From Baghdad
In my Media Ethics class we read an e-mail that Farnaz Fassihi of The Wall Street Journal sent to friends about her experience in Baghdad. It was really interesting seeing the things that aren't being reported on.
She's in a lot of hot water for expressing her opinions though perhaps unwittingly. But as Jay Rosen writes, "Fassihi's mistake, if you could call it that, was not doing a better job of getting those observations, intended only for friends and family, onto the pages of the Wall Street Journal."

Take a look at her e-mail at: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0930-15.htm

My first article published in New York
Mood:  celebratory


Glendale Hit-And-Run Victim Is Still Looking For Answers

Fried Oreos anyone?

Have you ever had Fried Oreos? They are amazing! I had them three years ago on the Jersey Shore boardwalk and again at the San Genarro Festival in Little Italy. They are like Zeppolis with hot Oreos inside, and the cream layer is melted and yummy!! If you don't know what a Zeppoli is its basically fried dough, so they put Oreos in batter and then fry them.

Look for them at festivals and fairs but you can also make them, http://fairy.mahdzan.com/story/189.asp has the directions.

PS: I know it seems as if this blog is all about food, but do understand that I'm usually writing these posts on my lunch hour and food is on the brain.

McNuggets, Dust in the wind


I miss the dark mystery meat in the old McDonald's chicken nuggets. TV commmercials show people going "Yay McDonalds nuggets are all white meat now." Well boo! The dark greasy boot shaped nuggets were the best ones and I mourn their passing!
I don't care if they were unhealthy, didn't I already waive the right to eat something healthy when I entered the golden arches in the first place. As long as I did not think about where the meat came from I didn't care because it was yum. And today I had a craving for the old-fahsioned kind that I grew up on but got stuck with the circle un-juicy new nuggets for lunch. Oh well as long as they don't mess with the Big Mac.

Starbucks: How hot is too hot? And why is a small cup tall?


You'd think that after that woman sued Starbucks or was it McDonalds for making the coffee too hot, and an episode of Seinfeld, they would actually start making hot beverages 'hot' but not liquid magma (now I'm laughing because I can't help but say 'Magma' like Dr. Evil).

Instead of putting a warning on the recycled insulating sleeve that reads "Careful, the beverage you're about to enjoy is extremely hot" they would opt for not making their drinks "extremely" hot and just hot. It's not like I want my drink luke warm or anything, just some middle ground.

Why do I care? For the second time in two weeks my tongue has been scalded by Tazo Green Tea. Even after opening the container letting the steam rise for a bit, stirring, blowing, I still couldn't really drink the stupid tea for a half an hour after purchasing it. Now hours later my tongue is still sore.

And don't even get me started on the fact that a small cup of coffee is called Tall, do you think there was a reason behind that? Do you think analysts debated that calling a cup of coffee `small' would be rude or the coffee would develop an inferiority complex? Did they fear that vertically challenged customers like myself would be offended? Is that why they eliminated the size, 'short'? And wtf, a Grande is a medium? You'd think Grande would be the largest but no there is one that's even bigger and probably requires a mortgage to be able to purchase.


PS: The Ray Charles CD, Genius Loves Company, which they sell in Starbucks stores is awesome, I love the Norah Jones duet. I had bought the album for my mother but copied it to my ipod first--two birds one stone.

LINK: Read Jeff Jarvis' rant on Starbucks, New stupid human Starbucks tricks