October 21, 2009
Talk about reaching a new low. Australian horse racing officials held a racing competition Sunday called ‘Midget Cup’ to promote an annual festival. 
The race involved three men running through a 50-meter course with dwarfs dressed in jockey silks riding piggyback, and has been denounced by government officials and advocacy groups, Reuters reported.
Click here for more details.
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October 20, 2009
Joss Whedon confirmed he’ll be guest directing an episode of Glee this season. Whedon is hands down one of my favorite TV directors, with Grade-A cult classics like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly under his belt. I haven’t jumped onto the Glee bandwagon yet, but now I’m thinking I should follow suit. Click here for more details.
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October 19, 2009
I went Friday night with a group of friends to see Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. I’ll be honest, I walked into the theater somewhat skeptical of the movie. After all, Sendak’s classic tale runs a sheer 9 sentences long, so it’s only natural to wonder how someone can turn it into a full-length feature film.
But Jonze’s theatrical interpretation of the book carries a endearing story the entire way through and simultaneously stays true to the book’s roots. I don’t want to spoil any of the plot, since that’s what made this movie so enjoyable to watch. Well, that and the memorable voices of James Gandolfini, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O’Hara and Forest Whitaker.
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October 18, 2009
Photo by Ben Addonizio
Here’s a story I wrote for Jerk magazine about the Syracuse DiDinga, a group of Sudanese Lost Boys who’ve struggled financially in Central New York for the last decade. Sorry I haven’t whipped up any original content for ya, but hey, it’s midterms week — cut me some slack.
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October 16, 2009
It’s no secret that I have one of the biggest sweet tooths around. I can’t go more than 10 minutes after dinner without eating some form of sugar. Here’s a recipe to satisfy that dessert fix of yours:
Chocolate Trifle
1 box (19.5 oz) of brownie fudge mix
3 packages of Jello chocolate instant mousse
Milk (enough to make mousse, according to the box)
1 package little Heath Bars
1 (12 ounce) carton of Cool Whip
Bake brownies according to box directions. Let cool. Make chocolate mousse according to box. Chill for 1 hour. Break candies (place in baggie and break with mallet). Use large clear bowl. Break brownies into small pieces and put 1/2 on bottom, next put 1/2 of mousse on brownies, next put 1/2 of candies on mousse, next put 1/2 of Cool Whip on candies. Repeat and refrigerate. Serves up to 20 people.
October 15, 2009
October 14, 2009
German artist Ottmar Hoerl assembled 1,250 garden gnomes with their arms lifted in the hail Hitler salute. 
Hoerl’s installation, Dance with the Devil, is prominently displayed in a square in Straubing, Germany. Find out more about the little nazi figures here.
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October 13, 2009
Well, it’s not exactly primetime TV, but it does show why we all love The Post-Standard. Enjoy.
| Joanie’s Smoke Break Movie Review: Whip It |
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October 11, 2009
If you’re as into movies about the bloodthirsty undead as I am, check out an article I wrote for Jerk magazine’s October 2009 issue here.
Illustration by Casey Landerkin
The story follows John Craddock, a Syracuse University film professor and local filmmaker in the Central New York area, throughout the process of filming Germ. Reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series, the flick helped revived Syracuse’s downtrodden film community.
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October 10, 2009
Please forgive my tardiness with this post. Since I’m supplying you with two recipes this week, I’m hoping you’ll overlook the transgression. Once again, these recipes are courtesy of my mom, Debra.
Seven Layer Mexican Dip
1 package of frozen guacamole dip
1 can re-fried beans
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 package taco seasoning
2 tomatoes, chopped,
1 large can black olives, chopped
cheddar cheese, grated
On a large platter or glass dish, layer the following ingredients:
1. Spread re-fried beans on bottom
2. Place a layer of guacamole dip
3. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise and taco seasoning and layer it
4. Spread chopped tomatoes
5. Add chopped black olives
6. Add grated cheddar cheese
Refrigerate for 3 hours or more. Serve with nacho tortilla chips
Oriental Salad
1/2 cup of canola oil
1 cup of sugar
2/3 cup of apple cider
4 packages of Ramen noodles – Chicken Flavored
2 (12 oz) bags of broccoli slaw (or coleslaw)
4 spring onions – chopped
cashews or sunflower seeds
Mix chicken seasoning, oil, vinegar and sugar. Break noodles into small pieces. Add slaw mix. Add nuts. Pour sauce over noodles and slaw mixture 1 hour before serving.
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Take a look at 