The Eleventeeth Date

The Swedish Chef Is Back

Awesome Song Of The Day: Sia - Clap Your Hands

If this song does not make you want to dance, then you have no pulse. This song has a decidedly upbeat sound over the last album and rumor has it that it was produced by the guy from the Bird and Bee. Enjoy!

Easy Summer Recipes

I got my cooking on this past weekend. So I thought I would share some super easy recipes:

Summer Sandwich Extraordinaire:
Sour Dough Bread
Sharp Cheddar
Avocado
Farmer Market Tomatoes
Salt
Pepper

Slice everything and make a yummy sandwich, add vinegar as necessary

Farmer Market Potato Salad:
Mix of red and white small potatoes
Grey Poupon mustard
Balsamic vinegar
Rice Wine Vinegar
Red Onion
Olive Oil
Italian Parsley

Boil potatoes for 20 minutes, strain. In a bowl, mix all other ingredients except parsley. Pour over potatoes. Prior to serving - chop a healthy amount of parsley - poor over and mix everything together.

Enjoy!

All The Shiny Young Things

I have not really been following men's fashion week this time, but since I am in need of some male hottie inspiration these days, I thought you might enjoy this too. I know they are way way way too young, but who cares?

TED: Viktor Frankl

If you have never read Victor Frankl, then you should. This is an old clip by an extraordinary man.

Economics Gone Crazy: Poppy Scurge In Afghanistan

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/world/asia/13opium.html?hp

I loved reading this article from an economics point of view. In short, what is happening is that for some mysterious reason, poppy crops have been dying. They don't know why.

But, the farmers are blaming the US and Nato because they have been politically trying to disuade them from farming poppy overall.

However, the unintended consequence is that prices are skyrocketing for opium. So, in turn, it is likely that the farmers will want to keep growing the crops and will be encouraged to do so again next year.

So, potential policy take away? Grow massive amounts of poppy to drive prices down?

Happy Birthday: The Pill

The pill turns 50 today. I hope everyone who wants to be is getting a little, and not having babies - unless they want to. That's the whole darn point!

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/womens-health/articles/2010/05/07/birth-control-pill-turns-50-7-ways-it-changed-lives.html?PageNr=1

TED: How To Gage If Aid Works To Cure Poverty

As many of you know, I am passionate about international development. If you did not know this, then now you do. I love that this woman has thought of a way to test if aid has worked. She uses testing to test the null hypothesis and behavior. Amazing! And on top of it, she is able to come up with least expensive and effective programs.

TED: The Power Of Image

If you knew you were being photographed, how might you change your behavior? In this TED talk, the head of Getty images talks about the power of images. What struck me from listening was how clear some horrors are when they are in a photo. Do the people who do things know they are wrong before a photo catches them? It made me think about what if I saw my life as a series of pictures might I be kinder? Might I be more empathetic? Might I help more?

Awesome Thing Of The Day: Muppet Cupcakes

Sick Song Of The Day - Citizen Cope: Healing Hands

This song takes you to a mellow and worked up place at the same. Enjoy!

Gorillaz: Stylo Video

I am in Canada, and they have way better videos up here. For instance, check out the newest from Gorillaz. It is so great to see the Blur gang putting out a new album by the foursome that is so goofy. I also applaud Bruce Willis for being in this video with mixes animation and real life. Sadly, I can't embed the video, but you can check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9vAOzYz-Qs

Word Of The Week: Kerfluffle

Main Entry: ker·fuf·fle

Pronunciation: \kər-ˈfə-fəl\

Function: noun

Etymology: alteration of carfuffle, from Scots car- (probably from Scottish Gaelic cearr wrong, awkward) + fuffle to become disheveled
Date: 1946

chiefly British : disturbance, fuss

Happy Song Series - I Can See Clearly Now

My brother gave me loads of music a few weeks ago including major funk. This song came on, and I can't stop listening to it. Good way to keep the spirits up!

Happy Song Series - Ooh Child

So I know it has been a while since I posted. Life has gotten hectic and I have been just living life. As part of that life, I have been enjoying a lot of great music. Recently, I got reacquainted with an old favorite. I will make this the first of the "Happy Song Series"

RIP: JD Salinger

I started reading JD Salinger as a teenager for high school English.

Then, I moved to NY and I realized the Fanny and Zooey typify life as kids and family in New York. I always felt like the movie the Royal Tannenbaums channeled how JD would have seen life as a movie. Kind of quirky, kind of cool, but also very dysfunctional.

Catcher In The Rye was the quintessential book of disassociation, but I highly encourage you to read all of his work.

You will be missed.

I Have A Dream: Hate Still Persists, And The Message Still On Point

In honor of MLK day, which is a day of service where I work, I thought I would remind everyone of the famous "I Have A Dream Speech". Take a moment to think about all the hate that still is in the world, and do something about it today. And everyday. One man or woman can make a difference.

Watch It: Archer On FX At 10pm On Thursdays

What happens when you spoof the work antics of a James Bond like character, but make him more of a drunk, less of a moral character, and he has serious mommy issues? Well, you get Sterling Archer. He is the main character on the new FX series "Archer".

When you take the comedic talents of Aisha Tylor of Talk Soup, Chris Parnell of SNL and 30 rock, Jessica Walter of Arrested Development, and Judy Greer, you have something well worth watching.

Check it out, you can watch episodes here . It only started last week, so you can catch up in the time it takes to make a big sloppy dirty martini!

RIP: Miep Gies - Anne Frank Hider

Miep Gies, the woman who hid the Frank family passed away at 100 today. She risked her life to do what was right. Not many people can say that. She was a hero, and someone whose example we could use more these days.

I challenge everyone to do something selfless over the next week or so to show tribute to such a wonderful woman.

I have had a chance to see the home in Amsterdam, and what is more amazing is how they stayed hidden for so long. Anyone who has strong spacial relations could tell that the top was not accounted for. It is a staggering place, and a reminder of horrible days that could happen again if people choose to ignore the past.