Yo La Tengo is taking over MNet2

Ok, is anyone else concerned about MNet2 showing movies two days running with soundtracks entirely composed by Yo La Tengo? Last night it was Junebug (looked interesting, but I fell asleep near the beginning. It was 2:30am and I had too many vodka tonics at Gil Vicente waiting for the opening act). Tonight, after hours of bad teen movies I am watching "Game 6". Nothing about it is related to my current life. There is cold. There is endless traffic. There are out-of-work playwrights roaming the streets. There are the Red Sox. There are coin-operated payphones. And there is Yo La Tengo simmering in the background.

Gazing at Mariana

Languages of Mozambique

The Ethnologue lists 43 living languages for Mozambique with many dialects. Interestingly only an estimated 30,000 people speak Portuguese (the language of national reconciliation or official language) as a first language. So why am I wasting my time learning this nearly dead language? Bring on the Tsonga and Macua!

Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.

African Foosball

Maple syrup smell culprit unmasked

While researching the phenomena that may have led to one of the great mysteries of life in Washington Heights, I ran across this unsettling factoid:

A side effect of consuming even small amounts of fenugreek (even as just an infusion in water) is a maple syrup or curry smell in the eater's sweat and urine, which is caused by the potent aroma compound sotolone.

I think it is clear that upper-west-side Indian buffet diners were abusing the methi dishes, then perspiring and pissing until the smell of maple syrup engulfed the Heights. CC&P, I think its safe to kick it back down to a yellow alert.

Turkish delight

I highly recommend the Tatli Hayat (aka "the sweet life"), a Turkish sitcom that has been provided with several sets of alternate subtitles on Wholphin No 1 from McSweeney's.

Orcs are people too

Zinn and Chomsky's critique of the lord of the rings is an entertaining take on the well-known trilogy. Check it out.