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December 1st, 2009
baronmind
 | 11:54 am - It Is the Same to You, Dormouse
In a disturbing yet fascinating sign that we truly live in the future, scientists have found a way to create dead animals from live animals. You may think that this is nothing new; after all, people have been doing this for thousands of years with both blunt and sharp objects. The great leap forward, however, is that this is now able to be done without killing the original animal.
By taking cells from a live pig, these researchers have been able to grow pig meat in a laboratory. I'm not certain that it qualifies as vegetarian yet, for a number of reasons, primarily because it's described as having been grown in "a broth of other animal products," which sounds a bit suspicious to me. Maybe they'll be able to grow those other animal products in petri dishes, too, though. It's unclear.
Right now, the meat grown is presumably disgusting; no one's reported to have tried it, possibly because the scientists are calling it "soggy pork," which might be the most unappetizing description possible. Although they've grown the muscle, it was completely unexercised during its "life," which is fairly important to creating something worth eating. I think that this is the sort of thing that electricity is for, though. There's the risk of it being accidentally brought to life, of course, as electricity is also good for reanimating dead tissue, but I think that's an acceptable risk. Even if the electricity did bring it to a monstrous parody of life, it's got no sensory organs and its muscles are weak, so it should have a short-lived, unfocused and inefficient rampage at best.
I want to know exactly how many cells they needed from the pig to kick this thing off. The article mentions that they also made fish fillets from goldfish cells, so it can't be that many; goldfish just aren't that big. This is important information, because I want to know if I can volunteer the cells necessary to grow a steak made from my own flesh. Obviously, it can't be done immediately; the kinks in the process need to be worked out, the sogginess issue done away with, the reanimation successfully avoided. But if I don't have the option to sitting down to a meal cloned from myself within 10 years, I'm going to be very disappointed in science.
I think it would be a big seller. Stop in at a clinic, have the sample taken, and in half a year you can throw a party. "Come over for dinner!" the invitations can say. "I made it myself."
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/baronmind/MoodCreatures/monster22.png) cheerful
Current Music: The Greenskeepers -- Lotion
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ruthling
 | 08:48 am - Happy Birthday ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ministry_slut!
hope it's an excellent day!
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November 30th, 2009
razz
 | 10:02 pm - The BloggerAid Cook Book
I'm proud to be a part of this project! I have a recipe and photo in it, and helped edit it.
Available from createspace at https://www.createspace.com/3405882.
Recipes from bloggers around the world making a difference
By BloggerAid-CFF, Rhonda Renee, Mark Haak, Peter Georgakopoulos, Deeba Rajpal
Food does not simply nourish the body; food also celebrates what makes the world diverse, as well as, what unites us. The BloggerAid Cook Book is a collection of international recipes illustrating that we can work together and unite for a greater cause. The authors of this cookbook are food bloggers from around the world who have endeavored to make a difference by raising funds for the World Food Programme and encompassing their passion for "all things foodie" at the same time. Through these recipes they share their traditions and insatiable curiosity about new flavours. They pay tribute to the home cooking of our grandmothers, while celebrating the exoticism and richness of a world brought closer together by their hopes to make a difference. With recipes such as Tomato-Cheese Ravioli with Eggplant Sauce, Spicy Serundeng Tuna and Peanuts, Serrano Ham Paella with Oyster Mushrooms, Raspberry Mascarpone Bites and Triple Layer Orange-Passion Fruit Tart we are doing our part to say that bloggers can change the face of famine.
We chose the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) to receive the funds generated by the cookbook because of the wonderful work this organization does. The WFP has touched the lives of our members, many of whom are from countries where poverty is often a way of life. More specifically, 100% of BloggerAid's proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the WFP's School Meals Programme, which benefits an average of 22 million hungry children each year. School meals are important on many levels. In countries where school attendance is low, the promise of at least one nutritious meal each day boosts enrollment and promotes regular attendance.
This book is a virtual way for all of us, wherever we may be and however rich or poor we may be, to pull up a chair at the same table and share what we have.
Publication Date: Nov 10 2009
ISBN/EAN13: 1449561926 / 9781449561925
Page Count: 224
Binding Type: US Trade Paper
Trim Size: 8" x 10"
Language: English
Color: Full Color
Related Categories: Cooking / General
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fitfool
 | 09:21 pm - Chicken with Artichokes
I made this one up! Back in February, my boyfriend came home from work earlier than expected. So I hurriedly whipped up this chicken dish. Tasted amazing to both of us though I tend to like any dish that involves lots of artichokes. I tried making it again a few weeks later but I must've forgotten how to make it because it didn't taste the same. Still tasty, just not awesome. The chicken wasn't cooked perfectly like the first time. Maybe I needed to pound flatter the second time. I had scribbled down some notes if you want to try making it.
Chicken with Artichokes
- Start with split chicken breasts with bone. Pound them flatter.
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper under the skin, on top of the skin, and on the back side of the chicken.
- Sautee some minced garlic then push garlic to the sides of the pan.
- Put the chicken in, skin side down for about 3 minutes. Then flip and let the other side cook about 4-5 minutes. Still not all the way done.
- Remove chicken and deglazed the pan with some chicken stock.
- Mix in the coarsely chopped artichokes.
- Add back the chicken (keeping skin above the liquid) and let simmer another 5 minutes until it is just finished cooking.
- Splash it with two squirts of lemon juice.
- Serve with some rice or roasted asparagus.
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baronmind
 | 11:55 am - Thanksgive-and-take
So, it was Thanksgiving! I was very thankful. In fact, I was completely thankful; I've given all of my thanks now, and I'm out. I can't be thankful for anything else until I get some more thanks. Fortunately, people are still breaking their computers around here, so I expect I'll have some back in short order. I'm not sure where they got their thanks from; perhaps their Thanksgivings weren't as successful as mine, or maybe they went out and bought some more on Black Friday. I'm not totally clear on where thanks comes from initially.
Regardless, I'd like to propose a new holiday: Thankstaking. This is not intended to replace Thanksgiving in any way, but merely to supplement it. It can happen on the Friday after Thanksgiving, when everyone's sort of lolling about eating leftovers anyway; it's a good residual kind of holiday.
The premise is simple: you tell people that they've done a good job on things, and they have to shut up and take the compliment. It's a surprisingly difficult task for some folks! I, fortunately, am not among this crowd; I can take a compliment like nobody's business. If someone says to me, "Hey, thanks for your help!", I say, "No worries!" without even thinking twice.
I've noticed that many of my friends have a distressing habit of saying things like, "Oh, it was nothing," or "Anyone would have done that," or "It really wasn't a big deal." These and other self-deprecating responses will be unacceptable on Thankstaking. The only appropriate reply to someone thanking you is acceptance. If you're uncomfortable with this, tack on a return compliment! Everyone wins. Except people who didn't do anything that anyone else is thankful for, I suppose, but perhaps they could stand to have this pointed out to them every once in a while.
I think Thankstaking is a holiday that everyone can get behind. Having to verbally wrestle someone into submission just to get them to accept credit for a job well done is frustrating; it'll be nice to have one day a year where that doesn't happen. And when you're thankful for someone taking a compliment without argument, send that thanks my way. I'll give you a big thumbs-up.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v179/baronmind/MoodCreatures/monster24.png) good
Current Music: Florence + The Machine -- Drumming Song
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November 29th, 2009
smileyali
 | 04:59 pm - Any time
Just grabbing some lines from notes I wrote in the week.
It could be any time of day
and any time of week
the flywheel's cadence steadies
The silence of my corridor swarms
spreading and surrounding her
and the music keeps on playing
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smileyali
| 10:12 am - travel
Trying to get an element of the rhythm of the train into this one. Bear with me.
My train pulls in to Warrington Bank Quay
Through the window rushing images stream,
Benches and people and litter and signs
Squinting and searching and loving folk wait.
Rucksack slung behind me opening the door
Wishing, hoping I'm first to see you
in that moment where you're unaware of me
My alertness rewarded
by your wakening smile of welcome, of love
of joy, reflected feeling.
No words as we reach for each other
the train vanishes, no noise penetrates
our world of you and I and our embrace
Love too large for speaking
Joy too wide for warrington bank quay
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November 28th, 2009
November 27th, 2009
obsqurity
 | 12:31 pm
Dear muscles,
Let me remind you that you agreed to be abused, in exchange for so much food. You will take it, and you will love it!
Me
5K run monday and wednesday, DVD workouts yesterday and today, snowshoeing tomorrow. (!!)
mmm, shaky...
I need a new short-term fitness goal. It's tough in the winter months, because there aren't many events to motivate me. I've been doing reasonably well with squeezing in indoor workouts and running outside when I can. But I'd prefer to be stepping it up another notch too. Any suggestions?
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gothhippiegrrl
 | 10:29 am - I AM SO BORED. WHY AM I HERE?!
Confessional is open.
IP logging is off.
Comments are screened.
Have at it. Confess something to me. Insult me. Compliment me. Ask me a question you've been dying to ask me. Tell me some juicy gossip about someone I may or may not know. Etc. Get it off your chest and keep me entertained while I sit here at work with no work to do on the day after Thanksgiving while the rest of the world is at home or out shopping.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/charitycam/suns/confused.gif) curious
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November 26th, 2009
note_to_self
[firefox1490]
 | 02:55 am
Dear Self
Stop Facebook stalking people(person). Its annoying and depressing and to be honest its kind of creepy, especially since you refuse to talk to said people(person) in real life. And if you can't just defriend them(him)! Its okay to defriend someone(him) really it is.
Sincerely,
The Girl Who Wants A Life
PS. And stop LJ stalking people even though its really an accident.
PPS. If you do defriend this does not mean you should talk in real life cause...well you shouldn't.
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November 25th, 2009
smileyali
| 07:08 pm - Second try of the day
The previous one didn't really even start to work for me. Trying again.
Fred likes roses and roll ups and rugby
He is annoyed by paperwork, pensions and parking
Every morning he shuffles to the corner cafe,
Flat cap, grey anorak and loose fitting jeans.
Breakfast is always a bought bacon butty.
Later he emerges once again, takes his time
to walk the street. Returns with the mirror
under his arm. He likes to be active.
At lunchtime he's on the road again,
he frequents the "Park Hotel"
for a pint, with his mates.
They sit in solemn rows, backs to the wall
looking in, flat caps and northern phlegm.
When Edith was with us, he always smoked outdoors
Since she died the habit stayed alive,
and when the weather is fine he leans on the wall,
talking to anyone who will.
He worked forty years with the water board
every day took his bike and leisurely pedalled.
No children, Fred and Edith but family always
important, put first, cared about and cared for.
Some evenings Martin from No 5 calls around
and together they walk to "The Park" for a beer.
His world shrunk to manageable size.
When at the end he was cremated, no-one came from the park.
I know, I was there.
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