P/review Sites

There are tons of review sites telling you about the new products and tech toys coming to market. They all seem to cover the standard manufacturer specs, and sometimes look into the menu structure (OS) and other features. Even Amazon does it with their products.

I can't shake the feeling that there is something still fundamentally missing, something they aren't showing, that would be vital to my buying one via their sponsor links. But what is it?

In addition to the product reviews you read online, what would you need to know / see / read that would encourage you to buy one? Other than the spec data, what do you really want to know about a product that you can't seem to find in those sites?

Why Don't Chugo?

So I became a samurai and they told me I was chugo.

"Duty and Loyalty: You serve your purpose and do what you must do. People would consider you someone to rely on, and one who keeps his/her word when he/she gives it."

The name sounds ugly, but at least it sounds honourable.

I Had It Coming

"February, 2004

Dear California Music Purchaser:

As Attorney General for the State of California, I am pleased to enclose payment for your claim in the settlement of the Compact Disc Minimum Advertised Price Antitrust Litigation. [snip the rest of the letter]

Bill Lockyer
Attorney General of California"

And at the bottom of the unexpected letter was a cheque for $13.86. I guess it pays to sign up with those class action lawsuits when it applies to you! Yay!

Need an Ark

Help, help! On account of the inclement weather, they've issued flood warnings for the Bay Area because of the terrible storm we're having! Oh, please please please somebody save us! All this downpour from above, wind gusts that will carry you away like Mary Poppins!

Please, Californians, it's just rain. Just keep driving, morons.

(Not a great day to have my left headlight out anyway.)

What Tofu Is Fo'

With its thrust into North American popularity some years ago, tofu has found itself with a bad reputation amongst westerners, because it's bland or they don't like the taste or whatever. Why, though? And why was it that Asians have been cooking and eating the various forms of soybean products for thousands of years, then?

Deep fried tofu snack. Mapo tofu over rice. Soy milk (hot or cold, sweetened or non). Soy biscuits. Tofu stirfried with just about anything Asian. Tofu puddings and desserts.

That's what I associate with tofu and cooking. I was enjoying a mug of fresh, hot soy milk with a friend this past weekend when I realized why it was: they try to make it what it's not. I see these tofu companies trying to push it for western acceptance with some very strange food impostors.

Tofu burritos. Soy milk as a lactose-free alternative in your coffee. Soy cornbread and scones. Tofu veggie burgers. Pizza with tofu on it. Tofu pasta salads. Tofurkey, for crying out loud!

With these recipes, it's no wonder they don't like tofu. It's no wonder they think it's weird and possibly gross -- they're not using it right. Please, people, just enjoy it for what it is. It's just tofu.

Shampoo for More Body

Brain fart.

We should all shampoo our hair.
But should we shampoo all our hair?

(Read it again. You'll know what I mean.)

Curry in a Hurry

On North Road in Burnaby, BC, there is an unassuming Chinese restaurant by the name of Big Wok. I used to frequent this place a lot, back in the college days. It was where they served, in my opinion, the best Chinese-style curry beef brisket on rice for just four-and-change.

As I remember it, it might almost have glowed, but not that crazy fluorescent colour that some places seem to use. This was more a tan-brown-yellow -- I will refrain from telling you what else is the same colour. Great chunks of tenderly-stewed brisket, soft lumps of potato, and the richest curry sauce in all the land.

And it was probably about as bad for you as it could ever get. But damn, it was tasty.

I didn't get a chance to eat there this trip back, but I will next time.