Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 483

October 6, 2012: Holiday non-traditions!

Look at what I came across while cleaning out the crawlspace – a clear indication that I was destined for creative genius at a very early age. Note the artful composition, the refusal to be bound by traditional framing, the boldness of the color palette, and unique use of what appears to be actual gift wrapping to represent the gifts.  Santa’s smirk, the one-eyed snowman, the outrageous placement of the mistletoe underneath the hanging sock.   If someone had told you Quentin Tarantino made this in his kindergarten arts and crafts session, you’d believe them.

This audacious creation will serve as an inspiration to me moving forward.  Every time I hid a road block in a script, find myself bereft of clever ideas, I need only (go to the garage and) look at this provocative masterpiece and remember what it was like to be an aesthetic rebel, an imaginaut.  From this day forth, I will aspire to the scriptic equivalent of this chef d’oeuvre.

As it so happened, I took a little trip down memory lane last night when I was out for drinks with my buddy, Ivon.  We ended up at Portland Craft on Main street where I enjoyed one of the unmanliest beers ever created, a pumpkin ale, second only to the other beer I enjoyed, an apricot wheat ale.  At one point, the conversation turned to the holidays and enormous family get-togethers.  When I was a kid, Christmas dinners sat anywhere from fourteen to seventeen and included roasts, seafood, pasta, pizza, and all sorts of desserts.  We’d feast, play tomobola (Italian bingo), and then dispense with Western tradition by not waiting until morning to open our presents.   We would also celebrate Thanksgiving in atypical fashion by NOT having turkey (chicken was a comparatively juicier and tastier bird).  To this day, even though the gatherings may be smaller, we still cling to these cherished non-traditions.

So, with Canadian Thanksgiving upon us (Yes, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October.  We also celebrate Christmas in February and National Gelding Day March 13th), I was curious about some of the unique customs your family follows during the holidays.

Jelly (I’m sure would) like to thank everyone for the well-wishes as she recovers from her recent stem cell boost treatment.  Today, she was back to her usual, feisty, energetic-albeit-wobbly self.

October 5, 2012: Akemi Podcast #2 – Adam and Eve! Jelly on the mend! Bad Movie Night!

In which I (admittedly way over my head on the subject being discussed) attempt to explain to Akemi why humanity must toil as a result of original sin:

Download: podcast-adam-and-eve.m4a

Sad (and a little confused) Usagi.

Jelly went in for a stem cell boost the other day and is now at home and on the mend.  Will be interesting to see what kind of results we get on this second go-round.

Finally, just wanted to respond to blog regular, Maggiemayday, who tells us she used to attend a Bad Movie Night.  Well, it just so happens that I did too, back in the day, when Paul and I had absolutely nothing better to do with our Saturday nights.  Whew!  We sat through some truly execrable dreck including Showgirls, Barb Wire, Boxing Helena, Color of Night and the movie that retired the weekly theme night because we couldn’t imagine topping it with a worse contender: Battlefield Earth.

October 4, 2012: And a few recent big screen disappointments!

In yesterday’s blog entry, I ran down a list of movies so bad, they actually hurt.  They hurt because, at the time I paid the ticket price to sit in a theater and watch them, I was far less jaded and a long way from the embittered, hyper-critical viewer I am today.  The five movies I listed were special because each, in its own way, contributed to forever ruining the movie-going experience for me.  As a result, nowadays, whenever I take in a movie, I go in with tempered expectations.  But still, there are times when I can’t help myself, when I’ll see a movie and think “Hey, this looks pretty good!”, even (shockingly!) look forward to a movie with a certain amount of excitement.  Most of the time, I come away disappointed.  Some of the time, however, I come away with a range of negative emotions: anger, frustration, irritation, and the occasional depression.  You would think I’d learned my lesson by now.

SUCKER PUNCH

The trailer is amazing.  Girls!  Guns!  Spectacular visual effects!  And Zack Snyder at the helm!  All undone by a tiresome, meandering story and an ending clearly inspired by another big screen disappointment, Brazil (file that one under “Movies I Hated That Everyone Else Loved”). I really, REALLY wanted to like this movie but, ultimately, came away disappointed and even a little sad.    What could have been…

MEET THE FOCKERS

I don’t get it.  Same director.  Same writers.  Same cast.  The sequel should have been as good (or close to as good) as the original, Meet the Parents, a film that stands as one of my favorite comedies (somewhere between the brilliant Trains, Planes and Automobiles and the movie I’ll reference in the next paragraph).  It was, instead, a stupid and tired retread of the endless stupid and tired American Pie movies.

 THE HANGOVER II

I wasn’t the only one to declare this sequel to the 2009 box-office smash an uninspired dud, but I was surprised by the fact that much of the criticism leveled against this movie  focused on its repetitive nature.  It was, many felt, more or less the same movie as the original. I would emphatically disagree.  The first movie was actually funny whereas this movie was surprisingly laugh-free.  And I hear they’re making another one.  Given the law of diminishing returns, I fear that watching the third installment may cause irreperable brain damage.

SPIDERMAN 2

Perhaps more maddening than the movie itself were the critics who proclaimed this sequel superior to the original.  Uh, no.  I leave the details to our guest film reviewer, Cookie Monster (Spiderman 2) but suffice it to say this movie was nowhere near as good as the first Spiderman movie.  While X-Men 2 improved on its very good predecessor, Spiderman 2 followed up the webslinger’s first big screen foray with a cheesy, silly, at times frustratingly ridiculous outing.

ASSAULT GIRLS

What do you mean YOU’RE not surprised.  Look at the trailer:

Sadly, it made absolutely NO SENSE.

What do you mean YOU’RE not surprised?!

October 3, 2012: Movies so disappointing they hurt!

And the reason they hurt so much was because, at the time, I was a young, innocent lover of film, naive to the ways of Hollywood with its slapdash sequels, soulless reboots, and godawful adaptations.  These were movies a fresh, ingenuous Joe looked forward to, counting down the days to their release. I expected great things.  I got:

HOWARD THE DUCK

I mean, come on!  One of my favorite comic book characters brought to the big screen by the creator of Star Wars.  Star Wars!  How could it possibly fail?!  I recall trying to convince a dubious friend that a movie about a talking duck could, nay, WOULD actually be good.  Oh, how wrong I was.  The scene where Howard rocks out on stage with Lea Thompson still haunts my dreams.  Yes, it was directed by George Lucas, the man behind Star Wars.  Also, the man behind…

RETURN OF THE JEDI

This third installment in the original Star Wars trilogy was the equivalent of meeting a beautiful girl and having her invite you back to her place where you enjoy a few drinks, partake in a little romance – halfway through which her partners in crime kick in the door, beat the shit out of you, and steal your wallet.  In the case of Return of the Jedi, that wallet held about five bucks – and my wide-eyed faith in my big screen heroes.  What was so maddening was the bait and switch, how the movie suckered you in with a cool first half and then suddenly, inexplicably, horrifyingly, morphed into The Intergalactic Teddy Bear Picnic Movie.  I still haven’t forgiven George Lucas.

BATMAN (1989)

In retrospect, it’s not a terrible movie and certainly blazed a trail for future great superhero movies to follow but, for a kid who grew up reading Detective Comics and the work of Frank Miller, it was nothing less than an astounding disappointment.  Michael Keaton was a milquetoast Bruce Wayne and a stiff and emotionally unengaging Batman.  Worse, he’s completely unheroic during the anticlimactic battle with the Joker, simply beating the crap out of the overmatched lunatic.  And speaking of the Joker – I still cringe whenever I envision the hitherto terrifying Clown Prince of Crime prancing around to Prince.

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

Oh, you enjoyed the action and high-flying adventure of the first Indiana Jones movie?  Great.  Have some more.  And more!  AND MORE!  Try not to choke on the never-ending barrage of frenzied action scenes that follow one after another after another until, by the time those final credits roll, you’ve become so desensitized to the spectacle of it all that you swear off Indiana Jones forever.

JURASSIC PARK: THE LOST WORLD

This was the movie that pulled back the veil, stripping away the filmic fun and fancy trappings to reveal the Spiebergian formula in its basest form: Over-the-top adventure + precocious kids = Not much in the way of suspense or a satisfying movie, but box office gold.  In one of the most contrived moments in movie history, one of the kids, who happens to be a gymnast who happens to be trapped in a room with some high parallel bars just happens to save herself by executing a flawless gymnastic routine.  What are the chances?  In a Spielberg movie, I eventually realized, pretty good.

So, let’s hear ‘em.  What were your most painful filmic disappointments?

October 2, 2012: Safe, all-natural dog treats! I checked! Almost smoooooooth sailing! No, really! The Frozen Sky!

A recent investigative report on suspect dog treats from China led me to do a little research on the treats I feed Jelly, Bubba, and Lulu.  After all, just because it says “all natural” and “made in the U.S.” or “made in Canada” on the label doesn’t mean some of the ingredients don’t originate in China.  And so, this weekend, I fired off some emails.  And, today, I heard back.

FRUITABLES

The company offers several products but the one I usually pick up for my dogs is the Pumpkin & Banana flavored dog treats.  Why? Because I like pumpkin AND banana – and the treats smell like freshly baked pumpkin and banana!  Also, Jelly, Bubba, and Lulu really enjoy them.  So, will I keep feeding them to my dogs?

YES!   The packaging states they’re “100% Natural” (Ingredients: Pumpkin, Organic Oatmeal, Pearled Batrley, Potatoes, Oat Fiber, Canola Oil, Brown Sugar, Bananas, Cinnamon, Natural Flavor, Vanilla, Mixed Tocopherols [a natural preservative]).  And, according to the response I received from a company representative:

“Good Morning and thanks for writing regarding the origination of our treats, we appreciate your concern for your pet’s health.  Fruitables treats are manufactured in the U.S.A. from ingredients sourced in the US and Canada only.  We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that each ingredient is to our specification for each production run.“

Well, that puts my mind at ease.

Fruitables Pet Food – Official Site

BUDDY BISCUITS

The company, Cloud Star, offers a variety of treats, but the ones I usually get for my dogs are the Peanut Butter flavored biscuits.  Why? Because I love peanut butter.  Also, the treats are in the shape of cute little gingerbread men.  And, Jelly, Bubba, and Lulu really enjoy them. So, will I keep feeding them to my dogs?

YES! The package says they’re “All Natural” (Ingredients: Whole wheat flour, Peanut butter, Expeller pressed canola oil, Mixed tocopherols [a natural preservative]).  And this was the response I received from a company representative:

“Good Morning Joseph & furry friends,

 First and foremost thank you for your loyalty to our Buddy Biscuits. All our treats are manufactured and sourced in the United States.  All our ingredients are sourced in the USAJ

Thank you for asking these questions, you can never be too careful or ask too many questions when it comes to your dog’s health today!“

I checked out the Cloud Star website and discovered they offer a variety of treats, both crunch and chewy, and even offer Gingerbread flavored Buddy Biscuits (Wheat flour, Rolled oats, Blackstrap molasses, Natural gingerbread flavor, Expeller pressed canola oil, Mixed tocopherols [a natural preservative]) for the holidays!

CloudStar.com – WAG MORE BARK LESS

Huzzah!  I just completed the fifth act of the outline Paul and I are working on (for that script we’ll eventually write and which, someday, somebody may actually be read by someone who may be interested in making it a television series.  A boy can wish.).  Tomorrow, I finish up the tag and then it’ll be smooooooooooth sailing.

Hey, just hard that my buddy, author Jeff Carlson, has a new novel out, The Frozen Sky:

“I’m hooked.” —Larry Niven

“A first-rate adventure.” —Allen Steele

BENEATH THE ICE

Something is alive inside Jupiter’s ice moon Europa.

Robot probes find an ancient tunnel beneath the

surface, its walls carved with strange hieroglyphics.

Led by elite engineer Alexis Vonderach, a team of

scientists descends into the dark… where they

confront a savage race older than mankind…
FIRST CONTACT



Based on the award-winning short story,

The Frozen Sky is a new full-length sci fi thriller from

the international bestselling author of Plague Year.

Check out Jeff’s recent guest post at SF Signal: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2012/09/goest-post-the-last-of-the-mohicans-jeff-carlson-on-aliens-spaceships-and-the-frozen-sky

Or, even better, check out The Frozen Sky:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Frozen-Sky-Novel-ebook/dp/B009GLM5LG/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-frozen-sky-jeff-carlson/1113016229

Which reminds me – I’m long overdue for a Recent Best Reads entry. I’ve got a bunch of great books to recommend, maybe later in the week.

Tagged: Buddy Biscuits, Cloud Star, dog treats, Dogs, Fruitables, Jeff Carlson, safe dog treats, The Frozen Sky

October 1, 2012: The Supermovie of the Week Club reconvenes! Cookie Monster reviews The Incredibles!

Me know, me know.  You expecting monster to say dis movie be SUPER.  Or mebbe INCREDIBLE!  But me not so obvious.  No, monster more unprediktable den Lindsay Lohan at one of Oscar de Grouch’s Hobo Hoedowns.  What me WILL say is dat monster pleasantly surprized by how much me enjoy dis movie considering it be written by Big Bird’s cuzin, Brad.  After all, creative writing not exaktly run in de family, someting you would know if you happened to read Big Bird’s poetry collection, Remembrance of Things Passed (in which he reflekt in rhyme on stuff he ate de previous day).

Movie begin wit our hero, Mr. Incredible, as he try to fight crime while trying to shake pesky sidekick who want to hang wit him.  Remind monster of Elmo dat time we go on fake bachelor party for Grover who pretend his bride run off wit best man so he can get sympathy lap dances.  Remember dat night?  We had to check Elmo at door of strip club and, later, when go to pick him up, turn out someone already claim him and we left wit some guy’s fluffy crimson foulard instead?  Good times, good times.

Anyway, Mr. Incredible lose de sidekick – but also lose his job becuz he cause too much collateral damage.  And so, he enter superhero relocation program…

Years later, we find Mr. Incredible and he now settled down, married Elastagirl and have tree kids: Dash, Violet, and Jak-Jak.  He spend days at insurance company, working for crabby boss.  BUT at night, he get together wit best friend, Frozone, and fight crime – even tho he not supposed.  (Shhhh.  Pleaze don’t tell.).

The Incredibles be a great family film dat offer terrific life lesson for kids like importance of family values, honesty is best policy, and sometime it okay to be de shit out of your boss if he be a complete asshole.  Which Mr. Incredible do – and get fired.  :(

He so ashamed he not tell wife.  Instead, he take job fighting robot on remote island.  However, it turn out remote island robot fighting job be not quite what it appear (Always de case.  Monster learn dis de hard way last summer).  Mr. Incredible captured on island by inventor of robot, supervillain Syndrome who turn out to be…annoying sidekick from earlier in movie!  Dis be another important lesson: Always be nice to weaker people becuz, someday, dey could be supervillains…or in charge of cleaning out your bed pans after horrific clown car crash.

Fortunately, Elastagirl not very trusting of husband and track down his whereabouts.  Wit help of Dash and Violet, she crash island.  Fantastic action sekwences ensue!

Turn out Syndrome have master plan to unleash super robot on city, den sweep in and save de dey.  But he only half successful.  Unleashing go okay but sweeping in and saving part need a lot of work.

Luckily, Mr. Incredible and family, wit help of Frozone, chip in and save de day, destroy robot, defeat Syndrome, and save baby Jak-Jak.

Lots to like about dis movie.  It fast paced, fun, very funny, and clever. It poke fun at superheroes by celebrating de genre instead of belittling it.  Aktion sekwences are eye-popping and very entertaining.  And, most importantly at end of day, dis movie have a lot of heart.

And esophagus, liver, and even some spleen.

Verdikt: Dis movie be fantabulous!

Rating: 9.5 chocolate chippee cookies!

Tagged: Cookie Monster, Cookie Monster film reviews, Cookie Monster movie reviews, Cookie Monster reviews The Incredibles, film and television, movie reviews, superhero movie reviews, superheroes, SuperMovie of the Week Club, The Incredibles

September 30, 2012: Joe’s English language school! Snow Monkeys in tough! And so am I with this outline.

Oh, so close.

I figured what better way to help Akemi learn English than by having her master the art of the tongue twister?  Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers…

Download: 20120929-1916413.m4a

The plan was to have a rough draft of the finished outline by Sunday. Well, yes, that was the plan.  It’s Sunday and I’ve only managed to complete a tease and two acts.  Not exactly smoooooooooooth sailing. Sigh.  It would be so much easier to wait around for Carl to set up a show we could work on.  Or open up one of those mall stand-up booths that sell the funny animal hats.

Anyway, I’m sure I’ll get back on track soon enough.  After all, writing is just like riding a bike.  Sometimes, a bike with two flat tires and misaligned handlebars.

Nooooooo. Not again!

Another frustrating day for my fantasy football league Snow Monkeys. Looks like they’re going to fall to 1-3, UNLESS the Lawrence Tynes, the New York Giants kicker, puts up 14 points tonight (3 extra points and four field goals would do it).

Eating highlights:

Akemi enjoys a gooey crepe at the Trout Lake farmer’s market.

Gary tries the beef tendon. “He likes it!Hey, Mikey!  I mean Gary!”

Akemi executes her patented two-handed nibble on a trail mix cookie at Bel Cafe.

Wheeling and dealing and snacking on macarons at Bel Cafe.

Okay, back to the outline.

Today’s entry is dedicated to blog regular Maryanne.  Condolences.

September 29, 2012: Dangerous dog treats! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! The Last Man!

Watched an infuriating report last night on Marketplace that detailed the string of pet sicknesses and deaths purportedly linked to two dog treats manufactured in China: Waggin’ Train Dog Treats and Milo’s Chicken Jerky treats.  I say “purportedly” because, even though many dogs have gotten sick and, in some cases, died after ingesting these treats, no direct link has been found that proves that they were the cause of the illnesses and deaths.  And, without a smoking gun, despite the massive coincidence, NestlePurina is in no hurry to pull these treats off store shelves, even as a precaution.  Meanwhile, the slow-as-molasses FDA is apparently looking into the matter.

In last night’s report, an independent laboratory analysis revealed a mysterious, unidentifiable substance in the treats that are suspected of sickening/killing some of the dogs profiled.  Furthermore, we were told that individuals sent to observe the treat-making process at the factory in China encountered resistance and suspicious and doctored data.

You’d think that companies like the Del Monte Corporation and NestlePurina would have the interest of their consumers at heart but, it would seem, they’re more concerned about their bottom line.  So what can you do?  Beside avoid Waggin’ Train Dog Treats and Milo’s Kitchen treats?   Well, I for one will be avoiding ALL Del Monte and Nestle products from now on.  That’s a start.

Also, head over here and sign a petition to get these treats pulled from store shelves:

Nestle Purina: Recall Chicken Jerky Treats Made in China

Restore Our Trust! Take Dangerous Dog Treats Off The Shelves.

Or, even better, sign a petition that would require Waggin’ Train Treat President, Nina Leigh Krueger, to actually eat her own product.  Lots of spin going on at the company facebook page: Waggin’ Train Dog Treats

An interesting exchange:

Joshua Annunziataposted toWaggin’ Train Dog Treats
September 9 near Fort Myers, FL




WT, I’d like an answer to ONE specific question. I could not get it from your customer service team, and I’m sure I won’t get it here. I don’t want a canned response copy and pasted from some script or FAQs. I want an organic, genuine answer.I’ve read on MULTIPLE news sources, an article from 8/22/12, that your company REFUSED to allow the FDA to inspect and test your product in an independent facility. Why?














Waggin’ Train Dog Treats @ Joshua- On August 15th, the FDA posted information regarding their April inspections of several Chinese facilities that manufacture chicken jerky treats for dogs. The FDA stated: “the inspections provided valuable information on the firms’ jerky treat manufacturing operations. The FDA found no evidence that these firms’ jerky pet treats are the cause of pet illnesses in the United States.” We continue to cooperate fully with the FDA and its investigation. Also, we’ll give you a call this evening to discuss. Thanks again.
 

















Terie Vass That isn’t exactly true WT. The FDA stated that the CHinese government, who pretty much owns your contracted facilities in China (JOC Great Wall) would not allow the samples to be returned to the USA for testing, and said CHinese labs would only be allowed. The FDA investigators declined, and did not return with samples. How clean your factories are is NOT the issue really is it?? It’s WHAT is added to the chicken and WHAT the chicken was fed and you know it. How long can you keep the corp straight face without laughing, because you know what it is. The FDA has pretty good idea too, just can’t prove it. What will you say when they do prove it without a doubt? OOPS, our bad??
September 10 at 10:11am · Like · 10














Terie Vass People need to research and see who actually MAKES these. Purina doesn’t own the factories in China. A HUGE part of the problem I’d say.
September 10 at 12:24pm · Like · 1














Waggin’ Train Dog Treats Hi Terie – Just circling back with you. Our treats are made in facilities in China that model U.S. Department of Agriculture standards for quality and safety. We ensure these facilities remain under strict safety and sanitary guidelines and are closely monitored by our quality professionals. All finished product lots are tested to ensure the safety and quality of our treats.

[Note how Waggin' Train Dog Treats DOES NOT respond to the specific charges made by this poster, simply falling back on the company line].

Grieving Pet Owners Want Imported Dog Treats Pulled From Shelves

Dog illnesses may be linked to jerkey treats produced in China

Grieving pet owners take jerky treat fight to the stores

Consumers Petiton To Get ‘Toxic’ Dog Treats off Retail Shelves

More than 57,000 consumers urge Walgreens to take dog treat off of shelves 

Death Of Dogs And Cats Blamed On Chinese Pet Treats

Lots of barking, no regulatory bite

Get the word out.

Continuing our trip down SGA memory lane…

THE LAST MAN (420)

“Who is that creepy old guy staring in through my window?”I wondered, catching the fella from the corner of my eye as he peered in through the slats of my office blinds.  Assuming he was looking for casting (auditioning for the role of Grandpa no doubt) I stepped out into the hallway to help him out.  It was only when I got a closer look that I realized that I recognized the creepy old guy.  It was David Hewlett!

He wants me to stay the hell out of his Jello tree.

The make-up department had done a terrific job of aging him up for his upcoming appearance as future McKay.  It was going to be one of those time travel episodes I loved so much, the kind that offered us a glimpse of the (albeit alternate) future that awaits our characters. Sheppard gone, Teyla and Jennifer dead, Atlantis abandoned, leaving a broken McKay to continue his work in the hope of, some day, setting it right.  And, of course, there were the fittingly spectacular ends to the lives of two (maybe three) fan favorites: Carter going out with a bang as she sacrifices herself to take out a hive ship, and Ronon sacrificing himself alongside a most unlikely ally in Todd the wraith.

The first draft of the script ended with Sheppard stepping through the gate to inform everyone that he knew where Teyla was being held captive.  At the network’s request (and it was a good one), we played out the events a little longer, actually getting them to the location before bringing down the roof – literally.

We didn’t have to go far for the McKay-Keller stroll, shooting right outside The Bridge Studios.

Distant future design.

Keeping Joe’s chair warm.

This scene required an enormous amount of sand. Getting it in was the easy part; cleaning it up more problematic.

Bam Bam substitutes for Joe during part of the sandstorm stroll.

Tagged: Atlantis, Days of Stargate Atlantis Past, Milo's Kitchen, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, The Last Man, toxic dog treats, waggin' train treats

September 29, 2012: Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! The Last Man!

Watched an infuriating report last night on Marketplace that detailed the string of pet sicknesses and deaths purportedly linked to two dog treats manufactured in China: Waggin’ Train Dog Treats and Milo’s Chicken Jerky treats.  I say “purportedly” because, even though many dogs have gotten sick and, in some cases, died after ingesting these treats, no direct link has been found that proves that they were the cause of the illnesses and deaths.  And, without a smoking gun, despite the massive coincidence, NestlePurina is in no hurry to pull these treats off store shelves, even as a precaution.  Meanwhile, the slow-as-molasses FDA is apparently looking into the matter.

In last night’s report, an independent laboratory analysis revealed a mysterious, unidentifiable substance in the treats that are suspected of sickening/killing some of the dogs profiled.  Furthermore, we were told that individuals sent to observe the treat-making process at the factory in China encountered resistance and suspicious and doctored data.

You’d think that companies like the Del Monte Corporation and NestlePurina would have the interest of their consumers at heart but, it would seem, they’re more concerned about their bottom line.  So what can you do?  Beside avoid Waggin’ Train Dog Treats and Milo’s Kitchen treats?   Well, I for one will be avoiding ALL Del Monte and Nestle products from now on.  That’s a start.

Also, head over here and sign a petition to get these treats pulled from store shelves:

Nestle Purina: Recall Chicken Jerky Treats Made in China

Restore Our Trust! Take Dangerous Dog Treats Off The Shelves.

Or, even better, sign a petition that would require Waggin’ Train Treat President, Nina Leigh Krueger, to actually eat her own product.  Lots of spin going on at the company facebook page: Waggin’ Train Dog Treats

An interesting exchange:

Joshua Annunziataposted toWaggin’ Train Dog Treats
September 9 near Fort Myers, FL




WT, I’d like an answer to ONE specific question. I could not get it from your customer service team, and I’m sure I won’t get it here. I don’t want a canned response copy and pasted from some script or FAQs. I want an organic, genuine answer.

I’ve read on MULTIPLE news sources, an article from 8/22/12, that your company REFUSED to allow the FDA to inspect and test your product in an independent facility. Why?

Waggin’ Train Dog Treats @ Joshua- On August 15th, the FDA posted information regarding their April inspections of several Chinese facilities that manufacture chicken jerky treats for dogs. The FDA stated: “the inspections provided valuable information on the firms’ jerky treat manufacturing operations. The FDA found no evidence that these firms’ jerky pet treats are the cause of pet illnesses in the United States.” We continue to cooperate fully with the FDA and its investigation. Also, we’ll give you a call this evening to discuss. Thanks again.
 




















Terie Vass That isn’t exactly true WT. The FDA stated that the CHinese government, who pretty much owns your contracted facilities in China (JOC Great Wall) would not allow the samples to be returned to the USA for testing, and said CHinese labs would only be allowed. The FDA investigators declined, and did not return with samples. How clean your factories are is NOT the issue really is it?? It’s WHAT is added to the chicken and WHAT the chicken was fed and you know it. How long can you keep the corp straight face without laughing, because you know what it is. The FDA has pretty good idea too, just can’t prove it. What will you say when they do prove it without a doubt? OOPS, our bad??
September 10 at 10:11am · Like · 10














Terie Vass People need to research and see who actually MAKES these. Purina doesn’t own the factories in China. A HUGE part of the problem I’d say.
September 10 at 12:24pm · Like · 1














Waggin’ Train Dog Treats Hi Terie – Just circling back with you. Our treats are made in facilities in China that model U.S. Department of Agriculture standards for quality and safety. We ensure these facilities remain under strict safety and sanitary guidelines and are closely monitored by our quality professionals. All finished product lots are tested to ensure the safety and quality of our treats.

[Note how Waggin' Train Dog Treats DOES NOT respond to the specific charges made by this poster, simply falling back on the company line].

 

Grieving Pet Owners Want Imported Dog Treats Pulled From Shelves

Dog illnesses may be linked to jerkey treats produced in China

Grieving pet owners take jerky treat fight to the stores

Consumers Petiton To Get ‘Toxic’ Dog Treats off Retail Shelves

More than 57,000 consumers urge Walgreens to take dog treat off of shelves 

Death Of Dogs And Cats Blamed On Chinese Pet Treats

Lots of barking, no regulatory bite

Get the word out.

 

Continuing our trip down SGA memory lane…

THE LAST MAN (420)

“Who is that creepy old guy staring in through my window?”I wondered, catching the fella from the corner of my eye as he peered in through the slats of my office blinds.  Assuming he was looking for casting (auditioning for the role of Grandpa no doubt) I stepped out into the hallway to help him out.  It was only when I got a closer look that I realized that I recognized the creepy old guy.  It was David Hewlett!

He wants me to stay the hell out of his Jello tree.

The make-up department had done a terrific job of aging him up for his upcoming appearance as future McKay.  It was going to be one of those time travel episodes I loved so much, the kind that offered us a glimpse of the (albeit alternate) future that awaits our characters. Sheppard gone, Teyla and Jennifer dead, Atlantis abandoned, leaving a broken McKay to continue his work in the hope of, some day, setting it right.  And, of course, there were the fittingly spectacular ends to the lives of two (maybe three) fan favorites: Carter going out with a bang as she sacrifices herself to take out a hive ship, and Ronon sacrificing himself alongside a most unlikely ally in Todd the wraith.

The first draft of the script ended with Sheppard stepping through the gate to inform everyone that he knew where Teyla was being held captive.  At the network’s request (and it was a good one), we played out the events a little longer, actually getting them to the location before bringing down the roof – literally.

We didn’t have to go far for the McKay-Keller stroll, shooting right outside The Bridge Studios.

Distant future design.

Keeping Joe’s chair warm.

This scene required an enormous amount of sand. Getting it in was the easy part; cleaning it up more problematic.

Bam Bam substitutes for Joe during part of the sandstorm stroll.

Tagged: Atlantis, Days of Stargate Atlantis Past, Milo's Kitchen, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis, The Last Man, toxic dog treats, waggin' train treats

September 28, 2012: Make your own home made chicken heart tacos! I show you how! Days of Stargate Atlantis past! The Kindred II!

Since Akemi was attending a party for her ESL (English as a Second Language) class tonight, I thought I’d take advantage of her absence to make something a little atypical for dinner, something she probably wouldn’t enjoy (until she tried it of course) if she was home.  I wanted to make duck hearts.  Now, last weekend , I lamented over the dearth of duck hearts at the local butcher shops (September 22, 2012: Heart of Duckness).  In the interim, I had several people suggest I check out the nearby T&T Chinese supermarket.  Surely, if anyone would have duck hearts, it would be T&T.  And so, this afternoon, after dropping Akemi off at her class, my quest took me to T&T.

Sadly, no duck hearts to be found.  Undaunted, I decided to improvise, picked up some available ingredients and returned home where I combined them with a few pantry items to make a magnificent meal: Chicken Heart Tacos!

First, I unpacked the chicken hearts, rinsed them and trimmed off the fat, cleaning out the ventricles.  I soaked them in water, then split the serving in two.  Half I fried up for the dogs with a little olive.  The other half, I marinated in soy sauce, Pedro Ximenez Solera 1910 (in the likely event that you don’t have any handy, port will do in a pinch), thyme, a couple of smashed garlic cloves, some smashed ginger, some brown sugar, and a sprinkling of smoked serrano pepper for one hour.

Chicken hearts in marinade.

I then diced up a couple of cloves of garlic, a clove of black garlic, and a shallot, and fried them with a little harissa olive oil and thyme until they softened, then transferred them to a side plate.

I’d suggest a medium-low heat. You don’t want the garlic and shallots to brown, just soften.

Next, drop a knob of butter into a hot pan and transfer the hearts (sans marinade) for cooking.  Fry on medium-high heat for about four minutes, then add a couple of tablespoons of chicken stock, some balsamic (I used a fig balsamic), put the garlic/black garlic/shallot mixture back in the pan, and cook for another couple of minutes.

Remove the hearts from the pan, cook down the remaining liquid by half, then pour over the hearts.  Sprinkle with sea salt and chopped parsley and voila!  You’re ready to go!

The dogs were positively green with envy.

I built my taco using a variety of equally atypical ingredients:

I started with a black pepper jam I picked up from Fable Kitchen. It’s intense so just a touch will do.

For added crunch, some delicious crispy pig ear I picked up at T&T.

Top with a padron pepper.

A little guacamole for touch of creaminess.

Then it’s time for the star: the chicken hearts. Don’t skimp!

And I finished by topping it with a tiny spoonful of tomato jam (that I also picked up at Fable Kitchen).

For an improvisation, and variation of Fergus Henderson’s Duck Hearts on Toast recipe from his The Whole Beast cookbook, the results were surprisingly spectacular.

Kids, do try this at home.

Now, where did we last leave off our reminiscing on Atlantis’s fourth season.  Oh, yeah!

THE KINDRED II (419)

This episode was the culmination of about a half dozen ongoing story threads, from Michael and the missing Athosians to Teyla’s pregnancy and Beckett’s mysterious reappearance.  It all dovetailed nicely, setting the stage for one of my favorite Stargate season finales.  Carson’s return is short-lived and, while he’s put on ice at episode’s end, he does return, more or less for good, the following season.  Actress Rachel Luttrell’s pregnancy was a curveball thrown our way at the start of the year, but I thought we did a nice job of embracing the reality and incorporating into the ongoing storyline.  What started as an unexpected complication blossomed into one of the most interesting arcs in Stargate history.  This two parter, by the way, was shot out of sequence and earlier in the production schedule to shoot Rachel out and obviate the need for an emergency standby midwife in the unlikely event she gave birth on set.

Tagged: adventurous dining, adventurous eating, Atlantis, chicken heart tacos, chicken hearts, cooking with chicken hearts, SGA, Stargate, Stargate: Atlantis