Chef Lala Cookbooks

Probably one of the most controversial topics still in the book publishing industry is the idea of an author (or publicist) paying for a review of their book. It’s an offshoot of the self-publishing versus publishing industry argument that comes from the old vanity presses of the past.

A vanity press, for the younger readers, was a publishing company that would charge an author for the entire print run of a book. The publisher might make attempts to sell the book, but their profit had already been taken in the print run of the book (and sometimes ongoing storage fees of the unsold books). The publisher often kept rights to the book, provided little to no support (cover design, marketing, etc.), or charged excessive fees for those services...

Its easy to write beautifully if you can work yourself into a frenzy of love or loathing. Unfortunately, most meals are just quite pleasant

I was a restaurant reviewer for 10 years, and then I was let go, as they say. I expected to be distraught because I would miss the money, and also the food. Instead, it was an incredible relief. Reviewing food is fine when you hate a lot of things; it is fine when you stand ready and willing to do an elaborate and caustic hit job on an orange sorbet because you have been either absolutely loving or completely hating relatively benign things since you could talk. It is fine when you have quite a dedicated moral architecture of taste, when you admire good food so much that you can summon real dismay at even its very slight inferior...

It’s no huge secret that food products sold in different countries have slightly different ingredients used in making them. But we do tend to forget this fact in our day-to-day lives, and this usually becomes apparent to us only when we go abroad.

This difference in product ingredients is most notable when going to the United Kingdom from the United States or vice versa. And let me tell you, it’s shocking when you sit down and compare some of the products from the two countries. That’s exactly what American author and food industry critic Vani Hari, better known as Food Babe, did. Read on for Bored Panda’s interview with Food Babe!

More info: foodbabe.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

McDonald’s French Fries

Image credits: Food babe

If you’re living in the US, then t...

Image copyright Mat Dan

As soon as Mohammed Kareef Daniel Abdullah steps out of his front door in Malaysia’s capital, it doesn’t take long before heads start turning and for his nickname to be shouted.

“People say ‘Look, look it’s Mat Dan!'” his mother says, adding that only some muster the courage to ask for a selfie.

Whether it’s starring in his own primetime travel programme, hosting his breakfast radio show or appearing on billboards advertising tours to Mecca, Mat Dan is big news in Malaysia.

It’s not the usual path for an Englishman born Daniel Tyler.

Growing up in the middle-class town of Cheltenham in the English Cotswolds, Dan’s upbringing was nothing out of the ordinary.

He wasn’t the biggest fan of schoo...

Book Summary:

Cordelia Lee has experienced something few in the Western world have even witnessed: exorcism. Demonic possession brought her to a Taoist shaman who could drive out her tormentors, but only temporarily. Cordelia’s problems were multifaceted: a troubled childhood, molests, rape attempt, black magic, anorexia, unfulfilled maternal instinct, failing marriage, and depression. Given the severity of her experiences and the return of the evil spirits, Cordelia had to dedicate her life to healing if she was ever to recover.

She had earlier experienced an unexpected kundalini awakening; it awakened her to the spiritual realm and the unseen energies that fill the universe. Things she used to think were illogical and nonexistent...

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A seven-day limit is to be introduced on the use of temporary accommodation for homeless people in Scotland.

The limit on spending time in unsuitable accommodation currently applies to families and pregnant women but will be extended to everyone at risk of homelessness.

Charities have previously warned people were living in bed and breakfast and hostel rooms for more than a year.

The change in regulations will take place from May 2021.

A Scottish government consultation on the change found 97% of respondents backed the move.

• Homelessness on the rise in Scotland

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We know that people living in these unsuitable environments can for too long often lack cooking or washing facilities, and some have reported that they ...

There are times when we all get a tiny bit paranoid that somebody — like the Illuminati, the world government, a clandestine spy organization or an alien mothership — is secretly watching us. Keeping tabs on us. Noting down every single, tiny, little thing that we do. [Looks around, peers out of the window, glances at the sky].

As it turns out, there’s no need to worry about secret groups collecting information on us because it’s actually happening every single day, right under our noses and in our pockets. Some internet users did a very scary thing — they downloaded their Google data, went through it and then posted the most unsettling things they found. Please applaud these courageous individuals who battled intense embarrassment to make us laugh...