The NYT's Mark Bittman on why broilers deserve respect and how to get maximum benefit from it.

The crux of his story:

If I’d told you I had an appliance that could brown like a grill, was as convenient as your oven, and cooked most food in less than 10 minutes, you’d buy it. But you don’t need to.

Perky got shot by a hunter in Florida. The hunter dumped Perky's body in a fridge along with some other ducks. Two days later, the guy's wife opens up the fridge to find Perky staring back at her.

They take the duck to a vet. The vet operates. Perky flatlines twice on the operating table, but is resuscitated.

She now has a pin in her wing but is expected to recover.

More at this Beeb story.

Toronto.ctv.ca has a story with photos showing the new ads that Toronto's Live with Culture campaign is running in some U.S. alt.weeklies.

The campaign's purpose is presumably to reinforce the stereotype that our city's ad creators have bad judgment, a lack of vision and no ability to make people laugh.

I'm a T.O. fan and I wouldn't visit here after looking at those ads.

If any visually-inclined T.O. bloggers stumble over this, what images would you use to sell people on a visit to this burgh? Leave a link in the comments area or drop me an email (the link's at the upper right). Your city thanks you.

I got a ride part-way home from a co-worker. Phase two was taking the subway down to Collge and Yonge, with the third and final phase being a westward journey on College St. on the streetcar before walking home.

Anyway, some apologetic guy comes around and does the "excuse me, I just need another dollar for the subway" routine. I was summarily dismissive.

No one else would help him out either, so he took his act elsewhere.

One guy was sitting in the bus shelter, with bags and bags of stuff.

After the moocher moved off, a woman -- I'm guessing 50-something, with blond hair and a British accent -- approaches the man and says, "Excuse me: Could you give me some water? I've got the hiccups."

She managed to keep them quiet. I never heard her hiccuping.

Anyway, the guy -- who hadn't come up with any coin for the moocher -- pulls out a full bottle of water from one of his myriad bags and offers it to the woman.

"Thank you," she says, before turning her back on him and going back to absentmindedly stare at the newspaper boxes. This left him in the awkward position of having an unclaimed gift water bottle in his outstretched right hand.

Now, cab after cab after cab passed by going west on Carlton/College, but she never hailed one until the bus showed up. WTF's with that?

As to the water, the guy had a six-pack of San Benedetto mineral water. Maybe she was hoping for one of those. :)

An AP story from Yahoo! News:

A historical marker has been added to the Mississippi Blues Trail, which will ultimately highlight more than 100 locations in the state that have played roles in the development of blues music.

Three markers were placed by the Mississippi Blues Commission in December. The fourth marker, unveiled Jan. 18, will be located at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale. The hotel has been home to many blues musicians through the years and is still in operation.

Since 1944, the hotel has provided lodging for legendary artists like Sonny Boy Williamson II, Ike Turner, and Robert Nighthawk. The hotel was formerly the G.T. Thomas Hospital and is best known as the place where the empress of the blues, Bessie Smith, died in 1937 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

"The Riverside Hotel is a monument to our blues heritage and many international visitors come to make it a part of their cultural tourism experience," Alex Thomas, heritage trails director for the Mississippi Development Authority, said.

The previous three markers are:

The grave of Charlie Patton at Holly Ridge. Patton is considered one of the earliest of the blues singers.

The Southern Whispers Restaurant in Greenville, which honors the blues heritage of Nelson Street, where the restaurant is located.

Former site of WGRM radio in Greenwood, where B.B. King made a live radio broadcast in 1940. In 1939, WGRM occupied the second floor of the building, which was originally built in 1901.

Barry sent me this little tidbit from PSFK: (thank you, sir!)

Just sold on eBay for $495: a slice of wall from the legendary, and now closed, CBGB club in New York City.

The description reads:

CBGB: approximately 12 by 13 1/2 inches framed piece of the graffiti wall from the club formerly located at 315 Bowery and signed by Hilly Kristal, owner and founder of the club, on the matting below. This particular piece of wall comes from one of the dressing rooms. The wooden frame is 16 by 20 with plexi-glass covering the graffiti wall piece.

Beansprouts require refrigeration.

Yes, really.