Chicken Rings and White Castle

We've all heard of Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. And even though this fast food joint does not exist outside of the US, it also does not exist in California.

Well, we went to the White Castle! The WC's in Minneapolis turn out to be the closest to California, I think.

Some observations:

1. WC's are not in the greatest neighbourhoods...

2. They have Chicken "Rings". (What part of the chicken is this?)

3. They have strange (but cheap!) prices- and they take cheques!

4. I want to go to there!

"Something" and Ladders

A few of us recently went to the Divisadero Street Art walk earlier this month. And our first stop was at a coffee shop that had games and marginal-tasting (but filled to the brim) $2 champagne! And to our wonder, we enjoyed a game of ... "Something" and Ladders. Now I admit that the box top said "Chutes and Ladders", but it sounded strange to me. Our friend Anne, who is savvy on the computer found that indeed, we outside of the USA most likely know the game of Chutes and Ladders, from its predecessor called Snakes and Ladders.

I needed to confirm this with a random sampling of folks who know this game. So I went to some of my email addresses and found a set of Canadians and Americans who gave their knowledge of the subject matter. Here are the results:

Out of all the Canadians:

85% called the game Snakes and Ladders

Out of the Americans:

100% called the game Chutes and Ladders

So my friend Anne was correct! Snakes and Ladders is the proper name!

OK, not as obscure as someone offering me an Otter Pop (see earlier post), but at least this game isn't referenced in its simpler form as "Up and Down"!

Finally, I can't help but notice that "chutes" is a homonym of "shoot". Is this an ironic cultural reference? I'll let you be the judge.

Summer's here! That means Otter Pops!

I've heard of these things- but I have yet to experience them.

I actually think they could be refreshing on a hot day. 15 seconds of sanity amongst 90F/32c heat.

But, sucking on an otter does not sound appealing. Who named this thing?

Help me understand- when you were a kid, were you grossed out at the thought of sucking on an otter?

I gotta Check Plus Plus. That's like a "C" at Arizona State.

What is Check Plus Plus? It sounds like some sort of hip way to test the settings of your microphone and for feedback levels.

And this is what my new (next) blog is about - the subtle American ways of what is said in this country and if I understand it or not.

Well, it is not yet in Wikipedia, so no good there.

I know it's a grade- but what is the scale? Can you get a Check minus minus? What makes a Check Plus Plus better than a Check Plus?
What grade levels give the Check Plus Plus? Is it a grade for the year? Can you average the Check (Regular, Plus, Minus)? What happens if there is a mix of letter grades and Check system? I could go on ...

But it sounds like something really good ... I want the Check Plus Plus ... drool ...