The Wanderer

"One way to think about these matrices is that we have taken out many of the stimuli for scar tissue formation and left those signals that were always there anyway for constructive remodelling."

full article here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7354458.stm

Pasta con Räkör, Aglio and pink pepper (or something like that)

get prawns in brine or any other kind that actually has flavour (100g per person)
chinese garlic (the one that hasn't separated into cloves yet, 1 per person)
shallots (slightly more than garlic)
pink pepper
cream
coriander seeds
bay leaf
spaghetti #5

slice garlic and shallots and sautee in butter. add about a tsp of pink peppers (or less if crushed) and about a quarter of that of coriander seeds and a crumbled bay leaf.
pour on the brine of the prawns in installmentsand let it reduce out.

put the spaghetti to the boil, wenn they are done, add plenty cream and the prawns to veggies and spices and let warm, but not boil.

serves well as a dish on its own or as primi piatti

celemon and I got duly married last Saturday with bunchloads of friends in attendance and ragnvaeig being my groomsmaid. So far th experience is pleasant :)

I think it is time to make start a bit of a campaign against Southwestern Airlines and their White Trash(TM) attitudes and sexism and racism.

Have a look here:

http://randazza.wordpress.com/2007/09/12/boycott-southwest-airlines/

and here:

http://www.afrolezproductions.com/blog/southwest-airlines-the-souls-of-white-folk/

I think one should not do business with these people.

Also they seem to be flying unsafe airplanes (as unsafe as the 737 cabriolet of Aloha Airlines), see here:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/southwest.planes/index.html

I have read the Windrose Armoury website with some amusement.

"Windrose Armoury has been producing high quality armour for medievalists and living historians for more than ten years." Well, dea historians are not going to buy a lot, so I think that would be good business sense.

"Two handed thrusting tip" Mental image of a mitten for both hands with a sturdy front.

"Now a fixture at Department of Homeland Security science and technology conferences, SIGMA is a loosely affiliated group of science fiction writers who are offering pro bono advice to anyone in government who want their thoughts on how to protect the nation.

The group has the ear of Department of Homeland Security Undersecretary Jay Cohen, head of the science and technology directorate, who has said he likes their unconventional thinking. Members of the group recently offered a rambling, sometimes strident string of ideas at a panel discussion promoting the group at the DHS science and technology conference.

Among the group’s approximately 24 members is Larry Niven, the bestselling and award-winning author of such books as “Ringworld” and “Lucifer’s Hammer,” which he co-wrote with SIGMA member Jerry Pournelle.

Niven said a good way to help hospitals stem financial losses is to spread rumors in Spanish within the Latino community that emergency rooms are killing patients in order to harvest their organs for transplants.

“The problem [of hospitals going broke] is hugely exaggerated by illegal aliens who aren’t going to pay for anything anyway,” Niven said.

“Do you know how politically incorrect you are?” Pournelle asked.

“I know it may not be possible to use this solution, but it does work,” Niven replied.

“I cannot guarantee I’m going to be a great help to Homeland Security,” Niven said earlier."

source: http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/issues/2008/March/SecurityBeat.htm#Science

covering racism as non-PC is a bit breathtaking too...

fuckers ...

thanks to celemon for finding this.

• Tim Dowling
• The Guardian,
• Thursday March 13 2008
• Article history

Nine-times Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova has retaken Czech citizenship, which she lost when she defected from the former Czechoslovakia as an 18-year-old. Although she intends to retain her US citizenship, last year she told a Czech newspaper that she was now as ashamed of George Bush's America as she once was of the communist regime of her homeland. "The thing is, we elected Bush," she said. "That is worse! Against that, nobody chose a communist government in Czechoslovakia."

Strong words, but can one really compare the Czechoslovakia of 1975 with the United States of today?

Czechoslovakia, 1975: Despite widespread discontent with the oppressive Husak regime, a 1974 study finds active support for the government in 15% of the population, identified as pensioners, party bureaucrats, careerists, "parasites", extremist ideologues and persons involved in the Stalinist repression who fear that liberalisation might force them to account for their crimes.

US, 2008: George Bush's approval ratings generally hover around 30%, although one recent poll put it as low as 19%.

Czechoslovakia, 1975: Free healthcare available to all citizens.

US, 2008: 47 million Americans (16% of the population) have no health insurance. Another 16 million are "underinsured".

Czechoslovakia, 1975: Despite an increased standard of living and the widespread availability of material goods, consumerism is failing to placate a population fed up with draconian political controls.

US, 2008: Despite a rise in the cost of living, consumerism continues to placate a population largely oblivious to the curtailment of its freedoms.

Czechoslovakia, 1975: Growth of "net material product" is at an annual average of 5.7%, exceeding the target rate of 5.1% set out in the fifth Five-Year Plan. Full employment.

US, 2008: Energy Information Administration this week predicted negative growth in the two forthcoming financial quarters, the official definition of recession. 101,000 private-sector jobs were lost in February alone.

Czechoslovakia, 1975: The granting of visas to foreigners is "arbitrary", with denials justified under the "defence of national security", according to dissidents.

US, 2008: The American government uses the Patriot Act to bar entry to foreign visitors on the basis of ideology, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Czechoslovakia, 1975: Torture, though not officially sanctioned, has become a covert tool of state policy.

US, 2008: Torture officially sanctioned.

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Hjælp! I am looking to buy a morning coat from here: http://www.uniformalwearhouse.com/apages/tuxedojackets_trad.html only to find that when I click on buy it asks me about sizes that i have never heard about and that uncle google can't find:

48R,48L,48S,48M,48X ???

does anybody know what they are talking about?

thanks!

A blessed and peaceful Christmas to you all and your friends and families

'nuff said

http://birdloversonly.blogspot.com/2007/09/may-i-have-this-dance.html

if anybody manages to work out the embedding I'd be grateful :)

Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Carrot Ironfounderson You are Captain Carrot Ironfounderson of the City Watch in the greatest city on the Disc – Ankh-Morprok! A truly good natured, honest guy, who knows everyone, and is liked by all. Technically a dwarf, but only by adoption. You’d rather not be reminded that you are the true heir to the throne, but that does explain why people naturally follow your orders… Carrot Ironfounderson 94% Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 81% Commander Samuel Vimes 63% The Librarian 63% Lord Havelock Vetinari 50% Cohen The Barbarian 44% Death 31% Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 31% Greebo 31% Rincewind 19%

what she said:

http://ginmar.livejournal.com/1244018.html