Monday, May 07, 2007

Flashes of Brilliance in the Dark

"In America, if a Democrat even thinks you're calling him a liberal he immediately grabs an orange vest and a rifle and heads into the woods to kill something."
Thanks, Bill Maher.

I just perused the new Williams-Sonoma catalog and I am pleased to finally learn what clafoutis is. Cooked cherries are vile so I won't be making it but if you're so inclined, here's the recipe. By the way, it's "kla-foo-TEE." I didn't know either.

Those of you that may have been wondering what to get the Professional Critic for her next birthday can rest easy. Behold the money shot of home appliance pornography, the CornuFe stove. $8000 for a stove may sound like a lot of money if you prioritize housing and food but as you will read, it features superb workmanship and can be delivered for only $1300. That should dispel any nagging doubts you may have about buying a stove that costs more than some disabled Americans get in one year from Social Security benefits. Check back soon, as I'll be setting up a PayPal account for donations.

On the outside chance you don't find my CornuFe Fund worthy of your money, check out Kiva. It's a global microlending organization founded by a Bay Area couple. Essentially you make a loan of as little as $25 to an entrepreneur in the developing world (you get to choose from many profiles all over the globe). Once your loan is repaid, you can withdraw your money or re-lend. Kiva reports that their repayment rate to date is 100%--totally amazing. In the era of venture capitalists raising millions for start-ups that end up folding before they net a cent, it's nice to know that $25 can help someone in the world start a self-sustaining business.

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