hollywood
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Posts posted by hollywood
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If the perceptual experiment comes out in favor of the Wine Clip, then one can perhaps move on to attempting some kind of physical analysis... but at least it would be established that the magnets were doing something that effected the taste.
Right. And if you think about it, if the magnets do have an effect on the wine, Mr. Clip would presumably want to explore the way that it works further to make refinements in the product, e.g., bigger or smaller magnets, the angle at which they are placed relative to the bottle, etc. And perhaps there would be differing applications for red and white wines. The fact that there isn't interest in this on his part runs contrary to the notion that it actually works.
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Moreover, as far as I know they have never subjected their methods to an independent audit, and I doubt they ever will.
You can bank on it, er, they can bank on it.
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"Zagat says several safeguards are built into the process to prevent ballot-stuffing, and I'm inclined to believe him."
In the absence of any elaboration, this would certainly seem to be the weakest journalistic link in the story.
Well, people at Zagat's had to feel pretty defensive around a guy named "Shaw".
Suggesting again the need for a David Shaw Q & A. Or perhaps a lighthearted Shaw vs. Shaw smackdown. This could be a cable show. Lawyer vs. journalist. East Coast vs. West Coast. They could take up where Nina and Alan left off. Let's see: Steve's first guest would be Rachel. David's would be Piero.
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One of Zagat's stats that I find dubious is the claim that the over 6,000 people who participated in the LA survey "dined out" (implying dinner) an average of 3.7 times per week, thus the survey is "based on roughly 1.2 million meals annually." I think we'd either have more restaurants or fewer of them would go out of business if those facts were accurate. How can they check that claim? Why do I suspect that many of those 1.2 million meals are fast food lunches if in fact they happened at all?
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There are many people who believe that God intervenes in their daily lives. That's their business. But I have to wonder why someone would extend this kind of blind faith to some magnets around a bottle of wine.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
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I just remembered that when I was in LA about 10 years ago I was amazed at how many small burger chains were still in existence. Is this still the case, and is this a unique LA phenomenon (i.e. what is it about LA that allows all these guys to survive the McCorporate onslaught when they seemingly haven't elsewhere, at least in the east coast areas I'm familiar with?)
I'd say it's still the case. Off the top of my head, we have chains like In N Out, Fat Burger (Magic Johnson owned some of this, not sure if he still does), Tommy's, Jim's and Astro Burger. There are even little chains with names like Tom's, Tomas, etc. playing off the popularity of Tommy's. There's also Carl's Jr. but it fits the model of the national chains. Virtually every mid range and below restaurant offers burgers. As to why this is, I'm guessing but possibilities are: low paid immigrant/illegal labor, family businesses run by hardworking families (often immigrants), undeclared cash receipts, a populace that likes burgers and tacos and chicken, etc. eaten on the run. I don't know if this is unique to LA (when I was growing up in Texas, there were numerous small chains but that was years ago), but generally these folks make better burgers than McD's etc. Let's not forget the original McD's was a family run shop in, I think, Downey or El Monte or somewhere around here. For reasons that continue to escape me, Fat Burger does not make it in the LA Zagat guide whereas In N Out, Astro and Tommy's do.
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I just thought the Magnet Guy made sense and deserved to be heard by the members.
If only the Magnet Guy would show his face, perhaps I'd be mesmerized.
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Further off-topic (or perhaps more on-topic?) what do people think of Johnny Rocket's burgers? I've been wanting to ask this question but didn't know where to ask since I saw a segment on FoodTV unwrapped where they made a point of how the hamburgers are made from fresh, not frozen meat.
In California, or at least Southern California, I think there are better choices than Johnny Rockets (tho I like their grilled chicken breast snadwich). On the low end, you can get better burgers for the same or less at Fat Burger or In N Out. On the higher end, you can go to Houston's, pay a little more and take advantage of the more extensive menu choices there.
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Actually, I think you would get somewhat more realistic ratings if people didn't get a free guide for completing the survey. That way, you would have people who care (and some who want to skew the ratings in favor of a particular restaurant).
You may be right but I doubt they'd get nearly as many surveys this way. And being able to say that thousands participated appears to be one of their goals/selling points.
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Sucrose is sucrose. There's a potential 0.05% difference between beet and cane in retail packaging, but in practice it's much less. I have never seen scientific evidence that there is any difference in flavor. And as careful as Coke is about its flavor profile, I'm sure it would refine those few little bits away if it thought they made any difference.
What you don't realize is that the cane sugar Cokes have been treated with magnets.
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Still, like David Shaw, I buy the guide almost every year, primarily to use as telephone directory. If I really want to find out about a restaurant, I'd rather ask people on this list.
Do the survey online and you'll get a free copy (well, depending on the value you put on your time). And to the extent enough folks do this, perhaps the ratings will become more realistic. Also, now that they've divided into geographic areas, maybe there will be less tendency for people to vote for places outside their area that they haven't been to in years (which have often declined in quality).
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You and the Flatlanders should test it. Then you'd have an amusing piece even if there wasn't anything to it.
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Is is because they gave you a paper crown? I never liked their food much, but there was a period of time, during my princess phase, that I was enamored of their paper crowns.
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Speaking of the Test Kitchen, any chance the Times will test The Wine Clip? Or, would that be in the Test Cellar?
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If that's Rachel Ray, then I'm Nigella Lawson.
Just as I suspected.
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After reading and following all of this nonsense I have decided not to do any tests and am going to determine for myself and only myself.
I have also decided to return the clip to Dennis.
There is so much immaturity out there towards someone none of you know that it amazes me. I thought many of you were professionals.
So, you're just gonna take your Wine Clip and go home?
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Wow! The Flatlanders! Not all at once, I suppose.
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Thanks for the recommendations. I notice that the voice you use in answering these questions seems a little more Texan (perhaps flavorful, is a better word) than your Times voice. Do you have to work to tone it down? Do you automatically get into a Times trance?
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Great story. Thanks.
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There's a line of Stubblefield 'cue sauces, isn't there. Do they do him proud?
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Thanks. Other than the sherry, do you have any California favorites?
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because a whopper is chock full of so many ingredients, the tasters could RARELY tell whether the meat was freshly broiled or kept in a plastic holding tray in or out of a steamer.
About these ingredients... Is there anything in the patty itself other than beef?
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I asked for a report from the Ph.D.s he said had tested his product. I haven't gotten it yet. There may be an inconclusive report on another product somewhere on the web, but I haven't been able to find it.
I'm confused about this. I think he said the PhDs tested a magnetic wine coaster, not the Clip. I think he said some students or other folks in a lab "tested" the Clip. I suspect this means they did taste tests.
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Definitive L.A food experience
in eGullet Q&A with Russ Parsons
Posted
Right. Ok. All right.