Monday, February 28, 2011

Oscar Host For 2012

 

OK, the 83rd Annual Academy Awards ceremony is now over and folks seemed to think that this year’s telecast blew huge chunks and that the Franco/Hathaway hosting duo didn’t quite cut it.  Fine.  So who would YOU like to see hosting it next year?  Vote now!  Here are your choices …

A.  Oprah

 

B.  Conan O’Brien

C.  Kathy Griffin

D.  Jimmy Kimmel

E.  Joan Rivers

 

Don’t forget … you can always vote for Billy Crystal as a write – in!

Vote early, vote often … but most importantly … vote NOW!!!  Please leave a comment below and let us know which celebrity you’d prefer to see hosting the awards ceremony next year!

 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

When Voodoo Sex Rituals Get Out Of Control

 

 

 

Seriously, don’t you just HATE it when your favorite voodoo sex ritual ends up more like a funeral pyre?

Goodness knows that I sure do! 

And that’s precisely what happened recently right here in my home borough of Brooklyn – but I assure you that I had nothing to do with this. 

Here’s an excerpt from the story that appeared in The New York Post, with a link, just in case you need to read the entire article:

 

Last Saturday's fatal Brooklyn fire started by voodoo sex rite

A wild candlelit sex ritual between a Brooklyn woman and her voodoo priest got so hot and heavy, they ended up torching their clothes and sheets -- sparking the nasty fire that killed a retired teacher and left 100 people homeless last week, sources said yesterday.

The unidentified client was just looking for some good luck in her life when she forked over $300 to the horny holy man at his East 29th Street apartment in East Flatbush last Saturday, sources said.

"She had problems in her life, and she wanted them taken care of," a law-enforcement source said.

Now, let’s take this as a learning experience, shall we?  Well, if you’ve read the entire article (and shame on you if you haven’t), here’s what I believe we can take from this rather unfortunate incident:

 

  1. Don’t leave your lit candles near the bed linens, especially if this is done for “romantic” effect
  2. If you start a fire in your apartment, don’t open the window
  3. Take your pants to dry cleaner rather than trying to iron them yourself
  4. Not even witch doctors can put out a fire
  5. Please don’t move into my apartment building

There are probably more things that we can all learn from this, I’m sure, but these are the only ones that come immediately to mind.  What about you?  Do you think that there are more things that we can learn from this?  Or do you have any other similarly dangerous sex rituals (voodoo or otherwise).  In either case, please leave a comment below to let us know what you think …

 

Friday, February 25, 2011

Academy Awards Cocktails On Cocktail Time

 

My recent post about Academy Award-inspired cocktails has been picked up by the e-zine, Cocktail Time!  Here’s the link:

Cocktail Time!

Please remember to Tweet, Share on Facebook or e – mail the link to friends who you think may be interested. 

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Cocktails For Your Academy Awards Party

 

Are you planning on throwing an Oscar party this weekend?  Whether you are or not, these cocktails may be fun to try while watching the awards ceremony because they were inspired by some of the stars of a few of the nominated movies.  Here’s a video to give you an idea of what they’re like:

 

 

For more information – and to read the entire New York Times article that was the basis for these mixology inventions, please click the link below:

 

A Toast to the Nominees, With Drinks They Inspired

 

So are there any of these recipes that you might want to try while viewing the show?  If so, which ones?  Or do you have your own cocktails you prefer?  Regardless of your choice, please leave a comment below and share your cocktail and/or your recipe.

Sex, Alcohol And Heart Attacks

 

 

If you wanted to avoid a heart attack, which would you give up:  sex or drinking?

Sorry, but those are your only choices – unless you are a cocaine addict or live in a high air pollution location. 

According to an article published in The New York Daily News, a study was conducted that claims sex and alcohol can increase your risk of a heart attack. 

For the entire article, please click on the link below:

Sex, caffeine and alcohol among top causes of heart attacks

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Barrels Of Fun – Whisky And Its Ageing

 

 

Got wood? 

Whisky makers certainly do!

If you’re a fan of whisky (or even whiskey), then you likely know about the importance of barrels in the ageing processes.  But how much do you know about the details of the types of barrels and how they are made in order to store all of that precious eau de vie (or aqua vitae, if you prefer) for which you fork over your hard earned shekels?  Well, if you’re like me (and my condolences if that’s the case), then you probably know very little.  That’s one of the reasons why I recently took a course called Whisky 101 at The Astor Center In New York City – that and the fact that they were offering a tasting of some mighty fine whisk(e)ys on that evening.  Time to get your geek on, whisky lovers! 

Oak wood, when used as a type of barrel in which to age a spirit, can impact the alcohol in different ways:  as an Additive, as a Subtractive and as an Interactive.  They are as follows:

 

  1. Additive:  As an additive, the impact of oak barrels on whisky can have what is called an organoleptic effect – meaning that it can have an impact on some of your senses … especially those of smell and taste.  In this way, the most desirable elements from the cask are derived – scent, flavor and appearance. 
  2. Subtractive:  As a subtractive, oak barrels are also able to remove the undesirable elements.  These would include the immaturity of the spirit (the age in these casks is what provides its color) as well as the sulphur like quality it can have when its ageing begins. 
  3. Interactive:  Lastly, the oak wood in a barrel can have an interactive impact in the sense that it will add extractive wood elements from the cask in which it is aged and converts them into organoleptic desirable elements, some of which occur via oxidation where acids are removed and tannins are converted to acetols

While there are hundreds of types of oak, only a few are used for making barrels in order to age either wine or whisky.  These types are known as Quercus Alba, Quercus Petraea, Quercus Robur and Quercus Mongolica 

Here’s a brief look at each type …

  1. Quercus Alba.  Quercus Alba is an American white oak used for bourbon, rye and wines made in the United States.  Usually, it’s only used one time – with the exception of bourbon barrels, which, as every good scotch drinker knows, is what’s used to age Scottish whiskey. 
  2. Quercus Petraea.  Quercus Petraea, or Sessile Oak, is a type of French oak that’s often used in Europe in order to age French wines.
  3. Quercus Robur.  Quercus Robur is often called “Pedunculate Oak” and is also used in Europe.  Most frequently, you will see this type of wood used in casks that age European wines, sherry and port. 
  4. Quercus Mongolica.  Quercus Mongolica, on the other hand, is most frequently used to age Japanese whisky.  Sometimes referred to as “mizunata”, it is more used for flavoring, and not quite so much for ageing. 

 

Well, that’s about it for now, boys and boy-nots.  Do you have any comments or observations about any of these?  If so, please do be sure to leave a comment below …

 

Thursday, February 17, 2011

DME – Martini Bowl

 

 

My review of the 2011 Martini Bowl has been posted on Zane Lamprey’s “Drinking Made Easy” Web site at the following link:

 

The Martini Bowl

 

You may leave comments on that site as well.  Additionally, if you find the article of interest, please remember to Share it on Facebook, Tweet about it on Twitter or e – mail the link to your friends. 

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

2011 Best Picture Nominees: The Short List

 

 

For the second year in a row, followers of The Academy Awards have to endure a longer list of movies nominated in the Best Picture Category. It used to be that only five films were nominated, but last year, for the very first time, they expanded the list to a total of 10. In a sense, increasing the list can be considered a good thing because movies that may have flown under the mainstream radar now have an opportunity to be acknowledged; also, since movies nominated in this category can sometimes get a bit of a box office boost, this can also be a good thing for business from an industry-wide perspective.

But there is at least one reason why you could argue that this expansion is a bad thing: there may not necessarily be as many as 10 movies that merit nomination. In truth, some have griped in years past that the Academy would be hard pressed to come up with a list of only five, never mind 10. However, in years where there are five deserving films, are the other five merely filler?

It is with this in mind that I wondered what would have been the nominees for this year if they kept to the old school limit of five films. While I certainly wouldn’t claim to be able to read the mind of the Academy members, I would like to submit which five I personally believe to be most deserving:

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Black Swan – Director Darren Aronofsky has, in my view, never made an uninteresting film. In Black Swan, he has crafted something truly unique and Natalie Portman’s performance is nothing short of brilliant.

 

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Inception – Combining science fiction, action and a love story isn’t easy – but it was accomplished in this film, along with a very satisfying surprise twist ending.

 

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The King’s Speech – This is about as close to perfect as a movie can get: inspired performances by an outstanding cast and an inspirational story based on historic events. An excellent family picture, though not necessarily marketed as such.

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127 Hours – If you pitched a movie where the protagonist was alone on screen for most of the movie and in the same location for much of that time, you’d be laughed out of the executive’s office and told to go write a stage play. Yet somehow, the filmmakers made it all work.

 

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The Social Network – Another movie based on a true story, but one that’s more modern and whose complete history has not yet been told. It is difficult to tell a story about a protagonist who isn’t very sympathetic or heroic, yet somehow, the tale is told through Zuckerberg’s eyes and we’re spellbound.

And just what do you think?  Would these be the movies nominated if the list was still limited to five?  Are there any from the official list you believe would make the cut if the category was still limited to five?  Post a comment and share your thoughts.

Does Your Boss Make You Vomit?

 

Can puking be considered a work-related injury if it’s caused by your manager?

That might be the case for one employee of The New York City Housing Authority – apparently, he’s been getting so much abuse from his boss lately that it’s been causing him to throw up fairly regularly.  Here’s a sampling from an article in today’s New York Post – if you want to read the entire piece, please click the link below:

 

Housing Authority superintendent says sound of boss' voice makes him vomit - NYPOST.com

 

Housing Authority Superintendent Anthony Dingle was so sickened by higher-up Demetrice Gadson’s constant berating that he would literally vomit, according to a lawsuit.

"I was constantly being attacked by her. I felt like attacks could come at any time. Every time I heard her voice, it triggered a sickening feeling in me," Dingle said through his lawyers, Michael Borrelli and Alexander Coleman.

Dingle, 48, claims that his boss became verbally abusive after he blew the whistle on her for alleged shenanigans.

 

So what do you think?  Will this guy heave if he gets the heave-ho at work?  Does his suit have merit?  Or is he just being a wimp?  Please post a comment below to let us know your thoughts on this matter.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Martini Bowl 2011

 

 

MartiniBowlMenu2

 

When you can’t attend the Super Bowl, what’s the next best thing? 

Why the Martini Bowl, of course!

Every Super Bowl weekend, Union Square Wines & Spirits holds the Martini Bowl, pitting a variety of gins against sundry vodkas.  I have been attending this event for the past five years and usually like to try an equal amount of both spirits.  This year, however, I inexplicably stuck to a gin-only tasting.  Sorry to disappoint you vodka lovers, but you can check out the menu below to see what was offered. 

 

Menu1

 

Interestingly, of the eight gins that I tasted this year, only two were from England, one from Scotland and the rest were made in the U.S.A. – five from New York and one from California.  When tasting gin, I generally try to find out not only the number of botanicals used, but also, what kind, as they can impact the taste – sometimes subtle, occasionally not.  Nonetheless, it can be the combination used that tends to make a good gin stand out, not merely the amount.   One surprise from this year was something that was being marketed as a “gin liqueur”, the only one of that kind I’d ever heard.  The big disappointment, however, was the fact that nothing from the genever family was represented among the gin varieties. 

 

Menu2

 

I began this year’s tasting with Breuckelen Distilling Gin.  The name is pronounced like the borough of New York City, “Brooklyn” – no coincidence, because that’s where it’s made.  The reason for the spelling is a bit of a nod to history – the borough of Brooklyn was originally named “Breuckelen” by the Dutch, its founders.  Eventually, the spelling changed to “Brooklyn”, as it is referred to today.  Breuckelen Gin is 90 proof, utilizing ginger and grapefruit among its botanicals, in addition to the standard juniper.  They highly recommend using their product in classic cocktails such as a Martinez or Negroni.  Recently, The New York Times published an article about the controversy between this Sunset Park based company and a competitor by a similar name, Brooklyn Gin; I asked the company representative about this but she said that she was under a gag order and was therefore unable to comment.  If you’re interested in reading more about this story, here’s a link to the Times’ piece:

 

Pride of Place in Every Drop 

 

Second was Seneca Drums Gin, from the Finger Lakes region of New York.  An 86 proof gin, it claims 11 botanicals including lemon and orange peels, dill, black pepper, anise and cucumber in addition to juniper.  They served a tasty and refreshing cocktail called The Corpse Reviver which may be made as follows:

  • 1 oz. Seneca Drums Gin
  • 1 oz. Cointreau
  • 1 oz. Lillet blanc
  • 1 oz. fresh lemon
  • 1-3 drops absinthe or pastis (they used Pernod)

Combine all ingredients, shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.  Garnish with a cherry.

Next up was DH Krahn Gin.  Made in Mountainview, California, this 80 proof gin’s botanicals include both lemon and orange peel in addition to grapefruit peel as well as Thai ginger and juniper.  I tried it both on its own and in a martini with dry vermouth; alone, it had something of a tangy taste, which I’m somewhat unaccustomed to with a gin.  If this is kind of flavor is something you might not find too off-putting, then Krahn might be worth a try.

This was followed by Hayman’s Old Tom Gin.  Finally, a true London gin!  This was served two ways – on its own and in a Martinez.  Another 80 proof gin, this was made by people who used to work for Beefeater, the oldest gin.  On its own, Hayman’s owes its remarkably sweet taste to the sugar that is used as one of its ingredients; because of this, I could imagine just sipping this with a little ice on a summer day, without any tonic water.  Botanicals include citrus, anise and coriander, among others. 

Have you ever heard of something called a gin liqueur?  Well, to be honest, neither have I – until this day, when I was treated to Averell Damson, which indeed bills itself as a gin liqueur.  Like Seneca Drums, this also comes from Finger Lakes, New York.  At 66 proof, it has a lower alcohol content precisely because it is a liqueur, but compared to other liqueurs, it’s relatively high in alcohol.  You wouldn’t know it was a gin by looking at it because it’s so dark – getting the color from plums, which give it a rather strong scent.  The manufacturer recommends this as a digestif, or after-dinner drink. 

A very familiar London dry gin was next – Bulldog, a perennial participant in the Martini Bowl, frequent winner, and long time personal favorite of mine.  Most notable for its wonderfully prominent citrus taste, this 80 proof gin was served in a cocktail called The London Cider – two parts warmed apple cider, one part gin and a little cinnamon.  Unfortunately, the cider overwhelmed the gin and I thought the drink was a little weak; if you want to try making it yourself, you might want to try it with equal parts of cider and gin so you can taste more of the liquor.  An even better cocktail for Bulldog – and one you needn’t wait until summer for – is London Lemonade:  fill a shaker with ice, then add 2-3 ounces of lemon juice (freshly squeezed, if possible), 2 ounces of Bulldog and 1 ounce of St-Germain elderflower liqueur – shake, then pour into a Collins glass and top with a sparkling wine of your choice.

Comb 9 Gin had the highest alcohol content of any gin presented on this afternoon at 94 proof.  Made here in New York, it distinguishes itself as the world’s only gin distilled from honey.  It was served in a cocktail called Boardwalk Empire, although why and how they felt it had a connection with the HBO TV show by the same name, I honestly have no idea whatsoever.  If you want to try your hand at it, however, here’s the recipe:

  • 2 ounces Comb 9 Gin
  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 3/4 ounce of St-Germain Liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
  • 5 raspberries

Directions

Muddle the raspberries and grapefruit juice in a shaker.  Add vermouth, St-Germain and Comb 9; fill the shaker with ice, then shake for 20 seconds and strain into a cocktail glass.  For those of you who don’t like grapefruit juice or simply aren’t allowed to drink it (any fellow Lipitor patients out there?), they recommend substituting the grapefruit juice with lemon juice. 

Finally, there was Scotland’s offering, Hendrick’s Gin.  An 88 proof gin, this is not exactly what I would refer to as a “starter” gin for people who may be new to the spirit – while I like it, I must admit that it’s something of an acquired taste because it’s unusually spicy for a gin.  It was served in an utterly outstanding cocktail, once again utilizing my favorite liqueur, St-Germain; the drink was called Hendrick’s Elderflower Martini and can be made as follows:

  • 2 ounces Hendrick’s Gin
  • 1/2 ounce Lillet Blanc
  • 1/2 ounce St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
  • 3-5 dashes of orange bitters (they used Regan’s)

Directions are pretty straightforward – everything (except the bitters) goes into a shaker of ice; shake and strain into a cocktail (martini) glass, then add the bitters.  This one is an absolute MUST – people who tried it were recommending it to others so strongly that they skipped the order of the tasting just to try this cocktail … and I don’t blame them.  I highly recommend this one. 

So who officially won this year’s Martini Bowl?  Quite frankly, I have no idea.  However, my choice for the day – the one I bought, given the tasting promoted all of the spirits with a 15% discount for the day – was Hayman’s Old Tom Gin.  As for the vodka?  Well, maybe I’ll get to those next year.

That’s about it for this year’s Martini Bowl.  Until next time, as usual, please remember the immortal words of the great French philosopher Rene Descartes, who said, “I drink, therefore, I am!”

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Too Stupid For Sex

 

Is it possible that someone might not be smart enough to have sex?  A court in England certainly seems to think so.  It appears that there is a 41-year-old man whom they identify as “Alan” who has been tested to possess an IQ of only 48, which classifies him as someone with a “moderate” learning disability.  The court has decided that due to his low IQ, “Alan” is sufficiently incapacitated to the point that they have banned him from having sex.  The following is reported in today’s New York Daily News; for the entire article, please click on the link below:

 

Man with low IQ banned from having sex by secretive Court of Protection in England

"Alan" had already been under supervision to prevent him from having sexual contact with anyone but himself for more than a year. The concern was that his mental capacity prevented him from understanding the nature of sex or the consequences it could have.

He displayed no understanding of female sexual organs or their reproductive functions, according to therapists who conducted numerous tests on "Alan."

"His knowledge as to health risks was very limited and faulty," the judge said in his ruling. "He thought that sex could give you spots or measles. Although he knew what a condom was he was not able to put one on properly."

 

So, if your upcoming Valentine’s Day romantic interlude takes an unexpectedly unpleasant turn, you might want to find out the IQ of your partner in order to determine the reason why.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Why Drinking Is Good For You

 

 

Good news!  Drinking alcohol can actually be good for you!  Really – science says so!  Bad news – this is only true if it’s done in moderation. 

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  In it, there is evidence to suggest that alcohol is associated with living and remaining mentally alert longer.  Who knew?  The catch, as stated above, is this whole moderation thingy – which they describe as no more than two drinks a day. 

The following is an excerpt from an article in The Wall Street Journal about these new guidelines; to read the entire piece, please click the link below:

 

A Toast to Your Health

Researchers at the Harvard Health Professionals study team, which has tracked the health of doctors and nurses for decades, have consistently found that the health benefits associated with moderate drinking are real. They measure all forms of health behavior in addition to drinking (e.g., smoking, diet, weight, exercise, concurrent health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease) and have uniformly found the benefits of alcohol to persist within each category.

 

What do you think?  Can moderate drinking really be considered part of a healthy lifestyle or is such a concept completely out of the question?  Is there such a thing as moderate drinking?  What do you think of the definition of moderate drinking?  Is two drinks a day too many or too few to be considered moderate?  Post a comment below if you have any thoughts on this topic.

Monday, February 07, 2011

DME: Valentine’s Day Cocktails

 

 

 

My blog post about Valentine’s Day cocktails is now online at the Web site “Drinking Made Easy”.  You may find a link to it here:

Stupid Cupid: A He-Man's Guide To Valentine's Day Cocktails

If you find it useful, please remember to Share it on Facebook, Tweet it on Twitter or e – mail a link to your friends.  Also, you may leave comments at the “Drinking Made Easy” Web site. 

Saturday, February 05, 2011

Stupid Cupid: A Real He – Man’s Guide To Valentine’s Day Cocktails

 

CAUTION: All women must stop reading immediately! This blog post is only for us he-men!

OK, everything all clear now?

Great.

Let’s huddle-up here, fellas …

The AFC and NFC Championships have been decided. We know who’s gonna be in the Super Bowl this year. And depending upon when you’re reading this, maybe you already know who’s won.

And you know what that means, dontcha?

Yep, that’s right. We gotta deal with VD.

Valentine’s Day, I mean.

If we stick together, we can all get through this, guys. Let’s take a deep breath and begin …

Did you forget the flowers? Did you pick the wrong restaurant? Is the gift you bought her both the wrong size AND color?

Fear not, boys – this blog post will talk about how you can seize a Valentine’s Day victory from the jaws of defeat by mixing the right cocktail just for the two of you. The good news is that none of them are the standard Cosmopolitan (I have great confidence that you can all screw up that one on your own). The bad news, however, is that these cocktails are excruciatingly sweet. There’s a reason for that, of course – because you’re making them for her and not you. That’s why it’s time to bite the bullet, men. You can always have a nice neat dram of Scotch for a nightcap. Or if things really go badly, maybe even snort some Jack Daniels …

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First up is something I like to call The Lemon-Drop Flirtini. Please be aware that there are actually two ways to make this cocktail – one for the lady and one for the gent. This is something of an invention of mine, adapted from a recipe I read once elsewhere …

  • 2 oz. vodka
  • 2 oz. Limoncello
  • 1 jar of cherries with the stems (this is important)

Fill a shaker with ice, then add the first two ingredients and shake. Take a cocktail (AKA martini) glass, plop in the cherry with the stem, then drizzle (the important part here is the word DRIZZLE) a bit of the syrup from the jar of cherries into the cocktail glass. Finally, strain the mixture from the shaker into the cocktail glass.

Notice how painfully pink this is? There’s a good reason for that – the fact that you poured in the syrup from the cherry jar first before you strained the cocktail into the glass. This will turn almost any cocktail pink, just in case you need a backup plan. Try it with a Pisco Sour if you don’t believe me.

Feel a little queasy about drinking one of these pink deals, men? No problem. You can join her in drinking the same cocktail, but just change the order of things – instead of drizzling in the syrup from the cherry jar before straining the drink into the cocktail glass, do it after. This will completely change the complexion of the drink – instead of being pink, the syrup will sink to the bottom, providing something of a two-tone effect: pink on the bottom, yellow on top.

So why is it a called a “Flirtini”? Well, partly because of the fact that the term is derived from a cocktail named as such on the old HBO TV show “Sex and the City”. The other reason is because of the fact that you used a cherry with a stem. (Uh, you DID remember to do this, didn’t you?) Here’s the deal: once your lady finishes drinking the cocktail, that leaves the stemmed cherry at the bottom of the glass. She then pours the cherry into her mouth and holds the stem in her teeth offering you her cherry. (Get it now, dimwit?). And THAT’S what officially qualifies this particular cocktail as a “Flirtini”.

Any questions? No? Didn’t think so.

Of course, if this fails (and trust me, it won’t), you could always offer up something like a Chocolate Martini or even a Strawberry Margarita (3 ice cubes, 6 strawberries in a blender with 2 ounces of Patron Silver tequila and an ounce of fresh lime juice – extremely pink, too!).

Painful? Sure. But remember just this one thing, guys: one month later, it’s payback … Steak and A BJ Day!

 

 

And what exactly is an old fart like me doing for Valentine’s Day? It’s a little concoction I like to call The AARP Flirtini – you swallow one Viagra pill and wash it down with four ounces of prune juice – after that, you don’t know whether you’re coming or going.

Well, I guess that’s it from me for Valentine’s Day 2011. Have any special Valentine’s Day cocktail you like to make?  Post a comment and share the recipe!  Until next time, please remember the words of that great French philosopher Rene Descartes who said, “I drink, therefore, I am!”.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Pass The Butter!

 

I don’t know about the rest of you, but hearing this news makes me feel really old. 

For the entire New York Times obituary, please click the link below …

 

‘Last Tango in Paris’ Star Maria Schneider Dies

 

Maria Schneider, the French actress whose sex scenes with Marlon Brando in“Last Tango in Paris” set a new standard for explicitness onscreen, died on Thursday in Paris. She was 58.

A spokesman for her agency, Act 1, said that she had died after a long illness but provided no other details.

The baby-faced Ms. Schneider was only 19 when the Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci chose her above a hundred other actresses for the role of the free-spirited, mysterious Jeanne in “Last Tango” because, he once said, she seemed “like a Lolita, but more perverse.”

 

So here’s my question for you:  If this film was released today, do you think it still would’ve gotten an X-Rating?  Place your comment below …

Total Blackout

 

This is a foreign game show.  I won’t comment because I think the video speaks for itself – but please don’t let that inhibit you.  Care to comment?  Post your thoughts below …

 

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

When Are You Too Old To Cook?

 

At a lecture about a year ago, Tony Bourdain tells his rapt audience how to know when you’re too old to become a chef …

Anthony Bourdain from Jeff Houck on Vimeo.

Love Bites

 

 

In the lead – up to Valentine’s Day, it may be a good Public Service Announcement to remind people not to give their lover a hickey as serious issues might develop as a result.  Think I’m kidding?  One woman wound up getting paralyzed from her hickey.  Here’s an excerpt from The National Post; please click the link below to read the entire article.

 

Woman (temporarily) partially paralyzed by hickey

WELLINGTON — A New Zealand woman was temporarily partially paralyzed by a “love bite” on her neck from her amorous partner, doctors reported in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

The 44-year-old woman went to the emergency department of Middlemore Hospital in Auckland last year after experiencing loss of movement in her left arm while watching television, the journal reported.

Doctors concluded the woman had suffered a mild stroke but were puzzled about its cause until they found a small vertical bruise on her neck near a major artery, a love bite, or “hickey,” she received a few days earlier.

This of course begs the rather obvious question:  Have you ever given a hickey to someone (or gotten one) that caused embarrassment or some other kind of problem for one or both of you?  Post a comment below and share the tale …