twomartinis and such

SCOTCH, PINE, ROCKS

SCOTCH, PINE, ROCKS
Originally uploaded by The_real_twomartinis.

Wait a minute, I thought Todd English was the real deal chef?

I was cruising the "what's on" directory and saw Todd English on, so I punched in channel 73 on the remote. It tunes to HSN... Momentary confusion... Subtle horror sinks in... Another pillar falls...

Why is a heavy hitting chef like Todd English peddling wares on the home shopping network? Does he need the money? Does he need the fame? Is he jealous of Mario and Rachel?

Does Todd know he's not only endorsing but subsidizing our downfall? I was going to go into a long-winded diatribe about why the global economy is no good for us, but this article on www.theonion.com sums it up best, despite the parody

Still had it with China

I've still had it with China, even though we bought a stroller MADE IN CHINA today. Not that we had a choice, as far as I could tell they all are... DRATS

TLC is irresponsible

So I was watching an episode of "Moving Up" on TLC and keep wondering what they'll stoop to next to retain ratings. The particular episode involved some couple moving into a new house (duh!); and of couse they had every intention of bestowing their individual stylings upon it through the miracle of remodeling.

The fun begins when the husband proceeds to take an axe to the kitchen cabinetry for expedient demolition and high drama. After several near decapitations and many splinters, he manages to destroy only a few cabinets, rather than appear as the manly lumberjack we all know he isn't. Cut to next scene! Turns out, many of us laymen would opine that an axe would be the *least effective* tool for cabinetry demolition. The preferred "weapons of choice" of course are the lowly prybar and the somewhat menacing reciprocating saw. Maybe a short 6# sledge if you were really in the thick stuff...

Now before I stray too far off topic, here's my beef: In the episode the guy is whacking out cabinetry that is maybe 5 years old tops, and they are obviously in good working order. Wouldn't it have been better all around to donate these cabinets to, say, Habitat for Humanity? Not only would they given them new life in a home that needed them (instead of taking up landfill space), they would have come out to the jobsite and removed them gratis!

It comes down to fundamental TV land debauchery: slime sells ratings. Ken Rockwell deals out a much better take on this topic than I muster, not to mention with more scathing wit.

I though TLC would have all the publicity they wanted after the host's drunk driving arrest

buck nasty weather going to tap buffalo

had to post this >> from the new shelton wet/dry

I've had it, China!

Wow. I've finally had it. No more stuff from China, for me at least. I know it will be like crossing a minefield; but when I saw the "Cadbury Egg" chocolate laced with melamine scare that was it.

English confectioner gone and forced to stay afloat by big-muscled-fist-of-cheap-labor-or-else, well you get the point... It's chocolate for pete's sake! Is there no company left that can survive, let alone make a buck without being making their wares in China? Last time I checked, China was not known for their prowess as chocolatiers.

Now if you want to talk about tea eggs, red-cooked pork and other Chinese things that I love because they are Chinese I'm all ears. But when I have to double check the box on a quintessential French piece of cast iron cookware only to find that it is made in China, I get pissed.

So I am going to actively pursue my part-time abhorrence of Chinese imitation goods full-time. Ahhh, what is wrong with this crazy world? And why don't people know any better?

Kitchen's Done!

This is really a maintenance post, because the kitchen has been mostly complete for a while now. Sure there are a few odds and ends that need to be wrapped up,
but it is in full swing!

From this: