tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19372586263545315092024-02-20T06:25:05.189-08:00Cirroc"I'm just a caveman."Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-63927772708639289182014-10-27T22:52:00.000-07:002014-10-27T23:05:27.715-07:00Top Ten Games: 10. SoukyugurentaiOver the next few weeks I’ll be writing an essay a week about my top 10 video games, starting with number 10 and working my way up. This week I start with number 10, Soukyugurentai.
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<b>10. Soukyugurentai/Terra Diver (Sega Saturn)</b>
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The game begins with a nighttime seaside view of a corporate colony city in 2058, with the planet Mars looming overhead. One after another, a team of three mercenary ships descends upon the corporate colony ships and attacks. The intro ends with the three mercenaries ascending the blood red sky of Mars.
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Thus begins the story of Soukyugurentai, or Terra Diver as it is very infrequently known to the few who might have managed to run across an English version of the arcade PCB (short for “printed circuit board”). Most people who have played it know it as Soukyugurentai. It’s slightly more difficult to say but it sounds a little bit cooler and less Dio-inspired, which is perfectly fine by me.
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Soukyugurentai came out during a time when the Saturn saw a huge run of amazing two-dimensional shooting games, or “shmups” as they are affectionately known. Soukyugurentai is often paired with Radiant Silvergun, another Saturn game that came out around the same time. Radiant Silvergun is the Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band to Souky’s Revolver. Both games are shmups. But where Radiant Silvergun is epic, ponderous, innovative, and genre-bending, Souky is a straight-ahead rock-and-roll shooter. Like Revolver, it showcases a team of developers working at the absolute top of their game, using every trick they know how to use to make an unforgettable science-fiction shooty experience. Radiant Silvergun uses an explosion of colors and polygons and scaling tricks, to the point where it barely looks like a two-dimensional game. Souky uses a bunch of smart scaling tricks, but uses mostly a darker color palette. When the game does bring out its special effects, it makes it all the more breathtaking. Take this example from the third stage, my favorite in the game. The entire stage takes place in one continuous cut from 5000 feet above the ground, among the clouds, through a rapid decent, all the way to the bottom of the planet. The level boss is visible almost from the moment you begin the stage, just after you pass through the first layer of clouds. It scales into view, closer and closer, till it finally comes into view in its full monstrosity. Watch this YouTube video:
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Another interesting point of comparison between Radiant Silvergun and Soukyugurentai is the soundtrack. Both games were composed by the same man, Hitoshi Sakimoto. Known best in the West for his work on Final Fantasy Tactics, Sakimoto has a baroque style, and likes to use a lot of theme and variation in his work. But once again, while his work in Radiant Silvergun is especially operatic and orchestral in tone, Souky’s soundtrack is much more electronic and artificial. But the stage music in Souky seems much more closely tied to the dynamics of each individual stage. Listen to the pace of the music in the stage 3 video as your ship races to the bottom of the planet, where the stage boss lies in wait. Contrast that with the stage 5 music (beginning at about 6:50), which takes place above a submarine outpost: slower, more methodical, with strange mechanical-sounding samples that burst out unpredictably. It mirrors the tension of the stage as you fly over the water, as the faceless submarines of your corporate enemy emerge to take your mercenary ship out.
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I identify with the setting of Soukyugurentai. Like the game’s three main characters, I’ve been a mercenary for the majority of my professional post-collegiate life. I worked for a private criminal defense firm for a few years after graduating law school. I had a great girlfriend who I loved, and who loved me. And then she broke up with me and moved to the Netherlands. Then the next year I got laid off. While looking for my next job, I decided to start my own firm and take contract criminal defense work from local county offices. And I never really looked back. Since then, I’ve been a mercenary, taking jobs for money, not unlike the three young punks in the red, green, and blue ships in Soukyugurentai. We never get to learn much about the three mercs. If you play the Japanese version of the game, you’ll need to read Japanese to know anything about them. I’ve read the translations of their three backgrounds, but they don’t really add a whole lot. I know enough about the pilot of the red ship (the one I usually use) to know that her name is Rina Kunimura, she’s partly Swedish on her mother’s side, that she’s quarrelsome and independent, and that deep down she’s a very compassionate woman.
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I’m sure she has her reasons for picking up these incredibly dangerous missions against a faceless corporate entity for…what, exactly? The game never exactly makes that clear. Did the corporation murder her partly Swedish family? Maybe she’s simply unhappy about the tax situation in the lunar colonies, and prefers to work “under the radar”, literally speaking. In any event, the final stage takes place on Mars, and the final boss is an enormous battleship that is many screens long.
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Once you complete the final stage, your ship docks with a waiting mothership and the game ends, as some mournful music plays. Unlike most games of this nature, which suggest that you have somehow saved the world or the galaxy or the universe through the destruction of some incomprehensible foe, Soukyugurentai merely suggests that this entire expedition is just one more day in the life of a mercenary. Once you finish the game, you begin again, and try for a better score. There’s some comfort in that.
<p>Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-25430561114452216952011-05-16T18:44:00.000-07:002011-05-16T18:44:04.398-07:00Castille reignites dispute over Pennsylvania death-penalty appeals | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/16/2011<a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20110516_Castille_reignites_dispute_over_Pennsylvania_death-penalty_appeals.html?page=2&c=y&submit=Vote&mr=1&oid=2&121886804=Y&pid=121886804&cid=8500281">Castille reignites dispute over Pennsylvania death-penalty appeals | Philadelphia Inquirer | 05/16/2011</a><br /><br />Federal habeas petitions have been receiving some national press lately. The <span style="font-style:italic;">New York Times</span> ran an <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/opinion/17hoffmann.html?_r=1">op-ed</a> about federal habeas reform a few weeks back. And now the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue at the state level in a very big way, even going so far as to accuse the federal habeas unit in Pennsylvania of malfeasance.<br /><br />It's important to note first of all that the Hoffman editorial from the <span style="font-style:italic;">Times</span> and Chief Judge Castille raise very different issues. And Hoffman's criticisms, while severely misguided, are on a much different level than Castille's outright hostility toward the federal defenders.<br /><br />But both Hoffman and Castille argue essentially that the capital habeas process is an expensive waste of taxpayer resources. In the case of Castille, this criticism is extremely dangerous for a number of reasons. First, it is extremely unethical and unbecoming of a judge to level this sort of broadside against the indigent defense community. Castille is also using his office to lend an aura of judicial authority to what is explicitly a political, partisan argument. (It should be noted that Pennsylvania supreme court judges are elected positions, and that Castille, a Republican, ran in 1994 on a "tough-on-crime" platform that touted the 45 death penalty verdicts he obtained as a prosecutor.)<br /><br />Finally, and most significantly, Castille's argument completely misrepresents the motivation behind the federal defenders' efforts in state court. The defender's exhaustive practices in state court are motivated by the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act ("AEDPA") passed by Congress in 1996. The AEDPA imposed a host of stringent jurisdictional limitations on federal habeas corpus petitions, one of which is "exhaustion": any claims raised in a federal habeas petition <span style="font-style:italic;">must</span> be raised first in a state proceeding, either on direct appeal or in a post-conviction relief petition, or they are barred. So by necessity, federal defenders are forced to raise every colorable legal argument at the state level by whatever means available (usually by post-conviction relief petition) before they may be heard in federal court. <br /><br />So the blame for all this costly death penalty litigation lies ultimately with Congress, not the federal defenders who must comply with its dictates. If state courts feel themselves burdened by the responsibilities placed upon them, perhaps they should take up the issue with Congress itself. Or perhaps they might simply outlaw the death penalty itself.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-3636717619662505022011-04-11T11:33:00.000-07:002011-04-11T11:40:47.816-07:00Favorite Interactive Media Experience<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vqTZfknDVes" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />I enjoy watching movies for their own sake, but I also particularly enjoy watching them with other people. Certain movies I remember as much about the people I experienced them with as much as I remember the movies themselves: Return of the Jedi, Au bout de souffle (Breathless), the Phantom Menace, the Star Wars rerelease, the Matrix, L'Ascenseur pour l'eschafaud (Elevator to the Gallows), Knife in the Water, The Hudsucker Proxy, Independence Day, The Shawshank Redemption, and La Lectrice (The Reader -- not the Kate Winslet one) are but a few examples. I could tell a short story about the first time I saw each of those movies, and the people I saw them with.<br /><br />But it's even more fun sharing interactive media with other people for the first time. Mostly 'cause, well, it's interactive. And if it's something like Chrono Trigger, it reminds you of how excited you were the first time you played it when you see someone else enjoy it for the first time.<br /><br />I was thinking about this when I picked up Chrono Trigger again last night. A friend of mine just got into video games, and now we want her to play Chrono Trigger to further stoke her interest in RPGs. And I was reminded just how immediately engaging the first half hour of the game is. Just a crazy mix of the giddy enthusiasm of Back to the Future mixed with the earnestness of Dragon Quest all thrown into the fun atmosphere of a county fair.<br /><br />What's interesting about it is that the game gives you quite a bit of freedom right from the get go. You wake up in your bed and then your mother suggests that you check out the Millenial Fair where your friend Lucca is going to debut her latest crazy invention. But you can take your time, talk to your cat, bet on the races, earn some Silver Points to spend on events at the fair, play some minigames, enter a soda drinking contest, talk to people, help a little girl find her cat. You (literally) bump into the heroine, who asks you to show her around the fair. By the time you check out Lucca's invention, about fifteen to twenty minutes in, the game's big plot hook drops, and the adventure begins. It's so much more engaging than simply watching some overheated CGI cutscene. Plus, the game's already filled you in on the main characters and given you a taste of its intuitive controls and unique sense of humor.<br /><br />So, this is all a roundabout way of me asking you:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Do you have a favorite interactive media experience? One that you enjoy sharing with other people?</span><br /><br />I'm particularly interested in video games, but stretch the definition in whatever direction you like. It could be movies, or music, or whatever.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-37245128024979683532010-07-26T20:32:00.000-07:002010-07-26T20:41:26.738-07:00Roasted Chicken and Penne in Vodka Sauce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAaZDiLMBqTvwnV-WTmwmZqJ5UpKR54n24W4ScJbntNLwrlq70Sd60vW-hpQ3M5-Z4M-lt91F1RtWQnkxdKzD7LeZr1u2T0syHQgQLSkTUJhcV9hZ3OLJXkGi_xbXgT4fnKtA9sKcQV0/s1600/vodkapenne.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAaZDiLMBqTvwnV-WTmwmZqJ5UpKR54n24W4ScJbntNLwrlq70Sd60vW-hpQ3M5-Z4M-lt91F1RtWQnkxdKzD7LeZr1u2T0syHQgQLSkTUJhcV9hZ3OLJXkGi_xbXgT4fnKtA9sKcQV0/s320/vodkapenne.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498425012513798834" /></a><br />This week at Safeway there was a big sale on Select-brand pasta sauces. So I grabbed a jar of their vodka sauce and added it to this week's Roasted Chicken Challenge. I started with some onions and garlic and tossed in the chicken. Then, I poured in a glop of vodka sauce, mixed a cup of water, and reduced. Next, a tablespoon of vinegar and some red pepper, and then I added the penne. Last step: some salt, pepper, and arugula.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-62283816922146396742010-07-01T22:23:00.001-07:002010-07-01T22:30:40.734-07:00Quick n' Dirty Kung Pao Chicken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-mAg0_K3rRBL7kzac-0muIvO3UyYRboL7jtytZAa2dPdqluCCXi1tQ_g8Qud0ijhRr_oYXtZdzkhFU88fkT3drDBQNA4NKJY50VX5ISixGfdGkfyjKlgDJmDViHOylsIGCp2JwUDnyM/s1600/kungpao.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ-mAg0_K3rRBL7kzac-0muIvO3UyYRboL7jtytZAa2dPdqluCCXi1tQ_g8Qud0ijhRr_oYXtZdzkhFU88fkT3drDBQNA4NKJY50VX5ISixGfdGkfyjKlgDJmDViHOylsIGCp2JwUDnyM/s320/kungpao.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489175465004581442" /></a><br /><br />I threw this together as a part of my week-long Chicken Experiment (inspired by <a href="http://cheaphealthygood.blogspot.com/2009/02/1-chicken-17-healthy-meals-26-bucks-no.html">this blog</a>): roast a chicken on Sunday, and then make cheap, experimental meals throughout the week.<br /><br />I never made kung pao chicken before, so I started with a roux, some oil and butter, and onions and garlic. I added a tablespoon of peanut butter, about a teaspoon of sugar, and a few pinches of kosher salt. Then I splashed in some soy sauce, added a cup of water, reduced, then tossed in the chicken and vegetables. It came out pretty well.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-76088100251540547312010-06-15T01:08:00.000-07:002010-06-15T01:39:18.764-07:00Defining "victim" in the Arizona Victim's Bill of Rights<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNK1WZnW7uuH3wNjsR__oYpHTOPIGKGHLu4_WKWhzX7wCrntLPfY1n0Op3_6RZR0k4ljHtpNvey0HVTTCxBtlGV8nXC9FeNX7GzsfhUZtT98OS147U5CPya_QVMWJiTzSH6Q4rhXeHCE/s1600/kumari-fulbright-mug-shot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 254px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNK1WZnW7uuH3wNjsR__oYpHTOPIGKGHLu4_WKWhzX7wCrntLPfY1n0Op3_6RZR0k4ljHtpNvey0HVTTCxBtlGV8nXC9FeNX7GzsfhUZtT98OS147U5CPya_QVMWJiTzSH6Q4rhXeHCE/s320/kumari-fulbright-mug-shot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482917115193187954" /></a><br /><br />Article 2.1 of the Arizona Constitution, better known as the Victim's Bill of Rights (VBR), has a strange quirk. <a href="http://www.azleg.gov/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/const/2/2_1.htm">Take a look at its definition of "victim"</a>:<br /><br />"Victim" means a person against whom the criminal offense has been committed or, if the person is killed or incapacitated, the person's spouse, parent, child or other lawful representative, <span style="font-style:italic;">except if the person is in custody for an offense or is the accused</span>.<br /><br />(emphasis added)<br /><br />A plain reading suggests that people "in custody for an offense" are not victims, and thus have no rights under the VBR. Which would mean they have no right to criminal restitution, no right to be present at hearings, and, of course, no right to refuse interview requests from criminal defendants. It was generally accepted that <span style="font-style:italic;">Stapleford v. Houghton</span>, a case involving a prisoner-on-prisoner assault, seemed to support this general interpretation.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.appeals2.az.gov//Decisions/sa20100021OPN.pdf">Until now.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.appeals2.az.gov//Decisions/sa20100021OPN.pdf"><span style="font-style:italic;">State v. Ergonis</span></a>, a part of the high-profile Kumari Fulbright case from a few years back, just came back from the Court of Appeals. The Court sharply circumscribes the reach of the VBR's exclusionary clause with respect to people in custody, to include only cases in which the victim is also the accused and when the crime occurred while the victim is in custody.<br /><br />The Court seems to ridicule Ergonis's position -- that the VBR excludes anyone in custody, regardless of whether the offense happened while the victim was in custody or not -- but frankly, its own reasoning doesn't appear to be that strong either, except that to rule otherwise would bring down the perceived status quo.<br /><br />Will we now see a resurgence in interest in the VBR on the part of in-custody defendants? Perhaps victims currently held in other states, or in federal custody, will demand to be transferred to Arizona court? How will Arizona courts handle these requests?Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-21335130223662830372010-04-05T18:42:00.000-07:002010-04-05T19:26:07.229-07:00Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2The American people are isolated from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in a manner unprecedented in the history of warfare. Technology makes it possible for us to wage war in two theaters simultaneously, and yet still commit fewer troops then the number used in the first Gulf War. Instead, we rely on unmanned Predator drones and chopper crews to do the dirty work. And because so few of us have any real connection to the wars, we rarely see moments of horror such as this video released today by WikiLeaks (WARNING: extremely violent and NSFW):<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5rXPrfnU3G0&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5rXPrfnU3G0&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />What is so horrible about this video? Certainly, the fact that innocent people are being slaughtered, to the seeming amusement of the helicopter crew, is difficult to stomach. The element of technology makes it especially hard to watch; it is shocking to see how one person can cause such rapid destruction. But this video shows only the type of violence that happens in Iraq and Afghanistan every day. The U.S. military has done an admirable job of shielding the public from the reality of constant warfare, but now WikiLeaks has shown us a glimpse of the truth. If this video achieves nothing else, it will help the American public understand the human cost of our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Videos like this one will reach a greater percentage of the public, and perhaps ultimately shift public perception on those wars.<br /><br />In light of this news, it would seem in poor taste to play games like Modern Warfare 2, which allows the player to operate the very same 30mm Apache machine gun turret used in the above video:<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7LaKWqyKork&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7LaKWqyKork&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />And perhaps in the context of MW2, the Chopper Gunner (and similar killstreak rewards, such as the AC-130, Predator Missile, and Tactical Nuke) are in poor taste. However, I think that these gameplay elements might be used to create an educational game in which players are encouraged to engage in a dialogue about the use of these weapons in modern warfare, as a means to better understand the frightening (and often secret) means by which the United States perpetuates its hegemony over the world. Perhaps if people were encouraged to play a game in which they were viscerally exposed to the horrors of a Predator missile barrage, they might become more opposed to the war effort.<br /><br />I plan to write more about this in the coming days, but I thought that the release of this video would be a good occasion to start a conversation about how video games like Modern Warfare 2 might be used positively, to expose people to the horrors and true human toll of modern warfare.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-47273712832325833202010-03-22T17:22:00.000-07:002010-03-22T18:08:47.160-07:00Great Villains of the 1980's: William AthertonToday I'm rolling out a new series of columns here at Cirroc, in which I pay tribute the actors who brought us the most memorable villains of the 1980's. Every era has a handful of actors who find themselves typecast as the heavy, but for my money, the 1980's had the best array of jerks, archenemies, demented authority figures, and masters of the slow burn.<br /><br />I begin with one of the biggest standouts: <span style="font-weight:bold;">William Atherton.</span> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsvUCz7MP9ei-KqBBlTiGmqAy3xvyEa547tb4Y3d61hxyrHiqEfdVjTJHkarUtsVCvm0TqkzZxtrcrp5JxzkG2uhLvHGvn-ZKlpTIbPPim8BYhlan1DYwa2Rs1yJf7g9z0lEjvfcRDpc/s1600-h/william.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCsvUCz7MP9ei-KqBBlTiGmqAy3xvyEa547tb4Y3d61hxyrHiqEfdVjTJHkarUtsVCvm0TqkzZxtrcrp5JxzkG2uhLvHGvn-ZKlpTIbPPim8BYhlan1DYwa2Rs1yJf7g9z0lEjvfcRDpc/s320/william.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451620585458299458" /></a><br /><br />Atherton had a string of hits in the mid-1980's, and for a while he was the go-to guy for the insufferable yuppie villain. The kind of guy who slowly gets under your skin with his unctuousness and his cheap, government-salary suits. This guy was literally born with his chin upturned at a 45-degree angle. He was the perfect villain for the Reagan era. In three of his big blockbuster roles, he plays different manifestations of the liberal bogeyman: in <span style="font-style:italic;">Die Hard</span>, a reporter (and member of the liberal media) who endangers the safety of blue collar police officer Bruce Willis; in <span style="font-style:italic;">Ghostbusters</span>, a nosy EPA agent whose strict observance of regulations destroys a small business (and hastens Armageddon); and in <span style="font-style:italic;">Real Genius</span>, a corrupt academic who sleeps with his students and defrauds the government. I think Atherton was probably a dick in real life, too, because he hasn't had much work since the 1980's. Even the <span style="font-style:italic;">Die Hard</span> series left him behind after part 2.<br /><br />Dick or no, I salute Atherton and his worthy contribution to 1980's pop culture. Put on Ghostbusters the movie (or the new video game, which features his voice acting), and pay tribute to this classic commie pinko villain.<br /><br />Next week: <span style="font-weight:bold;">Michael Ironside</span>Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-8039801941889677412010-02-10T22:50:00.000-08:002010-02-10T22:53:32.034-08:00Pseudo-Pulled-Pork BBQ Sandwiches!Pseudo-Pulled-Pork BBQ Sandwiches, starring Spaghetti Squash<br /><br />File this under my growing list of "interesting things to make with squash." Spaghetti squash has a stringy consistency and sweet, subtle flavor that makes it a nice substitute for pork for all you vegans and followers of Abrahamic faiths.<br /><br />Here's what you need to do:<br /><br />* Get yourself a normal sized spaghetti squash, pretty easy to find these<br />days at your local supermarket.<br />* You'll need an onion, either an entire yellow onion or half of one,<br />depending on the size, chopped.<br />* A couple of cloves of garlic.<br />* Salt and pepper, to taste.<br />* Some potato buns, or the bread of your choice.<br />* Dill pickles!<br />* And then, the barbeque sauce of your choice. I used Hot n' Spicy Bill Johnson's Big Apple Bar-B-Que Sauce, a long-time local favorite, but you can feel free to substitute or make your own.<br /><br />First, the squash.<br /><br />Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and slice the spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. De-seed, pull out the guts, and cover each half in oil. Cover a baking pan in oil as well. Put the two halves in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes, flipping once. Pull out of the oven and peel off the skin. The water in the squash should have dried up, leaving the squash loose and stringy and easy to peel apart. Peel off the squashy spaghetti strands and put them on a plate. (Roast the seeds as a snack, if you feel so inclined.)<br /><br />Now, heat up a saute pan to medium and pour a tablespoon of oil. Toss the diced onions in a saute pan and cook until transparent, about 2-3 minutes. Toss in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Now mix in the spaghetti squash and turn the heat down to about 3. Pour in about 3-4 tablespoons of barbeque sauce. Cover and simmer, mixing occasionally, adding salt and pepper, for about 20 minutes.<br /><br />Then just pile the squash on your buns and eat! Put some dill pickle slices on top. Serves 6-8.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-7481073547815075602009-11-30T19:17:00.000-08:002009-11-30T20:10:53.749-08:00Mini-Review: Monkey Burger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68T3hOmQEiN4U1pLRE3ohvTcWl53xHVqW6eKhMakZlJ3BL6QtatkI8lPzWNiMKAhcS6pC2rCVOXHI19ti5hM00qjwNF26HCy6Ng2vvlZZ2rMT6AJoQyEc-BNL8dDHOkTyD09l-zNuAwk/s1600/IMG00003-20091127-1122.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj68T3hOmQEiN4U1pLRE3ohvTcWl53xHVqW6eKhMakZlJ3BL6QtatkI8lPzWNiMKAhcS6pC2rCVOXHI19ti5hM00qjwNF26HCy6Ng2vvlZZ2rMT6AJoQyEc-BNL8dDHOkTyD09l-zNuAwk/s320/IMG00003-20091127-1122.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410115300146413314" /></a><br />Readers of this blog may remember my mini-review of Burger City a few months back. Today, Burger City remains closed for renovations, and its future seems uncertain. But the executive chef and co-founder of Burger City has moved on to Monkey Burger, over at Broadway and Craycroft right next to the Cactus Moon. At one time, Monkey Burger was slated to open as Burger City II, but the two restaurants have decided to part company for undisclosed reasons. The complimentary pickle bar may be gone, but Monkey Burger brings back the delicious gourmet burgers with a righteous vengeance.<br /><br />The walls of Monkey Burger are lined with monkey murals. The interior has a sparse, industrial look. The <a href="http://www.monkeyburgerrestaurant.com/menu.html">menu</a> recalls Burger City's early selection, before its selections became progressively more uninteresting. I chose the Madness burger, with jalapeno slices, shredded lettuce, fajita peppers, pepper jack cheese, and a Tabasco scallion aioli, and opted for Monkey Burger's signature side dish: the fried pickle slices. The burger was spicy, yet not overpoweringly so, and maintained a light and tangy sweetness. The bun was large and moist, yet not so large as to make it impossible to eat by hand. The fried pickles were...interesting. I love pickles, and I love fried foods, but I'm not a fan of carnival-style novelty fried dishes, so I approached this dish with skepticism. At first blush the slices struck me as soggy. But I gradually acquired a taste for them as I made my way through the basket. I liked the interplay of saltiness and fried crispiness, but I'm not sure I'll eschew the traditional comfort of fries on my next visit.<br /><br />I hope Burger City returns. But if if doesn't, or if it never returns to its former glory, I'm glad that Monkey Burger has arrived to fill the burger void.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-12005223319376678512009-11-23T23:09:00.000-08:002009-11-23T23:14:23.382-08:00Great Moments in Sandwiches vol. IV<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLoBMdrmBjjRBDdhEH8i_tafZZZwWDJWKhWET0KURod2jK3GNzei_kGElqq1tLKSmVcyD1m6VLXl8TaZCYcmv1bgduX_YliDYj7VIgqG9wn7g8s9hUjGO9VeDvPsURbmFq4leMPaMopI/s1600/sandwich.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaLoBMdrmBjjRBDdhEH8i_tafZZZwWDJWKhWET0KURod2jK3GNzei_kGElqq1tLKSmVcyD1m6VLXl8TaZCYcmv1bgduX_YliDYj7VIgqG9wn7g8s9hUjGO9VeDvPsURbmFq4leMPaMopI/s320/sandwich.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407564368120279570" /></a><br /><br />Bacon spam on rustic sourdough with mustard greens, sea salt, cracked pepper, egg over easy, onions, and jalapenos.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-65691937597827823842009-11-05T10:40:00.000-08:002009-11-05T10:52:54.263-08:00Bacon-wrapped Matzoh BallsA friend tipped me off to this sacril-icious culinary fad. Former Top Chef <a href="http://www.jewishjournal.com/food/article/bacon-wrapped_matzvah_balls_with_top_chef_ilan_hall_The_Gorbals_20091104/">Ilan Hall</a> is an advocate:<br /><br /><blockquote>“The bacon-wrapped matzah ball thing was a little bit of a joke — a tongue-in-cheek thing I did for a friend’s birthday party in New York,” said the loquacious chef, sporting his signature dark-rimmed glasses as he sat at the restaurant’s wooden communal table, his design. “He was a fellow Jew and not kosher at all, and I thought it would be kind of funny to do. I tried it and loved it. It came out really nice. Pork fat does something magical to matzah meal.”</blockquote><br /><br />I am no stranger to mixing the sacred and the profane. At this year's seder, an intrepid guest proposed the open-faced bacon matzoh sandwich which turned out quite well:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3dDpxJ9SqNcPdPs59_9-HzoYZh0v0n78LvxLj_rgPOAa-xnQNrITcrSP1Aiy6SjmVNxhoY0Uci4iKPk47P0ZX7lQlReODWe9wABR-O6EFo8HMw-m6CySk-2eNaMdFrjRrruMWKIlGRo/s1600-h/2809_66766522899_626912899_1506971_4749964_n.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3dDpxJ9SqNcPdPs59_9-HzoYZh0v0n78LvxLj_rgPOAa-xnQNrITcrSP1Aiy6SjmVNxhoY0Uci4iKPk47P0ZX7lQlReODWe9wABR-O6EFo8HMw-m6CySk-2eNaMdFrjRrruMWKIlGRo/s320/2809_66766522899_626912899_1506971_4749964_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400694046309749362" /></a>Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-45784684495488305742009-11-03T22:45:00.001-08:002009-11-03T22:47:49.723-08:00Winter Green Season Is Fast Approaching!...and the best thing I can say about it is that many delicious sandwiches shall be made.<br /><br />Pictures of said sandwiches shall follow.<br /><br />But otherwise, I will struggle once again with the difficult task of preparing the bushels of greens I will receive from my CSA share. Ideas, tips, throw 'em my way.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-2138929030805126522009-03-16T16:21:00.001-07:002009-03-16T16:41:10.659-07:00Mini-Review Daily Double: Bisbee Breakfast Club and Savory Spot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBjaKwt5R7-kNSfGuaDdivtG6TKYEimMWvWK28xMYOcwzsACU_-h9Rp7gs-YUWhhGOz-8Hc4Hf9XxN_gQU6JnidYFLUdlXv8duEWXUiubjEXLuk-Cb1ZrPfcIpzUvsckFZWtJoP0IE20/s1600-h/0309091113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgBjaKwt5R7-kNSfGuaDdivtG6TKYEimMWvWK28xMYOcwzsACU_-h9Rp7gs-YUWhhGOz-8Hc4Hf9XxN_gQU6JnidYFLUdlXv8duEWXUiubjEXLuk-Cb1ZrPfcIpzUvsckFZWtJoP0IE20/s320/0309091113.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313929999684830418" /></a><br />This is the Chorizos Rancheros plate at the Bisbee Breakfast Club, and it is the most beautiful scramble plate I've ever seen. Look at the collections of scrambled egg and salsa that grow forth through the mass of cheese like moss on some heavenly terrain where breakfast foods grow from the ground. (Don't laugh, I have dreamed of such a place.) Gasp at the island of chopped avocado perched lovingly at the top. Sigh with delight as you discover the bits of chorizo lodged inside, like little nuggets of deliciousness. Yeah, it was really good. The BBC decor is bright in the morning hours, with a storefront that faces the direction of the old mine. Inside, it's like a honkytonk bar designed by reforming young urbanites. The place has wonky hours, open from 7-12 on weekdays and closed Tuesdays. But if you're waking up from a stay at the Shady Dell or on your way back from an early morning visit at the Cochise County Jail, it's the perfect breakfast stop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsxX9F8_IZYUP3FGbkt6nciSJQC_Y1fUDnaQEOqesWFEiONd0shSTeI9cZ_huqFyB7b-j4oKVbAa6mkarKcSfNpBUPwxmY5qrnU3qmW6QM9rP6Xp1ffs7LRWcPYYS0stqDG9sziV1BPc/s1600-h/0316091059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOsxX9F8_IZYUP3FGbkt6nciSJQC_Y1fUDnaQEOqesWFEiONd0shSTeI9cZ_huqFyB7b-j4oKVbAa6mkarKcSfNpBUPwxmY5qrnU3qmW6QM9rP6Xp1ffs7LRWcPYYS0stqDG9sziV1BPc/s320/0316091059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313930147557867810" /></a><br /><br />The Savory Spot is hip and humble, run by a pleasant group of hippies with ample reading material (stacks upon stacks of GQs, Vanity Fairs, and Spin!). The true test of a good breakfast place is the quality of its home fries, and the Spot's don't disappoint: they're a tad peppery and crusty, and just soft enough on the inside. The over easy eggs were prepared perfectly. The sausage was decent, not spectacular, but I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to pork. The Spot also has a complete dinner menu, which I expect I'll be checking out soon; it's just down the road from the court house.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-70985957696779317742009-03-16T16:05:00.001-07:002009-03-16T16:15:48.592-07:00Memo to the Grill<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3JiKBnK6EIByVo6Iss83Av_Xo1uCTj4X-rGp_e02iQ8rJE_NngjSNlBkkggWcDnAE8Sm_r045xA4U8Eov2sAdfEKCSo-7WAyhY34rOD6tNUieCt3PlpJCO_-Nytu_BUbVuMhE7WTYog/s1600-h/IM001690_grill_atomic_SM.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3JiKBnK6EIByVo6Iss83Av_Xo1uCTj4X-rGp_e02iQ8rJE_NngjSNlBkkggWcDnAE8Sm_r045xA4U8Eov2sAdfEKCSo-7WAyhY34rOD6tNUieCt3PlpJCO_-Nytu_BUbVuMhE7WTYog/s320/IM001690_grill_atomic_SM.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313928175565745458" /></a><br />You suck. Seriously.<br /><br />No more pussy footing around it. You're just not really all that great. Yeah, I know, I eat your food frequently because you're the only restaurant open in downtown Tucson at ungodly hours, but I'm through pretending that I like it. Really, the only reason most people eat at the Grill is for the tater tots, something I can handle quite ably myself with a bag of Ore-Ida and an oven. <br /><br />Ohh, but then I would miss out on the vaunted atmosphere, a.k.a. the deafening noise from the Red Room next door (technically part of the Grill itself) and the snooty tattooed waiters who are more interested in talking to their friends than checking on my damn order.<br /><br />Let me further note that of all the times I've had beers at the Red Room, they've all been shit. Maybe I just suck at picking good beers, because I tend to go by novelty names and oddball countries, but I'm inclined to blame you. Word to the wise, dear reader: Croatian brewery workers secretly pee in their beer.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-68191733952485089472009-03-15T21:44:00.000-07:002009-03-15T22:05:26.827-07:00Mini-Review: Harvest Restaurant<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTl5KsANWyGHu_FvubwTFhlXM8Jh0yd1OtwV2OMcxsGK-QDRLNGrP6N7K7UsoMMS-xzSHRXrWdbsO-dupkFkzYEt-mupWJ2YGiRcFdxVjf6c6sJq7gWuD4xx8klL8hRj4VlOKOmnZFxI/s1600-h/0314091430.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTl5KsANWyGHu_FvubwTFhlXM8Jh0yd1OtwV2OMcxsGK-QDRLNGrP6N7K7UsoMMS-xzSHRXrWdbsO-dupkFkzYEt-mupWJ2YGiRcFdxVjf6c6sJq7gWuD4xx8klL8hRj4VlOKOmnZFxI/s320/0314091430.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313642581273194834" /></a><br />Here's an aphorism that will serve you well, and that sums up my thoughts on Harvest succintly: don't ever go to a well-regarded restaurant and order the beef stew, especially at lunch, and especially on a weekend.<br /><br />Harvest is located a block from the Oro Valley Town Hall complex on La Canada, and sits in a shopping mall with an awe-inspiring view of the mountains. Harvest's schtick is that it uses all locally-grown ingredients, with a menu that shifts every season (having opened just this past November, it's about to undergo its first such shift). In cases where there are no locally-grown or raised items available -- fish, for example -- they are obtained through economically sustainable means. (See the whitefish BLT, for example.) <br /><br />We had two appetizers: the brie plate, with seasoned fruit chutneys, roasted garlic, and Arizona grapes, and the Harvest empanadas filled with beef, figs, olives, egg, and served with a side of chimmichuri sauce. Both were fantastic. The empanadas were delicate, light, and yielded with the sweetest pillowy softness. The whitefish BLT was stellar as well, with perfectly cooked fish and some of the tastiest bacon I've ever sampled.<br /><br />But the beef stew, pictured above, was a disaster. Made with butternut squash and green chiles, I had trouble discerning the flavor of either, and found myself reaching for the salt and pepper with each bite. The tortillas served as accompaniment were dry and unexciting. The beef was turgid, rough, and not at all appetizing. I imagine this dish was probably cobbled together from a previous night's leftovers. And the portion was surprisingly small for $13, given that Feast regularly serves a similar stew with much larger portions at a similar price (not that I was clamoring for more when I had my plate taken away).<br /><br />I'd like to try Harvest again for dinner. But as for the stew? Never again. Unless I'm at Feast.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-34755262799572097122009-03-15T21:34:00.000-07:002009-03-15T22:05:46.204-07:00Great Moments in Sandwiches, Vol. III<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNytlyC9cu2uV7BKLTAGW5-a9Rue_6ZoQrKHLKj2YhzLPOQz9vSCPDDAEOi3ec-bexCUlvxSqAexHhfGT0SAkCzzWPoy73nEOKXm1o_nwwRCy17HCjtkf310ZNf-iDyMInhDSBo_CQ7Bs/s1600-h/0314091430a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNytlyC9cu2uV7BKLTAGW5-a9Rue_6ZoQrKHLKj2YhzLPOQz9vSCPDDAEOi3ec-bexCUlvxSqAexHhfGT0SAkCzzWPoy73nEOKXm1o_nwwRCy17HCjtkf310ZNf-iDyMInhDSBo_CQ7Bs/s320/0314091430a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313639675967551986" /></a><br />Open-faced whitefish BLT with Lake Superior whitefish, toasted baguette, sweet potato chips, and homemade tartar sauce. From the lunch menu at Harvest Restaurant in Oro Valley. Mini-review to follow.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-91802962692144439142009-03-06T16:50:00.000-08:002009-03-06T16:53:05.144-08:00Great Moments in Sandwiches Vol. II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrzmHm_hQfu2TyAuAv_JGqJgdpyspMFJBXkVXbCwOn4gBHs7ZNBO_ogSEJT9qq5sXfSrBMJa0UgBFux7owzmYUJLlAcHnnCXCJV1OTrUfBGvbNiK9nMWOr8ylDlu7RDW8nNjMyQjxKX4/s1600-h/3324681898_02715da249.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrzmHm_hQfu2TyAuAv_JGqJgdpyspMFJBXkVXbCwOn4gBHs7ZNBO_ogSEJT9qq5sXfSrBMJa0UgBFux7owzmYUJLlAcHnnCXCJV1OTrUfBGvbNiK9nMWOr8ylDlu7RDW8nNjMyQjxKX4/s320/3324681898_02715da249.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310242210085245522" /></a><br />Jalapeno bacon, lettuce, and tomato with ancho chili sauce on foccacia. Found at the Bisbee Coffee Company, which also makes excellent soup.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-3329767203718215782009-03-06T16:43:00.000-08:002009-03-06T16:54:30.666-08:00BMW Designs a PC Case<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LQAqSlWY6Fr3uj2or-rvLNDBK-AKeVcbCd_3CWg5cJZ1n0iZI9xHEv-xd3BL9emLua9CXV-WsSENkfIONWIc1ZCBOmHDkODJqTIB9FXsY4qe2P2Xk8uaJAtJHrglALczRuSMkVbvg9c/s1600-h/Cebit_Thermaltake_Level_10_PCGH__8_.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3LQAqSlWY6Fr3uj2or-rvLNDBK-AKeVcbCd_3CWg5cJZ1n0iZI9xHEv-xd3BL9emLua9CXV-WsSENkfIONWIc1ZCBOmHDkODJqTIB9FXsY4qe2P2Xk8uaJAtJHrglALczRuSMkVbvg9c/s320/Cebit_Thermaltake_Level_10_PCGH__8_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310240321319009426" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,678000/Thermaltake-Level-10-PC-case-with-BMW-concept/News/">Oddly asymmetrical</a>, yet compelling. Most high-end cases look like they're built to reach Mach 3, but this one looks like a bento box you'd find at a Hot Topic.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-46781481217482827942009-03-04T10:51:00.000-08:002009-03-04T10:54:07.353-08:00Great Moments in Sandwiches<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeED0VfHXu5wJ6vLFx73p6xsdSTUda6xAQEyiCKduFWsz-ZKN4vuwvGnN_xnlZpBHbkMbWsmcjYHd0teeePtFd9-eLla5j2oolVYYcz9cqoJKZ2oQBSz_XcxRZsJ2tsvBk6qEDhP8dfc/s1600-h/3277497118_cc73e07b07.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNeED0VfHXu5wJ6vLFx73p6xsdSTUda6xAQEyiCKduFWsz-ZKN4vuwvGnN_xnlZpBHbkMbWsmcjYHd0teeePtFd9-eLla5j2oolVYYcz9cqoJKZ2oQBSz_XcxRZsJ2tsvBk6qEDhP8dfc/s320/3277497118_cc73e07b07.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309407472222695170" /></a><br /><br />Ham, arugula, tomato, fried egg, salt, and pepper on sourdough. It's the simple additions that enhance a sandwich, I think, like good greens and pepper. No need for heavy condiments.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-16926234712527780462009-02-23T07:15:00.000-08:002009-02-23T07:18:23.519-08:00experiments in facial hair<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJPndcMTJ8H2xkAHhJ4UslI0UN4-8a0mavfEFJWazUyGbdWM9gVTJZp5QwRuO8GnfUW1jS6xhy5XBAe4lrz5ILZ4jYHQ91Insw9dBbfVYIaX70W0E2TumRhI7WEmGRFs222ENOjmpuDk/s1600-h/0222091640.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyJPndcMTJ8H2xkAHhJ4UslI0UN4-8a0mavfEFJWazUyGbdWM9gVTJZp5QwRuO8GnfUW1jS6xhy5XBAe4lrz5ILZ4jYHQ91Insw9dBbfVYIaX70W0E2TumRhI7WEmGRFs222ENOjmpuDk/s320/0222091640.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306012261991361618" /></a><br />The sideburns are growing and forming a bridge across my face, and will soon make their bid to take over the world.<br /><br />Thoughts?Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-15619599533426596332009-02-21T23:30:00.000-08:002009-02-21T23:59:27.813-08:00missed connectionsI have many admirers all around the world. But I still get excited when I discover new ones, especially secret ones. So I was thrilled several days ago when a friend told me I had made the missed connections page on craigslist.<br /><br />How do I know it was me? Suffice it to say it was <a href="http://tucson.craigslist.org/mis/1039597430.html">pretty damn obvious</a>. Then there was a <a href="http://tucson.craigslist.org/mis/1042630658.html">copycat admirer</a> a couple days later. And then there was...<a href="http://tucson.craigslist.org/mis/1043556411.html">this misguided fellow</a>.<br /><br />So the last one was obviously fake. But I welcome the attentions of the other two with a mixture of flattery, curiousity, and wariness. Just who are these people, and why have they taken such a sudden interest in me?<br /><br />Guess I'll be updating the blog more often.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-14564288796605059442009-02-04T00:19:00.000-08:002009-02-04T00:53:17.858-08:00The Anti-Love DrugIf scientists can isolate the hormones that initiate "mammalian pair bonding," as Larry Young has done in his <a href="http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v457/n7226/full/457148a.html">research at Emory University</a>, could a true love potion be on the horizon? Or perhaps more usefully to midlife-crisis-afflicted married men, might there be an love suppression vaccine available in the future? <br /><br />From the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/science/13tier.html?_r=1&incamp=article_popular_4">New York Times</a>:<br /><blockquote><br />“If we give an oxytocin blocker to female voles, they become like 95 percent of other mammal species,” Dr. Young said. “They will not bond no matter how many times they mate with a male or hard how he tries to bond. They mate, it feels really good and they move on if another male comes along. If love is similarly biochemically based, you should in theory be able to suppress it in a similar way.”</blockquote>Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-51737302515051962942009-01-23T10:30:00.000-08:002009-01-23T10:34:58.162-08:00Word of the Day<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piquerism">Picquerism</a>: (from the French piquer - "to prick") "a paraphilia and form of sadomasochism in which one finds sexual gratification through penetration of another person, most commonly by stabbing or cutting the body with sharp objects. The most frequently targeted areas of the body are the breasts, buttocks, or groin."<br /><br />Apparently, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals thinks it's <a href="http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov:8080/isysnative/RDpcT3BpbnNcT1BOXDA2LTEzNjUtcHJfb3BuLnBkZg==/06-1365-pr_opn.pdf">bullshit</a>.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937258626354531509.post-42963635596209015492009-01-18T21:41:00.000-08:002009-01-18T21:50:12.252-08:00Butternut Squash and Red Pepper SoupI put this together from some odds and ends in the refrigerator, including the red peppers I acquired in Bisbee. <br /><br />1 red pepper, chopped<br />1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped<br />2 celery stalks, chopped<br />1 white onion, chopped<br />1 butternut squash, peeled and roasted<br />2 cups chicken stock<br />1 cup milk<br />1 1/2 tbsp. butter<br />1 tbsp. oil<br />1 tsp. paprika<br />salt and pepper<br />chopped parsley or cilantro<br /><br />Roast the butternut squash at 375 degrees, peel, and chop into cubes. Set aside. Pour the oil into a large saucepan and turn heat to medium. Throw in the onions, carrots, and celery and sweat them for a few minutes. Add the butternut squash and the paprika and cook for another few minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the red pepper, milk, and butter, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Scoop the vegetables into a blender and puree. Return to the saucepan and add salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />Serve immediately and garnish with parsley or cilantro.Cirrochttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02719196429207243186noreply@blogger.com0