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Phelps Wins 8!

OK, I've been out of the loop a little bit this weekend.

But it shocked me that Phelps record winning 8 gold medals wasn't on the front page of Google News today.

I'm really excited and happy for him. I used to swim in middle school and even though I haven't been following the Olympics, reading about his events and remembering what swim meets were like for me were very nostalgic and exciting. So I have him to thank for bringing back those good memories.

Here's an article.

While We're On The Security Issue . . .

Don't talk to the cops either.

Growing up we get this really nice picture of how police officers protect the public and generally do good things.

The reality is you never get treated that way by cops in general. Don't get me wrong, I'm pro-good, and while I feel my personal experiences with cops have been fair, I've yet to meet one that made me feel safe.

Shooting The Messenger

I've been keeping quiet about this for a while, but now I feel I should mention it.

Judge orders halt to Defcon speech on subway card hacking
Vulnerability Assessment Report

This whole business of corporations suing people who discover their security problems is retarded. That's right, I used the 'r' word. People who discover security problems and share it with "the good guys" should be rewarded for their ingenuity and hard work. Because if they've discovered security vulnerabilities, you can bet "the bad guys" have too.

The bad guys aren't going to be nice and let the good guys in on their secrets.

Edited to add:
Even more important than a way to ride the metro for free, here is the case of shooting the messenger involving the DNS vulnerability. And this guy even tried to do the right thing about it.

Top Ten Ways To Please Your Man

I've been making random jokes about Cosmo's "top ten ways to please your man" thing for years.

And now I've found the Onion is doing it too:


'Cosmopolitan' Institute Completes Decades-Long Study On How To Please Your Man

Fencing Is A Sexy Skill To Have

Super Sweep: US Is Now a Fencing Power

I've always wanted to learn fencing. I even bought and read a book on the subject. But I never had the opportunity to take classes, which I think is essential for a martial art.

I think it's great that we're starting the Olympics off with some good medal wins. I've never been wild about the summer Olympics, and I'm definitely not paying a lot of attention to the Beijing Olympics, but I think it's good that we can get together with our fellow nations and have some friendly athletic competition.

I should define what I think a "sexy skill" is. A sexy skill is a skill that might come in handy if you were a super-spy, with a sufficiently low probability that an average citizen would have that same skill. Like piloting a helicopter (fixed wing aircraft is kind of sexy, helicopters are much more complex to control and, therefore, much more sexy). Fencing made my list of sexy skills.

The ultimate sexy skill is the skill of observation. All the "spy stuff" I read point to this. A good spy is supposed to see/notice something and remember it to the greatest detail. What a target was wearing on a particular meeting. What people's voices sound like. Phone numbers, addresses, important dates. You can't write it down, because that leaves a paper trail.

So now you know.

Tag Tagged

Wow. I've survived until now I suppose.

4 Places I Visit Over and Over:
24 Hour Fitness on Century, my Chiropractor's office, Sprouts, the Chinese herbal store in Gardena

People who call/text/e-mail me regularly:
Don, Armen, Tom, and Sean (wow, all guys! You'd think my love life would reflect this! ;) )

Favorite Foods:
Strawberries, dark chocolate, ginger milk tea, tuna sashimi

Places I'd Rather Be:
Home (in bed, asleep), a museum (art or natural history), a rose garden (with roses that smell), a study filled with old books and leather couches

Movies I'd Watch Over and Over:
The English Patient, Under the Tuscan Sun, Batman Begins (until The Dark Knight releases on DVD), Hot Fuzz

Bands/Groups I Love To Listen To (I cheated and incorporated any musically talented person):
Michael Buble, Bobby Darin, Christina Aguilera, Jerry Goldsmith

I tag: Don, Dan, Time Traveller

There Is Still Sanity In Utah

Utah Millionare Donates Money To Fight California's Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment

Cool.

Chow Mei Fun

One of the things I picked out of my food when I was growing up (besides onions) was the black mushrooms in one of my favorite dishes, chow mei fun (fried rice noodles). This would frustrate my mother, who would berate me, telling me how good the mushrooms were for me. I must have not believed her, because I still wouldn't eat them.

In college, one of the first things I figured out how to make for myself was chow mei fun. My boyfriend at the time and I had a little "cooking cart" stuffed with cooking equipment, which we would truck down to the first floor of our dormitory and create delicious meals. He was a very helpful soux chef, although we disagreed over the best way to brown meat (he always insisted on adding water and covering the pan, where I felt it was best to omit those steps. The relationship was never meant to last.).

I remember calling my mom and asking her if I absolutely had to put the dreaded black mushrooms in the dish. Her reluctant response was, "well, you don't have to put them in, but you'll lose the flavor." So I reluctantly added black mushrooms.

And then liked them. Now I add more than the recipe calls for (as well as the little shrimp). You can add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt to the water or stock, but depending on the soy sauce you use it may or may not be necessary. I've also heard you can substitute the meat and the veggies (cabbage and carrot) for other veggies, but I have yet to try it that way.

Fried Rice Noodles (adapted from the recipe in Chinese One Dish Meals)
150 gm dry rice noodles (also called rice sticks, in the Asian section)
1/2 lb. pork, shredded (I'm lazy and get the thin-cut pork chops)
1/3 c. small dried shrimp, soaked in hot water (get these at an Asian grocery)
6 dried Chinese black mushrooms, soaked in water and then juilienned
1/3 - 1/2 onion, sliced in half circles and the rings separated
2 TB soy sauce
1 c. water or stock (can use the liquid from soaking the shrimp and mushrooms)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 c. cabbage, shredded
1 c. carrot, shredded (you can actually buy shredded carrot, saves lots of time!)

Either soak the noodles in cold water for 20-30 minutes, or immerse them in boiling water for 10 seconds and set aside.
Heat 4 TB oil (don't use olive oil as it can't take the heat) in a preheated wok. Stir fry the meat shreds, then add the shrimp, black mushrooms, and onion. Add the soy sauce and stir fry briefly.
Add the water or stock and black pepper and bring to a boil.
Add the noodles, cabbage, and carrot.
Stir fry until the liquid has been absorbed.
Eat. :)