Rebecca's Pocket

Cookbooks for Men: The Stag Cookbook

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:15:00 -0800

So far up my alley: The Stag Cookbook: Written for men by men, collected and edited by C. Mac Sheridan in 1922 includes recipes from Warren G. Harding, Houdini, Charlie Chaplin, John Philips Sousa, Rube Goldberg, Douglas Fairbanks, and Dr. Kellogg himself. If you want to examine implicit and explicit gender stereotypes for any given era, this genre is a terrific - and entertaining - starting point. (via rc3)

Butter King of Pop

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:18:51 -0800

Butter King of Pop! So, so awesome. I have a real fondness for butter sculpture, having grown up with a yearly visit to the butter cow. I once saw a butter John Glenn, but this is way butter, er, better. (via mefi)

13-year-old adopts Walkman, pities his parents

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:15:00 -0800

What happens when you convince a 13-year-old to trade his iPod for a Walkman? Scorn (peers), nostalgia (adults), and of course, hilarity.

It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape. [...] Another notable feature that the iPod has and the Walkman doesn't is "shuffle", where the player selects random tracks to play. Its a function that, on the face of it, the Walkman lacks. But I managed to create an impromptu shuffle feature simply by holding down "rewind" and releasing it randomly - effective, if a little laboured.

(thanks, jjg!)

Cheat sheet: Japanese color names

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:14:00 -0800

Japanese Color Names cheat sheet. (via br)

American Artisanal Ham

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:15:00 -0800

NYT: Bringing Flavor Back to the Ham, Harold McGee. Artisanal ham curers are rediscovering old techniques - and livestock breeds - to create American ham that rivals that of Spain and Italy.

European research found that the primeval fall diet of acorns and wild greens provided the ideal mix of fats and antioxidants for dry-cured hams, with the fat approaching the healthful composition of olive oil. Skeptical, Mr. Eckhouse compared hams from pigs fed on acorns, and on corn and soybeans. "It wasn't an instrumental analysis," he said. "I ate them. The differences were much bigger than I expected, especially in texture. The acorn-fed ham was creamy."

(via mamr)

Summer Reading 2009 - 06/29/09

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:52:06 -0800

This week's summer reading lists include Manga for Grownups, the best in Zombie Lit, the 2009 ALA Youth Media Awards, and the 1st Annual Summer Islamic Reading Challenge
For Adults:
NPR: Summer Nonfiction: True Tales Enlighten, Delight
Syracuse.com: Local authors offer a peek at their summer reading lists
Comment Magazine: A summer feast of books "Accessible starters for those who haven't quite learned to swim in the deeper waters of academia and the formation of the Christian mindset"
Poets and Writers magazine: Summer Reading List Poetry, Novels and Novellas, Classics, Short Stories, Nonfiction, and Memoir
Sacramento Bee: Summer reading list points the way to mystery, action and romance
Telegraph.co.uk: Summer reading: Melissa Katsoulis revisits the books that have most impressed our critics this year and compiles a list - from thrillers to biographies - to see readers through the summer
The News Star: Include these titles on summer reading list business titles
About.com: 12 Great Manga for Grownups
Angels On Your Shoulder: Ah, it's the weekend and summer reading books about angels, miracles and grace
Grimoire of the Hour: Zombie Lit Hit List
GreetQ: Summer Reading

Children and Young Adults:
2009 ALA Youth Media Awards Everything from the Newbery to the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
NPR: Great review of Peter Abrahams' Reality Check, with excerpt
Tacoma Public Library: 100 Books Your Child Should Hear before Kindergarten
Smithsonian: Our Story recommended books on American history

Bonus link: 1st Annual Summer Islamic Reading Challenge To encourage Muslim children (and interested non-Muslims) to read and review Islamic children and adult books

New study shows short, intense workouts might be as effective as endurance training

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:45:02 -0800

Can you get fit in 6 minutes a week? Um, actually, maybe you can. But it has to hurt. (via gs)

Moscow Cat Theater

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:14:00 -0800

Moscow Cat Theater! (via br)

Daily news from the 1930 WSJ, today

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:15:00 -0800

Here's an interesting project: News from 1930, a daily summary of the 1930 Wall Street Journal published on the day it happened. (via rte)

Kevin Kelly: Why Defaults Matter

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:14:00 -0800

Kevin Kelly has written another brilliant exploration of the interplay between technology and culture, this one on the Triumph of the Default. How should defaults work, what do they really affect, and most importantly, what are their cultural consequences? If that sounds dull or over your head, blame my description. Like so much of Mr. Kelly's work, this is a smart, accessible, and important piece.

[T]he privilege of establishing what value the default is set at is an act of power and influence. Defaults are a tool not only for individuals to tame choices, but for systems designers -- those who set the presets -- to steer the system. The architecture of these choices can profoundly shape the culture of that system's use. Even the sequences of defaults and choices make a difference too. Retail merchandisers know this well. They stage stores and websites to channel decisions in a particular order to maximize sales. If you let hungry students make their desert choice first rather than last, this default order has an impact on their nutrition.

Impact on language? Consider science fiction

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:15:00 -0800

On the vigor and poetry of Science Fiction.

It's perhaps natural that a genre that deals so specifically with science and technology should have come up with so many new terms. Science, after all, is the single biggest contemporary fattener of dictionaries. But these words also bespeak active imaginations and that curious form of literary finesse that enables writers to label an object, and readers to understand that label, even though both label and object have never before been encountered.

Salon's review of "In the Land of Invented Languages"

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:14:00 -0800

A delightful journey through the realm of invented languages and its cast of dreamers, weirdos and obsessives.

There are scant similarities between Esperanto and Invented Language No. 2 on Okrent's list, but here's the biggie: People who speak either of them are seen as hopeless weirdos by the outside world. Language No. 2 is only 25 years old and was definitely not created to serve the cause of universal brotherhood. It is not the uncopyrighted property of all humanity, but rather the trademarked invention of a major corporation. It is maddeningly and indeed deliberately difficult to learn, and doing so has no practical or theoretical usefulness, either now or in some contemplated future utopia. "Hamlet" has been published in that language too, and here's how the soliloquy starts: "taH pagh taHbe'. DaH mu'tlheghvam vIqelnIS."

(both via mamr)

The cultural signifiers and genre sexism of urban fantasy

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:57:00 -0800

Last weekend I found myself in a big-chain bookstore and was fascinated by the number of vampire and straight-up fantasy and historical fiction on the "Summer Teen Reading" display. So, when I encountered Buffy fans: read this, I expected an article on the teen-girl Twilight-inspired vampire craze, or perhaps one about publishers' bestseller-driven bandwagon-jumping and backlist-repackaging.

Instead, Laura Miller has written a very smart article on urban fantasy - an adult genre which is entirely new to me - exploring its significance as a cultural marker and the unease of some male authors in being identified with a genre they (incorrectly) perceive as a close cousin to the romance novel.

How to make Umeboshi, Umeshu, and Ume Hachimitsu Sour

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:15:00 -0800

Maki has been posting a series of her mother's recipes using Japanese Ume plums: Umeboshi (Japanese salty pickled plums) and Homemade Umeshu (plum wine) and Ume Hachimitsu Sour (ume honey-vinegar drink). I'll bet I can get some ume plums in Japantown, but when will I be home long enough to do this?

Summer Reading 2009 - 06/22/09

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:22:08 -0800

This week's compilation of Summer Reading Lists includes more from Nancy Pearl, two lists for Christians and Theologians, all-ages Manga, and recommendations for brides-to-be.
For Adults:
NPR: Librarian Nancy Pearl Picks Summer's Best Books
The Boston Globe: The books of summer
Asheville Citizen Times: Summer, and the reading is easy: From worldly to local, new books are bountiful
Seattle Public Library: Staff Favorites: Three more novels for your summer reading
UC Davis: Smart Summer Reading
TheoSource: Summer Reading: What's in Your Stack booklists by Christians and theologians
Unashamed Workman: 100 Recommended Reads divided into parts: For Unbelievers, For New Christians, Defending Your Faith, Bible Studies, The Church, Evangelism, Theology, The Cross of Christ, Baptism, Prayer, For Singles and those Dating, On Marriage, Pastoral Issues, Eldership, The Pastor's Role, For Women, For Men, and Biographies
Examiner: Top 10 + 1 intriguing science books to take on vacation
Read Street: Summer reading: more dirty books
Buzz Sugar: Summer Reading: 12 New Books to Check Out
Women's Enews: Women's Writing Fires Up Summer Reading Lists
Chicago Boyz: Summer Book Recommendations for a Friend
Weddings in Vieques: Excellent Summer Reading Recommendations for Brides-to-Be

Children and Young Adults:
Kansas City Star: Summer reading for tweens
About.com: Great All-Ages Manga for Young Readers: Kid-Friendly Graphic Novels Full of Fun, Fantasy and Pocket Monsters
Publisher's Weekly: ShelfTalker's Summer Reading List for young adults (annotated shortlist)
School Library Journal: Searching for the Perfect Summer Reading List? The Coretta Scott King Committee offers some terrific choices