| OMG, it's full of tea. |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|04:47 pm] |
So, I think I'm awake enough to post about a funny thing that happened on the way home. I'm not very awake, mind you, but anyway.
Bristol airport have unilaterally decreed that nobody is leaving there with more than one piece of hand luggage. We all had one piece of hand luggage plus a laptop each. The others managed to repack so that their laptops were in their hand luggage, but I couldn't. Caliban is a fairly hefty laptop as laptops go, and anyway, my hand luggage was smaller and already full of fragiles. Now Caliban is a hefty laptop and his carrying case is very sturdy -- it was the original case with the original Caliban, which was one of the first 386 laptops in Europe in the early nineties. The padding is very good. It survived the journey absolutely fine, ("Arthur bruised his upper arm...") though I did hate the thought of checking him and I did worry all the way that someone would steal him or he would get damaged.
Zorinth's checked bag was a very heavy backpack, with straps. Because of that, and because I'd made a bit of a fuss about being forced to check Caliban, they asked us to take these two bags down to the x-ray machine for special x-rays and gentle treatment as odd-shaped pieces of luggage unsuitable for conveyer belts. Because the pack was Zorinth's and I was juggling three people's passports and boarding cards, he was holding the papers for both bags when we got there. They went through the machine, and then they called him forward to Caliban's case. The rest of us waited a little way away and watched what happened.
The baggage guy, a huge fellow, pointed at Caliban and asked Z to open the case. Z sensibly opened the central compartment where the actual laptop was, not the sides, which are special bits for the wires. It was evident in every motion of Z's body that he was horrified to have the baggage guy believe that this antique laptop had anything to do with him. "It's my crazy mother's," he was probably saying. "It runs DOS. I have a much better laptop than this!"
The baggage guy nodded and asked him to open the side compartments of Caliban's case. Z did, clearly expecting only the wires and powerbox and USB A-drive. But I had -- well, it seemed like a good idea at the time -- stuffed the sides with Somerfield red berry tea bags. They're foil wrapped, and there wasn't any need to take the boxes because they were going into a tin when they got here. I'd bought ridiculous amounts of them because Somerfield have been bought by the Co-Op and I'm worried that they'll stop making their terrific own brand tisanes. (This always happens to me. I'm in a permanent state of having plenty of teas to drink, but several instances in the apartment of the last teabag in the world of some particular tea.) So anyway, I'd opened the packets and stuffed a lot of them into my pack, and when I'd run out of room there I'd had the brilliant idea of stuffing them around the wires in Caliban's case.
The baggage guy laughed and said something. Z looked mortified. He zipped the case up again and the baggage guy gently put it with some other bags. Z came back to where I was chortling. "Did he say Oh My God It's Full Of Tea?" I asked. "No," Z said. "He just said: well why not."
Indeed. |
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| Uni student-friendly carbonara |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|09:12 pm] |
| [ | Tags | | | pasta | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Help - The Beatles | ] |
Inspired by ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) vanessafrida, but with a slight moderation
It is a brilliant Uni student budget meal. It might not be a traditional Italian carbonara, but hey, when you live on a student budget, you can't afford to be classy!
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[Jul. 24th, 2008|02:40 pm] |
Once again friended by someone with a somewhat more plausible name than Ford Prefect, writing in Cyrillic characters. I decline to return the favor. |
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| Dept. of "What a Pain in the Ass" |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|11:30 am] |
There is little so disconcerting, when attempting to prepare for an interview, than to discover that -- without your realizing it -- a cat has been in the closet and decided that one of your favorite skirts is his favorite skirt. I'm not talking about fur everywhere, though that is a problem. I'm talking about pulled threads all along one side of the skirt.
Happily, I have a couple of hours yet and I have a couple of options. But I really wanted to wear the skirt in question, and I'm just irritated by this. ::grumble:: |
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| a little good news |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|12:10 pm] |
Garage called this morning. Harrison is ready. Turned out to be, iirc, the lower intake gasket, not the head gasket as initially thought. So the bill was half what I thought it would be.
::woot:: |
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| Moments of Attention |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|09:41 am] |
Perhaps the biggest downside to writing fiction on my train commute is that it makes it hard to pull back to the here-and-now for my intermodal transfer. I realized today as I stood on the platform in the bus tunnel, submersed in a dreamy daze, spinning random bits of backstory for my main character, that my situational awareness was approaching nil.
No, nothing bad happened. I was not mugged nor run down by a bus. I queued up for the 73 in the usual manner, and managed to get seated in the vehicle with my arms and legs intact. But it did strike me that if a juggernaut of disaster had been bearing down on me, it would have taken me quite unawares. I was too busy deciding whether Amy was a fan of her mother's taste in New Wave music, or not.
On the other hand, most of my morning routine doesn't require a lot of attention. For instance, I could tell without opening it that a pending Mailman list posting was spam. Subject Line: Britney Spears Pregnant with Anti-Christ. |
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| If you're familiar with India's languages.... |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|11:13 am] |
Google News now has three editions for India. The English-language edition came first, followed by what I'm reasonably sure is a Hindi edition.
I think the newest edition is in Tamil. If you can recognize written Tamil (or even better, can read it), could you tell me whether I'm right?
The list of national pages is at the bottom of http://news.google.com.
Note: Other countries with both English-language and other language Google News pages are Canada (French) and the US (Spanish). There's nothing in Irish Gaelic, Welsh, Scots, Maori, or Afrikaans. |
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[Jul. 24th, 2008|10:46 am] |
From http://eurekalert.org:
Public Release: 24-Jul-2008
Journal of Behavioral Decision Making
Why play a losing game? Study uncovers why low-income people buy lottery tickets
Although state lotteries, on average, return just 53 cents for every dollar spent on a ticket, people continue to pour money into them -- especially low-income people, who spend a greater percentage of their incomes on lottery tickets than the wealthier segments of society. A new Carnegie Mellon University study points to income as an influential factor in the decision to invest in a product that provides poor returns.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/cmu-wpa072408.php
"In the study, the researchers note that lotteries set off a vicious cycle that not only exploits low-income individuals' desires to escape poverty but also directly prevents them from improving upon their financial situations. They recommend that state lottery administrators explore strategies that balance the economic burdens faced by low-income households with the need to maintain important funding streams for state governments.
"'State lotteries are popular revenue sources that are unlikely to go away anytime soon,' said George Loewenstein, a study co-author and Herbert A. Simon professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon. 'However, it is possible to implement measures that can actually benefit low-income lottery players and lead to fairer outcomes.' Loewenstein noted that one such potential method for addressing income inequality, which has shown promise in other countries, is tying lottery tickets to savings accounts."
Public Release: 23-Jul-2008
Perception
Study suggests human visual system could make powerful computer
Rensselaer professor Mark Changizi has begun to develop a technique to turn our eyes and visual system into a programmable computer. His findings are reported in the latest issue of the journal Perception.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/rpi-ssh072308.php
Public Release: 23-Jul-2008
Nature
Sex and lifespan linked in worms
In findings published in Nature, scientists have discovered that smaller, but more structurally diverse chemicals are a significant part of a living thing's biology. When food is scarce or colonies become crowded, young worms stop developing normally and enter the dauer stage. In this form they can live, without eating or reproducing, for months -- about ten times longer than the worm's normal lifespan. When the dauer finds greener pastures, it finally develops into an adult and resumes its normal aging process.
National Institutes of Health
http://bti.cornell.edu/frankSchroederNature2008.php
Public Release: 23-Jul-2008
FASEB Journal
Licking your wounds: Scientists isolate compound in human saliva that speeds wound healing
A report by scientists from the Netherlands published online in rhe FASEB Journal identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. This research may offer hope to people suffering from chronic wounds related to diabetes and other disorders, as well as traumatic injuries and burns. In addition, because the compounds can be mass produced, they have the potential to become as common as antibiotic creams and rubbing alcohol.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/foas-lyw072308.php
Public Release: 23-Jul-2008
Nature
'Nanonet' circuits closer to making flexible electronics reality
Researchers have overcome a major obstacle in producing transistors from networks of carbon nanotubes, a technology that could make it possible to print circuits on plastic sheets for applications including flexible displays and an electronic skin to cover an entire aircraft to monitor crack formation.
National Science Foundation
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/pu-cc072208.php |
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| Dragonfly ID'ed |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|08:28 am] |
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This is an eight-spotted skimmer, Libellula forensis. ID provided by The Insect Safari. |
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| Car, car, C-A-R |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|08:07 am] |
As some of you may know, my brother has a very distinctive car, a Sterling kit car, built on a VW body. He's taken it to car shows and is a recognizable presence in the Long Island car scene. Well, I just got the following e-mail from him:
In the past my Sterling kit car has been in Newsday, in Which Kit Magazine (England), Long Island Car Magazine, on News 12 Long Island TV, WABC TV, it's the car shown on the Wikipedia listing and who knows what else... but now...
It will be featured in the NY Times Auto Column "Auto Ego" on Sunday August 3rd (Dave from Sterling Sports Cars should really be paying me for all this exposure...don't you think?...lol).
There's also to be an on-line component with a slide show and video. I did the photo shoot yesterday (7/23) at Coney Island's Amusement Park...so psyched.
Once I get a URL from him, I'll post it here so folks can see the car and my brother. Wish my dad were here to see this (today's his yahrzeit); he'd get such a kick out of it. |
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| Bento Porn, and Preserved Lemons |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|10:53 am] |
Bento top, left to right: apricot halves filled with grape halves; pea salad; fresh blueberries
bottom, left to right: lemon gem marigolds (edible), plum sauce, parsley, and chicken for dipping
Summer Pea Salad
2 cups thawed frozen peas or fresh peas, lightly blanched and shocked
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt, preferably full-fat
3 Tablespoons fresh onion, minced
2 hardboiled eggs, diced
1/2 cup fresh tomato, diced (or cherry tomatoes, halved)
1/8 cup fresh chopped mint leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried mint leaves (spearmint or peppermint, either one)
1 teaspoon honey
Mix it, allow to chill and blend flavors at least 30 minutes before serving.
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| Suspiro de Limeña |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|01:07 pm] |
Suspiro de/a la Limena.
Here's a recipe for a Peruvian dessert.
This is probably one of the most pornilicious ultra-sweet things I've ever had. It's hard to describe. It's pudding-y at the bottom but in a creamy way and light and fluffy on top.
It's so easy to make too. It sounds complicated because of the syrup but it's not as involved as it looks. I should know, I'm at best okay in the kitchen :)
Basically, you boil one can of condensed milk (about 1-1/4 cup), 1 can evaporated milk and a cinnamon stick stirring constantly until thick and creamy.
Let it stand for about 10 mins.
Beat 5 egg yolks and add a tsp. of vanilla essence and slowly incorporate into the milk (I personally slowly mix about a cup of the milk into the eggs first before mixing that with the rest so I'm sure the eggs don't get scrambled).
Pour into individual serving cups or one big cup (I think individual is better).
In a saucepan, combine 1 c. of sugar and 1/4 c. of port wine (or any sweet-ish liquor or heck, even water, basically, make a syrup) and boil until it reaches soft-ball stage.
Beat 2 egg whites until stiff and slowly pour syrup into them, beating constantly until the meringue is cool. Top the cups with a layer of meringe and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.
Presented in cups, it makes a very pretty dessert for a party. A word of warning though, it is incredibly sweet so it might be overwhelming quickly for anyone without a seriously sweet tooth. |
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| Birthday Greetings! |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|08:33 pm] |
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Happy birthday, renegade500! Best wishes for many happy, healthy more!!! |
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[Jul. 24th, 2008|05:36 am] |
Happy birthday, beckyzoole |
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| Great Ad Campaign |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|04:46 pm] |
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Parrot, the maker of hands-free car kits and wireless devices, is running a very clever campaign to change the state bird of California from a quail to a parrot. "For 77 years, the valley quail has misrepresented California, making us look lazy, easily distracted, and desperate for worms. Now more than ever we need a state bird we can believe in. Not a bird that takes dust baths, but one that helps drivers make hands-free calls." The web site has a petition, a comparison chart ("[] You will see Parrot hands-free car kits on every major freeway in California. [] You will see the valley quail trying to blend in with bark") and an open letter to Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger ("I know what you're thinking: 'How can a parrot represent our state? They're not even native to California.' To that I kindly say, check your passport, sir") |
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| The Ting Tings, "Shut Up and Let Me Go" |
[Jul. 23rd, 2008|11:35 pm] |
On People's Choice Countdown tonight, The Ting Tings with "Shut Up and Let Me Go." (I would show it to you directly, but they're not interested in making money "Embedding disabled by request")
What's interesting to me is how many other songs I hear in it, and the damn thing's only 2:55. The intro is right out of "Free Me," Roger Daltrey's primal scream from the soundtrack of McVicar -- and then I hear bits of Blondie's "Rapture," U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday," and Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Relax." All wrapped in the 'tude I enjoyed so much from Kate Nash's "Foundations."
Anyway. Me like. |
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| Birthday Ciao |
[Jul. 23rd, 2008|09:30 pm] |
Scottsdale Arizona Cowboy Ciao is one of my fav places to go for my Birthday dinner. Here is a cool pic of the short ribs with a great BBQ sauce. I love restaurant that do Wine Flights too. Duck and more behind the cut.
( Duck, Blue Crab salad and Pork Belly Sliders ... ) |
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[Jul. 23rd, 2008|11:58 pm] |
Tuesday July 22, 2008 Rabbi Mark Sameth contends in a soon-to-be-published article that the four-letter Hebrew name for God - held by Jewish tradition to be unpronounceable since the year 70 - should actually be read in reverse. When the four letters are flipped, he says, the new name makes the sounds of the Hebrew words for "he" and "she."
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807210344
Via LiveJournaller supergee, who got it from zarq.
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Surplus food distribution at Macedonia Baptist Church. The information said to line up at 4 PM, and not before. That statement was inoperative; by then the line stretched south down the block, then west halfway down the next block. There wasn't much left by the time I got to the front of the line.
According to newsweb reports Wednesday, people had started lining up around 1 PM.
***Walked over to the Salvation Army store on Nicollet Avenue. Looked at Babel-17, by Samuel R. Delany -- a book I used to love. No longer. I think the prose style was trying too hard. |
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relieved