Scavenging the Interweb

Fandom: Downton Abbey

2012-01-20T15:09:00.000-08:00

I LOVE Downton Abbey. And from this love, this GIF of the Dowager Countess staring down Lady Mary was born.

Some possible captions I came up with (feel free to submit your own in the comments section!):

If looks could kill, Downton Abbey would be a minefield.
No one stares as well as Dame Maggie Smith. No one.
I'm not sure what intimidates me more--the Dowager Countess' fortune or her stare.
When I have children, I will reproach by stare rather than words.

(And for those of you who love it soooo much, because obviously it's that adorable, and are tumblr-ers instead of bloggers, you can repost it from my very dusty rusty tumblr site. Yes, my attempt to become viral is about as successful as a bacteria's.)

The process of making a GIF is pretty easy (figuring out how though was the time consuming part).

A quick and dirty summary (sorry I don't have time for the lengthy little numbers I normally do on Take a Tech Tip.

How to make a GIF using Image Stills

Tools you need

Mac OS X's Preview program
Adobe Photoshop Elements (or the full version if you're lucky enough to own a copy) -- my Elements v8 came with my Wacom Bamboo Capture tablet

Files you need at your disposal

Images from a scene of choice

What you gotta do

[1] Get your images down to around the same size (either in Preview by eyeballing or in Photoshop where you can use more exact image and canvas resizing techniques).

[2] Open a new file in Adobe Photoshop with the dimensions of your aforementioned images.

[3] Copy and paste each of your scene images into the .psd file. Doing this will result in a new layer for each image. Make sure they're in the right order. Click on the image below to see a larger version that shows you the Layers palette and how the layers order corresponds with scene ordering.

[4] Move and alter as desired, although little will have to be done if all you want to do is play the images in sequence. (Some people like to make fancy GIFs with zoom effects or some more motion. That's all doable, but involves a little more tweaking).

[5] Go to File > Save For Web

[6] Make sure the settings are appropriately set. Click on the image below to see the full size version and its accompanying key:

[7] Press OK and you're done! Now you can share your GIF as you please.

So long, farewell, aufedersein, goodbye~~~

2011-11-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Hello friends and those who have accidentally arrived here (and incidentally are probably won't this far into the post anyway...),

I'm sorry to say it but Scavenging the Interweb is going on an indefinite hiatus. Although my days are the same length, they seem to be getting shorter, and that's why future posts (if any) will be in the far far off future.

For those who visited the site regularly, a huge thank you! Sharing my posts and internet findings brought me great joy. Not just that, but moderating comments gave me an inflated sense of power, which I will sorely miss. ;)

Thanks for watching, and keep on scavenging the interweb!

Podcast: You Made it Weird #3 with Demetri Martin

2011-11-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Demetri Martin is by far my favorite person to listen to on podcasts. I've heard him on Nerdist, PRI's Sound of Young America, and now here on Pete Holmes' new show.

A joy-inducing combination of hilarity and thoughtful poignance, Martin talks with his good friend Holmes about many topics such as:

Religion and the metaphors in Flatland
Relationships (Martin and Holmes were both divorced, but Martin also talks about his current relationship)
Writing comedy
The ups and downs of having a TV show centered on yourself

Because interviewer and interviewee are friends, the discussion is a little more interesting than the average podcast's, and we're all the luckier for it.

Check it out here, or on iTunes.

Music: Adele sings "Make You Feel My Love"

2011-11-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

How awesome is Adele?! Rhetorical question. Dissenters, keep to yourself. You know, I never really gave Adele much of my attention even though everyone basically loves her. It wasn't until the cumulative effects of the Baker's unabashed fandom, my sister's (and the Baker's) celebration of the Glee mash-up, that I decided to start snooping around.

Now, call me a convert, because I'm a big fan now.

The Baker sent me this link, and I think it's super awesome. How great is it when singer's live performances sound better than their CD recordings? I only knew two people for whom this statement held true--Nickel Creek and Yo-Yo Ma. Although I haven't been able to see Adele live in concert, this video will definitely suffice. It comes from her "Live At Royal Albert Hall" DVD (which comes with a CD of her live recordings!).

Check it out.

This link came from a blog post for NPR's show, All things considered.

Speech: Amy Poehler at the 2011 Power of Comedy Awards

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Watch Amy Poehler's acceptance speech.

For more videos from the 2011 gala, you can check out E's collection of vids here.

Interview: Anthony Bourdain

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-08:00

Eric Ripert interviews Anthony Bourdain in Entertainment Weekly. To watch this camaraderie in action, check out the Paris episode of No Reservations where the two pals galavant around the city.

Interview: Scorsese on The Daily Show

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

I really want to see this movie...even moreso after I saw this clip! Thanks to the Night Owl for bringing it to my attention.

In case that link doesn't work, watch the trailer on Apple. I noticed for some reason most of the trailers were pulled from Youtube.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Interview: Bourdain on The Layover

2011-11-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Anthony Bourdain is interviewed by the people at The Huffington Post to talk about his new show. You can read it here.

Here's the trailer for his new show!

And here's a clip of Bourdain talking about things he'll never do again...ever.

Trailers: Design

2011-11-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love learning about the thought behind elegant designs, and these movies are just my thing. Check out the trailers!

Objectified comes from the people who brought you Helvetica (which by the way, was a fantastic movie).

Helvetica

Eames: The Architect and the Painter (coming to select theaters November 18)

Film: Woody Allen: A Documentary

2011-11-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited that PBS' American Masters series is covering Woody Allen this season (If you didn't know, I'm a big fan). There'll be a two part sequence featuring Allen's accomplishments as a filmmaker.

You can view some clips PBS has posted here. And you can learn more about the episode here.

The show premiers on November 20th, after which it will be available on PBS' website, most likely here. (A link on the far right will probably say 'Watch full episode' after the episodes have aired).

Trailer: The Descendants

2011-11-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Movie Reviews:

Baking: Glazed Chocolate Mint Cookies

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

This week clearly was a theme week for me (see three days worth of foreign film trailers), so let's revisit the gustatory theme of Peppermint. It may be one of my favorite flavors ever! I love Peppermint yogurt (thank you, Yogurtland!), Peppermint ice cream (more thanks to Coldstone!), Peppermint Mocha Lattes (Starbucks, or your very own kitchen), and now Mint Chocolate cookies.

What are the best parts of this recipe?

Peppermint extract and chocolate make these cookies taste like thin mints.
Piping on the white chocolate designs is the funnest thing ever. Doing it made me feel like I was a guest on Ace of Cakes (I'm so sad that it was cancelled!)
These things are delicious and addictive because...they kind of taste like Thin Mints! (To make them really taste like thin mints, I'd probably add maybe 1/2 a tsp more of peppermint extract)

What are some things I wish I knew before I made these cookies:

Once the dough has been refrigerated and it's time to roll it out, you best roll it out into a large rectangular shape that can fit onto the baking pan. Transfering cookie cut outs from one piece of parchment paper to another on the baking sheet is difficult and time-consuming. And the success rates are not that impressive. Rather, you should simply roll out the dough on parchment paper, transfer this to the baking sheet, cut out the cookie shapes from the dough, and then simply remove the dough sitting around the cookies.
Cutting the tip off of your plastic bag filled with white chocolate frosting should be done with great care. A tinier cut is much better, and will allow you to make prettier more delicate designs on the cookies.
Melt the white chocolate adequately otherwise clumps will plug the plastic bag white chocolate frosting decorator tool.
Do not pipe the white chocolate designs until all the cookies have been made. White chocolate can only be melted once; re-melting the re-soldified mixture fails pretty badly. And no, adding milk to this white sugary goop will not help given the mixture a smoother consistency.
Do not forget to set the timer after putting the cookies in the oven. Two minutes over the required 10 will give you burnt cookies.
Even if you burn the cookies, nobody will be able to tell because of the adequate chocolate frosting you will provide them with.
Being overenthusiastic with the frosting is not a good idea, because there will sad little cookies bereft of frosting.
These cookies take a lot of time to make-- it's a tricky combination of cooling the dough for 45 minutes beforehand, and then cutting the cookies out, baking them, letting them cool, frosting them, letting them cool again, and then finally decorating them. More hands makes lighter work! It's best to have friends over helping you. :)
Have people over so they can wash the dishes for you. :)

Here's the chocolate mixture that is later added into the batter.

Here's the batter right before the flour is added.

And here it is after the batter is added!

The batter is then divided into three portions,
wrapped in saran wrap and ready to go into the fridge for 45 minutes.

Try to remember to roll out the dough into a shape that will fit on your baking sheet.
This will make your life easier.

Transferring cookies from one parchment paper to another? Very difficult.
That's why it's best to roll it out and then plop it onto the baking sheet
before cutting.

The ingredients for the glaze and white chocolate piping.

Combining the butter and chocolate for the glaze.
My Pyrex bowl conveniently fit over my pot perfectly!

And here's the glaze all melted, with vanilla and corn syrup!

Letting the glazed cookies dry... Pretty! (Did you know
that it's the corn syrup that makes them shiny like that?)

Now it's time to melt down the chocolate. I used the double boiling method,
but microwaving is easier.

Your plastic bag piping kit!

You can get creative and pipe on some messages! (I got the idea from Alice in Wonderland)

Or maybe you want to just say NOM.

Or maybe just get all illustrate-y! (See what I mean about thinner piping is better? I wish I had cut
my plastic bag smaller for these cookies)

Glazed Chocolate Mint Cookies

Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Recipe makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

For the chocolate paste to be later added to the batter

4 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

1 tsp ground coffee beans or espresso powder

For the batter

16 tbsp butter, at room temperature (cut into 2 tbsp pieces)

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 egg yolks

2 tsp peppermint extract

2 + 1/4 cup flour

For the chocolate glaze

1/2 cup of dark chocolate (I used 60% Cacao Ghiradelli Chocolate Chips)

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

For the white piping

2 cups of white chocolate chips

Recipe:

For the cookies:

[0] Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

[1] In a glass bowl, melt 4 tbsp butter. Add cocoa powder and coffee/espresso powder. Mix until a uniform paste is formed. Let it cool for 15 minutes.

[2] In a separate large bowl, mix the butter on low with an electric mixer until it becomes slightly softer.

[3] Add in the salt, sugar to the butter mixture. Continue to mix on low until homogenous.

[4] Add in the cooled chocolate paste. Mix a little bit with spatula, and then proceed with electric mixer.

[5] Add the yolks and mint. Mix with electric mixer for approximately 30 seconds.

[6] Add the flour slowly in 3 separate additions, ensuring complete integration of flour into batter before each subsequent addition.

[7] Take dough out of bowl and separate into three portions. Wrap each portion in saran wrap, and place in refrigerator for 45-60 minutes until firm (like play dough).

[8] After 60 minutes, roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Try to roll it out into a shape that will fit on your baking sheet. The rolled-out dough should be about 3/16 inches thick. Transfer the parchment paper with flattened dough to a baking sheet.

[9] Cut cookies using cookie cutter (I liked mine to be around 2.5 inches in diameter. I used a drinking glass with a somewhat sharper edge because I didn't have a real cookie cutter). Cut cookies so they are about 1 inch apart.

[10] Remove the dough between the cookies and place aside. The baking sheet should now be covered with nice cookies.

[11] Take the 'scraps' of dough and combine into another ball. Wrap in saran wrap and return to refrigerator.

[12] Place cookies in oven for a total of 10 minutes. At the 5 minute point, rotate the pan. After baking, set cookies onto a cooling rack to cool.

[13] Repeat the process with another refrigerated ball of dough for a cool (temperature wise), different baking sheet.

[14] Continue doing this until all the dough has been used. You may combine the smaller balls of dough towards the end of the process to make things easier.

For the chocolate glaze:

[1] Set a pot with water on the stovetop. Set to medium heat.

[2] In a glass bowl that can fit nicely onto of this pot, whisk the glaze's chocolate and butter together. When completely melted, remove bowl from pot. Add in vanilla, corn syrup and mix until shiny. Set aside. (If this mixture does solidify, which it likely will not, you can easily reheat it over warm water).

[3] Use about 1 tsp of glaze (maybe 1.5), and spread atop cooled cookies (for at least 20 mins). You want the glaze to go from edge to edge.

[4] Set cookies aside to cool.

For the white chocolate piping

[0] Do not start this step until all the glazed cookies have cooled. Unlike the chocolate glaze, the white chocolate can only be melted once.

[1] In a microwavable bowl, melt the white chocolate. (You can use the stovetop method, but microwaving's easier).

[2] Let it cool slightly.

[3] Transfer white chocolate to a plastic bag (heavy dutier ones like Ziploc Freezer bags are a good choice, and make the process easier). Smoosh (yes, that's a real chef term) the white chocolate into one corner of the bag.

[4] Cut a tiny little corner off of the bag.

[5] Begin piping away!

[6] Let piping set for about 20 minutes.

[7] Serve cookies immediately or place in tupperware for 3 days maximum.

Trailer: Young Goethe in Love

2011-11-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

The third foreign film of the week! It's got a Pride & Prejudice vibe (in the sense that it's a period piece with rainy gazebo scenes and gauzy clothing) but German style.

Trailer: Elegance of the Hedgehog

2011-11-15T07:00:00.001-08:00

I must be on a foreign film run, because here's another one! This one's based off of the book The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. I remember thinking the book was something I considered reading maybe two years ago, but the style just wasn't something I'm used it. However, I think I'm going to enjoy the movie much more than I would have enjoyed the book.

Trailer: The Women on the 6th Floor

2011-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I really want to see this film!

Peppermint Mocha Latte

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

That's right, my friends, you can make your very own Peppermint Mocha Latte in your home! Why spend 5 dollars for a tall (or a not-so-tall, as it's the smallest cup size Starbucks offers) for a drink when you can make more affordable versions in your own home.

I don't tolerate caffeine too well, but I do love the taste of (chocolately) coffee. During my 'coffee experimentation' phase, I was surprised to learn that Mocha basically just means chocolate in coffee. Honestly, beforehand, I had semi-earnestly thought there was some kind of "Mocha bean" that existed. Clearly, this is not the case.

Here are some of my 'notable' findings:

Starbucks mocha lattes basically taste like hot chocolate. In accordance with that discovery, the recipe listed below is pretty chocolatey! For those who prefer a less rich drink, use 1.5 tbsp of cocoa powder instead of 2 tsbsp.
Prewarming all of your tools will help keep your drink warmer longer! The secret? 'Preheat' your containers (thermos, milk pitcher, cup) with hot water. I got this idea after I watched enough Youtube videos of people putting their espresso cups atop their fancy schmancy espresso machines to warm them.
Starbucks lets you buy their coffee syrups. You may not see them lining the shelves at a Starbucks, but if you ask the person at the register if they sell Peppermint syrup, they'll gladly oblige! I don't remember the exact price, but it's somewhere between 5 and 10 dollars. Don't forget to ask them for a pump for the bottle! They'll provide you with one of these too.

Moka Expresses are pretty cool. You can read about them in this NYT article. Did you know that 9 out of 10 Italians own one of these?!

They're also very easy to use. Watch this video to get an idea (ignore the advertising for the coffee though) on how to use it.

The Moka Press comes in a variety of shapes--1 cup, 3 cups, and 12 cups. I wanted 3 cups--perfect for when you have guests over, but not as gigantic as a 12 cup. From reviews I read online, these coffee makers were meant to be used for a full filter of coffee; that means you probably shouldn't be using a 12 cup Moka Press to make coffee for 3 by decreasing the amount of coffee beans you put into it.

The 3 cup Moka Press goes for about 25 bucks on Amazon.

And you think you need a milk steamer to make lattes? Wrong! A handheld Aerolatte can do the trick in a jiffy (and it's way cheaper than a real espresso machine!) In fact, Amazon's description likes to boast that Nigella Lawson, a big British celebrity chef, thinks the Aerolatte is better than a real espresso milk frother.

This tool is optional, but it's nice to have if you plan on trying to make pretty latte designs. The ideal size for a milk frothing pitcher is 20 oz, and there's one going for about 10 bucks on amazon.

In reality through, you don't need a milk frothing pitcher. You can mix the milk-chocolate mixture in any old cup, but it'll likely be messier. The milk frothing pitcher offers a wide base, which is great for when you use the aerolatte, and it's spout is a huge plus for when you want to pour the milk mixture with minimal dribble.

The recipe I've provided only uses half of the coffee in a 3 cup moka pot, but if you wanted to, you could easily use the remaining coffee for a second latte to impress a special someone!

Peppermint Mocha Latte
Makes 1 drink

Tools of the trade:
[1] Moka Express 3-cup stovetop Espresso Maker
[2] Aerolatte
[3] Milk Frothing Pitcher (or a wide-based cup will do, such as a beer mug)
[4] Thermos

Ingredients:
Ground coffee (I like to use Illy Decaf Ground Coffee, but you can use whatever!)
3/4 cup 2% reduced fat milk
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 pumps of Starbucks Peppermint Syrup

Recipe:
To warm all your receptacles and chalices:
[1] Boil water
[2] Fill thermos with boiling water
[3] Fill milk frothing pitcher with boiling water
[4] Fill any cups you plan on drinking with, with boiling water.

To make the coffee:
[1] Fill Moka Press filter with ground coffee beans.
[2] Fill Moka Press base with water up to the gage.
[3] Place Moka Press filter into the base
[4] Screw top portion of Moka Press onto the Base.
[5] Place Moka Press on stovetop. Do not place the contraption in the middle of the stovetop, but instead place it on the edge. You do not want the handle to sit above the stovetop; it will burn you when you reach for it in this orientation.
[6] Set heat to medium-hot for about 5 minutes, or until you hear gurgling (this sound represents the water boiling from the base, passing through the filter holding the ground coffee beans, and making its way into the upper coffee pot. Once you hear gurgling, turn off the heat, and move the Moka Press to an unused stovetop area so it's no longer over heat.

To make the mocha portion of your peppermint mocha latte:
[1] Microwave 3/4 cup of milk for 1:20.
[2] Empty milk frothing pitcher of its hot water.
[3] Pour hot milk into pitcher.
[4] Add cocoa, sugar, and syrup.
[5] Insert the off aero-latte into the pitcher. After it's inserted in the solution, turn the aerolatte on. Mix the solution by keeping the aerolatte close to the base and moving in a circular fashion. Mix for about 30 seconds. While the aerolatte is still in the solution, turn the machine off. Then remove aerolatte from pitcher (These directions are given in order to help you prevent major chocolate splattering).

To put it all together:
[0] Empty the thermos of the hot water.
[1] Pour half of the coffee maker's coffee into the thermos.
[2] Pour the milk-chocolate mixture into the thermos.
[3] Close thermos. Shake (I know, it's no real barista technique, but it works!)
[4] Serve by pouring into individual warmed cups (remember to empty them of the warm water first!) or drinking it directly out of the thermos.

New York Magazine: Just Kids

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

What an article, this is. I highly recommend it! It talks about the writers' club of David Foster Wallace (Infinite Jest), Jeffrey Euginides (The Virgin Suicides, Middlesex), and Jonathan Franzen (The Corrections).

Some quotes that capture the article's main topic--the peculiar relationship between Wallace and Franzen.

Franzen sat down and channeled his anger over his close friend [Wallace's] death into a fourteen-month sprint to write his sprawling 2010 novel, Freedom, which features a character with a likeness to Wallace. He also published a raw and searching New Yorker essay on their complicated friendship. “The depressed person then killed himself, in a way calculated to inflict maximum pain on those he loved most, and we who loved him were left feeling angry and betrayed,” Franzen wrote. “Betrayed not merely by the failure of our investment of love but by the way in which his suicide took the person away from us and made him into a very public legend.”

[Franzen and Wallace's] relationship was beginning to bear some resemblance to the competitive friendship at the center of Freedom, with Richard Katz in a Wallace-like role: “And the eternally tormenting question for Walter … was whether Richard was the little brother or the big brother, the f**kup or the hero, the beloved damaged friend or the dangerous rival.”

Conan: Will Arnett

2011-11-10T07:00:00.001-08:00

I love Will Arnett. So. Much. He will always be GOB in my mind!

Book: Shockaholic

2011-11-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Once you finish Kaling's book, read this one! Actually, read her first book Wishful Drinking and then read this one.

Book: Is Everybody Hanging Out Without Me?

2011-11-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

This book is the best. I highly recommend it.

Interview: Yo-Yo Ma on The Colbert Report

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Yo-Yo Ma Pt. 1

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Thanks to the Night Owl for sending this to me.

His album is really excellent. I especially like this track. Don't mind the kissing teddy bears.

Interviews: Peter Jackson & Steven Spielberg

2011-11-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

From THR. Read the full article here.

Comics: Hark! A Vagrant

2011-11-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, I found myself reading strip after strip of Hark! A Vagrant on my computer. As much as I love the strip, I wanted a more 'efficient' way of reading consecutive strips (less clicking allows for more laughing, you know), and so I figured out an elegant and simple way of doing so in Google Reader. But the easiest way to enjoy the comics are actually on your iPad (if you've got one). Read on to learn how!

For those who aren't familiar with Kate Beaton's work, you're missing out! If you've ever wondered what figures such as Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, or Sherlock Holmes would be like in comic form, here's your answer!

Beaton makes smart little pieces that usually get a laugh out of me (and quite a lot of others too).

Linked from The Mary Sue

I get a lot of the literary, science, and pop culture references, but not a lot of the history ones. And even though I'm not a history buff, it's not a problem because Beaton always provides a little note/entry for each comic post in which she often explains the origin of the joke (Clearly, history was not my strong point in school).

Here are some of my favorites (I've also included links to the original comics below each strip in case you want to read her own notes about the strip. I highly recommend it for context and humor!).

See annotation here below the comic

See Beaton's notes here below the comic

Now, for those who are interested, Beaton recently published a book with some of her strips. You can view it here on Amazon.com.

But, you'll be glad to know that while it'd be awfully nice for you to buy this book and support Beaton, you can read all her comics online for free!

If you're interested in viewing them by topic, you can click here and choose strips accordingly. Or, you can read them in the order they were released by viewing the chronological archives.

After a couple of ~~minutes~~ hours of reading her comics, I found out a better way to take in Beaton's little masterpieces. The secret? Google Reader! Using the right settings, your laptop can become the perfect for-personal-use comic strip theater!

How best (I think) to read Hark! AVagrant! on your computer (and iPad!) with Google Reader:
[1] Go to http://www.google.com/reader

[2] Log in with your Google username and password.

[3] On the top left corner, click on Subscribe and type in http://www.harkavagrant.com. Click Add.

[4] Now, Hark! A Vagrant should appear on your main page. Click on it.

[5] Go to Feed Settings... at the top of the page, and click on View in Reader Play.

[6] The window should now appear with a black background, and the comic will likely appear zoomed out. At the bottom of the window is a side scrolling row, which gives previews of all Beaton's posts in reverse chronological order.

However, if you leave the reader in this setting, the comic is too small to read! Do not fret, however! This probably can be easily solved.

[7] To make viewing easier (why waste time clicking when you could be reading?!), click on the Book icon on the left hand of the screen (see rectangular figure outlined in pink above). At this point, each comic will fill the width of the screen, giving you a more readable comic.

Update: After experimenting with Google Reader some more, I have found out what exactly the icons do. The Book icon shows the scrolling row at the bottom of the page. Clicking it will either open or close that row. The Eye icon zooms in on the strip. This is what makes the image fit the width of the screen.

To make the viewing experience even more whiz-bang-wow, go to View > Enter Full Screen (depending on your browser, the exact steps may vary. I use Chrome, so those are the menu options I have.)

In this new format, you can easily scroll up and down along the strip. Then, after you've finished reading the comic and the commentary that follows, you can click on the right hand arrow to move to the next strip. It's so easy!

Look how nice and big it is! A simple scroll can move us down the page.

Ta-da! Scrolling!

Finished with this first comic? All you gotta do is click on the right hand arrow...

...and now you've quickly jumped to the next comic!

[8] And for those of you with an iPad, reading Beaton's comic is even easier than doing it on your computer.

Update: After playing around, I've learned that Google Reader only shows the last 10 entries for the site. This isn't that fun. The other trouble is that using Google Reader on the iPad is actually slightly problematic. A simple swipe left or right (even one that's tiny!) will move you between comics. Your best bet for reading the comic on you iPad is simple to visit the site URL in Safari.

With that, I'd advise to disregard the directions below. However, there are some links to interviews at the bottom of the post! Skip down to check them out!

All you have to do is log in to Google Reader (http://www.google.com/reader) in Safari, and the comics fit the width of the screen, and you easily scroll down to read more. When you finish the strip, you simply ~~click~~ tap on Next entry back at the top of the page, and it brings you to the next comic! And then you can read for as long as your heart desires.

Open Safari. Log in to Google Reader on your iPad

Click on any of the posts.

Enjoy current comic, and then tap on Next Item to move to the next comic.

And voila! You can continue your uninterrupted stream of comic goodness.

And that's it! Now you can enjoy Beaton's comics with the greatest of ease on your computer's browser or your iPad.

For those of you who are interested in hearing Beaton talk about her work firsthand, you can read her interview with The Onion A/V Club, or listen to the MaximumFun.org Sound of Young America podcast (If you follow this blog, you know how much I love this show!)

The Sound of Young America

Music: Michael Buble

2011-11-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it, but I think I like his version better than Mariah's!

PBS: Mark Twain Prize

2011-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is hilarious. You can watch it here.