Random links to stuff I read that may interest you

Yet "After Dark" sets its
sights on Tokyo and marshals a host of stereotypical Japanese motifs —
immersive technology, the sex industry, and gangsters on motorcycles.
Mr. Murakami almost seems to be mocking the metaphor of the Japanese
megalopolis: "Countless arteries stretch to the ends of its elusive
body, circulating a continuous supply of fresh blood cells, sending out
new data and collecting the old."

And it features stars Jack Black and Mos Def wrapped in tin foil.
Considering this is a Gondry film I’m not surprised in the least.
Grinning like an idiot, yes. Surprised, no.

Jack Black stars in this new comedy from
the wild imagination of Academy Award winner Michel Gondry about two
best friends, one electromagnetic field, and every movie you’ve ever
loved.

Sitting in a dark convention center hall in Los Angeles with thousands
of fellow "Star Wars" nerds celebrating the film’s 30th anniversary, it
became clear that "Star Wars" is dead, and I was attending its funeral.
A
mediocre pianist played mournful renditions of "Star Wars" score music,
while a pack of D-list actors propped up as stars because they once
wore an X-wing Fighter outfit or squeezed into an Ewok costume ate cake
in honor of the film’s birthday party-cum-fan convention wrongly dubbed
"Celebration IV."

The first HIV vaccine trial occurred in 1987.
Since then, at least 35 different vaccines have been tried in over 65
clinical trials involving thousands of human volunteers. But we’re
still years off from an effective HIV vaccine. Why?

Mallory argued that
witchcraft is a religion practiced by some people and, therefore, the
books should be banned because reading them in school “violates the
constitutional separation of church and state.”

WAKAYAMA — A female inmate at Wakayama Prison has died from "economy class syndrome," officials said on Thursday.

This loosely-knit group of anti-Bald Knobber pacifists was best
represented by the 19 year-old orphan Andy Coggburn. Coggburn hated
Kinney, a very persuasive individual with a mysterious past, who had
moved into the area with his family two years before the Bald Knobbers
came into being. Coggburn took great pleasure in deriding Kinney,
pulling pranks and speaking out against the vigilante gang. Kinney and
his fellow Bald Knobbers held considerable pull in the county, and in
no time Coggburn was shot and killed by Kinney in "self defense" outside the local church of Forsyth, where Kinney had gone to preach that night.

 

RAD!

Give Me

$200,000. Thank you.

Vosges Bacon Chocolate Bar

Applewood smoked bacon + Alder smoked salt + deep milk chocolate

I bet Vosges, as usual, did it right. Someone get me a bar.

The Guards by Ken Bruen

It was a good and long weekend that started on Thursday night. Thanks, friends! You all fed me well (Great Seas, my first trip to the famous Pita Inn, Feed, backyard grilling, a ridiculously large butter waffle ala mode and on and on). I’m stuffed. And I also took advantage of being able to sleep in late by staying up one night to finish Ken Bruen’s "The Guards". I don’t read mysteries much any more but I really liked it. He does a whole noire private detective thing set in Ireland and I thought he got away with it pretty well without coming off gimmicky. Staying up late to finish a book has to be one of the greatest pleasures in life, right behind shooting automatic weapons in the desert outside of Las Vegas naked.      

The Perfect Sandwich (well, for beef eaters anyway)

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kalbi sandwich, originally uploaded by andrewc.

In the land of sausages, on Memorial Day, I skipped the brauts and decided to try putting the Kalbi short ribs (sans bone) that James cooked on the grill over a charcoal fire, on a soft hot dog bun, along with some slices of roasted red bell pepper. Excellent. Smokey, moist, and on the sweet side because of the kalbi marinade and the pepper, and there’s no need for condiments because it’s perfect. Perfect, I say! Someone needs to open up a place here in Chicago, think of a catchy name, and sell these. It could be the next Italian Beef. Korean Beef? "I’ll have a Korean Beef and a pop." Hmmm.

Marajane Satrapi’s Persepolis

Oh, I had no idea there was a movie coming out. I wonder if I’ll be able to enjoy it? Lately I’ve found I really can’t get into a movie if I’ve read the book recently and know the plot. Which is why I haven’t read Die Hard 4 yet.

My movie review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

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Image_58.jpg, originally uploaded by lia.

Looking at this photo of Jarvis in his pirate hat is ten bucks or so cheaper and a hundred times more fun than sitting and watching "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End."

So wrong

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Star Wars Celebration IV – 137.jpg, originally uploaded by winstonwolf2273.

I have no idea

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Dagashi1, originally uploaded by lichoong179.

But I think they have beat our Big Gulp.