Where Does The Phrase, "Cool Beans" Come From?

A freind of mine asked me this question yesterday - if I had heard of the phrase "cool beans," and if I knew where it came from. It turns out we both had the same experience with the expression: We heard someone else say it, thought it was a dumb thing to say, and then caught ourselves using it occasionally and hating ourselves for it.

So, what is the etymology of the phrase? The jury is out, but here's the best theory I could come up with doing a web search:

In Boston, where baked beans are famous, the phrase was used to announce when the beans had cooled down enough to enjoy. The phrase became popular in the eighties, when Bush Baked Beans had a talking dog named Duke in their commericials who used the phrase. The flaw in this theory appears to be that Duke doesn't say "Cool Beans" in the ads - his famous line is "Roll that beautiful bean footage." Odd. And anyway, why would you announce that beans served hot, were now cool? Who wants to eat cold baked beans?

A second theory is purported here:

Known to of first become common in the US during the early 1980s (mostly among teens), made up of two terms: the pre-existing cool (which became common slang earlier in the 20th century, though was based off a term from one of Chaucer's poems), and the late 20th century American teenage habit of combining slang/common words together. Hence bean (slang for head/hair) or beans (gumption, toughness, balls), was in use to say someone was cool, in a tough/good looking kind of way. And is the nature of slang it evolved and came to be associated with the actions of said individuals. Some report that it was a way of differentiating between describing someone as cool vs the action (or proposed action) as in: being 'cool with it'.

I personally have never heard anyone use the word 'beans' to describe a person's toughness, but you can make up your own mind.

Now I feel even dumber about using the expression.

Recipe for Thai Turkey Burgers - Spicy!

Thai Turkey Burgers with Coconut-Mint Mayo
Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayo
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

1 lb. ground turkey (85% lean)
1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup peanut sauce
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teasoon soy sauce
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon hot sauce

4 hamburger buns

Directions:

Dressing

Mix together mayonnaise, coconut, and mint. Cover, and refrigerate for an hour.

Burgers:

In a large bowl, mix together ground turkey, panko crumbs, Thai peanut sauce, curry paste, green onion, parsley, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, and hot pepper sauce. Be careful not to over-mix. Divide into 4 equal size balls. Flatten into patties about 1/2 inch thick.

Grill or fry burgers at medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until well done.

Serve on toasted buns with Coconut-Mint Mayonnaise.

My Review: Tom Petty In Charlotte, NC

This was my first time attending a show at the VerizonWireless Ampitheatre in Charlotte, and probably the 13th time I've seen Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers perform live. Charlotte's amphitheatre is nice - the atmosphere of an open air concert is always great on a nice night - but I could have done without the roof overhead. I'm sure it's great for when it rains, but part of the fun of looking up at the stars during the concert was lost.

Tom and the gang are touring in celebration of their thirty years as a band. Except for the drummer, Steve Ferrone who replaced Stan Lynch about a decade ago, and the addition of musician extraordinaire Scott Thurston, the band has the same lineup as when they made their first eponymous record way back in 1976. Mike Campbell has a new look, donning facial hair and deadlocks (picture a skinny Adam Duritz), and Tom isn't quite as bony as he used to be, but that Heartbreakers sound is unmistakable. The huge crowd was really into the show, with an inordinate amount of young hippies in the crowd probably there to see Phish's Trey Anastacio open up.

The band rolled through many of the hits they've amassed throughout the ages. They opened with "Listen To Her Heart" from 1978 and followed it up with "You Don't Know How It Feels" from '94. The songs I've heard him play countless times, "Free Fallin," "Mary Jane's Last Dance," "Refugee," "American Girl," sounded great, but Petty had some real treats for this leg of the tour. Besides playing some new songs "Square One," and "Saving Grace" from his new album Highway Companion which comes out next month, and the unrecorded as yet "Melinda," he also brought out Stevie Nicks to sing on "Stop Draggin My Heart Around" and "Insider," songs I've never heard performed live before. Stevie also took over vocals for "I Need To Know," and sang backup for "Learning to Fly." This was the first show of the tour, and Stevie and Tom haven't quite gotten the harmonies down yet, but it was still a terrific performance to see. It's interesting to note that no songs from the last two albums "The Last DJ" or "Echo" made the setlist.

Part of the Tom Petty concert experience is hearing fantastic versions of cover songs. Van Morrison's "Gloria" was part of the encore, The Yardbird's "I'm A Man" was mixed in, but most interesting was a kick-ass version of "Oh Well," an old Fleetwood Mac song that predates Stevie Nicks joining the group.

It's difficult for me to rank this concert with all the other times I've seen them, but I'm so glad I went. My wife had surprised me with the tickets, and it was the first time I've caught them live in several years. We don't get as many big acts down here in N.C. as we did in N.Y., and it was a great night for some great rock and roll. Tom Petty's still got it.

Spreading The Love

I'd like to give a few props to some sites around the web...

John is regularly updating V Photos again. Check it out if you love photography. This one is my favorite of his more recent shots.

Len and Murdertron_3000 have launched a Denver Broncos and New York Mets blog called Orange and Blue 2. Len takes a break from the sports talk to opine on other subjects such as tennis, Boston Terriers, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on his solo-blog called Manhattan Mutts.

Brian Sack continues to deliver at Banterist. His latest Grammar Cop entry is hilariously enraging.

...happy surfing!

Tom Petty Dragging Stevie Nicks Around

This is pretty cool. Stevie Nicks is joining the first eight shows of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers "Highway Companion" tour this summer - she'll come onstage with the band to sing "a handful of songs each night." I can only guess this means live versions of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" and maybe even the version of "Apartment Song" that appears on the Playback boxed set.

Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks go way back. The two sang the duet "Insider," on Petty's Hard Promises album, and "Needles and Pins" on the live album Pack Up The Plantation. Nicks also covered "Free Fallin" for the soundtrack of the TV show "Party of Five."

These are the shows Stevie Nicks will appear at:

June 9 - Charlotte, N.C. (Verizon Amphitheatre)
June 10 - Bristow, VA (Nissan Pavillion)
June 12 - Portsmouth, VA (Ntelos Pavillion)
June 14 - Columbus, OH (Germain Ampitheater)
June 16 - Manchester, TN (Bonaroo)
June 17 - St. Louis, MO (UMB Bank Pavillion)
June 20 - New York, NY (Madison Square Garden)
June 21 - Mansfield, MA (Tweeter Center
June 21 show at the Tweeter Center in Mansfield, Mass.

More TV Commercials From The Grave

I remember that when I was a young kid, there were these weird commercials for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. One person would be eating peanut butter out of a jar for some reason, out in public like at a movie theatre, and another person would be eating a chocolate bar. Something would happen, and the chocolate bar would wind up in the peanut butter. This would agitate both people - "You got chocolate in my peanut butter!"; "You got peanut butter on my chocolate!" until both people would realize they'd created a marvelous new combination.

I was thinking about that old ad thsi weekend, and I was wondering if Reese's ran these ads to convince people that this combination of the two ingredients was a good idea. Were chocolate and peanut butter desserts uncommon before these commercials ran? If so, they have really taken off in the last 25 years. At my company last month there was a bake-off and at least three entries were peanut butter and chocolate pies.

I decided to look into it. I went to the Reese's homepage and see that they've reprised the commerical I remember to promote the new Caramel Reese's cup. This time race-car drivers Kevin Harvick and Tony Kanaan bump into each other. Harvick is walking down the street eating a Reeses cup, and Kanaan is moseying along with a jar of caramel. They collide, and magic ensues. This means I'm not the only one to remember the old ad, but doesn't really answer my question.

Wikipedia says that the Reese's Peanut Butter cup was created in 1928 by an employee of Milton Hershey. 1928! I can tell you I was not around in 1928 to see television commercials - the ads I remember ran in the late 70's. Since the candies had been around for about 50 years by the time those commercials ran, I wonder why the creators decided they needed to emphasize the point that this combination was a good idea, and furthermore act like this was some kind of "new" idea.

I'm hungry.

Funny LL Cool J Lyrics

I was listening to some LL Cool J on my iPod this weekend, and this rhyme had me cracking up in the car:

as I turn the corner,
starin' in your cornea
you're gettin' hornier and hornier

Too funny.


By the way, that lyric comes from "Back Seat"

TV Commercials From The Grave

Hey, remember it wasn't that long ago that you couldn't turn on the television without seeing a commerical for one of those 10-10 dial around services? Carrot Top, Alf, Mike Piazza, Dennis Miller, John Stamos and other "celebrities" all were hocking these services where you dialed 10-10, three other digits and then whatever long distance number you were trying to reach, and for about a dollar, you could talk for twenty minutes. Now, you never see or hear those ads anymore. Weird.

In Effort To Thwart Scalpers, Tom Petty Cancels 1200 Concert Tickets

Approximately 800 tickets to a June 20th Madison Square Garden concert were invalidated by Tom Petty, and have been put up for resale to members of his fan club. A large block of tickets had originally been set aside for a pre-sale exclusively available to members of the club, but Petty worked with Ticketmaster and MSG to identify those which had either been resold or acquired by scalpers, violating the club membership agreement.

Another 460 tickets for concerts in St. Paul, Minnesota were also invalidated when they were found to have been acquired by scalpers. In addition to refunding the money to the original buyers, the fan club memberships of those who illegally tried to resell tickets were also cancelled. In cases where fans bought tickets from a scalper, they must try and get their money back from the scalper.

The fan club, "Highway Companions" was set up, in part, to give fan club members access to the best tickets for shows, and help minimize scalping.

Mets Vs. Yankees Tonight!

It's times like this I feel like I'm a million miles from New York. The Mets are going head to head against The Evil Empire, The Junkees, The Friggin Yankees! So where's the excitement?

Tonight is the first game of the "Subway Series," and the only word I've heard about it today is from a couple of Braves fans who are hoping the Mets lose at least two out of three this weekend so Atlanta can pick up a game or two. I'm missing out on the baseball mania up in New York! I am missing out on the boasting and proclamations of sweeps in either direction. There's no one here I can harass.

Instead, I'll boast a little bit right here:

The Mets record is 24-16, second-best in the National League.

The Mets are in FIRST PLACE, two games up over the Phillies, and three-and-a-half over Atlanta.

Despite the pitching dilemma, the Mets have the 4th-best ERA in baseball, and opposing batters have the lowest batting average against Mets pitching than any other team.

Lets Go Mets!

The pitching matchups for this weekend:
5/19 Jeremi Gonzalez (0-0, 5.40) vs. Randy Johnson ( 5-4, 5.13)
5/20 Pedro Martinez (5-0, 3.19 ERA) vs. Mike Mussina (6-1, 2.56 ERA)
5/21 Tom Glavine (6-2, 2.43 ERA) vs. Shawn Chacon (4-1, 5.21 ERA)


Tonight's pitcher, Jeremi Gonzalez, has a lifetime record against the Yankees of 1-2 with a 4.30 ERA . The Yankees have Randy Johnson starting tonight against the Mets. In the last three seasons, Randy Johnson has gone 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA against the Mets. In Johnson's last four starts this year he's allowed 22 runs - 17 earned - in just 21 1/3 innings.


Since I don't get WPIX (Channel 11) down here in North Carolina, I'll be watching the game on DirecTV, on the YES Network. Hopefully I can stomach the announcers - I may have to listen on the computer instead. Things will be better tomorrow, when the games are on the national FOX and ESPN broadcasts.

What Happened on Lost Last Night?

I totally missed Lost last night. My wife was watching teh season finale of Amazing Race, and I took it for granted that TiVo would record Lost for me. I completely forgot that the two shows would overlap. Aaargh! Luckily, ABC.com is streaming complete episodes right now on abc.com, and I plan on catching up tonight. Just go here. They also are streaming episodes of Desperate Housewives and Alias. Season finale of Lost is next week!

Buzz: The Da Vinci Code Movie Stinks!

The DaVinci Code premiered yesterday at the Cannes film festival (how do you pronounce that again?), and the word on the scene is that the reaction from the crowd was less than favorable. And, while this movie is supposed to be a Hollywood blockbuster, and not necessarily a work of high art, it surprises me that Ron Howard was unable to capture the suspense and drama of Dan Brown's novel. After all, when I orginally read the book, I often felt as though I was reading a screenplay. The book seemed made to be turned into a film. I'm still curious, as I'm sure many, many people are to see the film, but the panning of the movie at Cannes will undoubtedly hurt DaVinci's box-office numbers.

More Good Press For Alabama

When I told my friends I was moving to The South, I heard a lot of jokes about rednecks and whatnot. There is a perception that there is a lot of deep-rooted racism in this region, and 50 years after the civil rights movement, this perception about the South continues to be pervasive.

The irony of this generalization is that I have more minority neighbors now in Greensboro than I ever did on highly-segregated Long Island. In fact, a study was done that found Long Island was the most segregated suburb in the United States.

As a region, the South has an uphill battle when it comes to erasing perceptions about Southerners. And now there is a politician in Alabama whose political views won't help matters at all. Larry Darby is the Democratic candidate for the position of Alabama Attorney General, and among other controversial viewpoints, he denies the Holocaust occurred. "There was no systematic extermination of Jews. There's no evidence of that at all." said Darby.

He spoke this past weekend in New Jersey for National Vanguard, an organization that claims the United states can become "a clean, orderly, progressive, safe, and incomparably richer and more beautiful nation if it becomes a proud White nation again." Darby says that "It's time to stop pushing down the white man. We've been discriminated against too long,"

There are racists and bigots everywhere, but the most startling angle to this story comes from a recent poll about the race for Alabama Attorney General. The survey showed 21 percent favored Tyson to 12 percent for Darby, but 68 percent of respondents were undecided. It's quite sad to me that nearly 80 percent of those polled are considering voting for Darby, considering the statements he's made.

All of this reminded me of Neil Young and Lynyrd Skynyrd's song battle "Southern Man" and "Sweet Home Alabama," both of which focused on the generalization that Southerners are racist. Thrashers Wheat, a Neil Young fansite, does an excellent job of chronicling the history of the two songs here.

Neil Young (from Southern Man):

Southern man
better keep your head
Don't forget
what your good book said
Southern change
gonna come at last
Now your crosses
are burning fast

Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sweet Home Alabama):

In Birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

7up Claims To Be All Natural? Dubious, At Best.

7up has launched a new ad campaign, claiming that 7up is now made up of only all natural ingredients. Five simple, 100% natural ingredients to be precise. An all natural soda? Could this be true, or is it a lie? If someone were to ask me what the five ingredients of an all natural lemon-lime soda would be, I would guess: water, sugar, lemon juice, lime juice and perhaps salt, only because I know that salt is sometimes used in beverages where you wouldn't expect them.

Well, let's take a look at the five ingredients in 100% natural 7up:

Filtered carbonated water
High fructose corn syrup
Natural citric acid
Natural flavors
Natural potassium citrate


Let's take these one at a time. What's the difference between sugar and high fructose corn syrup? Well, for one thing, corn syrup is a lot cheaper, partially because corn is subsidized by the U.S. government. Many people will tell you that a soda made with sugar tastes better than with corn syrup. If you go to the Dr. Pepper museum in Waco, TX you can taste Dr. Pepper made with real cane sugar. Coca-Cola imported from Mexico in glass bottle has become popular because the soda is made with cane sugar there. But back to the original question at hand: Is corn syrup "100% natural"? This is how corn syrup is made:

Stainless steel steep tanks hold about 3,000 bushels of corn for 30 to 40 hours of soaking in 50 degree water. During steeping, the kernels absorb water, increasing their moisture levels from 15 percent to 45 percent and more than doubling in size... As the corn swells and softens, the mild acidity of the steepwater begins to loosen the gluten bonds within the corn and release the starch... starch, suspended in water, is liquified in the presence of acid and/or enzymes which convert the starch to a low-dextrose solution. Treatment with another enzyme continues the conversion process. Throughout the process, refiners can halt acid or enzyme actions at key points to produce the right mixture of sugars like dextrose and maltose for syrups to meet different needs. In some syrups, the conversion of starch to sugars is halted at an early stage to produce low-to-medium sweetness syrups. In others, the conversion is allowed to proceed until the syrup is nearly all dextrose. The syrup is refined in filters, centrifuges and ion-exchange columns, and excess water is evaporated. Syrups are sold directly, crystallized into pure dextrose, or processed further to create high fructose corn syrup. For more, check out this link.

Enzymes, acids, maltodextrin, and dextrose? Doesn't exactly sound 100% natural to me, but I'm not a lawyer. I'm sure 7up paid a lot of lawyers very well to cover their asses on that. But here's another lovely fact about high fructose corn syrup, according to Wikipedia:

A University of Minnesota study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000 found that fructose "produced significantly higher fasting plasma triacylglycerol values than did the glucose diet in men". The researchers, led by J.P Bantle, concluded that "If plasma triacylglycerols are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, then diets high in fructose may be undesirable.

Let's move on to natural citric acid. This is a preservative found in citrus fruits, and 7up seems pretty clean on this ingredient.

As for "natural flavors," well things are a little dicey here. According to wikipedia

According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, a natural flavor is "the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or any other edible portions of a plant, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose primary function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

An excerpt from the excellent book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser:

For the past twenty years food processors have tried hard to use only "natural flavors" in their products. According to the FDA, these must be derived entirely from natural sources -- from herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, yeast, bark, roots, and so forth. Consumers prefer to see natural flavors on a label, out of a belief that they are more healthful. Distinctions between artificial and natural flavors can be arbitrary and somewhat absurd, based more on how the flavor has been made than on what it actually contains.

"A natural flavor," says Terry Acree, a professor of food science at Cornell University, "is a flavor that's been derived with an out-of-date technology." Natural flavors and artificial flavors sometimes contain exactly the same chemicals, produced through different methods. Amyl acetate, for example, provides the dominant note of banana flavor. When it is distilled from bananas with a solvent, amyl acetate is a natural flavor. When it is produced by mixing vinegar with amyl alcohol and adding sulfuric acid as a catalyst, amyl acetate is an artificial flavor. Either way it smells and tastes the same. "Natural flavor" is now listed among the ingredients of everything from Health Valley Blueberry Granola Bars to Taco Bell Hot Taco Sauce.

A natural flavor is not necessarily more healthful or purer than an artificial one. When almond flavor -- benzaldehyde -- is derived from natural sources, such as peach and apricot pits, it contains traces of hydrogen cyanide, a deadly poison. Benzaldehyde derived by mixing oil of clove and amyl acetate does not contain any cyanide. Nevertheless, it is legally considered an artificial flavor and sells at a much lower price. Natural and artificial flavors are now manufactured at the same chemical plants, places that few people would associate with Mother Nature.

So what exactly is "natural potassium citrate"? Again we look to wikipedia:

A white, slightly hygroscopic crystalline powder. It is odourless with a saline taste. Uses: Potassium Citrate is rapidly absorbed when given by mouth and is excreted in the urine as the Carbonate. It is... [as a medication] chiefly employed as a non-irritating diuretic (any drug that elevates the rate of bodily urine excretion).

???!!!????! Why is this in the soda?? According to many sites, potassium citrate is sold as a supplement to help those with high blood pressure, and this legal document lists potassium citrate as a "flavor enhancer" and says it is used most often for pH control. It also says that potassium citrate is "synthesized from a concentrated solution of citric acid and potassium hydrogen carbonate." Okey dokey.

So, how do the ingredients in 7up compare to the ingredients in Sprite?

Carbonated water
High fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose
Natural flavors
Citric acid
Sodium citrate
Sodium benzoate

Sucrose is common table sugar. I'd like to give Sprite a bunch of credit for this, but the phrase "and/or" makes it seem like they are not even sure if it is actually in the product. So we'll move on to the other two ingredients that are different from 7up:

Sodium citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid, has a sour and salty taste (sour salt), and is used as a food additive as a preservative and to give drinks a sour taste.

Sodium benzoate is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and is produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid.

It doesn't really seem like 7up is all that different from Sprite, or any other sodas, now does it?

Here's a tip - if you're concerned about only drinking all-natural beverages, choose water, coffee, tea, or juice. If you're picking a mass-market, commercially produced soda for it's health benefits, you've got some problems. I've got nothing against soda - I love a good Dr. Pepper - but the point here is to not be misled by some ridiculous ad campaign. 7up is as high-fructose-corn-syrup-laden as it's been for years.

E-Mail Forward Of The Day - Cool Illusion

Most e-mail forwards are decidedly uninteresting, at best. I got one today that was actually pretty cool, so I'm posting it here. Feel free to start your own email chain by sending people to this post!










If you watch the above images from your seat in front
of the computer, Mr.Angry is on the left, and Mrs.Calm
is on the right.

Get up from your seat, and move back 12 feet,
and PRESTO! they switch places!

Eating in New York

What a great day in New York! I'm attending a three day seminar in the Big Apple and made the most of my time there. This morning I got up early so I could grab some coffee from Dunkin' Donuts. Ahhhh, sweet nectar of the gods...

For lunch I dropped into a deli and had a great sandwich. Feel free to recreate the sandwich at home. They key is getting high-quality cold cuts, and a true bagel. Nothing from your local supermarket, Panera Bread, or Breugers, okay?

Here's the sam'ich:

Black Forest Ham
Brie Cheese
Thin-sliced green apple
Honey Mustard
Bagel

Ahhhh... delicious!

For dinner I had a terrible sandwich and soft pretzel at Shea Stadium, but the Mets won, so the great day was complete!

Mookie Of The Month - May 2006

Mookie turned two years old on April 30!

A Night To Remember

If the season goes as it seems to be going, with the Mets finally capturing the NL East flag, last night's game may be looked at as the defining moment of the season. The Mets went into Atlanta and decisively defeated the Braves. It wasn't the first time the Mets have won at Turner Field, but it was one of the few times, and was sort of step-on-their-neck-ish in that no matter what happens the rest of this weekend, the Mets will have a healthy lead on the Braves heading home from Atlanta.

It will not be hard for me to remember this game - this game will be ingrained in my memory - even though I was unable to watch a single inning. I did hear the last nine outs of the game on Gameday Audio, but I was not able to watch the telecast even though it was on SNY, I have SNY, and I was home last night. No, I was not able to watch the game, but I will remember this game, as it happened on the night that I fell from the attic, through the ceiling, of my house.






















Early Friday morning I was awoken by a strange sound. My wife and I figured out it was coming from the attic - it sounded like a small animal, like a mouse. So Friday evening, after work, we went up through the crawl space to investigate - we just wanted to see if there was any sign of the critter, and then we'd just set a simple trap as long as there didn't seem to be any issues that required a professional. It was our first time up in the attic since buying the house a year ago. I don't have a lot of experience with attics, and my only frame of reference is my mom's old house on Long Island, which could accomodate some storage, as plywood planks were installed so boxes, etc. could be stored up there. I guess I thought all houses had this. Despite my wife's warning that there were very specific places up there where I should be stepping...









I indeed misstepped and came through the sheet rock, creating a very large hole in our ceiling, and causing a tremendous amount of insulation to fall onto the floor and stairs below. Luckily I was able to react quickly enough to hold onto a beam and not break my neck or something, but it was quite a mess.














Lesson learned: listen to your wife, leave home inspections to professionals, and never, ever, miss a Mets game.

Counting Crows Touring With Goo Goo Dolls

This is somewhat of a strange pairing with strange timing. Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows are going on tour this summer, together. Goo Goo Dolls have a new album out, but Counting Crows haven't released any new material since including a few new tracks on their Greatest Hits album back in 2003. In a March 7th posting on his website, Adam Duritz says only that the band "may even see the inside of a studio soon," so it doesn't sound like any album is quickly forthcoming.

Pearl Jam Video

A video of an in-studio performance of "Life Wasted" from Pearl Jam's new album can be viewed by visiting the Amazon.com homepage. The new album comes out May 1, and the dates and venues for their tour can be viewed here.

Why is the sky blue?

"Solar radiation sunlight is scattered across the atmosphere by a process called diffused sky radiation. The sky is blue because much more short-wave radiation -- blue light -- is scattered across the sky than long-wave radiation -- red light."

Other facts you should know by now if you've graduated high school.

USA Today: Use Less Gas, and Prices Will Crash

According to a recent article in USAToday, If we REALLY want to see gas prices go down, there is a solution that is surprisingly simple: drive less.

According to the Oil Price Information Service, cutting back on gas consumption just a little bit could cause gasoline prices to drop dramatically. "If everyone decided to drive 3% less the next 30 days, prices would crash," says Tom Kloza, senior analyst at the Oil Price Information Service.

Unfortunately, history shows that Americans have always just adjusted to higher prices at the pump and then resume driving the way they always had.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2006-04-19-gas-use-usat_x.htm

Find Cheap Gas Where You Live!

Just enter your zip code and this site tells you which gas stations on your area have the cheapest prices (and the most expensive too). Supposedly it's updated every evening:


http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=N! etx

Mookie Of The Month - April 2006

The Return Of Guns N' Roses

Last month, Chuck Klosterman wrote an April Fools review of the long-awaited CD from Guns N Roses, Chinese Democracy in SPIN magazine. The article was a complete fabrication, and the album has yet to be released, but the real band, led by Axl Rose, has scheduled two real gigs at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on May 16 and 17. Tickets for the May shows cost $63 and go on sale April 21 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster locations. Call 631-888-9000 or go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Things To Do When You're Bored, #176

Practice makes perfect!

What To Do If The Avian Pandemic Flu Hits?

The government has created a website to help individuals be prepared in case the Avian Flu becomes a pandemic:

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/tab3.html

Based on what I saw on the Oprah Winfrey show about a month ago, the American economy, and infrastructure in general, would go completely into the toilet if this happens.

Here's some additional links:

Center for Disease Control Avian Influenza site

WGAL Bird Flu site

USA Today questions and answers about the bird flu

Awesone Pork Kabob Recipe

It was a bit cold this morning while we did some yard work, but it turned out to be a nice warm, clear day. A perfect day for grilling. I found this recipe for pork kabobs on allrecipes.com, and it turned out to be a great one. Real tasty with a nice kick to it! Goes great with some couscous and corn on the side...

INGREDIENTS:

• marinade:
  
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
  

• kabobs:
• 1 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 portobello mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 1 large red onion, cut into 12 wedges
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 12 bite-size chunks fresh pineapple
  

• sauce:
  
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 
  

DIRECTIONS: In a shallow dish, mix together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add pork cubes, and turn to coat evenly with marinade. Cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours.In a saucepan, combine beef broth, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, 2 cloves minced garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Thread pork cubes onto skewers, alternating with mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, and pineapple chunks.Cook on grill for 15 minutes, or until meat is cooked through. Turn skewers, and baste often with sauce during cooking.

Ahhhh...

My Review: Inside Man

I wasn't feeling too well on Saturday when we went to the movies, but I really enjoyed what we saw. Inside Man, starring Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster is a much better movie than I expected. The acting is as good as the script, which is a nice change of pace for a cop movie. It was especially cool watching a movie set in New York City in New York City, especially because some of the jokes in the movie were jokes that just couldn't have gone over as well in other cities. In all, a memorable that I recommend, even in New York where the ticket prices have reached $10.75.

Grade: B+

I wasn't feeling too hot that day so I slept through the previews, but fortunately the trailer I had wanted to see can be seen on the Internet (they have the Internet on computers now) by clicking here.

Baseball Obsessed

I'm having trouble coming up to stuff to write about in this speace lately, mostly because I have baseball fever and can't think of anything besides the Mets. I've been posting quite a bit over at my other blog, www.tranplantedmetsfan.com, though, so if that subject interests you please stop by!

We visited New York this past weekend and it was awesoem to see our friends and family for the weekend, as well as to indulge in our favorite New York treats - H&H Bagels, Angelo's Pizza, and the New York mass transit system. It's good to be back in N.C. though, as today my friends back home are suffering through a snowstorm and it's warm enough down here to walk around outside without a jacket.

I was outside a little bit more than usual this morning, as I had to clean up after Mookie. Mookie killed her first rabbit this morning. Michelle found a baby rabbit sleeping under our deck, and then Mookie found it. Needless to say, the two animals did not become friends, and I had to go home and dispose of the rabbit's body. So, Easter will be cancelled this year at the Mookie household, as it turns out Mookie killed The Easter Bunny's kid.

Dogs will be dogs, I guess.

Lost Spoiler

Part of the magic of 'Lost' was spoiled for me this week when an ad for Neosporin was snuck in the script. Jack said his island mate's rash would be helped by Neosporin. Sawyer has all the medicine stashed away, and he's charging two loads of laundry in exchange for a tube. This was so obviously a product placement. What's worse is that most physicians don't even like Neosporin...

Last night on The Office, a logo for Geek Squad was also conveniently placed so that it received considerable airtime during one scene. As TiVo and other DVRs become more popular this may be something we'll have to grow to accept, but I think it really does cheapen shows.

New iPod Feature

Owners of recent iPods will now be able to set how loud their digital music players can go, according to a press release today. Call me stupid, but isn't that what the volume control is for? Why do I need a separate feature to set the maximum volume? If Apple really wants to protect their customers' hearing, they should include an alternate headphone than those buds taht go in your ear. That is the worst kind of headphones for your ears! Personally I rarely use headphones, except on airplanes, preferring to play the iPod through a home stereo, car stereo, or computer speakers.

One Example Of Highly Effective Direct Mail Advertising

Just got this message in my inbox with the subject line, INVOICE:

-Se`nsattional revolution in m`eedicine!

-It's h`erbal sol`ution what hasn't side effect, but has 100% gua`ranteeed results!

-Don`'t loose your chance and but know wiht`out doubts,, you will be i`mpressed with results!!!!

Clic`k h`ere: http://craigstelecomsolutions.info

I usually don't respond to unsolicited e-mails, but this company's advertising is just so convincing! How can I delete this message without feeling like I'm missing out on an amazing opportunity? I really believe this h'erbal sol' ution will change my life for the better! Plus, the subject line is "invoice," so I must have committed to this in the past and forgotten about it so I had better make good on my promise and order mass quantities!! Don't worry, Craig's Telecom Solutions, my order is forthcoming!!!

Mookie Of The Month - March 2006

This is the craziest picture of Mookie I've ever taken.

The Career Of Bob Saget

Bob Sagat carried a reputation as the corniest man in show biz with his work as host of America's Funniest Videos in the 1990's. He did a pretty good job voicing over video of animals acting crazy, but it was often so cheesy that you couldn't help but laugh.

He also starred on Full House as the geeky dad, especially compared to the "cool" Uncle Jesse and "funny" Joey. Even though we heard rumors that Bob saget was actually a raunchy stand-up comedian, we couldn't shake the image of him as a cornball.

Last year we finally caught a glimpse of Bob's dirty side when he appeared on The Aristocrats telling a raunch version of the joke. Maybe he wasn't so cheesy after all?

Well, it seems he misses his America's Funniest Videos days a lot, because he's now creating a spoof of March Of The Penguins, where he's going to voice over penguins in the parody. This could be good, but it could also restore is cornball reputation.

Lesson Learned: Buy, Don't Lease.

One problem with renting is that you don't own the place so there are limitations on what you can do. When we moved to North Carolina we lived in an apartment for six months, and I couldn't get DirecTV because the satellite dish would have had to have been mounted to the building. I was real glad to buy a home just so I could free myself from Time Warner Cable!

It seems Prince has been paying NBA Star Carlos Boozer $70,000 a month in rent to live in the basketball player's Los Angeles mansion. But now Boozer is suing The Purple One for making too many alterations. Among Prince's "upgrades":

Painting the exterior with purple striping,
Painting a O(+> symbol on the house's exterior with the numbers 3121.
Installing a purple monogrammed carpet was in the master bedroom
Installing plumbing and piping for "beauty salon chairs."

I didn't see anything about satellite dishes, so maybe Prince likes cable?

By the way, Newsday says Prince's new album is his best since Sign O' The Times. I like what I've heard from the album, particularly 'Fury,' which was performed on SNL, but I have heard that "best since Sign O' The Times" line so many times in the last ten years that I am not sure how much to believe it.

Don't Stretch Yourself Thin?

Newsday has an article debunking myths about exercising. Here was the most startling:

Myth: "Before I work out, I should stretch to help prevent injuries."

A 2004 literature review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed what many studies had shown: Stretching will not prevent injuries. Moreover, stretching is not a warm-up. You're better off performing the exercise you're about to do at a much lower intensity for about 10 minutes - walking or jogging slowly before you run; gently swinging the club before a game of golf.

"There's actually not much data on the benefits of stretching, although it's like God, mother and apple pie - everyone is for it," says Dr. Carl Foster, president of the American College of Sports Medicine.

I love debunking myths, and I have a terrible attention span. I think Mythbusters would be my favorite show, except it's an hour too long. So this combination of debunking an age-old myth and finding a shortcut makes it my favorite news item of the day.

Don't you find it hard to believe though? I honestly don't exercise much, but when I used to run a lot, I would always feel that when I didn't stretch I felt more uncomfortable quicker. Maybe that warm-up technique would have worked better.

Stupid Egg Tricks

Can you really balance an egg at the moment of the Vernal Equinox?

Yes, if you have the right egg. And you should be able to balance that same egg any day of the year. Nobody knows where this urban legend started, but it's been around long enough that we should all be aware that it is an urban legend, and wacky radio DJ's should have something else to talk about today.

http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/The_vernal_equinox_fact_and_fiction.html

Parmesan John

Somebody Please Buy Me This Shirt

Hypocrite Of The Month / Hero Of The Month

My pick for Hypocrite of The Month is an easy one - it's Isaac Hayes. He has quit his job of voicing Chef on "South Park"after the show did an episode mocking Scientology. Creator Matt Stone said it best,

“This is 100 percent having to do with his faith of Scientology ... He has no problem — and he’s cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians.”

This episode has caused quite a stir among Scientologists. Tom Cruise allegedly threatened to cease promotion of Mission Impossible: 3 unless Comedy Central (owned by the same company that made the movie) agreed to stop re-airing the episode.

Tom Cruise's actions don't surprise me - he's a very talented actor who's many times shown himself to be completely humorless and well out of touch with reality. I'm disappointed that Comedy Central didn't stand up to their parent company, but somehow I'm even more disappointed in Hayes, who looks like a "dish it but can't take it" kind of guy here. I'm sending back all of his albums - as soon as I find one in my collection.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, I just read an article about an artist who I am completely unfamiliar with, but who I already hold a great deal of respect for, based on a quote of hers.

Jenny Lewis, who is in an indie-rock band called Rilo Kiley that I've never heard of, is releasing an album with a group called the Watson Twins, who I've also never heard of, called Rabbit Fur Coat. The music on the album is being described as "countrified," "twangy," and "faux-gospel," which is apparently a departure from their indie-rock roots. There is a cover of the Travelling Wilbury's "Handle With Care," on the album, which I think is really cool, but that's not why I am already in love with Lewis, without ever hearing a note from her. It's this statement, about making a different kind of album:

"If some people like it, that's great," says Lewis, on the line from a tour stop in Seattle. "But it's also kind of satisfying to know that some people will totally hate it, because that's a part of expanding your audience."

Brilliant. Just brilliant. It reminds me of a quote made by Tom Petty a few months ago:

Q: Do you think [The Last DJ] did not do well because it was not what people expect from Tom Petty?

A: Well, too bad, you're going to have to take what he gives you. I don't give a damn what you want.

Q: Yes, you do. You have just spent hours talking about the respect you have for your audience.

A: Yes, well, that is respecting them. If I disrespected them, I would pander to them, but I don't. I never have, and I'm never going to. If you just think I'm going to sing "Refugee" every time, I'm not going to do it. I'm too old for that now.

Q: What do you want to do?

A: I'm more interested in what I'm going to leave behind me now than in making a big hit record. I've refined what I do for a long time. If getting better at it means it goes over the heads of those who only wanted to party, then so be it.

Respect for your audience, and respect for your craft. Imagine that. I'm putting Rabbit Fur Coat on my wish list, and so should you.

Pearl Jam is Back (and Tom Petty too!)

Last night I downloaded the new single from Pearl Jam, "World Wide Suicide" off their upcoming album Pearl Jam. WWS is a great track, reminding me a bit of "Satan's Bed," from Vitalogy, which in my opinion is still their best album to date.

I'm real excited about the new release, and hoping their worldwide tour brings them to NC this year. I won't be buying the CD in a record store though. I'm preordering the album here, and for $19.50 (including shipping) I'll get the new album mailed to me, along with a live CD of a 1992 New Years show, and at midnight of the release date (May 2), I'll be able to download the entire album to my computer.

As for the tour, well this could get REALLY interesting. My all-time-favorite artist Tom Petty also has a new CD due out soon (likely in June) and he'll be touring with the Heartbreakers in celebration of the 30th anniversary of their first album. According to an article in Billboard:

"What we're trying to do is a bunch of shows with different artists that either we like or think would be an interesting show," Petty manager Tony Dimitriades tells Billboard. "One of the main things we're doing is a bunch of shows with Pearl Jam. We're also talking to John Mayer about doing some dates, as well as the Strokes."

I have no interest in John Mayer, but a Petty/Pearl Jam combo would be friggin' amazing!

Top O' The Morning To Ya

I never remember it's St. Patrick's Day until I get to work and everyone is wearing green. If I had remembered, I'd at least have eaten Lucky Charms for breakfast or something. If I were still in college I'd at least be heading to the bars this evening to drink some green beer. If I still worked in Manhattan I'd at least be able to go outside during lunch and laugh at the drunks puking all over 5th Avenue.

Instead, all I can do is post "Happy St. Patrick's Day" on this here blog and maybe tonight go see 16 Blocks, a movie starring Bruce Willis, who is probably not Irish, but the film's Director of Photography, Glen MacPherson, probably is.

Juggling Video

I tried to learn how to juggle as a kid, but didn't have the hand-eye coordination (or the patience) to learn. Imagine if I had stuck with it, I could be getting standing ovations for my juggling, like Chris Bliss, in this video:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4776181634656145640&pr=goog-sl

My NCAA Tournament Bracket

I don't know a darn thing about college sports. Somehow, however, it's inevitable that every March I will get involved in the tournament that determines the national champion. Every year, the one guy at work who actually watches college hoops will rope everyone else into participating in the bracket.

Now that I've moved to North Carolina, it's even worse. They LOVE the college basketball down here. It doesn't hurt that there are four teams (Duke, UNC, NC State, UNCW) from this state in the tournament this year, but these people follow the sport THE WHOLE SEASON.

So I have picked my teams for the bracket, despite the fact that I have never seen one team out any of the sixty four play in my entire life. I picked Villanova to win the whole thing, partially because I actually know the name of their coach, Jay Wright, because he was the coach at Hofstra while I attended.

I was almost starting to care who won the tournament, until while I was reviewing my highly-educated picks, when I saw that the championship game is played on April 3rd. April 3rd! Frickin' Opening Day! Do these people have no shame???

Davey and Goliath

When I was a kid, there was a claymation show called Davey and Goliath about a kid "Davey" and his dog "Goliath" who would learn some kind of morality lesson in each show. I don't remember if I actually liked the show or not, which originally aired in the 1960's,but I remember watching it all the time because the claymation was cool and I liked the way the dog said "Daaavey,"

There is a new show on Cartoon Networks' Adult Swim block of shows called Moral Orel that is basically a parody of Davey and Goliath. There's no dog, which is disappointing, but the show is a riot. The funniest parts are very subtle. Like AquaTeen Hunger Force, it's on way too late at night, but do yourself a favor and TiVo this show.

Moral Orel


Goliath and Davey


By the way, I have been looking through my recent posts and noticed how many "plugs" I give to products. Believe me, I am not getting paid by these companies. It's funny just thinking about that notion. I just happen to be a fan of "NEW" stuff, and like to pass along information about products and entertainment I enjoy. I think Malcom Gladwell has a name for people like me in his book, "The Tipping Point."

In and Out

I've been quite lax in posting lately, partially because I've still been recovering from the jet lag I suffered travelling to San Francisco last week, and partially because work has been hectic... But I wanted to make sure I didn't let too much time go by between posts.

San Francisco is a cool city, but one of the highlights of the trip was a quick lunch at In-N-Out Burger. In-N-Out is a great fast-food joint that only has restaurants in California and Las Vegas, so whenever I head out West, I make it a point to stop in and grab a burger. This trip I initiated four co-workers to the great taste of In-N-Out. A trip to Cali just isn't complete without a cheeseburger from that place.

Barry Bonds is Screwed

Just in time for Opening Day, a book titled Game Of Shadows will be released on March 27th written by two San Francisco Chronicle writers which details Barry Bonds extensive use of steroids since the 1998 season. An excerpt appears in the current issue of Sports Illustrated, and the accusations and evidence are damning. Bud Selig has to be praying that Bonds isn't healthy enough to break Aaron's record.

Katrina Catastrophe Still Haunting U.S., Bush

Six months after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Mississippi, we are reminded of what a disaster it was, how many people are still reeling from the effects, and how poorly it was- and continues to be- handled.

Last week Oprah Winfrey dedicated a show to the Katrina aftermath, where the images of towns hit look like they were taken in the days after the hurricane, but astoundingly are actually current. People are still homeless, and reconstruction has barely begun. Hundreds of empty trailers sit in lots, inexplicably left undistributed to needy families. USAFreedom Corps and The Red Cross still desparately needs volunteers.

In yet another blow to President Bush and teh Federal government's response to the disaster, today a video was released by the AP that shows FEMA briefing Bush four days before the storm hit, outlining the potential for great loss of life, potential for catastrophe if the Superdome was to be used as a rescue headquarters, and the likelihood of levees breaking. Bush doesn't ask any questions during the briefing, but pledges his commitment to providing support. A clip is then shown of him appearing on Good Morning America after the storm hit, saying that "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees." That statement at least was quite apparently a lie.

Still Travelin, Travelin, On...

Got back from the grand state of Utah after midnight last night, and picked up Mookie from her dogsitter after work today. Wednesday morning I'm on the road again, heading to San Francisco for the weekend. I'm looking forward to eating at a restaurant called Slanted Door, which I hear is outstanding. I'll let you know.

Hopefully I'll be a nit better prepared for this trip than this one that just past. We walked out the door Thursday night without our toiletries bag. So, among other things, I didn't have a razor with me. Since we were attending a wedding Saturday, I couldn't avoid shaving entirely, but I was going to have to go without the Gillette Mach 3 and the Shick Quattro I rotate between, and use the disposable Bics that mom has a stash of for forgetful guests. Well we went to Albertson's supermarket Friday night to pick up some deodorant to replace the stuff I also forgot, when I saw it:

The Gillette Fusion shaver.

Now, when I saw the commercial for this new shaver during the Super Bowl I wasn't impressed. Gillette has upped the ante to a FIVE BLADE razor, with a sixth blade on the back side for trimming sideburns. How much difference fcould five blades make over four, or even three, I thought.

But then I saw the razor in person.






The razor has a very cool design, but I must admit, the single biggest reason I broke down and bought it was the color scheme: Mets Blue and Orange. Oh yeah.

Of course, I didn't but the battery powered version. After all, I have enough trouble avoiding cutting myself when the blade isn't moving! And anyway, the battery powered version is more orange and silver instead of blue and orange.

Yes, I am pathetic, but I believe the new razor set the tone for the weekend, later on during which I was able to secure tickets for Mets' Opening Day.

Oh, and by the way, the razor works really well. Very nice shave. Forgot to mention that, somehow.

Traveling, Baby

Mookie is on vacation again this weekend. We got back from Costa Rica Sunday afternoon and picked up Mookie from her home away from home. We dropped her off again Thursday evening, as we headed off to Utah for a family wedding. Mookie looked too happy to be back at her retreat. I hope she's glad to see us when we pick her up Monday evening!

Details of Day 3 of our Costa Rica Trip are available below.

New Nosebleed Solution

Last week I was telling my wife, who frequently gets nosebleeds, that she goes about stopping them all wrong. I told her that she needs to put her head back to reduce the blood flow to the nostrils. She said that theory has never been proven. She's right - several places I checked advise against leaning back because the blood would then go into your stomach and cause you to become nauseous. Go figure, I was wrong again!

Well there's a new product on the market called NasalCEASE that is a natural "biopolymer" product that releases calcium to quickly stop bleeding. It's $11.50 for a pack of five and is available at CVS. Supposedly 30% of households in America include at least one person who suffers from minor recurring nosebleeds. I don't know what the statistic is for how many of those households also include a know-it-all.

Details of day two of our Costa Rican vacation are available here.

Guess Who's Back?

I'm back from my amazing vacation in Costa Rica! Here are some of the best photos - I'll be posting more next month when more bandwith opens up for me on Flickr. Meanwhile, I'll be retro-blogging (I think I just coined a new phrase) over the next week with day-by-day details of the trip. I'll post each days events with the date they happened. Hope you enjoy the tales of our adventures in Costa Rica! Day One is available here. I'll also resume regular blogging tomorrow. Adios, amigos!

Our Trip To Costa Rica - Days Six, Seven and Eight

Thursday, February 16th:

The weather was fantasic today once again. We started the morning off with a delicious breakfast, including granadilla fruit, tamales, platanos madura, and that fantastic Costa Rican coffee. We relaxed around the pool, and later in teh morning boarded a small boat to take a trip over to nearby Coco Beach to have lunch and buy souveniers. On the way to Coco, we were lucky enough to see more exotic wildlife. This time we saw a humpback whale with a baby! Just incredible. There are people who pay good money to go on whale watching cruises and never see a thing. we had no expectations of seeing a whale on this excursion it was basically a water taxi over to the nearby beach and town. It was just plain awesome.

When we arrived at Coco, we spent a little time admiring the pelicans dive for fish, and then explored the town. It was a very dry, hot day to be walking around dusty Coco, but we did have a good lunch at Casino Restaurant and bought some coffee at the supermarket to bring back to our friends at home. We also bought some souvenirs for ourselves.

When we got back to the resort, we relaxed in the hot tub with cocktails (I had a Michelada), then went back to the room for a well deserved nap. Okay, maybe we didn't deserve it, but we enjoyed it!

Friday, February 17th:

With all the excursions we took this week, today was the first day we got a chance to check out the Allegro's private beach. The beach at the resort itself is just perfect for relaxing, but as a bonus they have a private beach that requires a short boat ride to get to. The private beach was gorgeous! We relaxed in hammocks, took a dip in the water, and enjoyed more cocktails, of course! We also saw many, many howler monkeys lounging in the trees above us. There were too many to count. Just incredible. A littel while later, a family of white-face monkeys came swinging through the trees past us. The howlers made quite a fuss, unhappy at the visitors, but the white-faced monkeys just kept on going.

After a few hours, we headed back to the Allegro, for a game of volleyball in the pool, more cocktails in the hot-tub, lunch, more cocktails, and another nap. Tonight we ate in the resort's Italian restaurant, and it was a perfect way to end the trip. The food was excellent, and our waiter made us a special flaming coffee liquor drink to finish off teh evening. I wrote down all teh ingredients but unfortuantely lost my pad since then. Oh well! Our trip to Costa Rica was fantastic - Pura Vida!

Saturday, February 18th:

Please know in advance that you will be charged a tourist tax when you leave Costa Rica - it is $25 a person. We did not know about it before hand, and we must admit it was a little disappointing to leave the country with that experience. Our flight out of Liberia was delayed - by three hours - and the airport is not very comfortable for that kind of delay. It is not air-conditioned, except for the small gift shop, so please be prepared for this when you go. As I said, our flight was delayed by three hours, so when we finally got to Miami, we missed our connection to Greensboro. And to make matters worse, this was the last flight out of Miami to GSO for the night! All the area hotels were booked for the night and so the Miami International Airport was our hotel for the night. After a week in a gorgeous resort it was quite a different experience sleeping on the floor of the very chilly airport that night. We finally made it home Sunday afternoon - all in all it was a fantastic trip and we can't wait for another chance to visit the beautiful region of Central America.

Our Trip To Costa Rica - Day Five

We got another early start on day five of our trip, as we head out for another excursion. Today the destinations were a rainforest, the Tabacon Hot Springs, and the Arenal Volcano. Our guide for the day was Gustavo, another excellent guide from TAM Travel.

At the rainforest we learned how rainforests are formed, and that the United States and other countries actually compensate countries like Costa Rica for preserving rainforests because we all depend on them to create oxygen. We were lucky enough to see a family of howler monkeys high in the trees. Then we were introduced to the Maleku tribe, a tribe of people indigenous to Costa Rica who still live in the traditional fashion. They spoke to us about their lifestyle and we bought some artwork from them to support their plight. Money is of no use to them on a day-to-day basis because they live off the land, but they do use the funds to buy more land to preserve their people.

We left the rainforest and headed towards the hot springs. Along the way we were lucky to see a toucan and a family of pizote (cousin to the common raccoon). The countryside of Costa Rica is beautiful!

The Tabacon Hot Springs is a man-made destination, but is very beautiful and has a very natural feel to it. We had dinner at the Tabacon resort and then headed to the volcano. Unfortunately, teh weather was such that we only saw a small burst of orange from teh volcano. We were told there is a fifty-fifty chance of seeing any action, so we were lucky to see the small burst that we saw.

On the way home, we stopped the tour bus to observe a two-toed sloth travelling along some telephone lines. He looked like something from a Star Wars film. Very cool!

Our Trip To Costa Rica Day Four

Today was Valentine's Day, and to celebrate we took a wonderful Sunset Cruise on the Pacific. The view was breathtaking, and while waiting to see the sun go down, we saw dolphins! "Dolphin watching" was advertised with the package, but we honestly didn't expect to see any. Howver, we saw so many! At one point they leaped out of the water as if in a Sea World show. It was magnificent!

Also on the boat, we tried Cacique for the first time. Cacique is the brand name of a local alcohol called guaro that is made from sugar cane. While only 60 proof, it packs a nice punch when mixed with Fresca. So 'Cacique y Fresca' is what we had, and was what we got quite drunk on during the cruise. The sunset was gorgeous, even rivaling the sunsets we saw in Greece on our honeymoon. We'll never forget the views. Once the sun went down we turned the boat back towards the resort, but first the crew turned all the lights off on the boat, so we were able to admire the incredible star-filled sky. I had never seen so many stars! It made us feel very small, and very fortunate.

We had a small dinner at the resort's Mexican restaurant. The food was very good, especially my appetizer, which was ceviche. We headed to bed early, as we have to wake up early tomorrow for another all-day excursion!

Of Our Trip To Costa Rica Day Three (PART TWO)

NOTE: I lost my notepad on our trip to Utah in February, so many of my notes on recipes, animal names, and places were lost. I'll continue to blog to the best of my memory on this awesome trip:

...CONTINUED
We made it through the water slide okay, though it would have been more fun if it were warmer. We had a real nice lunch of traditional Costa Rican fare. Especially tasty were the fried plantains. After eating them, you never want to have regular potato chips again! We then took a real nice horseback ride to some hot springs, and then to a beautiful natural waterfall. It was a beautiful ride through the countryside, and we saw a geothermal energy power plant, which generates electricity from the nearby volcano. Much of the country's electricity comes from this type of power plant. Finally, we took a bus back to our hotel where we had a terrific dinner. On this night the cocktail of the night was something called a sabanero? which is made with a local fruit. Very tasty, and I regret not writing down the recipe.

Our Trip To Costa Rica - Day Three (PART ONE)

Today we woke up early to have another delicious and finish in time to meet the tour bus at 8AM. We booked what was called the "Combo Tour" of the Buena Vista Hot Springs and Canopy Tour. The small bus that picked us up brought us to the TAM headquarters near the airport in Liberia where we met our tour guide and people from other hotels who were also taking the tour.

Our guide for the day was Arturo, who turned out to be a funny, and excellent, tour guide. The group was small, only about 8 people or so. We boarded the bus and headed to our destination. Along the way, Arturo pointed out sites of note. At one point he asked the driver to stop and he ran onto the campus of a nearby university without explanation. We thought perhaps he had to use the bathroom or something, until we watched him jump up, grabbing things off the school's trees. After he got a few of whatever he was getting, he bounded back onto the bus. He was holding some fruits. I recognized them immediately from watching the food network: Cashew fruits!

The cashew nuts we take for granted are actually the seeds of the cashew tree that hang off the end of the tree's fruit. Arturo explained that locals don't usually eat the nuts of the tree, because it's a very involved process to shell the nut. It is much more common for locals to eat the ripened fruit, which we found out isn't bad! Sort of like a bitter apple.

As we continued along, we passed by many pastures where cattle grazed. I remarked to Michelle how scrawny looking the cows looked compared to ones I was used to seeing. The reason for this was that these were Brahman cattle, recognizable by their loose skin, which is thought to contribute to its ability to withstand warm weather (by increasing the body surface area exposed to cooling).

The funniest thing about these cows was that it seemed like each one had a little bird as a companion. Arturo explained that these cattle egrets came over to Costa Rica along with the cows when they were originally brought over from Africa. The birds will eat the grasshoppers, beetles, ticks and other insects that are commonly found around cattle.

We finally arrived at Buena Vista, near Rincon de la Vieja National Park. We got suited up with our gear for the zip line and right away noticed how windy it was. Extremely windy. Arturo told us this was not normal, but that it wouldn't affect our good time. As we walked up the hill to the zip lines we felt the strong breezes and talked about how after the zip lines we were supposed to ride a water slide. The cold air had us wondering how much fun that would be, considering... TO BE CONTINUED

Our Trip To Costa Rica - Day Two

We awoke this morning refreshed after a good night's sleep. We walked down to the restaurant to a wonderful breakfast - everything you could possibly want. From omelettes made on request to French Toast to local fare like tamales and platanos maduro - a delicious way to prepare bananas. And the coffee was, as expected outstanding, whether served "negro" or "con leche," I also discovered a delicious fruit - sweet granadilla, which is a cousin to the passion fruit. To eat this fruit, you cut into the skin with a butter knife all the way around to cut the fruit in two halves and reveal the pulp inside. The pulp is green and made up of seeds. Michelle swore that I was eating them just to gross her out, but basically you take a spoon and eat the entire insides in one scoop. It is so tasty!

After breakfast we we went back to the room and planned our excursions for the week. We booked two trips with TAM Travel with an office at the hotel. Tomorrow we'll take what's called a canopy tour, where we'll ride zip lines high in the trees, ride a water slide, take a horseback ride through the countryside, and finally relax in some natural hot springs. Thursday we'll visit a rainforest and try to see the Arenal volcano. And Tuesday we'll take a sunset cruise right from the beach of our hotel.

But today is a day to relax on the beach! We took a short walk up and down the shoreline, and checked out the wildlife - we saw a large reptile called a ctenosaur, or black iguana, and various birds like pelicans and little blue herons. We saw hermit crabs, which I'd previously only seen in gift shops and pet stores. We also saw tajalines - these funny crabs that would dig themselves little holes in the sand. As we approached them they'd scurry back into the holes. We couldn't believe how quick they were! After laughing at the crabs for awhile, we found ourselves some recliners and got some sun.

After relaxing awhile, I decided to go exploring again. Up the beach a bit, I saw some young guys hacking at a big pod attached to a tree with machetes! This pod had to be some kind of insect nest, and I couldn't imagine what was going on! I saw the teenager hack at the pod, and then reach his arm into the hole he made. What could he have been trying to get at? Honey, perhaps? Well, I was feeling brave, so I walked up and asked "Que Pasa," (one of the 15 phrases I remembered from high school Spanish). And then he showed me - he reached into the pod and pulled out - birds! Tropical baby birds! He called them paraquitos, and my new amigo Javier even let me hold one of the little guys! I was stunned.

I found out later that these birds - actually conures - lay their eggs in termite nests where they will be safe and where food (the termites) is readily available. Unfortunately, kids like Javier know the bird's habits and will seek out these babies which can go for hundreds of dollars on the open market. This is illegal of course, but far be it for me, an American, to tell a Costa Rican how to preserve his environment.

The rest of the day we enjoyed the pool, the free drinks, the jacuzzi, and mostly the beautiful weather! The sunset was gorgeous, and we climbed the tower at the resort to get a better vantage point. What an amazingly beautiful country. More adventures await!

Our Trip To Costa Rica - Day One

We flew into Costa Rica on American Airlines into Daniel Oduber International Airport, in the city of Liberia. This is one of the two major airports in Costa Rica, but it's not like any major airport I'd ever seen. Made up of just one building that looks more like a big open air barn and just one runway.

We arrived in Costa Rica at about 1 PM local time, which is the same time zone as US Central. We thought we'd be in Mountain Time Zone, but we were surprised when we looked at a map to see that Costa Rica is actually directly south of Atlanta. Shows how much we know about world geography. We were met by representatives of our travel agency, but before they could take us to our hotel, we had to get some cash. Luckily there was a bank and an ATM at the airport, but using the ATM was a bit of a challenge for me. The machine dispensed in both US dollars and Costa Rican colones, but only in specified increments. I could get 20 US dollars, or I could get colones in quantities of ten-thousand, five-thousand, or two-thousand. The conversion rate is 525 colones = 1 dollar, but it still felt crazy to withdraw ten thousand colones! I withdrew ten thousand colones, and then another two thousand colones to start the trip with, as we planned on using our Visa card for almost all our expenses.

We took a van across very bumpy roads, and by the time we arrived at our hotel we both had headaches from the lack of eating coupled with the bumpy ride. Still, we were excited to start our vacation!

When we arrived at our hotel, the all-inclusive Allegro Papagayo, we were greeted with a welcome cocktail called "sunset" by the bartender Alberto. Sooo delicious! Unfortunately I never got the recipe, but believe me it was quite good!

Since we left Greensboro pretty early, and didn't get to eat in the Miami airport, by the time we got to Costa Rica we were pretty hungry. Our room wasn't ready yet, so while we waited we headed down to the restaurant to get some much needed food. We were too late for lunch, but they had a snack bar where stuff like hamburgers, hot dogs and nachos were available.

We checked into our room, which was clean, but honestly not what would be considered "four star," as advertised. The room itself was more like a Days Inn, to be quite honest. The bed was comfortable enough, and the hot water worked, as did the air conditioner and the television, so it could have been worse. We took a nap before dinner, exhausted from all the travel so far.

This was our first time at an "all-inclusive" resort, and weren't sure what to expect. We can be "food snobs" of sorts, and were worried about what it would be like eating from a buffet every night. The food the first night was decent, and it was nice to eat outside, listening to the birds around the resort.

After dinner was what what we hoped were signs of things to come. We walked down to the beach and saw a man with a flashlight looking for something. We asked what he was looking for and he told us he was looking for animals. He then pointed to what he called a mapache running into the forest. We'd never heard of them before, but were thrilled to see our first glimpse of Costa Rican wildlife, right there at the resort. (As it turns out, mapache is spanish for 'raccoon', so -not that wild) But the man then told us that there was a monkey up in the trees! We couldn't believe it. We followed him, and looked as he shone his light up into a tree. Sure enough, looking down on us was a howler monkey! We knew that howler monkeys lived in the area, and were hopeful to see one, but were thrilled to see one the very first night. Then as we walked back to the hotel, we saw another animal in our path - It was a coati (pronounced KWA-tee) - a cousin to the raccoon that we know here in the States, but very different looking and unlike the common raccoon is not nocturnal. It took one look at us and took off.

So we were very excited as we headed off to sleep - our first night sleeping in amazing Costa Rica!

Outta Here..

No more posts for awhile... The wife and I are headed off to vacation! Mookie's going on vacation too, but not with us. She's going to spend the week with a nice woman with a bunch of dogs, which means Mookie will get plenty of attention. See you later!

Mookie Of The Month - February

What's Mookie looking at? She's looking for the damned groundhog that made it snow.

(Britney's) Baby You Can Drive My Car

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department is concerned that Britney Spears isn't following state laws about using proper child restraint in the car. A paparazzi outfit named X17 (don't ask me) snapped this shot of Britney driving her SUV with her baby in her lap. Britney defended her actions by saying she

"was terrified that this time the physically aggressive paparazzi would put both me and my baby in danger. I instinctively took measures to get my baby and me out of harm's way, but the paparazzi continued to stalk us."

I am not saying I know what it's like to have photographers following me around everywhere, and I am sure it's annoying, but really, how in the world could Britney Spears or her kid have been in danger because of photographers?

I think being a paparazzi is a pretty pathetic job, personally, but their job is to take pictures of celebrities, and it would seem like, if you're a celebrity, if you would just stand there and let the dumb photographers take your picture instead of racing around like it's some kind of cat and mouse game your life would be a lot simpler.

And then hey, who knows, maybe the tabloids would just publish pictures of you shopping instead of you driving around with a baby on your lap!

Mookie Meets Aqua Teen Hunger Force

Okay, so this will likely be my weirdest post ever. Click below the photo to read a comic where Mookie meets Aqua Teen Hunger Force. No further explanation necessary. Enjoy!

click here to read the comic

24 Frickin' Rocks

Okay, I love this show. Last night I was thrilled when I realized that Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert) will soon make an appearance. In the meantime here are some cool 24-related links. To explain the links in advance would ruin them. Instead, just visit:

http://www.notrly.com/jackbauer/index.php?topthirty

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2006/2/7ruenprapan.html

http://www.ccir.ed.ac.uk/~jad/ringtone.html

Another Celeb Couple Call It Quits

About two months ago I published a posting that Sheryl Crow was annoyed that tabloids were publishing untrue rumors that she and her fiancee Lance Armstrong were splitting up. Now, this past Friday, Crow and Armstrong announced that, indeed, they are calling it quits.

This goes to further prove my theory about celebrities and tabloid journalism: With all the crap that is published in the rags on a daily basis, whenever a celebrity takes the time out to dispute a given rumor, it's a real good sign that the rumor is actually true.

Super Bowl Ads

Of all the ads I saw tonight, I still like one that debuted a few years back the best. The CareerBuilder.com ads with the office filled with monkeys cracks me up everytime. Partly because I think everyone has had jobs like that, and partlt because I think it would be ablast to hang around actual monkeys all day, rather than people who act like monkeys. I'm talking about jobs I've had IN THE PAST, of course.

By the way, I apologize for the lack of posts on this blog lately - I've been posting more frequently at www.transplantedmetsfan.com, but truthfully I've felt like my last few posts here were rather weak, and I have been waiting for inspiration to spark some better writing.

Come back soon for some very special new Mookie material though!

Punxsutawney Phil: America's Most Misunderstood Rodent?

He is a rodent, right?

Anyway, Happy Groundhog Day, everyone! Today, the prognosticator known as Punxsutawney Phil allegedly predicted six more weeks of winter. Why do I say 'allegedly'? Because I believe Phil's predictions are being misunderstood, year after year.

Most sites I checked say Phil is right about 39% of the time. That's not even as good as flipping a coin! Well, I believe in Phil. I would like to pose the theory that his accuracy rate is actually 61%, and we have just gotten the whole 'see his shadow/not see his shadow' interpretation of weather forecast reversed!

On the other hand, I should also point out that Phil has "seen his shadow" 94 times out of the last 117 times, so maybe we should stop dragging the poor bastard out of his hole every year and wait for him to send us an e-mail or something with his prediction.

Flag Daze

Mookie is getting acclimated to the underground fence, but slowly. So far she won't violate the boundary, mostly because she won't go anywhere near the flags that mark it! She won't go within 15 feet of one!

I just found out about a job search engine that helps you find jobs that allow you to bring your dog with you to the office. I don't think Mookie would do well in an office, but I am going to give Mookie the link. I want her to find herself a job where she can bring me in to work with her. I wouldn't mind taking a nap on the floor while she earned some money.