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12.15.11 by Wolven @ 2:46 pm  Recently, photographer, writer, all around interesting person, and friend of the show, Ms. Katie West wrote an article on the impact of The Matrix on the culture and minds of a certain generation: "I CAN ONLY SHOW YOU THE DOOR, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT HAS TO WALK THROUGH IT." In this essay, Ms. West laments the lack of inspirational future narratives to be found in our culture these days, saying that, when we see the re-imagining of old promises in film, TV, and so on, we're seeing a set of promises the like of which we haven't seen since: Unlike all those people in 1969 who have memories of where they were when Neil Armstrong said those famous words, I have no memory of where I was when the first person walked on Mars, or where I was when we achieved warp speed, because it never happened. I only remember where I was when terrible things happened. I know exactly where I was when planes crashed into buildings (in the darkroom at my high school developing pictures), or where I was when a tsunami almost wiped out an entire country I loved (in a bar in Los Angeles meeting people from the internet).
And the thing is, she's right. Categorized as: Stimuli
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12.09.11 by Leigh @ 6:30 pm  For our latest adventure into the land of mixological mayhem, we go to Leigh, Minister of Fine Spirits, showing you what she does best. She is joined by Big Dub (aka Big Bry), giving her moral support. And drinking support. Because both are necessary. The task: how to make a perfect sweet Manhattan, which Leigh dubs (Big Dubs perhaps) "The Big Bry Manhattan." Along the way, something is learned about bar gear, a glimpse of Leigh's massive booze stash is glimpsed, and scurvy is thwarted once more. Not bad for a video that runs under five minutes. Categorized as: Stimuli and Video Podcasts
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12.08.11 by Widge @ 10:38 pm  Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Other times, it is a source for foam. After seeing Tim Ferriss' video of a sneak peek at some Four Hour Chef mayhem/Four Hour Body cheat day treat-ness, I decided to give it a go. Why? Because it was tequila hot chocolate that utilizes cigar smoke-infused milk foam. Which sounds just weird enough to be a must-try. It also hails from The Aviary out of Chicago, which looks like a ridiculously awesome establishment that I will one day be wheeled out of. The following video documents my attempt at this recipe. This is to be used for entertainment purposes only. If you try to follow my lead, then know we are not responsible for any injuries sustained, nor any smoke damage to your house. You have been warned. For Tim's Four Hour Body book, you can find it on Amazon here. And you can pre-order Four Hour Chef here. Categorized as: Stimuli and Video Podcasts
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11.24.11 by Widge @ 1:28 am  So Turkey Day is upon us. For our many non-American readers, we always defer to Jim Gaffigan to explain what our holidays are really all about. But yes, the holiday is about being thankful. But the truth is: it's mostly about eating. And dealing with family, for good or ill. Mix thinking about eating with geekery and what do you get? Eventually you start thinking about meat that you'll never be able to get a hold of. That's right, fictional creatures. Assuming they existed and we could have them with a side of fries, what creatures would I definitely want to sample? Good question. Here's nine I came up with, in alphabetical order.
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11.19.11 by Widge @ 12:05 pm  So I understand there are people quite perturbed at the amount of Twilight-mania that's going on, since Part 1 of the "final"* book has hit cinemas this weekend. People are going apeshit over it (vampshit?) and it will make a ton of money. This is known. And granted, I'm not saying don't make fun of them (a certain incident we staged with a pinata springs to mind), but keep it in perspective. So for those of you who find yourselves overly concerned about the amount of attention this is giving to Vampiricus Sparklibus, I have three things for you:
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11.17.11 by Widge @ 12:57 pm  It's the most wonderful time of the year. Not Christmas. That, as Dr. Lecter would say, is incidental. No, I'm talking about the Hammacher Schlemmer catalogues that arrive and have completely batshit insane items that are far too expensive for anyone normal to own. Not to say you wouldn't necessarily want to own them--and not to say the entire catalogue is like that--but all I'm saying is that there's probably a lot of higher priority items on your list. Like buying a private island. Or funding research to grow new livers. Anyway, each year I look forward to the catalogues arriving so I can peruse the madness. And now I'd like to share some of my findings with you. Nothing that ranks up there with the sheer excess of the life-size X-Wing Fighter from one year...and that may have been the same year they had a gypsy wagon. Yes. First...the catalog itself is designated "Last Minute Gift 2011." Last Minute? It's mid-November! No idea. Anyway, here we go... Categorized as: Stimuli
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11.16.11 by Widge @ 12:42 pm  It's well known--much to the chagrin of my friend and compatriot, radio DJ Rob Levy--that I don't listen to the radio. If I do manage to know something about what's "new and hip" (or whatever the hell you kids are calling it these days (and get off my lawn)) on the radio, it's either by accident or, more recently, because I stumbled across it on the "What's New" tab of Spotify. However, what I mean is that I don't listen to American radio. I listen to scads of British radio shows because, like television, they simply do it better. It occurs to me that some of you out there who also might want something different to listen to...you might need a guide as to what to look for. So I have snagged a list of fifteen...to give you a variety to choose from. Ken started me on this addiction and then I just went apeshit on my own with it. I listen to more of these shows on my iPod than I probably do music, frankly. Anyway, you get the show, when it was, who was on it, why you should give a damn, how you get it and what to look for if you want to try it out. A high point, if you were. Enjoy. Categorized as: Stimuli
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11.16.11 by Rox @ 8:17 am  We delve once more into the archives of DragonCon 2011 and bring you something from the British Media track. It's a panel devoted to Sir Terry Pratchett and features our own Rox of Spazhouse, Caro (our own Bob the Zombie), Angela (the one with the confession to make), Lars Pearson and a young man whose name I couldn't catch. If that's you, show yourself! Anyway, much of how people came to Pratchett, how the Venn diagrams for Neil Fans and Terry Fans play out, and fun with characters and dialogue. Categorized as: Podcasts and Stimuli
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11.13.11 by ScottC @ 10:42 pm Remember me posting around two years ago about a audio theater group I was with, Curious Echo Radio Theater. We had just released our first show, Beware The Moon Wraith: The Orb of Phoebe with the promise of more to come. Then silence. Here is an explanation.  You see, there is this thing called Real Life. You know, jobs, school, family, all that stuff. Now Real Life sometimes can be enjoyable but it is time consuming. And it hit us hard. Frankly, it pretty much derailed us. Curious Echo Radio Theater was down… but not out.
Our resident scribe, Louis Gutierrez, was busy. He had been busy not only writing scripts for The Moon Wraith along with Frank Gadsden: Personal Injury Lawyer of the Future and Shadows West. He also set up a home studio to record these scripts. For the last few months, we have been busy recording and editing some programs for you to listen and enjoy. So the first Frank Gadsden adventure, Time Wounds All Heels will be up in the next few days. And new adventures will soon follow after that. So please tell us what you think of the new material. Tell your friends. Talk about us on your favorite social media site. Thanks in advance. Categorized as: Stimuli
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11.13.11 by Big Dub @ 3:24 pm  Our favorite holiday, Halloween, has come and gone, and do you know what that means? Is it time for us to fill our bellies on various forms of mutton and copious amounts of ale as we honor the founding of our country? Is it time for students around these proud United States to find the funds to hire people to write their final examination essays on their behalf? Is it time to honor those that have served to defend the freedom of our country? Is it time to elect representatives--or at a minimum, make it legal to buy alcohol every day of the week? (Note: The author of this article lives in Georgia.) For all these questions, the answer to some people is: yes, of course. However, the majority of the Shopping Industry would have us believe it is time for only one thing: Ol' Saint Nick, those witty little elves, Rudolph and His Antlered Crew and Reese's Peanut Butter Trees. That is correct, dear Need Coffee readers, November is here and thus...so is Christmas. Why is it, that two months before the actual event, we are already being seemingly forced to celebrate? No other occasion gets this much fanfare, and the aforementioned vote to approve alcohol sales on Sundays only got a minor blurb in the paper, much to the chagrin of Categorized as: Stimuli
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