Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Symphony of Science: spreading scientific knowledge and philosophy through musical remixes
If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.Paul Sagan
Or, if you are a talented specialist in audio remixing with a passion for science, all you have to do is mix electronic music of your own produce with extracts of scientific television series, to create videos that explain why you must first invent the universe. It might seem like something cool and hype to get the kids all excited, but in reality it is quite profound and moving. I admit my opinion might be biased, as I have grown up watching these sort of series and never gave up the habit. In great measure, I share the enthusiasm and passion of those science luminaries, and they are largely responsible for my continued fascination with science. I cannot possibly imagine how can anyone not be touched and praise by the message these brilliant scientific minds convey.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Palitos la reine? Oh, you mean ladyfingers!
There are probably very good reasons to sell condensed milk by the tube. But, for what I need it, this exotic presentation is not too practical. However, the supplier offers the condensed milk density and the mass, for an accurate conversion. Meaning, one spends a few minutes with careful calculations to find the exact quantities. When cooking, one pours a bit more, just in case. Then, check for sweetness, and add a bit more at random guess (and a bit more, just in case).
Lastly, the most complicated ingredient of all, the palitos la reine. The name roughly translates to “the queen sticks”. They are light and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like stick or an elongated eight. In Portugal, they are ubiquitous and you can find them in all patisseries, freshly backed or powdered. Like this:
Twenty-four hours latter, Mr Burnt Sugar finally tasted the much celebrated ice cream cake:
Monday, July 19, 2010
A grand day out I
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
d'après
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
A brief story of Microbiology
By the way, can anyone please help Mr Leeuwenhoek with his animalcules? He seems to keep on finding them in rather suspicious places...
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Star Wars in 2 minutes
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Not yet in the soundtrack of my life: Natalie Merchant brings back to life old poems
Saturday, January 9, 2010
I have updated my Facebook status with my bra colour
Some fun is going on . . . just write the color of your bra in your status. Just the color, nothing else. It will be neat to see if this will spread the wings of breast cancer awareness. It will be fun to see how long it takes before people wonder why all the girls have a color in their status Haha.
The Sound Track of My Life IX - Every Breath You Take by The Police and True Colors by Cindy Lauper
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Sound Track of My Life VIII - Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by the Crash Test Dummies and More Than Words by The Extreme
It was a bit far from my intentions to post about these couple of songs, but I sort of owed it to the lady without whom I wouldn’t never have never started the Soundtrack of My Life. The whole thing started a few days ago, when much to much to my dismay, Joana posted on her Facebook a log about Mmm mmm mmm mmm’s by the Crash Test Dummies. A very short comment followed the song: Do you remember this one? This was the slow music by excellency... Oh, so many garage and basement parties… oh, so many first kisses...
Of course we don’t remember this song…. It was something we heard on MTV playlists and generalist radios, and thought it was for fools (and kid sisters). A tune that made critics wonder whether the world in general and the pop music in particular was close to an end. I mean, after the almost poetry of the Beatles songs, what could we make out of such inspirational words as Mmm mmm mmm mmm? Indeed, not much.
I have to add that Joana is a few years younger than myself. Though in general, we like the same music and share favorite bands, sometimes we fall into a generational gap like this one. The Crash Test Dummies’ Mmm mmm mmm mmm single was released in late 1993. By those days, I was day in, day out in Fragil, cool as a cumcumber and fresh as a lettuce. In all my coolness, a song had to be dark and obscure, preferably electronic to be heard. And, the grungier, the better. An order too tall for Mmm mmm mmm mmm and the Crash Test Dummies.
I would be insincere if I said Mmm mmm mmm mmm was not on the Soundtrack of My Life. In fact, I admittedly bought a Crash Test Dummies CD, just because I like its singer voice (True story. I have to say that disc is not bad at all either and has traveled well). I can recognize the song, but I cannot attach it with a story or a moment even. But, ask Joana, and she will tell you a whole different story. She might even say this is a true pop song, with simple and touching lyrics, that was heard by a whole a generation while falling in love for the first time.
Shamelessly, I asked Joana, about another song my sister used to like: More Than Words, by The Extreme “Oh, yes”, she answered. “that was another one!”. And indeed it was another one. My sister also used to sit and watch it on MTV on every possible occasion. Apparently, it was just to check the Portuguese flag on the background.