As some may know I have some pretty strong ties to the Westmoreland County Fair.
While I was there I kept hearing about the newest fair food — chocolate-covered bacon.
As a foodie, I was intrigued. At first I thought it sounded disgusting. Then, I thought about the salty/sweet combination and my mouth started to water. I am always up for trying something new and different. I do like both chocolate and bacon independently so maybe the two can mix.
So I decided I must try this new creation. I got a group of the most adventurous people I know, rabbit breeders, and made my way up the midway to the chocolate covered everything booth.
With a smile on my face and a dollar in my hand I asked for a piece.
That’s when the woman replied, “it will be 30 minutes.”
I was heart-broken since I was hoping to get back to Somerset. So I left, without trying chocolate-covered bacon.
Thursday I returned to the fair with a single goal ‚Äî try the chocolate-covered bacon. This time I only had the fianc?© by my side.
I got a piece and it was pretty good. It had a unique chewy texture after biting through the chocolate coating. It also had an interesting taste.
Seth also had a piece — and he didn’t like it. He cited the texture as the main reason he is anti-chocolate bacon.
But Seth’s opinions aside I encourage everyone to try this tasty treat. Trust me — I am Italian.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com
Archive for August, 2009
Is everything better covered in chocolate?
Friday, August 28th, 2009Keeping your personal life, personal
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009While reading my Facebook news feed, I noticed a long-time friend took to her page Tuesday morning to blast her husband. From my interpretation, she was upset about her husband getting on her case about shopping. And those details are more than I wanted to know.
I admit that I drank the Facebook Kool-Aid. I log-on, try to put funny updates on my page and check in to see what my friends are doing. It is a great way for me to keep up with my college friends and annoy my fianc?© with my fake pet.
I think it’s fine to give a quick update about your day, life or just a funny quip. But please, keep fights off-line.
She later took down her post after he logged-on and “yelled” back, while others sent messages of support and questions. Everyone gets into fights, but it should really stay behind closed doors.
Taking to Facebook, or any social networking site to fight with a loved one is equal to standing in the middle of a busy town with a megaphone.
I am sure in the heat of the moment it felt like a good release to hit “share” with the personal information (she showed him), but think of the repercussions. This particular friend has 423 “friends.” While I am sure some, like me, were close, others may not be in the sharing circle.
Plus that just feeds the rumor mill.
There have been times I have been very upset, but what I have adopted is instead of posting a angry rant that may come back to haunt me, I post a quote from “The Office.”
My friends laugh and I save myself from a future embarrassment.
So before you “share” stuff that is too personal, think twice.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com
A star, really
Wednesday, August 19th, 2009When I think of “stars” many names in many different entertainment forms come to mind.
Former congressmen, Tom DeLay, isn’t one of them.
But the casting director for Dancing with the Stars doesn’t agree.
Here’s a little history for those who don’t follow politics.
DeLay was a member of the a U.S. Rep from Jan. 1985 to June 2006, moving through the ranks until he became the House majority leader in 2002. In 2005, a Texas grand jury indicted DeLay on criminal charges that he had conspired to violate campaign finance laws. He won the Republican primary in 2006, to later withdraw from the general election and resign his seat. A Texas prosecutor is still proceeding with those charges.
I tried to imagine how these conversations went.
“Who can we get to really spice things up this season?”
“Wait what about that former conservative congressman that resigned during a campaign finance scandal.”
Or maybe it was DeLay’s people.
‚ÄúListen Tom, we need to figure out a way to get you back on the map. Your political career is probably over. Some people read your book. But … wait … you should be a contestant on the next ‚ÄòDancing with the Stars.‚Äù
Maybe he just woke up one day and said “I’m going to Dancing with the Stars.”
Whatever the case may be I do not consider DeLay, or any other political figures a star. Politicians are supposed to be servants of the people, not celebrities.
I wonder how long he will last in the competition.
During an appearance on Good Morning America, DeLay said “I love dancing. Ya gotta love dancing if you’re from Texas.
“This is going to be so fun and so crazy. Conservatives can have fun too.”
Can’t wait.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com
Missing the “ringing” in my ears.
Thursday, August 13th, 2009I admit, I enjoy having songs as ringtones. If my friends call I hear an 80s classic. If the fiancee calls, I hear a love song. I try to keep my phone on silent while at work to try and avoid annoying co-workers (well at least I don’t annoy them with my ringtones.)
However I do NOT “enjoy the music while your party is reached.” Ringback tones are a great way for people to blast music into their friend’s ear as they wait for a call to be answered. The really, really “cool” people, can even get a two or three song rotation. This ensures that every time you call them you look twice at your phone to make sure you dialed the right number.
Some people change the ringback tone to meet their mood. They break up with a boyfriend, Daughtry - Over You, try to be country Charlie Daniels - In America, want to party, 50 Cent - In Da Club.
The list is endless.
It’s not just teenagers, even adults are subjecting callers to their favorite songs. Most providers charge a fee for a favorite song or rotation of songs.
I am sure some will say I am as guilty as the ringback troops since I use custom ringtones, but I truly see it as two different entities.
So please just because you like to hear a song doesn’t mean all your friends agree.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com
Bitter and still broke
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009I often watch commercials and wonder “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Most times I can rest assured since I am not an inventor or a scientist, I am  a reporter.
But a recent commercial has changed this. When I first saw the ad for the “Knowledge Generation Bureau” or KGB, I was shocked someone would pay $.99 for a text message answer to a question.
We all have been there — something is on the tip of our tongues, but we just don’t know the answer. I typically use the “phone-a-friend” option in life.
As more commercials ran I remembered this is America, people would pay for this type of service. I could have ran my research and texting operation from home, hired all my underpaid friends to help with research, probably paid off my student loan a lot earlier and live the good life.
So I decided, strictly for the purpose of this blog, to text a questions to the infamous 542542. After pondering the question I decided on: What is the name of the crime reporter for the Daily American newspaper in Somerset, Pa. I figured there were three names that could be possible answers —Judy Ellich, our courthouse reporter, Vicki Rock, our state police reporter or breaking news reporter extraordinaire Michelle Ganassi.
It took seven minutes to receive this response: “It appears a variety of reporters handle those stories. One is Judy D.J. Ellich. Phone: 814-444-5900.”
So the “special agents” may be worth $.99 to those in desperate need of information and do not have access to Google. I am sure the creator is rolling in the dough right now.
I visited kgb.com, where they have a list of questions in rotation being texted to “special agents.” While some were serious, others weren’t.
Here is a short list of a few questions:
How do you make a grilled cheese sandwich?
Does Kissing burn calories?
Is 0 a prime number?
How many bones are inside a horses hoof?
What are some sings of being pregnant?
What is the best pickup line to use on women?
Can a moose out run a human?
What time is the curfew in Brunswick, Ohio?
Tell me a Chuck Norris joke.
What is the meaning of life?
What are the names of the ninja turtles?
When is Labor Day weekend?
Is there a point to eyebrows?
Where is Hong Kong?
What Disney princess wears Pink?
How tall is Khloe Kardashian?
So I guess my list may not be defined as “short” but my feelings haven’t changed — KGB is a gold mine idea and I am jealous it wasn’t mine.
Maybe next time.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com
Hello and let’s get started
Wednesday, August 5th, 2009If you are looking for a serious, life-changing blog, then you may want to click somewhere else.
This blog is going to be more relaxed, examining the odd “news” stories that become guilty pleasures. For those of you who don’t know I am Michelle Ganassi, the breaking news, crime, political and business reporter for the Daily American. This will be big departure from the serious stories I write for the Daily American. The title of my blog is a throwback to my college years. That’s My Story was my column in my college newspaper.
But to more not-so-serious business.
As a reporter I love it when people are more than willing to share information. But there are some stories shouldn’t be shared, ever.
In a recent interview Ryan O’Neal, the longtime companion of the late Farrah Fawcett, admitted that he made a blunder at his love’s funeral.
He related this story to Vanity Fair:
“They had just put the casket in the hearse and I was watching it drive away when a beautiful blond woman comes up and embraces me,” Ryan tells Vanity Fair. “I said to her, ‘You have a drink on you? You have a car?’
Drum roll please … and the blond said:
‚ÄúDaddy, it‚Äôs me — Tatum!‚Äù
Yes Ryan hit on his own sometimes estranged daughter Tatum O’Neal. Some may know her as Maggie from “Rescue Me.”
Tatum responded to the story by saying “That’s our relationship in a nutshell. You make of it what you will. It had been a few years since we’d seen each other, and he was always a ladies’ man, a bon vivant.”
So grieving man hits on another woman at his companions funeral who ends up being his daughter. My question is, why would tell anyone?
The story appeared on nearly every celebrity news Web site (yes I admit it is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine).
On a serious note, some may believe the act, aside from it being his own daughter, could call into question his character. It is not appropriate to hit on a woman who the proclaimed love of your life is being laid to rest.
If he was distraught and not in the right frame of mind then fine. But again you don’t need talk to media organizations about your mistake.
Ryan has been a fixture on celebrity news programs since Farrah’s began losing her brave fight against cancer. But maybe he needs step back, deny some interviews, and take time to heal with his family.
I welcome any comments, criticism or suggestions at michelleg@dailyamerican.com