March 30, 2005
March 27, 2005
Easter poppler
Alert reader Bob M. calls our attention to this year's must-have Easter device: the Peeps Marshmallow Maker.
I have to admit I’m addicted. Every year at this time, my knees get weak and my eyes light up when I see one of the first signs of spring: marshmallow Peeps on store shelves. Those super-sweet, neon colored delights always bring a smile to my face. What could be better?
How about a machine that lets you make your own Peeps at home? Best known for Frisbees, Hula Hoops, Hacky Sacks and the original SuperBall, the wizards at Wham-o have now created the Marshmallow Peeps Marshmallow Maker. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. […]
I have to confess, I've never been a huge Peeps fan. As a kid, I used to eat them (along with everything else in my Easter basket). But I think that the only candy I like less than Peeps (stale or fresh) is the Cadbury Cream Egg. Stranger still is this recipe for homemade Cadbury Cream Eggs— blarrgh.
More Peep-y goodness: "scientific" research and Marshmallow Peeps in Outer Space.
March 25, 2005
Hybrid vigor - update
The Wired articles on Toyota's hybrids and testing and rating the top hybrids are now available online.
So that's how it's spelled!
Once again, we'll be getting together with Cheryl to bake Italian Easter goodies: sweet rice pie, ricotta pie, and what I've always called Pizza Gain. But an article in the Food section of this week's Globe sets the record straight:
[…] On this bright day, Sabatino is handing out slices of another Easter staple -- pizza chiena (GAYN-a), sometimes called pizza ripiena, which means ''stuffed," or pizza rustica. At the end of Lent, people who have given up meat can enjoy it again in this lattice-topped pie, which holds a 4-inch layer of cheese studded with cold cuts. […]
March 21, 2005
March 20, 2005
Hybrid vigor
The newly-arrived April 2005 issue of Wired has an article on Toyota's hybrids, as well as reviews of the current offerings from Toyota, Honda, Lexus, etc. But I want a cool hybrid. I can't afford a Venturi Fétish (and the name brings to mind pervy physics profs and their kinky Bernoulli principles). I like the mini-Miata (ibuki ibuki ibuki), but I love the Subaru B9 Scrambler. This was a concept car in Fall 2003, and Googling only brings up this monstrosity (which isn't even a hybrid!).
My message to the automakers, especially Subaru: Bring on the cute roadster hybrids! I'm ready, and I've got my checkbook out. (All-wheel drive makes it even better.)
Here's to old RPI…
20-year-old RPI student (and Phi Mu brother) becomes youngest-ever winner of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. Congratulations, Tyler!
March 16, 2005
March 14, 2005
Snow keeps on coming
Here are some pix of all the snow that we've had recently. On Saturday, it snowed big, wet "heart attack snow". It looked beautiful, but man! was it heavy. Built a snowman because it was such good packing consistency. Shoveled out on Sunday afternoon, which was bright and sunny. Unfortunately for the snowman, the warm and sunny has persisted— I came home from work this evening and he no longer had a face. (Aieee!) The carrot and his eyes were lying on the ground, as if he'd been the victim of some horrible Raiders of the Lost Ark-style special effect. It may be too late to save him, but it's been quite a winter (and there's more on the way)!
March 12, 2005
For great justice
Today's Paragon City News headline: Federal Judge Dismisses Claims and Strikes Allegations in Marvel Lawsuit Against NCsoft.
Makers of City of Heroes online computer game score favorable decision; judge labels Marvel allegations as “false and sham” and throws out trademark claims
LOS ANGELES, March 11, 2005—A U.S. district court judge in Los Angeles dismissed several key claims by comic book publisher Marvel Enterprises, Inc in the company’s trademark and copyright infringement case against online computer game publisher NCsoft® Corporation and game developer Cryptic Studios™. Marvel sued NCsoft and Cryptic Studios in November of last year, claiming that the City of Heroes® online computer game allows players to imitate comic book characters owned by Marvel. […]
Now let's get back to "defeating" villains!
March 04, 2005
Dim sum quickies!
I think I'd better go get lunch now. Reading about dim sum has made me very hungry.
- mimi smartypants has yet another great Nora anecdote:
[…] I have either done something very wrong in terms of preserving my daughter's Chinese heritage, or else done something astoundingly right in terms of raising her in a truly multicultural family, when she delightedly identifies a picture of a steamed pork bun on a dim sum cart as "pierogi!" […]
- Dim sum recommendations for San Fran, NYC, Seattle, and L.A. (What, no Boston?!) Also, cwok.com has lots of good stuff for Seattle-ites.
- Funny? Stereotypical? Both? You know you're Chinese when… (I guess I know that I'm half-Chinese because I'm only identifying with 50% of the items on the list.)
And now, off to lunch! (Yum cha will have to wait until Sunday morning.)
This sounds like a Gary Larson cartoon
Chicken feet, no problem. But boneless chicken feet?
(BTW, here's a recipe for Golden Phoenix Claws. You gotta love a recipe where the instructions begin: Wash feet, chop off toenails and cut into quarters.)