The Grass is always greener...

I'm a O95-C35-E86-A50-N55 Big Five!!

I took an online personality test today. Here are the results.

I'm a O95-C35-E86-A50-N55 Big Five!!

I've started experimenting with Panoramic photography. I took the top image in SanFrancisco. The bottom image is Venice Beach. You can see a high resolution version in my gallery. Just choose the Panorama Album. http://johnscottfore.photoshop.com/

Eye Candy

I love the Happy Tree Friends. I know it is sick and twisted but I crack up every time I watch.





If you like them you can see them all at MondoMedia

That's some old Sh*t!

A conversation overheard in the Paisley Caves somewhere in Oregon.
“Holy Crap, Bob!”
“What is it Jenkins?”
“It’s crap!”
“Come on Jinkins, what?”
“14,000 year old scat!”
“Ella Fitzgerald is here?”
“No you idiot it’s people poop…14,000 year old people poop”
“Whoa”

A team of Archeologists led by Dennis L. Jenkins discovered some turds in Oregon that prove humans were in North America much earlier than was previously thought. Follow the link to read the article from the New York Times.

I love this line. “Traces of its distinctive fluted projectile points have been found throughout the Americas.”

Juvenile toilette humor aside, it is a pretty amazing discovery.

Grilled Chicken with Sundried Tomato Pesto on SF Sourdough Bread

Grilled Chicken with Sundried Tomato Pesto on SF Sourdough Bread

Today my mind toiled over how to prepare the chicken breast I put in the refrigerator to thaw. Finally on the drive home it came to me.

I started by heating up my gas grill. Then, I pounded the breast to about ½” thick. I could see right away that the size of the breast would now be too unwieldy to manage on the grill. So, I cut it into two more manageable pieces and discarded the rest. (Actually, I put the remaining pieces into a zip top bag which will sit in the fridge until the meat turns green then I will throw it away. Thanks Mom.) I contemplated dried Italian seasoning but then conceded that it would probably just burn over the intense heat on the grill. I simply seasoned both sides with freshly ground sea salt and pepper and proceeded to the grill.

I generously lubricated the grill with olive oil and placed the chicken on the grate. I had just enough time to prepare the sundried tomato pesto. (I normally eschew products from jars that I can make from scratch but my neighbor turned me on to California brand.) I put about 4 tablespoons in a small dish and nuked it for a few seconds. This got the pesto nice and gooey and easy to spread.

After only 2 minutes the breasts were ready to turn. After turning I put a generous schmere of the pesto on the chicken. Then I hurried inside to get my bread and cheese ready. I sliced two pieces of real San Francisco sourdough about ¼” thick. I also sliced some mozzarella cheese. I lubed the bread with olive oil and hurried outside. After all, no amount of pesto will save an overcooked chicken.

The breasts were shuffled off to the cool side of the grill to rest and the bread went oil side down on the grill. I returned to the kitchen and this where things could’ve gone to hell. Being the ADHD kid that I am, I got distracted by the icky chicken goo on the counter. Death to Chicken Goo! When I returned to my bread it was a little more al carbon than I wanted. It only takes a second to go from golden brown and delicious to ugly blackened and malicious. Irritated, I put the cheese and chicken on the bread, transferred it to a plate and went to the kitchen. I let the whole thing have a flavor commingling moment while I finished tidying the kitchen.

The results were amazing. The chicken was perfectly moist and delicious. The amount of pesto was just right; it wasn’t brassy or overpowering as it can sometimes be. Most of the subtle flavors I love about SF sourdough were lost but the slight char was most certainly a happy accident. The sugars in the bread caramelized and created sweet undertones that complemented the chicken nicely. The cheese brought everything together. Mozzarella is a very mild cheese and anything else would have competed for flavor. Let me note that I got a little carried away with the oil which left the bread a bit greasy. Next time I’ll know better.

When I had finished the sandwich, I realized hadn’t even touched my drink and I forgot to get the chips I had set out. I guess it was good. Next time I hope I will think to take a photo. It looked as good as it tasted.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Five brilliant MIT students and their professor go to Vegas and make millions playing Black Jack. They have developed a fierce system to beat the house using secret codes and gestures. Counting Cards is not illegal but if the casino catches you – let’s hope your health insurance is paid up.

Jim Sturgess plays Ben Campbell, a shy and exceptionally gifted young man. He has been accepted into Harvard Medical and needs $300,000 for tuition. When his physics professor Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) invites him to join his Black Jack club Ben is reticent. When the lovely and seductive Jill Tayler (Kate Bosworth) tempts him with the Vegas superstar lifestyle Ben finally folds. Choi (Aaron Yoo), Kianna (Liza Lapira), and Fisher (Jacob Pitts who looks a lot like a young Kevin Bacon) round out the rest of the club.

They are incredibly successful and Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburn) is pissed. A new facial recognition software that will put him out of work looms on the horizon. Williams is the head of security at the Hard Rock Hotel. The Hard Rock is the last casino to use humans and video surveillance. If it’s not bad enough he will soon be out of a job, now some smart assed geeks are going to rob him of his pension. He plots revenge.

There isn’t a lot of time for real character development but we get enough to be fully engaged in the outcome of their actions. Director Robert Luketic is at the helm, which is a big move from the chick-flicks he is known for. Luketic is best recognized for the smash hit comedy Legally Blond which grossed nearly $100 million. His last film, Monster-In-Law, starring Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda also did well. Apropos of nothing, he is from Sydney and he is one of the boys.

This flick is a wild ride of plot twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end. Just remember, “Nobody is allowed to beat the system. It’s the cardinal rule of Vegas.”

Watch the trailer here: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/21/