I’ve been discovering female vocalist bluesy punk bands thanks to Spotify. Favorite find so far: The Kills.
Archive for March, 2009
Crossposted to SmarterFitter.com
Things have been a little quiet around here. I just started a part-time gig teaching at the Open University, the UK’s distance learning government-supported university. My students just submitted their first assignment and, for the first time since grad school, I’m inundated with papers to grade. I don’t mind, though. The class has been going well, I like my students, and I actually enjoy the “feedback” part of the grading process. This is a far cry from the differential equations (aka “Diffy Q” aka “Diffy Screw”) class I TA’d at University of Texas. It makes a huge difference teaching a.) to a smaller class (20 vs 200) and 2.) to “grown-ups” rather than undergrads.
But I didn’t start this post to wax nostalgic, so let me get to the point.
One of the BIG HUGE benefits of teaching at Open University is that every year I’m eligible for a fee waiver of up to £1,190 for any course of my course. This is a pretty major benefit and I don’t want to pass it up. The thing is, I’m totally stumped as to what to take. My goals are kind of … varied.
This is the question I posted to Directgov’s career advice forum:
I’m a freelance writer in the health and fitness space, with a bent towards nutrition and vegetarian cooking. I write for several publications, including my own blog. I’m really looking to become an authority in this space and I’m wondering what kind of coursework or degree would get me there. I already possess and MSc in Applied Maths and Computer Science. What can I add to increase my credibility and an expert in health, fitness and nutrition?
Yep, I’m just a few months away from 30 and I still don’t know what to do with my life.
Current course candidates are (and the list keeps growing):
Crossposted to SmarterFitter.com
I just watched the film “Our Daily Bread” and am now having serious thoughts (again) about going vegan.
In no words at all, this German film gives an inside look at the world of industrial food production. I will forgo my review until my mind has finished reeling over the images, but I will say that I’m left feeling like mechanization has brought out the best and worst in humanity, the best being some amazing inventions and the worst being, well, animal farming in general. The movie’s not all about animal farming, mind you; fruit and veg production is given fair treatment, as well.
Here is a trailer and synopsis.
Film Synopsis:
Welcome to the world of industrial food production and high-tech farming! To the rhythm of conveyor belts and immense machines, the film looks without commenting into the places where food is produced in Europe: monumental spaces, surreal landscapes and bizarre sounds - a cool, industrial environment which leaves little space for individualism. People, animals, crops and machines play a supporting role in the logistics of this system which provides our society’s standard of living.
OUR DAILY BREAD is a wide-screen tableau of a feast which isn’t always easy to digest - and in which we all take part. A pure, meticulous and high-end film experience that enables the audience to form their own ideas.
Crossposted to SmarterFitter.com
This chana, featured in Wednesday’s food diary, is yet another winner from The Essential Madhur Jaffrey. It’s simple, healthy, and absolutely delicious with raw red onion and tomato.
Chana Masaledar
Serves 4.
180 gm dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water (or 360 gm cooked chickpeas)
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 vine-ripened tomato, cut into wedges
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
To serve: long green chillies, halved lengthways,
Drain chickpeas and place into a large saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 1.5 hours or until tender. Remove from heat and stand until required.
Heat oil in a large frying pan, add cumin and stir over medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant, then add onion and stir occasionally for 8 minutes or until golden.
Reduce heat to low and add garam masala and coriander, then garlic and ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes or until toasted.
Add tomato puree and stir to combine, then drain the chickpeas and reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Add chickpeas and reserved liquid to frying pan with 1/2 tsp salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes.
Serve chickpeas with tomato, onion and chillies.
I had lunch this afternoon at one of my favorite food spots in London: Story Deli off of Brick Lane near the Old Truman Brewery. Today’s pie may have been the best pizza I’ve ever had. Ever.
I ordered it on impulse, thinking the ingredient combination was too interesting to pass up: tomato sauce, roasted fennel, carmelized red onion, hot red chili, rosemary, raisins, olives, roasted garlic, marscapone, parmesan. Fresh spinach and red pepper served on the side. Also, I asked them to "go easy" on the mozzarella, so they left it off entirely and gave it me some fresh mozzarella on the side. The result was like magic in my mouth. The sweet raisins with the salty olives and rich roasted garlic and fennel. The was crust was, as usual, thin, crispy and superb. Plenty of extra virgin olive oil (and yet, not too much). The marscapone didn’t seem to add much, and yet, it didn’t detract either. I aspire to make pizza this good.
It’s a shame I only had my camera phone.
This is total Amazon Associates candy, but still funny and proof that there’s a market for all kinds of writing: Ridiculous Book Titles
Such as…
Old Tractors and the Men Who Love Them: How to Keep Your Tractors Happy and Your Family Running
The Thermodynamics of Pizza
Tea Bag Folding
Lightweight Sandwich Construction
The Art and Craft of Pounding Flowers: No Ink, No Paint, Just a Hammer
The History of Lesbian Hair
How to Succeed in Business without a Penis
Dining Posture in Ancient Rome
Whose Bottom Is This?
Straight Talk About Surgical Penis Enlargement
Scouts in Bondage
People Who Don’t Know They’re Dead: How They Attach Themselves To Unsuspecting bystanders and what to do about it
Get Your Tongue Out of My Mouth, I’m Kissing You Good-bye!
Even God Is Single, So Stop Giving Me A Hard Time
Circumcisions by Appointment
This heat map by McKinsey classifies cities by their growth and diversity.
Interestingly, Bristol - a city that’s always given me good vibes - tends towards “hot spring”, a small, fast-growing hub on track to becoming a world player.
Kind of disappointed to see Chicago fall into the “silent lake” category - old, slow-growing hubs with a narrow range of large stablished companies.
London - a “silent lake” and a “shrinking pool”? Sounds like it’s time to head Northwest, or across the ocean to Brisbane or Ottawa.
McKinsey has partnered with the World Economic Forum to create an “Innovation Heat Map,” by identifying factors that are common to successful innovation hubs. As part of this effort, we have examined the evolution of hundreds of such clusters around the world and analyzed over 700 variables, including those driving innovation (business environment, government and regulation, human capital, infrastructure, and local demand) along with proxies for innovation output (for example, economic value added, journal publications, patent applications) to identify trends among the success stories. In the process, we have found patterns that suggest the critical ingredients required to grow, nurture, and sustain innovation hubs. At the same time, we have compiled thousands of data points that may be used to identify bottlenecks and benchmark the performance of cities, regions, and countries by measuring how they are evolving.
Latest Comments