Text 8084, 128 rader
Skriven 2008-05-31 13:21:59 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Michael Loo
Ärende: BEYOND 378  80531
=========================
 -=> Quoting Michael Loo to Glen Jamieson <=-

 ML> Can it be that your Ozzie disdain for this country is based
 ML> partially on 1960s attitudes? Okay, you've been here since,
 ML> but then your own views are more moderate than those of, say,
 ML> your non-coal-gas-affected colleague.

I can probably blame my Scottish forebears, or growing up during the
Great Depression, but my main rant is not anti-USA, but objection to
profligate use of non-renewable resources.  In this, Australia is even
worse than USA on a per capita basis.  China argues that as "Western"
countries (which in this instance includes Australia, which is to the
South) used lots of petroleum to achieve their present high standard of
living, why shouldn't China?  This reasoning is understandable, but not
morally justifiable in the present and anticipated climate.
 
 GJ> As cost is the main mover in such matters, world fuel price increases
 GJ> will result in greater effort being spent on more fuel efficient means
 GJ> of transport than cars - or jet planes.  Roll on the trains and
 GJ> trolley-buses, running on nuclear generated electricity!

 ML> In many respects I'm with you, but not until the problem of
 ML> human error is conquered will I be comfortable with substantial
 ML> reliance on nuclear-generated electricity. The first step would
 ML> be to pay plant operators commensurate with their responsibilities

Many more deaths per kWhr of energy used result from human error of car
drivers than that of nuclear station builders and operators.

There are dangers attached to all forms of power.  We should choose the
source of power which kills the fewest people.  I could probably find
the death rate associated with the toxic emissions from vehicles and
cooking stoves (WHO gives 1.6 million per year just from indoor air
pollution), and compare that with the death rate resulting from
accidents at nuclear power sites, but I believe that the rate per
kiloWatthour of power would be far, far lower in the nuclear-powered
world. After all, the main nuclear country, France, which generates
some 60% of its power nuclearly has a 100% safety record for nuclear,
but thousands of Frenchmen wipe themselves out in automobiles.
 
 GJ> By comparing my mental state with people who grew up in places outside
 GJ> the influence of coal gas, for example Kevin, I can see that I am very
 GJ> normal indeed.

 ML> Uh huh.

You sound unconvinced.
 
 GJ> been deep-fried.  Apparently marinated first, then quickly cooked in
 GJ> hot oil to crunchiness.  They really did look like dead spiders, but
 ML> Perhaps they were in fact dead spiders, which are supposed to
 ML> taste pretty good anyhow. Deep-fried big baby octopuses would
 ML> probably be kind of mushy inside.

 ML> Ah - from your previous scenario I imagined they were fried to
 ML> unrecognizable crunchiness. Actually, I'd expect crunchy-fried
 ML> spiders to taste like crab and crunchy-fried octopus to taste
 ML> like squid.

The legs were crunchy, the tiny bodies not so much.  If they were
deep-fried to crunchy bodies I suspect the legs would be charcoal.
The deep-fried whole, coin-sized crabs I have eaten in Manila had a
similar divine combination of texture and flavour.

 ML> =
 
 GJ> The rice shown on Australian TV being supplied to the Burmese needy
 GJ> was all labelled "Product of Australia".  Doubtless your TV would show
 GJ> donations as coming from USA.
 ML> No doubt. One does like to feel good about one's country sometimes.

It pays to advertise.
 
 GJ> The Japanese response to the major disasters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
 GJ> was to invent instant noodles as a source of nourishment which was
 GJ> easy to make and transport, and required very little fuel to prepare.
 GJ> Recently these noodles were considered to be the most important
 GJ> Japanese invention of the 20th century.

 ML> Those and the shinkansen. As I recall, Mr. Ramen (not his real name)
 ML> died recently and was universally mourned.

Like most great inventions, the Shinkansen was developed from earlier
work done by others, notably the Germans, who had electric trains
running at 130 mph before WW1.
 
 ML> My buddy Jack, who oversaw the rebuilding of Hiroshima, also
 ML> died recently. His widow just sent me an e-mail asking for advice
 ML> on how to dispose of his viola, which has been appraised at over
 ML> $500000. Giving it to me, I understand, is not an option!

As the opposite of Nero, who allegedly fiddled while Rome burned, did
your friend play his viola while Hiroshima recovered from burning?
She could try leaving it in a taxi, which is a method of disposal that
some string players seem to prefer.  I recently heard a description of
the playing of Debussy by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Claudio
Abado as, "polished, but not glossy".  An interesting expression.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Fiddlehead Puff
 Categories: Wild, Cheese
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      1 lb Fiddleheads
      1 c  Bisquickr baking  or like
           Mix
      1 c  Milk
      2    Eggs
    1/2 ts Salt
      1 c  Shredded cheddar cheese
 
  Heat oven to 325 F.  Butter 1 1/2 L casserole dish.  Beat baking mix,
  milk, eggs and salt with hand beater until smooth.  Stir in
  fiddleheads and cheese.  Pour into baking dish and bake about 1 hour,
  until knife inserted between center and edge comes out clean.
  
  :Recipe By: The First Ever Fiddlehead Harvesters Guide
  
  From: Godblessesus7 <godblessesus7@worl
 
MMMMM
 

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)