Second choice was "We Will Rocky-Road You"...

I saw the title Queen-"flavored" ice cream is set to hit the shops. I thought it was a Queen Elizabeth flavored ice cream, not the band. I imagine a QEII ice cream would taste like gin and scones.

A Queen-"flavored" ice cream is set to hit the shops.
Made by Ben & Jerry, "Bohemian Raspberry" follows the music-themed ice creams which have included "Phish Food" inspired by the band Phish, the Grateful Dead-inspired "Cherry Garcia" and "Glastonberry" flavor.

He's not dead, he's just unstuck in time again

Kurt Vonnegut dead at 84.

So it goes.

I remember reading Slaughterhouse-Five in high school, and feeling my mind startled awake by strange concepts like becoming unstuck in time, Tralfalmadorians, the all too real Dresden firebombing and strangest of all, human nature. I think that was when the notion struck me, a notion that was articulated by another author: "It's a strange world. Let's keep it that way."

Perfectly good excuse to go re-read Slaughterhouse-Five for the third time.

I was amused to read that his literary alter-ego, Kilgore Trout, was written by Vonnegut as having died at the age of 84:

Trout "died" at midnight on October 15, 2004 in Cohoes, New York, following his consultation with a psychic, who informed him that George W. Bush would win the U. S. Presidential election by a vote of 5-to-4 in the Supreme Court. The epitaph on his tombstone reads, "Life is no way to treat an animal."

A parting lesson from Mr. Vonnegut, as quoted by Warren Ellis:

"Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got about a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies — 'God damn it, you’ve got to be kind.'"

Kurt Vonnegut, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Good-bye Kurt, whenever you are.

Wikipedia - Kurt Vonnegut

Dance Robot, Dance!

I've been busy at work all week, and everyone is just crabbing about the weather. Here's something to make you smile. And the kicker is this isn't merely a variation on the hula-dancing pop can.

These scientist guys have designed a robot named Keepon. Keepon isn't just a toy: he was built in order "to help teach social interaction to children by modeling certain nonverbal social cues -- eye contact, awareness, excitement, curiosity". (Issac @ ALOTT5MA)

Watch the action and reaction of Keepon as he bounces with excitement or tilts his head in curiosity, and imagine it interacting with a baby. It's designed to facilitate "dance-oriented nonverbal play" with children, meaning it uses body language to show emotion or indicate attention, as shown here:


YouTube: Keepon interacts

...and the little guy has moves, as he bops out to Spoon's "I Turn My Camera On"


YouTube: Keepon Dancing to Spoon


More on this fascinating little guy, including the specs:

BeatBots: Socially Rhythmic Robots

Marek Michalowski & Hideki Kozima
with Phil Michel, Selma Sabanovic, Reid Simmons

A dancing robot for rhythmic social interaction.

This is Champ Kind with the Channel 4 Sports Report

As one chapter ends, a new one begins. Yes, it's hockey sacrilege for me to suggest that the Leafs and Canadiens were in a neck and neck race to be eliminated in the opening playoff rounds, but it was an exciting game on Thursday. Shame that the elimination by the Islanders was so anti-climatic. And as they say, there's always next year.

"I could die and never see the Leafs win the Stanley Cup. Keep that on your conscience, boys."

- Private Keegan, in the CBC documentary "The Crazy Eights", a video journal of filmmaker Gordon Henderson's time with The Royal Canadian Regiment Charles Company Eight Platoon in Afgahnistan.

A new chapter continues just outside my office door, as the Blue Jays home opener is tonight. The winning ways continue in the family as Dad managed to win a pair of tickets for tonight's game. I'll give you the scoop on how that goes, as my sports education continues. I was never a sports guy growing up, but lately I've been making an effort to learn a bit more, mainly so I know what the heck Rando and Rayzer are talking about. The education continues further this spring as I've joined the company softball team. Now all I need is an afternoon at the batting cages and one of those mitteny glove things and I'm all set.

How come there ain't no Muppets on the wall?

A funny take on Spike Lee's classic "Do The Right Thing", acted with the Fisher-Price Little People Sesame Street toys. Pretty good looking production, but I don't know what I dig more: the parody or the sight of all those toys I had when I was a kid. Nostalgia makes me want to go on E-Bay and hunt down all those classic Little People figures from my youth, from those days before we worried about choking hazards.

YouTube - Do the Right Thing / Sesame Street
(Not Safe for Work - Language)



Directed by Brent Pike-Nurse
via Matt at ALOTT5MA: HOW COME THERE AIN'T NO MUPPETS ON THE WALL?

A Cookbook Query

This is a question for everyone, but particularly my Foodie minded readers and friends.

Have you ever done every recipe in a cookbook? From cover to cover, hit each recipe at least once? And if not, which ones have you used the most?

Speaking as a bachelor, I recommend every guy learn how to use a cookbook. There's something appealing to a woman about a man who can cook. I think the most invaluable kitchen resource I have is the Complete Canadian Living Cookbook.There's about 350 recipes, so I don't know if I'd do the whole thing, but it's certainly the book I use most frequently. The recipes are easy to follow and allow variation, there's excellent info for new cooks about getting the right cooking equipment for your kitchen, how to make substitutions, and lots of tips. It's easy enough for a newbie, but is useful to the experienced cook. Easily the most useful book to tuck in with a wedding or housewarming gift.

If I made the effort, I'm sure I could knock out any of the Naked Chef line of cookbooks from end to end. I'd guess about 100 recipes in there, and there all do-able. I've used a few Nigella Lawson cookbooks, but the cookbook writer I tend to go to time after time is Donna Hay. The food looks pretty, tastes great, and are pretty straight forward. My recommendations are New Food Fast and Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry .

So foodies, what are your picks for good cookbooks? Or do you manage to freestyle it?

A reminder that you don't need a Blogger account or to enter personal info to use the comments section.

You Give Love A Bad Name

*None of the described methods have been used or endorsed by myself, and I absolve myself of any and all damages, emotional or physical, should any knucklehead actually do any of these things. And to all my married friends: I'm telling you, it's a cold world out there.*

In our modern dating world, there are so many savvy ways to interact or dump someone. None of that face to face awkwardness, explaining "it's not me baby, it's you." Why bother with even a smidgen of self-respect, when you can dump the modern way. No need to own up to your actions when voicemail is so handy.

Post-it as dating tool: while "Sex in the City" had an infamous episode that sprang from being dumped via post-it note, they are a tool for the modern dater. Keep track of just who is laying next to you, or leave a breakfast order and wake up time.

Forward a Google-Map to the dumpee, giving the coordinates to the city of Dumpsville and leave an indicator "You Are Here".

Text message allows you all the immediacy with a cold, emotionless detachment that an emotional break-up requires. Why not take a cue from a guy who broke-up via text-message with blogger Carrie Broadshoulders, but was sure she would get over it because "U r 2 cool 2 b sad." (the2scoops: How do you text "Douche Bag?")

And of course if you really want to both help and hurt, why not illustrate your break-up with a Powerpoint presentation? A classic Accordion Guy post illustrates The Breakup Style of PowerPoint.

Can't Stop The Rock

Whoo hoo! NBC RENEWS '30 ROCK' FOR 2007-2008 SEASON.

Glad to hear this, the shows been building creative momentum for months. Not sure if this would have happened if the contract for Kevin Reilly, President of NBC Entertainment, hadn't been renewed. Kevin's the one who gave the struggling "The Office" a chance and allowed it to build an audience. It's the same shot that "30 Rock" needs. And anyone who keeps Tina Fey on my TV is okay in my books.

Typically when a new network president comes in, they are looking to establish a self-made reputation. They'll want to get rid of any holdovers from the past president that aren't doing well (the last seasons of The Drew Carey Show for example) in favour of new projects.

To celebrate this, and the April 3rd birthday of Alec Baldwin, here's a highlight reel entitled "Reasons Alec Baldwin Won The Golden Globe".



"About 5 inches, but it's thick."

The fun part has been that, as good as Baldwin is, the rest of the cast are improving just from trying to keep up with him. You can watch the whole season and see Tina Fey improve her on-screen performace from shaky at the start to comedy gold in recent episodes, such as the brawl with Isabella Rossellini.

Updated: Alan Sepinwall has a column up in praise of 30 Rock "Long live Liz Lemon!"

Aren't Her Humps Ironic? Alanis covers "My Humps"

I present the funniest thing I've seen all week, and it's only Monday.
Alanis Morissette’s slow and sad (and Tori Amos-like) cover of The Black-Eyed Peas’ classic mindlessly repetitive “My Humps”.

Darlin don't you go and cut your hair

Nothing like an ill-advised perm or dye job to help you get over someone. I was laughing when I suddenly recalled my ex bumping into me during my Summer of The Fauxhawk*. Damn you David Beckham for making me think I could pull it off. This was quickly followed by the Fall/Winter/Spring of growing out my hair which was muuuuch better recieved.

*Do I have any pictures of said haircut? I have a short story about that: no.

Via BrokenEngine

Alex, I'll take obscure 80s movies for $300

Well, THAT was the last film I ever thought I'd reference in a conversation:

Jason: ...so I'm looking for why we're overbudget.

Rando: (joking) What if you find out it's going to some off-shore account?

Jason: Well then I expect to be lured to a party at a beachfront house where I'll be whacked.

Rando: Huh?

Jason: It's how Weekend at Bernie's starts. Jonathan Silverman and Andrew McCarthy are accountants who find out someone's embezzeling funds, but don't know it's their boss, Bernie, who invites them to his house for a party where he's going to have them killed, but through a comic turn of events, Bernie gets killed and...

Rando: (blank stare)

Jason: Oh God, I just compared something in my life to Weekend at Bernie's...