Culinary Art

Going out to eat: 

I sincerely am not interested in a “chef’s” culinary art.  Their job is to offer me an attractive and consumable package, if the package isn’t appealing enough as-is, then they should accommodate.

Ashley and I went out to eat last night for her Mom’s birthday.  It was this arrogant restaurant in downtown Annapolis: O’Learys.  Yes of course the food was good, it’s not hard to find a restaurant that serves good food.  Ashley asked the waiter if she could swap something out from her entree and the server’s face scrunched up, shook his head and said he would have to ask for the chefs permission.  

Who do these chefs think they are? If someone asks for Cheerios with some Tang to wash it down, and it’s available in the back, then there’s no reason not to comply.

What you get when you go to places like O’Learys, is simply the knowledge that your surrounded by people who have money.  Personally, I like going to places where I know the surrounded patrons have less money then me, makes me feel better about myself.

Valentine’s Day at the Maryland Science Center

Ashley’s Valentine’s Day present to me was a trip to the Maryland Science Center.

It was Charles Darwin’s birthday!

We enjoyed some 3D dinosaurs in IMAX.

Ashley was mesmerized by a faux tornado.

Reflexology isn’t actually science, it’s magic, so it’s too bad that it was found in the gift shop.

Check out this harp with laser strings.

Singularity University

I just enjoyed a new episode of The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe  to enjoy while I ate some lunch.  

The first bit of news on the show today was a discussion about Ray Kurzweil and his joint venture with Google and NASA: The Singularity University.  This uber-prestigious university is designed to groom really smart people (with lots of money) to solve major world-wide problems with ridiculously awesome technology.  In the video on their website, they provide the example of fighting world hunger with AI.  How exactly you do that, I don’t know, but I guess if you are cool enough to go to the Singularity University then you will.

I’m so happy that the Skeptic’s Guide finally discussed their Skeptical view of Kurzweil.  I had requested through their website that they talk more on him, and I’m just going to pretend that today’s episode was for me. 

Ray Kurzweil predicts computers to surpass the sum of all human intelligence by sometime in the 2040’s.  He takes about 230 vitamin supplements a day to try and live forever.  He’s like a rock star he’s awesome, but totally wacko at the same time.  Steve Novella described him as today’s Nikola Tessla.   Basically, the SGU deemed him extremely optimistic on his time-frame, and downright foolish with his vitamin mega dosing, but in the end, he has an awesome brain and is worth listening to. 

I’m still desperately awaiting the The Singularity is Near Movie which is supposed to be out “early 2009.”

Speed Camera Pimping

A few months ago I got a speeding ticket in Montgomery County MD from a camera. I was legitimately speeding, and according to the law, I deserved it. Check out this awesome new scam high school kids are doing with those cameras:

(These picture have nothing to do with the scam, I just thought they were funny.)

They first get a photo of someone’s license plate who has wronged them in the past. They then fabricate a fake MD license plate and attach it to their car and just drive passed the cameras speeding. They have dubbed the game “Speed Camera Pimping”. Of course the parents are saying that’s it’s awful, and yea it’s fraudulent, I’d be pissed, but that’s a good one.

Ledo’s Pizza

If you don’t live in Maryland, then I have something that you don’t have, Ledo Pizza. I just want to take a second to appreciate this spiritual soupy pizza. I think I may partake for lunch.