Peachey passed along this "meme" which originated at this website:
[url]http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/uncategorised/the-omnivores-hundred/[/url]

I guess it's just an exercise to see if you've expanded your horizons in enjoying new tastes.  It's definitely a Western-oriented list, but given that cultural bias, it's still fun. 

Here are my answers.  If I haven't tried it, no formatting change to the characters.  If I've tried it, it's Bolded.  My comments are bracketed.   If I would refuse to even try it, it's struck through.  

So let's see my "score".  I've tried around 50 out of 100.  I've had true clam chowder in Maine and Maryland, so I think that the sourdough bowl is a stupid gimmick.  And smoking a cigar has nothing to do with drinking cognac -- that's not consumption.  And I'd refuse....none but one out of 100.  The poisonous pufferfish can't be worth the risk of having a chef who's not on his game that day.  Having said that I think if I'd be hungry or desperate enough, I'd eat anything that wouldn't eat me first. 

Here's my list.  I listed a clean cut and paste version afterwards since I added a lot of comments in mine.  

If you do your own list in your own blog, just post a notification at Peachey's blog....here's the link to her blog:

[url]http://www.alivenotdead.com/peachey/The+Omnivore-s+Hundred-profile-326119.html[/url]

68. Haggis [when in Scotland...]

69. Fried plantain [very starchy]

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette [I’d hesitate to eat this - intestines are like the sewer pipes of the body...this might actually be crossed off upon reflection]

71. Gazpacho

72. Caviar and blini [what’s all the fuss?  Just because it’s rare or expensive doesn’t make it good, for real]

73. Louche absinthe [I’d try it but I don’t like anise - licorice tasting]

74. Gjetost, or brunost

75. Roadkill [If I was hungry enough....]

76. Baijiu [rice wine...shame on me for not trying it...how’s this different from sake?]

77. Hostess Fruit Pie [No, around here it was the Tastycake fruit pie, delicious cherry ones]

78. Snail [aka Escargot – good that it was disguised by tons of garlic and herbs - not a nice texture]

79. Lapsang souchong   [mmmm, this sounds delicious, a smoky tea!]

80. Bellini [I had something similar in Italy but it was bottled, not fresh peach puree]

81. Tom yum [hmmm, maybe but then I might have avoided it because of the coconut milk...coconut is the one thing I avoid at all costs]

82. Eggs Benedict

83. Pocky

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.

85. Kobe beef [I’d like to try it, once, if I can get a second mortgage on my house]

86. Hare [I’ve had rabbit but not, officially, a hare.  I know I’ve run over them with the lawn tractor.  Sorry, next time I’ll be sure to fry it up.]

87. Goulash [Hungarian Goulash, very tasty]

88. Flowers

89. Horse [not to my knowledge....]

90. Criollo chocolate [I’m not a chocolate connoisseur but I’m not against it either!]

91. Spam

92. Soft shell crab

93. Rose harissa [no, but it sounds like it’d really add zing to a recipe]

94. Catfish

95. Mole poblano

96. Bagel and lox

97. Lobster Thermidor [way too rich]

98. Polenta [this is the most memorable food from my childhood, the way my Italian grandmother used to make this to be accompanied by a chicken stew with a few tomatoes and all the fresh mushrooms we picked in the woods – the aroma was heavenly.  It’s easy to make.  Throw in a bunch of grated parmesan cheese if it’s not exciting enough for you, and add enough salt - the leftover polenta is also great fried with eggs in the morning. 

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee    [I TOTALLY overdosed on this on a vacation to Jamaica, so much so that I couldn’t, for the next few years, drink caffeine without having scary heart palpations — that’s some good shit]

100. Snake [maybe if Eve had eaten the snake instead of the apple we wouldn’t be in such a mess today]

Here's the Cut and Paste Version along with the rules: 

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

The rules:

1) Copy this list into your blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out or underline any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here notifying us of your posting of this meme at your profile.

(that would be Peachey's blog - url above)



Thanks for helping me waste a couple of hours of my time Peachey!  Crap, now I'm both hungry AND behind schedule. 

I just posted this over at the Jet Li Forum but I'll repeat it here just in case I can reach some new people.  This website is the best of the best, and sets the record straight in this very crooked world of politics....

In this age of soundbites, both McCain and Obama try to persuade people to vote against the opposing candidate by "exposing" their true views, their faults.  No one talks about what he CAN do.  

A lot of the time those soundbites are filled with lies, exaggerations, and half-truths.  Since I don't watch TV except on-line, and listen to public radio and not commercial radio, I am not bombarded with these phony statements.  

But I do get emails from FACTCHECK.ORG, which is



I don't know which campaign has been the biggest lying sack of doodoo, but I can guarantee you that the coming weeks will get uglier.  

If you hear something in the debates or in advertisements or literature which persuades you to vote for or against either candidate, check again.  See if what he or she said is the truth.  

I think this is a great service doing noble work.  Check it out at:  www.factcheck.org
You can also sign up for email alerts on the home page.  

Just as an example, here is an article on "THE WHOPPERS OF 2008"


And this is supposed to give us all "hope" and portend "change"?  Same old, same old.  


For the record, I was a Hillary supporter and now I'll vote for Obama/Biden, not totally enthusiastically but I will.  McCain/Palin scare the crap out of me.  

Have fun watching the VP debate tonight.  It should be really good television!  I guess it's on PBS, again, www.pbs.org.  Oh, I checked, it's on TV everywhere.  But I'll have to watch it online.

Whatever you do, please make sure you're registered and VOTE on November 4.  No one else can do it for you.  

Oh yeah, another couple of programs which also DEBUNK the bunk flung by both candidates, with an openly "liberal" slant are:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart - you see stuff here you never see anywhere else!  http://www.thedailyshow.com/full ... ml?episodeId=186763

The Colbert Report - http://www.comedycentral.com/col ... ml?episodeId=186541

I'm sure a lot of you have seen these shows but they are essential viewing during the election cycle.  They make me laugh and shake my head at the same time.  These shows have great writers.  


Edit:  For those of you who are in other countries, non-US citizens, these shows are great to watch anyway.  But be warned, both shows use a lot of sarcasm and irony so may be tricky to appreciate if you don't understand American humor.  Just FYI, the star of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert, is "posing" as a Republican supporter but is clearly not.  So when he says "McCain is great" it is with a wink.  Enjoy!

My really friend HaloJones, I JUST LOVE HER, asked me to answer these.  I will but I won't pass them along (I'm always at the bottom of every pyramid scheme).  This is for you HJ, even though I already declined Jaine's invitation but I gotta make this stop somewhere!  

1)  Answer the questions below in your blog.

 

2)  Delete one of the questions you don't like and add a new question.  There should be a total of 20 questions.

 

3)  Pass it on by listing some people you'd like to answer those questions.  Notify them by signing on their guestbook in their blog to tell them they've been picked.  Try not to duplicate people that have already been picked.  Those who choose to answer need to mention the name of the person who picked them so the game can continue.

 

Stargazer  picked me.   

1. Is reality in this world harsh?

Not for me, but for the vast majority on the planet it is.  But that doesn't mean that people won't find some happiness.

2. What is the happiest thing in life?

Knowing that my loved ones are healthy and taken care of.

3. How long has it been since you've thought about things quietly? (In this busy lifestyle)

I like not to think too much.

4. What country would you really want to travel to?

China and Cuba.

5. What annoys you most about yourself?

Procrastination.

6. What do you do if you're not happy?

Go to sleep.

8. What is your personal goal in life?

I don't really have any worth repeating. 

8. Any practical goals in the next 5 years?

Get fit.

9. Any habits you cant get rid off?

Being a mess of a housekeeper. (can you tell I'm finally cleaning today?)

10. What is your life currently like?

Disorganized.

11.  If you could pick a talent what would it be?

Become a Tai Chi Master.

12. If you can fulfill one wish, what would it be? 

Make us all just get along (another way of saying World Peace).

13. What are the things you'd expect in your other half?

Intelligent, enlightened, funny.  HJ - Sounds good to me.

14. What do you think you lack and how would you like to improve upon that?

Where to start.

15. What would be your dream job?

Be an architect for the green structures.

16. What's on your mind today?

Getting the place in shape for Easter Family dinner here.  What, was I crazy?

17.Say something honest to someone you're thinking of. (Say that person's name as well).

Dad, I miss you.

18. Any situation that you'd hate?
 

I hate being cold and wet.  So the Titanic would definitely not be a fun cruise for me.

19. What is the worst thing that can happen on this earth?

If we'd just self-destruct.

20. Any characteristics you hate?

Stupidity.

I just watched Lust, Caution on DVD last night.  It's a wonderful movie as you would expect from Ang Lee.  I was a bit put off by the inclusion of so much explicit sex in the film as I don't think it added to the plot.  Ok.  I got it.  As the movie progressed the female lead (Tang Wei portraying Wong Chia Chi in a character arc that's more like a full circle---an amazing performance).  But I really don't need to see so much genitalia or other body parts to understand a relationship based on lust which develops into something more.  This plot was possibly the only one which would require that much graphic sex but as beautifully filmed as it was it was my cup runneth over. 

I like to see what other people think about a movie after I've seen it, so first I searched AnD and read about the NC17 ratings in the US and the censorship of parts of the movie in China, and then I went to Metacritic to read some reviews. 

This is what I discovered is happening TODAY.  China is putting the screws to this fine actress.  Why?  Allegedly for protraying a traitor to her country.  If you see this movie you will see their point but it's not as simple as that.  They're making an example of her, NOT of Ang Lee, NOT of Tony Leung, but this young actress at the beginning of a wonderful career.  Her performance was amazing and BRAVE and beautiful.  SHE didn't write the damned part. 

And now SHE'S GOING TO SUFFER A BAN. 

From the Associated Press but it's reported everywhere, except I guess in China.  I hope that AnD resists this as an Artists' website.  She is being scapgoated here.  It pisses me off. 

[quote]Chinese regulators have ordered TV stations in Beijing and Shanghai to stop reporting on actress Tang Wei and to pull any advertisements featuring the star of the Ang Lee spy thriller "Lust, Caution," according to Chinese media reports.

The reason for the ban, which has not been officially announced, was not immediately clear. However, "Lust, Caution" has drawn attention because it portrays explicit sex and unpatriotic behavīor.

Lee on Monday criticized the ban on Tang, who became a huge star with her role in the award-winning film. In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Monday, Lee praised Tang's performance in "Lust, Caution" and said he's disappointed by the reported ban.

"I am very disappointed that Tang Wei is being hurt by this decision. She gave one of the greatest performances ever in a movie that was properly produced and distributed. We will do everything we can to support her in this difficult time," he said.

Calls to a spokesman for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television on Monday went unanswered.

Hong Kong's Edko Films, which represents Tang, did not immediately return a reporter's call seeking comment.

In the movie, Tang plays a student activist who seduces a Japanese-allied Chinese intelligence official in World War II-era Shanghai to pave way for his assassination, only to give away the plot at the last minute.

Lee edited the movie before it was released in China, where it became a box office hit.

Unknown before "Lust, Caution," Tang, who is in her late 20s, became a household name in the Chinese-speaking world with her portrayal of an undercover activist who falls too deep into a sexually charged relationship with the enemy.

"Lust, Caution" also won the top Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival last year.

Chinese authorities recently banned the producer of "Lost in Beijing," another sexually explicit movie about corrupted morals in modern China, after a censored version of the film had been cleared and was released in Chinese theaters.

Lee, who won best director Oscar for the gay romance "Brokeback Mountain," was aware of Chinese worries about "Lust, Caution." He cut the movie's sexually explicit scenes and edited a line so Tang's character would appear less of a traitor to the Chinese cause.

Many Chinese are still sensitive about the Japanese military's atrocities during its World War II-era invasion of China. The Hollywood movie "Memoirs of a Geisha" was not released in the country.

Although the timing of the reported ban against Tang is unusual, it is not uncommon for the Chinese government to tighten media controls during key political events. China's National People's Congress is currently holding its annual meeting in Beijing.

Zhang Pimin, deputy secretary-general at China's Film Bureau, told The Associated Press in a phone interview he has n't seen any orders about a ban against Tang. [/quote]

Maybe I'm cheap but it really bugs me to waste money.    Even at my income level, I can rationalize an excuse like "I'm a busy person.  I can afford the extra dollars I have to pay for more electricity just to avoid the hassle of thinking about it, let alone doing something about it."

The stakes have become a little higher now.  If we all continue to consume more and more energy at a time when there's global warming and an energy crisis looming, well, that's just being irresponsible.

No one has to get nutty about it.  But I just read an article in the NYTimes, and it's not new news, but for some reason it finally sunk in.

Putting Energy Hogs in the Home on a Strict Low-Power Diet
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/technology/14basics.html?em&ex=1182139200&en=6ef50a693438d1b1&ei=5087%0A

How much energy are your electronic products consuming? Just by powering down your items or at least putting the system into a deep sleep can save you money and save the environment carbon spewing into the atmosphere.

Here are a couple of surprising tidbits:

-In the average home, 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Add that all up, and it equals the annual output of 17 power plants.  (Our local electric company just announced plans to construct another nuclear plant...great, no one does anything to solve the energy problem for the last 30 years and now our best fallback position is nuclear?). 

-Products that idle in what the industry calls low-power mode, or lopomo, consumed about 10 percent of total electricity in California homes. (I always thought lopomo meant like 1%, but 10% is huge.  I guess it’s just best to totally turn them off).

-Some of the larger big-screen TVs consume as much energy each year as a new refrigerator.  (There’s a reason for the frig to be operating overnight, but the TV?)

Whether or not we turn things off entirely or keep them on or do nothing...they're all just habits, habits that were developed, and habits which can change.  As with any bad habit, the question is do I care enough to change it?  Is it just harmful for me or for everyone?

It’s going to be hard for me to change my computer/electronics habits.  But now I realize it's not a victimless crime.  It’s bad enough that I have a crappy hot water heater consuming excessive wattage—that’s going to have to wait till I have money to replace it.  But this is something I can do today. 

Maybe I’ll put stickies on everything that say “OOO BABY, BABY, TURN ME OFF.”