We've also had a whole load of blackberries and blackcurrants, purple sprouting broccoli, courgettes (zucchini) and, my personal favorite, pink fir apple potatoes.
They're as ugly as sin but they taste divine.
August 31, 2008
The bountiful earth
Mac's allotment is really producing this year. We've had all the corn we can handle, and then some. I handed half a dozen cobs to a neighbor last week. In return, we got a couple of pounds of pollack and some mackerel he'd caught.
We've also had a whole load of blackberries and blackcurrants, purple sprouting broccoli, courgettes (zucchini) and, my personal favorite, pink fir apple potatoes.
They're as ugly as sin but they taste divine.
We've also had a whole load of blackberries and blackcurrants, purple sprouting broccoli, courgettes (zucchini) and, my personal favorite, pink fir apple potatoes.
They're as ugly as sin but they taste divine.
Family life
No 1 Son will be starting at Exeter University next month. Yesterday, he gave me a guided tour of the place. Of course, seeing as how we're living in the 21st century, I didn't have to leave the house to take a look around - I got the virtual tour. It looks pretty impressive, too.
Holland Hall (student residence)
Typical student room
School of Psychology
Holland Hall (student residence)
Typical student room
School of Psychology
August 27, 2008
August 26, 2008
Monday roundabout
Norman Geras writes in defense of democratic socialism.
Uncredible Hallq hosts the 24th Humanist Symposium. [Via FIHD]
Oliver Kamm (now blogging at the Times) has "Ten moments from Tony Benn".
PooterGeek reviews "The Dark Knight".
And finally,
The Debatable Land has the video of Boris Johnson's "Ping Pong is coming home" speech.
Uncredible Hallq hosts the 24th Humanist Symposium. [Via FIHD]
Oliver Kamm (now blogging at the Times) has "Ten moments from Tony Benn".
PooterGeek reviews "The Dark Knight".
And finally,
The Debatable Land has the video of Boris Johnson's "Ping Pong is coming home" speech.
Suicide vest girl
The BBC has video of the arrest of "Iraqi 'suicide vest' girl":-
Her mother and husband tricked her into it according to the Kansas City Star which has details along with a picture of the 15 year-old Raina.
A 13-year-old girl wearing a vest packed with explosives has been arrested in the Iraqi town of Baquba, after turning herself in - according to US officials.What kind of person sends a young girl out to commit murderous suicide?
She allegedly surrendered to police in Baquba and they had to remove the vest before detaining her. Iraqi police released a video of the incident.
A US military spokesman said she apparently approached the Iraqi police saying she had the vest on and did not want to go through with it. But it was not clear if she had been forced to wear the vest or had done so voluntarily.
Her mother and husband tricked her into it according to the Kansas City Star which has details along with a picture of the 15 year-old Raina.
Blog under threat
From Brett at Harry's Place:-
Harry’s Place may be removed (or rather have it’s DNS disabled) after a ‘complaint’ to the company that our domain name is registered with.If Harry's Place is down updates will be available from harryblog at gee mail dot com.
We assume after threats were made on the weekend that this ‘complaint’ originates from Jenna Delich or her supporters.
Though we have not yet seen the complaint submitted, we assume it runs along the lines that pointing out that Ms Delich linked to the website of a known neo-Nazi figure and former Ku Klux Klan leader is defamatory.
August 25, 2008
Oh, the humanity!
From the Telegraph: BBC reporter Lyse Doucet says the British media is not doing enough to communicate "the humanity of the Taliban".
Some examples of the Taliban's "humanity" (not cited by Ms Doucet):-
Me too.
Some examples of the Taliban's "humanity" (not cited by Ms Doucet):-
The murder of foreign aid workers.David Szondy at Ephemeral Isle says of Lyse Doucet: "How this remarkably silly woman manages to navigate through life without the smallest fraction of common sense or moral judgment is beyond me."
The skinning alive of captured French soldiers.
The beheading of a teacher in front of his family for the "crime" of educating girls.
Sundry other atrocities too numerous to detail here.
Me too.
Still In the kitchen
I'm not blogging much because I'm cooking loads. And having a great deal of fun.
Tonight's menu: kofta bhoona served with basmati rice, spiced green beans, chapattis and a mint and onion raita. It really is great to be back in the kitchen!
Don't worry, I'll get over it, and then I'll be back to blogging about current affairs, the state of the world and all the other really important things.
In the meantime, excuse me while I go eat.
Update
Almost forgot, as a perfect end to the evening, Mac and I are going to sit down together, share a bottle of wine and watch "I Know Where I'm Going" - they don't make them like that anymore.
Tonight's menu: kofta bhoona served with basmati rice, spiced green beans, chapattis and a mint and onion raita. It really is great to be back in the kitchen!
Don't worry, I'll get over it, and then I'll be back to blogging about current affairs, the state of the world and all the other really important things.
In the meantime, excuse me while I go eat.
Update
Almost forgot, as a perfect end to the evening, Mac and I are going to sit down together, share a bottle of wine and watch "I Know Where I'm Going" - they don't make them like that anymore.
August 24, 2008
Foodfest
Yesterday was Mac's birthday. We had friends round for tea and cakes. Mac baked a chocolate cake, pineapple passion cake and bramble muffins, Spud (age 10) made flapjacks and, for supper, I cooked giant conchiglie stuffed with ricotta and spinach.
Today, Mac made tomato and lentil soup for lunch and, this evening, I'll be cooking chicken korma with pilau rice and saag bhaji.
I'm still in some pain from my botched op but at least I can eat pretty much what I want now - after months of plain baked chicken and boiled vegetables I've got some catching up to do.
So excuse me but I need to get back to the kitchen.
Today, Mac made tomato and lentil soup for lunch and, this evening, I'll be cooking chicken korma with pilau rice and saag bhaji.
I'm still in some pain from my botched op but at least I can eat pretty much what I want now - after months of plain baked chicken and boiled vegetables I've got some catching up to do.
So excuse me but I need to get back to the kitchen.
August 22, 2008
In between
It has not been a good day in the Junior household. I have been mostly in between - in between going in to hospital and not going in to hospital.
Last week, I was led to believe I would be going in as soon as a bed was available. Today, I was informed there are no plans to admit me: I will be treated as an outpatient.
That's fine, except that the uncertainty of it all has had no small impact on the significant others in my life. Questions have arisen. For example: Do I need to arrange childcare? Does Mac need to take time off work? Do I need to put on hold those (admittedly small number of) commitments I have to other people?
All in all, being in between has not been a comfortable experience: I value clarity. Unfortunately, the National Health Service does not seem to hold it in the same high regard.
As I said, it has not been a good day in the Junior household.
Last week, I was led to believe I would be going in as soon as a bed was available. Today, I was informed there are no plans to admit me: I will be treated as an outpatient.
That's fine, except that the uncertainty of it all has had no small impact on the significant others in my life. Questions have arisen. For example: Do I need to arrange childcare? Does Mac need to take time off work? Do I need to put on hold those (admittedly small number of) commitments I have to other people?
All in all, being in between has not been a comfortable experience: I value clarity. Unfortunately, the National Health Service does not seem to hold it in the same high regard.
As I said, it has not been a good day in the Junior household.
August 21, 2008
Thursday roundabout
In country: Michael Totten reports from Tbilisi.
Dave Price at Dean's World on infrastructure improvements in Iraq.
Zoe Brain takes the Slavoj Test.
Eddie Campbell has brought a fistful of comics back from his book tour.
And finally,
Life and death in Blue Gel City: Science Punk has taken up ant farming.
Dave Price at Dean's World on infrastructure improvements in Iraq.
Zoe Brain takes the Slavoj Test.
Eddie Campbell has brought a fistful of comics back from his book tour.
And finally,
Life and death in Blue Gel City: Science Punk has taken up ant farming.
Current reading
"The Rise of the Greek Epic" by Gilbert Murray.
Actually, I'm rereading it, and enjoying it greatly. I read a lot of Classics at university and Gilbert Murray's works were foremost amongst them.
I don't often link to Wikipedia but the entry on Murray provides a fairly comprehensive picture of the life and works of a remarkable man.
Actually, I'm rereading it, and enjoying it greatly. I read a lot of Classics at university and Gilbert Murray's works were foremost amongst them.
I don't often link to Wikipedia but the entry on Murray provides a fairly comprehensive picture of the life and works of a remarkable man.
Funding terror
Newsnight, the BBC's flagship news and current affairs program, reports that UK charity Children in Need provided funding to the terrorists responsible for the 7/7 attacks.
According to a report in yesterday's Telegraph:-
According to a report in yesterday's Telegraph:-
Thousands of pounds raised by Britons for the BBC’s Children in Need charity could have been used to recruit and train the homegrown terrorists involved in the 7/7 terror attacks on London.
Some of the cash could also have been used to fund the propaganda activities of the suicide bombers who killed 52 people in July 2005, according to an investigation by BBC 2’s Newsnight.
The programme reported that £20,000 from Children in Need was handed over to the Leeds Community School, in Beeston, Yorkshire between 1999 and 2002.
The school, which also received large sums from other public bodies, was run from premises behind the Iqra Islamic bookshop which the gang used as a meeting place and an opportunity to radicalise others.
Lightning strikes again
Usain Bolt yesterday after winning the 200m final in a new world record time of 19.30 secs.
BBC video of the race here.
August 19, 2008
Beijing 2008
Most pointless Olympic sport, ever: Men's Beach Volleyball.
Mac doesn't get it either: "They're wearing shirts?!"
Update
Neo-neocon objects to the "pulchritudinous inequities" of the sport.
Mac doesn't get it either: "They're wearing shirts?!"
Update
Neo-neocon objects to the "pulchritudinous inequities" of the sport.
Tuesday roundabout
Ophelia Benson: For women "Afghanistan is pretty much one big prison, run by sadistic rapist guards."
Oliver Kamm (now blogging at the Times) draws attention to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's links with the Communist Party of Britain.
Kings of War examines what motivates the killing of aid workers in Afghanistan.
Jason Rosenhouse at Evolution Blog reports from the Sixth International Conference on Creationism.
And finally,
Orac at Respectful Insolence has a video of all the "Dr Who" episodes compressed into 8 minutes.
Oliver Kamm (now blogging at the Times) draws attention to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament's links with the Communist Party of Britain.
Kings of War examines what motivates the killing of aid workers in Afghanistan.
Jason Rosenhouse at Evolution Blog reports from the Sixth International Conference on Creationism.
And finally,
Orac at Respectful Insolence has a video of all the "Dr Who" episodes compressed into 8 minutes.
Insulting friends
A flimsy article on the difficulties of being friends with celebrities by Sathnam Sanghera in today's Times contains a passage that left me scratching my head.
It beats me why would anyone want to be friends with someone who did that sort of thing, and yet Sanghera seems to think it's normal. I dunno, maybe I'm the odd one out here but I tend to regard such behavior as being indicative of unresolved personal issues.
Or maybe I'm just taking Sanghera's piece more seriously than it deserves.
You may have noticed that one of the main ways in which male friends communicate is through the medium of insult. You find someone's weak point - a big bottom, flappy ears, a flappy bottom, big ears - and tease him about it relentlessly.This may be true of juveniles but I haven't witnessed it much in grown men and it certainly isn't characteristic of any of my friendships.
It beats me why would anyone want to be friends with someone who did that sort of thing, and yet Sanghera seems to think it's normal. I dunno, maybe I'm the odd one out here but I tend to regard such behavior as being indicative of unresolved personal issues.
Or maybe I'm just taking Sanghera's piece more seriously than it deserves.
The Phelps effect
The BBC's Steve Parry is mobbed by fans in Tiananmen Square as he's mistaken for Michael Phelps.
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