jarring notes

Remember when we pickled fennel in Panela back in March?

http://clocktowertenants.com/2014/03/cane-sugar-cant-be-beet.html

Turns out the combination of that dark brown, unrefined sugar and vinegar almost keeps forever. 

So I saved it in the fridge after the fennel was gone. 

And it also turns out I liked that batch better than some other folks. 

It was sweet. Way sweet. And maybe so sweet it was cloying. 

Needed more vinegar.

So with great new jars courtesy of the offspring and super-fresh kirbys from Fairway, I decided to try again. 

With shavings of red onion, this time.

The syrupy liquid didn’t quite top it off.

So I finished it with more cider vinegar to cut the panela, and with more brown mustard seed.

We’ll find out what we’ve got in about a week.

mark your calendar

you can’t stop us

phoenixaquua.com

If there’s a philosophical blunder within internet culture, it’s the belief of a different realm not subject to analog influence.

Meanwhile, government is committed to govern.

www.sgfny.com

Law Enforcement has swarmed online like a swat team taking a crack house, led by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and their social media initiative.

http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/

Police infiltration is everywhere.

iacp

They share data, forensics and tutorials on the surveillance of everything we do.

Did you know that the Supreme Court is considering whether Police can seize and search your cellphone if you’re arrested?

wallstreetdaily.com

It’s not all bad news.

Sometimes this hidden presence yields great result, like the return of stolen property on Pinterest.

But some internet users fiercely believe the police have no business watching us here.

So they spoof police presence sending false cries for help, and then slip away into the dark net.

universal truth

http://www.psychpages.com/index.php/articleslayout/75-depression/163-dark-rainy-days-may-affect-your-mood-.html

it’s 2014, people

Highschooler Clare Ettinger of Richmond, Virginia, 

was all excited about her Senior Prom.

stevesmobile

She saved her waitress money and went to Macy’s for a sparkly dress, checking the “fingertip length” it had to be to meet with prom regulations.

But once she arrived with her date, the trouble started.

 First, the “Mom” chaperones gave her shit about 

the length of her dress. 

In that, at least, she prevailed.

But once on the dance floor she was offered a refund and was told she had to leave. 

Why?

Really? Clare’s 17. 

But she left as she was told with her date.

Makes you wonder what their problem was.

Doesn’t it?

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/progressivesecularhumanist/2014/05/teen-ejected-from-prom-after-dads-experience-impure-thoughts/

know when to hold ‘em

jj

I love my bicycle.

http://clocktowertenants.com/2012/10/come-on-and-take-free-ride.html

And I’ve always thought the bladeless fan is kinda freaky.

interiordesignable.com

So this is really something!

A spokeless, collapsible bicycle.

Other folks have developed imaginary prototypes.

fastcompany.com

But this is one you can ride!

Designed brilliantly by young Italian Gianluca Sada, 

this bike has won so many awards you have to go to the webpage to read all about them.

http://www.sadabike.it/en

The idea is based in an aluminum alloy light enough to carry and yet strong enough to guide the wheels 

without wobble or deflection.

Naturally, he’s designed a backpack that expands to a trolley 

to carry it around.

I want into the fold.

the NYC blind spot

nytimes

If you ever want a culture diametric to the anarchy of our mean streets, look to Sweden.

Compared to us, the Swedes do what they are told. 

To cross the street, they push the button and wait.

thelocal.se

They also use traffic circles while we generally use crosswalks at intersections.

It’s all part of their Vision Zero initiative, begun in 1997 to keep all Swedish pedestrians safe.

bostonglobe.com

Now our Mayor has decided NYC should also have a Vision Zero policy.

He intends to reduce traffic fatalities to zero by 2024.

the weeklynabe.com

To me, this seems unlikely. 

I believe we are different here and will remain so.

We jaywalk.

flickr

We speak 800 different languages.

huffpo

And we squeeze 18,000 people into one square mile, while in Sweden they “squeeze” in 53.

Our NYC traffic fatality rate decreased 26% under Bloomberg to 290 deaths last year. In Sweden they lost 264.

coloribus.com

In the USA last year, we did $27.9 million in arms dealing for every man, woman and child.

The Swedes do twice that, averaging $53.9 million for every citizen.

vosizneias.com

We take our rage out on the road, and on each other. 

Swedes channel theirs into earning cash 

on the conflict of others. 

nytimes

What's your Vision?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_industry