The Office Is Closed

Here at Hock-n-blog we like to inform our readers as well as entertain them with tales of forgotten food. Today's issue is the Writers Guild strike out in Hollywood. At first I wasn't concerned about it, then I saw this clip and realized it could really affect my Thursday night:

Since they didn't mention them by name, I can only assume that Dwight, Angela and Creed are sitting patiently at their desks while all this is going on.

This other video does a good job illustrating the problem:


Personally I think the writers have a pretty good case, it's ridiculous to not pay them when the studio is receiving ad revenue. Of Course here at Pocomoke we watch it on our tivo without ads anyway.

Mankind Has Harnessed the Electron

...And this was best thing we could think of to do with it:

Stephen Covey's Habit of the Week

Habit #14: Remember to make time to "sharpen the saw." You never know when you'll need to use it.

Bully Proof Underwear

Cleaning the Upstairs Refrigerator: A Journey Through Time

Chapter 1. Introduction

In its most basic form, archaeology is the science of stratigraphy - examining layered deposits of material in order to recreate the sequence of events that has led us to the present. In this way, we are able to build a bridge from the past to the present. You are invited on accompany me on a journey through time as I attempt to excavate Pocomoke's upstairs refrigerator. But I must warn you that this journey is not for the faint of heart. Our voyage will bring us face to face with the moldering relics and evil demons of an ancient age.

Tom has no idea what perils await us...

Chapter 2. Condiments in the Door Shelves, Gatekeepers of the Past

These out-dated guardians of the refrigerator door were also the guardians of bacteria, probably including some fairly evolved strains of E. coli.



The most disturbing part of this voyage is that we ate some of this syrup with breakfast not two hours before cleaning the fridge (expiration date reads December 28, 2006).


Mmmmm....the breakfast of champions.


Chapter 3. Olives, Cheese, and other Unsavory Characters Loitering on the Top Shelf

These are just some of the long-expired food items taking up space in the top shelf. Not to ruin your day, but if you attended Pocomoktoberfest, you probably ate some of the ketchup and
mustard.




That makes two half-empty, expired bottles of ketchup in case you're keeping score at home.

This sour cream was in the fridge so long that it spawned its own rancid demon-child.

Chapter 4. Trick or Treat? The Lost Snacks of The Middle Shelf

Watch yourself around these artifacts fom the middle shelf. They're more sinister than they may appear.

That makes two half-empty, expired jars of salsa in case you're counting at home.

Chemical reactions had left this rancid jug of milk so puffed up that it could barely stand upright.

Even your brave guide was too afraid to open this smoothie cup, found in the far back corner of the middle shelf.

Healthy snack or food poisoning waiting to happen? You decide.

Chapter 5. The Unholy Tomb: A Harrowing Adventure at the Bottom Shelf

Like the tomb of an ancient Pharoah, the innermost sanctum of the refrigerator contained some of the most beautiful and deadly artifacts.

This was Pepsi's Christmas gift to you....in 2006.

The dessicated weaponry of a more elegant age.



Who dares open the sarcophagus?


The horror! The horror!

Seriously, the stench of rotting fish that hit me once I opened this container was so strong that it literally brought tears to my eyes. The food was so congealed to the bottom of the container that I had to blast it off with a hose. And after several attempts at cleaning, I finally had to throw out the container itself because the odor wouldn't go away.


Chapter 6. Pandora's Box: Evil Lurking in the Crisper




Think this pack of frankfurters looks appetizing? Look closer.


Malicious creatures fester within!

At last, our refrigerator is free from the terrible monsters of its past...at least for now...

Know Your Pocomoke: Answers Revealed

Here are the answers to a relatively easy Halloween edition of Know Your Pocomoke:

1. The singer in question, of course, was Robert Goulet. His music was as integral to our Turtleneck Christmas party as the popcorn strings, the chocolate fountain, the fake log fire, the Ricardo del Fuego moustache, and the turtlenecks themselves. He will be missed.

2. The two paintings are known as the Mugger and the Vomiter.

3. I would have accepted several answers for this one, including but not limited to: insecurity, lack of motivation, mutual co-dependence, the slow torture of a life without purpose, immaturity, low self-esteem, hock obsession, indecisiveness, the spector of past failures, lonliness.

It's like Jerry Springer... but in Japanese.

I often find myself wondering what TV is like in Japan. Of course, Allison has regaled us with stories of their KFC Christmas and saki-drenched cherry blossom festivals, but what do we really know about Japan?

Fortunately, YouTube bridges cultures and oceans and unequivocally shows us that Japanese TV is much like the Jerry Springer show. Enjoy this NSFW clip from the land of the rising sun.

And all credit goes to Carolyn for finding this. How she found it... well, that's a very good question... hmmm.