What's your drink sign? 12 astrology cocktails (Today, July 27, 2009)

Mixologist Claire Smith shares fun, festive recipes for your zodiac sign

“Hey, baby, what's your sign?” We've all heard that pickup line, but did you ever think that line would matter in deciding which cocktail you drink? Mixologist Claire Smith tailors fun, tasty concoctions according to your zodiac sign:

Leo: Veuve Cliquot Clemintini

1 oz clementine puree

1/2 oz peach puree

VCP Yellow Label

Directions: Stir and pour into a champagne flute. Garnish with a yellow rose petal.

This is one wedding I wouldn’t mind paying to go to. There is just enough off-beat humour and impromptu cheekiness that indicate to me that the bridesmaids and bestmen are genuinely enjoying their wedding stint. I have been to other ceremonies and dinners where I could not help but cringe at the theatrics of it all. It is almost as if each married couple needed to up the antics, by blasting a sappy love ballad over the 5.1 sound system and complementing it with laser lighting fixtures and smoke machine effects. At one wedding dinner I went to last year, the table servers even had to ‘dance’ to the music while holding the customary ‘cold dish’ starter platter. The overall look was tacky and unglamorous, and I can distinctly see the look of resignation on some of the servers’ faces.

Whoever came up with the Burger King mascot and/or conceptualized this Sponge Bob Square Pants advertisement ought to be shot. I think I prefer the straight-forward (although boring) approach of having the camera linger on juicy tomatoes, flamed-grilled beef patties and toasted sesame seed buns.

Quotable quote: “I love square butts and I cannot lie … tell him to shake it … shake that cubicle butt …”

Another disturbing commercial, this time heavily laced with homoerotic innuendo. Admittedly the toaster does have a deep and sexy voice, makes me wonder what the voice actor looks like. Plus the character ‘Scott’ is not too bad-looking himself, heh heh.

Quotable quote: “We both enjoy that … put it in me Scott … say it sexy … sexier …”

This advertisement had a really nice opening - like how a food network would promote itself - and then it veered into soft-core porn territory. Padma Lakshmi’s low cut dress and generous cleavage, combined with her finger licking and tongue action, made this more like food foreplay.

Quotable quote: “It reminds me of being in high school … sneaking out before dinner to savour that sweet, spicy sauce … and leaving no evidence behind …”

I initially thought this commercial was quite cute, and then political-correctness kicked in. Or maybe I am being too sensitive when watching little people ride ponies in the name of promoting mini sirloin burgers. The chipmunk-ish background vocals  do give it a playful edge, but the moon-faced mascot with the impossibly wide grin was creepy to look at.

Wanna Be Mixin' Somethin' (Michael Jackson Tribute)

Another great mash-up by the very talented Norwegian Recycling, and even more poignant considering the passing of the King of Pop was just weeks ago.

Samples:
01. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean

02. Michael Jackson – Bad

03. Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal

04. Michael Jackson – Black Or White

05. Michael Jackson – Thriller

06. Michael Jackson – HIStory

07. Michael Jackson – Dangerous

08. Britney Spears – Gimme More

09. Nelly Furtado – Say It Right

10. Justin Timberlake – Lovestoned

11. Outkast – Ms. Jackson

12. Justice – D.A.N.C.E.

13. Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake – Give It To Me

Same-sex couples seek immigration rights (The Associated Press, July 18, 2009)

Gay-rights groups hopeful for inclusion, which might threaten bills' passage

WASHINGTON - Judy Rickard took an early retirement and a reduced pension so she could be assured of more time with her partner, a British citizen whose stays in the U.S. are limited to six months.

Rickard, 61, would have preferred to keep working at San JoseStateUniversity and sponsor her partner, Karin Bogliolo, for residency in the United States, just as heterosexual couples can. But U.S. law does not allow for that.

"If you're going to have a system that's designed to keep families together, it should focus on keeping families together," Rickard said.

That could soon change, as more than 100 lawmakers in the House and about 20 in the Senate have signed onto bills that would add the U.S. to the 19 countries that already recognize same-sex couples for immigration purposes.