Squash Surgery

It's Halloween. What a great time of year. The weather is just peachy, the leaves are colorful and darkness reigns.

As is the custom, I love to do some cosmetic surgery on a gourd. It is also the custom that, despite this joy of mine, I don't manage to actually get one before it is too damn late.

This year was no exception...almost. The local city pumpkin patch (a nursery that provides a few hay bales and various appropriate forms of gourd for the occassion) was plumb out by yesterday evening when I arrived. I even left work early so I could swing by on my way to the grocery.

However, I recalled that my backup grocery store (it's closer, but very much resembles a flea market on its final Sunday) had a bunch when I went to get dog food Saturday morning. Of course, in my infinite wisdom, I didn't bother to pick one up then. Why do know what you can put off until it no longer matters?

I swung by the joint and was disappointed to see the parking lot section, that just days ago teemed with orange spheres, was now empty. I had to swing through the lot anyway to head back home and lo and behold, there were two lonely deformed pumpkins sitting in a shopping cart by the door. I was in luck. I felt like Charlie Brown might if that sour witch would stop yanking the football out from under him. Sadly, the more deformed of the two was left sad and alone to whatever horrid fate awaits unwanted pumpkins.

So I dragged the thing home, sketched out some basic ideas and then created a template for my victim. I tend toward the classical pumpkin face. It just feels right. I then used the paper template to trace perforations through onto the pumpkin, witch guided my skilled surgical incisions.

I'm planning on taking Jack out with a bang similar to some of the flaming pumpkins you can see at extremepumpkins.com. Stay tuned for pics of that or perhaps a photo diary of the insurance company sorting through the ash and rubble of my home.

Here's digital evidence of the botched home surgery...

Congratulations!

....you have been selected to win 2 free iPod Nanos!

and are now the proud owner of a self-mutilating variety of insanity....

courtesy of some fuckwit spreading banner ad hell all over the internet.

Nuts

Cinnamon brown sugar flavored Blue Diamond Natural Roasted Nuts, that is. I hit the snack aisle in search of some unsalted peanuts. Typically I just get the raw almonds and pecans they have over in the produce section, but today I was craving something roasted. The Vanilla flavored nut actually caught my eye and while I pondered what exactly vanilla flavored almonds would be like, I noticed these beauties on the next shelf up. The nuts also come in No Salt and Sea Salt varieties.

The flavor brings to mind the days of my youth. Taking a warm, toasted slice of bread, letting a few pats of butter melt over the top, and sprinkling a nice mix of sugar and cinnamon over the top. We had a small tin with perforated top at the ready with just the perfect mixture of cinnamon and sugar. The perfect amount of butter would meld with the sugar-cinnamon mix to form a beautiful, sweet paste.

My only complaint is that it quite clearly states "pop the lid, pour a handful" and the top definitely requires unscrewing. On the plus side, the side of the see-through plastic container has measuring levels marked in one ounce increments.

I'll have to give the vanilla almonds a try. [Gave the vanilla a try. Very subtle flavor. Almost reminiscent of vanilla ice cream....if you are slightly insane and smoke three packs a day.]

Just a Nip

A brief discussion led me turning my back on the gin aisle upon my next trip to the liquor store. I went for something different. Bauer's Obstler, an Austrian Eau de Vie. A strong, colorless apple-pear brandy.

I muscled open the flip top bottle seal and took a sniff. It was a familiar scent, very reminiscent to me of Cutty Sark. Strong. The liquor smell was prevalent, but the crisp fruit scent came softly behind.

The taste of the fruit came upfront, leading a a crisp tart turn into a nice burn.

Don't Give Them Any Ideas

Italian comedian Beppe Grillo wrote a blog entry about Italy's Levi-Prodi draft law. The draft was apparently approved by the Council of Ministers on October 12, 2007. In essence, the law would require publishers to register blogs with the government, produce certificates and pay a tax, regardless of whether the blog is created as a commercial, money-making outlet or not.

The law intends to make sweeping changes to the publishing industry and isn't really targeted at amateur or personal blogs. Although, a forward thinking person can certainly envision the confusion most non-professional publishers would find themselves in. I wouldn't have grand hopes for any government to sort licensing out easily.

As it currently stands, the bill seems to encompass all publishing activity, including the vast landscape of internet writings. It would be left for the Communications Authority to rule on which sites fall under the auspices of the new law.

It's a blatant land grab. Trust government to salivate at the opportunity to generate income and control information in one fell swoop. They may sort this out, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Shapeshifting for the Holiday

Hallows End Pumpkin Treat. A good disguise for a jaunt over to The Undercity.

Orionids Meteor Shower

One of two showers resulting from Earth passing through particles released by Halley's Comet is on deck for this weekend (the other being the Eta Aquarids). Look for these meteors in the early mornings from October 20-22, but with peak activity from after moonset on Saturday night until early morning Sunday.

These natural fireworks showed amazingly well last October, reaching double the normal viewing rate for some watchers (40-50 per hour, as compared to an expected rate closer to 20).

This is typically not a great viewing show for urbanites, particularly given this year's waxing gibbous moon. However, there has been precedence for mutiple years of higher than average activity, so last year might presage another good show.

Check out this link to meteorshoweronline.com for more information and viewing tips.

While we are thinking about comets, let's try not to go overboard.

More stupid quizzes. Halloween style.

What Your Halloween Habits Say About You

You are an outgoing person who's a bit of a showoff. It's likely that you dress up for Halloween every year. No one quite understands you, but everyone also sort of worships you. And that's exactly how you like it. Your inner child is stubborn and a bit bossy. You truly fear the dark side of humanity. You are a true misanthrope. You're logical, rational, and not easily effected. Not a lot scares you... especially when it comes to the paranormal. You are a traditionalist with most aspects of your life. You like your Halloween costume to be basic, well made, and conventional enough to wear another year.

What's Your Halloween Personality?

Your Halloween Costume Should Be

A Flying Monkey

What Should You Be For Halloween?

Candy Cigarettes

You're a total badass, but you don't taste very good.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Quiz! Hurry!

I feel so much more enlightened now.

Don't Bogart that Smoker

There's yet another reality competition show on TV. No surprise...it's a cooking show, which really seem to be saturating the TV landscape these days. I'm not complaining. I would rather watch people cooking than people proving they couldn't pass a fifth grade history test or yet another news expose that will be back after these words from their sponsor to tell me what common household item may actually be killing me.

The Food Network has given us The Next Iron Chef. As you would expect, the show is a competition to determine the next Iron Chef. A number of accomplished chefs, as opposed to the usual crop of wide-eyed semi-professionals, are vying to join that wacky cook-off show, Iron Chef America (itself a U.S. redo of the grand 'ol Iron Chef from Japan, the Birthplace of TV Awesomeness).

So far, host Alton Brown looks like he is thoroughly enjoying himself. Taking special delight in giving the competitors extremely difficult taks. Episode 1 had the chefs trying to create desert out of things such as tripe, catfish, beef, squid and salmon. Episode 2 found the remaining competitors trying to emulate the new trend toward using scientific methods to create food using precision instruments and chemicals. I'm no fan of foam unless it's riding high on a sea of stout, but it's grand fun watching professionals unfamiliar with it attempt to whip some up.

Chef Wiley Dufresne, a molecular gastronomist, gives the group some instruction in the use of chemicals (liquid nitrogen frozen ice cream anyone?). There is also a demonstration of various PolyScience kitchen gadgets. These machines are spectacular. There's the Thermal Circulator, allowing liquid heating control to 0.09 F and the full Thermal Circulating Baths, a sous vide cooking system used in combination with the high-powered Vacuum Sealer. At the end of the counter, we find the Anti-Griddle, an instant-freeze griddle top at a temperature of negative 30 F.

Last, but not least, there was the coolest item of the bunch, the Smoking Gun. Three guesses as to how they thought this device up. I don't have any use for it, but I want one.

Indiana Regulators at it Again

As if the recent BP issues weren't enough, the Chicago Tribune is now reporting on another game of permit wrangling between the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the U.S. Steel Corporation.

According to the article, Indiana regulators are reviewing a proposed change to the permit for U.S. Steel's Gary Works mill in Gary, Indiana. In contrast to the BP situation (where BP was specifially requesting permission to increase dumping), U.S. Steel officials maintain that the new proposal will not allow for an increase in dumping of pollutants into the Grand Calument River, which empties into Lake Michigan. Currently, the Gary Works (15 miles SE of Chicago) is one of the largest water polluters in the area, producing 1.7 million pounds of oil, grease, metals and chemicals in 2005 (though that is a significant decrease from the 3.2 million pounds recorded in 2000).

U.S. Steel reports discharging oil, grease, lead, arsenic, benzene, fluoride and nitrates from the mill. The proposed permit failed to include limits on emissions at all discharge points. Additionally, the limit on chromium has been decreased. The average allowable amount of chromium dumped in the Grand Calumet would increase 62% (up to 17,702 pounds). Regulators also eliminated specific limits for benzene (chemical that causes immune system damage and cancer), despite a U.S. Steel report of dumping 220 pounds of benzene in 2005. At some discharge points, U.S. Steel is only required to report how much benzene and other pollutants were released in the river.

The permit also gives the company an additional five years to meet federal requirements on other pollutants - federal standards that have been in existence for more than a decade. Under federal law, states are required to renew water permits every five years per the Clean Water Act. The Gary Works permit has not been reissued since 1994 and is one of 10 polluters in Indiana operating under expired permits (including the BP plant in Whiting).

As you would expect, the state government and the big corporation are entrenched. U.S. Steel maintains that they are well within safe levels of discharge and are refusing to argue this permit issue in public. The Indiana regulators are pleased that everything is in order, offering a scale-tipping and complex document for perusal by the public. Despite the apparent availability of information, the general public seems at a loss to determine exactly what is being done and why. There is only the certainty that they've been bitten in the ass before and are living beside one of the most polluted sites in the area while the modern day robber barons count their tolls.

Divastation

Music fans the world over know of the excess and pomposity that runs rampant among the World's most talented entertainters. However, this is not a discussion of the contract rider demands or odd behavior of Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey or Britney Spears. Far from it. Musically speaking, at least. This is a tale of the Opera.

I'm not well versed in the backroom shenanigans of today's greatest singers, but a recent dustup at the Lyric Opera of Chicago has brought to my attention the saga of Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna.

A special tale, these two.



She, born Angela Burlacu (taking Gheorghiu from her first husband) on September 7, 1965 in Ajud, Romania to a train conductor and a dressmaker. Studied at the Bucharest conservatoire and a star in her homeland by age 18. First arrived in London in 1991, Gheorghiu is now sometimes called "Draculette" for her fiery behaviour and "the last of the great divas". Once ranked on FHM magazine's World's Sexiest Women list at number 74. Was quoted saying, "I get my exercise by unpacking my luggage and making love," and filmed in 2001 refereshing her lipstick with a tube pulled from her cleavage during a performance of Verdi's Requiem.

He, born June 7, 1963 in Clichy-sous-Bois, France. Came onto the opera scene after winning the Pavarotti competition in Philedelphia. Sometimes called "the fourth tenor." Has one daughter from his first wife, who died of cancer.

The pair met while singing in La Boheme in Vienna in 1992. Fell in love while singing opposite one another in Traviata at Covent Garden, London in 1994. While singing together in La Boheme at the Met, the pair was married by Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The couple cares for Gheorghiu's orphaned niece, whose parents died in a car accident, as well as Alagna's daughter.

Here they sing Romeo & Juliette.

And now to the arrival of greatness....

1. Less than a year from the 1996 marriage, Gheorghiu argued with mentor, Georg Solti, over his treatment of parts of Verdi's Otello.
2. Gheorghiu refused to wear a blonde wig during a tour of Japan with the Metropolitan Opera. She missed one performance and subsequently covered the wig with a hood.
3. Fell out with Jonathan Miller in Paris, feeling she should "die alone" in Traviata rather than the planned for hospital ward setting.
4. Quarreled with Riccardo Muti during his time at LaScala.
5. Pulled out of Traviata in Madrid, complaining that it was vulgar and full of sexual references.
6. She failed to show for rehearsals for Puccini's "Tosca" at London's Royal Opera, Covent Garden.
7. She broke her contract to sing the role of Elisabetta in Verdi's "Don Carlo" at Conent Garden (2006).
8. September 2007, Gheorghiu was fired from "La Boheme" at the Lyric Opera in Chicago for missing rehearsals and a costume fitting she had demanded.
9. Alagna also had issues with Miller and the management of Paris's Bastille Opera.
10. He pulled out of the role of Don Jose in "Carmen" at Covent Garden to take a seemingly more prestigious part in Milan.
11. The Met in New York planned a 1999 production around the couple, but they took exception to Franco Zeffirelli's set design and were replaced.
12. Alagna was the first-ever performer ever to walk off during a performance at La Scala when he was booed during "Aida" in 2006.
13. The pair have been dubbed "the Bonnie and Clyde of opera" and "Ceausescus" (after the Romanian dictator that was executed in 1989).

The internet also leaves us this clue on what appears to be the smoldering ruins of a fan site.

"Due to the recent registration of Roberto Alagna's and Angela Gheorghiu's names, copywrite lawes forbid the creation and/or upkeep of unofficial fan pages dedicated to them."