into his area. First, his area. Man, the guy has been relegated to the bowels of our building. I mean, this area is like an oversized janitor closet-shipping/receiving area-nutty professor lab all in one. But, he has a desk and PC in it. Anyway, I go into his area and he is trippin' because his folder view has disappeared in Outlook due to some inadvertent key stroke. He dares not check any of the toolbar options to swiftly get it back as it was because he has some odd techno-phobia; well, dude is in his mid-sixties so I cut him full slack. I quickly get to the bottom of how insists on having his inbox sorted and all of his folders visible and he's happier than ish....Well, he wants to repay me for helping him. I refuse, but he insists he is going to bring me "special fish"..Hmmmmmm. Special fish, you say? My mind is racing down way too many mental highways beyond the scope of this post.....Well, we do talk food pretty frequently and today he actually brings me a can of Riga Smoked Sprats in Oil. To make a long explanation short, Riga = the largest city in the Baltic States and serves as a major cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial center in the Baltics. Sprats = small herring found in European waters. It is served smoked but can be eaten fresh, grilled or fried. He said Russians are crazy about this fish. So, I am hyped because I seriously love fish and have not had Sprat...knowingly, at least. I do think the whole Outlook fixing thing was just a coincidence because I brought him a can of smoked Trout in oil a few weeks ago and he told me he was going to bring me some Russian fish soon...I look forward to eating these Sprats (what a funny name) and if they rival the sardines I recently ate from Spain, my Russian friend may need to be the middle man for my newest addiction...We'll see.

Dog people

It is a well known fact that I am NOT a dog person in any way, shape or form. It's not like I don't like dogs. It's more of the situation that I refuse to walk a dog with a bag and a scoop and pick up its waste. Are you kidding me? Since that would be the reality since I do not live in the sprawling country and could allow the dog to fertilize the earth, a pooper scooper would be a must in the burbs or a city setting. Plus, I just do not have the time to commit to a dog for its exercise when my own exercise is much more important and would not try to ever compromise my or my family life with a dog. I laugh when people work and go out 12-16hrs a day and leave their dog at home to experience mental and physical decline. It's pretty sad, actually. Anyway, I titled this post "dog people" since I don't understand you people. I was driving this morning and saw TWO people with dogs on their laps interfering with their arms as they were driving. These stupid people were letting the dog climb on them and I would just look over and have a look of utter disbelief? Where are the Five0 when you need them? Is that even illegal? It should be! Sheesh, they pull someone over for having a stupid air freshener hanging too low on their rearview mirror, but some moron can have a dog jumping on them like it's playtime and that's ok? Dog people, wake up!

Business Dress

As someone who has worked in environments where business dress is mandatory and business casual was optional, I can say with absolute conviction that Western society is pretty much a collective group of Lemmings that embrace "dressing the part" as being something that by default makes people work harder or "appear" smarter. What a bunch of absolute horse caca! Are we that influenced by the fashion industry that the idea of dressing up makes one seem so much more "professional" and gets business deals done any more effectively?

Certainly, dressing within the fashion industry makes sense since the goal is to sell clothes and display what will be purchased by consumers, but any other industry? I think not. Wearing business attire does not translate into good hygiene or improved idea creation.

Does not actually DOING the work within an organization mean much more? Does taking ideas and delivering new products lose its luster if said ideas do not stem from someone with a suit on? Uh....no. Can a person wearing business dress still do sloppy work and not deliver intended results? Of course.

I happen to be thinking about this concept recently, when the EXACT idea was discussed by a very interesting person that some of you may know as the current owner of the Dallas Mavericks and billionaire, Mark Cuban. This guy is brilliant in so many ways. I knew of him before he became an NBA owner back when he sold broadcast.com. He's an extremely savvy business person and because of many of his efforts and by "efforts", I mean obnoxious press conferences and ways to annoy David Stern, the NBA has instituted many improvements to their product. Anyway, he posted about this very subject and I like the angle he decided to go with.

I have well rounded interests and many aspects of the fashion industry fall in to what I decide to research and spend my time learning about and I really think business dress is such an overrated concept in industries outside of fashion that it's just archaic and really short-minded.

The sound from under the hood...

Oh man, the Contour is in need...in need of a belt change. The noise it makes is pretty embarrassing on the rare occasions it decides to do its thing. Mix in some cold temps and you have a red-faced Rican with no place to hide. LOL! I am most sure that it is the serpentine belt that needs to be changed. The car is seven years old and it has not been changed before. The belt is in pretty decent condition though, therefore, I tend to just absorb the embarrassing sound and act like I just don't hear it when other drivers stare at me....LOL! Soon enough, it will get changed...soon enough.

Confessions on a Treadmill

So, I have been the proud owner of a treadmill for just over two years. I have learned about different aspects of my training during that time and I am still learning each week that passes. I started off really hyped about finally having the means to run regardless of rain, snow or shine. In fact, too hyped was I. I would run everyday. The one thing I did know was to not try and become a marathon runner quickly. I knew it would take time. You see, I purposely don't have a gym membership because I just think I could be more efficient with my time at home with my own equipment. Obviously there are certain advantages to a gym, but that's another post; I REALLY miss cables though :(! Anyway, I still think I probably over trained at first when I first got my mill. I diagnosed myself with a bakers cyst on the back of one knee a few months in to running consistently. Sounds much worse than it is. All it required to heal was rest and rest I gave it and it disappeared and I felt much better. I just dropped the number of miles I would run and started to just run every other day and mix in other cross-training on the days I would not run. To some degree, I was doing that (the cross-training) anyway even though I was running more at first. The other thing I noticed was that I was dropping weight like crazy! My clothes were getting much more loose on me. To some people, that may be a good thing, but for me it was like I was back in high school again with my quest to gain weight rather than look like a bird cage from the waist up. :p Well, I found my healthy balance of running and I am ALMOST getting to the point were I am pretty comfortable with how my body will react to certain distances, time and calories burned. My LOOOOOOOOOONG term goal would certainly be a marathon. Come on. If Oprah ran one, I certainly can do it. I have to get a few 5Ks and half-marathons under my belt before going all out for 26miles though....The other reality is that runners tend to be pretty trim and not in possession of very defined muscle tone. I don't want to be a skeleton. I still would like to maintain an athletic physique, but I have noticed that my strength involved in free weight exercises has not improved. Could be a temporary plateau, but it has been like this for a few months. My max bench was 255 3yrs ago. I know I cannot get that up now. I know, I know. It truly is the tradeoff of running and I suppose I have accepted that and am fine with it, but it is a machismo thing that lingers from undergrad when I would be in the fitness center at WSU talking trash to friends hitting the weights like crazy. Running was NOT in the mix at all. 10min warm up jog was about it for me back in those days. Anyway, I am happy where my fitness level is at this point. It has shifted and I really wish I could mix in two workouts a day, but that would probably lead to me running away from the whole idea of having a job and a family...Uh, not good. :)