Archive for 2009
« Older Entries | Newer Entries »No Egg-Nauguration For Obama
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 3, 2009 by admin in Politics
Saturday, January 3rd, 2009Although It Should Be Quite An Egg-stravaganza
  Unless You’d Like To Spend Forty Bucks On A Commemorative Egg |
I feel pretty confident somehow that we’ll see fewer eggs being tossed around in DC this January 20 than we did in 2001 (although strangely, you can buy a Russian-made innaugural egg pendant
Trying To Eat An Organic Diet? Read Behind The Labels
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 2, 2009 by admin in Health & Wellness
Friday, January 2nd, 2009Remember: If It’s 95% Organic, It Can Still Be 5% Crap
When people start talking about diet and how it affects your health, I’m reminded that I’ve been very lucky. I grew up in a town that has a lot of fresh produce markets and decent restaurants, so my earliest experiences with food were that fresh was good, and cooking from scratch was fun. As a result I eat very little processed food, without really even thinking about it. It doesn’t seem like rocket science, and I’m convinced that eating this way has kept me much healthier than a lot of people my age who habitually plugged into the habit of using “productized” meats and vegetables and prepared commercial sauces. If you’re interested in pursuing a less-manufactured diet, it’s not so hard. Instead of looking for labels that say “Organic” or “All Natural”, look for a LACK of labels. I was reminded of this recently when I bought a bag of commercial Caesar salad croutons (Fresh Gourmet Organic Caesar Premium Croutons, to be specific). I really wasn’t paying much attention when I selected them. Out of the 20+ choices in my face at the local supermarket, I simply chose the one that looked the least “flavored”. I still didn’t look at the package until after I put them in a salad and nearly gagged on the chemical taste of the first crunch. Upon looking at the package, I was startled by the emphasis on “Organic”, including the “USDA Organic” stamp (see photo). Every ingredient in the “Ingredients” list had the adjective “organic” in front of it, yet this stuff tasted like a salt-soaked chemical bomb. What was up? Well it turns out “USDA Organic” means that 95% of the ingredients are organically produced. You don’t have to be a chef or a scientist to understand that if something is 5% crap, there’s a pretty good chance it’ll be crappy. If you’re going to rely on labels, this quick Consumer Reports summary might help you make some better decisions.
If Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention I’d Like To Meet The Father
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 2, 2009 by admin in Technology
Friday, January 2nd, 2009…and who are the siblings?
You’ve probably heard some variation of “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” Well, we’ve touched on technology you probably don’t need before, but in these troubled financial times, when some of us can’t even afford things we need, it’s nice to know there are lots of things out there you don’t even want. For instance, whether you’re a smoker or not, who would want to puff on an electronic cigarette
Any Plans, Resolutions, Hopes, or Predictions For 2009?
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 1, 2009 by admin in Holidays
Thursday, January 1st, 2009Because it’s already 1/365th over, you know…
 Looks Like They Know How To Party in Sydney! |
In the words of F.M. Knowles: “He who breaks a resolution is a weakling; He who makes one is a fool”. But don’t let that stop you. Although widely acknowledged that New Year’s resolutions are a foolish idea and doomed to fail, there’s even software to help you manage them (or more likely, document their failure). And if you need help selecting a resolution, here’s a handy list of suggestions, with photos. Though I don’t have any big resolutions myself, I do have some thoughts on the new year here. However, I’d love to hear what YOUR plans, resolutions, hopes, and predictions are for 2009. Feel free to add a comment. And for those of you who only pop by here for the Flash games, here’s one that will go easy on your hangover: Choppa Poppa. Mostly you just pop balloons with a toy helicopter. Batteries not included, and brain cells not required.
Some Predictions for 2009
[ Comments Off ]Posted on January 1, 2009 by admin in Editorial & Opinion
Thursday, January 1st, 2009One thing I learned in 2008 was that if you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. I know a lot of people have had a tough time financially, but as a chronically self-employed person I’ve gotten used to the occasional thin times. I presently have no insurance, no investments, don’t own a home, and [...]
One thing I learned in 2008 was that if you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. I know a lot of people have had a tough time financially, but as a chronically self-employed person I’ve gotten used to the occasional thin times. I presently have no insurance, no investments, don’t own a home, and you know what? Life’s okay. I’m excited about 2009 for a few reasons, chief amongst them being the inauguration of our new president. I imagine he’ll sell out a lot of our hopes and dreams, but let’s not be naive. Lying and compromising are the very definition of the word “politician”, and Barack Obama is a consummate politician. I have a lot of faith though, that we as citizens will now have some inspiration to get our asses in gear, since we’re now less likely to live in fear of making some secret list just for pointing out how screwed up things are. I personally don’t have any resolutions for the new year, but I do have some hopes and some predictions, which I’ll post here in the coming days. Here’s a start:
Some Of My 2009 Predictions
- In an exclusive interview from his new extradition-proof home in Paraguay, Dick Cheney will reveal that key Bush administration members were secretly Nazi Socialists whose only intent was to destroy and nationalize the American banking system.
- The day after his inauguration, Barack Obama will point out that he’s not really all that black, provoking widespread riots, mostly amongst white, affluent tree-huggers whose racial guilt has suddenly been un-absolved.
- A band of teenage hackers will take control of the global satellite network and begin broadcasting Sponge Bob, The Simpsons, and South Park 24 hours a day. Five days later, military conflict will cease globally.
- Using Google Earth, an isolated island will accidentally be discovered where numerous allegedly dead celebrities (Heath Ledger, Brandon Lee, Michael Hutchence, etc.) live a life of unbridled sensuality and perversion funded by the profits from what otherwise would have been their mediocre final films and CD’s.
- The new Terminator movie will surprise critics and fans alike by not sucking at all.
- A “ragtag, fugitive fleet, on a lonely quest—for a shining planet”, will arrive in Earth orbit with a bunch of humanoids called “Cylons” hot on their tail. Barack Obama will be revealed as the fifth of the mythical “final five”.
More Soon. Happy New Year!