Worlds Largest Swimming Pool: A Theme Thursday Post

The swimming pool at the San Alfonso del Mar resort at Algarrobo, Chile is 19 acres and holds the Guiness World Record for World's largest swimming pool.

As Requested....

This is the garbage statue of which I spoke in the last post. Its official name was Big Bil-Bored. It was created in 1980 and I would like to say that I don't think I ever met anyone that said they liked it. The statue, is made up of old crap, like used toasters and fans, encased in cement. In the end--1993 being the end-- the craptacular statue was torn down not for being an eye sore and an embarrassment, but for being an environmental hazard. It seems the appliances were rusting and rust water was draining off into the community.

Click here for a color, interactive image that allows you to zoom in. Have fun! You'll find yourself saying things like "Is that a ...plunger??? "

You can see some of the other art objects that were in this shopping plaza, such as my personal favorite, the Pinto Pelt, here.

Music Monday: Son of Svengooli

I am bursting with pride for my hometown right now. Son of Svengooli, like the garbage statue, and the car kabob are all Berwyn originals, so imagine the luck when I happened to find this on YouTube.

For those not from the Chicagoland area, Son of Svengooli hosted a show on one of those channels that doesn't come in very well, which featured horror movies. A hometown hero, kids dressed up like him at Halloween.

Knowing that this is the sort of thing I watched growing up, will probably explain a lot for my friends.

Homemade Pozole/Posole

Pozole (or posole) is a Mexican stew made with pork chunks simmered till tender, with hominy and onion. Right before eating it is garnished with ingredients such as cabbage, lettuce, radishes, cilantro, and crispy tortillas. The radishes when added, briefly simmer in the liquid, just long enough to remove the bitterness but not so long as to cook them, so they are still crisp. Lime is also squirted it in, before eating, giving the stew a fresh and zesty flavor.



All the ingredients for my homemade pozole were purchased at the local carniceria (Mexican butcher shop/grocery). The grocer told me that pozole is usually eaten on special occasions rather than as an every day meal.



I don't have my own recipe for pozole but instead used a hybrid of several that I found on the net, on various recipe sites. Next time I think I need to add some heat in the form of chipotle in adobo. It could have used that little something extra.

Crypto Flambe

For this weeks Theme Thursday: Fire post, I have for you a puzzle. Below is a list of delicious delicacies that may be flambeed. The instructions for this puzzle are simple. Each letter has been substituted with another letter of the alphabet. Your task is to find the correct letters and decipher the list. Scroll down for hints. The answers to the puzzle are at the bottom.




1. pjqwweqn htfekqq

2. fzozozn idnxqw

3. fzgqc zkzngz

4. nzrzozge

5. pdb zt leo

6. ikzyeor hqkks fqzo

7. pwqvq ntaqxxq


Hint #1: Words number 4, 5, and 7 are foreign words.

Hint # 2: Words number 6 is a beverage.

Answers: 1. Cherries Jubilee 2. Bananas Foster 3. Baked Alaska 4. Saganaki (Saganaki is a flaming fried cheese, popular in Greek restaurants, especially in the Chicagoland area) 5. Coq Au Vin 6. Flaming Jelly Bean (a cocktail made with oozo or anisette, blackberry brandy, and run or JD. It is then set aflame and legend has it that you are supposed to stick a straw in it and drink it while it is still on fire. But that's probably not a good idea.) 7. Crepe Suzette

Scandal at Etsy: Seller Found to Outsource Modeling Services to Foreign Employees

In these hard economic times, many Americans are out of work and struggling to make ends meet. It is inconceivable then that local jobs would be outsourced to foreign citizens.

I discovered one particular incidence of this as I was browsing through the Turtlefat store run by store mistress Essiewb, and stumbled upon this:

Uh huh. You see the problem. Upon closer inspection you will see that that is a Hunny Pot in the photo. Yes folks, this is Winnie the Pooh, and Winnie the Pooh is a Brit. So basically, Essiewb chose to hire a British model rather than a good American model.

Such as:

or:

or even this character:








Actually I am not sure about this guy. His resume states that he lives in "the Pacific ocean." I need to get clarification from Sponge Bob expert Knitwithcats to make sure he is in fact a "real American."

This is not the only controversy I have discovered with this store. Recently, I was contacted by a representative of the Tortoises United with Turtles Union (Tutu for short) about the slanderous continuation of the myth that turtles are in fact fat. Said the representative, who prefers to remain anonymous "We are not fat! It's all shell!"

I haven't decided yet whether a full scale boycott of the Turtlefat store is in order. This offense is almost unforgivable, especially since she used a common trick of those who hire illegal aliens, to cover her tracks. She hid the offending model among actual American workers--her two children, and a roll of toilet paper. For now, I will settle for a good, harsh, scolding.

And Milosez, I am watching you too. Be warned.