chef becs

Gorillaz New Release

2005-09-23T22:20:00.000-04:00

The idea of charismatic Blur frontman Damon Albarn hiding behind a fictional cartoon band to make an experimental fusion of hip-hop and garage rock probably seemed crazy at the time.

"Demon Days," is Gorillaz' highly anticipated follow-up, which debuted at No. 6 on the album charts last week with 107,000 copies sold. No longer regarded as a quirky side project, "Demon Days" already has a catchy iPod commercial attached to its first single, "Feel Good Inc."

Albarn: The whole Gorillaz concept is one for mavericks; it's a way for people who never have a chance to work together being able to ally behind the cartoons. Like with De La Soul, they are mavericks in hip-hop and they understand pop as well, so I think that's why it worked. Dennis Hopper, the whole album kind of deals with demons and he's a kind of past master of dealing with his demons, and that particular tune he's on ("Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head") is playful about innocence being taken from us all. It's kind of apocalyptic in a sense, that's why he's the light bulb that kind of came up.

The Rich Get Richer

2005-09-20T22:35:00.000-04:00

Forbes: America's richest 400
The net worth of America's wealthiest has risen more than 10% in the magazine's annual tally. Where'd it all come from? Oil, gambling, real estate and pizza.

Conspicuously absent from the list is ChefBecs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. 1 William Gates
Net worth: $51.0 billion
Source: Software, Microsoft
Self-made
Age: 49
Education: Harvard University, dropout
Microsoft's chief visionary moving further away from day-to-day corporate work. For the first time, did not offer a strategy outlook at this year's financial analyst meeting. Instead, prefers to dive into innovative projects, foster collaboration among Microsoft's many divisions.

No. 2 Warren Buffett
Net worth: $40.0 billion
Source: Investments, Berkshire Hathaway
Self-made
Age: 75
Education: University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts/Science; Columbia University, Master of Science
Revered investor. Also getting it for his board seat at Coca-Cola, where his "independence" might be compromised by Berkshire's ownership of Dairy Queen, which buys lots of Coke products.

No. 3 Paul Allen
Net worth: $22.5 billion
Source: Software, Microsoft, investments
Self-made
Age: 52
Education: Washington State University, dropout
Microsoft cofounder, "wired world" proponent lately finding more promise in pipes delivering oil instead of information. Bought energy outfit Plains Resources for $460 million, controlling stake in Plains All American Pipeline, operator of 15,000 miles of oil pipelines.

No. 4 Michael Dell
Net worth: $18.0 billion (up)
Source: Technology, Dell
Self-made
Age: 40
Education: University of Texas Austin, dropout
Founder, former chief executive of world's largest PC maker feeling tremors at the top. Soft-spoken Texan started selling computers from University of Texas dorm room 1984; dropped out to start Dell Computer.

No. 5 Lawrence Ellison
Net worth: $17.0 billion (up)
Source: Software, Oracle
Self-made
Age: 61
Education: University of Illinois, dropout
Brash software executive holds Darwinian view of his industry, believes that fewer companies peddling software will be better for business. In the past year made 9 acquisitions totaling some $17 billion, including a pending $5.9 billion for Siebel Systems, $10.6 billion for PeopleSoft.

For the whole story. . .
Forbes 400 Richest Americans

Huh?

2005-09-16T08:17:00.000-04:00

Otay ebay, orway otnay otay ebay: atthay isway ethay estionquay:
Etherwhay 'istay oblernay inway ethay indmay otay uffersay
Ethay ingsslay andway arrowsway ofway outrageousway ortunefay,
Orway otay aketay armsway againstway away easay ofway oublestray,
Andway ybay opposingway enday emthay?

Love is. . .

2005-09-13T22:14:00.000-04:00

The most wonderful thing in life is to be delirious and the most wonderful kind of delirium is being in love.
--Yevgeny Zamyatin (1884 - 1937), Russian writer.
From "The Fisher of Men."

Coming Soon!

2005-09-12T18:02:00.000-04:00

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is a fairy tale about a snooty, aristocratic family marrying off its sweet but mousy daughter (voiced by Emily Watson) to the bumbling son (Johnny Depp) of a nouveau riche couple. Depp is delightful—and even more delightful is the manner in which the animators have captured the gung-ho way that he throws himself into a role. You can see him in this character.

The Corpse Bride, dead of heartbreak after being abandoned by her fiancé, rises from the ground when the young man practices his wedding vows on a dead tree—whereupon he finds himself betrothed to her. She's a lovely corpse with pursed, pink, kissable lips, but there is that maggot with the voice of Peter Lorre in her eye socket and the hole in her cheek that exposes her upper molars. Anyway, she's dead, and the hero loves a live one.

You get ravens, forests like boneyards, and lair upon sarcophagal lair. The characters are elongated figures with their ping-pong-ball eyes, along with the festering living dead who were so gruesomely endearing in Burton's Beetlejuice. You can tell the villains here because they have grotesque chins, while the hero, heroine, and plaintive corpse bride have little ones upstaged by their huge eyes.

Green with envy?

2005-09-06T08:32:00.000-04:00

If I may take a moment from our regularly scheduled content to shameless plug a friends blog. . .

I'm back from a long weekend only to hear that I've missed a major cinematic event. Or at least one in the making. One of my friends has started production on an epic adventure. I only wish I was creative or talented enough to pull this off myself. After all, a bad day in Hawaii is better than a good day at work!

Apparently Reid is making a short movie in the hopes of winning prizes, prizes, prizes. If you have a sec, check out his blog and cheer him on. And tell him Becs sent you...I may get a cut of the winnings!

http://reidgoo.blogspot.com/

Chocolove

2005-09-04T09:52:00.000-04:00

Among cocoa freaks, milk chocolate is for wimps. True connoisseurs ditch the dairy in favor of the dark stuff—the higher the percentage the better.

When the cocoa beans are especially good, Chocolove makes bars from a single vintage and a single region. This means you get a unique taste experience with subtle nuances of the beans. They also offer interesting flavor combinations such as the Cherries and Almond bar. Apparently it's been quite a while since the last vintage bars were produced so it's a good idea to buy when you find something you like.

Bars from Colorado's Chocolove range in strength from 55 percent cocoa to a jitters-inducing 77 percent. And lest you think these tar-black tablets are devoid of the confection's romantic powers, know that each comes wrapped in a love poem.

http://chocolove.com

This is disturbing!

2005-09-01T23:35:00.000-04:00

Taxidermy as art? I suppose Dutch artist Afke Golsteijn is making a statment but I think it's pretty creepy. (Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE bunnies so I'm particularly disturbed by her use of rabbits.) I can't imagine having any of her "art" sitting on my coffee table. Somehow it just seems wrong--let them go in peace not become a centerpiece.
http://www.idiots.nl/

Cool blogs for you creative types. . .

2005-09-01T11:35:00.000-04:00

drawn
snog blog
robotjohny
posterwire
anarchitect

Happy Blog Day!

2005-08-31T09:55:00.000-04:00

In honor of Blog Day, here are 5 blogs I find interesting, fun, informative or just plain out-there. Enjoy!

ReidThis
2ndtoleft
Just a Girl's Thoughts...
Dark Maiden's Meandering Thoughts
Mid-Life Ramblings; Sanity Optional

What is Blog Day?

Desperate Housewives

2005-08-25T19:15:00.000-04:00

I love this show!
My friends and I were having a discussion a while back about which characters we would be based on our personalities. If I remember correctly it was decided that I was the old cranky neighbor down the street. I'm pleased to say that decision was wrong. I'm Bree and am best described as follows:

"You're the perfect wife, mother, and housekeeper, and just a bit of a control freak. Everyone admires you, but maybe they're just a little bit afraid of you. Step away from the souffle, ease up on the hairspray, and learn to go with the flow."

Scarey but true.
http://abc.go.com/primetime/desperate/quiz/index.html

I need a vacation

2005-08-22T15:11:00.000-04:00

Where to go? Where to go?
I'm thinking southern Italy or Spain. . .

Tastes like. . .

2005-08-18T12:42:00.000-04:00

Although I've never tried them myself, supposedly the following is true. I'm curious who would have tried some of these in the first place. Baby wasps?

Armadillo tastes like rabbit
Baby wasps taste like scrambled eggs
Lion tastes like veal
Iguana tastes like capon; rabbit
Bat tastes like partridge
Beaver tastes like pork
Horse tastes like beef
Kangaroo tastes like venison
Giant waterbug tastes like Gorgonzola
Flamingo tastes like wild-duck
Termites taste like lettuce
Flying-fox tastes like game
Reindeer tastes like game; beef

Chocolate Factory

2005-08-18T10:45:00.000-04:00

In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964), five lucky children find the golden tickets which secure them entry into Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. All but the hero, Charlie Bucket, come to unfortunate and sticky ends through their spoilt and greedy behaviour:

Augustus Gloop--falls into the chocolate river and is sucked up a tube
Violet Beauregarde--turned into a blueberry by eating chewing gum
Veruca Salt--attacked by walnut-shelling squirrels
Mike Teavee--shrunk by the Television Chocolate camera

Are you a Player or a Poser?

2005-08-17T01:53:00.000-04:00

I always knew I was good, this quiz just proved it. http://web.tickle.com/tests/poser/

"You're a player because you are Smart

It's clear that you're no clown. A street-smart brainiac like you has got a lot going on upstairs and doesn't mind flexing that ripped mental muscle when necessary. That's not to say that you're a complete geek — everybody knows you couldn't be further from it.

You're one cool character who knows what's what and is always one step ahead of the rest of those posers. Perceptive and grounded, not much goes over your head and you're not afraid to call it like you see it. So keep keepin' it real. It's a great trait that never goes out of style. For real."

Filmed right in my hometown

2005-08-17T00:10:00.000-04:00

Who knew all these were shot (or partially shot) around Arlington, VA? C'mon, you gotta be impressed with Minority Report, No Way Out, and Team America!

"America" (1972) TV Series
"West Wing, The" (1999) TV Series
Advise & Consent (1962)
All the President's Men (1976)
Aquarius (2000)
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Deep Impact (1998)
Eat Me! (2000)
Evenfall (2005)
Minority Report (2002)
No Way Out (1987)
Outsider, The (1961)
Prime Risk (1984)
Random Hearts (1999)
Recruit, The (2003)
Team America: World Police (2004)

Breakfast

2005-08-15T13:33:00.000-04:00

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast."
--Oscar Wilde

Zero7

2005-08-10T20:15:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine turned me onto this British group. Their warm, electronica style has a depth to it that I haven't heard before. Great for chilling out! The vocals are sultry, the music is a smooth mix of techno, jazz, R&B. I especially like their debut album, Simple Things. Check out Destiny and Waiting Line.

Zero7

You can't. . .

2005-08-09T02:32:00.000-04:00

have your cake and eat it too.
have it both ways.
get blood out of a stone.
make an omelette without breaking eggs.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
teach an old dog new tricks.
judge a book by its cover.
shake hands with a clenched fist.
pick up two melons with one hand.
fool all of the people all of the time.
cheat an honest man.
tell which way the train went, by looking at the track.
catch a cub without going into the tiger's den.
have a rainbow without rain.

Having a bad day at work?

2005-08-09T01:07:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite stories from www.simplyfired.com. Whenever I feel like I'm having a bad day at work, I remind myself that it could be worse.

"I got fired once for, ah, entertaining myself on company time. I worked for a prosthetics company, and it is amazing how lifelike some prosthetics are. As I said, I was 'entertaining' myself in the back of the warehouse and I heard a noise..."

Weird War World (www)

2005-08-07T22:50:00.000-04:00

I don't even know how to explain this site. . .
www.weirdwarworld.com/home.html

Cool music interface

2005-08-05T10:48:00.000-04:00

Leave it to VW to come up with something hip.
Love the playlists. Love the interface.

http://vwspincycle.msn.com/

And Now for Something Completely Different. . .

2005-08-05T01:49:00.000-04:00

Corpse Stalls Traffic on Texas Highway
AFP

July 13, 2005— A corpse caused a traffic jam on a Dallas, Texas highway after it fell off a pickup truck late Tuesday, local media reported.

The body was being transported to a Shreveport, Louisiana funeral home when it fell off the truck and landed in the fast lane, The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday.

Wrapped in a sheet and still strapped to a gurney, the body looked like a large white parcel from afar, Mary Ellen Douglas told the paper.

But as she switched lanes to avoid the gurney, Douglas said she spotted feet sticking out from the sheets.

"I didn't think it was possible for that to happen," Douglas said. "I wanted to get out of there. It was too freaky for me."

It took a while for the driver to notice the body was missing, police said. Eventually he saw that the back door of his truck was open so he pulled over to check on his cargo. When he realized the body was missing he turned around and searched along the highway until he found it.

Noon-hour drivers managed to swerve to avoid the body and the driver was able to retrieve it intact.

What's My Mom Trying to Tell Me?

2005-08-04T22:33:00.000-04:00

My mom bought this book for me. Isn't that a little "too much info" between parent and child? She obviously doesn't know how "bad" I can be.

"In The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Girl Sex, sex therapist Barbara Keesling (How to Make Love All Night; Super Sexual Orgasm) asserts that nearly every "good" girl yearns to be "bad" and offers tips for unleashing the bad girl within. Keesling, who worked for a sex therapist as a surrogate partner for 10 years before becoming one herself, explores the inhibitions that women have about sex, and explains how you can dress, speak, walk, tease, use sex toys, give blow jobs and have orgasms like the bad girl of your dreams. In addition, Keesling, herself a former "good" girl meaning that like most women, she had learned to hide her wild desires from the world offers her personal story as inspiration for all women who want to learn how to "feel good about being bad." From Publishers Weekly

My Horoscope for Today

2005-08-03T19:27:00.000-04:00

You may discover something going on behind your back. (A "confidante" is spilling your secrets? Your boyfriend's online profile is still marked "available"? Ouch!) On the bright side, whatever strange news you receive, it's sure to give you clarity about what you can expect from friends or lovers.
Give me some strange news. Let's see if this is true.

Joke of the Day (from The Daily Show)

2005-08-03T01:40:00.000-04:00

I don't know why I thought this was funny. . .
At least I can laugh at myself.

After a really good party a man walks into a bar and orders a drink. Already drunk and delirious, the man turns to the person sitting next to him and says, ''You wanna hear a blonde joke?'' The person replies, ''I am 240 pounds, world kickboxing champion and a natural blonde. My friend is 190 pounds, world judo champion and is a natural blonde. And my other friend is 200 pounds, world arm wrestling champion and is also a natural blonde. Do you still want to tell me that blonde joke?''

The man thinks for a while and replies, ''Not if I have to explain it three times.''

The Smart Girl's Guide to Tarot

2005-08-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

"Yeah, it’s all crap, but it’s still kind of interesting. Isn’t that what we all say when we first get into tarot?" Maybe yes, maybe no—but this is an energetic guide to augury nonetheless. Enthusiast Fredericks narrates her book in a quirky, frank, irreverent voice, arguing that tarot is "cheaper than Zoloft and less fattening than chocolate" and thus perfect for hip, ambitious, smart—but maybe slightly neurotic—young women." From Publishers Weekly

A friend gave me this book because she knew I had cards (I bought them for a party, OK?!) I have to admit it's a fun book and if you're into this kinda thing, give it a read. It's much easier to understand than all the other mumbo jumbo books.

Mmm

2005-08-02T00:47:00.000-04:00

I could give up chocolate but I'm not a quitter.

Really Uncommon Goods

2005-07-27T21:29:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for unusual gifts for your friends (or yourself,) check out www.uncommongoods.com

Besides one-of-a-kind accessories and products made from recycled merchandise, they also donate a portin of each order to your choice of non-profit organizations: the AmeriCares Tsumani Relief Fund, the World Wildlife Fund, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, and Comprehensive Development.

Two of my favorites are the Recycled Messender Bags and the Wrapper Clutch made from recycled candy, chip and snack wrappers.

You're kidding, right?

2005-07-26T00:38:00.000-04:00

OK, I'll admit I've succumbed to the masses and own an iPod. And yes, I even look for cool accessories for it. But come on! Isn't this going a little too far? And where do you plug in the charger?

iGuy mini extends the fun to your mini iPod. Bendable and posable the iGuy mini shows that iPod owners have a great sense of humour and can’t help heaping a whole loada love on their favourite portable player. Not only is iGuy fun, he's fully functional - offering great rubberised protection, docking capability, and screen protection for your iPod mini.
-- Cool toy and protective case in one
-- Bendable, poseable arms
-- Dockable - 'sits' and hangs out while your iPod charges and syncs up!
-- Removable screen protector
-- Full access to controls, headphone plug and hold switch
-- Fits all iPod minis

Irving Penn: Platinum Prints

2005-07-25T23:25:00.000-04:00

Saw an awesome photography exhibit this weekend at the National Gallery of Art. The quality of the prints--the richness of the tones and the way the images almost came off the paper--was unbelievable. I definitely recommend seeing this exhibit if you're into photography or have a darkroom at your disposal. True inspiration!

Irving Penn: Platinum Prints

Also at the NGA are groups of photographs by several major twentieth-century American practitioners: Paul Strand, Ansel Adams, Walker Evans, Frederick Sommer, Robert Frank, Harry Callahan, and Lee Friedlander. Ansel Adams is a favorite of mine and his "Museum Set" is a part of the NGA photography colledtion. It's a selection of seventy-five photographs made by Adams to represent his finest landscape photographs encapsulating the monumentality of the American West.

Eat or be eaten

2005-07-23T20:07:00.000-04:00

It's a fish eat fish world out there.
Cute game!

Play Sushi-Who

Part of the reason I got into cooking. . .

2005-07-23T19:40:00.000-04:00

I LOVE Alton Brown. His mix of science and cooking is brilliant! From theater major to culinary entertainer, Alton has brought a new spin to the tired same ol' cooking shows. If you're interested in why things work the way they do in the kitchen, you definitely must see "Good Eats." Check out his web site too. It's every bit Alton.

www.altonbrown.com

I'm driven by urban action

2005-07-22T23:01:00.000-04:00

Don't know why but I started thinking about cars. Maybe because my Liberty has seen better days. Maybe because I was in a Tickle Quiz mood. Anyway, apparently I'm driving the wrong car. Here's what Tickle matched me with (if only. . .):

"We can almost see you, sauntering down the street with your ultra-cool shades and stopping at that car everyone's been eyeing. You probably love the city slicker, high-rolling lifestyle. Whether you're going out on the town for the night or cruising into your local coffee shop for some morning fuel, you've got a style that people notice."

"Your four-wheeled friend should definitely mesh with your urban image. Maybe you're into long drives down the coast with the top down and the wind blowing through your perfectly coiffed hair. Then again, maybe you'd rather just be seen driving around town in a sleek new Lexus or BMW."

To find out what car matches your personality, take the test:

http://web.tickle.com/tests/carpersonality/

I definitely need to send this on to some of my friends. The Vega and Chevette have got to go! Yeah, you know who I'm talking about.

Celebrity Relationships

2005-07-22T00:59:00.000-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an Antonio Banderas fan. I think it's the latin charisma, the accent, and let's face it, the packaging. I stumbled upon this cool site where you can analyze your possible relationships with famous people. Of course I had to see how Antonio and I would get along once he ditched his wife and decided to spend the rest of his life with me.
So apparently Antonio and I are compatible in the areas of Commitment, Synergy and Passion, but no Intimacy. How can that be?! I mean, how can you have Passion and not follow that through with Intimacy? Am I supposed to take a lot of cold showers?
How compatible are you with your favorite celebrity?