ZachIsHere: “In these serious times it is important for all of us, of all faiths or no faith, to recognize these four Religious Truths:”
All posts by warwick
Animal sculptures made from scrap metal
MAKE Magazine: “Edouard Martinet makes these amazing animal sculptures from scrap metal in junkyards”
Stop checking my weblog every 10 minutes NewsFire user in the Netherlands
Dear NewsFire User in the Netherlands:
If your IP address is 81.204.48.1 and you live in Amsterdam and you use NewsFire, please stop checking for site updates every 10 minutes. I would prefer something more conservative, like maybe 1 hour or so.
Thanks,
The Management
Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker on sale for $174.99
*Update: you’re too late–it was only a two day sale.*
If you’ve been thinking about getting a smoker, now’s the time.
Amazon has the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker on sale for just under $175. It’s what [Matt](http://kerner.net) and I use for smoking meats and fish and it’s fantastic. The $175 price is cheaper than what I paid for mine and a bargain for the quality.
Bottom line: If you already are a “griller”, buy a smoker. You won’t be sorry.
2500 Meter Milestone
Today I ran 2500 meters (or about 1.5 miles) without stopping at a good pace. I was not significantly winded afterwards and my time was around 18 minutes based on my iPod clock. I really need to get a stopwatch!
Pros:
* The run itself was routine and that’s a good thing. It means that my body is starting to acclimate itself to the new exercise. I like that feeling.
Cons:
* I need an orthotic insert for my running shoes.
* I need my new shoes *right now*.
Wishes:
* I wish I had enough money for an iPod nano and the Nike kit. It sounds like a blast.
Running Update: 11 minutes
11 minutes. I was surprised to find that from a “cold start” I can easily run one mile (1600 meters) in only 11 minutes. The pace was easy on my body and breathing, a nice jog. That means I’d likely turn in a time for a 5K run around 34.5 minutes. Not bad, but I don’t think it would be competitive or even realistic. I should add 15 minutes in there for slowing down, freaking out during a race or even getting tired.
I’m talking about a 5K because I think I’m going to enter the Sunshine Run, a local 5K institution put on by the Sisters of Mercy affiliate [St. John’s](http://stjohns.com). It’s an easy race and this year, it will start and end at Hammons Field, home of the Springfield Cardinals.
I ordered new shoes from [Ridgerunner Sports](http://ridgerunnersports.com) — new Cumulus VIII to replace the pair I have now that’s nearly worn through. It’s tempting to save a few bucks and get last year’s pair from Shoe Carnival and I may do that yet. I haven’t heard from them for a few days and I can’t wait the two weeks that they thought it might take.
Matt's Summer Tapas
Matt’s a chef–don’t let him tell you otherwise–and earlier this month he posted about [summer tapas](http://www.kerner.net/archives/000553.html) that looked outstanding. Matt does a great job of posting with pictures and the middle tapas item (cerrano ham?) looks perfect for me.
Now, if we could only encourage him to post more, especially about the computer he bought for his smoker…
Web 2.0 Quiz
Tim Smith sent this my way….
Weekend Smoke (Post 3) — Pork Roast — Summary
It’s the morning after the smoke and I thought I’d share some things I learned, good and bad:
* I controlled the temp just fine. The Minion Method is perfect for using just the right amount of charcoal. This was a short cook (4 hours) and the Minion Method worked well since the internal temp of the cooker was over 110˚F before lighting. I could see a situation when the slow temp climb wouldn’t work in my favor, but it’s darn near foolproof for keeping the temp low and controlled.
* Large meat cuts need to sit out for an hour or more. I pulled the meat from the refrigerator and it sat on the counter for only 30 minutes before heading inside the smoker. The internal temp was 42˚F and that meant the smoker had to work harder to bring things up to serving temperature. At the four hour point, the temp had risen to 149˚F which I wouldn’t call idea for safety. Before serving, I reheated the 1/2 inch thick pieces I’d sliced in the microwave to 160˚F to ensure food safety. Oddly, this particular roast was very juicy but lacked flavor. That brings me to…
* Not enough barbecue/smoke flavor. I used maple wood from the yard (gasp!) and got a very small smoke ring. I think I’m a hickory person or even pecan like [Matt](http://kerner.net) uses.
* I’m ready to try the big three: ribs, brisket and pork shoulder.
* Always put the charcoal away in case it rains unexpectedly overnight.
Ken Jennings on his recent trip to the movies
ken-jennings.com: “Why is that single mom naively bringing her be-sweatered intellectual pre-teen to an R-rated movie? The Squid and the Whale might be educational, but probably not in the same way she’s thinking. The same couple who took their kid to Curious George in the first panel apparently gets a sitter when they go back the next night to spice up their marriage with some tasteful European softcore. But this time accompanied by that pervy loner in the ski jacket.”
Steve Kirks 