drewbert

Just thought I'd hop in for some clarifications! The "TNT Theme" was correctly identified as "The Battleships" by @hamst3r in this thread. And the "E3 Bombcast Break Song" is "Ghetto Bird" from RoyaltyFreeMusic.

Now you too can make your own Fritos-crusted Lunchtime Snack for Lunatics, as featured prominently in the most recent I Love Mondays! Also, you can sound totally awesome by adding anything to mayo and calling it an "aioli." Try it!

I adapted this creation from a chicken fingers recipe I found in a great gluten-free cookbook (I'm allergic to gluten) called Cooking For Isaiah. It has quickly become my go-to lunch, simply because it's so quick and easy to make, and because I don't mind eating the same thing four days in a row. On to the alchemy!

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut two chicken breasts in half, lengthwise, so you have four flat, wide pieces of chicken.
• Crush a whole 10oz bag of Fritos (I use a meat tenderizer, because it's fun) and pour the result into a large bowl.
• Add some black pepper to the bowl (I like pepper, so I add about a teaspoon).
• In another large bowl, beat three eggs.
• Grease a baking sheet.
• Take a piece of chicken and dip it in the Fritos, then into the eggs, then back into the Fritos (get as many as you can on there).
• Place the chicken onto the baking sheet, then repeat for the rest of the chicken pieces.
• Put the baking sheet in the oven for 20 min (or until the chicken is fully cooked).

Once it's cooked, I put all the chicken in a container in the fridge. Each morning, I slather mayo on some (gluten-free) bread, apply a liberal amount of sriracha, put the chicken on, and wrap the whole thing up in foil. When I get to the office, I put it in the fridge until lunchtime when I take it out and reheat it in the toaster oven. It's just that easy!

For the health-conscious, I calculated the nutrition facts for each chicken slab (your bread and mayo may vary):

• Calories: 605
• Total Fat: 32g
• (Saturated Fat): 4.5g
• (Polyunsaturated Fat): 7g
• (Monounsaturated Fat): 15g
• Cholesterol: 210mg
• Sodium: 575mg
• Potassium: 1165mg
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• (Fiber): 2.5g
• (Sugar): 1g
• Protein: 35g

Here's just the Fritos (2.5oz):

• Calories: 400
• Total Fat: 25g
• (Saturated Fat): 2.5g
• (Polyunsaturated Fat): 6g
• (Monounsaturated Fat): 12g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 425mg
• Potassium: 875mg
• Carbohydrates: 37.5g
• (Fiber): 0g
• (Sugar): 0g
• Protein: 5g

And here's a Big Mac:

• Calories: 550
• Total Fat: 29g
• (Saturated Fat): 10g
• (Trans Fat): 1g
• Cholesterol: 75mg
• Sodium: 970mg
• Potassium: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• (Fiber): 3g
• (Sugar): 9g
• Protein: 25g

... maybe I should ease up on the Fritos.

This song never fails to make me run faster.

I'll often start whistling this around the office with no provocation:

Nick Bonner, one of the producers on the film, founded the tour group I went with to the DPRK (Koryo Tours). He's the one who has slowly built up a friendly relationship with the North Korean government (he was originally an architect from the UK who did some projects in the DPRK). Through this relationship, he has also produced several documentaries shot in North Korea: The Game of Their Lives, A State of Mind (my favorite), and Crossing the Line. For Comrade Kim, he wanted to make a fictional film, made by North Koreans, that both North Koreans and people around the world would enjoy. That last part is significant, since virtually all North Korean films feature heavy propaganda. A fun, propaganda-less movie about a strong, individualistic, female heroine is pretty much the exact opposite of all other films made in North Korea.

The film was written by North Koreans, directed and shot by North Koreans, and features North Korean actors. The Westerners provided the film equipment, post-production, and funding. Nick teamed up with a Belgian producer and a producer in the DPRK to get it made. The script and final cut did have to be run by the North Korean government, but that makes the movie so much more interesting, since it features things that, until this film, were completely taboo, such as a scene in a dressing room and a scene that implies bribery. I can't wait to see the final cut!

More info on the film's website here, and here.

Blast Corps

Wow, great post, Steve. Answers some things I've always wondered about. Thank you!

@BrickRoad said:

Recently read 'Nothing To Envy'. Pretty moving book really detailing some true stories from the DPRK. Not sure if @drewbert has read it, or would even want to after his visit, but it is a great read.

Yep! I read it before I went. Probably the best book I've read on the subject, especially if your goal is to understand what life is like in the DPRK for the average citizen. Really well-written.

And while I'm here: just got done reading A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester, which is by far my favorite title of a book ever. It's a nonfiction book about the medieval era, specifically how the Renaissance, Reformation, and circumnavigation of the globe by Magellan helped bring humanity out of its thousand-year knowledge drought. I especially liked the first third of it, which talks about day-to-day life in the dark ages, but I also liked reading about the other stuff, since I didn't know much about the Renaissance before reading this book. It's also written for humans, unlike most textbook-style books on history that would bore actual history professors. Manchester isn't a historian (technically, though he is a biographer), so he comes at the subject from an outside perspective, which is perfect for the average reader.

Currently, I'm on Wired for War by P.W. Singer, another nonfiction book, this one about the role robots will play in the future of armed conflict. It's also pretty good, and not only showcases some awesome up-and-coming battle robots, but also delves into the psychology of using robots in warfare, and whether it's a good idea. Despite how awesome it sounds to have robots roaming the battlefield, there are some things Singer brings up that I never considered. Worth checking out if either robots or warfare interests you. Also very well-written.

Awesome! This is just the kind of ridiculous I can get behind.

These are amazing! I'm biased, but I like mine the best. Keep it up, duder!