May 2007 Archives

30 May 2007

Thanks, but I like charcoal

The barbecuing masses may get to go infrared (Elliott Minor, AP)

ALBANY, GA. — For a quarter-century, chefs at pricey steakhouses have been searing meat on burners that cook with infrared energy. Now the high-temperature technology may be coming to a backyard barbecue near you.

With the expiration of a key patent, major gas grill manufacturers, including market leader Char-Broil, have scrambled to bring infrared cooking to the masses with models in the $500 to $1,000 range. Previously, such grills cost as much as $5,000.

"Infrared is really hot," said Leslie Wheeler, a spokeswoman for the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, an industry group in Arlington, Va. "They're great for searing, and then either you turn it down or move over to another burner for cooking."

The grills are still powered by propane and have traditional gas burners that heat mostly by convection — or hot air. But they also can cook foods with radiant heat generated by one or more infrared burners. (Infrared falls between visible light and microwave energy on the electromagnetic spectrum.)

Char-Broil says its advanced burners operate at 450 to 900 degrees, hotter than the 450 to 750 degrees of standard gas burners. And unlike charcoal, which can require 20 to 30 minutes to reach its 700-degree cooking temperature, heat from the infrared burners can be adjusted quickly.

Point #1: The headline is retarded. Barbecuing is not done at "450 to 900 degrees." The headline should have substituted "grilling."

Point #2: What in the world is so wrong with charcoal? I'm kind of a fan of the stuff, mess and inconvenience and all. That "20 to 30 minutes" of waiting is perfect for a drinky tink, after all. If you're in a bigger hurry than that, then grilling probably is not for you.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/30/07 23:12 | Other | Technorati | Comments (8)

28 May 2007

Back

We survived another Float Trip Weekend.

This one was a little wetter than most, but we had an outstanding float on a non-rainy Saturday that made up for the rest of the weather somewhat. And the rain kept the crowds down, which was just fine.

Photos will get posted to the group Flickr page at some point.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/28/07 12:47 | Other | Technorati | Comments (1)

24 May 2007

Float Trip Time

It's time for my annual Memorial Day Weekend Float Trip (it usually starts a day or so early), which means I'll be unplugging from the net momentarily and heading out to the campground for an extended weekend of camping, canoeing, grilling, and carrying on.

We actually tripped out of Houston last night and rolled into Muskogee about 11 pm and stayed at a nice Hampton Inn. That worked out pretty well. The traffic wasn't horrible, and it saved a precious vacation day.

Here's wishing everyone a great Memorial Day Weekend. See you on the other side.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/24/07 08:28 | Other | Technorati | Comments (1)

22 May 2007

If not for bad luck...

In the last 16 hours or so, I have:

Gotten an error on a new netflix CD, only to discover it had a crack in it and must be returned. Boo.
Found a stain on a new shirt AFTER it came out of the dryer. Ruined. No idea how it happened. Boo.
Had to correct the credit union, which deposited a check for $44.55 as $4.55. Boo.

That's a bad run. My luck needs to turn about now.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/22/07 13:38 | Other | Technorati | Comments (5)

20 May 2007

It's almost Comcast time

In just a few weeks, Comcast's swap with Time Warner here in Houston will be much more visible, as branding and billing will finally switch, and so will some service offerings (with more changes to come later).

I've had the standard-plus service from TWC for ages, but Comcast has already dropped a few channels from that lineup, and will probably screw around with it even more to try to get people to move to digital tiers of service.

I'm seriously considering a switch to Dish Network, which makes it pretty painless to do a two-room, HD/DVR deal. Anyone have any experiences (good or bad) to share re: Dish?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/20/07 12:17 | Tech | Technorati | Comments (11)

Almost float trip time

I ordered a car-camping tent from the REI Outlet store recently in preparation for this year's Memorial Day Weekend float trip.

Today, we took the thing over to a nearby park and set it up, just to make sure everything is okay.

It looks good to go. The thing seems pretty sturdy, right down to heady duty aluminum poles (not fiberglass) and double vestibules with plenty of loops for guy lines.

I'm hopeful there won't be any bad weather, but the thing seems pretty durable for a car-camping tent.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/20/07 11:44 | Outdoors | Technorati | Comments (0)

17 May 2007

Dressing rooms? Feh

Less Risk Seen in Purchasing Clothes Online (Michael Barbaro, NY Times)

In 2006, revenue from skirts, suits and shoes reached $18.3 billion, surpassing that from PCs, printers and word-processing programs, which totaled $17.2 billion, according to a report to be released today by a major trade group.

The surging popularity of clothing on the Web defies predictions that fashion — which is hard enough to buy in stores, with the aid of sales clerks and fitting rooms — would be difficult, if not impossible, to translate onto the Internet.

The majority of shoppers, it was feared, would never abandon the habit of trying on clothes to assess the feel of fabrics and the fit of a given size, which varies a lot by brand.

It's taken a while, but I've become a big fan of buying clothes online.

I like that I don't have to drive all around Houston and hope the stores have what I want in stock (don't even get me started on the world's worst REI, on Westheimer), because Houston traffic is a pain. I mostly find sales clerks annoying, so that's not an issue. And I prefer my own place to any fitting room.

So long as the online merchant has good return and shipping policies, it's the way I prefer to do things these days.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/17/07 21:41 | Other | Technorati | Comments (1)

16 May 2007

Simmons on the Association

Common sense vs. the NBA rulebook (Bill Simmons, ESPN.com)

So don't blame the NBA higher-ups for the way they interpreted that stupid, idiotic, foolish, moronic, brainless, unintelligent, foolhardy, imprudent, thoughtless, obtuse and thickheaded rule. Blame them for having the rule itself. Blame them for allowing the league to morph into something that doesn't quite resemble basketball anymore. Blame them for a league in which basketball players aren't totally allowed to think and act like basketball players and teammates aren't totally allowed to think and act like teammates. Blame them for an ongoing double standard in which the Bruce Bowens of the league can willfully endanger other players, but a roundhouse swipe on an attempted block can get someone ejected if they miss by a scant 10 inches while moving at full speed. Blame them for dubious officiating that's compromised the playoffs to the degree that an increasing number of fans are wondering where the WWE ends and the NBA begins.

Simmons delivers a much-deserved ass-kicking to David Stern and the Association.

With the Rockets, Mavs, AND Golden State out, David Stern has managed to turn me into a Phoenix fan.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/16/07 22:42 | Sports | Technorati | Comments (0)

15 May 2007

My reading-challenged moment

Zimbabwe: Sithole Challenges Media On Sport Education (AllAfrica.com)

FORMER Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president, Tommy Sithole, has underscored the need for the media in developing countries to take the leading role in educating the public about the values of participating in sport and not leave the duty to national associations alone.

Sithole is now based at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Laussane, Switzerland, where he holds the post of Director of International Co-operation and Development.

When I saw the headline this morning (prior to the Starbucks kicking in), I thought the guy's name was something else.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/15/07 14:09 | Other | Technorati | Comments (2)

Jerry Falwell, RIP

Rev. Jerry Falwell Dies (AP)

A Liberty University executive says the Rev. Jerry Falwell has died.

Falwell was hospitalized in "gravely serious" condition after being found unconscious Tuesday in his office at Liberty University, a school executive said earlier.

Ron Godwin, the university's executive vice president, said Falwell, 73, was found unresponsive around 10:45 a.m. and taken to Lynchburg General Hospital. Godwin said he was not sure what caused the collapse, but he said Falwell "has a history of heart challenges."

"I had breakfast with him, and he was fine at breakfast," Godwin said. "He went to his office, I went to mine, and they found him unresponsive."

Falwell, a television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority, became the face of the religious right in the 1980s. He later founded the conservative Liberty University and serves as its president.

Falwell survived two serious health scares in early 2005. He was hospitalized for two weeks with what was described as a viral infection, then was hospitalized again a few weeks later after going into respiratory arrest. Later that year, doctors found a 70 percent blockage in an artery, which they opened with stents.

Liberty University's commencement is scheduled for Saturday, with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the featured speaker.

Falwell was one of the most politically influential evangelicals of our time, whatever a person thought of it. May he rest in peace.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/15/07 12:46 | Other | Technorati | Comments (2)

13 May 2007

Happy Mothers Day

Here's wishing all good mothers out there a Happy Mothers Day!

Thanks to all for putting up with our crap. :)

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/13/07 09:38 | Other | Technorati | Comments (0)

11 May 2007

Busy doing nothing, travel bureaucrat edition

DHS: Carry-on restrictions to remain for 'foreseeable future' (Dennis Schaal, Travel Weekly)

Don't expect the Transportation Security Administration's restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on bags to evaporate any time soon.

Kathy Kraninger, director of the Dept. of Homeland Security's Office of Screening Coordination, said she thinks the restrictions are "here for the foreseeable future, at least."

Responding to a delegate's question following her speech to the Association of Corporate Travel Executives' conference here earlier this week, Kraninger said the DHS has not identified technology up to the task of identifying liquid explosive materials.

Kraninger noted that the government is conducting research and development on the issue in the hopes that it can ease the restrictions.

But, Kraninger added that she expects these rules limiting liquids, gels and aerosols to remain in place "for some time."

It's important to keep the world's skies safe from four-ounce containers of shampoo, after all!

It's good to know America's bureaucrats handle some tasks well.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/11/07 11:54 | Travel | Technorati | Comments (5)

10 May 2007

Which part of "best" doesn't Jerruh understand?

Jerry's a weasel? (DMN Cowboys Blog)

That's the opinion of DMN Metro columnist Steve Blow, who thinks Jerry's trip to Lubbock to try to woo Texas Tech officials to JerryWorld is a low-down move.

Jerry did pretty much spit on the Cotton Bowl, boarding his fancy plane after word broke that Tech and Oklahoma State were on the verge of finalizing a deal to move its series to Fair Park. Cowboys PR types released this spin statement from Jerry:

"The purpose of bringing the country's finest new stadium to North Texas is to continue to provide a home for the very best college and high school football games to go along with the Dallas Cowboys and the NFL.

Okay, fine, but why did he pursue Texas Tech and Oklahoma State?

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/10/07 14:19 | Big 12 Football | Technorati | Comments (0)

06 May 2007

Helotes

We roadtripped over with friends to Helotes this weekend to catch Son Volt at the Floore's Country Store.

It was my first trip to the venue, even though bands I like are always playing there. It's a neat place.

Farrar and crew put on a nice show. I liked the Okemah tour setlists better, but the folks in our group all seemed pretty happy with the stuff they played (well, perhaps with the exception of one). I'm a fan of some of the stuff on Wide Swing Tremolo and Straightaways, and those albums didn't get much play in this show. Of course, some people would probably consider that a plus.

The boys are playing here in town at the Continental Club tonight, but I screwed around and didn't buy advance tix before they sold out. Whoops!They're in my neighborhood, too. How lame is that?

Ah well. It's just an excuse to go see them someplace I want to visit to make up for it. :)

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/06/07 21:30 | Other | Technorati | Comments (2)

03 May 2007

What debate?

The GOP held a presidential debate tonight.

During the Rockets/Jazz and Mavericks/Warriors?

Are you kidding me?

It's much too early to care about the politicos, even without two compelling NBA playoff series going on.

So, the Rox are headed home for Game 7. I suspect they will lose and Tracy McGrady will keep that stellar playoff record alive (and Jeff Van Gundy will get to find a job with some other team). I hope I'm wrong. Well, at least about the series outcome. It may be time for a coach other than JVG.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/03/07 22:39 | Other | Technorati | Comments (5)

02 May 2007

Belize, Cheap

Continental has some nice specials for this weekend.

The best one is a $149 RT fare for Belize.

Ordinarily, I'd be all over a great deal like that, but I'm planning on a friends-and-roadtripping weekend to catch Son Volt over at Helotes on Saturday (and again here in Houston at the Continental Club Sunday). Son Volt's new CD took a while to grow on me, and I could still do without the weirdness of the first few songs, but the latter two-thirds of that disc is really good. I can't wait to see how the live shows are this time around.

UPDATE: Hmm, I never got around to buying advance tix at the Continental Club, and it appears Son Volt is sold out. Oh well, I guess I'll miss rude Houstonians talking over the band, as they are wont to do. So sad.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/02/07 23:11 | Other | Technorati | Comments (1)

The Nutroots imagines this is happening in, say, Texas

Polygamous lesbians flee Sharia (BBC News)

A Nigerian lesbian who "married" four women last weekend in Kano State has gone into hiding from the Islamic police, with her partners.

Under Sharia law, adopted in the state seven years ago, homosexuality and same-sex marriages are outlawed and considered very serious offences.

The theatre where the elaborate wedding celebration was held on Sunday has been demolished by Kano city's authorities.

Oh my.

Posted by Kevin Whited @ 05/02/07 09:39 | International | Technorati | Comments (2)

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