Deadly Hotspots

Leave it to those wacky BBC News researches with oodles of time of their hands.  Recently they carefully gathered evidence and combed through statistics to determine where in the world you are most likely to die from a specific cause. Pick a cause, any cause.

Afraid of bees?  Stay out of El Salvador. Scared of fire?  Definitely avoid Bhutan. Falling out of bed?  No trips to Hungary for you.

Affirmations

Canadians say “Eh?” at the end of a sentence making it into a question (you know they do, comedians make jokes about it all the time). “Our beer is so much better than what the Yanks make, eh?”  Brits will make a declarative statement, but then frequently throw in a question-phrase, mostly rhetorical, like “A pint goes down rather pip-pip here at the Crown and Rose, wouldn’t you say?  Or some other such question begging some type of a response. Not necessary a verbal response really, just a knowing wink, raised eyebrow, smile, etc.  Some sort of clue affirming that you understand and agree with the speaker.

In parts of the U.S., street-wise culture uses plenty of question-endings. “Jiggy is out of his mind tonight. You know what I’m talking about, bro?”

In Yankeeland we try not to prolong conversations by inviting additional and unnecessary responses. We finish a sentence and turn to take care of other business. No need for all that human interaction stuff.  Hmmm, but wait.  I just thought of an exception to that rule, don’t cha know?

Plasma Jam

Aurora Borealis from the inside out in Alaska. Great stuff.  Play the video from SmartPlanet in full screen and crank up the volume.

Earth Day Suggestions

I received an attractive electronic newsletter this week highlighting simple green practices that would honor Earth Day.  I’m a sucker for chemical equations, so one newsie section especially caught my attention.

“Use these safe natural alternatives in your home:

Vinegar + water = disinfectant

Lemon juice + olive oil = floor polish

Baking soda + vinegar = drain cleaner

Club soda or vinegar = stain remover

Gin + tonic = happy hour”

Oh wait, I don’t think that last one was actually in the newsletter.

Look!

This civic-minded instruction painted on a parking lot pavement gave me whiplash.

More than a Three Hour Tour

I came across a news story, apparently a few months old, about an 8 year old Indonesian girl who had been separated from family and swept out to sea in the tsunami that hit West Aceh after a massive earthquake hit the area two days after Christmas 2004. She miraculously reached landfall somewhere else on the Indonesia coastline but couldn’t be identified and spent the next 7 years living on village streets.  Somehow she made a return to her village (now age 15) and was reunited with her mother and extended family.  Amazing fortune – hard to imagine the joy of the girl and her family.

On a lighter note, there was no indication that she was in contact with the long-lost S.S. Minnow during her ordeal and she claimed no knowledge of either a “Gilligan” or “Skipper.”

I’m beginning to lose faith in this internet thing

I don’t think the internet is keeping up with the times.  This evening I searched for restaurants in my suburban town of 21,000 residents.  I tried Yahoo, Yellow Pages and several restaurant-based search engines.  Every one led me to essentially the same database - one that still listed a restaurant that closed one year ago and another that must have closed 3 or 4 years ago.  And yet the restaurant that opened last year here in town was nowhere to be found.  Big help, technology.  Among the restaurant choices this database did give me was my local Mobil gas station.  Mmmmm, fine cuisine and romantic atmosphere.

But take heart. The GSP linkage to these fine databases told me to click here for “15,857 more local results.”  I didn’t have the faith to obey the internet genie and click on the link.  I just don’t think that in a town of 21,000 residents, that I’ll find we have 15,857 restaurants.  Now, maybe if you also include those gas stations…