Wheat Grass

Since last Saturday, we’ve been watching our wheat grass grow. We bought some seeds at Farmer’s Market and damn if these suckers don’t grow nearly 2cm per day. We don’t plan to make wheat grass juice out of it, but if this continues to grow apace, we may have to.

Here’s a distressing report about

Here’s a distressing report about The End of Bananas as We Know Them

LONDON (Reuters) – It is one of the world’s favorite fruits, but the banana hasn’t had sex in years and its days may be are numbered.
Without scientific help the sterile, seedless fruit could disappear with 10 years, according to a Belgian plant pathologist.
Emile Frison, the head of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain in Monpellier, France, said the fruit lacks the genetic diversity to fight off diseases and pests that are plaguing banana plantations and only biotechnology and genetic manipulation may be able to save it.


Photo from World Food Habits Bibliography
Future inventions: Banana Viagra, Banana Hookers, Banana Sex Therapist

I got me an IKEA Poang chair

The IKEA Poang chair is one of the comfiest chairs I’ve ever sat in. So comfy, that I often feel quite decadent relaxing in one. And ever since my friend Jon got one, I’ve been waiting to get my own.
And so today was the day!

It’s their most popular chair for good reason, and every couple of months they lower the price. I got mine for $79 (plus $40 stool, essential for really zonking out). I think it originally came out priced near $175. And as with most Ikea product, it was easy to put together for Jessica and I, though I don’t know how long it would have taken me alone.
Not everybody likes Ikea. Take this Salon.com article for instance, which mentions lots of reasons to distrust the brand, the store, the concept. I bet the author never sat in a Poang…
Finally, I did a Google image search on “Poang” and got this:

Photo from Swedish Skating Association
It’s the Swedish female skating team! More difficult to assemble, but very comfortable to sit on.

Scenes from inside Karl Rove’s Head


Scenes from inside Karl Rove’s head.
Photo from X-Entertainment

Is it some sort of coincidence that following on from finding that clown-and-angry-child-driver record cover, I then run across this vying for the last crumbs of my sanity? Here’s a review of the straight to video atrocity, Rainbow Brite at the San Diego Zoo! for which no amount of drugs will make your viewing experience enjoyable.
This Web page keeps playing this scary, Psycho-esque music while you read. Turns out this is not the theme tune from Rainbow Brite, but the web ad for the Signs DVD at the end of the page. Brrr.
Linked from Time Enough at Last

Goleta Valley Land Trust, Narc, and Gangs of New York

Spent today writing an article on the Goleta Valley Land Trust, which is a local organization awarding grants to organizations that want to preserve our open space. The president, feisty 79-year-old Harriet Philips, has a long history of politics and volunteer work, and you’ll have to wait till next week to read my profile on her.
Jessica and I also went to see Narc, which featured Jason Patric and Ray Liotta yelling at various people in the first two-thirds of the film, only to end up yelling at each other. Again, you can read my review later.
In the meantime, here’s a review that got published last month of Gangs of New York under my nom de plume. UPDATE: That review can be found here.

Garry South Throws Down

Here’s encouraging news as posted on Make Them Accountable and blogged on Interesting Times

STING LIKE A BEE
By David Podvin
For Democrats who are exasperated that their party is unwilling to go on the offensive, the following words are a welcome declaration of resolve:
“George W. Bush is the first president of my lifetime I don’t have an ounce of respect for. I’m going to bash him. My goal is to beat the bejesus out of him.”
With that bold and inspiring pronouncement, consultant Garry South confirmed that he will no longer be guiding the fortunes of California Governor Gray Davis, and that his new vocation is the political destruction of the trespasser in the White House.