Dinadirections

Louis C.K. has built an entire career on examining his fraught relationship with junk food and lackadaisical approach toward fitness in general, so it's with some sadness that we see this photo, taken by Javier Romero this morning near Houston and Broadway, of a fitter, exercise-embracing Louis riding a Citi Bike. While we are thrilled that the comedian now stands a more reasonable chance of not dropping dead at 50, part of us misses the old Louis, the guy who lets ice cream dribble out of his face as he lays despondently in bed. [ more › ]

Autopsy results confirm that star James Gandolfini's cause of death - he suffered a heart attack and died of natural causes - a family friend told the media.

The 51-year-old's sudden death instantly shocked and saddened fans Wednesday. As previously reported, Gandolfini had been visiting Italy with family.

"Today we received the results of the autopsy, which stated he died of a heart attack, of natural causes," Michael Kobold said in Rome on Friday.

"The autopsy further states that nothing else was found in his system."

News that James Gandolfini died stunned his family most of all, and they plan to put his body back on a plane to the U.S. as soon as they get clearance.

"We expect that to be Wednesday, maybe Thursday, but we will keep you informed," Kobold said, noting that funeral is expected in NYC late next week.

In a heartbreaking detail, the star's manager confirmed that Michael, James Gandolfini's 13-year-old son, found his father collapsed in his hotel room.

The three-time Emmy winner was then transported to the Policlinico Umberto I hospital; paramedics tried in vain to revive Gandolfini en route to the hospital.

Resuscitation maneuvers, including heart massage, continued for 40 minutes and then, seeing no electric activity from the heart, he was declared dead.

R.I.P.

"Naked and Afraid" is no longer just your standard Monday evening—it's also a new reality show on Discovery Channel! [ more › ]

A riveting new study out of Michigan State University has put science behind what disgruntled adolescents everywhere have known for years: If you're not doing well at work, if your boss doesn't like you, if the copy machine keeps breaking every time you use it, it's not just bad luck and you're not paranoid: It's probably because you're an eyesore. [ more › ]

Sofia Vergara recently posted a sexy selfie online that requires no explanation.

Just gaze upon it in all its glory below, and you can thank us (and Sofia) later:

The pic features the star in a pink thong bikini, face-down on a lounge chair by the pool. "Where Keegan Killian and Luis Balaguer can't find me," she wrote.

That would be her assistant and manager, respectively. Sucks to be them?

The provider of so many great Modern Family quotes recently said that she doesn't "smoke or do drugs," but "I drink to have fun ... I just try to live, like, a normal life."

If it involves more Sofia Vergara bikini photos like this, we approve ...

A Princeton man suffered a probable foot amputation after it was run over by a car on Candlewick Lane Tuesday, according to a release from the Bridgewater Township Police.

Eliezer Cruz, 38, was using a leaf blower on Candlewick Lane around 9:12 a.m. as a Ford F250 driven by Michael Sides of Manville traveled north up the road, police said.

Cruz apparently stepped backward onto the street as Sides approached the area, and the vehicle ran over Cruz's left foot, police said.

Cruz suffered what would probably be an amputation of his foot, the release said.

Responding to the scene were the Somerset MICU, as well as Green Knoll Fire Department and North Branch Fire Department. Cruz was taken to the Somerset Airport by the Martinsville Rescue Squad, and then taken to the University Hospital in Newark by Medevac helicopter.

Cruz and Sides, the release said, are employed by MS Landscaping.

The incident is being investigated by Bridgewater Township Officer Jason Daunton of the Traffic Safety Unit.

While these reviews are always a lot of fun to write, and hopefully slightly enjoyable to read as well, I want to be serious for a second. A few weeks ago, we found out my younger daughter is allergic to peanuts (and tree nuts, and sesame), culminating in a Mother’s Day trip to the emergency room. Fun! She’s perfectly fine — we’re learning what foods to buy and our house contains more adrenaline shots than the sets of Pulp Fiction and Crank combined — but it really caught us off guard. Between this and my older daughter getting a peanut stuck up her nose last year, I’m starting to think my ancestors owed George Washington Carver money or something.

Regardless, I mention this to explain why I was hesitant to pick up this new, peanut-y flavor of Ben & Jerry’s, exclusive to 7-Eleven. I could always keep it in the freezer at work, but it’s hard to write a review when you’re supposed to be… well, working. (Okay, it’s not HARD, but it’s frowned upon.)

Eventually I relented and brought it home, but I’ll say this: it’s a new experience to run out to the garage fridge every time I want to eat some ice cream, then make sure I wash my hands when I come back in. At least it’s summer; can you imagine me huddled out there in December, piteously lifting the spoon with shivering blue hands? Honestly, the lengths I theoretically might have gone to for you people.

Eschewing cutesy names like Karamel Sutra or I Wanna Dip My Malt Balls In It, this time B&J have elected to just tell you what it is: there’s nuts, there’s caramel, it’s swirled together. Transparency can be nice, though it feels a bit like watching a Michael Bay film titled “Stuff Blows Up and Also There’s a Pee Joke, Plus Boobs.” Maybe 7-Eleven stockholders hate puns, or possibly they just figured anyone making an impulse ice cream purchase while picking up a gallon of milk and some smokes wouldn’t properly appreciate clever wordplay. 

Your loss, 7-Eleven.

As for the appearance, you’ve seen B&J’s cartons before, obviously. The most noticeable difference is that the little emblem denoting the ingredients to be Fair Trade has changed — before it kind of resembled a stick figure, now it looks like the logo to Sea World. Maybe the peanuts were harvested on the ocean floor or have been secretly replaced with kelp?  Beyond that, the description promises nougat ice cream with peanuts, fudge flakes, and a salty caramel swirl. To put it mildly, that’s a lot to be getting on with. Your grandparents couldn’t find that many ingredients in an entire ice cream parlor, and B&J have crammed it all into one flavor. How will that play out?

Rather well, as it turns out, though not without some flaws. The peanuts are instantly recognizable, and extra enjoyable since they’ll pretty much never be allowed in this house again. The nougat ice cream is very rich and sweet; I’m a nougat fan, and this definitely gets the job done. The fudge can likewise easily be detected, and it and the peanuts are present in impressive quantities.

So what didn’t I like? Well, either there isn’t much caramel or the fudge is serving to mask it, because it doesn’t completely disappear but can easily be lost in the shuffle. Likewise, you’re not going to be able to tell whether the swirl is salty or not, although the peanuts fill that niche anyway, so the end result in your mouth is basically the same. I guess if you’re reeeeally reaching, it can be a bit tough to chew at times, though I personally like the textural variety and it’s certainly not going to be breaking your jaw.  And as I mentioned earlier, the sheer number of ingredients can make for a slightly schizophrenic taste experience, though certainly not an unpleasant one.

I feel like nearly every Ben & Jerry’s review wraps up nearly the same, but this is another winner for the boys from Vermont. I’m fairly certain I’d enjoy it even if I weren’t on peanut lockdown, but the “forbidden fruit” aspect certainly doesn’t hurt. Even if you’re able to eat peanuts all damn day, though, I’d still recommend you pick a pint up and try it for yourself… that is, if you can afford 7-Eleven’s absurdly high prices without breaking the bank.

(As a postscript, my wife adds that she called Ben & Jerry’s to see whether allergens would be a problem in a factory tour we may take on an upcoming vacation, and found them to be “insanely helpful.” They offered to comp us a pint of allergen-safe ice cream when everyone else gets a sample of the day so that our younger daughter doesn’t feel left out. I must say, that’s super cool of them.)

(Nutrition Facts – 1/2 cup – 310 calories, 160 calories from fat, 18 grams of total fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 23 grams of sugars, and 6 grams of protein.)

Other Ben & Jerry’s Nutty Caramel Swirl reviews:
On Second Scoop
The Ice Cream Informant

Item: Ben & Jerry’s Nutty Caramel Swirl
Purchased Price: $5.49. Five and a half freaking dollars!
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Illicit peanuts are the best peanuts. Full nougat flavor. You will not get bored eating this ice cream. Father’s Day night officially NOT spent in the ER.
Cons: Not quite enough caramel. Mother’s Day night in the ER. Price suggests every other carton is expected to be shoplifted. Unimaginative name. Bringing something potentially lethal to your child into the garage is not Father of the Year material.

Leave it to Kaidence Donda West (if that's really the name of Kim Kardashian's baby) to make a dramatic entrance and throw the PR machine off guard!

While the rumored baby name - a tribute to Kanye West's late mother - is not official, of this there is no doubt: It was a dramatic, unexpected delivery!

• 
• 

People's cover story looks chronicles "the emotional, harrowing night" Kim Kardashian and her beau spent at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in L.A.

Admitted June 14 due to medical complications, Kim Kardashian gave birth about 35-37 weeks into her pregnancy (depending on who you believe).

Kanye West, meanwhile, rushed to her side.

By the next day, Kim had given birth to a girl, "the prettiest, tiniest thing with a full head of straight, dark hair, a cute little nose and Kim's lips," says a source.

"She's already smiling!"

The little one has been spending her first days in an incubator to regulate her body temperature, but this is standard treatment for premature babies.

Baby K, whose parents have decided on a name (though they have not confirmed the rumored one), is "doing very well," says a hospital source.

As for Kimye, who'd been dogged by rumors about their relationship (talking to you, Leyla Ghobadi) in recent months, the new parents are "over the moon."

With a beautiful child like this, how could they not be?

Just kidding. That's not really her, THGers.

Congratulations again, Kim and Kanye, on the birth of your beautiful baby girl, whose photo we can't wait to see as soon as you receive the highest bid!

U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) touts big brains and a progressive voting record as he aims squarely at Newark Mayor Cory Booker in his first web campaign spot in the New Jersey Senate race.

The video was part of Holt’s full campaign website, launched Wednesday morning. 

In the video, Holt spends a good deal of time separating himself from Booker’s high-publicity actions.

“I don’t have a million Twitter followers. I’ve never run into a burning building. And I‘m not friends with Mark Zuckerberg,’’ Holt says. “So why would I run for Senate against Cory Booker? Well, in Congress, I’ve always done what I think is right for New Jersey.”

Sitting atop a classroom desk, Holt identifies himself as a teacher and a scientist with a progressive voting record. He voted against the Iraq War, to repeal the Patriot Act, to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and for expanded background checks for gun purchasers, he says in the video.

Booker has a commanding lead in the race, according to a Monmouth University poll released last week. The Newark mayor attracted 63 percent of likely voters over 10 percent for Holt, eight percent for U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) and six percent for state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex).

Holt also plugs an appearance two years ago on the nighttime game show Jeopardy!, where he beat IBM supercomputer “Watson.’’

“I’m going to beat Cory Booker and win this campaign like I beat ‘Watson’ on Jeopardy! … one answer at a time,’’ he says.

 

A tower of fudge with salty crunch. [Photograph: Yvonne Ruperti]

This super tall, super moist cake is swathed in a creamy sour cream chocolate frosting and gets a salty kick from crunchy pretzels.

Notes: The cake base was adapted from the Double Chocolate Layer Cake from Engine Co. No. 28. I used a dark cocoa (such as Hershey's dark), which resulted in a very dark cake, but this is not necessary. Regular natural cocoa will work fine for this cake. Do not use Dutch process cocoa here. The pretzels soften after the first day. If making ahead, omit the pretzels on the inside, and coat top and sides of cake with pretzels before serving.

About the Author: Yvonne Ruperti is a food writer, recipe developer, former bakery owner, and author of The Complete Idiot's Guide To Easy Artisan Bread. You can also watch her culinary stylings on the America's Test Kitchen television show. She presently lives in Singapore working on her new baking cookbook, and as a recipe developer for HungryGoWhere Singapore. Check out her blog: shophousecook.com . Follow Yvonne on Twitter.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Two 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, mixer

Ingredients

serves Makes one 9-inch cake, active time 45 minutes, total time 1 1/2 hours

• For the cake:
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups hot coffee
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 ounces) cocoa (see note above)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  
• For the frosting:
• 13 tablespoons (6 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 2/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sour cream
• 7 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups (12 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 3 ounces pretzel knots, crushed, divided

Procedures

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.

2. Place chocolate in a large bowl and pour coffee over. Whisk until melted and then cool briefly. Whisk in brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, eggs, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until combined.

3. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and baking power in a medium bowl. Whisk into wet mixture until smooth. Evenly divide batter between pans and bake until just set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans for 30 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.

4. For the frosting: Mix butter, chocolate, sour cream, cocoa, and vanilla in mixer with paddle on low speed until combined. Add sugar and mix until just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until creamy, about 1 minute. If frosting is too soft to spread onto cake, chill briefly until thickened.

5. Place one cake on serving plate and spread with about 2/3 cup frosting. Sprinkle almost half of the crushed pretzels on the frosting and then place the second cake on top (rounded side up). Use remaining frosting to ice top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining pretzels on top.

In random, hilarious news, John McAfee apparently decided to poke fun at the eponymous antivirus product that shares his name in a new Youtube video.

The video, called "How to uninstall McAfee antivirus," contains drug references, profanity, nearly-naked women, and the rough-looking McAfee himself.

The "eccentric millionaire" says that despite having nothing to do with the company for 15 years now, he still gets asked questions and emails about it.

Which he reads aloud, after he lights a cigarette with a burning $100 bill:

After sharing myriad foul-mouthed customer complaints, McAfee's lab technician Bartholomew, finally talks us through the process of uninstalling it.

McAfee, meanwhile, does not appear to be wearing any pants, and may or may not be on bath salts and wanted for murder in Belize. Enough said.

Marriage is hard, and divorce is usually worse: sometimes your ex sends you poo-covered alimony checks, and sometimes your ex scratches your testicles so hard you bleed. That's what ABC weatherman Bill Evans claims his soon-to-be ex-wife did to him. We imagine it was raining pure pain that day. [ more › ]

Walk into an old hardware store and take a big whiff. Come on now, just tip that head, sniff those fumes, and bring back a big brainful of love and memories with these gems:

• Hot, rubbery tires. Chinese chemical plants, hot vials of liquid rubber, and the musty stench of ocean liner storage bays combine to form this mind-altering buzz. And when you cruise on by, don’t forget to grab a free massage by rubbing your hand across all those tiny plastic hairy bits sticking off the tires in all directions. A classic.

• Those tightly packed piles of soil. Flopped sideways and drooping in all directions, don’t these bags always look like they’re about to burst at the seams? Well, I guess the problem is that some of them do, leaking their sweet smelling brown-with-white-flecks dirtload all over the floor.

• The key-cutting machine. If your hardware store is lucky enough to have a kid working away on a screaming key-cutting machine, then you’re probably sniffing in some hot, oily machine parts and a few metal scraps flying in all directions. Yes, that high-pitched piercing will wake up your baby and those smoky-metal fumes will wake up your childhood memories. Not a bad trade.

• Stacks of lumber. Decades of sun, water, and carbon dioxide help build tiny seedlings in the sod into majestic giants of the forest. Now even though they’re diced up into bits, they’re still breathing out those deep woody, sappy-fresh scents.

• Assorted old spills. Somebody kicked a can of paint thinner under Aisle 3 back in 1987 and now its faintly toxic aroma is just hanging limply in the air along with metal nail dust, shiny tools, and plastic snow shovels.

Yes, as you walk those old hardware aisles it’s hard not to soak in the memories. So when you leave the store on the creaking wooden floor, through the dusty, sunbeam rays shining lazily over the dirty black floormat, let that jingle-jangly door clang shut on your great Saturday morning sniff down memory lane.

AWESOME!

Photos from: here and here

At a quick glance, these Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins look like Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies that were made by a drunk Keebler elf who turned to the bottle to help him cope with the fact that he works and lives in the same tree.

Or maybe these Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins were made by a former Keebler elf who got tired of squeezing the straight lines of fudge on each Keebler Fudge Stripes cookie.

All right, no elves produced these crispy cookies and they were made by a multi-million dollar machine in a huge factory somewhere. But, damn, I wish I was your lover…oh sorry, that Sophie B. Hawkins song has been showing up a lot in my 90s Pandora station. I meant to say, damn, that multi-million dollar machine makes one mean cookie.

I don’t want to brag, but when Nabisco first introduced their Newtons Fruit Thins, I knew they would put out a banana version of their crispy cookie. Although, to be honest, I thought they would’ve paired the fruit with nuts and not dark fudge.

I mean, just imagine a banana with some nuts. Don’t you think that’s a great combination? It totally makes sense. And I thought my idea was better, but the more I ate these Newtons Fruit Thins the more I realized how stupid my banana and nut cookie idea was.

The dark fudge drizzle is what makes these light and crispy cookies so wonderful. Its mild sweetness complements the mild flavor of the cookie with dried banana pieces baked in. It’s a perfect balance that’s extremely toothsome. As a banana lover, I’m glad the fudge doesn’t overwhelm the banana and I’m also happy Nabisco didn’t go all fudge crazy and decide to dip these cookies completely into fudge, much like their Oreo Fudge Cremes.

However, at times, I thought the banana and fudge combination tasted much like a graham cracker, which I’m not sure is a bad thing.

While the fudge drizzle helps these cookies taste awesome, they also cause the cookies stick together in the packaging and make these Newtons Fruit Thins slightly less wholesome than their non-drizzled brethren. These Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins are made with real fruit and whole grains just like all the other Newtons Fruit Thins, but, thanks to the dark fudge, it has ten more calories, a gram more of saturated fat, and a gram more of sugar than the non-drizzled varieties.

Also, while I’m in the middle of pointing fingers at the fudge drizzle, I’d like to note that a package of these cookies weighs in at 8.75 ounces, while a package of the non-drizzled Newtons Fruit Thins is 10.5 ounces. So we’re getting less cookies. Cookie Monster would not approve.

However, those are minor issues that will be forgotten once you start stuffing your maw with these delicious Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins.

(Nutrition Facts – 3 cookies – 150 calories, 50 calories from fat, 6 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 2.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 1 gram of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 100 milligrams of potassium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.)

Other Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins reviews:
Junk Food Guy

Item: Banana Drizzled With Dark Fudge Newtons Fruit Thins
Purchased Price: $3.68
Size: 8.75 oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: These are awesome crispy cookies. Wonderful balance of banana and fudge. Fudge and banana combo is a much better idea than my banana and nut combo. Best tasting Newtons Fruit Thins flavor (thanks fudge). Contains whole grain and real fruit.
Cons: Slightly worse for you than regular Newtons Fruit Thins. No significant benefits from real fruit it contains. Less cookies than non-drizzled Newtons Fruit Thins. Fudge causes the cookies to stick together.

[Photograph: Carrie Vasios]

Because there is something awesome about a giant cinnamon raisin oatmeal cookie drizzled with icing.

Notes: I used a springform pan to make getting the pie out easier, but you can also use a deep dish 9-inch pie plate. This doesn't make enough icing to cover the pie, just to give a thick drizzle.

About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: 9-inch pie plate or springform pan, electric mixer

Ingredients

serves serves 8-12, active time 15 minutes, total time 40 minutes

• For Cookie Pie
• 3/4 cup (About 3 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup raisins
•  
• For Icing
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream

Procedures

1. For Cookie Pie: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease pan or pie plate.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and oats; set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together brown sugar, sugar, and butter until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat just until dough is evenly combined. Used a rubber spatula to fold in raisins.

4. Scrape batter into prepared dish and use spatula to smooth the top. Bake until golden brown on top and set in the middle, 20-25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then release from springform pan. Let cool completely.

5. For Icing: In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar and heavy cream until smooth. Drizzle over pie. Serve.

Most of us strive to go noticed by a boss when we're first starting out at a new job, but as 37 Signals co-founder and author Jason Fried point out, sometimes that obscurity inherent when you're at a new job can actually work in your favor.

When you're straight out of college, the natural reaction is to go all out and try to get your bosses to notice what you're doing. The problem is that you probably don't actually know what you're doing. Fried's suggestion is to embrace the obscurity that comes when you're a nobody at a new job and use it to your advantage with long term goals:

I think obscurity is your friend when you’re just starting out. People want to get rid of the obscurity so everyone knows who they are and what they’re doing, but it’s nice to have that cushion of being able to mess up without anyone knowing or caring so that you can learn without the spotlight on you. Once the spotlight is on you, there’s a lot of pressure and you don’t need that kind of pressure early on. Take it easy, have a long-term view on things, build on little successes, and learn more before you try to go out and change the world.

It's solid advice whether you're taking on your first job or just changing careers. Obviously you don't want to dawdle away in obscurity for too long, but if you take your time on that first project you'll be able to impress that new boss a lot more. Head over to the Great Discontent for the full interview with Jason Fried.

Jason Fried | The Great Discontent via 99U

Photo by Aaron Gustafson.

Forget fabric softener Jesus and piece of toast Jesus, a Reddit user has posted a photo of his pug's behind that sure looks as if it's in the shape of the Son of God.

Might this be Photoshopped? Sure.

Might our eyes be playing tricks on us, like when they saw Hitler in a teapot? It's possible.

But might this be the sign from above that so many have been searching for over the year? Okay, probably not. But stare away at the butthole sort ot from heaven now anyway:

We go to work to do our job, not to feel at home. That said, putting a little effort into the decoration of our desks, offices, or cubicles makes a difference. Even if it doesn't help you feel more welcome at work, it sends an important signal to your company: you feel like part of the team.

Alison Green, writing for US News, explains:

If your office is utterly barren – no photos, no décor, no evidence that someone inhabits it – you might signal that you're just passing through, that you'll be on your way as soon as you find something better. It's easy to bring in a lamp and put an art print on the wall, and it will make a difference in how people see you. On the other end of the spectrum, don't go overboard: If every surface in your office is covered with photos, art and figurines, you'll look like your focus is somewhere other than on work. You also want to avoid a messy office, which can make you look disorganized and unconscientious.

Basically, a little goes a long way, but nothing or too much can make you seem disinterested in your job.

Do You Know What Signals You're Sending at Work? | US News

Photo by Kyle and Kelly Adams.

Another day, another controversial ad campaign firing peeps up online.

Move over, happy prostitute ads. Step right up, pregnant teen boys!

The campaign, by Chicago Department of Public Health's Office of Adolescent and School Health, features the tagline, "Unexpected? Most teen pregnancies are."

Teen pregnancy in Chicago is 1.5 times higher than the national average.

Fortunately for miscreant boys, they can't get pregnant. Unfortunately, they're getting called out in these ads for being deadbeats and shirking responsibility.

The point, of course, is to show that "teen parenthood is more than just a girl's responsibility," something the men of Teen Mom don't exactly drive home.

Looking at you, Adam Lind and all you other douchebags.

This dude obviously isn't knocked up, but he should be knocked around a bit if he doesn't step up and think with his brain instead of his ... you know.

You get the provocative, online buzz-worthy point by now.

So remember, hornball teens: Pull and pray does not actually work. No glove, no love. Wrap it before you tap it. Double bag it if you have to. Be safe.

You'll be glad you did, lest you end up like Jenelle Evans.

Investors like Gates are betting that our planet can't sustain the current rate of growth in animal-based foods for too much longer. Products like Beyond Eggs, a plant-based substitute, are designed to fill the void.

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It's common wisdom that missing a day or two of exercise makes it harder to get back to it the next day, but The New York Times points out that it's not as cut and dried as simple motivation. A number of other factors show how important consistency is when sticking to a workout.

Keeping a tight schedule with exercise matters because when you skip a lot of days in a row the health benefits start to dissipate. At first, this is just a decrease in the positive metabolic aspects, but eventually skipping exercise affects motivation, endurance, and can increase injury:

Endurance also fades if you skip exercising for too many days in a row. The same is true, sadly, with motivation. In study after study, researchers have found that one of the primary reasons people continue exercising is that they enjoyed yesterday’s exercise or the exertions of the day before; they felt healthier and more physically masterful afterward and wish to relive that sensation. Longer periods between exercise sessions potentially could dull that enthusiasm.

Similarly, there is some evidence that injury rates can rise after a multiday layoff, especially in activities requiring well-honed technique. A 2011 study of circus performers found that two-day breaks between performances lessened injury rates, but the rates rose again if performers rested for three days or more.

The fact is that you don't want to miss more than a couple days in a row if you can help it. Motivation alone is tough to get back after that, but the health effects are just as important. It's a good thing working an exercise routine into your schedule isn't too hard.

Ask Well: How Often to Exercise | The New York Times

Photo by Vince Viloria.

So... how have you shown love for your significant other today?

A 68-year old British man named Bob Baker has tattooed a cartoon-like version of his wife on to his bald head, as the image depicts Kelly Baker in a bikini and high heels, pushing a lawn mower.

Is Bob embarrassed in any way? Nope!

"75% of people who have seen it say it's wicked and come up and shake my hand," he told the BBC.

Bob has 11 other tattoos across his body, including the name of his wife on his neck.

He has been married to her since 2010 and it's no surprise why he would do whatever possible to keep her around: Kelly is only 28 years old.

Way to go, man! This certainly beats getting a face tattoo of someone after one date.

Dear Lifehacker,
I keep seeing new “smartwatches” show up on gadget sites, but they all seem pretty different. What is a smartwatch, exactly, and should I consider buying one?

Sincerely,
Watching Watches

Dear WW,

Just as a smartphone did with the telephone, a smartwatch provides live access to certain kinds of information and intelligent features to try and add more convenience to your life. While most smartwatches take a similar app-based approach, they’re all a little different. However, you’ll find that most provide you with notifications and all of them tell you the time. To try and answer this question through experience, I tested out a few popular smartwatches currently on the market. First we’ll take a look at your primary options right now and what they can do, then discuss why you may or may not want a smartwatch now or in the future.

Should You Get a Smartwatch?

Like with all bleeding-edge technology, smartwatches currently exist for early adopters. That said, even the minimally tech-savvy can use them and benefit. Through my experience, I found people who want the following will enjoy a smartwatch now:

• You want notifications but you don’t want to spend tons of time on your phone. Smartwatches sit on your wrist and tell you what’s up. You can peek to see if you just received an important message or if you can ignore it. Over everything else, this offers the greatest advantage because you can stay informed while out and about without rudely interrupting activities with real, live people. You won’t look bored in meetings, you won’t look disinterested on a date, and you won’t distract other viewers in a movie theater with your excessively bright smartphone screen to see who just sent you a text. A smartwatch allows you to stay connected and informed without constantly interrupting your life.

• You want a timepiece that actually does something without paying much more for it. Watches don’t seem too relevant anymore because they just tell the time—something a cellphone can do without occupying space on your wrist. While some prefer to check the time more easily and/or prefer the aesthetic of a wristwatch (to nothing at all), you get a lot more out of a smartwatch and don’t really pay much of an additional cost. That may seem like a strange statement when you look at the $120-300 price tags on the smartwatches in this post, but if you purchase a nice timepiece for its aesthetic value you’ll pay about the same amount (if not more, in some cases). If you want a cheaper watch, this obviously doesn’t apply. You can buy inexpensive timepieces that look nice, but many premium options fall into the exact same price range.

• You want a watch you can upgrade and customize. While not all smartwatches offer ways to add tons of new features, most pair with smartphone apps and have user/developer communities that improve functionality on a regular basis. Pebble, for example, was designed around developers and people create cool, new stuff every day. While most apps still need some work before you can install them on your watch, browsing through the developer community will show you everything from live weather updates to playable versions of Space Invaders. You can’t do everything with your smartwatch now, but you will have the opportunity to do a lot more later without buying new hardware.

Despite these benefits, you may not want to jump on board just yet. Over the next couple of years, wearable technology will evolve significantly. Big players like Google and Apple may step into the ring. Sony may create a product that actually works (or someone else will fix it for them). Take the plunge if a smartwatch seems like something you’d enjoy and benefit from. Otherwise, give it some time. The future will (quickly) bring new ideas and choices, plus far more experiences from early adopters, so you can better decide whether you want intelligence on your wrist or not. If you want in, read on to learn about some of the best options available right now.

Your Smartwatch Options

To get a good idea of the different offerings, I tested a Pebble, Martian Victory, and MetaWatch FRAME. I wasn’t able to test the Sony SmartWatch, but our sister site Gizmodo hated it so much that we all may be better off for it. (That said, Sony just opened up their platform to allow for custom firmware so their offering may prove useful someday.) Each model offers a different approach to providing you with the time, notifications, special features, and other useful information, and some work better than others.

The Pebble smartwatch ($150) offers a simple look and an easy-to-read e-paper screen with a backlight you can activate by wagging your wrist. It comes with a few different watch faces, but you can download others. You can also download apps to provide additional functionality, but that requires a less than straightforward process.

Nevertheless, you only need one smartphone app and a quick Bluetooth pairing before you can start sending notifications from your phone to your watch. Decide what you want to see and what you want to ignore, and you can stay abreast of various happenings with a quick glance at your wrist. When a notification comes in, the Pebble vibrates and displays the initial text. With a few somewhat stiff button presses you can scroll through more of the message for additional information. When a call comes in, you’ll see it on your watch and can choose to ignore it without reaching for your phone. Outside of notifications, the Pebble can set alarms, control your phone’s music apps, and track your biking and running. Android users can also download a number of helpful apps to enhance their experience further.

The Martian Victory ($299) looks like a standard watch, albeit a bit bulky, but hides a little LED window at the bottom to provide you with notifications. A smartphone app, available for Android and iOS, pushes almost any notification over to your watch. The Martian also allows you to set quiet hours so notifications don’t come through while you sleep. That said, calendar notifications ignore these settings (because it expects you to set alarms with your calendar).

Martian smartwatches differ from their competition in one specific way: you can talk to them. They sync up with your smartphone like a Bluetooth speaker and utilize voice command services. Android users can connect with Google Now and iPhone users with Siri. You can answer and place calls directly from the watch. While this may seem impractical, or just make you feel like Dick Tracy, once you realize you don’t have to talk directly into the watch to communicate you may find it useful. I answered many calls in the car and had a perfectly normal conversation even with both hands on the wheel. The Victory, specifically, has a fancier metal watch face with an oddly paired silicone band. If you prefer something a little more traditional, however, Martian offers a variety of models and some come leather bands instead.

The MetaWatch FRAME ($200) focuses primarily on notifying you of all kinds of information. The main screen gives you the time plus a number of other widgets you can customize to your liking. That includes unread email messages, calendar events, stock updates, weather, and more (somehow you can actually fit all of this information on a single screen). You can also visit other screens for more and have notifications pushed directly to your MetaWatch via a smartphone app. The official MetaWatch app doesn’t worked quite as well as you might hope, unfortunately. Many Android reviewers complain it doesn’t function at all, but I found it just keeps sending certain notifications repeatedly, and ignores others altogether. Fortunately, Android users can grab third party options (like MetaWatch Community Edition or Noah Edition) that work a whole lot better. For whatever reason, the official iPhone app comes with fewer issues and works better for more people.

Regardless of software issues, the MetaWatch requires quite a bit of work to set up. On top of that, the screen of the FRAME model reflects so much light that you can’t even read the screen in certain conditions (including indoors). The cheaper STRATA ($120) model may or may not solve this problem.

Which smartwatch is the best for you? In some cases it’ll depend on your preferences. Overall, I found the MetaWatch frustrating to use and hard to see. If you really like the idea of talking to your watch or just want a very comprehensive set of mostly static features, a Martian model is the obvious choice. I felt that the Pebble offered the most comfort, the right features, a pleasant and simple look, and just worked most reliably. While it needs a do not disturb feature so it knows not to vibrate at night and unified app installation process, that should come with time. Pebble just started shipping recently so we should see improvements over the next year. All tested smartwatches managed the same amount of battery life (5-7 days) while only minimally draining the connected smartphone battery with Bluetooth activity. Each came with a proprietary charging cable of some kind, so expect an added cost if you want more than one.

What you choose will depend on what you need. The initial offerings function well and don’t suffer from many serious drawbacks, so you shouldn’t find yourself frustrated by the usual early adopter bugs (in most cases). That said, you don’t have a ton of smartwatches to choose from at the moment. If no option looks close enough to perfect for you, give it a year or two and you’ll have a much wider selection.

Love,
Lifehacker

[Photograph: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Chief Creative Officer of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab on Twitter, or at The Food Lab on Facebook.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Special equipment: Grill

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 , active time 45 minutes , total time 1 hour 15 minutes

• 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/8th inch matchsticks with a mandoline or by hand
• 1 quart peanut or canola oil
• Kosher salt
• 20 ounces freshly ground beef, formed gently into four 5-ounce patties
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 hamburger buns
• Sliced onions (if desired)
• 6 ounces cheese curds
• 1 cup prepared gravy, hot

Procedures

1. Rinse cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water, changing water as necessary until water runs clear. Drain carefully and dry on paper towels.

2. In a deep cast iron skillet, fryer, or wok, heat oil to 350°F. Carefully lower potatoes into oil. Cook potatoes without moving, adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until bubbles from potatoes slow down and potatoes are a pale golden blond, about 3 minutes. Continue cooking, agitating potatoes occasionally with a metal spider or tongs until potatoes are deep golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Carefully transfer potatoes to a paper towel-lined bowl and season immediately with salt. Allow to cool completely. After cooling, potatoes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

3. When ready to serve, season burger patties generously with salt and pepper and cook burgers to desired doneness on a hot grill or in a skillet on the stovetop, 125°F for medium rare or 135°F for medium. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

4. While burgers rest, toast buns until golden brown. Place onions on bottom bun (if using). Top with burger patties, cheese curds, fried potatoes, and hot gravy. Close burgers. Serve immediately.

There is this new website called My Dad Was In A Band, and it's pretty great you guys. You get a short story about the band, a clip of their music, and what is almost always an amazing photograph to tie it all together. The latest band featured comes from Staten Island, and they're called Hot Ice. Give a listen: [ more › ]

So, imagine you show up for an already-difficult family court hearing, get into an argument with an official and get arrested in front of your crying two-year-old.

Then imagine the arrest happened because you complained that a court marshal brought you into a side room, felt you up and asked you to lift up your shirt.

Several employees and managers of Clark County Family Court in Las Vegas are under investigation after the incident, which was all caught on video.

In it, court marshal Ron Fox inexplicably arrests mom Monica Contreras after she dared to complain to the judge that Fox had touched her inappropriately.

It started when Fox suddenly told Contreras, who was only in court for a routine divorce case, to go into a side room for an unexplained drug search.

When she came out of the room, she approached the judge who had been listening to her case, and told her that the marshal touched her inappropriately.

She says she had asked him for a female marshal to be present but he had ignored her ... as did the judge, who just played with Conteras' child.

Suddenly, the same marshal orders her arrested, and a second marshal approaches and tries to put cuffs on her. Contreras was obviously stunned:

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Ron Fox then pipes up and says, "Because of false allegations made against a police officer" ... for which there is no such law. Minor details, right?

Amazingly, she was then told she could avoid jail, but only by recanting her story. Instead, she did the opposite, repeating what she claimed happened.

At this point she was arrested as her daughter cried, "Sir, don't take momma!"

Perhaps the most incredible part? The entire time, the judge, Patricia Donninger, seemed oblivious, not even speaking to the woman or the marshals.

The woman's story was later validated following an investigation and the marshal was fired. The judge, however, remains undisciplined for her behavior.

Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of the products, share your thoughts about them in the comments.

Hey! You know what was a great cookies and creme cereal? Oreo O’s, which is still available, but only in South Korea. I have a feeling this Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme cereal will not come close, but I hope it does. (Spotted by Stefanie at Target.)

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Thank you for all the photos, Stefanie! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf, snap a picture of it, and send us an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

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