Saturday, May 31, 2008

Morgan Spurlock goes underground

West Virginia native Morgan Spurlock goes underground for the first episode of the third season of "30 Days". The new season starts on Tuesday June 3 on FX.
FX will open the third season of its documentary series "30 Days" by sending creator Morgan Spurlock underground.

In the first of two installments Spurlock will participate in, he'll return to his home state of West Virginia and work in a coal mine for a month. He'll work both above and below ground in Pineville, W. Va., and live with a mining family. The show is scheduled to begin its third season on Tuesday, June 3.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Mothman attacks

Mothman, Point Pleasant, WV

Point Pleasant, WV

If $4 Gas Is Bad, Just Wait

If $4 Gas Is Bad, Just Wait - MarketWatch

The price of gas could continue to climb. In a worse case scenario reported by MarketWatch a gallon of gas could cost $6 to $7 in the next six months to two years. All of this depends on oil going up to $200 a barrel.
Many analysts consider $4-a-gallon retail gasoline across the U.S. a foregone conclusion this summer driving season, a period of typically peak demand, but those estimates take only current record-high oil prices into account. Thursday, light, sweet crude futures breached $135 a barrel, more than double the price a year ago.
If oil hits $200 a barrel, which is the upper end of Goldman Sach's prediction for prices over the next six months to two years, the gasoline picture changes quite dramatically. At $200 a barrel, crude alone would cost $4.76 a gallon. Add on the costs of refining and distributing as well as taxes, and pump prices could rise to a range of $6 to $7 a gallon.
U.S. drivers haven't radically changed their behavior, and it is unclear at what price it becomes unprofitable for Americans to go about their usual day-to-day activities, said Eric DeGesero, executive vice president of the Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey.

Many American drivers already think it is too expensive to go about their daily business. The price of diesel has already topped $5 a gallon. Most goods are shipped via trucks. Trains run on diesel. Now would be a bad time to be in the shipping business. Look for the rates for shipping for both food and books from Amazon.com increase because the price of fuel will be passes along to consumers. Inflated fuel prices will speed inflation in other sectors of the economy.

The only thing drivers can do now is drive less: less demand will help bring down the cost of gas. And hope and pray we never see $7 a gallon gas.

Vacation in your own back yard

The Charleston Gazette's guide to taking a vacation in the Kanawha Valley.

Jake the dog

Jake

Abe and Mary Lincoln at the Vandalia Gathering

Abe and Mary Lincoln at the Vandalia Gathering

Business owners flood health department with smoking ban questions

Business owners flood health department with smoking ban questions

Some business owners are trying to get around the ban by building outdoor decks. I know of another that is turning their bar area into a private club. According to this article neither will get them around the ban.

SecretTweet.com

SecretTweet.com - Post your secrets anonymously to Twitter is a site by a 20-year-old Marshall University student. It's good to see someone doing a cool project locally.  

New Southern Kitchen owner wants to reopen

New Southern Kitchen owner wants to reopen 

Let's hope it will be as good as it used to be.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

MinniPurl on vandalism vs. art

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Here are a couple of local election stories that the local press missed

Saturday, May 10, 2008

A visit to Hillbilly Hotdogs

We visited Hillbilly Hotdogs today at their original Lesage location.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

Thanks to the recent visit by the Food Network, the lines are long.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

Oncee was here.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

People risk life and limb and park across Rt. 2.

Hillbilly Hot Dogs

Parking was a mess. The place has a very small parking lot.

According to the website, you can know own your own franchise.

The hotdogs were ok. The sauce was a little spicy, and the slaw was a little too creamy for my taste. The whole dog had a salty taste to it.

Bill Clinton loves mothers and Blenko Glass

Former President Bill Clinton arrived 90 minutes late for an appearance in St. Albans yesterday because he insisted on shopping at Blenko Glass in Milton for Mother's Day gifts.
The former president spoke to about 400 people in a hot gymnasium, starting about 90 minutes late. A spokeswoman said Clinton was late because he insisted on shopping at the Blenko glass factory in Milton for Mother's Day gifts.

Clinton reportedly found plenty of gifts, and he also found an enthusiastic crowd, not yet ready to hand the Democratic nomination over to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Fine dining in Craigsville

The Charleston Gazette - Food & Dining - There's fine dining in the pastures of Nicholas County. I hope to try this place soon.
(Bloody Butcher corn has been grown by the Meadows family for seven generations, ever since an ancestor brought some home when she escaped from Indian captivity. The Meadowses grew it every year, made corn bread or slopped it to the hogs. Then several West Virginia chefs suggested that the cornmeal be ground finer, for polenta. Now The Greenbrier and other fine restaurants offer it on their menus.)

Lunches include rosemary foccacia topped by a mix of portabellas and goat cheese with drizzles of honey and balsamic vinegar. Salads come with a variety of dressings, including their own strawberry vinaigrette.

And there's that famous Bloody Butcher polenta - with a twist: Riffle mixes it with goat cheese, then sautés it in garlic butter. There are sandwiches, wraps and burgers, including one with a half-pound of buffalo meat.

Lunch desserts include sister Susie's double-layer double chocolate cake, and family patriarch Edgar Meadows' favorite, the banana creme tort, with flaky pastry and strawberry sauce.

But we came at sundown, when the Greek salad caught the eye of our friend, who shared it with me. Red onion, kalamatas, feta and romaine all made a pleasant start for her raspberry creme lamb chops.

Schwabe-May to close May 17

After nearly 130 years in business, Charleston clothing store Schwabe-May to close May 17.
After nearly 130 years in business, Schwabe-May is closing on May 17, owner Lynne Schwabe said.

"I'm very sad," she said Wednesday. "The business has been with some part of the Schwabe family since the 1880s. I'm very sad for our employees and very sad for our loyal customers."

The changing retail habits of customers and Schwabe's personal issues have made the closure necessary, she said.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Richwood Hospital Set to Close its Doors

The hospital where I was born is deep in dept and set to close: Hospital Set to Close its Doors.

The Charleston Gazette has a follow-up.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

WSAZ rolls out a Charleston News page

Sunday, May 04, 2008

More Tricky Fish pics

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Tricky Fish

Tricky Fish

Tricky Fish

Tricky Fish

Tricky Fish

Friday, May 02, 2008

Sushi

Inside looking out

Taken from the cafe inside Taylor Books.

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The Purple Moon is moving

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Thursday, May 01, 2008

Broiled Salmon with Ramps

Chris James cooks up yet another concoction with ramps: Salmon with Ramps.