Shakshuka is Hebrew for Delicious

Okay so that's not true. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish and no one's really sure where it originated (some say Tunisia, others Israel). All that matters is it's super tasty, quick, easy, and cheap to prepare.

Check out the recipe. I ate it with warm naan and it was perfection. -id

Color pictures from way back when.

We're kind of on a photgraph kick right now, but I can't keep these to myself. These are color photos from 1939-1943 capturing the effects of the Depression on small town America. They are some of the only color photos of that era and they are really striking. I think I've only ever seen sepia or black and white pictures from that time period and it's pretty breathtaking in color.

I'm having a hard time picking pictures because I love so many of them. I picked pictures with lots of people, because in color they are so much more intense than the typical black and white family shots.

A couple of homesteaders in New Mexico, 1940

Performers from the "girlie show" in at Vermont State Fair, 1941

Also, the pictures are from all over America. There are pictures from Massachusetts, Georgia, New Mexico and more, it's a real cross section: farmers, school children, working women, landscapes.  Towards the end you can see original war posters in the backgrounds of pictures.

See all the pictures here
-av

Up Up and Away

For all you aspiring hand gliding, airplaning flying out there or if you just wanna see some cool shit - This guy Yann created all these photos while flying a plane above a bunch of awesome places from anywhere to above cities to above herds of ELEPHANTS!

Apparently some city planners really wanted people to view their spot from up above. And also stuff just looks great from up high!( ;) ) I've been to these two places that Yann snapped:

Most Giant Sand Dune in Australia

                                                 The Beautiful Los Angeles Highway System

-JMN

French Fry Update

while we all hold our breath waiting for bk to release a sweet potato fry

this is pretty awesome
-jv

a little more harry potter

Ever think to yourself, "if there was just one more page of harry potter i would jump all over that shit faster that a speeding snitch."

Well you're in luck, because jk rowling wrote an 800-word prequel adventure of James and Sirius for charity in 2008.

With any luck she'll keep it up every once in a while, we'll try to stay on top of it.

av & id

The Association: The Celtics

If you want more Shrek and Donkey, more big 4, more SHAQ! then you gotta check out The Association which is gonna feature the Boston Celtics. It's a five episode series starting December 3rd on ESPN, I'm excited!

BJK

This is Pretty Damn Cooool

So this guy named Jeffrey Martin took 8,000 pictures of London and stitched them all together to create this insanely detailed picture of the entire city. It's somthing like 80 gigapixels whatever that means. It's very cool.

-BJK

MC Chris and HP fans, this ones for youuuuuu

MC Chris - Neville


I am the chosen one
No need to hold a gun
I take you there like a Double Decker bus does
I am a Gryffindor
Stand up to Voldemort
I break it up like it was horcruxes

Loved by the kitchen staff I'm why the Weasleys laugh
Know my way around in fact I memorized marauders map
If you have to ask what its like and how longs it last
Kinda sorta felt like wearing a flaming sorting hat
Name is Neville, Im a rebel, dont worry about detention
Did I fail to mention that my specialties suspension
As in getting lifted Im a hippy comes to Hogwarts hookups
Im the kid you look up when you feel like getting shook up
I got cockroach clusters I got them chocolate frogs
I got every flavor made by that babe Bertie Botts
I got what you want
I got what you need
I got those wizzy beats so fizzy you say wizard please
Im summoned with a spell cause pagers are prohibited
You can go to hell if you think my times unlimited
Ill meet you by the willow kid if you prefer the forest
Just bring that goblin gold and dont wake Mrs. Norris *what*

I am the chosen one
No need to hold a gun
I take you there like a Double Decker bus does
I am a Gryffindor
Stand up to Voldemort
I break it up like it was horcruxes

They say that I am lacking and I aint up to snuff
Snapes always on my case cause he secretly sucks
Its hard remembering stuff I think my brain has been wiped
Like I might have seen some shit that would scar you for life
So they think that Im a fuck up and its brilliantly clever
So many things I cant remember like wheres my toad Trevor
Can I ask for the password I fear I have forgotten
Call me Neville longbottom I leave every bong rotten
Love treacle, buckbeak elf eye to Ireland
Meet me at the One Eyed Witch or Room of Requirement
Step back catch a cactus blast of my stinksap
Chill Dumbledore is down in fact he likes a fat sack
If you want a break from the stress and the studies
Holler at youre buddy and Ill make you feel funny
Im the pudgy pure blood packin unicorn power
Up in the highest tower where I fire up my flowers

*coughing*
This is stupid guys...
This is stupid...were wasting our money
We should be using magic

I am the chosen one
No need to hold a gun
I take you there like a Double Decker bus does
I am a Gryffindor
Stand up to Voldemort
I break it up like it was horcruxes


<3katiecaff

Thanks Alton Brown, you rock.

Alton Brown used to really annoy me. Can't really tell you why.. I just found his cooking show on the Food Network to be boring, and thought his little jokes and skits on the show were seriously lame.

I am now a total convert because you guys.. his recipes are AMAZING! I made his Curry Chicken Pot Pie a few weeks ago and it was the best pot pie I've ever had.

Last night for the Pats/Steelers game I made his Hot Spinach/Artichoke Dip and it was soooo delicious, easy & cheap. 

So if you're looking for cooking inspiration, browse his 100 Top Rated Recipes at FoodNetwork.com. I promise you won't be disappointed. 

(Except maybe skip his baking stuff.)
(I like his show now-- he's just a food nerd.)
-id

express yourself. or just read other people's letters.

McSweeny's, the publishing house founded by indie golden boy Dave Eggers, has a pretty all right website it turns out, called McSweeny's Internet Tendency, and I just came across the section called Open Letters. Charmingly explained as:

O P E N   L E T T E R S
T O   P E O P L E   O R   E N T I T I E S
W H O   A R E   U N L I K E L Y
T O   R E S P O N D .

These letters are submitted by readers that cover a wide range of topics. From Pumpkin Flavored Seasonal Treats to Undated Yard Sale Signs and the Yard Sale Purveyors Who Make them to The Person in Charge of New Punctuation they are funny, clever and pretty entertaining.  

And they take submissions. So use that anger, frustration or remorse that you couldn't express in person and write your own open letter. I look forward to reading it and suspecting that i know the author.  

-av

ITS A TRICK PLAY

I ♥ This
-jv

WAY TOO YOUNG to be single ladies

This is OUT OF CONTROL. They are MAYBE ten years old. 

....but part of me might just be jealous at how good they are, because I definitely can't get my leg up by my head while standing up these days. Hope this doesn't creep y'all out too much.

-lAb

Royality in America

I need to throw out some kudos to a family that has become the epitome of success in entertainment. Not the Sheens/Estevez, not the Douglas’s, and not even the Cusacks. The most kick ass family is handsdown: The Smiths.  Will, Jada Pinkett, Willow, and Jadan, Seriously. WOW. This family all consist of people who constantly and consistently, GET SHIT DONE. All quintessential overachievers.

Jadan: He became the master to Jackie Chan. ‘nuff said.

Willow: Guys. She’s 9 years old. Can we talk about this? 9 YEARS OLD!  Have you listened to “whip my hair” enough to appreciate this fact?! I have, and it’s insane. Her voice is soooo good, better then a ton of the girls on the radio today. And once it’s in your head, it sticks like the ultra-sticky goo Dr. Keanbean made from “Richie Rich” (a personal favorite)

Jada Pinkett: Scream series and Matrix series. Don’t know if you’ve heard of them, they are kind of a big deal, and she was great and hot in both (even if the movies weren’t).and she is probably just one of the best moms ever.

Will:  What is there to say? This dude taught us to “get jiggy wit it” in “Miami”. And after he went “home to Bel Air!”, he saved the world in SEVEN movies, from aliens, robots, and even de-evolved human/zombie thingys.

Men in Black

Men in Black 2

Men in Black 3*

Hancock

I, Robot

Independence Day

I am Legend

(*about to start filming).

He also saved the country in Wild Wild West (another favorite), and with Pursuit of Happiness and Seven Pounds, made a lot of girls cry (and probably a few dudes, which is totally cool). The only actor that just could never play a bad guy, because you always want him to win.

He’s the King of Kings.

They are America’s Royal Family.

-awm

Suck a D, Asshole

 

-the v's

Baby Dolphin

whats the cutest thing in the world?
baby dolphin slideshow
-jv

Betinho et Kika

I'm singing with the University of Vienna chamber choir while I'm here, and every year they sing some carols and things to open the Christmas market in the courtyard of the old campus of the university. (the Christmas markets all open NEXT WEEK btw). This year, all of our carols are from Latin America, so I've been trying to find recordings and youtube videos because I can't pronounce any of this stuff and the songs go whicked fast.
In my search to find "Chorinho Natalinho" I found a bunch of other "Chorinho-s" played by this duo. I love how the lady filming introduces them and they jam on their ukuleles with straight, serious faces except for the occasional smile from Betinho, definitely the softy of the duo.

This one is my favorite.
but this one is also pretty sweet.
you can see Betinho's tat better in this one

the more videos of these guys I watch the more I want to jam with them. or just sway happily back and forth.

-lab

Grizzly v. Bison

These pics are too crazy, IMA GETCHU!!

-BK