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Marvelous. How many conservative / Republican douchebags whined, “It’s not about the oil.” to me over and over again since 2003? More than I can count. Makes me want to scream.
Sep 302007
Sep 292007
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I saw some of these stands featured on an episode of Tony Bourdain’s No Reservations. They’ve been threatened with shutdown, a victime of their own success, but I may still get a chance to check them out.
Sep 282007
A YouTube posting of a May K-EYE investigative report on Texas lawmakers voting multiple times for each other has caught fire after BoingBoing posted about it this morning. The comments range from outrage to people who know it goes on and shrug their shoulders.
The point of the report is that it’s a little hypocritical of Rep. Debbie Riddle to introduce voter integrity legislation when she can’t be trusted to adhere to the voting rules in the Texas House. Of course, she’s a Republican, a party with a long tradition of howling for voter integrity which ultimately means voter suppression.
I doubt we’ll hear from any legislators themselves, though I’d bet that if you asked any of them, they’d admit to the practice. Anybody work at the legislature and want to elaborate on this? No big deal? Is this just a result of a broken system? I’ll ask my Rep., Eddie Rodriguez, the next time I see him. It seems like half of the stuff that’s passed through the US House and Senate is never even read by the people voting for it.
Sep 272007
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David Byrne drives cross country from NYC to LA. He hits Lexington, VA in the Blue Ridge mountains (an beautiful drive), Dollywood, Graceland and Abilene among other places.
Sep 272007
Every year for the last several years, I’ve longingly gazed at the Fantastic Fest schedules before the event and then jealously read the reviews coming out of the festival. If you’re like me, your “real life” (work, family, etc.) doesn’t allow you to commit the kind of time that you need to really take advantage of Fantastic Fest. On top of that, it always falls right around the same time as ACL and who has the kind of cash to shell out for both of these things? I might have a better chance next year as my four e-mail addresses falied to win the $50 3 day passes this week (Did anybody get them?) and I’ve decided that I’m going to wait for the lineups and decide if a single day pass is in order for next year.
Anyway, I digress. Even though I couldn’t make Fantastic Fest, which ends tonight, there’s a slew of local bloggers who’ve been posting their impressions. Here’s just a few of them:
- Jette from Slackerwood and Cinematical – Here’s her Fantastic Fest category on Slackerwood.
- Wiley’s Fantastic Fest posts
- The Alamo’s own blog has tons of video posts with those involved in Fantastic Fest
- Not surprisingly, Ain’t It Cool News also has posts about Fantastic Fest, but I’ve always hated the design, layout and organization of that site. It’s pretty much unreadable for me, but if you can handle it, have at it.
Update (2007.09.28 18:16 CDT): I would’ve linked SXSW Flim organizer, Matt Dentler’s, blog, but I didn’t have a good way of linking just his Fantastic Fest posts. You should check out his blog anyway. Also, last night’s surprise closer was Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood.
PS The Alamo Drafthouse newsletter says that VIP badges for next year’s Fantastic Fest are already half gone. So if you want to get in on this stuff yourself next year, you’d better get on it.
Sep 262007
My daily commute takes me across town two times a day. It means that I see a lot of things. Here’s a small sample from this week:
- If you were wondering why South Lamar was a nightmare this morning, here’s your reason.
- It took them a week to get Zilker Park back to normal after this year’s ACL festival. Everything looked back to normal yesterday morning, except for the old guy combing the deserted fields with a metal detector. I wonder if he found anything?
- Oltorf’s a total nightmare right now between South Congress and South Lamar. Avoid it at all costs. As if that damn train crossing, which gets me every time, wasn’t enough incentive.
- Not sure if it’s over yet, but I-35 in central Austin has also been blocked down to one lane for several nights out of the past week or two.
- Eastbound Cesar Chavez between Mopac and Congress was particularly backed up yesterday evening for no good reason that I could see.
- Everybody and their brother seems to have figured out the exit ramp shortcut between 45th and 35th on southbound Mopac. I think it’s actually faster now if you don’t use it.
- If you’re picking something up in the Brodie Oaks shopping center at the NorthWest corner of Lamar and Ben White in the morning and you’re going to head west on Ben White, don’t forget to cut through the parking lot past Toys R Us and down that steep road to the light at the office park. It’s much faster taking a right from there than dealing with all of the traffic that’s backed up at the light at Mopac, especially if you’re then heading north on Mopac.
- Looks like the new Specs location at Arbor Walk near 360 and Mopac is close to opening.
Sep 252007
Sep 242007
Sep 222007
Sep 222007
My mother used to make this eggnog for an annual holiday party when I was a kid. It was legendary for its potency. I got her to fax me the recipe earlier this year. I’m going to make it this year.
Here it is:
50 Servings
| 1 dozen eggs | 2 cups sugar |
| 3 cups apricot brandy | 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| 3 cups rum | 2 tablespoons vanilla |
| 2 cups Grand Marnier | 3 pints whipping cream |
| 3 cups bourbon | 1 gallon milk |
| 1 1/2 cups Drambuie |
16 Servings
| 4 eggs | 3/4 cup sugar |
| 1 cup apricot brandy | Dash of salt |
| 1 cup rum | 1 tablespoon vanilla |
| 3/4 cup Grand Marnier | 1 pint whipping cream |
| 1 cup bourbon | 1 quart plus 1 1/2 cups milk |
| 1/2 cup Drambuie |
Separate eggs, beat yolks, add sugar, brandy, rum, Grand Marnier, bourbon, Drambuie, salt and vanilla. Chill. Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat whipping cream until peaks form, fold in egg whites and add to milk. Stir; then stir both milk and liquor mixtures together. Chill at least 1 hour before serving. Will keep 2 weeks in refrigerator.