Pop-tarts taste like shit

I’m sorry to have to write another negative post, this time on pop-tarts and pop-culture. Do not read any further if you would like to maintain a happy disposition.

I just decided to try one of the pop-tarts I bought the other day, since it had been a long time since I had tasted one. I thought maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as I remembered – I was wrong.

With this salty-doughy-acid taste in my mouth, the question that keeps running through my mind is: how can anyone eat this? Have kids been conditioned to think that this represents good nutritious food?

I’m sorry Kellogg's, but pop-tarts are dry, tasteless, too sweet - not even a nice kind of sweet. Pop tarts feel like eating wet cardboard covered in a thin spread of strawberry glue.

For me pop tarts represent how extreme capitalism can destroy a good way of life. Back when everything was hand-made, warm bread fresh from the oven covered in melting butter and homemade jam would make the perfect breakfast. But who has time for that anymore? And who has the money to pay the brave baker who goes out of his way to make the best tasting bread?

It’s far easier to open the packet and consume the crap which is being churned out for us and passed for food, if we would only convince ourselves that it’s so good... mm.. I just love pop-tarts!

I can’t help asking myself if what I’m feeling is due to a lack of solid traditions in a country which only goes back a few hundred years. Bits and pieces from other cultures are borrowed and copied sometimes more successfully than others, but maybe what’s lacking is the pride of traditional artisanship, something made right, in the best way using the best ingredients, with pride (and not just a slogan claiming it). Maybe America has not yet found her cultural soul. Maybe we still need to learn how to live.

I’m disappointed with the food in almost every restaurant (granted I can’t afford the most luxurious ones). But everyday food is just plain horrendous – worse than in the UK, and that’s saying something.

Once again I apologize for the negative tone. If you feel offended by this post, I would encourage you to travel outside the US and sample the local food along the way.

I’m just venting after a shockingly bad experience. I suppose it’s ultimately up to each person to decide whether he or she is going to continue stuffing this crap down themselves and their kids. For me, I will keep seeking out good food; maybe even bake my own bread!

And I swear on everything sacred that I will never buy pop-tarts again.

Microsoft calls the kettle black

This from Microsoft, in response to a statement from Yahoo announcing that it is testing Google AdSense:

"Any definitive agreement between Yahoo! and Google would consolidate over 90% of the search advertising market in Google's hands. This would make the market far less competitive, in sharp contrast to our own proposal to acquire Yahoo! We will assess closely all of our options," said the statement attributed to Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith.

Oh the irony!

A tasty blog entry

Made myself eggs this evening, sunny side up. One thing led to another and I soon had a terrified face looking back up at me. By the time it was done the eggs were cold and didn't taste good - such a small sacrifice for the sake of culinary art. Cordon Bleu baby!

Stay Fresh in what Amazon Context?

Amazon Context Links is still in Beta mode, and I installed it to see how it would work. I really like the idea of instant links leading straight to the store - the less effort the better! The challenge is, how does a robot establish the proper context for words or names within a sentence, given that the English language can be so easily twisted out of context?

Here's an example from eKettle. Context Links figured that the words "stay fresh" (on Google's April Fools post from last week) meant something other than "continuously updated."

Below is the product for sale in Amazon's fresh veggie isle. But don't get me wrong, I would love nothing more than to sell my reader something to keep his veggies fresh. Go ahead and purchase this container in support of eKettle.com ;)

Another slight issue is that only 20 links per page are allowed - could use more on a front page which is a mile long. The number of links permitted may go up when Amazon Context Links launches officially.

Once they get the context thing right I'm sure it will be a really awesome!