National Cake Day

National Cake Day

Stale Cake: National cake day

National Cake Day

National Cake Day happens every year on November 26. Why does cake need its own day? We are less concerned with the WHY and are curious about the WHEN. We strongly suspect that the cake industry chose November 26 because it is so close to Thanksgiving. How many of you bring cake to a Thanksgiving dinner? Thanksgiving is definitely PIE’s day, and cake does not seem happy about it.

Cake eats up the calendar!

Did we not give you enough warning to get some cake to celebrate National Cake Day? Don’t worry, there is National Chocolate Cake Day (January 27), National Carrot Cake Day (February 3), and many other excuses to eat cake throughout the year.

What about pie? Is Thanksgiving all it has? No, you can celebrate National Pie Day on January 23. And yes, different pies have their days too: Pecan Pie (July 12), Key Lime Pie (October 25). People will also eat pie on Pi day (you don’t have to be that nerdy to figure out when that one is.)

Cake vs. Pie

As Thanksgiving approaches, we have been training our stomachs to handle more food. Asha has been indulging on cake and Monette cannot get enough pie. We love the cake vs. pie dynamic so much that we are preparing a whole series about it for next year!

Enough about pie! It is Cake’s day, so we’ll leave you with this bit of cake trivia.

Cake has been around for centuries but it got the name “cake” in the 13th century from the Old Norse word “kaka”. You may have seen “kaka” in the food section of IKEA and wondered what their PR department was thinking since reports of fecal bacteria in their food have recently come out. But “kaka” still means “cake” in Swedish. Read more about the etymology and some specific cakes, like “burial cake” at 12 Facts about Cake.

Which cake will you choose to celebrate National Cake Day?

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Bechdel for Besties?

Stale Cake: Bechdel for besties

Bechdel for Besties?

Sweden recently made a revolutionary move towards exposing gender inequity in film. Some Swedish movie theaters with the blessing of the Swedish Film Institute have begun using a ratings system based on the Bechdel test.

So what is the Bechdel test?

The Bechdel test is a three question test created by artist/author Alison Bechdel designed to gauge gender bias in works of fiction. See the origins of the test and Bechdel’s recent comments about it.

So what are the passing requirements?

  1. It has to have at least two women in it,
  2. who talk to each other,
  3. about something besides a man.

Why should we care?

Well Sweden seems to give a crap so maybe you should too. If that argument is not compelling enough maybe it is because after more than a century of cinema we still have such a glaring inequity between female and male representation in cinema.

When looking at some so-called blockbuster films it is easy to imagine the semen coated writers room that half of these films were incubated in. Eww! I guess to put this more gently since women have come a long way, baby, it would be nice to see a more robust representation of us on screen as well.

I bet you’re curious to find out which films passed and failed the Bechel test. Here is a list of a few films that have failed the test: http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/features/10-famous-films-that-surprisingly-fail-the-bechdel-test.php.

We Stalecake-ians decided that the Bechel test could have broader implications outside the realm of fiction. Failing the Bechdel test doesn’t mean that fiction is bad, just as passing the test doesn’t mean it can’t be misogynistic. But what happens if you apply a Bechdel type test to real life friendships? Are they worth keeping if they fail?

We also mused about what a male-centric Bechdel test would look like. Is a reversed Bechdel test akin to reverse racism? If so, can you make the argument it can’t exist because of our male-dominated society? We’re not sure and would love your thoughts on the subject.

Time to Make the Cronuts

Stale Cake: Time to make the cronuts

Time to Make the Cronuts

It’s Alive!

This past May, the bastard child of the donut and croissant, the Cronut™, was born. It immediately become a collective dessert obsession. Chef Dominque Ansel’s creation has people in NYC waiting in long lines, at peak averaging six hours, for the chance to taste the magic. It has entitled, marginally talented and nepotism-enhanced celebs (yeah, you Emma!), trying to cut in front of those lines just to get a taste of the franken-pastry goodness.

Screw a Klondike bar, what would you do for a Cronut?

Getting one’s hands on a Cronut has been tricky – so tricky that people are going to extremes. The wealthy are sending their assistants to wait in the long lines,. But what about the little guy? Well, it’s evident no one cares about the little people. However, one enterprising person advertised a Cronut in exchange for oral sex. Time may be the best solution for Cronuts to lose their novel appeal.

Death of a Cronut?

As Newton theorized, what goes up must come down, or was that Lovin’ Spoonful? The long lines, the limited quantities, the classism have some calling for the end of the Cronut era.

On a recent trip to NYC, Asha had a chance to be a part of the Cronut craze. But Asha, being a dessert laggard (she’s still on designer cupcakes, SO 2010,) decided to wait until Cronuts become completely irrelevant before trying to purchase one.

The real franken-pastry

But Asha just might have to wait a while. One cream-filled marvel of a pastry has been popular for over 80 years: The Twinkie. Maybe it’s popular for all the reasons that distinguish it from the cronut. It’s nostalgic instead of novel. It’s cheap. You can get it whenever and wherever you want at your local convenience store. And you can’t brag about having one because EVERYBODY has. The Twinkie you get may actually be from 80 years ago, but it should taste the same! (We, at Stale Cake, love this last part!)

 

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Frightening Halloween Treats

Stale Cake: Frightening Halloween treats

Frightening Halloween Treats

Halloween is the most wonderful time of the year, full of ghouls, ghosts, tricks & treats. Screw Christmas. We love to dance to the sounds of Michael Jackson’s Thriller, to coo at the cute kiddie costumes, to gawk at the clever costumes that required minimal effort, and to be amazed at the balls-out efforts of those who TRULY love Halloween.
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What do we NOT really love about Halloween? The sexy costume. Apparently anything can be made sexy on Halloween: sexy witch, sexy cheerleader, sexy cop, sexy nurse, sexy maid, even sexy My Little Pony. It’s a little boring. Though we have to admit we like sexy Hulk Hogan.

The Ultimate Sexy Costume

But none of these sexy costumes compares to the Sexy Vagina.
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Why would you be a sexy witch when you can go straight to the source of the sexy, the vagina. This costume is not only anatomically correct; it fulfills every male fantasy with the addition of pizza. We did place a bid for this wonderful costume but, sadly, we were out-bidden.

Yeah yeah, just get back to the candy!

OK, we all know that candy is the standard fare that is given out on Halloween, but some folks refuse to get with the program. They either refuse to get in the Halloween spirit or they are dentists. We Stalecake-ians have received some pretty goofy Halloween candy substitutes in our day. Asha’s favorite was a religious comic book that reveals that Halloween is Satan!

Braver people than us tried to give kids healthy treats (in the forms of fruit chews, tofu marshmallows, nori pops, and artichoke butter cups) and this is what happened:

We thought Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers were vengeful, but these disgusted kids are much scarier!

Speaking of horror movie villains…

Disclaimer: Asha is slightly obsessed with horror movies and this week’s poll reflects her obsession.

 

frightening-halloween-treats

The Only Book Club You’ll Ever Need

Stale Cake: The only book club you will ever need

The Only Book Club You’ll Ever Need

The intrigue, the scandal, the potential for drinks to be thrown in the face of a rival; it’s not a work of fiction but fact with today’s book clubs. Books clubs seemingly re-emerged as a social gathering of choice post 9/11. Post 9/11 there was a need to connect and feel a stronger sense of communion with others and books clubs are a format that easily lend itself to this. Although the majority of book clubs are female and in person, there has also been an emergence of online book clubs.

So, you would think that today’s book clubs are about hearts, flowers, kisses and hugs, but that’s not always the case. Apparently there are some common problems that creep into book club dynamics. Here are some common characters that can show up and rain on your book club parade. (And you can vote on who’s the worst!)

 

Our Personal Experiences

To be honest, we Stake-cake-ians have yet to participate in the awesomeness of book clubs. Monette has thought about starting an online one, which would be right up Asha’s alley because she can be borderline anti-social. Monette’s sister shared some of her book club stories with us and gave us plenty of good fodder for this week’s comic; and a relative of hers enjoys bible reading groups so much that she has joined one in each borough of New York City.

In our research, we have found that despite a few annoying characters, being in a book club can be grand: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariellecalderon/the-16-best-things-about-being-in-a-book-club

It could also lead to a drinking problem! Some wine companies have hooked up with publishing companies because the wine flows so freely at these clubs.

Can I get a refill?

Stale Cake: Can I get a refill

Can I get a refill?

Coffee increases the risk of heart disease! Coffee lowers the risk of dementia! Coffee increases cholesterol! Coffee regulates glucose levels! Coffee causes hallucinations!

It feels like there are new contrasting studies about the effects of coffee popping up in the news every week, providing new justifications for coffee addicts and for those who are concerned about them.

Several years ago, I actually had the chance to participate in a study that measured the effects of caffeine on glucose levels. I was lured by the idea of months of free coffee. I went through all the physical tests, got accepted, and then realized that I did not want to risk getting placebo (decaf) samples.

Bad Habit or Addiction?

There are conflicting opinions on classifying between bad habits and addictions as well. I looked at this Huffington Post article to help me classify my daily coffee habit. Does it cause me to lose sleep? Yes, BUT then it wakes me up. So that’s a draw. Can I quit cold turkey? I don’t want to risk the headache, so I haven’t tried this yet. Inconclusive! Are there any unethical problems bothering me? No, though my many coffee shop visits are definitely fiscally irresponsible. Does it regulate my mood and emotional state? Well, I would warn you not to joke around with me before my morning coffee. It is not pretty. OK, I see where this is going.

In a 2011 study, 54% of Americans agreed that “coffee makes me feel more like myself” so my answers to these questions are probably not that original. I bet you have your own justification for this indulgence, but take the poll below and pick your favorite one.

 

Can I supersize that?

OK, I admit I drink 30 ounces of coffee every morning. Yet this image disturbs me:

 

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I’ve got ID?

Stale Cake: I've got ID

I’ve Got Id?

Are we just stuck in a state of arrested development, or is Grunge cycling back into popularity? The music that defined the movement may still be around, but it certainly doesn’t have the momentum. If you mentioned Seattle to somebody would Grunge come to mind before Starbucks?

Fashion roadkill to fashion runway

But Grunge has been popping up in magazines and commercials for the past year, despite any objections Anna Wintour may have. Is it just the fashion cycle of life? Are shapeless flannel shirts the perfect antidote to the skinny jeans that are cutting off your circulation? Does looking artfully disheveled take too much effort lately? Does Bitchy Resting Face match perfectly with I Don’t Give a F#$% outfits?

What were you watching on TV 20 years ago?

Or are marketers just cashing in on our nostalgia for the 90’s? Did anyone think it was odd that Jordan Catalano would be referenced in a commercial nearly 20 years after My So-Called Life went off the air? A commercial for an AUDI? (I refuse to embed this ad here – mostly because it is so long and leaves me more confused than amused.)

Arsenio Hall may not want to call it a comeback, but he’s back, and our memories of watching him back then certainly make us root for him now.

Smells like – Actually, you just smell

With doomsday reports about the economy and unemployment rates, doesn’t it seem like a good time to be depressed and disenchanted? With sitcoms about people in the their 30’s moving back in with their parents, why not keep those grunge posters up on your old bedroom walls and feel semi-current? We may have many more reasons to be angsty now than when we did when we were in high school, but I’d like to think we have better coping mechanisms than being completely apathetic. I don’t know anyone who wants to crawl into bed and wake up in the 90’s. Thank goodness.

Here’s a “Smells Like Teen Spirit” reference from one of our favorite Tumblr blogs, 99 Problems:

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Bennet Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves

Stale Cake: Bennet sister are doin' it for themselves

Bennet Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves

Jane Austen died almost 200 years ago, but the author and her work still manage to stir emotions. After people like feminist blogger, Caroline Criado-Perez, decried the lack of female figures on British currency, Austen replaced Darwin on the 10 pound note. Disgruntled trolls quickly took their ire to social media, though they seemed to be more misogynistic than anti-Austen. Katie Roiphe, professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University, stated:

“She is beloved by generations, popular yet highbrow, subversive yet mainstream, witty yet accessible; a smart, safely feminist choice, yet in certain lights, an upholder of traditional values. Is there, one could ask, a single woman writer less controversial than Jane Austen?”

In fact, Britons love her so much they banded together and blocked the sale of Jane Austen’s ring to Kelly Clarkson, in order to keep her keepsake in their beloved homeland.

Even without these news stories, it is hard to avoid the countless movies, miniseries, and books based on or inspired by Jane Austen these days. We’ve added zombies, created Jane Austen self-help guides, imagined fans being magically transported into her stories, and even shown Austen to be a game theorist.

Favorite adaptations

Monette jokingly admits that her favorite Jane Austen film is “Clueless” (Editor’s note: I’m not joking! This version of Emma is way better than the Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Beckinsale versions! The way Amy Heckerling transplanted it so easily into modern times shows the timelessness of Austen’s irony and social commentary.)

But our favorite adaptation, by far, is the inspiration for today’s comic, the Pride and Prejudice miniseries that had women everywhere falling madly in love with Colin Firth and wanting to sock Anna Chancellor in her face. (Ironically, Miss Chancellor is distantly related to Jane Austen.)

Why do we love Pride and Prejudice so much?

Is it because of this famous wet shirt scene? Ahem, no. (And, yeah, this statue is creepy.)

What is it about this story that makes it so damn good? For us it’s really Lizzie and her strong character. She is so true to herself, so smart but not perfect (she admits readily that she is less than perfect at the piano forte, that Jane is prettier and kinder than she’ll ever be). But she is so confident in herself that she holds her own and speaks her mind to people that society would consider her betters. For all of this, she should be punished, she should lose, because she doesn’t know her place; but instead she wins.

 

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When One-Upping Goes Horribly Wrong

Stale Cake: When one-upping goes horribly wrong

When One Upping Goes Horribly Wrong


We’ve all encountered them. They start off as friendly commentary and end with gauntlets thrown. You mention that you are super excited to start running again. They mention that they placed first in the Boston marathon, and maybe one day you may be able to do a marathon too. You mention excitement for your first trip to England; they mention that they recently had tea in Buckingham Palace with the Queen and can’t wait to go back to stay in their summer home. Those damn one-uppers!

“If you’re not one up on the other fellow, then he’s one up on you.”

I was curious, where did the one-upper come from? According to Wikipedia (if they say it, it must be true) the term “one-upping” seems to have started around the start of the 20th century. I wonder what one-uppers where like in those days? What did that exchange look like?

In current times one-upping looks a lot like this:

So what’s the best way to deal with a one-upper? I’d prefer to tell him/her to STFU, but I do realize that is a bit harsh. It has been said that one-uppers suffer from low self-esteem and often need to one-up to prove to themselves (and others) that they have self-worth. That’s sad, but also annoying. If you need help dealing with a one-upper in your life here are some more tactics.

Just because one-uppers suffer from low self-esteem doesn’t mean you should date them. According to the dating website, eharmony, which I consider to be a spot on source, one-uppers have toxic personalities.

 

In the Lap of Love

Stale Cake: In the lap of love

In the lap of love

Do you find that you stay on your laptop longer than you intended? Do you lose sleep due to being online late at night? How often are you and your partner/friend on different computers in the same room, supposedly hanging out together? Do you “check-in” wherever you go, even if you are just going to Costco?

A couple of these questions are on the Are You Addicted to the Internet? Quiz. I won’t bother you with my answers. I already knew I had a problem when I realized that I cared more about my computer than my roommate’s cat (who was hovering way too close to my laptop for comfort). There is no app for that Scratch that, there IS an app for that and it is called Ybrowse. It has 0 reviews so far, so out of all the things people search for online, solving an internet addiction isn’t one of them.

Maybe you don’t want to go online to seek treatment for going online? Now there is a clinic available to treat internet addiction.

“What we’ve got here is failure to communicate”

In an age where technologies designed to connect us are constantly emerging, is the core of our humanity at stake? In the short film “I Forgot My Phone” Charlene De Guzman answers this question with a resounding “yes!”

Asha’s favorite example of this technology disconnect is when people feel the need to capture the moment at concerts by recording it on their phones. Isn’t the point of going to these concerts to soak in an experience that you can’t get through a recording?

My favorite disconnect is the act of following friends through different online applications. When one of my friends told me that she was following me on Spotify, I reacted as if a stranger came up behind me and whispered “I’m following you” in my ear. I would not hesitate to talk to her about music I like, but does she need to know that I’m listening to Meatloaf while I clean my home? Maybe it would be a funny thing that brought us closer together. But sometimes (usually) my life is not an open house party, and I don’t know when I invited all these people in.