Category: Links
2023 Week 20 – The Asian Invasion
I ended up out at the track twice last week for work events. Tuesday was wet, and there were no cars on the track, so I ducked out after the event. Thursday was beautiful; the cars were out, turning laps and dialing things in. I always end up at the track every year for a vendor event or an event tied to work. Kind of a nice way to spend an afternoon!
Cheeky Bastards, a newish British restaurant on Fall Creek in Geist, is now open for dinner. I’ve yet to make it over there, but I’m hoping to check out their Fish and Chips (or Banders and Mash) for lunch very soon.
The Hustle had a great long-form piece titled “The $40m bet that made South Korea a food and cultural power” that explained how Korean food has taken off, similar to what Thai food did in the U.S. from 2022-2018 with help from the mother country.
Gastrodiplomacy, a term first coined by The Economist in 2002, happens when governments try to increase the value and knowledge of their nation through food.
https://media.hubspot.com/south-korea-mightve-picked-up-your-dinner-tab-2
I used to work with a guy that left his job to go work for the State Department doing something very similar. Bringing countries together with food and culture. Interesting stuff!
Following up from Week 17, where we referenced the disappearance of AM radios in new automobiles, The IBJ reports on a “Bipartisan bill aims to require AM radio in new cars.” The comments don’t disappoint, either…
It’s usually nice to see news coverage of your hometown, and then there are times it’s not… “Fishers Council approves $50 parking fee for nonresidents for Geist Waterfront Park.” The backlash on this decision is all over social media and has been brought up in several of the conversations I’ve been a part of this last week. I understand the need for crowd control, but this is just a bad look for an otherwise great project. I, for one, look forward to trying out the new kayak launch. It has to be better than the alternative we have at the Geist Park upstream.
And finally… The Deal Guy discusses “NEW Amazon Prime Benefits You SHOULD Know in 2023!”
2021 Week 34 – Keto Update
I start my 3rd-week with the “Low Carb” diet this week, and I can honestly say it’s going very well. I’m getting a little tired of the limited food choices, but I found a few cookbooks over the weekend that should help mix things up a little.
My original goal was to do this for 2 weeks, but I’ve been so pleased with the results I’m going to keep up with it for a while. I’ll admit I’ve had a few cheat meals, but just being conscious of what I’m eating vs. just eating to bet full has been truly eye-opening. Also, the energy I’ve gained by drastically reducing carbs (and sugars) makes this all worth it.
Dining out has been a little tricky, but it’s doable. I’ve found most restaurants have a low-carb option on their menu, although it’s not always called that. Asking for things without bread or adding a green vegetable over fries or other starches helps keep the carbs down. Now on to our regular programming…
I decided to refresh the look of the site over the weekend & turned on a new theme called “Kvarken”. It’s an older theme and might not be supported in upcoming releases of WordPress but it was time for a refresh. I still haven’t found the “perfect” theme for the site, but as time goes on, I keep getting closer. Unfortunately, there are so many themes to choose from, and many of them are not backward compatible with what I’ve been using, so I’m a little limited in my options.
I downloaded the Grammarly app over the weekend, and I’m in the process of testing it out both personally and at work. Grammarly is a real-time spelling and grammar checker with a huge list of features available (when you pay for a subscription to access them). However, the free version is also very useful and might be what I fall back to after my 90-day subscription ends.
Finally this week… The NY Times had an interesting article about the “issues” created when switching from plastic bags to cotton “totes”.
2021 Week 33 – Keto Curious
Last weekend I suddenly became curious about the Low-Carb (Keto) lifestyle. After watching an online video about Carbs, I started doing the math and realized I was consuming more carbs than I realized (a LOT more).
The COVID-19 shutdown has allowed me to cook more and, after finally finding an upright freezer available for sale, purchase more food for bulk storage. This was mainly for convenience, variety, and to reduce the waste of leftovers. However, when I checked the freezer and pantry, I realized how many Carbs were in my diet. So I decided to try an experiment… Reduce Carbs from my diet for 2 weeks.
As of today, I’m one week in, and I have to admit, I’m feeling GREAT! I’ve dropped a few pounds, and I have more energy. Of course, I’ve had a few Carbs now and then, but I’m making a conscious effort to try this for 2 weeks and decide how to go from there.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Kato diet, the video below does an excellent job explaining how things work.
You can find endless resources on YouTube as well as your local library. But, these days, you don’t even need to visit the actual library; you can check books out digitally using the Libby app and read on the free Kindle software from Amazon.
That’s it for this week. If you’ve done Keto or are currently living the lifestyle, I welcome your feedback! I’ve never “dieted” in my life, so this is new to me, but I’m really excited to see the results!
The Best Way to Reheat Pizza
I love pizza and could eat it more than just about any other food. If I wasn’t eating it cold the next day I’d always use the microwave to reheat leftovers.
I came across the skillet method a while ago & it’s a total game changer. It works best when re-heating just a slice or two. The Art of Manliness had a great writeup of the various methods.
I’ve found that a non-stick skillet with a tight fitting lid works best. All it takes is a cold pan, a few slices of pizza, and medium heat for 8-10 minutes (depending on thickness). This usually get me a slightly crispy bottom (better than when it was delivered in my opinion), and the slice is heated through.
Not as easy as eating cold (my second favorite way), and not as soggy as the microwave, the stovetop reheat method is my new go to method to reheat last nights pizza for lunch today. Give it a try & let me know what you think!
Extended List of Netflix Categories
I’m a big fan of Netflix especially their in-house original programming like Ozark, Master of None, Narcos, and Chef’s Table. Netflix uses over 3500 categories to organize their videos and they get very detailed. When you browse their website you’re only seeing the main categories. There a LOT more such as:
Action & Adventure starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
Until recently little has been known about these sub-categories If you know the category number you can navigate directly to that category and discover all kinds of new things
Using this list, it’s possible to search by very specific categories. All you need to do is take this URL:
http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/NUMBER
Then replace NUMBER with the category number on the right side of the list. Looking for Movies starring Charlie Sheen? Just use category number 2686.
I’m sure the category listing will continue to evolve as new ones get discovered. Right now the only way to search these specific categories is with your PC or Mac. Give it a shot and see if you can find something new to watch tonight!