MetaTalk Queue: Late Summer Edition

August 31, 2012 9:01 AM

MetaTalk posts will be queued this weekend starting this evening and ending late Monday.

As we've done a few times before, we're going to give everyone here at MeFi HQ some extra time to spend with friends and family this weekend. MetaTalk posts will go into a queue instead of going live immediately. That means if a MetaTalk post can be handled via email the mods can go that route. If the post requires community input, it will be approved when at least a moderator or two can be around to respond.

Thanks for your patience—we hope your weekend is great too.

posted by pb to Uptime at 9:01 AM (134 comments total)

Anyone who may be in the Horseneck Beach area of MA on Monday is welcome to come by my place for a hot dog.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:07 AM on August 31, 2012 [11 favorites]

Excellent.

I wish I could come to Horseneck Beach for hotdogs with you, jess. I would bring Yorvit, too.
posted by rtha at 9:09 AM on August 31, 2012

Yay holiday for the mods!

(I'll be going to the cape, but probably just a day trip on Saturday.)
posted by rmd1023 at 9:12 AM on August 31, 2012

I shall be spending my holiday weekend in a sweaty studio filming circus acts, there will be no hot dogs.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 AM on August 31, 2012

Enjoy your sort-of-vacation, mods! We'll be fine.
posted by griphus at 9:18 AM on August 31, 2012

TEMPORARILY SILENCED ALL MY LIFE.

I will be taking my puppy to a dog beach for the first time, and then spending the rest of the weekend finding little bits of sand all over my apartment and car.
posted by phunniemee at 9:19 AM on August 31, 2012 [4 favorites]

Anyone want to join me for pizza during my girlfriend's niece's first birthday party? Just show up in Murray.
posted by deezil at 9:20 AM on August 31, 2012

(Approves in theory but worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.)
posted by Egg Shen at 9:23 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

Then you Stop, Collaborate, and Listen.
posted by The Whelk at 9:24 AM on August 31, 2012 [6 favorites]

it just can't wait

The point is, it can always wait. This is how we remind you. And eat ice cream
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:25 AM on August 31, 2012 [25 favorites]

I hope this gives you all a little more breathing room to enjoy the weekend!

And eat ice cream

well, if I must...
posted by madamjujujive at 9:33 AM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

> (Approves in theory but worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.)

The point is, it can always wait. This is how we remind you.

If anyone's still impatient for mod justice, you could always get a koosh ball and throw it at their name on the screen over and over.




I may actually do that for real.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:33 AM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

...for a hot dog.

I highly recommend switching to or trying smoked sausage, in place of hotdogs, it'll change your life.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 9:34 AM on August 31, 2012

worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.

Look for the nearest available chair. Alternately, stage your own metatalk thread with minifigs!
posted by octobersurprise at 9:40 AM on August 31, 2012 [6 favorites]

jessamyn: "And eat ice cream"

Hah! We're having an ice cream social at work today. In 20 minutes! I am SO EXCITED.
posted by Grither at 9:42 AM on August 31, 2012

a hot dog made me lose control
posted by The Whelk at 9:43 AM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

I am SO EXCITED.

Don't get too excited. The building my office is in had an ice cream social last week, and they didn't have any goddamned sprinkles. HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE SPRINKLES AT AN ICE CREAM SOCIAL THAT IS JUST WRONG.

We did get free sunglasses, though.
posted by phunniemee at 9:44 AM on August 31, 2012

I guess you just can't hide it.
posted by The Whelk at 9:45 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Excellent timing. I'll be offline anyway.
(Going to my big kids in Utrecht! Yay me! They'll have ice cream for me.)
posted by Namlit at 9:48 AM on August 31, 2012

We'll be here, eagerly waiting for the 4" of rain we're supposed to get from the remnants of Isaac. I will, in solidarity, lay in a supply of ice cream and we'll just eat it inside.

And beer, holy shit we're just about out of beer too.
posted by jquinby at 9:49 AM on August 31, 2012

I've eaten snow in Utrecht while waiting for a train, so I know all about that.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:50 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'll just leave this spiral-cut hot dog tutorial here.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:52 AM on August 31, 2012 [12 favorites]

Egg Shen: "it just can't wait"

Sssh. Ssssh. sssh. It's ok. Sssh. It's ok.
posted by boo_radley at 9:52 AM on August 31, 2012

I spiral cut some hotdogs at a BBQ at mrzarquon's place recently and it was worth the effort. Grilling hotdogs? Just do that shit. Do it.
posted by cortex (staff) at 9:54 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

Ahh, Labor Day. The traditional date when millions of folk in the US come together...and realize May was four months ago. C'mon, guys, the anarchists are gone, you can come back now.
posted by Jehan at 10:02 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

I'm not doing anything this weekend - I'll moderate Metafilter.
posted by urbanwhaleshark at 10:04 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Dudes, I've been doing hot dogs wrong all my life, dudes!
posted by Mister_A at 10:05 AM on August 31, 2012

Yeah, seriously, the spiral-cut hot dog is the best shit ever.
posted by Think_Long at 10:05 AM on August 31, 2012

You said do hotdogs.
posted by Burhanistan at 10:05 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

And seriously I will be honoring the enormously positive fundamental contributions that organized labor has made to our way of life, and I will also drink beer.
posted by Mister_A at 10:06 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

Whoa. Cool. Enjoy your weekends, people! Here in Singapore this weekend is the start of a week-long term break, so it looks like the whole world over is taking some time off. How timely too, after the deluge of MeTa posts over the past few days.
posted by undue influence at 10:06 AM on August 31, 2012

Here in Singapore its been raining all day and I plan to pull out old books and try to start exercise and diet. No ice cream, no hot dogs, and *breaks down and weeps*
posted by infini at 10:08 AM on August 31, 2012

Yay! Hope y'all have great weekends!!!
posted by zarq at 10:10 AM on August 31, 2012

Egg Shen: "(Approves in theory but worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.)"

This is why there's a three day wait for handguns in civilized states.
posted by zarq at 10:12 AM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

This is why there's a three day wait for handguns in civilized states.

Ohhhh, but I'm mad now!
posted by phunniemee at 10:15 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

The only problem with spiral cutting hot dogs to grill on your mom's BBQ is that she will insist on you continuing to spiral cut hot dogs for her and all of her houseguests for the remainder of your stay.

Because they are LIFE-ALTERINGLY DELICIOUS.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 10:23 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

phunniemee: "Don't get too excited."

Oh we had sprinkles....chocolate AND rainbow. And oreo crumble, and gummy bears, and M&Ms. The ice cream choice was kinda disappointing though. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and rainbow sherbet. Baskin Robbins. I went chocolate and oreo crumble and gummy bear. Delicious.
posted by Grither at 10:28 AM on August 31, 2012

Thanks for the frigging Patty Duke earworm. Ugh.
posted by mintcake! at 10:29 AM on August 31, 2012

[pedant]A spiral is a curve where the distance from the curve to the central point or axis is constantly changing. What you got yourself there is a helix-cut hotdog.[/pedant]

(Either way, they are tasty! Enjoy!)
posted by ZsigE at 10:35 AM on August 31, 2012 [5 favorites]

Oh we had sprinkles....chocolate AND rainbow. And oreo crumble, and gummy bears, and M&Ms. The ice cream choice was kinda disappointing though. Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and rainbow sherbet. Baskin Robbins. I went chocolate and oreo crumble and gummy bear. Delicious.

OK, that's awesome.

This is an artist's rendering of me last week at the ice cream thing.
posted by phunniemee at 10:35 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I want a pony that sosandso is being a jerk in that was a bad thread deletion.

OK, I think I'm good till Tuesday.
posted by Zed at 10:41 AM on August 31, 2012

One of my friends bought me a cake for my Very Ancient Birthday. I have been eyeing it with dread and trepidation. I think I will give it to the people at the apartment office so it's not in the house.
posted by winna at 10:45 AM on August 31, 2012

What you got yourself there is a helix-cut hotdog.

In fact I was considering having a go at a double-helix dog last time but wasn't cutting cleanly enough on the normal ones to feel like I'd pull it off well.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:54 AM on August 31, 2012

Just use two knives at the same time?
posted by Grither at 10:56 AM on August 31, 2012

I'm playing Arkham Horror all day on Sunday (at least if everything goes according to plan, ie we don't get our asses completely handed to us), but I have no plans for tomorrow, so anyone who may be in Tartu, Estonia (I know it's a long shot) is welcome for a cup of tea.
posted by daniel_charms at 10:59 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

how did a metatalk post from the mods about holiday weekend logistics turn into this ice cream bullshit? i only ask because going to marble slab and paying a premium so i could get someone to smash oreo bits into peppermint ice cream was NOT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND THANKYOUVERYMUCH
posted by twist my arm at 11:03 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

was NOT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND THANKYOUVERYMUCH

Hey, hey...it's not our fault your weekend plans sucked.
posted by phunniemee at 11:04 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

In fact I was considering having a go at a double-helix dog...

In about a year, there's going to be a MeTa about how cortex is taking a "leave of absence" because the local judiciary is holding him accountable for the property damage/loss of life caused by his hot dog golem.
posted by griphus at 11:06 AM on August 31, 2012 [4 favorites]

The spiral-cut hot dogs (I am not calling them helix-cut, pedantry BE DAMNED) tend to be a huge hit at cookouts. Like Narrative Priorities said, you'll be cutting them the whole time because people are all, "Oh, what's this craziness OH MY GOD THEY ARE THE BEST THINGS EVER!"

Also, rain might ruin our city's annual fireworks bash (I don't know why they do the bigger blowout on Labor Day vs. 4th of July, they just do) but I'm okay with that because I bought cider last week that has ginger in it. Apple ginger cider. Yes. I might poach pears in it.
posted by cooker girl at 11:06 AM on August 31, 2012

Everyone remember to get in that last bit of white shoe wearing.
posted by Area Man at 11:08 AM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

Can we have a link to a "How to" for spiralling hotdogs? (what diet?)
posted by infini at 11:08 AM on August 31, 2012

it just can't wait

Great, now the J. Geils song is running through my head.
posted by Melismata at 11:08 AM on August 31, 2012

I'll just leave this spiral-cut hot dog tutorial here.

shows herself out of the thread
posted by infini at 11:09 AM on August 31, 2012

link
posted by twist my arm at 11:09 AM on August 31, 2012

a hot dog made me lose control

I prefer the Ballets Russes and Crêpe Suzette, thank you verrrrry much.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:10 AM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

Actually, I want to argue this "spiral cut" taxonomy a little, because I think the definitional argument above is a bit planar-normative:

A spiral is a curve where the distance from the curve to the central point or axis is constantly changing.

If you track the point on the surface of the hotdog being cut throughout the duration of the cutting process in terms of its distance from an origin point at the tip of the skewer (which is to say, at the center axis around which the cut is being performed), the distance in three dimensions from that origin to the current cut is in fact continuously increasing over time.

If we're defining "constantly changing" as explicit linear growth, things get more fiddly, I suppose.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:12 AM on August 31, 2012 [6 favorites]

Ahh, Labor Day. The traditional date when millions of folk in the US come together...and realize May was four months ago. C'mon, guys, the anarchists are gone, you can come back now.

There was actually quite a bit of energy within the US labor movement itself to have Labor Day in the US not on May Day, because many people didn't want to associate the celebration of labor with the anniversary of the Haymarket Massacre.

I was surprised to find that, because I had just assumed it was Congress being jerks as usual, but several large labor unions suggested the early September date, it being a time when some large New York unions had had Labor Day festivities earlier in the 1880s.

It is a convenient time to have a holiday here, because it is now seen as the official "end of summer, beginning of autumn" that bookends our Memorial Day holiday as the official "end of spring, beginning of summer" holiday.
posted by Sidhedevil at 11:18 AM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I refuse to acknowledge that summer is over! Y'all can take a three day weekend if you want, but I'm just considering it a "metatalk holiday", nothing more, nothing less..

And, if anyone is wandering around the Huron River and wants a boat ride on my little boat, let me know (assuming that damn tropical storm doesn't come this far north!).
posted by HuronBob at 11:26 AM on August 31, 2012

This talk of ice cream has convinced me. I'm going to make some vanilla oolong tea ice cream.
And if I manage to go for a 100k+ ride, my reward will be making a candied raspberry and toasted almond ice cream. Because that is the greatest sfw thing I've put in my mouth.
posted by Lemurrhea at 11:31 AM on August 31, 2012

My plans for the long weekend include doing the UPS replacement on the server rack at work because the place will be pretty much empty. Woohoo.

Enjoy your long weekend, fuckers.




I kid, I kid. The holiday monday is just the best time to do it, given critical aspects of our operation go 24/7 - things should be quiet enough we can get it done with minimal disruption. And tonight is pizza night at home, and tomorrow night is probably sushi night, and there will be beer and wine. But no ice cream. Or spiral cut hot dogs. Might have to change the plans for Sunday.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:51 AM on August 31, 2012

The bad thing about working from home on Fridays is that you don't get the "everybody is checking out early" thing that happens in corporate America before a three day weekend such that I keep forgetting it's a three day weekend.

(The good thing is that I've been working since 8:30 today and still not wearing pants.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:01 PM on August 31, 2012 [4 favorites]

I keep trying to institute Pants-Free Fridays at my office, but so far no takers.
posted by phunniemee at 12:02 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

All my customers are Pants-Free. Of course, I'm a nurse.

Which means A) I'm working Monday for time-and-a-half, thank you Labor movement! and B) if you are in the Cooperstown, NY area please stay out of my hospital.
posted by shiny blue object at 12:03 PM on August 31, 2012 [5 favorites]

the All-Meta-Talk Pants Off Dances Off BEGINS
posted by The Whelk at 12:04 PM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

If you track the point on the surface of the hotdog being cut throughout the duration of the cutting process in terms of its distance from an origin point at the tip of the skewer (which is to say, at the center axis around which the cut is being performed), the distance in three dimensions from that origin to the current cut is in fact continuously increasing over time.

Yeah, but it's not the distance from the cutting point to the tip of the skewer that we're interested in - it's the shortest distance from the cutting point to any point on the skewer. That remains constant throughout the cut (assuming a perfectly cylindrical hotdog).

Now, if you did the same thing to a conical hotdog, that would indeed be a spiral cut, because the distance to the skewer would be increasing. However, it would be damn near impossible to grill the whole thing properly and not leave any bit of it either pink or cremated, so you're probably on a hiding to nothing there.

(I'm kidding, of course - call it whatever you like. I'm just half-remembering something on QI a while ago where they pointed out that a spiral staircase is in fact a helical staircase, and it's always fun to apply pedantic mathematical concepts to hotdogs.)
posted by ZsigE at 12:04 PM on August 31, 2012

Just a little FYI , the spiral/helix cut modification does NOT work on veggie dogs. They don't pull apart and extend when cut. :(
posted by Fig at 12:18 PM on August 31, 2012

Over the weekend, I'm running a playtest game of tremulus. Yes, I'm that cool.

if you are in the Cooperstown, NY area please stay out of my hospital.

Even if we promise not to wear pants?
posted by Zed at 12:28 PM on August 31, 2012

WTF. I saw this and had to IM my boss to verify monday is a holiday, nobody tells me shit.
posted by Ad hominem at 12:34 PM on August 31, 2012 [3 favorites]

If we're defining "constantly changing" as explicit linear growth, things get more fiddly, I suppose.

Explanations of this vein and sort are the reason cortext can have my manbabies whenever and wherever, at least in a three-dimensional reality with time as a ever increasing positive variable I suppose.
posted by RolandOfEld at 12:37 PM on August 31, 2012

man everything turns into Dr. Who around here
posted by The Whelk at 12:39 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I love MetaTalk queue weekends! Seriously. I wish it were queued all the time, to be honest.
posted by batmonkey at 12:52 PM on August 31, 2012

Just a little FYI , the spiral/helix cut modification does NOT work on veggie dogs. They don't pull apart and extend when cut. :(

The ones I used did (SmartDog, I think?)! Granted, it wasn't as exceptional as the non-veggie version but it worked nonetheless.
posted by cooker girl at 1:21 PM on August 31, 2012

Thanks for the veggie dog info, I was assuming they'd work similar to a hot dog, MrsEld might have been sad and dog-less, now she'll just be jealous.
posted by RolandOfEld at 1:32 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

I tried it for lunch! Believe the hype.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:33 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

The best hot dog cut is split in half lengthwise but still connected, sort of butterflied/turned into a book. Grilled to a char. White hots. Yeah, I'm from upstate New York.
posted by ifjuly at 1:35 PM on August 31, 2012

(I would google image search "split white hot" but I'm nervous what will turn up)
posted by ifjuly at 1:36 PM on August 31, 2012

Im guessing the spiral cut works better on hot dogs w/o natural casing ? We have the technology to make sprial pasta, why doesn't oscar meyer extend that to spiral dogs.

I am something of an expert on queueing systems. I'm a bit worried you are going to get hit with "lockstep" and when you open the queue on tuesday 100 MetaTalks are going to come pouring out. I experience the same thing starting and stopping work queues, I implement random sub-second delays so all work items don't hit the same operations at onces. If 50 tasks start a compression step at once, task switching, swap and i/o slow the operations exponentially. 50 compressions sequentially are much, much quicker than 50 compressions concurrently. Perhaps task switching overhead with stretch mod badwidth. I'd be interested in seeing some metrics about mod performance under heavy load. Do mods scale?
posted by Ad hominem at 1:39 PM on August 31, 2012

What gross stuff is in hot dogs? - Straight Dope Message Board
posted by bukvich at 1:52 PM on August 31, 2012

We don't get Labor Day off here in the UK, but we just had the summer bank holiday last week so its ok.
posted by vacapinta at 2:07 PM on August 31, 2012

I am something of an expert on queueing systems. I'm a bit worried you are going to get hit with "lockstep" and when you open the queue on tuesday 100 MetaTalks are going to come pouring out.

Hell, without a queue we can end up with a spontaneous bottleneck of no posts for three days and then suddenly ten on Monday. We haven't run the queue many times so far so we don't have much sample to work with, but it's never been anything close to that, so hey!

Do mods scale?

No, that's too depressing. We mostly just try to eat sensibly and get regular exercise and hope for the best.
posted by cortex (staff) at 2:08 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

Also, here in Gloucestershire, we eat the local pig sausages. If I spiral-cut them, they'll fall apart, I think.
posted by vacapinta at 2:13 PM on August 31, 2012

Actually, I want to argue this "spiral cut" taxonomy a little, because I think the definitional argument above is a bit planar-normative:

Typical metafilter plane privilege.
posted by atrazine at 2:58 PM on August 31, 2012

If you make your own, you don't need to wonder what's inside them. On the other hand, due to a lack of industrial size stuffing machines, I'm not sure I can get my bratwurst dense enough for this spiral cutting fooferall.

Then again, I'm currently heading to school (Saturday morning) and classes start Monday. Enjoy your bbqs.

/weeps, just a bit.
posted by Ghidorah at 2:59 PM on August 31, 2012

I have some plans for experimental spiral-brats this weekend, but I fully expect it to end poorly. I think you need a processed meat with a slightly dry outside but not a skin, per se. Good old smoked sausage probably will fare better.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:05 PM on August 31, 2012

I am enjoying the hot dog, ice cream, Patty Duke, and geometry aspects of this MetaTalk queue thread.
posted by trip and a half at 3:15 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

PB, could you edit the post to say that the queue starts at 8pm EDT? I just pinged Jessamyn to ask if it was on yet because the time's not in the post, and now I feel kinda bad I made her come inside. Sorry Jessamyn!!
posted by IndigoRain at 3:37 PM on August 31, 2012

When the queue is on you'll know because there will be a big note about it on the New MetaTalk Post page.
posted by pb (staff) at 3:44 PM on August 31, 2012

if you are in the Cooperstown, NY area please stay out of my hospital.

Even if we promise not to wear pants?

ESPECIALLY then. Think of the potential injuries that could result! (shudders)
posted by shiny blue object at 3:50 PM on August 31, 2012

I have the ice cream, but before I go shopping tomorrow: can the spiral cut thingy be done with red hots? Because I so totally want to try this!
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 3:54 PM on August 31, 2012

All this talk of ice cream has gotten me to go put the part of the ice cream maker that needs to be chilled into the freezer.
posted by sciencegeek at 4:32 PM on August 31, 2012

All this talk of ice cream has gotten me to go put the part of the ice cream maker that needs to be chilled into the freezer.

Dude, I'm right there with you. My roommate is moving out tomorrow and will be thus clearing out a lot of room in the freezer in doing so and I've been consoling my "bummer I'll miss her" thoughts with "wait but now I can fit the freezer bit of the ice cream maker in there!"

It most likely will rain off and on sunday and monday. I have a couple days before the new roommate moves in, so I can intersperse the "mop and sweep the spare room and clean out the hall closet" duties with "make plum/earl gray tea ice cream" or "make stone fruit ice cream". W00t!

(Actually, I may also try to recreate the super-extra-strong peppermint ice cream I made once by accidentally doubling the peppermint extract -- the shit was like Altoids in ice cream form and it was delicious.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:49 PM on August 31, 2012

My ice cream thing is in the freezer but I admit I am lazy and will gratefully accept the peanut butter cup fudge commercial brand my husband brought home. I have to spiral hot dogs, you know!
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 4:57 PM on August 31, 2012

Well, hell, since we're talkin' food now -

I just learned I'll be getting 20 pounds of green beans from my CSA tomorrow. Am about to embark on making dilly beans for the first time ever. Any words of wisdom? (I also have a recipe for wasabi pickled beans which I may also do, depending on just how big a pile 20 pounds of beans actually makes. The bulk of these will be blanched and stuffed in the freezer, but I want to leave SOME room for the ice cream churn.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:06 PM on August 31, 2012 [1 favorite]

The ones I used did (SmartDog, I think?)! Granted, it wasn't as exceptional as the non-veggie version but it worked nonetheless.

Really? I successfully cut it, but it didn't stretch apart , it just stubbornly held its shape, coming frighteningly close to melding back together like those self-healing quilting mats.
posted by Fig at 5:26 PM on August 31, 2012

And yes - I am insanely jealous of Mr Fig and his spiral-cut. So jealous, that I snuck a bite while he (and the poor pig that was the hot dog) wasn't looking. It was worth the transgression.
posted by Fig at 5:29 PM on August 31, 2012

I refuse to acknowledge that summer is over!

Ditto. Summer has yet to begin here in SF, CA! Eagerly awaiting the end of Fogust...
posted by hapax_legomenon at 5:37 PM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

All this talk of ice cream has gotten me to go put the part of the ice cream maker that needs to be chilled into the freezer.

No, see you keep it in the freezer, at all times. You should also make double recipes of sorbet. Then you put half in the ice cream maker, and keep frozen a block of the sorbet on hand. That way when you're feeling lazy, you can just thaw them to slushy consistency, then put them in the ice cream maker. Homemade Sorbet, without having to do the work that day.

Unfortunately the trick doesn't work with ice-cream.
posted by Gygesringtone at 5:43 PM on August 31, 2012

Like shiny blue object, I will also be on the clock at the hospital. Pretty sure we're out of pants for folks who show up without clothes. Psych hospital on a holiday weekend: BYOPants or wear doubled hospital gowns! Note: this is not a suggestion for attire - I am tired of getting flashed by people in double johnnies while I'm doing assessments.
posted by catlet at 5:53 PM on August 31, 2012

Really? I successfully cut it, but it didn't stretch apart , it just stubbornly held its shape, coming frighteningly close to melding back together like those self-healing quilting mats.

Hmmm. I'm trying to remember if I stretched it before grilling or during. I think it was more during. Like, I started it on the grill and slowly pulled it apart every time I turned it. It may not have been SmartDog brand, too.

OH! I definitely did a tighter spiral on the veggie dog than the other dogs we used. Maybe that helped?
posted by cooker girl at 6:14 PM on August 31, 2012

As a southern hemispherer. I welcome the northern winter.
posted by Packed Lunch at 6:44 PM on August 31, 2012

Anybody who wants to come process turkeys tomorrow is welcome to help with evisceration duties.

I just learned I'll be getting 20 pounds of green beans from my CSA tomorrow.

EC: Ideas for Dilly Beans. PD also just had a hint about using painter's tape as a help in lining up your beans so you can cut them to the same length. Post pictures, please, of your finished product!
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:51 PM on August 31, 2012

I will also be on the clock at the hospital. Pretty sure we're out of pants for folks who show up without clothes. Psych hospital on a holiday weekend: BYOPants or wear doubled hospital gowns!

MEFI NURSES FOR LIFE, YO

(We have pajama pants sometimes but they're too small for most of our patients)
posted by shiny blue object at 7:20 PM on August 31, 2012

Ohhhh, but I'm mad now!

What is with that guy's accent?
posted by adamdschneider at 8:37 PM on August 31, 2012

See, now I saw the spiral-cut-dog thing before but actually inserting the skewer looked like it would be the hard part, so I skipped that and went straight to the cutting. Wasn't as pretty as the video but worked okay. But it also didn't open new vistas of dog deliciousness, so maybe it didn't work okay. Will try again with the skewer.

Farmer's market tomorrow--I'm going to try to pick up some cheap tomatoes and give a go at canning them. I make freezer jam and do other (minor) feats of food preservation, but the hot water bath canning is a new frontier. Wish me luck!

(Also, when you get tired of the spiral dogs, try marinating shrimp in basil pesto and barbecuing them. OMGWTF WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?)
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 8:52 PM on August 31, 2012

Memail me if you want hot water processing tips.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:22 PM on August 31, 2012

SILENCED ALL MY...ooh, beer!
posted by arcticseal at 10:35 PM on August 31, 2012

So let me get this straight... we've been asked to hold off on putting up bug reports, complaints and nuanced points of etiquette and all we can talk about is recipes and food?
posted by infini at 11:16 PM on August 31, 2012

We can talk about alcohol instead.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 11:40 PM on August 31, 2012 [2 favorites]

I can already visualize the future grand All Location Meetup BBQ - a good time was had by all.
posted by infini at 12:03 AM on September 1, 2012

I have a Master Forge grill on a stone patio 30 feet from a lake and a granite-lined fire pit right next to the lake. Down the end of a mile-long dirt road in the country. So come on down, BYOB.

Ohio State Fair Chicken: brine or brush the chicken, whole or pieces, in white vinegar and a generous amount of salt, diluted with some water. Grill. You're welcome.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 2:25 AM on September 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.

Holiday In Modland

They're eatin' hot dogs on Horseneck Beach
They're offline, they're not wired, they're outta reach
If you've got something that just can't wait
I'm sorry, friend, you can chalk it up to fate

So forget about your callout now
We didn't need another callout anyhow
Just take it easy, cause life is but a dream
And while you're at it, maybe eat some ice cream
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:02 AM on September 1, 2012 [3 favorites]

I'm up early, with a long list of fun stuff, though no plan plans. Now that I've got a paycheck, I'm heading straight over to that pawnshop that had the old Roland Space Echo, and that thing is going straight between my bass & my amp, in preparation for my new band's first actual show. It feels awesome to wake up early because I'm excited about something. I haven't had a band that was really my band -- I mean a totally creative endeavor that I was totally invested in, in close to 15 years, so this is heady stuff for me.

I hope all you fine folks have a great weekend too. The days are getting noticably shorter, the sun has begun its southward trudge in earnest, and I'm looking forward at last to the end of summer in just 2 or 3 more months!
posted by Devils Rancher at 5:51 AM on September 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm doing a triathlon this afternoon and all my friends backed out so if anyone wants to come keep me company between check in and my wave starting, that would be rad. I'm number 601, I will be wandering around Boulder res between noon and 1:45 half in a wetsuit. Afterwards, we are going to an all-you-can-eat dining hall at CU Boulder that I have been assured is delicious. Rest of the weekend: recovery from the race in a hot tub and homework. And a bottle of wine.
posted by rachums at 6:41 AM on September 1, 2012

Speaking of home preservation techniques, this weekend I'm making pemmican. I think probably 2:1:1 Meat:fruit:fat ratio, with the fat being 2:1 deer tallow to pork fat.
posted by Gygesringtone at 6:57 AM on September 1, 2012

We can talk about alcohol instead.

Koskenkorva Salmiakki: the nectar of gods or the vilest thing you've (n)ever tasted?
posted by daniel_charms at 9:30 AM on September 1, 2012

Duuude, c'mon...anything but that. I'll take a Vana Tallinn though if you care to toss it over.
posted by infini at 10:29 AM on September 1, 2012

I used to be prejudiced towards Vana Tallinn, but I've started to warm up towards it (if you forgive me the pun, which is doubly bad since most of the people here won't understand it) since I've discovered that it can be a true lifesaver. Last Christmas, we went to a church concert with my gf's family; it was a small country church that naturally had no heating, and despite wearing our winter coats, it was still cold sitting there*. Luckily, I'd had the foresight to bring a small bottle of liqueur with me, which probably saved us from freezing to death.

* My mother's choir performed there; luckily, they had been warmed up with some mulled wine at the parsonage, so they hardly noticed it.
posted by daniel_charms at 10:48 AM on September 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

In hot coffee is how I learnt to like it. By itself, it can be too much imo. We should try for a meet up in Tallinn, I'll know next week for later in October.
posted by infini at 10:59 AM on September 1, 2012

What gross stuff is in hot dogs? - Straight Dope Message Board

I eat candy from the street and leftover food from the food court and occasionally my own toenails. I really don't care. If other people do care, they may bring their own hot dog substitute to my place and/or go eat something else on Labor Day.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:31 PM on September 1, 2012 [2 favorites]

Random mefite: Should I eat this?

jessamyn: If you don't, I will!

(I'm looking forward to the baseball game I'm going to on Monday in large part because I will get to eat hot dogs. I love hot dogs, but only when I'm at a baseball game. Or at a cookout at jessamyn's, I bet.)
posted by rtha at 1:37 PM on September 1, 2012

But your toe nails are a limited snack resource! (you eat toe nails!?)
posted by Packed Lunch at 7:44 PM on September 1, 2012

I'm looking forward to the baseball game I'm going to on Monday

Two words: Frito Pie.
posted by Devils Rancher at 8:29 PM on September 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

MODS ARE ASLEEP -- POST PONIES
posted by JHarris at 9:33 PM on September 1, 2012

I am right here!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:35 PM on September 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

POSTPONING OF POST PONIES
posted by flapjax at midnite at 9:36 PM on September 1, 2012 [9 favorites]

REQUESTING FURTHER INSTRUCTION. WHAT IS STATUS OF MODS?
posted by homunculus at 10:47 PM on September 1, 2012

ALTERED.

PRAY I DO NOT ALTER THEM FURTHER.
posted by The Whelk at 10:49 PM on September 1, 2012

whispers

WHELK! PSSST.... FLAPJAX... OVER HERE
posted by infini at 11:01 PM on September 1, 2012

Isn't it fun ...but nothing stays
posted by The Whelk at 11:53 PM on September 1, 2012

I will be packing two hollow legs for my trip to Hotdogland on Monday. I am also working on my Kobiyashi Shake.
posted by not_on_display at 12:35 AM on September 2, 2012

Being denied grilled fancy-cut hot dogs by the rain and being too lazy to go get some ice cream, I ate a bowl of Cheerios in the middle of the afternoon while I watched the rain.

Sad, you say, compared to the heady fare of others? It wasn't bad.
posted by double block and bleed at 1:26 PM on September 2, 2012

Ad hominem writes "Im guessing the spiral cut works better on hot dogs w/o natural casing ? We have the technology to make sprial pasta, why doesn't oscar meyer extend that to spiral dogs."

All you'd have to do is stuff something like one of those spiral condoms.
posted by Mitheral at 8:14 PM on September 3, 2012

Hope the mods had a good weekend!

Okay, break time is over. Everybody back on your heads.
posted by rmd1023 at 6:48 AM on September 4, 2012 [2 favorites]

octobersurprise: "worries about scenario in which Awful Person X needs to be called out for characteristic Awful Behavior and it just can't wait.

Look for the nearest available chair. Alternately, stage your own metatalk thread with minifigs!"

*rapidly approaching footsteps* *pant pant pant*

I resemble that remark!



where did everyone go
posted by minifigs at 2:32 PM on September 4, 2012 [2 favorites]