2004
- 1 (4 to 4 1/2 pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped serrano or jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 11/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Bicycle Hit and Run
It’s amazing to me how hostile some drivers are to people on bicycles. This article in the Star Tribune highlights another recent hit & run. It just makes me sick.
You can help, even if you don’t ride a bicycle. If you see someone driving aggressively against a cycling you can report the unsafe driving over the web to the police. Also, you can support local advocacy groups for pedestrian and bicycle safety.
Power Blip
Our power, which is horrible and goes out on a regular basis blipped today. This was a very short blip. Some devices didn’t reset. The UPS on all the system that have them kicked in and more sensitive systems did reset.
I’m logging this mainly for my own purposes with XcelEnergy.
Paintball
Tammy and I went and played paintball today. It was pretty fun. Neither of us had done this before. Tammy actually brought the flag home for the victory in two different games. We played about 7 or 8 games throughout the day. My first game I played defense and didn’t even fire a shot. That was no fun. I also learned on the other side that Rambo tactics only work in the movies. Running and jumping over barriers with two guns blazing is just a quick way to get yourself out of the game.
Paintballs do sting a bit when they hit, but no welts to speak of. Quite a bit of fun. We played at Combat Zone which is about 90 minutes out of the cities up by St. Croix State Park (we were just there last weekend. It was a really well ran place and the people who ran it were good folks.
Huge thanks to Kristina Mauersberger for coordinating and herding all the cats to actually get this setup!
Dodgeball!
We went and saw Dodgeball tonight and I have to admit that while it’s a pretty stupid movie it is really funny. Don’t go expected any type of intellectual experience, this is chewing gum for the brain, but fine chewing gum it is.
Privacy or the Lack Thereof
“The average American is listed in at least 50 databases, and that’s not counting government files.”
This is the lead line in this article from PC Magazine about the amount of data that is stored about you in all the databases that different corporations have. Privacy on the Internet continues to be a long-term issue that concerns me greatly. I worry that our personal information is becoming a commodity on the network and that it will only be the technically savvy/elite and wealthy that are able to retain some control of their personal information.
What can you do to help ebb the flow? Be aware of this issue! The next time you are at Best Buy and they ask you for your zip code when making a purchase, say no! When asked to give freely information that can be used to give a profile for you, refuse. If you receive value that you feel is justified for turning over this information then go ahead, this is a transaction to buy your personal information. Just don’t give it away!
Organizations like the EFF are keeping an eye on this and they can use your support. Also, there is legislative action going on in this arena and it’s worth being aware of and letting your representatives know you care. With George W. at the helm, who knows what could happen to privacy legislation!
Prince
Tammy and I went to the Prince concert last night at the Xcel Center. I’ve never seen Prince before and he put on an impressive show. It was non-stop for a little over two hours. The stage and the lighting was very cool and the music was very good as well. Not being a consummate Prince fan, I probably wasn’t as “into it” as others at the show were.
We were guests of Trizec which is a property management firm we are considering moving our offices to. The suites at the Xcel Center are very nice. Nicer than even the Target Center.
Fresh Strawberries
Tammy and her Mom went and picked fresh strawberries today. I’ve already had at least a pound and a half of them. Fresh, real, vine ripened strawberries are just amazing. Strawberries are by far my favorite fruit and these are like an entirely different thing than what you get at the megamart or even the co-op.
Yum!
Good Article on Digital Photography
Here is a series of three articles called Beyond Megapixels (part 1, 2 and 3) that is a very good read on the issues around digital photography and where the technology and industry is going.
There is nothing redeeming about mosquitos
We just got back from a quick overnight car camping trip to St. Croix State Park. The beauty of car camping is that you do really bring everything and the kitchen sink with you. We had our large tent which I affectionately refer to as “the condo” and blow-up mattress. The weather was fine even after a very rainy Friday.
We went for a long hike on Saturday covering a total of 9.6 miles. The first three miles of the trail, just like our actual campsite, was swarming with mosquitos. They were really terrible, and turned the first bit of our hike into an unplanned speed hike as we tried to stay a step in front of them. They were in fact so bad that it actually drove Tammy to use DEET for the first time. She hates the stuff – in fact is downright scared of it. This was no simple first time either since she used my Jungle Juice which is 95% DEET unlike your typical 10-15% found in most bug sprays. Enough with the skeeter talk.
Our hike was great. We had a wonderful campfire and good food. We broke camp right after completing breakfast on the new Coleman camp stove that I just “had to have”. Made pancakes, eggs and sausage (hey, this is car camping!). After leaving the jungle behind we went to Hinckley and did a couple of hours on our road bikes on the Willard-Munger State Trail out of Hinckley.
Aside from the mosquitos, it was a good trip. With the mosquitos, it was less than fun!
Stillwater Classic
On our way back from our camping excursion we stopped in Stillwater and watched the final stage of the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival. Today was the horrendous criterium in historic downtown Stillwater. There are a couple of climbs on the course including a brutal one that is over 25% grade. The race was fast and seemed to be more competitive than other years. The looks on the pro riders faces reminded me that this was no walk in the park.
It’s great to have one pro level bike race in Minnesota. I hope it continues to improve!
Easy Does It 5-mile Run
Tammy and I just finished the Easy Does It 5-mile run in Plymouth. We were going to do the Rally for the Refuge 5k mainly since we did the very first one last year so we could be repeat runners for the whole event. However, our friends Alice and John mentioned the Easy Does It was a lot of fun so we decided to do that instead. It was a great day, and the course was really good. I finished in 46:38 and Tammy finished around 43:30 (she doesn’t time herself). Race results aren’t posted yet.
Grilled Tandoori Chicken
With a fork, prick holes in the chicken pieces. Using a knife, cut diagonal slices 1-inch apart, and 1/2-inch deep into the larger pieces. Place the chicken in a baking dish.
In a blender, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, and process on high speed to a paste. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne, and process until well blended. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and process to a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides to combine all the ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn to coat evenly, rubbing the marinade into the holes and slits. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
Preheat a grill.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on the first side. Turn, baste as needed, and cook on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and continue cooking, as necessary until the chicken is cooked through, but still tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. (Alternately, bake in a preheated 425 °F oven on a baking sheet for 35 minutes.)
Bike Racing in Downtown
We just got back from watching Stage 3 of the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival. This is the Minneapolis downtown criterium. It looked like they might have to cancel it as the race approached because of the weather. There were very ominous skies and the rain was pretty hard for a while. The race did get off about 45 minutes late, but it did finally get off. It’s so exciting to see pro level cyclists just hammering along in a big “train of pain”. I stood on the side of the road on one of the sprint laps and the wind coming off the peloton was awesome.
Going to go see the final stage on Sunday in Stillwater as well.
Just got back from seeing Super Size Me! Should be a wake up call to everyone. Also saw a preview for The Corporation which looks very good.
Tailwinds Are Nice
I’ve been commuting to work on my bike again. It’s such a great way for me to get to work and with the superb trails that are at my disposal it’s really a shame for me not to ride in. On the way home tonight I felt like I was in paradise as I pedaled down the path. I was cruising along at 22 mph and the gears were turning over so easily.
At that time I was reminded of something that I heard when I was at Hellweek in 2001. An older cyclist that I was riding one of the centuries with joked with me that “Whenever you are enjoying it, you’ve got a tailwind.” Tonight as I rode along the path feeling light as air these words came back to me. I hesitantly looked to the side of the trail and there I saw the grass gently but firmly bent in my direction from a steady wind.
I had proven this saying true yet again.
Rain Gutters Installed
It seems lately that nearly every day there is something happening on our house. We don’t have any major remodel going on, but the combination of a lot of small and medium projects has everything in a state of flux.
Today we got our rain gutters installed and I’m very pleased with them. I worried a great deal about this since our house was designed without any overhang and like all houses from the late 1980s didn’t have any rain gutters put on it. When I thought about the gutters being put on it I really thought they would ruin the modern look of the house but I’m pleased to say that I think they look fine. In fact, I told Tammy that it’s possible that they actually are a nice addition.
We got the 6 inch gutters which I think was the right call. The smaller ones could have looked odd on the house. I’m now eagerly awaiting a good rain so that I can see them in action. This will definitely keep the moisture away from the house.
North Col of Everest or Bust
One of the guys at MarketWatch in our New York office, Rowan Hajaj, recently took off to go to the North Col of Everest. It’s funny because I had met him a couple of times and the main thing that I was struck with was his British accent, not a spirit for adventure! :-) Obviously I was wrong.
Anyway, he has a blog from his trip. It’s a good read, he’s a much better writer than I.
I’ve several times thought it would be great to go to the Everest region. But whenever I hear the details I seem to change my mind.
Lance Commercial
It’s prime time for the cycling season right now. Over the course of the last 4 years I’ve developed a strong interest in professional cycling. I admit, like many it started just as a US Postal and more specifically a Lance thing. But I’ve really started to love all that there is about cycling from the spring classics to the grand tours.
Anyway, there is a new Nike commercial with Lance that has been shown on OLN a lot lately. I’m not usually one to comment on commercials, but this thing is really cool.
Warning: watching this may make you get up and go on a ride if you are a cyclist!