On Poo, or, "Damn it, I was not BSing you."

I was telling a class the other day about the chemistry of feces and why it turns dark on the “air” side and stays lighter in the water. I mentioned, as I have for decades to other classes, that in Europe you can find toilets with a shelf to poo on so you can inspect the results and collect a sample if needed. As usual, met with disbelief. “Why would ANYONE want to do that???”
Reasons too numerous to list, but suffice it to say some are good. Like people with IBS or Crohn’s disease that from time to time have to take a look or grab a sample. I am tired of always saying ‘No, really, they do!!!”
So here are the pictures and links. If they don’t work, just Google “toilet for inspecting feces” and look at the images. If you are lucky, you might even get the “twins”.

(Flachspueler means "Washout" in German according to Google translate.)
Essay on subject: http://www.breigh.com/wordpress/archives/1617
Image: lifeintheleftlane.wordpress.com

Muslim World Begins to Crack.

The Muslim world is shaking. Unrest in Tunisia has quickly spread to Egypt with trouble also in Lebanon. I guess “unrest” is mild considering the problems in Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan. And then there are the southern ‘-stans’ of Russia. Beside radical Islam there is a common thread: millions of young men with no prospect for a future. No jobs. No education. No real hope. Nobody really cares about them except radical Clerics and jihadists. Men of twisted value and perspectives who want power. Plain and simple.
I see the problem like this: Muslims often have large families, roughly one half males. The population of young Muslim males is growing quickly with no prospects better than those mentioned above. So what do the 2 to 12 year olds have to look forward to? Work? Not bloody likely. Education? No again. Real hope? Unlikely.
Then there are the girls that grow up to become mothers with many children. Hope? No. Poor, sick, abused? You bet.
Solution? I seriously doubt that short of all-out war eventually, there is no solution. And I really don’t see how all-out war will help either. Maybe reduce the population a bit? Terrible way to do that, isn’t it?
At least that’s the way I see it. How do you see it?
Image: www. northwestindiana.com

Image: www.signsofthelastdays.com

Nothing to Say.

Nothing to write about is a bad sign. With so much to write about it seems strange to have nothing to say about any of it. Weather, religion, politics, even sex. News, work, students, friends, even food. Nothing. I wonder if this is what writers block is all about, or maybe depression? The world flows around you but doesn’t seem to touch. The sun shines but doesn’t seem to be warm. Time moves slowly.
Ah. Reality. Seven squirrels stocking up on spilled sun flower seeds. Furry and warm. Paying not the least attention to the sleeping dogs, going on their way oblivious. Of what? If they knew they wouldn’t be oblivious, would they? Duh.

Tonight then tomorrow then tomorrow again.

Immage: www.spanring.eu

Take the Country Back? You Are Damn Right!!!

The country and world are literally coming apart: Monetary crises; hunger crises; weather crises; immigration crises; civility crises; water crises; education crises; air quality crises and more. There is more than enough to keep politicians busy without getting into our personal lives, again. You would think so anyway. Yet the Republican controlled House and the minority in the Senate, and in more than 28 states, many of which face financial suicide, the self-stated PRIMARY OBJECTIVE of the legislative year is the total removal of the control of a woman’s right to control her OWN BODY. The agenda is to severely restrict or eliminate completely the right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy based on her own choice. Kill Roe v Wade at the federal level, eliminate any Federal funding that goes to abortion services, even when the health of the mother is in danger, and make the provision of abortions a crime. At the state level, a curtailing of licensed termination services, a prohibition of any termination over 20 weeks regardless of the condition of fetus or mother and/or the forcing of a woman to view the sonogram of the fetus prior to the procedure.
What the hell is going on here? Poll after poll indicates that more than 70% of Americans favor abortion services under some circumstances while clearly stating is should not be used merely as birth control. So when the newly elected politicians claim they are doing “The Peoples Business”. Who is” the people?” A minority of the voters, many of whom are conservative Christians that VOTE. Democrats far outnumber Republicans in voter registration and Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor of reproductive rights for women. But the lazy jerks don’t VOTE.
It really is time for women and men of moderate and liberal views to “Take the Country Back” from the radical right wingers that have taken over. Today women lose reproductive rights, tomorrow we lose religious freedoms and the day after tomorrow who knows? Wearing yellow and pink stars on our clothes and being stopped on the street by a man in a long leather coat and being asked “Let me see your PAPERS.”? (Oh, I forgot. They already do that in Arizona and Florida wants to do it too.)
Image: www.sodahead.com

Firenze: Tuscan Treats

One afternoon we were wandering around the side streets near the Ponte Vecchio, getting cold, wet and tires when we spotted a local-looking place. Wood fired pizza oven. Hmmm. This could be interesting. We looked over the menu and decided that would be the place for supper later. And, easy walking from the hotel. The name of this treasure is Le Antiche Carrozze.
I inquired about reservations and the fellow assured me in not much English that at the time we wanted to eat there would be no problem. And there was no problem. When we returned, we were seated quickly and soon had a bottle of a local wine and some good bread. The menu was varied and included several kinds of pizza, Italian style, and much more. Sal and I decided on Carbonara and were delighted with the dish. Perfectly cooked al dente pasta with a rich creamy eggy bacon sauce. To die for, literally it turns out. The combination of cream, egg and bacon fat is surely one of the most artery insulting mixes imaginable. But OMG what wonderful texture and flavor. We have tried Carbonara in other places and had only one to match this one. Years ago. Another tale for another time. We savored this meal, complemented with more nice local wine, and left sated.
Dinner for two including wine, appetizers, meal and tip = $85. A bargain in Florence.
Image: http://www.leantichecarrozze.it/en/menu-and-typical-tuscan-recipes.html

Tales of Firenz: Food

So we got settled in the Anglo-American hotel and set out for the Ponte Vecchio for a look. Same as last time. Dinner. Off to the Buca dell’Orafo for reservations. Chiuso. Hmm. What to do next? We had a tip on a place from a friend (RD) but no name. Too long a walk for one of us in the cold and rain, so back to the hotel. A friendly clerk got Google maps and we looked up the intersection and there it was.
We got a cab ride across town and went in. Table for four? No problem she said in British English. (It was still early by Italian standards.) Wine list? The Sommelier will be with you shortly. Ooops, this doesn’t sound like the place described. A snotty Italian produced a wine list with at least 500 selections and I chose a 35 euro bottle of something red. Sneer by the prick.
The Brit came back and we asked for the menu. She said, and I quote: “I am the menu.” Ooops again. She pulled up a chair and recited a rather extensive list of several courses, no prices, and we chose a modest starter. It came and was good along with the cheap wine. She came back, recited the first and second courses and we chose again. Another bottle of plonk from snotty. Good food, good service, pleasant atmosphere (excepting snotty), then the bill.
GASP! 365 EUROS! In dollars that is around $430 bucks. Definitely not the place RD recommended, but then again we had a good meal and Amex paid for it. Heh, heh.
So my advice is this: If you are ever in a restaurant and somebody says “I am the menu”, excuse yourself and leave.
Image: Buca dell’Orafo; http://www.travelpod.com

Tales of Firenze: Getting In

The first time we went to Firenze (Florence) we got hopelessly lost on the approach and found ourselves on a hill overlooking the Porta Romana, one of the main gateways into the old city. There were two Carabinieri, kind of like our State Police, but National. They had side arms and each had a machine gun slung over their shoulder. I gestured to the closest and said “Excusi Signora”. The big cop looked very suspicious and hostile and began walking in my direction. I held up the map and gestured that we were lost. He loosened up and showed us how to get into the Porta. Only then did I realize I had called him “Lady” instead of “sir”. Crap. No wonder he looked hostile. But I am sure he got a few laughs at the barracks that night.
This time we went right in with Sal the faithful navigator but couldn’t get where we were going according to the directions. Why? Well, the US Consulate is near the Anglo-American Hotel, and for security reasons had blocked off several streets. The one-ways were changed and it seemed no road led to the Hotel. We finally asked for directions and got there eventually. Very frustrating. The British Consulate, right down the road from the American one was completely open. No guards, no barriers, no police.
For the next few days we walked or took cabs.
Image of Carabinieri: http://www.pachinocamnews.it/
Image of Porta Romana: http://www.virtourist.com/

"Please Don't Cry, Baby!": A Tale of Prescience

Go back 25 or 30 years and listen in on a Biology class: “Studies have shown that women that live together tend to have synchronous periods. This confirms the production of a pheromone by menstruating women. Why should you be surprised? We are, after all, members of the Animal Kingdom and have evolved the same basic physiology. Watch the news in the future for more discoveries showing all kinds of pheromone activity in humans.”
A study released January 6th , 2011(1) indicates the presence of a previously unknown pheromone in women’s tears that when sniffed by men reduce the circulating testosterone levels, thus reducing sexual desire and aggression. Why are you surprised? We are, after all, members of the Animal Kingdom. But wait!! Men have known for ages that the mere sight of a woman crying had an immediate effect of kicking in a nurturing posture. “Please don’t cry, baby. I love you so.” followed by an embrace.
Another researcher in Denmark has associated the mysterious pheromone or another in tears that is associated in the increase of Oxytocin release in men, which leads to nurturing behavior.
So now we know: Tears are a stealth weapon to co-op the physiology of men, reduce their aggression and make them more likely to be nurturing. And my prediction from the past continues to be correct. The next time someone says “God, I hate it when she cries. All I can do is give in to whatever she wants.”just smile and say "Yeah, me too!" It remains to be seen if the tears of real emotion and those of “on demand” nature are similar in pheromone content. And, men’s tears have yet to be studied. I predict that they will have the same effect. Keep watching the news. (BTW, I also predicted the collapse of the environment due to overpopulation and pollution. Hmmmmm.)

1. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/68457/title/Lonely_teardrops
Image: mamato2littlemonkeys.blogspot.com

Bologna: Rogo del "Vecchione"

The first time we saw the old man burn was New Years Eve, 2006. We saw the 50' high straw man being built and had no idea what it was for. But at 11:00pm we went into the Piazza Maggiore and listened to live music with a packed crowd. At a few seconds before midnight the straw man began to burn, fireworks spewed from its hands and head and in a minute it was a torch. Spumanti flew and someone gave us cups of the stuff to toast the New Year. What a ball!!!
This year we again visited the Piazza and saw not a giant straw man, but a giant straw frog. We found out that each year a different artist is chosen to design and supervise the building of the giant effigy. Usually a man, on leap year a woman and sometimes other things, like a frog. It turns out that the frog has a special meaning to the people of Bologna. Here is an excerpt that explains that relationship:
“Every year the effigy of the “vecchione” is made by a different artist and several famous artists have lent their skills to the project. This year, however, a young artist called Marco Dugo won the commission in a competition held by the Comune di Bologna and he has decided to represent the “vecchione” in a very original way: What the Bolognesi will be burning this New Year’s Eve will, in fact, be an effigy of an enormous frog, “la rana”. The figure of the frog has several connections with Bolognese history: first of all, there is a Bolognese saying, “avere della rana”, which means to be poor; secondly, there is an image of a frog, representing poverty, in the head office of the Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna; and thirdly, “La Rana” was the title of a satirical newspaper which was printed in the city during the austere era of 1865 – 1912. So this year the “rogo del vecchione” is renamed “il rogo della rana” [“the burning of the frog”].”
Again we got there early and listened to a rock concert that was really fun. Freezing cold too. This time I had my own Prosecco and 4 cups (there were four of us) and on schedule the frog started to burn. Fireworks shot out of its head, and a major fireworks display started as well. We toasted, hugged, I sprayed the end of the Prosecco over the crowd, following the lead of many. One guy whipped out his pizzel and pissed. Many cell phones caught his drunken act. Some young assholes threw a bunch of fire crackers into the crown but did no real harm. The frog passed out (fell over) and we wended our way home to the hotel. The music went on for 2 more hours. I think we were the oldest people in the piazza. God it’s good to be alive.
Image of model: www.terzaeta.com terzaeta.comterzatea.com
Image of straw frog :www.multimedia.quotidano.net
1. http://www.italymag.co.uk/italy-featured/bologna/new-year-s-eve-bologna

Waiting for the gas man - - - - again

.“Randy will be there tomorrow. I don’t know what time.”
So started another day of waiting. I had tons to do that I could do at home. Lots of preparation for Spring classes, Blackboard shells to get ready, documents to move into folders. Dishes, always dishes. Laundry. And a dead possum to get rid of.
But there were lots of things I needed to do in town. Shop for a fresh fennel for a pasta dish. Look at an LED TV to replace the 20 year old big tube. The pool place. The pet store for Koi food. A couple of hours of running around. But nooooo. Sat here doing and finishing everything, then just sat. Pissed off. Several calls got a busy signal. After all it is cold weather and the gas people are very busy. Damn it though, so am I. Kind of reminds me of a Doctor’s office that charges you for a missed appointment but keeps you waiting for 2 hours because “we are behind”. Well la-de-dah. I work for a living too. How about you pay me for the 2 hours of lost work time?
Ahhhh. Just caught myself venting. Feel better too. Thanks for listening.
Image: tow411.yuku.com