September 27, 2022

What Russian State Media Tell Us About REFERENDUMS

Think about having OAN as your only news source, blatted out of your TV 24/7, with no opposition and nothing else, anywhere. Think about a 10 year prison sentence if you don't manage to say the exact words they want you to say.

You're not even allowed to say the "pro Russian voters" all sound drugged, blink a lot, and are constantly shifting their eyes to the side to make sure they're not offending the guys with the guns.

Sheesh. Poor Niki.

September 26, 2022

This week's demented food video

Unlike last week's I think I'll pass on this one. They used to sell cod cheeks (minus the rest of the head) back in Boston, ostensibly for fish chowder. I used to marinat them in garlicky Italian dressing, skewer them, and cook them on the grill, they were just firm enough to stay on the skewer. I also did fish tempura with them, but they were a little too firm for that.

"Chippy Tea," however, was a definite winner.

September 21, 2022

Chippy Tea--posted for those with a partner who has a wooden palate

(Just heard it on a Boston radio station, couldn't resist)

September 21, 2022

Putin prepares to address nation since invasion of Ukraine tomorrow 9 News Australia

He was supposed to make a speech last night, canceled it at the last minute, now it's tomorrow morning, just a couple of hours from now. Been sitting on this, waiting for someone to post it. This is his first major speech since his rambling and off the wall justification for the invasion of Ukraine.

Possibilities: Major pep talk; full mobilization (which won't work, they can't feed, clothe, house, equip and train that many men and even if they could, it would take months); withdrawal, probably from everything but Crimea and maybe Luhansk; or just announcing his phony plebiscite within the next week in which they'll OF COURSE all vote to join Mother Russia.

My guess is that it's probably the first combined with the last. Mobilization will piss people off in addition to not working and his pride won't allow him to withdraw.

Still, there's the potential for many things to change tomorrow and don't say you weren't warned.

September 12, 2022

What Russian State Nedia Tell us about Ukraine

More than a little sarcasm from Niki Proshin:

September 7, 2022

Human Skin Didn't Always Fear The Sun, Not Until A Huge Change 10,000 Years Ago

Excellent introductory article by Dr. Nina Jablonski, too much to encapsulate in 4 paragraphs. It's more accessible than her lectures since it doesn't delve into things like molecular biology.

https://www.sciencealert.com/human-skin-didnt-always-fear-the-sun-not-until-a-huge-change-10000-years-ago

This might be a gateway drug, her online lectures are wonderful as she neatly torpedoes "race" based on skin color.

September 7, 2022

World's Oldest Evidence of Surgical Amputation Lay Hidden For 31,000 Years

Uncovered in a limestone cave in a remote region of East Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo, the skeleton was excavated in 2020 by a team of Indonesian and Australian researchers, co-led by archaeologist Tim Maloney of Griffith University.

On closer inspection, they discovered the young individual had had their left foot skillfully removed, probably as a child, at least 31,000 years ago.

Remarkably, it healed well enough for the person to live for another six to nine years before they were interred with their amputated leg outstretched and burial markers atop the grave.

https://www.sciencealert.com/worlds-oldest-evidence-of-surgical-amputation-lay-hidden-for-31000-years

Fascinating article with things even I can recognize, like the oblique cut still used and the fully healed callus on the end. Our primitive ancestors don't look so primitive. They were learned in medicine and likely had a large scale social organization that is completely different from ours.