For When I'm Not a Poor Law Student...

I'm going to admit it - I really like cheese. Like, I'll go to Whole Foods and just sniff various cheeses for 10 minutes (and eventually buy a piece of one to taste over the next few days).

That's why one day, when I have a real job again, I want to do this. That's right, Cheese Boot Camp. From the Murray's website:

Learn from the Murray's what we know best: Cheese! From how cheese is made to the basics of tasting, and everything in between. We've designed this weekend long class to give each student a strong foundation in the world of cheese.

Cheese U is a serious course of study, and will include suggested readings and optional take home assignments. The series will culminate in an exam. Successful completion of the program is awarded with a Certificate of Achievement.

After the 3-day series, complete with lectures, demonstrations and tastings, each student will be able to differentiate cheese styles, describe cheeses in depth, and pair like a pro.

I may be crazy, but I actually want to be able to speak knowledgeably about cheese and be able to understand terms like "nutty flavor" and "smooth finish" (or something like that, those things might not actually apply to cheese).

Cheese boot camp, you heard it here first.

Tina Fey nails Sarah Palin

And she doesn't even race snowmobiles...

SPHC
by Hishighness

Small town values

Just a few questions for the Republicans:

• How big can a town be, and still be "small"?
• Do no gay people live in these "small towns"?
• Could you replace "small town" with "white, straight, evangelical"?

Biden telling it like it is

There's just something that feels so familar when Joe Biden speaks.  His passion is honest and poignant, but at the same time, he seems like "Uncle Joe" - that guy your parents grew up with and was always a blast to talk to at family parties because he had great stories from the block.

Deep Thought

Just remember, every time someone from the GOP mentions how much of a maverick McSame and McPitbull have been by going against their party, that means that the GOP believed in something wrong. Wouldn't it just have been better for the GOP didn't do something stupid in the first place?

Brilliant

From last night's Daily Show:

Highlights of the Night

Just a brief, and incomplete, run-down of my favorite parts of tonight's speech by Sarah "20-Months-As-Governor-Of-The-State-Closest-to-Russia" Palin. And by favorite, I mean most obnoxious and/or annoying:

• "I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a 'community organizer,' except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don't quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren't listening." - Well, I wouldn't be surprised has never had to deal with a community organizer as she has lived in towns of 7,500 (Wasilla) and 30,000 (Juneau). So maybe someone should explain just how important community organizers are to poor neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago, in West Philadelphia and Harlem. So this is what community organizers do - they help people know about their legal rights; they help them find a way to put food on the table and keep the lights on; they help families build stronger schools and safer streets; they help working class families realize the American dream. In short, they get families the services that government can't or won't provide. The horror! What they don't do - they don't try to ban books from the library and then try to fire the librarian; they don't increase taxes on poor and working families while cutting it for corporations; they don't leave their communities further in debt; and they certainly don't hire other people to do they job they were paid $75,000 (partially because they get no where near $75,000 in salary).
  
• Frequent cut shots to Bristol Palin and her babydaddy. And I really hate the term "babydaddy," but honestly, if her daughter and failure as a parent are supposed to remain a private, family affair, then don't drag your daughter's boyfriend to the convention. She's quickly losing the high-ground on this point.
• "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull? Lipstick." - Perhaps funny, and maybe even true, but in no way flattering.
• "While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor's office that I didn't believe our citizens should have to pay for." - Like your former brother-in-law, or the Public Safety Commissioner who refused to fire him at your request?
• "Our state budget is under control. We have a surplus." - Perhaps because Alaska is number one in per capita federal spending or number three in amount of federal funds received per dollar paid in federal taxes? It's a lot easier to balance the budget when New Jersey is footing the bill.
  
• "I told the Congress 'thanks, but no thanks,' for that Bridge to Nowhere." - Funny, that not how the people in Alaska remember it.
  
• "To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters. I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House." - Methinks she only became a friend and advocate this year, after learning that she'd be giving to a boy with Downs Syndrome. After all, it's not like the Republican party has a strong record of providing the disabled community with the services they need.

Oh, and in case no one told Sarah Palin this - the name of the Democratic nominee for President of the United States is Senator Barack Obama.

And if Palin was a Witch

As suggested by the great Keith Olbermann (he made the Tracy Flick reference, too).I am enjoying how K.O. is trying to play it straight on the surface and then throwing in random pop culture references to show his disgust. Bravo!

Separated at Birth?

Don't forget to vote for Sarah Palin this Thursday during homeroom for Junior Class Secretary!

Pop quiz: How is Sarah Palin like school in August?

Answer: Both have no class.

I survived

The first week of law school, that is. This should be fun.

Go. Watch. Now!

So awesome. So free.

Another Brilliant Weezer Music Video

Weezer follows up the genius of "Buddy Holly" and "Keep Fishing" with their tribute to YouTube's fifteen minute celebrities:

Saw the preview on my AppleTV today while browsing new music and immediately bought the full video. While the Red Album on the whole has been a disappointment for me, this is pure gold.

"Tonight, I'd like to give you a little bonus rock to suck on."

said Stephen Colbert last night on the Colbert Report as he aired a performance of R.E.M.'s "Hollow Man" recorded in April. Perhaps not my choice for second single, but a rocking good song, nonetheless:



And here's a bonus, the actual music video for "Hollow Man":



One day until the concert!
#remmann

I Feel Like a Storm Cloud - But My Thunder Was Stolen

For the most part, Wednesdays means that it's Quizzo night at Fado in Center City and yesterday was one of those nights. We have a good core group for our team - mostly Colleen's coworkers - and we have our regular spot in a side room to enjoy the competition and a few beers. Normally, we're a upper-middle team, hovering around 5-7 out of 20 or so teams.

Last night, we were on fire!

The stars were perfectly aligned for us. The early round questions were lay-ups for us and the category round was "Broadway Musicals," which Colleen went 10 for 10 on (I would have gotten 8 of them if she hadn't been there). On top of that, we rocked the music round, getting all ten songs and nine of the artists. In fact, we won the two pitchers of beer that come with winning that round after I pounced on "Molly" by Sponge after about 2 seconds in the 4-way tiebreaker.

We had 75 points going into Final Jeopardy! (4 points ahead of second place)

And then we had the rug yanked out from underneath us.

Because the guy keeping score forgot to mention that there was a team that actually had 72 points when he originally listed the teams in the top 3 - and we stopped listening after we heard that second place had "71" points. So we bet 68 points - enough to get us 143 with a right answer and supposedly win. But no, incompetence beat us in the end.

We had our thunder stolen. It was my night of glory, and a guy with a microphone who didn't know how to count took it all away from me. Next time we're just betting it all.

I am like a storm cloud - but someone stole my thunder. ::FLASH::...waiting...waiting...no boom.

My new toy

Today Colleen and I took a trip to Delaware to pick up something from her Aunt's house and decided to stop by Target to check out the TV I've had my eye on for awhile. After saving up birthday money and having a few good nights at the tables in AC, I was a fair chunk of the way to affording the 37" Olevia LCD 720p. And lo and behold, it was on sale. So after all discounts and such, I had more than enough for the new set.

It's so awesome! I can't wait to get the HDTV channels added and my component cables for the Wii.