An open letter from Steve Jobs…
Posted today at Apple:
Dear Apple Community,
For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.
Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.
I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.
As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.
Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.
The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.
I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.
So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.
Steve
About time he said something, in my opinion.
Shooter
I watched Mark Wahlberg’s “Shooter” last night via iTunes, and thought it was really a pretty decent action film. Wahlberg plays a retired sniper who’s called back into reluctant service to try to prevent an assassination attempt. Things don’t turn out quite as planned for anyone.
The ending was kind of weak as is usual for these types of films, but I give this a solid B+ (7.5 out of 10) on the action flick scale.
Kate Mara doesn’t hurt matters any either.
JPG Magazine Closes
In another sign of the tough fiscal times, one of my favorite photography sites and magazines has gone belly-up.
Today is a particularly sad day for all of us at JPG and 8020 Media.
We’ve spent the last few months trying to make the business behind JPG sustain itself, and we’ve reached the end of the line. We all deeply believe in everything JPG represents, but just weren’t able to raise the money needed to keep JPG alive in these extraordinary economic times. We sought out buyers, spoke with numerous potential investors, and pitched several last-ditch creative efforts, all without success. As a result, jpgmag.com will shut down on Monday, January 5, 2009.
The one thing we’ve been the most proud of: your amazing talent. We feel honored and humbled to have been able to share jpgmag.com with such a dynamic, warm, and wonderful community of nearly 200,000 photographers. The images on the website and in the magazine were adored by many, leaving no doubt that this community created work of the highest caliber. The kindness, generosity, and support shared among members made it a community in the truest sense of the word, and one that we have loved being a part of for these past two years.
We wish we could have found a way to leave the site running for the benefit of the amazing folks who have made JPG what it is, and we have spent sleepless nights trying to figure something out, all to no avail.
I was an early member and subscriber. JPG will be missed. Spawned from the Flickr community, it will live on there, and perhaps will re-emerge in another form at a later date. (Flickr JPG Magazine Group.)
Ropa Vieja (Old Clothes)
Ropa Vieja (Spanish for “Old Clothes” is a traditional caribbean (Cuban) dish. It’s a meat stew in which the meat is slow cooked and shredded (taking on the appearance of cloth strips, which explains the name.)
Last week I spotted an ad for Goya that described this recipe, so I decided to make it. It’s pretty easy as all of seasonings are supplied by Goya, but it was delicious so I decided to list it here. I cooked up some jasmine rice to accompany it, and cut back the olives and capers by 1/2 the indicated amount. Comfort food!
Recommended!
Ropa Vieja (Cuban Meat Stew)
Ingredients
2 ½ lbs Flank Steak, Cut in Approx. 3 inch x 4 inch strips
2 tbsp of Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Goya Adobo with Pepper, to taste
3 tsp. Goya Minced Garlic or 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 ½ cups onions, finely diced
1 ½ cups green bell pepper, finely diced
¼ tsp. Goya Ground Black Pepper
1 can (8oz.) Goya Tomato Sauce
1 jar (6 oz.) Goya Sofrito
3 cups water
1 Packet Sazón Goya with Coriander and Annatto
1 Packet Goya Powered Beef Bouillon
1 tbsp capers, drained
1/2 cup Goya Manzanilla Stuffed Olives, Sliced or similar
2 cups cooked Canilla Extra Long Grain Rice
Directions
1. Season meat with Adobo. In skillet, heat oil on medium high. Brown meat on both sides. Remove and keep warm.
2. Lower heat to medium, stir in garlic, onion, and green pepper and cook stirring often until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in black pepper and tomato sauce and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in Sofrito, water, Sazón and Bouillon and bring to a boil. Return meat to pan, cover, lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in the Capers and Olives and continue to simmer, covered until meat is very tender and shreds easily, about 1-1 ½ hours. Add more water, ¼ cup at a time, if sauce gets too dry.
4. To serve, shred meat with 2 forks, mix back into sauce. Serve with white rice.
The real origin of Laugh-Out-Loud Cats
Awesome LOL-cats…
Happy Holidays
Lauren hamming it up in front of a tree in the process of being stocked with presents. We had a great holiday with my parents (never mind the stomach flu that dad and I caught!)
Looking forward to a Happy New Year.
Crystal Head Vodka
“Triple Herkimer Diamond filtered, Newfoundland deep aquifer pure spirit vodka.”
Brought to you by Dan Akroyd. More here.
Kosher Pop
Matisyahu deployed what may be the only large, mirrored, rotating dreidel in show business
What else need be said? Rocking the holiday.
Holiday Raiding
