Wednesday Linkarthasis: should I touch this elephant dynamite?

So the not exactly secret Roots concert is tomorrow at Pier 54. I've already made my feelings about the current state of The Legendary pretty clear, and do I really want to fight the crowd in what will most likely be an uncomfortable venue?

It's sad how my enthusiasm for what is still my favorite hip hop group has waned recently. A year ago, I would have been drowning in the pool of my own saliva at the thought of a free Roots show. But not so much after last month's pooper at Central Park. And I was hoping they'd play one of the small downtown venues but no such luck. I might still stop by if I can get out of work at a decent time though. It's free, right?

Jill Hunter Pellettieri sticks up for Rachael Ray.

While I do find a lot of her mannerisms annoying and her whole doesn't quite measure up to the sum of her parts, I like her cooking. Yeah, I don't dig $40 a Day or Inside Dish since they're centered around her pesonality (and her bad tipping), but 30 Minute Meals does exactly what a Food Network program should do: give healthy, easy-to-follow recipes while allowing flexibility with ingredients and equipment. I loves me some Iron Chef and Good Eats but at the end of the day, I'm trying to figure out what's for dinner.

Staying with the food theme, MSG: not bad for you! Possibly.

Douglas J. Feith: "Yeah, we kinda screwed up on Iraq."

MPAA and Michael Bay need to leave Scarlett Johansson's boobs alone. Sheesh. What's wrong with these people?

I don't think you ever after worry about American soccer players being too humble as long as Grown Ass Man is around. Though it's not asking too much to be the highest paid player in the league when the highest payroll is $2.75 million. Not exactly major league.

The first column from ESPN's first ombudsman, George Solomon of the Washington Post. I think the idea is great but maybe ESPN could have brought him in while the network was still reporting news and not making movies and reality shows?

Still, it's something every media outlet should do, have someone who will give an honest critique of how it's covering stories.

One can't help but be disturbed by the mess that is MTA. Now, I don't have any illusions about security in the subway. If a terrorist attack is going to happen, it's going to happen no matter how much MTA invests in securing the system. But what matters is the response when (not if) something should happen.

You look at London - they knew an attack was coming sooner or later so the authorities had trained for every possible scenario. And while a tragedy couldn't be prevented, the casualties were relatively few. We're not going to be so lucky here in NY. Coordination between NYPD and FDNY was a problem in 2001 and it is still is almost 4 years later. And to have spent just $30 million of the allotted $590 million (mostly on consulting) is simply inexcusable.

Don't like how airport security is treating you? Strip!

Speaking of which, this probably isn't safe for work: Pink Panty Poker by Victoria's Secret.