more comments about the giant clock:
* "Next week I'm installing bigger, redder clock that says, ‘It's
bulldog time!!!'" Bulldog is the early Sunday edition.
* "Hey (insert person here), do you know what time it is? Because I can tell you!"
Friday, August 31, 2007
red-light district
The newsroom has been blessed with a new digital clock the width of 1 1/2 ceiling tiles that hangs over the copy desk and glows bright red. I mean, it's a good three feet, if not four, and it hangs about a foot from the ceiling. It's just a clock and nothing else -- in big, red numbers. It's so bright, in fact, that it has turned the cubicles under it red, and it is so big and conspicuous, in fact, that people cannot help but exclaim over it. Some excerpts:
* "Talk about working in a red-light district!"
* "10:00 never looked so bright."
* "It's 9 o'clock!" (or whatever time it happens to show)
* "Anyone know what time it is?"
The story behind the giant clock is that its predecessor was not synched to the computers, and we didn't know we were late because the clock was always 10 minutes behind. Now, THAT clock's predecessor was synched to the computers, but it broke. So now the paper has installed the new one, which is synched to the clock. Nobody, apparently, anticipated such a monstrosity of a clock.
Of course, it clock business had to happen the ONLY day I was late to work. I showed up after battling school traffic, walked in and made a snarky comment about the giant clock. Then, one of the copy eds looked up and said, "yup. It is 4:34." Crap. Four minutes late.
I have a picture of this clock, and I'll post it as soon as I figure out how to not make it poster-sized. :O
* "Talk about working in a red-light district!"
* "10:00 never looked so bright."
* "It's 9 o'clock!" (or whatever time it happens to show)
* "Anyone know what time it is?"
The story behind the giant clock is that its predecessor was not synched to the computers, and we didn't know we were late because the clock was always 10 minutes behind. Now, THAT clock's predecessor was synched to the computers, but it broke. So now the paper has installed the new one, which is synched to the clock. Nobody, apparently, anticipated such a monstrosity of a clock.
Of course, it clock business had to happen the ONLY day I was late to work. I showed up after battling school traffic, walked in and made a snarky comment about the giant clock. Then, one of the copy eds looked up and said, "yup. It is 4:34." Crap. Four minutes late.
I have a picture of this clock, and I'll post it as soon as I figure out how to not make it poster-sized. :O
Thursday, August 30, 2007
more sales, higher grade
Romenesko has a post about Naples High School journalism students who are required to sell ads for the school's yearbook. $600 sales get you an A and so on for that part of the class's total grade. There is outrage over this, and I agree -- because I had to do the exact same thing all three years of high school yearbook.
At South Florence High School, $750 get you an A for that part of the class's total grade. I only imagine that the require is higher now -- if it is still a requirement. It got to a point that those people who had connections and friends with money and could sell more "senior ads" and other company ads would help out the ones who couldn't meet the $750 requirement. It certainly brought together a lot of class corporation, but it also induced a lot of unneeded stress and animosity.
I can see why Naples High School did it because the yearbook is supported solely by ads, and using students to fill that financial need might be one way to go. But it shouldn't have to be that way.
At South Florence High School, $750 get you an A for that part of the class's total grade. I only imagine that the require is higher now -- if it is still a requirement. It got to a point that those people who had connections and friends with money and could sell more "senior ads" and other company ads would help out the ones who couldn't meet the $750 requirement. It certainly brought together a lot of class corporation, but it also induced a lot of unneeded stress and animosity.
I can see why Naples High School did it because the yearbook is supported solely by ads, and using students to fill that financial need might be one way to go. But it shouldn't have to be that way.
Monday, August 27, 2007
review: The Food Gang underwhelming
So the coworkers and I went to The Food Gang in Miami (actually, Surfside) last Friday for lunch as part of the Miami Spice promotion for prix fixe meals at expensive/top/gourmet restaurants. Now like of a lot of people, I know The Food Gang from BravoTV's "Top Chef," which has the restaurant's executive chef, Howie.
The online menu read like this:
Starter:
Watermelon Tomatoes Gazpacho
Summer Homestead Salad
Grilled Calamari over Tomato Tartar
Entree:
Chicken Brie Panini Argula Aioli
Roasted Squab Wild Mushroom Quiche
Grilled Loin Salad
Dessert:
Raspberry Charlotte
Choc Hazelnut Torte
Basil Sorbet
First, the overall impression then the details, course by course. Frankly, I was underwhelmed by most fronts. The food was just OK for the most part, but the most disappointing was the dessert. The service was snooty and the decor uninspired and even a little tired.
Before the meal:
As I walked through one of the two front entrances, I was greeted by a mini-grocery store of high-end (over-priced) items of pasta, sauces and the like. The Food Gang's decor consisted mostly of simply painted walls with photos of Mediterranean foods, environs, etc. along two walls. The suede-y/corduroy chairs were extremely comfortable.
I broke my no-bread/no-pasta diet before I even knew it when I bit into the crusty bread with the impossibly soft center. Our server offered a pepper grind over the olive oil, but the bread was great by itself.
Starter:
I chose the Summer Homestead Salad, and it's not the restaurant's fault that I don't eat most of the dish's ingredients other than the lettuce: roasted red tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives. The artichoke hearts was quite acidic, something I was not expecting at all. The olives gave the dressing an unmistakable furry-tongued texture that comes from olives. The salad is too oily (perhaps from the roasted red tomatoes?) and generally unappetizing. I couldn't bring myself to finish even the lettuce, let alone anything else.
I did sample the calamari, though, and it is heaven. The tubes of squid -- which I rarely see served in a restaurant in the U.S. -- was tender, succulent and cooked just right. It didn't have the tough, chewy texture that is indicative of an undercooked squid. I'm not a fan of the symmetrical dotting-the-corners-with-tennacles presentation, but the reddish, tomato-y/roast red peppery sauce smothering (with just the right amount) complements both tubes and tennacles well. The tartar (which is apparently just raw) of tomato (read: finely chopped tomatoes) was OK; it didn't add much to the squid. The Food Gang seems to be fans of tomatoes.
Entree:
For the entree, going along with my broken diet, I ordered the chicken panini, whose golden crust was crispy and slightly burned on the edges (I love it!). Although it lacked (in my opinion) the signature panini grill marks and the flattened bread, it was still delicious. The brie (my favorite cheese) was mildly pungent but smooth and creamy. The chicken breast is a bit dry, but the arugula aoili solved that problem and complemented the ingredients perfectly. The small pile of salad on the plate needed dressing, even if it is the oily concoction I ate for appetizer.
I tried the squab quiche, and it was amazing. I'm not sure if I like the taste of squab, but the egg in the quiche was impossibly fluffy and the crust layered and puffed to a golden crisp.
Dessert:
Let me just say that I was really looking forward to the raspberry Charlotte. Then, when I saw on the menu that they'd changed the dessert lineup, I was really excited about the mint sorbet (I am a fan of mint). But they didn't have that, either. I ended up choosing creme brulee.
The Food Gang messed up creme brulee. Creme brulee! How does a restaurant -- one that is supposedly high-quality -- screw up creme brulee? Let's start with the positive first. I cracked the torched sugar top with immense satisfaction -- crack, crack, crack. And that's it. That's where the positive ends. While, the custard was just sweet enough, it also came with a pool of water with every spoonful and was too jiggly. The Food Gang served watery creme brulee. I bought frozen creme brulee from Trader Joe's that had a better consistency. In fact, the creme brulee tin looked like the ones from the ones came with the Trader Joe's creme brulees. Hmm ...?
The online menu read like this:
Starter:
Watermelon Tomatoes Gazpacho
Summer Homestead Salad
Grilled Calamari over Tomato Tartar
Entree:
Chicken Brie Panini Argula Aioli
Roasted Squab Wild Mushroom Quiche
Grilled Loin Salad
Dessert:
Raspberry Charlotte
Choc Hazelnut Torte
Basil Sorbet
First, the overall impression then the details, course by course. Frankly, I was underwhelmed by most fronts. The food was just OK for the most part, but the most disappointing was the dessert. The service was snooty and the decor uninspired and even a little tired.
Before the meal:
As I walked through one of the two front entrances, I was greeted by a mini-grocery store of high-end (over-priced) items of pasta, sauces and the like. The Food Gang's decor consisted mostly of simply painted walls with photos of Mediterranean foods, environs, etc. along two walls. The suede-y/corduroy chairs were extremely comfortable.
I broke my no-bread/no-pasta diet before I even knew it when I bit into the crusty bread with the impossibly soft center. Our server offered a pepper grind over the olive oil, but the bread was great by itself.
Starter:
I chose the Summer Homestead Salad, and it's not the restaurant's fault that I don't eat most of the dish's ingredients other than the lettuce: roasted red tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives. The artichoke hearts was quite acidic, something I was not expecting at all. The olives gave the dressing an unmistakable furry-tongued texture that comes from olives. The salad is too oily (perhaps from the roasted red tomatoes?) and generally unappetizing. I couldn't bring myself to finish even the lettuce, let alone anything else.
I did sample the calamari, though, and it is heaven. The tubes of squid -- which I rarely see served in a restaurant in the U.S. -- was tender, succulent and cooked just right. It didn't have the tough, chewy texture that is indicative of an undercooked squid. I'm not a fan of the symmetrical dotting-the-corners-with-tennacles presentation, but the reddish, tomato-y/roast red peppery sauce smothering (with just the right amount) complements both tubes and tennacles well. The tartar (which is apparently just raw) of tomato (read: finely chopped tomatoes) was OK; it didn't add much to the squid. The Food Gang seems to be fans of tomatoes.
Entree:
For the entree, going along with my broken diet, I ordered the chicken panini, whose golden crust was crispy and slightly burned on the edges (I love it!). Although it lacked (in my opinion) the signature panini grill marks and the flattened bread, it was still delicious. The brie (my favorite cheese) was mildly pungent but smooth and creamy. The chicken breast is a bit dry, but the arugula aoili solved that problem and complemented the ingredients perfectly. The small pile of salad on the plate needed dressing, even if it is the oily concoction I ate for appetizer.
I tried the squab quiche, and it was amazing. I'm not sure if I like the taste of squab, but the egg in the quiche was impossibly fluffy and the crust layered and puffed to a golden crisp.
Dessert:
Let me just say that I was really looking forward to the raspberry Charlotte. Then, when I saw on the menu that they'd changed the dessert lineup, I was really excited about the mint sorbet (I am a fan of mint). But they didn't have that, either. I ended up choosing creme brulee.
The Food Gang messed up creme brulee. Creme brulee! How does a restaurant -- one that is supposedly high-quality -- screw up creme brulee? Let's start with the positive first. I cracked the torched sugar top with immense satisfaction -- crack, crack, crack. And that's it. That's where the positive ends. While, the custard was just sweet enough, it also came with a pool of water with every spoonful and was too jiggly. The Food Gang served watery creme brulee. I bought frozen creme brulee from Trader Joe's that had a better consistency. In fact, the creme brulee tin looked like the ones from the ones came with the Trader Joe's creme brulees. Hmm ...?
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Philadelphia story
My flight back to Miami from Boston stops in Philadelphia, even though it is the same flight number. Theoretically, I could opt to stay on the plane the entire way and wait for the next group of Flight 763, bound for Miami, arrives. So we arrive at the Philadelphia International Airport on time (a miracle), and I stay put in my 7D seat while everyone else deplanes. Then came the announcement that the plane is now heading to San Francisco, and everyone bound for Miami on Flight 763 would need it leave. So the three or so of us left.
I took the hour-long layover to eat a Philly cheesesteak (only half the bread because I'm on a low-carb, no soda, no high-fructose syrup diet). I mean, how can you NOT go to Philly and eat a Philly cheesesteak? I have to say, though, that it was the worst cheesesteak I've had, probably ever. At gate C31, we were told by the gate agents that if we haven't checked in with the counter in the last hour, please do it to make sure our seats are still held for you because they oversold the plane by 25 seats, which means that the agents are also looking for volunteers to give up their seats, or they will involuntarily bump people off. So there was, of course, a mad rush for the counter, but luckily my seat was still there. But why be bumped off when I can score free roundtrip tickets to Los Angeles for the USC homecoming? I totally jumped at the chance to get the seats for a 12:15 p.m. departure for a 3 p.m. arrival in Miami. No biggie. Simple.
To cut a long story short, I arrived at my new gate to nap because my flight from Boston left at 6:30 a.m. Very little sleep. By the way, PHL … the most comfortable seats ever. Mid-nap, I hear an announcement (very effective PA system, PHL) that the flight is delayed until 1 p.m. because the plane we were waiting for doesn't actually arrive until 12:25 p.m. … that's right … AFTER our departure time. WTF? Who planned this thing? It didn't make any sense at all, and the cuss-filled grumblings of my seatmate didn't help. I continued my sleep, and as chaotic as the delay was, I had to say that the gate agents did keep up well-informed of the plane's progress (it's here, they're deplaning, they're cleaning and restocking, etc.) … something that my seatmate was definitely not appreciating enough.
Around 12:45, the plane is ready to board, but not before the agents checked off every kid on the list and put them together with the parents, something that could've delayed us on the plane. Good plan to do it while we're all waiting for the plane. The people with babies (at least three, one of whom didn't have the luck of having a mom who understood her need to play with a blankie) got on and so on. We finish boarding around 1:25 … so we're very late. But we got to Miami around 3:45, which was the plan anyway, so all is well. Overall, a mixed reaction of PHL, and I didn't even tell you about the process of getting me on that later flight out of PHL. THAT was a disaster.
I took the hour-long layover to eat a Philly cheesesteak (only half the bread because I'm on a low-carb, no soda, no high-fructose syrup diet). I mean, how can you NOT go to Philly and eat a Philly cheesesteak? I have to say, though, that it was the worst cheesesteak I've had, probably ever. At gate C31, we were told by the gate agents that if we haven't checked in with the counter in the last hour, please do it to make sure our seats are still held for you because they oversold the plane by 25 seats, which means that the agents are also looking for volunteers to give up their seats, or they will involuntarily bump people off. So there was, of course, a mad rush for the counter, but luckily my seat was still there. But why be bumped off when I can score free roundtrip tickets to Los Angeles for the USC homecoming? I totally jumped at the chance to get the seats for a 12:15 p.m. departure for a 3 p.m. arrival in Miami. No biggie. Simple.
To cut a long story short, I arrived at my new gate to nap because my flight from Boston left at 6:30 a.m. Very little sleep. By the way, PHL … the most comfortable seats ever. Mid-nap, I hear an announcement (very effective PA system, PHL) that the flight is delayed until 1 p.m. because the plane we were waiting for doesn't actually arrive until 12:25 p.m. … that's right … AFTER our departure time. WTF? Who planned this thing? It didn't make any sense at all, and the cuss-filled grumblings of my seatmate didn't help. I continued my sleep, and as chaotic as the delay was, I had to say that the gate agents did keep up well-informed of the plane's progress (it's here, they're deplaning, they're cleaning and restocking, etc.) … something that my seatmate was definitely not appreciating enough.
Around 12:45, the plane is ready to board, but not before the agents checked off every kid on the list and put them together with the parents, something that could've delayed us on the plane. Good plan to do it while we're all waiting for the plane. The people with babies (at least three, one of whom didn't have the luck of having a mom who understood her need to play with a blankie) got on and so on. We finish boarding around 1:25 … so we're very late. But we got to Miami around 3:45, which was the plan anyway, so all is well. Overall, a mixed reaction of PHL, and I didn't even tell you about the process of getting me on that later flight out of PHL. THAT was a disaster.
Friday, August 24, 2007
there is an ANT HILL
There is an ANT HILL IN THE APARTMENT, and that's where they keep coming from even though I've killed (most) of the ones in the bathtub grout cracks. SHIVER.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
The Bush Push
As football season rolls around the corner, I am reminded of the most exciting game of the 2005 season, when I was in London, on my way back from Budapest, in a train from Kentish Town, unable to join the London alumni. But the Bush Push, as it was called, was nerve-racking even today, when I found it and watched it (again) on YouTube. Fight on!
A little background, if you need it: Reggie Bush is No. 5, Matt Leinart is No. 11. The score sits at 28-31, Notre Dame. A previous attempt for a touchdown was foiled. The clock ran out, but :07 was put back on. Fourth and goal.
BELOW: I like this one the best because it doesn't have the stupid music, just the NBC commentary, which also includes the confusion of the last seconds. Plus, the picture quality is way better.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MU16fpue4]
BELOW: But if cheesy music is your thing, you might enjoy this one set to music, with no commentary. I have no idea why this one is the top search result on YouTube.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-3KeMA21bc]
A little background, if you need it: Reggie Bush is No. 5, Matt Leinart is No. 11. The score sits at 28-31, Notre Dame. A previous attempt for a touchdown was foiled. The clock ran out, but :07 was put back on. Fourth and goal.
BELOW: I like this one the best because it doesn't have the stupid music, just the NBC commentary, which also includes the confusion of the last seconds. Plus, the picture quality is way better.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3MU16fpue4]
BELOW: But if cheesy music is your thing, you might enjoy this one set to music, with no commentary. I have no idea why this one is the top search result on YouTube.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-3KeMA21bc]
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Dead Beat
Did I tell you? I finished reading "The Dead Beat," by Marilyn Johnson, a while back. I mentioned it in an earlier post. I don't think I've grown a better appreciation as to why I must edit so many obits, but I do find that I see obits in a different light. After reading the book, I've begun seeking out obits written in the British papers, especially the Daily Telegraph, which the book uses as examples of especially touching and truthful last words. As many probably do, I used to regard obits as the beat no one wants and the beat one is relegated to for punishment. Apparently, that is no longer the case. Obits and obit writers are making a resurgence! Read the book.
Boston for the weekend
I went to Boston over the weekend to take care of some housekeeping business and accepted a job to teach Mandarin Chinese at the private school where I used to work. It will be two hours a week of fun -- singing, arts and crafts, speaking, writing and general elementary-school stuff. Very excited. Very nervous. This is probably the first time I will "have" my "own" class. And a little scary. What am I going to teach them?
I also had a jaunt to Chinatown, where I ate my longed-for smelly tofu, the fermented, spicy, saucy tofu goodness. Stopped by Mike's Pastry for some baked goods for the Herald peeps. All is well.
Also saw "The Bourne Ultimatum," which is awesome, even though I haven't seen the first two of the franchise. Action-packed, funny and generally a great time at the movies. :)
My flight back to Miami is on a flight that stops in Philadelphia but has the same flight number, and THAT adventure will have to wait until the next post.
I also had a jaunt to Chinatown, where I ate my longed-for smelly tofu, the fermented, spicy, saucy tofu goodness. Stopped by Mike's Pastry for some baked goods for the Herald peeps. All is well.
Also saw "The Bourne Ultimatum," which is awesome, even though I haven't seen the first two of the franchise. Action-packed, funny and generally a great time at the movies. :)
My flight back to Miami is on a flight that stops in Philadelphia but has the same flight number, and THAT adventure will have to wait until the next post.
ant problem
I have an ant problem in my bathroom. The grout in the tiled wall that the bathtub is against has been eaten away (before I moved in), but there are ants in there! I thought this might be the problem before I went to Boston for the weekend, but I bought a bottle of Hot Shot after work two nights ago (Tuesday) and sprayed all the corners and joints in the bathtub. Last night, after work, I woke up to find ant carcasses strewn IN the bathtub, where they have fallen out overnight. It was pretty gross. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.
I sprayed the Hot Shot again last night and killed four ants in the hallway. This morning, there were more ants in the bathtub, but less than last night's. Still creepy. Told my roommate/landlady about it. I think she's calling pest control, but it took her two months to fix the kitchen plumbing, so I'm not holding my breath on this one.
Going to take a shower now. ew.
I sprayed the Hot Shot again last night and killed four ants in the hallway. This morning, there were more ants in the bathtub, but less than last night's. Still creepy. Told my roommate/landlady about it. I think she's calling pest control, but it took her two months to fix the kitchen plumbing, so I'm not holding my breath on this one.
Going to take a shower now. ew.
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