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FACEBOOK DEACTIVATES SALMAN RUSHDIE'S PROFILE, MAKES HIM USE REAL FIRST NAME 'AHMED', SO HE MOVES TO TWITTER

After Salman Rushdie’s profile was mistakenly deactivated, he called Facebook a ‘bunch of morons.’ Then the author threatened a Twitter defection after being forced to go by ‘Ahmed.’ Brian Ries on who won out.

For a few hours on Monday morning, Salman Rushdie had just about had it with Facebook.

The social media site had detected a profile over the weekend—his Facebook profile—that it had mistakenly determined was fraudulent. So, without warning, Facebook flipped its switch, digitally executing Rushdie’s profile and removing it from the site. To get it reactivated, he was told, he would have to send a photograph of his passport, thereby proving his identity as the real Salman Rushdie, the Indian-British author of Midnight’s Children and The Satanic Verses, and not a fraud. But when he did as instructed, his profile emerged from its Facebook purgatory with a problem.

Click Image To View Salman "Ahmed" Rushdie's Facebook Profile

He explained on the site. 

“Facebook deactivated my account because they thought I wasn’t me.  Now they insist I call myself by the first name I have never used. What a bunch of morons.”

That rarely used first name, Ahmed, is what’s printed on his passport. Salman, technically speaking, is his middle name. And a post about “name standards” on Facebook’s Help Center—which the company on Monday acknowledged is a bit dated and then quickly updated after a query by The Daily Beast—suggested that middle names simply aren’t allowed.

It said:  

“Facebook is a community where people use their real identities. We require everyone to provide their real first and last names so you always know who you’re connecting with.” 

 

But what, Rushdie took to Twitter to wonder, if the one you’re connecting with isn’t known by their first name at all?

He tweeted

“Dear #Facebook, forcing me to change my FB name from Salman to Ahmed Rushdie is like forcing J. Edgar to become John Hoover.” 

He went on:

“Or, if F. Scott Fitzgerald was on #Facebook, would they force him to be Francis Fitzgerald? What about F. Murray Abraham?”

Salman Rushdie's Twitter page:

Click Above Image To Visit Salman Rushdie's Twitter Page

Others agreed.  The Atlantic’s Alexis Madrigal wondered. 

“What is the point of forcing Salman Rushdie to go by Ahmed Rushdie? How does this benefit the social web?”

When reached Monday afternoon, a company spokesperson told The Daily Beast it does permit users to identify by their middle and last names. Rushdie’s profile suspension, and resulting name change, was all a mistake.

The spokesperson said in an official announcement. 

“This action was taken in error and Mr. Rushdie’s account has been reactivated with the correct name.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

That inconvenience was almost Facebook’s—Rushdie nearly took his presence elsewhere. He wrote in a post earlier in the day, before inviting readers to follow him on Twitter—Facebook’s on-again-off-again competitor. 

“As I don’t and will never recognize myself as ‘Ahmed Rushdie’ I will be reducing FB activities to just about zero and cutting back my list of friends to actual friends or at least acquaintances, just to keep in touch.  I’m done.”

But later Monday, once Facebook had reinstated the profile as “Salman Rushdie,” the author made a triumphant return.  He posted on his profile. 

“Victory!  Goodbye Ahmed, get back into the passport where you belong. Salman returns.”

And with that return, a confirmation: Facebook users, middle names are A-OK in Zuckerville.

COMMENTARY:   It's most unfortunate to see Facebook make an ass of themselves over your name.  Everybody knows who Salman Rushdie is.  Zuck should personally apologize to Salman for treating him with such outrageous disrespect.  A lot of celebrities use different names.  Lady Gaga has a real name.  So by Facebook's rules she should be asked to change her Facebook name to  Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

Twenty years ago, novelist Salman Rushdie was a wanted man with a million pound bounty on his head. His novel, The Satanic Verses, had sparked riots across the Muslim world. The ailing religious leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini, had invoked a little-known religious opinion - a fatwa - and effectively sentenced Rushdie to death. Never before had a novel created an international diplomatic crisis on such a scale, and never before had a foreign Government publicly called for the killing of a private citizen of another country.

The following film documentary looks back on the extraordinary events which followed the publication of the book and the ten year campaign to get the fatwa lifted. Interviews with Rushdie's friends and family and testimony from leaders of Britain's Muslim community and the Government reveal the inside story of the affair. Rushdie himself was forced into hiding for nearly ten years.

 

British columnist Christopher Hitchens discusses Salman Rushdie's 'The Satanic Verses' and the famous fatwa.

 

Here's an interview with Salman Rushdie and his response to the Ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa:

Anybody with the balls to imply that the Prophet Mohammed is evil or even Satanic, then have the Ayatollah Khomeini personally call a 'fatwa' for his assassination, can be my Twitter friend anytime.  You should've been knighted by the Queen.  

In conclusion, I would like to say:

Dear Mr. Salmen Rushdie.  

Fuck Facebook.  Welcome to Twitter.  The only true democratic social network.  I hope that we can follow each other.  Here's my Twitter page.  Yours truly,

@turk5555.  

Courtesy of an article dated November 14, 2011 appearing in The Daily Beast 

 

 

EVEN IN DEATH STEVE JOBS IS BEING COMMERCIALLY EXPLOITED, EYEWEAR FIRMS ARE SELLING HIS FAMOUS RIMLESS GLASSES

Never wasting an opportunity, the sellers of the rimless spectacles Apple’s Steve Jobs wore are capitalizing on the attention surrounding his death.

Power Bloom, the Asian distributor of Mr. Jobs’s go-to glasses, German-made Lunor Classic Rund PP, turned its booth at a Hong Kong optical trade show into a small Steve Jobs shrine. In a display case were a pair of the glasses and a photo of Mr. Jobs together with the following text:

Click Image To Enlarge

“Steve Jobs 1955-2011: We have lost an ultimate genius. What he has left us are his overwhelming ideas and his favorite glasses.”

Also in the booth were copies of Walter Isaacson’s just-printed biography, with the photo cover of Mr. Jobs in said eyewear.

On manufacturer Lunor’s homepage, there’s a photo of the glasses with the simple text: “THE GLASSES OF STEVE JOBS.”

Sales have “dramatically increased” since Mr. Jobs died, said Garick Tsui, marketing executive for Hong Kong-based Power Bloom. A pair of the minimalist glasses retail for about $450, he said.

“After he passed, many, many clients and customers asked for these glasses,” said Mr. Tsui. He didn’t know the exact number that have sold but estimated it was in the hundreds.

“Steve Jobs was about perfectionism,” he said, as he handled the feather-light, round lenses, which are affixed to slender stainless-steel frames with matching bushings.

Mr. Tsui didn’t respond directly to criticism that promoting the connection to Mr. Jobs could be seen as profiting from his death. He said.  

“People see these as a tribute to Mr. Jobs.” 

COMMENTARY:   I do not promote any of these companies, and if I have my druthers I would never wear rimless glasses, they break too easy.

Courtesy of an article dated November 4, 2011 appearing in The Wall Street Journal blog

 

 

DUTCH DESIGNERS CREATE INTIMACY 2.0, A SUPER-SEXY, E-DRESS THAT BECOMES SEE-THROUGH WHEN THE WEARER GETS TURNED-ON

The Intimacy 2.0 hyper-sexy e-dress by Dutch designer Studio Roosegaarde

Granted, it takes a mountain of courage to wear.

For ladies who don’t have the patience for coy flirtation, here’s something that gets the job done quickly: a sensor-enabled cocktail dress that flashes a whole lot of skin the more excited you get.

 

So say you meet some guy who sends your heart aflutter. The dress responds to your elevated pulse by growing transparent around the (already plenty skimpy) plunging neckline. Conversely, if he’s such a snooze that you’re about two seconds away from flat-lining, the dress stays opaque, sending an instant “no, thanks!”

Click Images To Enlarge

Intimacy 2.0 is latest in a series of hyper-sexy e-dresses from the techie Dutch designers Studio Roosegaarde in collaboration with V2_Lab and fashion designer Anouk Wipprecht. Each dress combines embedded sensors and conductive “smart foils” that become see-through when zapped by electricity. But whereas previous iterations would’ve landed you in jail for indecent exposure (one dress went transparent simply by being around other people and covered less than a pastie), Intimacy 2.0 is designed to be flaunted outside of the bedroom. It's still pretty damned racy, though. Big up to anyone who's daring enough to wear it. The rest of us will have to stick to batting our eyelashes.

The secret to the Intimacy 2.0 e-dress is the technology underneath that reacts to the sensual mood of the wearer.  

Click Images To Enlarge

Dresses are available in black or white on custom order through Studio Roosegaarde. More info here.

Click Image To Enlarge

COMMENTARY:   The Intimacy 2.0 e-dress is from out-of-this world.  I do hope that see-through e-dresses are the next big thing in fashion.   I truly expect Lady Gaga to add one to her dress collection.

Courtesy of an article dated October 24, 2011 appearing in Fast Company Design 

 

HP DUMPED THE TOUCHPAD, BUT THOSE GAUDY RUSSELL BRAND TOUCHPAD TV COMMERCIALS WILL BE AROUND FOREVER

The latest advertising for Hewlett-Packard’s TouchPad is kind of cool, especially compared to the old spots for its webOS cousin, the Palm Pre, that featured the creepy naked lady.

(I still have nightmares that she is going to appear at the end of my bed in the middle of the night and stab me to death with a Pixi.)

In any case, TouchPad’s recent celebrity spokesmodels — comedian Russell Brand and “Glee” diva Lea Michele — are now presumably out of a job flacking the now-defunct tablet device. HP said yesterday that it had decided to stop making them.

Here are the videos of their ads, as well as a few more Brand did for HP about the TouchPad. And, just to remind you of the horror, I also added the creepy naked lady ad, in which she freakishly recounts a weird juggling story.

Enjoy:

Here's the "Let Me Entertain You" TouchPad commercial with Lea Michele which is my favorite.  A little background on Michele:  Michele began working professionally as a child actress and soprano singer on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Miserables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays Rachel Berry in the Fox television series Glee, one of my favorite TV shows.

 

Here's the "Here's My Robot Button" TouchPad TV commercial starring Russell Edward Brand. A little background on Russell:  Russell (born 4 June 1975) is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.  After successfully exiting rehab, Brand achieved fame in the UK in 2003 for his Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth.  Although he had previously acted in movies and television, his first major role was in the film Forgetting Sarah Marshall which led to a starring role in 2010's Get Him to the Greek.He has also been a voice actor for animated films such as 2010's Despicable Me and the 2011 children's fantasy film Hop. He starred in the 2011 remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore filmArthur. 

 

Here's  "TouchPad Features" TouchPad TV commercial also starring Russell Brand:

 

Here's  "My English Roots" TouchPad TV commercial also starring Russell Brand:

 

Here's an oldish Palm TV commercial for the Pre smartphone which bombed.  HP acquired Palm for its touchscreen OS, which later became the brains behind the TouchPad.  The creepy chick in the Pre TV commercial reminds me of that pale skinned British actress Tilda Swinton.

 

Here's Apple's first iPad TV commercial which was aired during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.

 

Hope you enjoyed the commercials.

Courtesy of an article dated August 19, 2011 appearing in All Things Digital

 

HOW TWITTER USERS USE THE SERVICE, PLUS LADY GAGA'S LATEST VIDEO "YOU AND I", THE GAGA GIRL IS JUST PLAIN HOT

Have you ever wondered what people are using Twitter for?  Take a look at Lab42‘s findings, in a wonderful infographic that asks 500 Twitter users how they use the service, how they determine who to follow and a whole lot more.

COMMENTARY:  66% of those surveyed followed a brand for discounts.  Somehow that does not surprise me.  43% of those polled follow Lady Gaga?   The bitch has 12 million+ followers.  She calls her followers "my little monsters".   Below is her latest video, "You and I".  I couldn't help myself. Already has  7.5 million views.  Checkout those shoes and that robotic armor.  Without make-up she doesn't look half bad. Those gold glasses are so cool.  The green hair.   Seen that before.  That geeky dude in that corn field smokes too damn much.  Gaga runs funny.  Gaga delivers the shock again. Makes you wonder what would happen if she left Twitter.  The traffic numbers would crumble. She's a force

 

I use Twitter almost exclusively, although I am starting to like Google+, but don't worry, I will forever Tweet until my dying breath, which is a scary thought.  

Courtesy of an article dated August 20, 2011 appearing in Mashable 

LADY GAGA GOES BALD FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF HER SONG 'HAIR', PLUS HER MOST MEMORABLE HAIRSTYLES

Lady Gaga went bald for an ironic performance of her song 'Hair' on the UK's 'Paul O'Grady Show.'

When it comes to hairstyles, Gaga has done every do from her now-iconic bow-tie and bangs, to soda-can hair rollers, to a wig molded into the shape of a telephone -- but Mother Monster hung up her wig (literally, it's sitting on a mannequin head atop her piano, right in front of her) for her performance of 'Hair' on the 'Paul O'Grady Show.'

Lady Gaga's Most Memorable Hairstyles

Lady Gaga may be one of pop music's top style stars, but her ever-changing image would be nothing without those tresses -- hair loss be damned! The once brunette Gaga (real name Stefani Germanotta) morphed into the powerful, peroxide-blond superstar we know today, who always keeps us guessing what her 'do will do next.

In honor of the release of her 'Born This Way' single 'Hair,' we've compiled a list of Gaga's most unforgettable hairstyles, from wild stage wigs to her most iconic cuts.

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Rather than wear a wig on her head, Gaga opted to wear it as her outfit. Check out the singer's hairy teal dress and cue-balled head in the video of the performance below!

It looks like Gaga slipped on a wig cap for the show, but maybe she really did shave off her locks ... What do you think?

Watch a bald Lady Gaga performing 'Hair' on the 'Paul O'Grady Show.'

 

COMMENTARY:   I love you Lady Gaga!!   I love you bald headed too. 

DESIGNING PRODUCTS FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION MEANS UNDERSTANDING THE LADY GAGA CULTURE

If you want to succeed in development of new brands, products, and services, today you need to be following Gen Y. But how? Sarah Nagle, of Smart Design, has some lessons.

I think Gen Y is awesome because they are dramatically shaping how we all think about design. But, I am a little biased -- I was born in 1981, which makes me Gen Y, too. In April, one of my colleagues at Smart Design and I were asked to speak as part of the IDSA:LA California State Long Beach Duncan Anderson Design Lecture series. We decided to build our talk around understanding Gen Y and how to design for them. It turned out to be to be an opportune subject due to the fact that our audience was primarily made up of design students from the generation that we were exploring. Like every generation, Gen Y has been shaped by events that happened in our formative years, resulting in some strong opinions on how we see design. In our talk, we considered how this generation’s motivations and values were molded and how they have been translated into unique expectations toward the design of new experiences, services, and products. Below is an overview of the insights that rose to the top through our research and discussions.

Don't forget to carry an ample supply of Lady Gaga inspired dresses.  The more outlandish the better.  Millennials chicks, you know you lovem.

The Lady Gaga look would not be complete without out-of-this-world headpieces with resemble works of art.   No, they are works of art.  You lady gaga boutique would have to carry headpieces for sure.

Lady Gaga would not be Lady Gaga without a pair of large dark sunglasses. That's her trademark. Shop owner, make sure you carry a large selection of these with frames in different shapes and colors to match those Lady Gaga outfits.

Lady Gaga is famous for wearing skyscraper shoes to celebrity events, but for every day use, you must carry Lady Gaga inspired shoes or you can forget it.  Millennial chicks will wear these at the drop of a hat, I mean headpiece.

First, a clarification. Everyone has a different name for Gen Y. Some call us Millennials or Generation Next. Some use the name Echo-Boomers because we are the hipsters born from hippie parents of the Baby Boomer Generation. Gen Y is generally defined by birthdates, born approximately between 1980-2000; but more significant than birthdates is our mindset. We have a common bond of growing up through some intense events: the first era of reality TV, Columbine, the rise of dot-com millionaires, and virtual relationships. Today, the purchasing power of Gen Y rivals that of the Boomers so we at Smart Design think that Gen Y is pretty awesome. Gen Y thinks so, too.

Everyone is Awesome

Gen Y is a generation of self-confident optimists due to years of helicopter parenting and unconditional positive encouragement. Just think of all the trophies we got for just showing up. After the shootings at Columbine, "jock" domination started to make way for more tolerance and a rearranging of the social constructs in Gen Y’s high schools. Today, Fox’s über-successful TV show Glee celebrates the new age of high school hierarchies -- or lack thereof. In Glee club, "We’re all losers" but that’s a good thing. Design needs to support this sense of feeling unique and awesome, but also the feeling of honesty. A brand that is picking up on this idea is Levi’s. Their product design and marketing actively acknowledges different body types with their “Curve ID” platform. Their latest communication uses typography that appears hand-painted and snapshot photography that celebrates "real-looking" people.

Change is Mandatory

MTV, YouTube, RSS feeds, Twitter, and Facebook status updates have transformed Gen Y into a generation that expects change and regards instant as not fast enough. Lady Gaga and her ever-evolving persona are a perfect example and expression of these evolutionary ideals -- she never wears the same look twice. Change is now expected but some things also need to slow down. Gen Yers want to retain the notion of nostalgia and the meaningful moments that this technology-driven era has taken away. If we primarily communicate through Facebook posts, text messages, and Twitter, what will happen to real conversations? The best designs for Gen Y encourage change and offer flexibility but also offer the ability to slow down and enjoy life’s meaningful moments. In this context, it’s no surprise that the iPhone with its many possibilities within controlled boundaries is such a favorite for Gen Y. It has an OS that allows for infinite customization but it also offers apps such as Face Time, Hipstamatic, and Words With Friends that offer nostalgia and encourage conversations.

Sharing is Second Nature

Boomer parents instilled a philosophy of “we can share anything” in their families. Gen Y has a closer relationship with parents and family, in contrast to Gen X, the independent "latch-key kids." Growing up online and with mobile phones has amplified this trend. As a result, Gen Y today is highly connected and uses peer-to-peer exchange, crowdsourcing, and collaborative filtering to shape their world. Design must take into consideration that Gen Y is more interested in use than ownership. Relayrides, the first peer-to-peer car-sharing site in the nation, is an example of a company that has built a platform on Gen Y’s willingness to share and trade. Their idea found its inspiration from Zipcar but the model is different. Rather than renting a car from a company, Relayrides enables people to rent their next door neighbor's car for a run to the store, or a trip out of town -- or, conversely, to make an average of $250 a month lending your car out to your neighbors.

I Can Make it

Gen Y is the generation of new entrepreneurs. Forget traditional business hierarchies, Gen Yers want to be the CEO of their own companies. We grew up seeing instant pop "idols" and teenage nerds turned billionaires overnight. Gen Y has struggled with an unstable economy but we are bouncing back because we were raised to feel like we can do anything. It’s no wonder that YouTube sensations like Rebecca Black make it. Sites like Etsy have given the "crafty" among us a way to support ourselves while Kickstarter encourages a community to help make innovative projects into realities. Gen Y doesn’t want to work for the man, so by providing tools to let us co-create, customize it, make it meaningful, and see success quickly, we will love it –- and we will make it.

So now what?

The designers we spoke to at Cal State were enthusiastic about the impact that their generation is having on culture and design but they also feel a responsibility to guide generations to come. They are worried that if everything is fast, instant, and abbreviated -- what will be meaningful? We are excited about the design implications this growing trend will have on our work, specifically in the connected home and in the mobile space. We are excited to see how technology can be used as a platform to bring back meaningful experiences and to increase interactions with other people. Design is about people and Gen Y is the group of people that will be the catalyst to cultivate and design the future of "awesomeness" in our everyday lives.

COMMENTARY:    What can I say that hasn't already been said about Lady Gaga.  Gen-Y chicks should follow her lead.  The world needs more Lady Gaga inspired Millennial chicks.  

Courtesy of an article dated June 1 2011 appearing in Fast Company Design

 

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH RESTAURATEUR, WRITER AND 'IRON CHEF AMERICA' CHAMPION BOBBY FLAY AND HOW HE GOT HIS START

Since stumbling upon cooking at age 17, Bobby Flay has opened a cadre of restaurants—from New York's venerable Mesa Grill to Bobby's Burger Palaces, a chain of casual-dining eateries. And he's become a cookbook author, Food Network star and Iron Chef along the way. Mr. Flay, 46 years old, credits much of his prolific career to timing, powerful mentors and a good deal of chance. As a judge and investor on NBC's "America's Next Great Restaurant," he plans to fund an aspiring restaurateur's dreams when the show wraps May 1.

Edited interview excerpts follow.

Q. How did you get your start at such a young age?

A. I dropped out of high school. I really had no interest in doing any school work whatsoever. My father, who is very much a scholarly guy, said: "Well, you're going to have to get a job then." Two days later, he called and said the bus boy at a restaurant where he was a partner [Joe Allen, in New York's Theatre District] needed two weeks off to visit his sick grandmother. I was told to fill in.

Q. What happened after two weeks, when the bus boy came back?

A. I was literally walking out of the restaurant and the chef said, "Do you want to work in the kitchen?" And I said, "Sure." It was because I had nothing else to do that day. If I had plans with friends, I probably would have said no. I wasn't desperate to work in the kitchen.

Q. So you didn't have dreams as a kid of becoming a chef?

A. No! This was 1981—food and America hadn't had its renaissance yet.

Q. When did you take a liking to cooking?

A. I remember waking up one morning, staring at the ceiling, and thinking: "Wait, I really want to do this today." Something clicked. I had been so disinterested in doing school work. I finally found something I could do with my hands that was productive.

Q. You did go back to school a short time later, enrolling in the French Culinary Institute's six-month program at age 18.

A. It was not my favorite thing. But I knew this was my last chance without my father killing me. It gave me a foundation forever. I utilize things I learned in FCI every day.

Q. What was your first job, post-FCI?

A. I was hired as a sous-chef at a restaurant on the Upper East Side. The chef liked to drink—some mornings we would find him sleeping [on the floor]. Two weeks after its opening, I became the chef. I was 20 years old, and way over my head. I had to hire the cooks and do the menus. I did it for a year, but I thought, I need to know how to cook better.

Q. You went to work for Jonathan Waxman, then one of New York's hottest chefs. How did that happen?

A. I was at a cocktail party at the French Culinary Institute. This woman Gail Arnold met me—she was the chef at Bud's (a Waxman restaurant) and I said: "I would love to work there." And she said OK.

Q. Just like that?

A. It's easier than you think it is to get a job. I said to her: "I will promise you this, I will give you 120%. Just tell me what to do." Today, when I hire, I look for people who want to be trained and molded.

Q. You wound up working at three of Waxman's restaurants—what did you learn?

A. That was the first time I had seen Southwestern ingredients, like blue corn meal and chile peppers. I fell in love with the flavors, the colors, the textures. It became the palette that I reach for always.

Q. You solidified your reputation when you opened Mesa Grill in New York, in 1991 at age 26—how did that opportunity arise?

A. Jerry Kretchmer [the New York restaurateur] had just come back from a trip to the Southwest, probably because he wants to be a cowboy. And he asked around—who cooks really good Southwest food? So he heard about me, and he asked if I wanted to open a restaurant with him and I said yes.

Q. Did you have to come up with the start-up capital?

A. No—he and another partner, Jeff Bliss, took responsibility for raising the money. I think it was a bank loan. I didn't have to sign it. I was bringing sweat equity.

Q. A few years later, you started to appear on TV—what drew you to that?

A. The Food Network was just starting in New York, and I was getting lots of attention from Mesa Grill. They had no money, so if you couldn't get there by subway, you couldn't be on. It wasn't like TV was something I really wanted to do—but I knew it would be great publicity for my restaurants.

Q. Which has been your most successful restaurant?

A. In terms of revenue, it's between Bar Americain in New York, Mesa Grill in Vegas and and Bobby Flay Steak in Atlantic City. But they're also the biggest restaurants.

Q. If you had to streamline everything you do—and pick just one thing—what would it be?

A. Standing in a kitchen in my whites, cooking. Period. No question.

Q. How is "America's Next Great Restaurant" doing?

A. The ratings are moderate, but they're not off the charts. It's in a bad time spot. But I'm definitely happy with the show.

Q. What advice would you give an aspiring restaurateur?

A. Have twice as much capital as you think you need. If you think it's going to take eight months to build the restaurant, know that it's twice that. Expect the unexpected. It will ultimately happen, whether it's the health department [coming in], or the chef quits, or the gas line doesn't work. And go slow. Don't try to feed 300 people the first night. You want to be a good restaurant for 20 years, not 20 weeks.

COMMENTARY:  

Iron Chef, Bobby Flay, Food Network Star and host of shows such as Throwdown and The Next Food Network Star is one busy guy!

Here's a trailer for "Iron Chef America Super Chef Battle" between former America Iron Chef winners Bobby Flay, Mario Batalli, Emril "Bam" Legase  and Cristeta Comerford.

 

Bobby Flay prepares a Boston pork butt for BBQ pulled pork for Bobby Flay's Throwdown. While I was in the hospital a couple of years back, I fantasized about food. Throwdown was one of my favs.

 

Here's of the episode's for the Next Food Network Star, a sort of American Idol for up-and-coming chefs who want to be celebrity chefs.  

  

He is most notably known for his two very popular and trendy restaurants in Manhattan. Here is a breakdown of each:

Mesa Grill: This is the first Bobby Flay restaurant, and the only one in which I can give a personal opinion. The food there is fantastic! The atmosphere at Mesa Grill is chic but relaxed. Bobby boasts big, bold Southwest flavors with the All-American grill style. The New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin was heavenly. Taking down notes as I ate, recreating this dish at home was not nearly as good, but still delicious. I would gladly pay the $29 price tag than go through the trouble again! By cruising NYC chat rooms and message boards, Mesa Grill also seems to be the most popular among the residents of NYC. Highly recommended!

Bobby is at his Mesa Grill restaurant in New York and talks about "Burgers, Fries and Shakes", the title of his new book:

 

Bar Americain: A brasserie style restaurant that offers bigger than life flavors! Entrees range widely, from Duck with Dirty Fried Rice to Skate with smoked Chili Butter. The buzz around Manhattan for this restaurant is mixed. Comments such as “overpriced and not as good as Mesa” flood the message boards. But something tells me nothing Bobby does could disappoint!

In March 2010, Celebrity chef Bobby Flay agreed to fork over $800,000 to settle claims that staffers at his Southwestern-style restaurants were cheated out of wages and tips.

The pot of cash -- minus more than $250,000 for lawyers' fees -- is set to be ladled out to servers, bartenders, bussers and runners who worked at Flay's Bar Americain in Midtown, Mesa Grill on lower Fifth Avenue and the now-defunct Bolo Bar & Restaurant in the Flatiron District between January 2003 and last September.

The Food Network star denies any wrongdoing but decided to pay up rather than go to trial, according to papers filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court.

Shame on you Bobby.

Courtesy of an article dated April 21, 2011 written by Colleen DeBaise of The Wall Street Journal