January 30, 2008

Rule Two-Forty-Who?

Is this really going to be as effective for me if I'm not the travel writer for the Today Show? You've got to think that there is some kind of coding system where airlines know who these VIP's are when they pull up their ticket reservations - that is what I'd like to see an article about, how to get on THAT list.

Wikipedia and The Consumerist seem to be believers.

. . . . . more info from The Consumerist comments, where I was hoping to see testimonials of successful use but alas, suppose I'll just have to give it a shot and see what happens.

January 29, 2008

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

Not sure how I missed this . . . but a friend pointed me in the direction of this video for Kanye West's song "Can't Tell Me Nothing" starring Zach Galifiankis and Will Oldham, and apparently commissioned by Mr. West himself. That is high quality funny.

January 28, 2008

Meat Has Feet

There is a nice piece in the Times' Week in Review by Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, entitled "Rethinking the Meat-Guzzler." For a variety of reasons over the last year we've significantly scaled back the amount of meat that we eat-usually only one meal a week-, as well as being more circumspect in the types of meat that we do eat. If you've explored either of those two options and happen to be a fellow member of the semi-voluntary poor as we are then you quickly learn that the one quickly informs the other - i.e., if you want to eat meat of higher quality produced under conditions that in some measure take into account the fact that animals have not only utilitarian but intrinsic worth then you really can't afford to eat that much meat. Bittman touches on most of the reasons that have played a part in our own transition to meat skeptics, so I won't belabor any of those here, and in doing so he gets a few quotes from two of my favorite authors whose works are also worth checking out: Tyler Cowen, economics professor at George Mason and preposterously prodigious blogger over at Marginal Revolution; and Michael Pollan, the seemingly everywhere darling of the foodie nation whose latest book, In Defense of Food, I have not yet read but I'm number three on the waiting list down at ye olde public library (sorry Michael, I can't afford meat or hardcovers these days, although $13.17 is a ridiculous price for a new hardcover, what is the mark-up on books these days that they can offer that price!) but about whom I'm fairly confident in recommending just about everything he has written and in light of the present topic his Omnivore's Dilemma is a great place to start for those who are interested in starting (and yes, that is a paperback!).

Also worth a look:
Michael Pollan - Unhappy Meals (essentially the premise of his new book)
The Meatrix - can not be explained, must be experienced.