Someone explain the Garfield jokes to me

So last night, over Indian food, the self-titled No. 1 Fan of the Blog complained that there hasn't been much, well, blogging around here lately.

That's going to change. (And obviously it already has, because you're reading a new blog post.)

As of last Thursday, I have not been working here.

The Tribune Condo Tower.

As of April 26, I will be working here.

White. Just like the Wrigley Building. And no, that's not where my office is.

Yes. Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Read Ink is going international. And you better believe the whole experience is going to get documented right here.

(And yes, I WILL post more India photos as soon as I get a little breathing room. Promise.)

What’s in a name? A trophy, obviously

Two days 'til tipoff! (Unless you're a fan of Alabama State or Morehead State--then the party starts sooner.)

But for those of us still craving some competitive action involving brackets and seeds, I present to you the 2009 Name of the Year competition.

Who could resist the epic battle between Nutritious Love and Tequila Minsky--an upset in the offing, if you ask me. Or dark horse Glorious Johnson vs. Parris Duffus?



Visit and vote. It's what Zeppy O'Green would want you to do on this fine St. Patrick's Day.

March Madness

A cliche? Yes. But how can you argue its accuracy when THIS happens?



Six overtimes, nearly 250 points. That's 70 minutes of basketball. One and three-quarters of a game. And it... is... awesome.

(note: Kansas did lose in a big upset Thursday, but let's not get into that.)

How bad is the recession?

Bad enough that the bartender at the actual "Cheers" bar in Boston has lost its job. And just to make it a little more painful, the technology that so enthused our economy in the '90s now makes it possible for no-name bloggers to spread the news online. From the Huffington Post:

BOSTON — Eddie Doyle was the guy who really did know everybody's name, at least when he started working at the tavern that inspired the television show "Cheers."

To the tens of thousands of tourists that later passed through, Doyle remained behind the bar to offer a smile, a beer and tips about where to find the Boston that wasn't shown on TV.

Now Doyle is out of a job, laid off from "Cheers" after 35 years. The bar's owner has said a tough economy and sagging business forced the move, which was one of several layoffs.

Doyle said he's not bitter, just surprised and a little sad.

"This bar, for me ... it was not just another job," Doyle said. "It was the perfect job."

Being both a bartender and a Doyle, I feel for the guy. And damn, if the people helping us drown our sorrows are being sent to the bread line, calamity is truly upon us. Good luck, Eddie.

Yet more ways to strain your eyeballs

Still working on those India photos, I swear. There are just a ton of them. Look, here is a down payment.

Pasty whiteness meets pristine white marble at the Taj Mahal.

So there you go. Just be patient.

Now, on to the main event. Today a Kindle app was released for the iPhone. I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it's always good for writers to have more platforms for their words. On the other hand, who wants to read a book on a 3.5-inch screen?

Actually, I know someone who does this. And she is normal in every other way, so maybe I'm just out to lunch on hot new trends. It wouldn't be the first time, writes the guy who once wondered what the point of blogs was.

So I guess I shouldn't judge. At the very least, this app is a step in the right direction from iFart and HoldOn!.

Back... again

This time from India. My mind tells me it's noon; my body tells me it's midnight. Blogger.com tells me I haven't posted for a while because I have been out of the country.

Rest assured, though, a whole slew of pictures, rambling anecdotes and complaints about mind-altering smog will appear in this space presently.

Bacon is awesome--it's science

As you may recall, I have waxed poetic, if not eloquent, about the joys of bacon. It turns out that wasn't just the rambling of a meat-addled writer. I guess what I'm trying to say is... behold.

Step 1: Click for bigger image. Step 2: Weep at the genius therein.

Mind you, I'm not taking credit for this. This guy did the research. I am merely reporting the science of awesome.

I'm wondering where barbecue sauce is, though... Element 112?