Is there a neurological explanation for social misfits and nerds?
The latest long article on Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism.
"We are with Asperger's where we were 20 years ago with mental illness," said Lynda Geller, director of community services at the Cody Center for Autism in Stony Brook, N.Y. "It is thought to be your fault, you should just shape up, work harder, be nicer. The fact that your brain actually works differently so you can't is not universally appreciated."
Often the new diagnoses involve people who for years have been deemed rude, clueless or just plain weird because of their blunt comments or all-too-personal disclosures. They typically have a penchant for accuracy and a hard-wired dislike for the disruption of routine.
Aspies often end up underemployed and lonely. Unlike more severely impaired autistics, they often crave social intimacy, and they are acutely aware of their inability to get it.
Those with the condition often develop a passion for a narrow field that drives them to excel in it, but fail to realize when they are driving others crazy by talking about it. And they are reflexively honest, a trait that can be refreshing — or not.
Neurotypical friends had been invited to serve as "expert" panelists to field questions on the evening's topic: flirting. But the best advice came from the Aspies.
"I find that sometimes shutting up and just not talking often makes them think you're a good listener when in fact you're just not talking," said one participant.
Michael J. Carly, the group's leader, suggested: "How about, `Hi, I'm Michael. I really stink at flirting but would you like to go for a walk to the library or something?' "
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
I hardly believe this result.
You are a GRAMMAR GOD!
If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!
How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are a GRAMMAR GOD!
If your mission in life is not already to
preserve the English tongue, it should be.
Congratulations and thank you!
How grammatically sound are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
True Love - $500
Tristan's friend has a new job. Providing True Love experiences to people who pay for it.
After spending a couple of hours in my real life, we hopped on the train to Union Square. We shared my favorite meal (sushi) and trotted around the city. We saw Monster, then talked, over latte and cocoa, about film, serial killers, real estate, friendship, exes, and, of course, love.
I'm not sure if the connection would have been as strong if we hadn't known each other long ago. Kathe's energy was totally focused on me, but not in an overbearing way like a stalker or a fake way like a call girl. Her love may have been contrived, but it was genuine, a paradox I still find hard to explain to people who didn't experience what I did. She considers herself "a cross between a prostitute and the Dalai Lama," and she indeed delivers a combination of spiritual companionship and sensual enlightenment.
It's not often (or ever) that someone asks you to be specific about how you want and need to be loved, as Kathe did in her questionnaire before our day. It forced me to articulate some things that can't always be put into words. I need unconditional love, love no matter what my mood is, love when I am on and when I am off. I need to feel that you who love me are firmly and completely on my team. I don't need a devil's advocate, I need a cheerleader and a friend. I need you to be present. I need you to be honest. I need you to be transparent and share your feelings with me. I need to be doted on and taken care of as much as I need to be left alone. I don't need to be pressured. I need you to have incredibly high expectations and no expectations at all. I need connection. I need to be seen and understood for who I am.
Here's the idea: For one day, Kathe will be in love with you.You can experience it via e-mail, by phone, or live. She's done close to 50, and presently, she does them mostly as in-person days. "Everyone is born with certain talents and I realized at a very young age that one of mine was the ability to connect with people, even people I have never met, from a still place inside of myself, sometimes over great distances," says Kathe.
This work is classified as performance art.
Tristan's friend has a new job. Providing True Love experiences to people who pay for it.
After spending a couple of hours in my real life, we hopped on the train to Union Square. We shared my favorite meal (sushi) and trotted around the city. We saw Monster, then talked, over latte and cocoa, about film, serial killers, real estate, friendship, exes, and, of course, love.
I'm not sure if the connection would have been as strong if we hadn't known each other long ago. Kathe's energy was totally focused on me, but not in an overbearing way like a stalker or a fake way like a call girl. Her love may have been contrived, but it was genuine, a paradox I still find hard to explain to people who didn't experience what I did. She considers herself "a cross between a prostitute and the Dalai Lama," and she indeed delivers a combination of spiritual companionship and sensual enlightenment.
It's not often (or ever) that someone asks you to be specific about how you want and need to be loved, as Kathe did in her questionnaire before our day. It forced me to articulate some things that can't always be put into words. I need unconditional love, love no matter what my mood is, love when I am on and when I am off. I need to feel that you who love me are firmly and completely on my team. I don't need a devil's advocate, I need a cheerleader and a friend. I need you to be present. I need you to be honest. I need you to be transparent and share your feelings with me. I need to be doted on and taken care of as much as I need to be left alone. I don't need to be pressured. I need you to have incredibly high expectations and no expectations at all. I need connection. I need to be seen and understood for who I am.
Here's the idea: For one day, Kathe will be in love with you.You can experience it via e-mail, by phone, or live. She's done close to 50, and presently, she does them mostly as in-person days. "Everyone is born with certain talents and I realized at a very young age that one of mine was the ability to connect with people, even people I have never met, from a still place inside of myself, sometimes over great distances," says Kathe.
This work is classified as performance art.
Monday, April 26, 2004
Best Time For Wine in 30 Years
Faced with fierce competition and an overabundance of supply, attributable to prime weather conditions and improved technology, wine purveyors are working to woo customers with new packaging, pricing and production.
At the same time, a winemaking renaissance of sorts is sweeping the globe, from Morocco to Missouri, bringing unprecedented bargains for both neophytes and connoisseurs. All 50 states, in fact, now produce wine.
Winemakers see plenty of growth potential. Although total wine consumption in the United States has increased, to 232 million cases last year from 164 million in 1995, according to Adams Beverage Group, a publishing and market research company, Americans still lag far behind Europeans in wine drinking per capita. Only an estimated 13 percent of Americans drink wine regularly, and an additional 14 percent drink it occasionally, it said.
Wine drinking is up among adults over 40, according to the Wine Market Council, an industry group, perhaps because of widely publicized health benefits. (A glass or two a day may lower the risk of heart disease.) But sales to younger adults have been flat, the council said.
The persistence of the weak dollar is starting to drive up the cost of imported wines, and the industry is working through the wine glut. "Consumers have been really lucky for the last few years, but it won't continue forever," said Liz O'Connell, a spokeswoman for Southcorp.
Faced with fierce competition and an overabundance of supply, attributable to prime weather conditions and improved technology, wine purveyors are working to woo customers with new packaging, pricing and production.
At the same time, a winemaking renaissance of sorts is sweeping the globe, from Morocco to Missouri, bringing unprecedented bargains for both neophytes and connoisseurs. All 50 states, in fact, now produce wine.
Winemakers see plenty of growth potential. Although total wine consumption in the United States has increased, to 232 million cases last year from 164 million in 1995, according to Adams Beverage Group, a publishing and market research company, Americans still lag far behind Europeans in wine drinking per capita. Only an estimated 13 percent of Americans drink wine regularly, and an additional 14 percent drink it occasionally, it said.
Wine drinking is up among adults over 40, according to the Wine Market Council, an industry group, perhaps because of widely publicized health benefits. (A glass or two a day may lower the risk of heart disease.) But sales to younger adults have been flat, the council said.
The persistence of the weak dollar is starting to drive up the cost of imported wines, and the industry is working through the wine glut. "Consumers have been really lucky for the last few years, but it won't continue forever," said Liz O'Connell, a spokeswoman for Southcorp.
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Amazon Testing A Restaurant Reviews and Menus Service
Bring it on since Zagat's is no longer free. However, I will point out there are often several free services already for local areas. Houston has just a small number - over 200,000 on a google search.
Generally the best ones should be done by actual customers with standard forms like Zagat. Rice University used to have a great one, last updated on 12/20/98.
Bring it on since Zagat's is no longer free. However, I will point out there are often several free services already for local areas. Houston has just a small number - over 200,000 on a google search.
Generally the best ones should be done by actual customers with standard forms like Zagat. Rice University used to have a great one, last updated on 12/20/98.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
The lure of a writer's colony
What you can expect from a colony:
-uninterrupted writing time
-personal living and studio space
-meals
-the company of other writers and artists
Most of the best colonies are free of charge. You pay a one-time application fee, anywhere from ten to thirty dollars, and, if accepted, all expenses (except travel) are covered. You must bring your own computer and printer, or whatever writing equipment you need. You can usually expect to eat dinner in a common area with the other residents. All of the colonies I've been to have had a kitchen open to residents for breakfast and lunch, so that you can prepare your own food
There are a couple of reputable colonies that charge a small fee, such as the Ragdale Foundation.
a word of warning:
One that you might steer clear of, however, is the Vermont Studio Center. A couple of years ago I was accepted to VSC with a "partial scholarship." I was happy until I discovered that I would be required to pay $800 to round out my "living expenses." Hmm, I don't think so. Then I discovered that the regular fee for folks who don't receive funding is $3,500 for a four-week stay!
Research what colonies might be right for you. Some things to consider are location, facilities, and length of stay. A great place to begin this research is at Shaw Guides, which allows you to search by region and by month.
What you can expect from a colony:
-uninterrupted writing time
-personal living and studio space
-meals
-the company of other writers and artists
Most of the best colonies are free of charge. You pay a one-time application fee, anywhere from ten to thirty dollars, and, if accepted, all expenses (except travel) are covered. You must bring your own computer and printer, or whatever writing equipment you need. You can usually expect to eat dinner in a common area with the other residents. All of the colonies I've been to have had a kitchen open to residents for breakfast and lunch, so that you can prepare your own food
There are a couple of reputable colonies that charge a small fee, such as the Ragdale Foundation.
a word of warning:
One that you might steer clear of, however, is the Vermont Studio Center. A couple of years ago I was accepted to VSC with a "partial scholarship." I was happy until I discovered that I would be required to pay $800 to round out my "living expenses." Hmm, I don't think so. Then I discovered that the regular fee for folks who don't receive funding is $3,500 for a four-week stay!
Research what colonies might be right for you. Some things to consider are location, facilities, and length of stay. A great place to begin this research is at Shaw Guides, which allows you to search by region and by month.
The Collected Short Stories of Phillip K Dick, Vol. 4: Minority Report
A blogging game.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog, and pass it on by posting it along with these instructions on your site.
A salesman, probably.
From "Service Call"
I decided the 1998 Zagat survey was not a book but a guide. Same excuse, is this really a book he asked as he looked at the dictionary, applied to Webster's Encyclopediac Unabridged Dictionary. The Phillip K. Dick book was still on my dresser in back of me from months ago while other books by the PC had been put away.
A blogging game.
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog, and pass it on by posting it along with these instructions on your site.
A salesman, probably.
From "Service Call"
I decided the 1998 Zagat survey was not a book but a guide. Same excuse, is this really a book he asked as he looked at the dictionary, applied to Webster's Encyclopediac Unabridged Dictionary. The Phillip K. Dick book was still on my dresser in back of me from months ago while other books by the PC had been put away.
WIL WHEATON Has Star Trek Memories
"ID, please." The guard said.
I pulled my driver's license out of my wallet, and gave it to him.
"And where are you going today . . . " he looked at my license. "Wil?"
"I'm working on Star Trek." I said.
"Enterprise or Nemesis?"
The Next Generation.
"Nemesis," I said. "I play Wesley Crusher."
He looked up at me. "Oh my god. You are Wesley Crusher. You look so . . . "
Washed up?
". . . grown up."
"Yeah," I said. "It's been a long time."
"Do you know where to park?"
"Yeah. But I don't know where our dressing rooms are."
But I do! I do know where our dressing rooms are! They're trailers on the street in front of stages 8 and 9. Mine is filled with Warhammer 40K figures and GURPS books. It's right next to Brent's trailer. It's 1989, and I'm back. I'm back home.
"Okay," he said, and gave me directions to an area on the lot where I'd never been before.
I locked up my car, and walked toward the dressing rooms. Other than the addition of a back lot, Paramount hadn't changed in any substantial way since I was on the show, and my thoughts drifted as I walked down those familiar streets on auto-pilot.
That's where I met Eddie Murphy when I was sixteen . . . Hey! I crashed a golf cart there when I was fifteen . . . There's the mail room . . . There's stage six, where the bridge set started out . . . I almost got up the courage to kiss that girl at the Christmas party on that stage in . . . there's the stage where Shatner told me, "I'd never let a kid come onto my bridge" . . . this street feels exactly the way it did when I worked here . . . here's where my trailer used to be . . .
I stopped, and tears filled my eyes -- tears of joy: It's so good to be here, mingled with tears of sadness and regret: Why didn't this happen years ago?
Because I wasn't ready for it to happen. I walked a few more steps, and looked into the foyer that led into stages 8 and 9. Enterprise lives there now. At least they kept the stage in the family.
"ID, please." The guard said.
I pulled my driver's license out of my wallet, and gave it to him.
"And where are you going today . . . " he looked at my license. "Wil?"
"I'm working on Star Trek." I said.
"Enterprise or Nemesis?"
The Next Generation.
"Nemesis," I said. "I play Wesley Crusher."
He looked up at me. "Oh my god. You are Wesley Crusher. You look so . . . "
Washed up?
". . . grown up."
"Yeah," I said. "It's been a long time."
"Do you know where to park?"
"Yeah. But I don't know where our dressing rooms are."
But I do! I do know where our dressing rooms are! They're trailers on the street in front of stages 8 and 9. Mine is filled with Warhammer 40K figures and GURPS books. It's right next to Brent's trailer. It's 1989, and I'm back. I'm back home.
"Okay," he said, and gave me directions to an area on the lot where I'd never been before.
I locked up my car, and walked toward the dressing rooms. Other than the addition of a back lot, Paramount hadn't changed in any substantial way since I was on the show, and my thoughts drifted as I walked down those familiar streets on auto-pilot.
That's where I met Eddie Murphy when I was sixteen . . . Hey! I crashed a golf cart there when I was fifteen . . . There's the mail room . . . There's stage six, where the bridge set started out . . . I almost got up the courage to kiss that girl at the Christmas party on that stage in . . . there's the stage where Shatner told me, "I'd never let a kid come onto my bridge" . . . this street feels exactly the way it did when I worked here . . . here's where my trailer used to be . . .
I stopped, and tears filled my eyes -- tears of joy: It's so good to be here, mingled with tears of sadness and regret: Why didn't this happen years ago?
Because I wasn't ready for it to happen. I walked a few more steps, and looked into the foyer that led into stages 8 and 9. Enterprise lives there now. At least they kept the stage in the family.
Monday, April 19, 2004
Studies confirm benefits of varied, wholesome diet
In one, a team at cereal-maker General Mills found men and women who ate three or more daily servings of whole grain foods were the least likely to be overweight or obese.
In a second, university-based researchers found people who ate a variety of foods were more likely to get the recommended levels of vitamins and other nutrients than people who stuck to a few favorite foods.
el - My current diet adds a lot more fiber and whole grains. I would be losing weight if I cut out more sugar and got more exercise.
In one, a team at cereal-maker General Mills found men and women who ate three or more daily servings of whole grain foods were the least likely to be overweight or obese.
In a second, university-based researchers found people who ate a variety of foods were more likely to get the recommended levels of vitamins and other nutrients than people who stuck to a few favorite foods.
el - My current diet adds a lot more fiber and whole grains. I would be losing weight if I cut out more sugar and got more exercise.
Be careful bringing rocks back from Mars
It's impossible to overstate our ignorance of life, even life on Earth. We continue to find microbes living in places that we didn't think could support life, and many of these organisms get their energy in ways we never imagined were possible: in February, the journal Nature reported the discovery of bacteria that seem to live off electrons directly obtained from metallic iron. Our chances of recognizing Martians, whatever they are, will surely be greater when we know more about life here.
It's impossible to overstate our ignorance of life, even life on Earth. We continue to find microbes living in places that we didn't think could support life, and many of these organisms get their energy in ways we never imagined were possible: in February, the journal Nature reported the discovery of bacteria that seem to live off electrons directly obtained from metallic iron. Our chances of recognizing Martians, whatever they are, will surely be greater when we know more about life here.
Test for Lou Gehrig disease may be possible soon
For the first time, scientists have identified possible biological markers that appear to indicate the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig disease.
Eventually, these proteins may form the basis of a rapid test for ALS, Dr. Robert P. Bowser of the University of Pittsburgh told Reuters Health.
"Typically, making a diagnosis of ALS can take up to a year," Bowser explained. "We can do it in 1 day with essentially a drop of (spinal fluid)." Early diagnosis is important because the only FDA-approved agent for ALS provides the most benefit when taken soon after symptom onset.
Bowser's team looked for characteristic protein patterns in spinal fluid from 25 people recently diagnosed with ALS and from 35 "controls," some of whom had other nervous system diseases with symptoms similar to ALS such as muscle weakness and loss of motor function.
Bowser's team identified 10 spinal-fluid proteins that were different in ALS patients and non-ALS control subjects. This protein pattern identified 92 percent of actual ALS cases, Bowser said.
For the first time, scientists have identified possible biological markers that appear to indicate the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as Lou Gehrig disease.
Eventually, these proteins may form the basis of a rapid test for ALS, Dr. Robert P. Bowser of the University of Pittsburgh told Reuters Health.
"Typically, making a diagnosis of ALS can take up to a year," Bowser explained. "We can do it in 1 day with essentially a drop of (spinal fluid)." Early diagnosis is important because the only FDA-approved agent for ALS provides the most benefit when taken soon after symptom onset.
Bowser's team looked for characteristic protein patterns in spinal fluid from 25 people recently diagnosed with ALS and from 35 "controls," some of whom had other nervous system diseases with symptoms similar to ALS such as muscle weakness and loss of motor function.
Bowser's team identified 10 spinal-fluid proteins that were different in ALS patients and non-ALS control subjects. This protein pattern identified 92 percent of actual ALS cases, Bowser said.
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Google Local Search: used books near Pasadena, TX 77502
A relatively new Google ability. Note that there are still problems - Rerun Books is my closest bookstore but it places it over 12 miles away.
A relatively new Google ability. Note that there are still problems - Rerun Books is my closest bookstore but it places it over 12 miles away.
My Latest Self-Portrait- Geocities doesn't allow Blogger to directly link to photos so click My latest self-portrait.
Inspired by Making Gay Deceiver Out of Legos using his Mini-Mizer.
Inspired by Making Gay Deceiver Out of Legos using his Mini-Mizer.
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Blogs: Here to stay - but evolving
Although making a living just blogging is nearly impossible, a blog can have a great deal of career value by demonstrating one's expertise and writing skills, thus serving as a "reputation builder," Blood says by phone from San Francisco. "You can quickly establish yourself as an expert in your field by becoming a kind of one-stop source for information."
And while existing software has made blogs cheap and easy, Blood predicts that the limitations of the form will drive bloggers into other forms of publishing.
"Once we have easy-to-use tools for other kinds of publications, like ezines [online magazines], or even tools that allow citizen journalists to contribute to their local papers, we'll see those kinds of publications explode as well," she says.
Although making a living just blogging is nearly impossible, a blog can have a great deal of career value by demonstrating one's expertise and writing skills, thus serving as a "reputation builder," Blood says by phone from San Francisco. "You can quickly establish yourself as an expert in your field by becoming a kind of one-stop source for information."
And while existing software has made blogs cheap and easy, Blood predicts that the limitations of the form will drive bloggers into other forms of publishing.
"Once we have easy-to-use tools for other kinds of publications, like ezines [online magazines], or even tools that allow citizen journalists to contribute to their local papers, we'll see those kinds of publications explode as well," she says.
Average PCs 'infested' with 28 spy programs
The average computer is packed with hidden software that can secretly spy on online habits, a study has found.
The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year.
el - my recommendations - Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search and Destroy the free programs to handle these system sappers.
The average computer is packed with hidden software that can secretly spy on online habits, a study has found.
The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year.
el - my recommendations - Ad-Aware and Spybot - Search and Destroy the free programs to handle these system sappers.
Never Threaten to Eat Your Co-Workers: Best of Blogs
The Internet’s most provocative writing by unknown writers and underground celebs. Neil Forrester, former cast member of MTV’s The Real World, gives new meaning to the phrase "Bite your tongue". Star Trek:The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton gives his take on the Hollywood system and fleeting stardom. Web designer Heather Hamilton finds herself in the unemployment line after publishing stories about her job on her blog. Humorist Choire Sicha gives advice on broken hearts and timeshares. Illustrator Mark Frauenfelder throws out his cell phone and uproots his family from Los Angeles to the sandy beaches of Rarotonga. Plus tales of creepy video-store customers, online love lives, Iraqi politics, office pranks gone wrong, jury duty, a childhood meeting with Darth Vader, and so much more.
The Internet’s most provocative writing by unknown writers and underground celebs. Neil Forrester, former cast member of MTV’s The Real World, gives new meaning to the phrase "Bite your tongue". Star Trek:The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton gives his take on the Hollywood system and fleeting stardom. Web designer Heather Hamilton finds herself in the unemployment line after publishing stories about her job on her blog. Humorist Choire Sicha gives advice on broken hearts and timeshares. Illustrator Mark Frauenfelder throws out his cell phone and uproots his family from Los Angeles to the sandy beaches of Rarotonga. Plus tales of creepy video-store customers, online love lives, Iraqi politics, office pranks gone wrong, jury duty, a childhood meeting with Darth Vader, and so much more.
Perfect Cookies
While living in Melbourne Australia, I was introduced to the World's Most Perfect Cookie, the Tim Tam. The Tim Tam is so amazing, I bought a large suitcase and stuffed it full of them before I left Oz. Somewhere around 50 packages. I had an interesting time declaring that at customs.
Customs Agent: And what's in this bag?
Me: Cookies
Customs Agent: The entire bag is filled with cookies?
Me: Uh...yeah.
Customs Agent: Can you open the bag sir?
You can order Tim Tams here in the states through Simply Australian. I suggest you order them by the case. Seriously!
Tim Tam Slam
There is a ritual to eating Tim Tams. It should be faithfully followed. The Tim Tam is a rectangular sandwich cookie, covered in chocolate. The trick is to bite off opposite corners of the cookie and dunk one of the bitten ends into a cup of coffee. Then on the other end, suck the coffee through the cookie as if it were a straw. Once you feel the cookie begin to give, pop the entire thing into your mouth. It will collapse into a wondrous slush of chocolate and coffee. Orgasm is possible.
One other quick mention is a restaurant I discovered in Oz, Nando's.
Warning: Vegetarians should skip the next part.
"Portuguese speciality, PERi-PERi chicken which has a truly unique taste. Fresh, never-frozen, A-grade chickens are butterfly-cut and immediately marinated in the top-secret Nando?s marinade for a full 24 hours to ensure that the flavour penetrates right through the meat. The chicken is flame-grilled right in front of the customer and basted thoroughly with the customer?s choice of sauce: Lemon & Herb for the not so brave, Medium PERi-PERi for the slightly more adventurous and Hot or Extra Hot PERi-PERi for the real daredevils. Flame-grilling the chicken means that half the fat of the chicken literally disappears in the process, and the result ? the finest tasting chicken in the world."
el - there are some grilled marinated Mexican chicken places that sound similar - Taco Cabana for one - but they don't offer a choice of spiciness. They do have a salsa bar for you to make modifications.
While living in Melbourne Australia, I was introduced to the World's Most Perfect Cookie, the Tim Tam. The Tim Tam is so amazing, I bought a large suitcase and stuffed it full of them before I left Oz. Somewhere around 50 packages. I had an interesting time declaring that at customs.
Customs Agent: And what's in this bag?
Me: Cookies
Customs Agent: The entire bag is filled with cookies?
Me: Uh...yeah.
Customs Agent: Can you open the bag sir?
You can order Tim Tams here in the states through Simply Australian. I suggest you order them by the case. Seriously!
Tim Tam Slam
There is a ritual to eating Tim Tams. It should be faithfully followed. The Tim Tam is a rectangular sandwich cookie, covered in chocolate. The trick is to bite off opposite corners of the cookie and dunk one of the bitten ends into a cup of coffee. Then on the other end, suck the coffee through the cookie as if it were a straw. Once you feel the cookie begin to give, pop the entire thing into your mouth. It will collapse into a wondrous slush of chocolate and coffee. Orgasm is possible.
One other quick mention is a restaurant I discovered in Oz, Nando's.
Warning: Vegetarians should skip the next part.
"Portuguese speciality, PERi-PERi chicken which has a truly unique taste. Fresh, never-frozen, A-grade chickens are butterfly-cut and immediately marinated in the top-secret Nando?s marinade for a full 24 hours to ensure that the flavour penetrates right through the meat. The chicken is flame-grilled right in front of the customer and basted thoroughly with the customer?s choice of sauce: Lemon & Herb for the not so brave, Medium PERi-PERi for the slightly more adventurous and Hot or Extra Hot PERi-PERi for the real daredevils. Flame-grilling the chicken means that half the fat of the chicken literally disappears in the process, and the result ? the finest tasting chicken in the world."
el - there are some grilled marinated Mexican chicken places that sound similar - Taco Cabana for one - but they don't offer a choice of spiciness. They do have a salsa bar for you to make modifications.
Legendary Texas SF writer is blogging
Howard Waldrop is famous for "The Ugly Chickens" and other short stories..
He is now the blogger/columnist at Infinite Matrix. Columns Number 2 and number 3.
"The Ugly Chicken" is in the classics archive at scifi.com.
How not to write SF (written for people trying to get into Clarion.)
His SFF.Net website.
For extravagant lies about Howard, see Alternate Waldrops, on Strange Horizons. Strange Horizons has other strange twisted articles or stories that make me think of Howard. In a much simpler way, of course, he would never do anything that straightforward.
Howard Waldrop is famous for "The Ugly Chickens" and other short stories..
He is now the blogger/columnist at Infinite Matrix. Columns Number 2 and number 3.
"The Ugly Chicken" is in the classics archive at scifi.com.
How not to write SF (written for people trying to get into Clarion.)
His SFF.Net website.
For extravagant lies about Howard, see Alternate Waldrops, on Strange Horizons. Strange Horizons has other strange twisted articles or stories that make me think of Howard. In a much simpler way, of course, he would never do anything that straightforward.
Friday, April 16, 2004
The Houston International Festival is also going on.
A way to get free parking and more is to volunteer.
Site Map...pdf it is by the new Reliant Stadium.
Miller Outdoor Theater is on now and Texas Highways has other festivals and events around.
A way to get free parking and more is to volunteer.
Site Map...pdf it is by the new Reliant Stadium.
Miller Outdoor Theater is on now and Texas Highways has other festivals and events around.
Texas Wildflowers Now Is The Time
A wildflower trip this far takes less than a day, and after passing through Johnson City, President Johnson's hometown, named in the 1870's for one of his ancestors, over more roadways bordered with blue, red and violet, it might be easy to assume that Texas couldn't have better wildflowers to offer. But a night in San Antonio and a venture onto Alternative Highway 90, the humbler cousin that runs more or less parallel to Interstate 90, broke that illusion. There, in the crossroads area that separates the Hill Country from South Texas, the colors seemed especially brilliant, perhaps because of the warmer temperatures and uncluttered roads.
Along this route is Gonzales, the town where H&P BBQ and Home Cooking lures customers from the Legion hall behind a Wal-Mart. The barbecue may deserve to be famous, but Gonzales is better known for its place in Texas history. The first skirmish of the war that resulted in Texas' secession from Mexico was fought there, and the town's plaza has a towering monument to that conflict. One plaque notes that General Sam Houston burned the town to the ground to keep it from falling into the hands of the Mexican Army.
Bluebonnets are blooming
Late March through early April is the best time for viewing roadside fields of azure that Texans consider a part of state heritage.
"When there are bluebonnets all across the open field in the spring, that's sort of unique and beautiful," said Kay Fleming, 65, a retired wildlife biologist who lives in Athens, in East Texas.
In recent years, bluebonnets have appeared in retail nurseries; they have been produced in colors other than blue and sold as cut flowers. Chappell Hill and Ennis both have festivals celebrating the bluebonnet.
The bluebonnet is also called "buffalo clover" and, in Spanish, el conejo (the rabbit). Paintings, songs, family snapshots and even Comanche legend pay homage to the bluebonnet, but its designation as the state flower nearly didn't happen.
When the Legislature considered naming a state flower in 1901, some favored the open cotton boll, calling it the "white rose of commerce." Others, including future Vice President John Nance Garner, wanted the prickly pear.
Texas members of the Colonial Dames of America won the day for their beloved bluebonnet when they hauled a painting featuring the flowers into legislative chambers.
Today, Amador refers to the bluebonnets -- along with Indian paintbrushes -- as the "rock stars" of Texas wildflowers. So much so that the wildflower center has been forced to address how to deal with bluebonnet lovers who feel compelled to plop themselves down in flower patches.
The Texas highway department began planting seeds along roadways in 1930. It now sows more than 33,000 pounds of wildflower seeds, including bluebonnets, each year.
You can call the toll-free wildflower hotline at 1-800-452-9292 to get the best locations to find wildflowers. The information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Click here to see the TxDoT Wildflower Map.
A wildflower trip this far takes less than a day, and after passing through Johnson City, President Johnson's hometown, named in the 1870's for one of his ancestors, over more roadways bordered with blue, red and violet, it might be easy to assume that Texas couldn't have better wildflowers to offer. But a night in San Antonio and a venture onto Alternative Highway 90, the humbler cousin that runs more or less parallel to Interstate 90, broke that illusion. There, in the crossroads area that separates the Hill Country from South Texas, the colors seemed especially brilliant, perhaps because of the warmer temperatures and uncluttered roads.
Along this route is Gonzales, the town where H&P BBQ and Home Cooking lures customers from the Legion hall behind a Wal-Mart. The barbecue may deserve to be famous, but Gonzales is better known for its place in Texas history. The first skirmish of the war that resulted in Texas' secession from Mexico was fought there, and the town's plaza has a towering monument to that conflict. One plaque notes that General Sam Houston burned the town to the ground to keep it from falling into the hands of the Mexican Army.
Bluebonnets are blooming
Late March through early April is the best time for viewing roadside fields of azure that Texans consider a part of state heritage.
"When there are bluebonnets all across the open field in the spring, that's sort of unique and beautiful," said Kay Fleming, 65, a retired wildlife biologist who lives in Athens, in East Texas.
In recent years, bluebonnets have appeared in retail nurseries; they have been produced in colors other than blue and sold as cut flowers. Chappell Hill and Ennis both have festivals celebrating the bluebonnet.
The bluebonnet is also called "buffalo clover" and, in Spanish, el conejo (the rabbit). Paintings, songs, family snapshots and even Comanche legend pay homage to the bluebonnet, but its designation as the state flower nearly didn't happen.
When the Legislature considered naming a state flower in 1901, some favored the open cotton boll, calling it the "white rose of commerce." Others, including future Vice President John Nance Garner, wanted the prickly pear.
Texas members of the Colonial Dames of America won the day for their beloved bluebonnet when they hauled a painting featuring the flowers into legislative chambers.
Today, Amador refers to the bluebonnets -- along with Indian paintbrushes -- as the "rock stars" of Texas wildflowers. So much so that the wildflower center has been forced to address how to deal with bluebonnet lovers who feel compelled to plop themselves down in flower patches.
The Texas highway department began planting seeds along roadways in 1930. It now sows more than 33,000 pounds of wildflower seeds, including bluebonnets, each year.
You can call the toll-free wildflower hotline at 1-800-452-9292 to get the best locations to find wildflowers. The information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Click here to see the TxDoT Wildflower Map.
Mexican and Middle Eastern foods at Al's Quik Stop
Houston diversity embraces similarities.
Al's Quick Stop
Details: Gyro plate $4.99
Three-taco plate $3.89
Falafel sandwich $3.89
Tacos al pastor $1.25
Fresh lard $2.99
Where: 2002 Waugh Drive, 713-522-5170. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Houston diversity embraces similarities.
Al's Quick Stop
Details: Gyro plate $4.99
Three-taco plate $3.89
Falafel sandwich $3.89
Tacos al pastor $1.25
Fresh lard $2.99
Where: 2002 Waugh Drive, 713-522-5170. Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
I made some bread pudding the other day.
It mainly showed why I don't bake. I forgot about it until "hey, what's that smell" as I said to Nothing Butt Trouble. I had to scrap almost one-half off as being burned. She wouldn't even taste any of the good parts. Except for little bits of chicken my cat doesn't eat anything I cook. Oh, I forgot she had a few licks of this yoghurt, wheat bran, peanut butter and soy protein mess I was experimenting with yesterday. I didn't come up with anything for a bake sale. I should keep working on that, very healthy and my cat was willing to try it.
For $7, Américas' version of bread pudding should be spectacular.
It mainly showed why I don't bake. I forgot about it until "hey, what's that smell" as I said to Nothing Butt Trouble. I had to scrap almost one-half off as being burned. She wouldn't even taste any of the good parts. Except for little bits of chicken my cat doesn't eat anything I cook. Oh, I forgot she had a few licks of this yoghurt, wheat bran, peanut butter and soy protein mess I was experimenting with yesterday. I didn't come up with anything for a bake sale. I should keep working on that, very healthy and my cat was willing to try it.
For $7, Américas' version of bread pudding should be spectacular.
New Amazon search engine to compete with Google.
A9 on Robert Heinlein, note three panes - web results, book results and search history.
A9 on Robert Heinlein, note three panes - web results, book results and search history.
Friends, lovers lower 2nd heart attack risk
Heart attack survivors with a close friend, relative or lover to confide in are half as likely to suffer further heart attacks within a year as patients without a shoulder to cry on, a study shows.
The study, published this week in the British Medical Association's journal Heart, tracked nearly 600 patients for a year after they had a heart attack.
"Patients with a close confidant had only half the risk of a further cardiac event of those without a confidant," the study said, adding that the finding held even when adjustments were made for a host of other heart disease risk factors.
Heart attack survivors with a close friend, relative or lover to confide in are half as likely to suffer further heart attacks within a year as patients without a shoulder to cry on, a study shows.
The study, published this week in the British Medical Association's journal Heart, tracked nearly 600 patients for a year after they had a heart attack.
"Patients with a close confidant had only half the risk of a further cardiac event of those without a confidant," the study said, adding that the finding held even when adjustments were made for a host of other heart disease risk factors.
Following a Bright Light to a Calmer Tomorrow
Researching Near-Death Experiences
From 9 to 18 percent of people who have almost died, Dr. Greyson said, later report having had near-death experiences. As medical techniques to save patients become increasingly sophisticated, that number is likely to grow.
In the early 1980's, a nationwide Gallup poll found that eight million Americans said they had had near-death experiences. By the late 90's, 15 million people reported having had them.
Almost everyone, at some point in life, experiences a moment of fear and anxiety after a catastrophe. For some people like those with post-traumatic stress disorder, the effects can linger for years, returning as flashbacks, nightmares or emotional numbness.
But people who report having had out-of-body experiences like Ms. Huesgen, who suffered a near-fatal reaction to an influenza shot 34 years ago, exhibit the reverse. Their lives are changed.
They switch careers and adopt new values. Many fears they had are erased.
Most doctors dismiss such events as hallucinations caused by medication. Other experts suggest that the illusions are caused by oxygen deprivation or the last-minute firing of neurons in the visual cortex.
Dr. Greyson theorizes that the experience may be a protective mechanism that insulates some people against developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Certain personality traits, he suggests, may make some people more likely to have near-death experiences, while others are predisposed to developing severe psychiatric illnesses.
The evidence of active coping and physiological differences in people who have had near-death experiences squares nicely with that theory, Dr. Greyson said.
But there is still a question of cause and effect.
"We don't know yet whether these were pre-existing characteristics that caused the N.D.E. or whether they are the result of the experience," he said.
The answer may soon be clear. In a study that began this year, Dr. Greyson is interviewing a large group of heart patients before they undergo surgery to implant automatic defibrillators in their chests.
In the operation, the patients are briefly put into cardiac arrest, setting the stage for some to have near-death experiences. Several months later, Dr. Greyson will interview them again, looking for any near-death aftereffects.
"There are so many things to measure — anxiety, depression, adjustment, acceptance of death," he said. "We're still just scratching the surface. There's a whole lot more to be done."
Researching Near-Death Experiences
From 9 to 18 percent of people who have almost died, Dr. Greyson said, later report having had near-death experiences. As medical techniques to save patients become increasingly sophisticated, that number is likely to grow.
In the early 1980's, a nationwide Gallup poll found that eight million Americans said they had had near-death experiences. By the late 90's, 15 million people reported having had them.
Almost everyone, at some point in life, experiences a moment of fear and anxiety after a catastrophe. For some people like those with post-traumatic stress disorder, the effects can linger for years, returning as flashbacks, nightmares or emotional numbness.
But people who report having had out-of-body experiences like Ms. Huesgen, who suffered a near-fatal reaction to an influenza shot 34 years ago, exhibit the reverse. Their lives are changed.
They switch careers and adopt new values. Many fears they had are erased.
Most doctors dismiss such events as hallucinations caused by medication. Other experts suggest that the illusions are caused by oxygen deprivation or the last-minute firing of neurons in the visual cortex.
Dr. Greyson theorizes that the experience may be a protective mechanism that insulates some people against developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Certain personality traits, he suggests, may make some people more likely to have near-death experiences, while others are predisposed to developing severe psychiatric illnesses.
The evidence of active coping and physiological differences in people who have had near-death experiences squares nicely with that theory, Dr. Greyson said.
But there is still a question of cause and effect.
"We don't know yet whether these were pre-existing characteristics that caused the N.D.E. or whether they are the result of the experience," he said.
The answer may soon be clear. In a study that began this year, Dr. Greyson is interviewing a large group of heart patients before they undergo surgery to implant automatic defibrillators in their chests.
In the operation, the patients are briefly put into cardiac arrest, setting the stage for some to have near-death experiences. Several months later, Dr. Greyson will interview them again, looking for any near-death aftereffects.
"There are so many things to measure — anxiety, depression, adjustment, acceptance of death," he said. "We're still just scratching the surface. There's a whole lot more to be done."
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Soy Product Slows Prostate Enlargement, in Rats
Treatment with equol, the major active form of daidzein, the estrogen-like compound found in soy, blocks prostate growth in rats, new research shows.
Equol seems to work not just by stimulating estrogen receptors but also by binding and blocking the testosterone by-product dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
With further testing, equol or a derivative could potentially be used to prevent or treat conditions resulting from male androgen hormones, such as prostate cancer or baldness, the researchers suggest.
Treatment with equol, the major active form of daidzein, the estrogen-like compound found in soy, blocks prostate growth in rats, new research shows.
Equol seems to work not just by stimulating estrogen receptors but also by binding and blocking the testosterone by-product dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
With further testing, equol or a derivative could potentially be used to prevent or treat conditions resulting from male androgen hormones, such as prostate cancer or baldness, the researchers suggest.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Ancient aspirin full of new wonders
Aspirin, the old standby for headaches, fevers and aching joints, is now widely used in the fight against cardiovascular disease and looks like a good bet to stave off colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer and, perhaps, cancers of the esophagus, stomach and rectum.
Although the old medical advice, "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" is often offered in jest, aspirin helps provide relief for most of the things that ail you, which helps account for the fact that 29 billion aspirin tablets are taken each year in this country.
Medical research during the past 10 years indicates that aspirin, an anti-inflammatory and blood-thinning drug, can help protect against anything that in any way involves the production of prostaglandins, chemicals responsible for fever, swelling and pain.
Scientists aren't sure exactly how aspirin may help prevent cancer, but they theorize it is the result of limiting the production of prostaglandins.
Aspirin, the old standby for headaches, fevers and aching joints, is now widely used in the fight against cardiovascular disease and looks like a good bet to stave off colon, prostate and pancreatic cancer and, perhaps, cancers of the esophagus, stomach and rectum.
Although the old medical advice, "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" is often offered in jest, aspirin helps provide relief for most of the things that ail you, which helps account for the fact that 29 billion aspirin tablets are taken each year in this country.
Medical research during the past 10 years indicates that aspirin, an anti-inflammatory and blood-thinning drug, can help protect against anything that in any way involves the production of prostaglandins, chemicals responsible for fever, swelling and pain.
Scientists aren't sure exactly how aspirin may help prevent cancer, but they theorize it is the result of limiting the production of prostaglandins.
Monday, April 12, 2004
Driving through the countryside looking for flowers
It is that time of year here in South Texas.
Leon Hale - Suggestion to city folks: If you have any interest whatever in roaming the Texas countryside, this is the month to do it.
I'll even crawl on out the limb and say this will be the best wildflower season we've had in 20 years. Maybe 25.
Monday, on the way up here from Houston, my partner and I saw some really nice fields of bluebonnets between Industry and Shelby, in Austin County. That doesn't mean wildflowers will be wonderful everywhere, but we've found over the years that those few miles of hills on FM 1457 are a pretty fair indicator.
You want to hear about my system of searching for wildflowers? The key words are: Get lost.
Every year, multitudes of Houstonians are told that they can take U.S. 290 west out of Brenham and see nice bluebonnets in April. Well, that's for sure, they'll be there, thanks to roadside seeding by our state highway department, and that's fine.
But it's more fun to get off the big highways and wind through the country. Go to Brenham, sure, or La Grange, or Fayetteville, or Bellville, or Navasota. And watch for country roads.
Earlier in March, Leon Hale announced there will be no more Primavera stories.
For over 20 years he and his friend Morgan would drive down to meet Spring, in Spanish Primavera, on the way up. Old Friend Morgan died last year after not taking the trip with him for a couple of years and Leon says it wasn't fun anymore. I can understand that.
It is that time of year here in South Texas.
Leon Hale - Suggestion to city folks: If you have any interest whatever in roaming the Texas countryside, this is the month to do it.
I'll even crawl on out the limb and say this will be the best wildflower season we've had in 20 years. Maybe 25.
Monday, on the way up here from Houston, my partner and I saw some really nice fields of bluebonnets between Industry and Shelby, in Austin County. That doesn't mean wildflowers will be wonderful everywhere, but we've found over the years that those few miles of hills on FM 1457 are a pretty fair indicator.
You want to hear about my system of searching for wildflowers? The key words are: Get lost.
Every year, multitudes of Houstonians are told that they can take U.S. 290 west out of Brenham and see nice bluebonnets in April. Well, that's for sure, they'll be there, thanks to roadside seeding by our state highway department, and that's fine.
But it's more fun to get off the big highways and wind through the country. Go to Brenham, sure, or La Grange, or Fayetteville, or Bellville, or Navasota. And watch for country roads.
Earlier in March, Leon Hale announced there will be no more Primavera stories.
For over 20 years he and his friend Morgan would drive down to meet Spring, in Spanish Primavera, on the way up. Old Friend Morgan died last year after not taking the trip with him for a couple of years and Leon says it wasn't fun anymore. I can understand that.
Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame opening June 04
Concept Illustration From the Science Fiction Museum, more illustrations.
Science Fiction Museum counts down to opening
The nation's first museum honoring science fiction is still two months away from opening its doors here, but the former NASA scientist now managing it said everyone is in such a frenzy you'd think the countdown to launch was in only a matter of days.
WIRED -- Homage to Science Fiction
If you believe that Captain Kirk's command chair or the costumes from The Planet of the Apes belong in a museum, to be revered by all for perpetuity, then you may want to book a flight for Seattle in June.
Concept Illustration From the Science Fiction Museum, more illustrations.
Science Fiction Museum counts down to opening
The nation's first museum honoring science fiction is still two months away from opening its doors here, but the former NASA scientist now managing it said everyone is in such a frenzy you'd think the countdown to launch was in only a matter of days.
WIRED -- Homage to Science Fiction
If you believe that Captain Kirk's command chair or the costumes from The Planet of the Apes belong in a museum, to be revered by all for perpetuity, then you may want to book a flight for Seattle in June.
Slow Food - Home-Cooking Movement Gains Ground
Slow Food is an international movement that urges people to find time for meals made from scratch. It also extols the benefits of regional traditions and recipes using all-natural foods grown by local farmers. And it's catching on.
The movement started in 1986 when Italian author Carlo Petrini, incensed by a McDonald's opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome, accused corporate chains of destroying many foods and traditions.
Slow Food has since tempered its message, moving away from its origins in protest. It doesn't endorse bans or boycotts.
Dr. Andrew Weil, author of "Eight Weeks to Optimum Health" and an admitted Slow Food fan, contends you don't have to be wealthy to join the movement. Replacing some commonly consumed items with fresh and organic alternatives is a good start.
"Start slow. Start with maybe a few items and try them," Weil said. "If done carefully, it doesn't break the bank."
I Watched Under the Tuscan Sun tonght. They made big changes to the novel but maintained the spirit. I loved it but saw it was attacked by a bunch of people at Amazon. The director/writer also wrote "The Truth About Cats and Dogs" which is great and has some incredible lines.
The book sequel, Belle Tuscany - the sweet life in Tuscany, is excellent and implies a lot about slow food being part of improving your life.
Slow Food is an international movement that urges people to find time for meals made from scratch. It also extols the benefits of regional traditions and recipes using all-natural foods grown by local farmers. And it's catching on.
The movement started in 1986 when Italian author Carlo Petrini, incensed by a McDonald's opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome, accused corporate chains of destroying many foods and traditions.
Slow Food has since tempered its message, moving away from its origins in protest. It doesn't endorse bans or boycotts.
Dr. Andrew Weil, author of "Eight Weeks to Optimum Health" and an admitted Slow Food fan, contends you don't have to be wealthy to join the movement. Replacing some commonly consumed items with fresh and organic alternatives is a good start.
"Start slow. Start with maybe a few items and try them," Weil said. "If done carefully, it doesn't break the bank."
I Watched Under the Tuscan Sun tonght. They made big changes to the novel but maintained the spirit. I loved it but saw it was attacked by a bunch of people at Amazon. The director/writer also wrote "The Truth About Cats and Dogs" which is great and has some incredible lines.
The book sequel, Belle Tuscany - the sweet life in Tuscany, is excellent and implies a lot about slow food being part of improving your life.
Saturday, April 10, 2004
Pat was on TV yesterday.
Cable News24 Houston did a feature on the Strawberry Extension creating citizen anger. It is also here.
Pasadena's population boom also means more traffic problems. [This doesn't really have anything to do with that.]
The city lacks enough north-south corridors, and now officials are planning to fix that problem. [This is a 40 or more year old plan.]
But the community is upset because the project will remove homes and businesses.
"It's like walking back in history. We still handwrite our tickets, load nails one pound at a time. We still carry a lot of the older stuff for the older houses in this neighborhood," said South Texas Lumber Company Manager Mark Masters.
But Masters' days at the unique Art Deco-style building his business calls home may be numbered.
It, along with almost three dozen homes and businesses along parts of Pasadena Boulevard and Scott Street, are being taken out in the name of progress.
Pasadena Blvd will be widened from four to six lanes north of Harris [Wrong], and an extension will be added connecting Strawberry Road to Pasadena Blvd along Scott Street.
"I think the mobility issue is an enormous one. We're in a community here that does not have a strong track record of maintaining its infrastructure," said Pasadena spokesperson Dave Benson.
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition letting the city know they aren't happy about the plan.
"There are a lot of things that cities do, some of which truly need doing and some of which don't, and some of which need doing but could be done in a different way," said Pat Van Houte.
Cable News24 Houston did a feature on the Strawberry Extension creating citizen anger. It is also here.
Pasadena's population boom also means more traffic problems. [This doesn't really have anything to do with that.]
The city lacks enough north-south corridors, and now officials are planning to fix that problem. [This is a 40 or more year old plan.]
But the community is upset because the project will remove homes and businesses.
"It's like walking back in history. We still handwrite our tickets, load nails one pound at a time. We still carry a lot of the older stuff for the older houses in this neighborhood," said South Texas Lumber Company Manager Mark Masters.
But Masters' days at the unique Art Deco-style building his business calls home may be numbered.
It, along with almost three dozen homes and businesses along parts of Pasadena Boulevard and Scott Street, are being taken out in the name of progress.
Pasadena Blvd will be widened from four to six lanes north of Harris [Wrong], and an extension will be added connecting Strawberry Road to Pasadena Blvd along Scott Street.
"I think the mobility issue is an enormous one. We're in a community here that does not have a strong track record of maintaining its infrastructure," said Pasadena spokesperson Dave Benson.
More than 1,500 people have signed a petition letting the city know they aren't happy about the plan.
"There are a lot of things that cities do, some of which truly need doing and some of which don't, and some of which need doing but could be done in a different way," said Pat Van Houte.
Friday, April 09, 2004
The Maiden Name Debate
What's changed since the 1970s?
In a mundane way, having the same name as your children is easier. And then, of course, the beauty of the contemporary name change is that you don't have to formally decide. You can keep your name professionally and socially, change your name for the purposes of school lists, or airline tickets, or your husband's presidential run—in short, you can maintain an extremely confusing relation to your own name (or names).
According to a recent study by Harvard economics professor Claudia Goldin, based on Massachusetts birth records, the number of college-educated women in their 30s keeping their name has dropped from 23 percent in 1990 to 17 percent in 2000.
What's changed since the 1970s?
In a mundane way, having the same name as your children is easier. And then, of course, the beauty of the contemporary name change is that you don't have to formally decide. You can keep your name professionally and socially, change your name for the purposes of school lists, or airline tickets, or your husband's presidential run—in short, you can maintain an extremely confusing relation to your own name (or names).
According to a recent study by Harvard economics professor Claudia Goldin, based on Massachusetts birth records, the number of college-educated women in their 30s keeping their name has dropped from 23 percent in 1990 to 17 percent in 2000.
Any Restaurant Without A Reservation - if you know how and how much to tip
Some might find this disillusioning: "You mean life is not first-come, first-served?" I found I had a different reaction: "You mean all it takes to crack one of New York's most daunting thresholds is fifty bucks?"
Some might find this disillusioning: "You mean life is not first-come, first-served?" I found I had a different reaction: "You mean all it takes to crack one of New York's most daunting thresholds is fifty bucks?"
NASA gives Mars rovers five more months
NASA Considers Russian Plan for Longer Space Stays
NASA is considering a Russian plan to keep future crews aboard the International Space Station for a year at a time, a move that would allow Russia to fly more paying customers aboard its Soyuz capsules
The US has issued the first licence for a private manned rocket, a step towards opening up space flight to private individuals.
NASA Considers Russian Plan for Longer Space Stays
NASA is considering a Russian plan to keep future crews aboard the International Space Station for a year at a time, a move that would allow Russia to fly more paying customers aboard its Soyuz capsules
The US has issued the first licence for a private manned rocket, a step towards opening up space flight to private individuals.
Pop this pill and double your body's good cholesterol!
The drug torcetrapib, made by Pfizer, significantly increased levels of HDL in patients with low levels of this "good" cholesterol, whether or not they were also being treated with the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin (Lipitor). The combination therapy used in the trial proved so effective that, among those patients who received the highest dosages of both drugs, HDL cholesterol levels were increased by more than 100 percent.
A low level of HDL cholesterol is the most common lipid abnormality observed in patients with known coronary heart disease.
The drug torcetrapib, made by Pfizer, significantly increased levels of HDL in patients with low levels of this "good" cholesterol, whether or not they were also being treated with the cholesterol-lowering drug atorvastatin (Lipitor). The combination therapy used in the trial proved so effective that, among those patients who received the highest dosages of both drugs, HDL cholesterol levels were increased by more than 100 percent.
A low level of HDL cholesterol is the most common lipid abnormality observed in patients with known coronary heart disease.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Reid's BBQ
She hands me the ribs wrapped to go, and I give one a try. In my opinion, James Reid's spectacular ribs are even better without sauce. The crust is crunchier and the flavor of the smoke is unmasked. Later that day, I bring the ribs to the office and hand them over to two colleagues who haven't had lunch. Both rave about them. One likes them better with the sauce, and one prefers them without.
The brisket is delicious, though it's not served in neat slices. Barbecue cook-off judges look for deep smoke rings and uniform slices in brisket cooking contests. And that's the culinary aesthetic taught in barbecue seminars and cook-off judging classes -- which is one reason so few blacks participate in barbecue cook-offs.
"That's the difference between white and black barbecue," says Houston artist and Fifth Ward barbecue fan Bert Long. "Blacks cook everything to death." At Goode Co., every piece of meat is served in a perfect slice, he says. At black barbecue joints, they don't mind serving you a messy pile of tender meat.
The brisket and ribs are smoked in the classic East Texas African-American style, so that the meats are very moist and tender with a powerful smoky aroma. And in keeping with the style, everything is drenched in a barbecue sauce that's a tad sweet for Anglo palates such as ours.
The mashed potato salad is homemade and seasoned with a little pickle juice. The pinto beans are plain. The "sandwich" is actually a generous pile of falling-apart brisket and a couple of slices of white bread. Pickles and onions are 50 cents extra. You assemble your own sandwiches. That way they don't get all soggy.
My lunchmate has devoured four ribs with uncharacteristic abandon. I reach over and grab a couple "tender bones" before she eats them all.
"Sorry if I got carried away," she says. "These are really good."
I have to agree. The meat is so tender it falls easily away from the bone. The ribs have been spiced with a dry rub, which gives them a nice salt and red pepper tang. On the outside, the meat has a crunchy black crust. They are truly world-class ribs, except for the sauce.
"What do you think of the barbecue sauce?" I ask my lunchmate.
"I think it makes an excellent face cream," she says with an orange smile.
Reid's Barbecue
Details: Order of ribs: $7.50
Pound of ribs: $12.50
Sliced beef sandwich: $3.75
Link sandwich: $3.50
Onion and pickles: 50 cents
Where: 4101 Clover, 713-734-9326. Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays.
Excellent article on Houston Oysters
Sex, Death and Oysters
Beneath the muddy waters of Galveston Bay lies one of the greatest seafood treasure troves on earth
Eating raw oysters is exquisitely perverse. If they're freshly shucked, as they ought to be, you're putting the mollusk into your mouth while it's still alive. The wonderfully slick texture, delicate briny flavor and beachfront aroma make it easy to understand how oysters came to be associated with the tenderest portion of the female anatomy and thus considered an aphrodisiac.
The local oysters are incredibly sweet this year -- so sweet that such famous Louisiana oyster restaurants as Drago's Seafood in Metairie are serving Texas oysters alongside the Louisiana shellfish. "Texas oysters are the best right now," Croatian-American oysterman Drago Cvitanovich told me when I stopped by his Louisiana restaurant last December.
The perfect scenario for oyster growth, Ray tells me, is a dry spring, which gives the oyster larvae the slightly elevated salinity they need, followed by a wet summer and fall, which drops the salinity and keeps the oyster's predators away. And that's part of the reason for Galveston Bay's remarkable oyster harvest this year. Not only have the oyster reefs benefited from years of recovery and better water quality, but last year we had the ideal weather pattern.
We all had to agree that the cultivated oysters really have more concentrated flavors than Gulf oysters. But a dozen tiny oysters at McCormick & Schmick's sell for $21.65. A dozen fat Gulf oysters at Joyce's go for $6.95.
"I have to admit, quantity does count," the lady from Cleveland said. "It's one thing to eat oysters as a delicacy, but it's another thing to chow down on them."
"I think there's gourmet oyster eaters and then there's oyster eaters," said the Texan.
Fantastic Baklava
"What are the odds of running into a Serbo-Croatian-speaking Afghani at a Persian restaurant in an Indian neighborhood?" I joke with my tablemates. I'm about to begin my "wonders of Hillcroft" speech when I'm interrupted by Loreta's baklava.
Loreta, an "eat dessert first" kind of girl, started scarfing the pastry the second we sat down. Now she's gripped by a spiritual fervor and a need to testify.
"This baklava is incredible. Look at all these nuts!" she says, shoving the paper plate toward me. Loreta is a highly regarded classical pianist whose style is so powerful, she once broke a key off her instrument while performing in competition. When she says you must try the baklava, you literally have no choice.
I loathe sweets before dinner, but I must admit this is an exceptional baklava. The average specimen has a lot of layers of phyllo dough interspersed here and there with a few chopped nuts and a lot of honey. But this version has a little phyllo on the top, a little on the bottom, and a good three quarters of an inch of honey-sweetened, cinnamon-flavored ground walnuts in the middle. Instead of the usual sticky texture, the nuts form a rich paste that still has a subtle crunchiness. "Somebody's grandmother has to be making this," Loreta says.
As the server delivers our grilled meats to the patio, a manager walks by. "Hey, mister!" Loreta yells. "Where do you get this baklava?"
"We make it here," he says. "Do you like it?"
I've tried the roasted eggplant, the ground pickles and just about everything else on Bijan's menu, but flatbreads with grilled kabobs are really the best thing to get -- besides the desserts.
Thanks to Loreta, I eat baklava every time I come to Bijan. I never really knew what great baklava was supposed to taste like. But now that I do, I feel compelled to order it when I can get it. I've also grown quite fond of the stuffed dates, which have a whole nut where the pit used to be and are covered with a sort of dry, baked cookie dough.
"What does that taste like?" my daughter asks quizzically after taking a bite. Having considered the coating on the dates before, I'm quick with a response.
"It tastes like cinnamon toast."
I called her several days after our dinner and asked if she liked Bijan enough to go back. Loreta lives a good way from Hillcroft.
"Are you kidding? I was there yesterday trying to get some baklava for breakfast," she said, laughing. Unfortunately, she discovered that Bijan doesn't open until 11. But stopping by Bijan for a pot of tea and some dessert is a good idea. Especially while the weather is still cool and you can sit outside on the patio looking out over the Hillcroft Bazaar.
Bijan Persian Grill
Details: No. 23: $8.99
Baklava: 99 cents
Beef koobideh: $5.50
Chicken combo: $8.99
Stuffed dates (two): $1.50
Where: 5922 Hillcroft, 832-242-5959. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
She hands me the ribs wrapped to go, and I give one a try. In my opinion, James Reid's spectacular ribs are even better without sauce. The crust is crunchier and the flavor of the smoke is unmasked. Later that day, I bring the ribs to the office and hand them over to two colleagues who haven't had lunch. Both rave about them. One likes them better with the sauce, and one prefers them without.
The brisket is delicious, though it's not served in neat slices. Barbecue cook-off judges look for deep smoke rings and uniform slices in brisket cooking contests. And that's the culinary aesthetic taught in barbecue seminars and cook-off judging classes -- which is one reason so few blacks participate in barbecue cook-offs.
"That's the difference between white and black barbecue," says Houston artist and Fifth Ward barbecue fan Bert Long. "Blacks cook everything to death." At Goode Co., every piece of meat is served in a perfect slice, he says. At black barbecue joints, they don't mind serving you a messy pile of tender meat.
The brisket and ribs are smoked in the classic East Texas African-American style, so that the meats are very moist and tender with a powerful smoky aroma. And in keeping with the style, everything is drenched in a barbecue sauce that's a tad sweet for Anglo palates such as ours.
The mashed potato salad is homemade and seasoned with a little pickle juice. The pinto beans are plain. The "sandwich" is actually a generous pile of falling-apart brisket and a couple of slices of white bread. Pickles and onions are 50 cents extra. You assemble your own sandwiches. That way they don't get all soggy.
My lunchmate has devoured four ribs with uncharacteristic abandon. I reach over and grab a couple "tender bones" before she eats them all.
"Sorry if I got carried away," she says. "These are really good."
I have to agree. The meat is so tender it falls easily away from the bone. The ribs have been spiced with a dry rub, which gives them a nice salt and red pepper tang. On the outside, the meat has a crunchy black crust. They are truly world-class ribs, except for the sauce.
"What do you think of the barbecue sauce?" I ask my lunchmate.
"I think it makes an excellent face cream," she says with an orange smile.
Reid's Barbecue
Details: Order of ribs: $7.50
Pound of ribs: $12.50
Sliced beef sandwich: $3.75
Link sandwich: $3.50
Onion and pickles: 50 cents
Where: 4101 Clover, 713-734-9326. Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays.
Excellent article on Houston Oysters
Sex, Death and Oysters
Beneath the muddy waters of Galveston Bay lies one of the greatest seafood treasure troves on earth
Eating raw oysters is exquisitely perverse. If they're freshly shucked, as they ought to be, you're putting the mollusk into your mouth while it's still alive. The wonderfully slick texture, delicate briny flavor and beachfront aroma make it easy to understand how oysters came to be associated with the tenderest portion of the female anatomy and thus considered an aphrodisiac.
The local oysters are incredibly sweet this year -- so sweet that such famous Louisiana oyster restaurants as Drago's Seafood in Metairie are serving Texas oysters alongside the Louisiana shellfish. "Texas oysters are the best right now," Croatian-American oysterman Drago Cvitanovich told me when I stopped by his Louisiana restaurant last December.
The perfect scenario for oyster growth, Ray tells me, is a dry spring, which gives the oyster larvae the slightly elevated salinity they need, followed by a wet summer and fall, which drops the salinity and keeps the oyster's predators away. And that's part of the reason for Galveston Bay's remarkable oyster harvest this year. Not only have the oyster reefs benefited from years of recovery and better water quality, but last year we had the ideal weather pattern.
We all had to agree that the cultivated oysters really have more concentrated flavors than Gulf oysters. But a dozen tiny oysters at McCormick & Schmick's sell for $21.65. A dozen fat Gulf oysters at Joyce's go for $6.95.
"I have to admit, quantity does count," the lady from Cleveland said. "It's one thing to eat oysters as a delicacy, but it's another thing to chow down on them."
"I think there's gourmet oyster eaters and then there's oyster eaters," said the Texan.
Fantastic Baklava
"What are the odds of running into a Serbo-Croatian-speaking Afghani at a Persian restaurant in an Indian neighborhood?" I joke with my tablemates. I'm about to begin my "wonders of Hillcroft" speech when I'm interrupted by Loreta's baklava.
Loreta, an "eat dessert first" kind of girl, started scarfing the pastry the second we sat down. Now she's gripped by a spiritual fervor and a need to testify.
"This baklava is incredible. Look at all these nuts!" she says, shoving the paper plate toward me. Loreta is a highly regarded classical pianist whose style is so powerful, she once broke a key off her instrument while performing in competition. When she says you must try the baklava, you literally have no choice.
I loathe sweets before dinner, but I must admit this is an exceptional baklava. The average specimen has a lot of layers of phyllo dough interspersed here and there with a few chopped nuts and a lot of honey. But this version has a little phyllo on the top, a little on the bottom, and a good three quarters of an inch of honey-sweetened, cinnamon-flavored ground walnuts in the middle. Instead of the usual sticky texture, the nuts form a rich paste that still has a subtle crunchiness. "Somebody's grandmother has to be making this," Loreta says.
As the server delivers our grilled meats to the patio, a manager walks by. "Hey, mister!" Loreta yells. "Where do you get this baklava?"
"We make it here," he says. "Do you like it?"
I've tried the roasted eggplant, the ground pickles and just about everything else on Bijan's menu, but flatbreads with grilled kabobs are really the best thing to get -- besides the desserts.
Thanks to Loreta, I eat baklava every time I come to Bijan. I never really knew what great baklava was supposed to taste like. But now that I do, I feel compelled to order it when I can get it. I've also grown quite fond of the stuffed dates, which have a whole nut where the pit used to be and are covered with a sort of dry, baked cookie dough.
"What does that taste like?" my daughter asks quizzically after taking a bite. Having considered the coating on the dates before, I'm quick with a response.
"It tastes like cinnamon toast."
I called her several days after our dinner and asked if she liked Bijan enough to go back. Loreta lives a good way from Hillcroft.
"Are you kidding? I was there yesterday trying to get some baklava for breakfast," she said, laughing. Unfortunately, she discovered that Bijan doesn't open until 11. But stopping by Bijan for a pot of tea and some dessert is a good idea. Especially while the weather is still cool and you can sit outside on the patio looking out over the Hillcroft Bazaar.
Bijan Persian Grill
Details: No. 23: $8.99
Baklava: 99 cents
Beef koobideh: $5.50
Chicken combo: $8.99
Stuffed dates (two): $1.50
Where: 5922 Hillcroft, 832-242-5959. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
In 1966, Ohio cops chased a UFO into Pennsylvania. Then the government got involved, and things got really weird.
Cleveland Scene: The Ravenna case attracted the attention of Dr. James E. McDonald, the physicist, meteorologist, and former Naval intelligence officer who spent most of his career in the 1950s and '60s arguing for real scientific inquiry into the UFO phenomenon.
The incident "calls for reevaluation not only on the scientific grounds involved, but also to avoid unfairly subjecting to local public ridicule the several officers who have testified," he wrote. "The available evidence (especially Wm. Weitzel's extensive report for NICAP) seems to me to make the astronomical explanation, that now stands as the official Air Force evaluation, quite unreasonable."
Cleveland Scene: The Ravenna case attracted the attention of Dr. James E. McDonald, the physicist, meteorologist, and former Naval intelligence officer who spent most of his career in the 1950s and '60s arguing for real scientific inquiry into the UFO phenomenon.
The incident "calls for reevaluation not only on the scientific grounds involved, but also to avoid unfairly subjecting to local public ridicule the several officers who have testified," he wrote. "The available evidence (especially Wm. Weitzel's extensive report for NICAP) seems to me to make the astronomical explanation, that now stands as the official Air Force evaluation, quite unreasonable."
Nothing but Trouble
Pat was coming over to pick me up to go to Panera Bread for a Clear Lake
Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group Meeting. As I step outside I
hear faint squalling. I pick up the mail but can't quite track it down.
I can't tell if it is a bird or a cat. I look around and still can't
find exactly where it is coming from. Pat arrives and she determines it
is coming from under the hood of a large pickup truck.
I rock the truck and knock on it a few times and she's right. It is a
cat with very good lungs now that it knows something is happening. The
problem is no one knows who the pickup belongs to.
I get an envelope and write on it in large letters "There is a cat under
your hood" and stick it where it can be seen when whoever gets back to
his car. I know Pat, if there is a cat involved I am going to be here
for an hour.
No good. "We have to find the owner."
By this time the noisy cat and us asking people has attracted about a
half dozen people. We check around the manager's office and various
places trying to track him down. Everyone has seen him but no one knows
where he lives. Finally a maintenance man knows and he comes and opens
the hood.
There is an orange kitten on top of the radiator. I carefully stay away
as someone lifts it out. It is friendly and active and still very
noisy. Since I didn't pick it up, and neither did Pat, we are safe. I
think. The person who picks it up says he will take it to a pet store
tomorrow, if they are open Sunday.
We drive off and get to the meeting 30 minutes late but three other
people are just arriving. By the end there are 15. It breaks up just
before nine with a few of us going to Brent's house where we discuss TV
shows and movies and watch a short but still too long Star Wars parody.
Would have been just as funny at half the length.
We get home around midnight but I can't sleep and stay up till 6:30.
11 AM: "Meow, meeow yeeoww yeeeoooow!"
This wakes me up. The kitten is scratching at my window. Why my window?
There must be over a dozen on this side of the complex.
I get dressed, I know this is going to be nothing but trouble.
At first I can't find it outside but finally see her down a few units
following someone upstairs. The lady picks it up and puts it at the
foot of the stairs again and goes back up but that kitten is a quick
little bugger.
The lady tells me it was her husband who took the cat home but the pet
store is closed and it is stalking her birds - the little beast.
Her neighbor left a large bowl, bigger than the kitten, of bread and
milk at the foot of the stairs but she doesn't want it.
Fate. Kismet. It was at my window, wasn't it? I pick the cat up and
take it home.
I am out of tuna fish so I fry up an egg. It takes a thumb nails worth.
All it wants to do is get into things, meow, climb all over me, and meow
a lot more. It finally settles down on my lap while I am at the
computer typing this.
This is going to be nothing but trouble.
Pat was coming over to pick me up to go to Panera Bread for a Clear Lake
Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group Meeting. As I step outside I
hear faint squalling. I pick up the mail but can't quite track it down.
I can't tell if it is a bird or a cat. I look around and still can't
find exactly where it is coming from. Pat arrives and she determines it
is coming from under the hood of a large pickup truck.
I rock the truck and knock on it a few times and she's right. It is a
cat with very good lungs now that it knows something is happening. The
problem is no one knows who the pickup belongs to.
I get an envelope and write on it in large letters "There is a cat under
your hood" and stick it where it can be seen when whoever gets back to
his car. I know Pat, if there is a cat involved I am going to be here
for an hour.
No good. "We have to find the owner."
By this time the noisy cat and us asking people has attracted about a
half dozen people. We check around the manager's office and various
places trying to track him down. Everyone has seen him but no one knows
where he lives. Finally a maintenance man knows and he comes and opens
the hood.
There is an orange kitten on top of the radiator. I carefully stay away
as someone lifts it out. It is friendly and active and still very
noisy. Since I didn't pick it up, and neither did Pat, we are safe. I
think. The person who picks it up says he will take it to a pet store
tomorrow, if they are open Sunday.
We drive off and get to the meeting 30 minutes late but three other
people are just arriving. By the end there are 15. It breaks up just
before nine with a few of us going to Brent's house where we discuss TV
shows and movies and watch a short but still too long Star Wars parody.
Would have been just as funny at half the length.
We get home around midnight but I can't sleep and stay up till 6:30.
11 AM: "Meow, meeow yeeoww yeeeoooow!"
This wakes me up. The kitten is scratching at my window. Why my window?
There must be over a dozen on this side of the complex.
I get dressed, I know this is going to be nothing but trouble.
At first I can't find it outside but finally see her down a few units
following someone upstairs. The lady picks it up and puts it at the
foot of the stairs again and goes back up but that kitten is a quick
little bugger.
The lady tells me it was her husband who took the cat home but the pet
store is closed and it is stalking her birds - the little beast.
Her neighbor left a large bowl, bigger than the kitten, of bread and
milk at the foot of the stairs but she doesn't want it.
Fate. Kismet. It was at my window, wasn't it? I pick the cat up and
take it home.
I am out of tuna fish so I fry up an egg. It takes a thumb nails worth.
All it wants to do is get into things, meow, climb all over me, and meow
a lot more. It finally settles down on my lap while I am at the
computer typing this.
This is going to be nothing but trouble.
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