Merry Christmas 2018!

Santa Claus - Steve Rude

I had Christmas and Thanksgiving alone this year.  It was slightly depressing at first, but turned out really nice.

I haven't made a full holiday spread in five years or more -- actually, I don't even remember what I did the last few years!  I know I celebrated with my folks, but I didn't go all-out at home.  This year, however, I originally expected anywhere from three to nine guests for T'day, so I had a menu.

That fell through the weekend before, but I decided (at the last minute) to go ahead with the whole meal, because anywhere from three to nine people might still have shown up.

It's the holidays, and I don't want to sound negative, but FWIW, I don't care for flaky people; I find them disrespectful.

I put a lot into whatever I commit to doing, so if you say you're going to show up, I deserve your attendance!  Hell, when it comes to holiday get-togethers, that's the difference between a $10 turkey that takes four hours to cook and a $25 bird that takes 14 hours to cook!  Not to mention the time and effort I spend decorating, shopping, cooking everything else, and so on.

I make most stuff from scratch, but I'm not fanatical about it.  I try to use fresh ingredients, but it's cost-prohibitive, and they spoil too quickly.  Either way, it still takes time and (more or less) the same amount of effort to cook from cans and packages.

ANYwho...

I cut a couple appetizers from the Thanksgiving menu, and made chicken (in the crockpot -- someone else was bringing the turkey, so it was a last minute thing) and dressing; pumpkin pie; candied yams; green bean casserole; and mashed potatoes.  I snacked on chips and homemade French onion dip.

I only had light brown sugar (and no molasses), so the candied yams turned into a too-sweet and not-quite-done soup, but the pumpkin pie turned out great.  I hadn't made green bean casserole in years, so I worked from an internet recipe, and it...  It was fine, just lacked soy sauce (I'd used Worcestershire sauce instead).  Then I screwed up and made sweet cornbread, so my dressing was inedible.  But it turned out to be a great dry run for Christmas!

Today, I expected no one, but still made the whole shebang (yesterday) so I don't have to cook until New Year's Eve.  Spiral ham (pre-cooked); mashed potatoes with brown gravy; broccoli with cheese; sweet potato pie; chocolate coconut cookies; Reese's Cup pie; and green bean casserole.  Tostitos and Ro-Tel held me over, then I had homemade biscuits for Christmas Eve breakfast (and for the dressing).

Let me tell you about that sweet potato pie: Despite the fact that it separated slightly (which may have been due to over-beating it, or I may accidentally have used margarine instead of butter, I don't know), it is the single greatest thing I have eaten since... I don't know the last time I ate something that delicious.  I worked from two recipes, using the ingredients I liked best (I got some dark brown sugar), and I could eat that entire pie by myself.  I'm scheduled to do the parents thing later today.

Although I had no visitors, I had a great holiday vacation!  I ate like hell, drank wine to excess, and binge-watched a bunch of cooking shows and holiday specials.  I didn't put up a tree, but I decorated the house with some creative placement of odds and ends -- which the cats and dog promptly destroyed (a few times over).

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Rated-B and The Weirding (.NET)!

© The Weirding, 2018

Pigface - Sweetmeat

Pigface - Sweetmeat

Pigface - Sweetmeat may have been censored by YouTube for possible Cuban connections and promotion of animal rights abuses.  It is available on competing streaming music platforms.

Happy Thanksgiving, White Invaders!

© The Weirding, 2018

NEW The Bombpops - Dear Beer

The Bombpops - Dear Beer

The Bombpops - Dear Beer may have been censored from YouTube for presenting an image inconsistent with acceptable, era-appropriate, societal norms.  #MeToo actually.

© The Weirding, 2018

The History of Fruity Yummy Mummy Cereal

I don't know if it's even still listed anywhere, but Rated B used to mention pop-culture as "Americana" because that's the only pop-culture with which I am familiar, so it's largely the only one we covered.  To those ends, we have covered the history of such things as the first black Barbie doll, the history of the banjo, the Bolivian Coca-Colla lawsuit, even Corbin Bernsen's attempt to save the All-American Soapbox Derby.  Over the years, we have largely moved away from such research-intensive posts to focus on comic books, and now music.

However, I love doing those kinds of posts and wish I had time to do more of them.  That's why I love finding posts similar on blogs and sites I follow.  This one comes from Bloody Disgusting, a horror blog which contains a bit of everything from the genre, and gives a great rundown on the history of the Fruity Yummy Mummy cereal - part of the Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Frankenberry cereal line from General Mills. 

Enjoy, and be sure to subscribe to Bloody Disgusting if you like horror!

© The Weirding, 2017

HP Lovecraft Beers

No, seriously: Narragansett brewery, out of Boston, has announced a line of brews honoring the late writer. It also indirectly honors one of Lovecraft's influences, Edgar Allan Poe. The honey ale is also an allude to a passage from one of Lovecraft's stories in which one of the creatures drinks a "space mead."

The announcement was made on Saturday, January 10^th, in Boston Magazine. The next beer in the line is in honor of Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth story, which explores the small, independent brewer's "dark side," and features art from an artist known to deliver.

© The Weirding, 2015

Rusty Solomon: Eat, Drink, etc.

Rusty Solomon will explain to you why it is healthy to drink wine - not just with meals, but in general. Drinking wine may help you live longer, as well as prevent certain adverse health issues like strokes and heart disease. But do not take my word for it, take the American Heart Association's!

You read that right: The AHA says drinking wine each day will improve your health. At least the health of your heart. It can also help prevent diabetes and strokes. Of course, exercise and eating well goes along with the program. Rusty Solomon explains it all on his site.


Everyone should be concerned about his or her health and well-being, and Rusty Solomon lays out a convincing argument for why drinking wine can help. Besides, drinking wine is fun! What better way to improve your health and decrease the likelihood of disease than living well? Check it out!

McDonald's - OF THE FUTURE!

McDonald's, perhaps the most famous of American fast food restaurants, is launching a full "retooling" -- not just of its menu, but its chain restaurants' design. Some 1600 overseas sites will be renovated, and 400 restaurants across America will be redesigned.

McDonald's COO, Don Thompson, said "People eat with their eyes first." He explained that an "appealing, contemporary, and relevant" exterior and interior makes 'the food taste better.' McDonald's restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, and Missouri have already undergone renovation and reported a 6-7% sales increase.

Thompson makes no attempt to hide the fact that this renovation is aimed at the younger generation. He hopes they will see McDonald's as a place to eat, and not just a place to pick-up food.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Baskin-Robbins 26 Flavors

You might know Baskin-Robbins as 31 Flavors; the names are interchangeable because the company was founded as Baskin-Robbins 31 Ice Cream. However, Baskin-Robbins has far more than 31 flavors -- thousands, in fact -- and has decided to drop five from its roster to make room for even more. While this is nothing new, the international ice cream giant's decision to drop their classic French Vanilla has drawn the ire of many customers.

French Vanilla is one of the original 31 flavors and has been with the company since 1945. Also getting the axe: Caramel Praline Cheesecake (1970), Campfire S'mores (1975), Apple Pie a La Mode (1976), and Superfudge Truffle (2007). The flavors replacing these have yet to be announced, but will premiere this fall.

2010 marks the 65th anniversary of Baskin-Robbins. July is National Ice Cream month.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Fat Kids' Parents to Sue McDonald's

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer advocacy group out of Washington, DC, has threatened to file suit against McDonald's, alleging the fast food chain is "unfairly and deceptively" targeting children by including a free toy with each Happy Meal. The executive director of the CSPI, Michael Jacobson, likened McDonald's Happy Meal business model to that of a door-to-door salesman who calls on the family everyday and asks to speak privately with the children. Not surprisingly, some consider the Center for Science in the Public Interest an extremist group.

This is not the first time the CSPI has targeted the popular fast-food franchise: In 2004, the group took-out a full-page ad in the New York Times, urging McDonald's and other American chain restaurants to switch to trans-free cooking oils. Though the ad mentions several restaurants, the headline reads, "A Broken McPromise." The flagrant ad shows a heart attack victim receiving CPR. In 2009, CSPI filed a class-action suit against Coca-Cola for making fraudulent claims regarding Vitaminwater, a "health" drink.

It is important to note that the Center for Science in the Public Interest is, despite the name, not a scientific organization. The organization's ostentatious ad campaigns, controversial statements, and numerous lawsuits, have lead many - as noted above - to question the group's tactics, integrity, and actual agenda. But the CSPI insists it is only trying to cast a light on these large corporations' brazen sales and marketing tactics.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Burger King Pulls Disco CD Over Internet Rumors

Wendy's fast food chain pulled a disco-themed karaoke CD featuring Donna Summer's hit, "Last Dance," from Kids' Meals, due to Internet rumors which claim the lyric, "I'm so horny," allegedly included in the song, is inappropriate for such young customers (ages 3 and up). The problem is, the lyric isn't actually in the song, according to Donna Summers and others!

It is uncertain if incorrect versions of the lyrics found online started this problem, or if listeners incorrectly interpreted the lyrics on their own, but however the rumors began, they grew loud enough to convince Wendy's to pull the CD from their Kids' Meals. Wendy's spokesperson, Denny Lynch, later claimed, "There are two versions of the song and [Universal/Wendy's] picked the wrong one."

However, Summers herself said there is only one version of the song and all of the allegations surrounding "Last Dance" are "completely false." In the same bulletin, she alluded to defamation, a legal term, but did not threaten to take legal action regarding this dispute.

Many reports say listeners can clearly hear that Summers changed the lyric in the fourth refrain of the chorus in question, but what, exactly, she says is impossible to determine, due to the quality of the recording.

The Wendy's Kids' Meal promotion has since ended.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

McDonald's Recalls Shrek Glasses

McDonald's has recalled some 2 million Shrek drinking glasses because the paint contains low levels of cadmium, which is toxic. Although the levels of cadmium in the drinking glasses is said to be "only slightly above" what is considered "acceptable" levels, a McDonald's spokesperson said they were recalling them "out of an abundance of caution."

Experts worry that the cadmium could rub-off onto children's hands, then be transferred to their mouths. They do not know the effects of long-time exposure to low levels of cadmium. Customers are being warned to quit using the glasses immediately.

Shrek Forever After, the final movie in the series, opened at #1 in America last weekend.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Coca-Colla and The Real Coke

Coca-Cola's first formula contained an ingredient which provided drinkers with a bit more of a boost than caffeine; Coca-Cola originally contained cocaine, despite the company's insistence that it never did. In fact, Coca-Cola was literally named for its two main ingredients: the Coca plant (Coca), and the kola nut (Cola). Everyone knows this, though, apparently, some people still find it hard to believe. According to some sources, cocaine remained an ingredient of Coca-Cola until 1929; others say the famous soda still includes traces of the coca leaf - though it is now denatured coca leaves (meaning the cocaine has already been extracted).

The truth is that most soft drinks of the late 1800s (when Coca-Cola was first made and sold) contained cocaine, so it was not unusual. Like these other soft drinks, Coca-Cola was originally marketed as a medicine, and an alternative to alcoholic beverages. Though the company claims the "original" recipe is still used, Coca-Cola's famous recipe has actually been altered a few times over the years, so no Coca-Cola today can truly be called "The Real Thing."

Now, a Bolivian company is manufacturing a cocaine-laced soft drink called Coca-Colla. While the "Colla" bit is actually named for the Colla people of the Bolivian highlands, the "Coca" is absolutely in reference to the coca plant, which is a major ingredient of Coca-Colla.

Bolivia has tried to stop cultivation of the coca plant in the past, largely at America's behest, but their new president, Evo Morales, is a coca grower who publicly champions the crop as a legitimate product with many uses. While it has established a "zero-tolerance" policy for cocaine, Morales' administration has encouraged Bolivian companies to use coca in products including tea, syrup, liqueurs - even toothpaste - and has backed Coca-Colla from the start.

"The industrialization of coca interests us," the deputy minister of rural development told reporters. If the products containing coca are successful, the government has vowed to increase the number of acres set aside for coca production from 30,000 acres to 50,000 acres. Obviously - and sadly - the American government has already condemned this, saying the majority of the coca plants would be used for the production of cocaine.

In 2005, the Paez Indians of Columbia created Coca Sek, a soft drink made of coca leaves, and distributed crushed coca leaves as tea. The coca leaf is used daily in most parts of South America, and has been used for cooking, medicinal purposes, and in religious rites for centuries. The Paez said they were trying to disassociate the coca leaf from cocaine, "We wanted to convince people that coca is not the same as the drug, and allow indigenous people to be proud of the leaf," David Curtido, who lead the Coca Sek and coca-based products projects. Coca Sek was banned in 2006, thanks to pressure from the UN's international narcotics control board.

Coca-Colla is bottled with a red label. Experts expect the Coca-Cola company to file suit against the maker, but the Atlanta, Georgia-based corporation has not responded to questions concerning Coca-Colla.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Coney Island's First Hotdog Found

Found encased in ice beneath Feltman's kitchen, a 140-year old hotdog is thought to be the first ever made at Coney Island. Officials say the hotdog still had the original receipt attached to it. The inventor of the famous "Coney Island Hotdog" owned Feltman's for a while. The find will go on display starting May 28^th.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010

Let the Spirits Move Thee!

One of the things about living in Tennessee - aside from corrupt cops, hillbilly rednecks, meth, meth mouth, strippers on meth, truckers on meth, hookers on meth, hunters, hunters on meth... okay, aside from all the drawbacks of living in a bass-ackward state - one of the worst things about living in Tennessee are the alcohol laws. There is a fat, disgusting lobbyist called "The Goose" who supposedly got his name because he wined and dined all the fat, disgusting, corrupt lawmakers of the state - and their daddies. He wants the laws the way they are because... well, fat, corrupt people called "The Goose" tend to avoid questioning.

Anyway, Governor Phil Bredesen recently signed a law allowing the sale of wines directly to consumers - meaning we can finally (legally) buy wine and have it shipped to us! I'm no big wine connoisseur or anything, but that's pretty cool! Especially since I'm also not a big beer-lover. My preferred drink is a beer with frequent rounds of girly shots (with names like "Alabama Slamma," "Swee-Tarts," "Sour Apples," "Lemondrops..." Wha-at?), but I'm not here to talk about myself:

The law only went into effect this summer and it isn't like wines are a big pastime in Tennessee, so I wanted to direct you to this great resource, where you can find - and add - online wine retailers who ship to Tennessee.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Disney Displeased by 'Ho White'

Disney is none too fond of an Australian commercial for Jamieson's Raspberry Ale which features a character named Ho White in bed with with her dwarfen compatriots. Three of the dwarfs have been redubbed Filthy, Smarmy, and Randy. The ad for the campaign was originally featured on anythingbutsweet.com, which is now inaccessible. The images had been removed, but I managed to grab this one, which was attributed to adelaidenow.com.au. Obviously, reporters have posited that the ads have been removed due to issues Disney raised about copyright infringement.

Technically speaking, this is one of those gray areas. I don't know anything about Australian law, but according to US Fair Use, this sort of thing would have been fine as satire; since it is actually being used to sell something, it qualifies as an infringement, regardless of the fact that the character is not Snow White. The featured character is specifically tied to the copyrighted property and is being used to sell a product; were this to simply exist as a parody, not an ad, Disney would have no suit.

I can show it because it is newsworthy, and thus exempt from copyright law; this is an exercise of Fair Use.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Happy Fourth!

I hope everyone's Fourth of July weekend is pleasant. I am making actual BBQ sammiches (with buns, coleslaw, the whole nine) and I may warm some beans. I still have no stove and the breaker which blew some three weeks (nearly) back is still out, and I've got the entire house running off two outlets in the kitchen, so I don't know if I'll do the beans or really anything else.

Speaking of which, I don't know where the gross or two of leftover bottle rockets got off to. I'm going to do a sweep through the bedroom, but I enjoy sitting outside, just watching the show others put on. It rained a little earlier and they're calling for (at least a chance of) thundershowers throughout the evening, so it should be a nice night for it - a little humid until the moon's had a chance to cool the day away - with plenty of dark clouds so you can see the fireworks better and hopefully a little lightning (in the clouds, only) to boot.

I'll get to play through a little of the D&D campaign later on, as well. I'm having both guys set their characters' goals for the rest of their lives. Actually, the War Cleric will probably still get together with me and either run him on solos or at least play the enemy troops for battles and all-out wars. Our Wizard friend is leaving for parts unknown (well, known to him... and us) and isn't likely to be back anytime real, real soon (if ever). Of course, we will still keep in-touch online and will hopefully see one another again one day, but he did not get into D&D as much as I'd hoped. He said, "I just don't have much of an imagination," and as much as I railed against it at first, and do in general today, he has a point.

He said it, not me! Although I did pull out a lot of stops to try to make him feel more comfortable and so on, so I take only some of the blame. This ties-in to a whole post I have on why tabletop RPGs will (hopefully) make a comeback in another generation or two, but this is a holiday for cripe's sake! So, for the sake of the cripes, enjoy it! We'll have plenty other days (God willing) to trash-talk the younger generation and their sock-hop bobby pins and Billy Beer.

HAPPY 4^th o' JULY, WEIRDLINGS!

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

It's a BluFrog World

Over the last several years, the energy drink market has just exploded. I know there are some 5-10 different varieties at my local convenience store, and I live in the middle of Nowhere! It is some 30+ minutes from the nearest "city" (if, by "city," you mean somewhere with a handful of fast-food outlets and a Wal-Mart), yet this little convenience store miles from anywhere has an impressive selection of energy drinks - proving their popularity across the boards.

Now, I am no fan of energy drinks, generally speaking. I have always found them too sweet, too strong tasting, and not as powerful a pick-me-up as a good, old-fashioned cup of coffee. They also have a tendency to upset my stomach. So I really didn't care to try BluFrog at first. I got a sample right around St. Patty's Day, but I didn't want to waste my adult mixer only to find out it tasted like all the rest, so I set it aside. But the vessel's design was so cool, it lured me in after a few days.

Now, BluFrog is strong, but in that good way: it has ¹/₂ the sugar - and ¹/₂ the calories - but all the caffeine. But the most interesting thing is that it has no artificial colors or flavors! That's right: BluFrog (and it is blue) has no artificial coloring or flavors. Already, it's healthier than almost all the other sports drinks, but it also has 100% the recommended daily allowance of thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and other healthy ingredients - and 300% the recommended daily allowance of vitamins B6 and B12. On top of all this, BluFrog also contains Quercetin, a potent flavonoid antioxidant.

Even when I decided to try it, I drank my BluFrog slowly, ever mindful of that heavy stomach and coated throat the other energy drinks give me. But BluFrog really is smooth, and pretty tasty. I can't say I'd drink it every time I wanted a beverage, but if I needed the energy, BluFrog really would be my first choice. The cool can, low sugar, and healthy ingredients also make it a great drink for kids. You obviously don't want them "bouncing off the walls," but BluFrog has less sugar than chocolate milk or most prepared iced teas - it even has less sugar than a glass of Kool-Aid! - so you really don't have much to worry about.

Finally, BluFrog doesn't just give you a burst of energy; the carbohydrates help maintain it. Liquid carbohydrates do not need to be digested, and so deliver fuel quicker. These carbohydrates aren't likely to upset your stomach either, and the low level of sugar helps in this regard, as well, meaning you get solid energy from this energy drink - not the shaky, stomach-roiling nervousness other drinks pass-off as "energy." BluFrog really is worth a shot, even if you have to pretend you're just buying it "for the kids."

Go check out their website and enter their contest while you're there. You could win video gaming accessories or vacations to places like New York and Chicago! Also tell your local grocer(s) about the site if they don't already carry it!

KFC Chickens-Out of Oprah Deal

Due to "overwhelming response" by consumers, fried chicken outfit, KFC (aka, Kentucky Fried Chicken) announced today that it would no longer honor coupons for free 2-piece meals, as it simply does not have the resources. Instead, everyone who has one of the coupons for a free dinner, given away by Oprah Winfrey on her talk show yesterday. Instead, KFC will offer Oprah fans (and everyone else who has a copy of the coupon mentioned on The Oprah Winfrey Show the other day) rain checks, allowing them to redeem the coupons at a later date.

Apparently, consumer response was so great, it lead to dramatically long lines at KFC locations across the country. The demand was said to be so great that it exceeded any other promotion or turn-out in the brand's 50-year history.

Earlier in the week, Oprah Winfrey told people to logon to her website and download/print the coupon, good for a two-piece grilled chicken dinner. The offer was only available for 24 hours. The Mighty O closed the show by providing audience members KFC. KFC will still redeem the coupons, just not now.

© C Harris Lynn, 2009

Gobble, Gobble!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Thanksgiving! For those of you not in the US... suffer, bitches.

Wha-at? I mean, what do you want from me?

I decided against making the pies as the usual suspects made the usual last-minute cancellations and they would just rot in the fridge until I threw them out. I love pies and such, mind you, but like every other leftover I save, after I've eaten on it a few days, I get tired of it and just don't eat it. I throw out a lot of food.

That, along with the holiday, had me wondering about how Americans are said to be such big wasters of food. It is true, at least to some degree, but I think most of the people who believe that about us fail to realize just how food is packaged here:

For me to buy a single-serving of, say, ground beef, I am literally going to pay just under double what I would pay for a family-sized (or similar) package! No kidding! A single-serving size costs a lot more than the "economical" sizes. Technically, the plan is always to bring it home and break it into smaller portions to be frozen. This happens about two out of every three times; the remainder of those times, I end up trying to cook it all before it goes bad. Either way, a sizable portion of it is thrown away and I really do worry about it when it happens, but I am poor... my options are limited.

Anyway, happy Thanksgiving to all! And to all, a good night.

© C Harris Lynn, 2008

Thanksgiving Night

Well, my neck has been hurting all day, so I put off doing everything I have been putting off doing all week long (chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, apple pie, and sweet potato pies). And now, here it is, 12:30am Thanksgiving Day, and here I am, up cooking!

So I can't tell you what to expect through tomorrow. I already know I'll be up by at least 7:30, and plan to do much of the cooking then, seeing as how the turkey is just getting in the oven and will be on all night...

© C Harris Lynn, 2008