So much to talk about today... and Guy's not here (business in Utah). I'll just put the topics here, we'll talk abou them later. Supper tonight is simple, it's just Emma and I. I think we'll do a 'quick vegi soup' (recipe to follow).
So... so ... much to talk about..
Drink to live When you learn that moderate drinking can reduce your chance of heart attacks I've got bad hypertension (200/180 or so untreated) and I used to be a Mormon. Because of the latter, I still rarely drink. Rare meaning a sip of wine occassionally when offered. My doctor likes that I don't drink. Now research comes out saying that 3 or less drinks a day can be good, more than 3 and you raise your blood pressure. Hmm, guess I could become a drinker if I wished... but I'd just have to get past that vinegar taste of wine (well, for me anyway).. ain't worth it, and I'm sure that .00001 drinks a day is just fine in the health department :D.
In the, "Oh my god" department A man, in a seizure, falls on the the NYC subway tracks. Another man, 50 with his two daughters, JUMPS onto the tracks and not being able to pull the man to safety (still in his seizure), hunkers down IN THE MIDDLE of the track. The train passes right over them both, missing them by inches. The poor daughters thought he was crushed, only to hear him shout he was all right... I wonder if I would have had that kind of courage. Dang.
The runway must have been too busy A bunch of workers and pilots for United swear they saw a UFO at Chicago O'Hare airport. I wonder if I should be flying United if they been smokin something :D.
(the last two above I give a hat tip to Towleroad)
This is interesting the religious makeup of the Congress has changed a lot in the last decades. Not only is there the first ever Muslim (and a big 'oh sheesh' to the supposed 'scandal' of him swearing in on the Koran), there are two Buddhists for the first time ever (including a black man from Georgia.. Terrance has a chance!.. hat tip to him btw :D), the highest ranking Mormon ever (Reid, a devout Mormon, senate majority leader, D Nevada), more Jews than Episcopalians for the first time (Episcopalians have historically been one of the largest groups represented). Times, they are a-changing. Wonder if a former-Mormon kind-of Episcopalian/Congregationalist gay white man can get elected :D... well, not if his partner has any say in it he can't ;-).
A friend suggested this show to me on HGTV: Living with Ed. A 'reality show' following actor Ed Begley Jr in his and his wife's "earth-friendly fanatic" living.. with tips. Could be interesting... or just make environment-friendly seem even more absurd than some people think it is (and isn't).
Personal genomics, yep.. headed your way... better be prepared.
Oh, and about Episcopals... Apparently there are 50 Anglican priests married in Britain... to the same gender. Now that is going to piss of that Nigerian bishop and those Virginian congregations. (hat tip Andrew Sullivan).
Oh, and that recipe...
8 cups of vegetable broth
whatever vegetables you've got left over (try at least 1-2 root vegetables, 1-2 'top' vegetables and 1 green)
1-2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
2 cans of whatever beans
2 tablespoons Herbs de Provence (or 2 teaspoons each of tarragon, oregano and parsley)
Bring to boil, simmer for 30-40 minutes. Serve.
Comments (6)
Heh. Thanks for the vote of confidence. But there's very little chance I'll ever run for office. Let alone congress.
I have way too much of a past to even consider it. ;-)
Comment #2637 on January 2, 2007 4:32 PM |
PreS: I just noticed that this comment box says "(you may use HTML tags for style)". *laughs* I love how you give us men and women yet ANOTHER avenue to showcase to the world our own fabulous style! ;-) [and as I always say.. "style over comfort!"]
About the man who jumped into the subway tracks to save a life...
` ... they always tell you to NOT be the hero and run into a burning house to save someone, or (if you're an employee of a retail store) to not persue a thief.
Is it stupid or praiseworthy to follow your impulse to save a life like that? Or perhaps it is both?
` And is it /cowardly/ to /not/ do what he did?
` Or maybe it's just that, in that fast-paced moment, nothing is cowardly or incowardly -- you don't have time to think.. you just either save a life without thinking or stay on the sidelines without thinking..?
Any thoughts?
Comment #2654 on January 3, 2007 12:45 AM |
LOL... if only I could use them for style!!
I think you hit it on the head. I thought that myself... it could be construed as stupid. It's actually something evolutionary biologists grapple with all the time, these acts of altruistic life-threatening behavior for strangers. Doesn't make evolutionary sense (though they have some good theories)
If there is a good chance of dying and you have children, you could be leaving your children without a parent.
Not a good idea.
But these things are much to quick to 'think' them through. I don't think we can. We do them or not based on a set of impulses... it is heroic, but was it cowardly not to do it? Not so sure.
Comment #2677 on January 3, 2007 10:02 AM |
My brother used to be in the air force and he told me the military has a couple of disc shaped air crafts that can move around in different directions, but aren't public knowledge. He said those are the crafts that often get mistaken for UFO's. Apparently the US military has access to a lot of technology that the general public has no or little knowledge of.
Comment #2680 on January 3, 2007 10:33 AM |
could be, I wouldn't discount it.
I remember when living in Provo Utah in the early 80's there was this huge loud shaking boom sound. Everyone went out to see what it was, it was on the local news. It was quite something.
The Air Force insisted they had no planes in the air that would do that, there was no earthquake (nothing registered)..
so if I had to believe either a) it was a UFO or b) it was an air force experimental plane they didn't want to tell us about...
(b) is much more believable.
Comment #2681 on January 3, 2007 11:33 AM |
(so let's see how these "reply [to a certain comment]" works..?)
heh, Carrie, I'm wondering if it's technically classified information that your brother shouldn't've told you about? Or maybe you are allowed to tell friends about it once you're out of the air force?
Comment #2686 on January 3, 2007 2:47 PM |