Surrounded By Idiots

This is what the AP had to say:
Marge Trowbridge, a lone supporter of President George W. Bush, carries a sign claiming she is surrounded by idiots as she walks in front of an anti-war protest on Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport, Maine, Saturday afternoon Aug. 26, 2006. President Bush is visiting his parents for the weekend as part of his summer vacation. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

And this is what *I* have to say:
If you're going to object to idiots, LEARN HOW TO SPELL "IDIOTS."

Rachael Ray: Omnipresent and Annoying

With three shows on Food Network, multiple cookbooks, a magazine and a talk show in the works (thanks a lot, Oprah) it's become nearly impossible to avoid Rachael Ray. And as an aficionado of travel+food shows, I keep *trying* to watch the woman. Yesterday, I attempted to watch one of her Tasty Travels shows -- it was a mostly Maine episode and I deeply love Maine and all its craggy coastlines and delightful seafood dishes -- but I was climbing the walls within 10 minutes. And making a mental list of all the things that annoy me about Rachael Ray:

1. I can't stand watching those flailing man hands;
2. everything is "yum-MO";
3. she holds her fork upside down when taking a bite, completely declasse;
4. that pert little nose is starting to look like a snout as she ages;
5. constant references to "my sweetie" make me want to gag;
6. the whole EVOO thing -- if you're gonna say "EVOO, which is short for Extra-Virgin Olive Oil," just SAY "Extra-Virgin Olive Oil" and be done with it;
7. she consistently indulges in free samples (and advocates it) without buying anything -- usually at small businesses;
8. pushing your dangling hair out of the way while you cook is never a good thing for your hair or the food.

I think I will stick to Anthony Bourdain shows if I want to watch travel+food together.

Caribou Coffee

I come to sing the praises of Caribou Coffee. I got hooked on the stuff way back when I was making regular trips to the Detroit metro area. I spent many evenings in Royal Oak sipping a Caribou Turtle Mocha and watching the world go by. At that time (geez, a whole decade ago) Caribou Coffee had stores in Minnesota and Michigan. A few years later, they had expanded to Ohio and I was stopping by the Worthington store as often as humanly possible -- a long trip from Central Pennsylvania, but hey, I had a brother in the Columbus area and a few business reasons to be there, so I could justify the seven-hour drive to get a good mocha. Yesterday, on a pilgrimage to the Wegman's destination store in Hunt Valley, Maryland, I discovered that Caribou has at long last spread to my neck of the woods! Hurray!

So why am I posting this here, in my Rant Blog?

Because there's a grand total of, like, five parking spaces in front of the damn store. I circled like a vulture for 15 minutes, hoping that somebody would get his/her car out of my Caribou space. But no. Everyone was blissfully sitting around, drinking Turtle Mochas, watching the world go by. Sure, I could've parked a half-mile away if it were just me. But with two little kids in the car, I need Caribou to have: (a) sufficient spaces in front so I can drag my kids in with me to get a tasty mocha; or (b) a frickin' frackin' drive-through window.

I drove away without a delicious Caribou drink. Dammit.

And while I'm ranting about golf fashion...

I need to add Ian Poulter to my list.

Here he is, rockin' the Madras:



And who can forget this get-up from the 2006 British Open? (Not me, and that's a problem.)




Note the Claret Jug embroidered on Ian's leg. Way to jinx yourself, buddy.