European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Monday Open Thread

by In Wales
Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 11:05:37 AM EST

With a cup of tea

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Monday Open Thread | 95 comments (95 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

I cycled to work today, lovely weather. I intend to cycle to the gym afterwards. Three classes on a Monday but I'll stop when I get hungry. I need enough energy to cycle home afterwards.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 11:06:51 AM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

I drove to Sofia and back for a 15 minute meeting, but it had to be done. Still I managed to grab today's Guardian whilst I was there.

It was so hot (35-ish) when I got back I actually didn't have the energy to go to the pool, but just lay back with the guardian and a beer. Hard times y'all.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:56:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

BBC: 100th anniversary of Tunguska

At 7:17am on 30 June 1908, an immense explosion tore through the forest of central Siberia.
Some 80 million trees were flattened over an area of 2,000 square km (800 square miles) near the Tunguska River.
The blast was 1,000 times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and generated a shock wave that knocked people to the ground 60km from the epicentre.
The cause was an asteroid or comet just a few tens of metres across which detonated 5-10km above the ground, 100 years ago today.

by Sassafras on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 11:28:55 AM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

That was a lucky strike, even back then there were few places it could have hit and not caused huge death and destruction.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:49:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 7)

Actually, even now most of the world's surface is "mostly empty".

Even cultivated farmlands occupy only a small fraction of the empty areas on that map.

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:58:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

I think that's a little misleading. Tanguska was barely noticed and nobody died (although some hunters got a bit of a shock). Your map suggests something could impact most of continental USA without mishap. I venture to suggest that might not be realistic.

Yet back then there were still a few places where that might happen: Now, despite your map, there are vanishly few places on land where an explosion of that magnitude could happen and not have a considerable impact on a human population.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:05:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Actually, a similar event happening over Nevada would have good chances of hitting nobody. And you'll note that even the lightest areas of the USA on the map are darker than Siberia, Sahara, Canada, the Amazon, and that the Oceans. I'd wager such an impact would have above 80 % chances of hurting nobody. That's not vanishingly few places...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 04:47:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Some more links from last Friday.

http://www.eurotrib.com/story/2008/6/22/12199/8420#53

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:14:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

Well, Naples this isn't, but our refuse collectors have gone on strike.

As part of a government standardisation/equality review earlier this year, they've had their wages compared to what they actually do. Some are owed thousands of pounds in back pay that the council has been rather slow in coming up with.

Good for them...except...guess whose turn it was to have their refuse collected this morning? Wonderful...

by Sassafras on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 11:53:38 AM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 5)

Ah indeed. That's the problem with strikes. I hope it kicks the council into action.

About 8 of our 22 local authorities in Wales have begun to sort out the equal pay issue and at least 2 have dealt with the back pay as well. LAs were given a sum of money a number of years back to help them to deal with equal pay issues. But, it wasn't ring fenced and did any councils spend it on sorting out pay inequalities?
No.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:00:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

A bit like the equal pay disputes of a few years back. the unions actually co-operated with local authorities to keep women's back pay entitlements from them and then everybody complained when the women found out and sued.

Unions are not an unalloyed force for good, too conservative and patriarchal.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:52:18 PM EST
[ Parent ]

A link to my dKos diary ... (4.00 / 4)

... fourteen comments, so I assume seven are mine, and the other seven from one or two people who wandered by in the middle of the North American night.

Retrofit Suburbia Redux

Y'all got any wisdom (or cautionary tales) on retrofitting suburbs as an import-substitution strategy, then y'all drop by now, y'hear?

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:07:02 PM EST

Re: A link to my dKos diary ... (4.00 / 4)

Crosspost ?

One of the things I noticed in the Paris suburbs is that the first development around the suburban railway stations was independent houses sprawl at the beginning of the century ; and the more dense neighbourhoods, that were built later where Paris itself had filled up, were built farther from the railway stations - very inefficient...

Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:52:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

A cup of tea would be nice. I'm desperately in need of caffeine, and the stupid coffee machine is broken.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:28:23 PM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Why not make a Turkish coffee - cook the coffee in some water add a little sugar and you got your dose of caffeine. :-)

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:39:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

This is 'Murka, not Turkey. I'll be lazy and drink Coke. ;)

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:42:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

Get yourself one of these lovely gadgets. They even come in travel size!

I haven't used a regular coffeemaker in years. Years.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:47:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

I know. I always mean to and never get around to it.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:58:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)

Tea is superior to coffee anyway. I use one of these to make my tea at work.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:17:49 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

Tea? Tea is so bourgeois. I force myself to drink it when I am sick.

Coffee, coffee's for closers.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:20:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Coffee: the gateway drug to cocaine.

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:28:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

Heh. The one time I tried coke my reaction was that it was a crappier version of caffeine, though I have to admit it's got pretty amazing decongestant properties.

by MarekNYC on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:33:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)

What, no Glengarry Glen Ross fans in the room?

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:51:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)

ha, I even saw a stage production of that last March...

you are the media you consume.

by MillMan (millguy at gmail) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 04:07:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

I know this is sad and pathetic, but I really don't have the time or energy to regularly use the French Press. I put my coffee on just before I get into the shower, and it's done when I'm done. I don't have time to sit and wait for the water to boil, pour it into the thingee, and plunge.

Plus, I've never figured out a halfway reasonable way to clean the grounds from the press. I probably would with more effort and experience, but that's not too likely . . .

by Zwackus on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 05:47:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)

Wow. I cannot imagine a simpler contraption to use than a French press.

I agree it requires a teensy bit of patience, but I've never ever had a good cup of coffee from an electric coffeepot, so that extra 30 seconds of my life is infinitely worth it.

And I should add, if I had all the time in the world each morning, I'd be making cappuccino instead. That would be ideal. But no way am I standing around steaming milk or dishing out 3-4 bucks everyday for coffee.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 06:02:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

This does the job:

The accountant in our house assures me that it was a perfectly sensible purchase ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 02:49:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 1)

I have an espresso machine; I just never use it unless there is company.

A far less expensive machine.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:02:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

The spaceship also grinds the beans and handles all that work, which makes the difference between something you can do semi-conscious and something you need to be already fully awake to handle ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:07:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

Espresso machines are awesome (the real ones, with powerful pumps to create pressurized steam at a relatively low temperature so the coffee doesn't burn). You get espresso of better quality than the vast majority of espresso bars. They're also very expensive, increasingly so in the land of the weak dollar, and prone to dying just after their warranty expires. Since the one I have developed a tendency to shoot hot steam everywhere a couple years ago I've relied on one of those little stovetop things, not quite the same thing, so when I can afford a new one...

by MarekNYC on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:20:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

Yes, that one was rather pricey: not quite the most expensive appliance we own, but pretty close. Sam decided she wanted it on the basis that she always got stuck with the after-dinner coffee making duties and was damned if she was wrestling with the type you have to load up with ground coffee for every cup any more. Compared to take-out coffee it's a steal, of course.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:24:32 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 1)

The one I had/have is the load up every time. Not that big a deal, even at my rate of consumption. God I loved that thing, it's why it's still taking up scarce counter space rather than having moved down to the trash - too many good memories. (No, emotional attachment to food gear is not irrational, not at all.)

by MarekNYC on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:27:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

This should read "of better quality than the vast majority of espresso bars in New York" (and even more so in most other places in the U.S.). It is not the case here in Italy, though, and I've hardly used my own machine since moving here. It just sits there, taking up an excessive amount of space in the kitchen, with its personal 1500 watt 120 to 240 V transformer (the machine is Italian-made machine, bought at Zabar's. Ridiculous...)

by gk (g k quattro due due sette "at" gmail.com) on Thu Jul 3rd, 2008 at 01:40:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 0)

True that, but at my rate of consumption buying that much espresso at espresso bars gets a little pricey. But damn, I'm jealous of the almost always good and often great espresso you get in Italy. There are places in NYC where it exists, though even there it tends to depend on which person is making it. Same incidentally is true of other European countries which tend to be about the same as NYC or even worse in quality.

by MarekNYC on Thu Jul 3rd, 2008 at 02:45:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Well, you could go the spaceship route ... (none / 1)

Colman:

The accountant in our house assures me that it was a perfectly sensible purchase ...

Already got Christophers future career planned out I see?

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 11:22:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Hey, I worked on the Bodum line ... (4.00 / 2)

... opening up boxes and putting price stickers on the bottom for this or that purveyor of overpriced kitchen stuff.

In Murka, mind ... most of the stuff made in China and shipped to Murka to the 3rd party warehouse.

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:30:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey, I worked on the Bodum line ... (none / 0)

Sorry, I'm not waiting around for American-made/fair-wages paid presses to appear on the market. The ugliness of addiction rears its head...

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:49:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey, I worked on the Bodum line ... (none / 1)

I couldn't imagine paying what some places were charging for some of the Bodum gear ... OTOH I guess it were designed good'n'all, and so if you were spending money like water to impress the ladies in the bridge club with your taste, guess it would make sense.

Of course, my coffee maker in Oz was a plastic funnel with the long bit at the end cut off, the filters to match, and a 1L+ metal thermos flask. Which I don't reckon would impress the ladies in the bridge club the slightest little bit'n'all.

Utsukushikereba sore de ii

by BruceMcF (agila61 at netscape dot net) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 06:14:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

I'm a total tea-addict, yet I've been surprised how little I've drunk out here. You just have to keep drinking water to avoid dehydration.

There's also the local mountain tea which seems to be made out of some herb halfway between camomile and hop and is very refreshing.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 12:59:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Your comment makes me wonder what happened to gradinski chai - he has not posted in a very long time.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:22:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

I#ve wondered about him as well. But then if you ever read diaries from 18 monmths or so ago the comments are stuffed with people who never stop by any more

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:32:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Dutch snippet (4.00 / 5)

DutchNews.nl - Anti-Islam film Fitna does not break law

Anti-immigration MP Geert Wilders will not face prosecution for inciting racial hatred for his statements on Islam or his short feature film Fitna, the public prosecution department said on Monday.
'The fact that statements are hurtful and offensive to a large number of Muslims does not necessarily mean that such statements are punishable. It is true that some statements insult Muslims, but these were made in the context of public debate,' the department said.
The department looked at Wilders' film Fitna, which drew links between Islam and violence, and an article the MP wrote in the Volkskrant in which he likened the Koran to Hitler's Mein Kampf and said it should be banned.
Some 40 individuals and organisations had accused Wilders of encouraging religious hatred and made formal complaints against him.
'Freedom of speech plays an essential role in public debate in a democratic society. This means that in a political debate, people may make insulting statements that are hurtful and shocking to specific groups without these statements being punishable,' the department said.
In addition, Wilders attacks Islam as a religion but not its followers, and this is not punishable by law. Nor can it be proven that Wilders is inciting hatred against Muslims, the statement said.

by Nomad on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:16:04 PM EST

Re: Dutch snippet (4.00 / 4)

The film didn't get much response even in the most volatile parts of this region... mainly because it was so transparently stupid that people seemed to conclude that it wasn't worth getting agitated about.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:49:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Dutch snippet (4.00 / 2)

Too bad. Was really looking forward to the usual lot screaming about censorship and the Netherlands falling under sharia law.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:41:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 4)

On top of being rather busy with work, it turns out that long flights, air conditioning and multiple sudden climatic changes make you vulnerable to the assorted plagues your darling family is harbouring when you return. I spent yesterday with my voice cutting out halfway through sentences or scaring dogs because they thought I was growling at them.

Not a lot of spare energy for blogging right now ...

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:35:18 PM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

Poor you. so maybe i shouldn't return to the UK with its rain and frosts and just stay out here by the pool in temps in the mid 30s.

Hmm.... tempting

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:39:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

What are you talking about? It's in the 20s and sunny here in London - already too hot for working comfortably.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:53:44 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

Well, I have been gone for 10 days and summer was a bit overdue then. but will it last.....?

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:58:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

20s != too hot.
>35 = too hot.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:22:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

Nope.

25+ = too hot to work

30+ = too hot to sit outside

35+ = unbearable

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:27:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

38+ = every single day from now until September

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:43:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I don't know how I survived one week of that last year... You and all people living south of 40°N are out of a science fiction for me :-)

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:48:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

By the way. There was a science fiction novel set in a world of runaway global warming. The world is too hot for living South of England, and still warming. One scientist makes research forays towards the South, then goes mad, and starts off on a suicide journey towards Africa...

Anyone remembers this one?

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:54:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Is it The Drowned World by J.G.Ballard? he says reaching desperately back 30 years since he read it?

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:06:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

That's it. I read it half as many years ago, so hats off...

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 04:58:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

This is not the book you're thinking of, in any way, but I like postapocalyptic fiction and film, so going off on a tangent... has anyone ever read Fiskadoro by Denis Johnson? I read it in about 1990 or '91 and just loved it. I need to read it again and see if it still has the same effect.

(Johnson is more recently known for the U.S. National Book Award-winning Tree of Smoke, which I haven't read yet but which is on The List.)

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:21:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

Anyone heard of fried marrow ? I never had till I came here, it's delicious.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:36:44 PM EST

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Which fat are they using?

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:37:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Dunno, I use plain vegetable oil.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:40:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

The slices (thin) are coated in flour and shallow fried. A variant is to grate some cheese on them and melt it under a grill.

Personally I do them with the bulgarian liver and rice dish I adore. so the marrow gets fried in the oil after the liver so it picks up a bit more flavour.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 01:42:58 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Question is, what marrow are they using?!

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:14:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Young ones. The british let their marrows swell up hugely, but hte bulgarians prefer their just a bit larger than courgettes.

As for variety, I think it's climate specific. I'll try to get some seeds for stuff tomorrow, I want a specific variety of tomato.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:30:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

ooops sorry courgettes = zucchini

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:30:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Thanks for the explanation, I was just wondering how you can slice bone marrow into small slices. :-)

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:38:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 5)

Heh. Imagine my confusion when I arrived in South African to find people eating something they called "baby marrow."

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:41:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

young ones? :( (4.00 / 2)

Ok, where I am from marrow is what is inside bones. Human bones, all kinds of bones...

I confess to not having any idea what you are talking about.

The british let their marrows swell up hugely, but hte bulgarians prefer their just a bit larger than courgettes.

To my eyes, this is a very strange sentence indeed...

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:45:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

By the way, how do you normally prepare marrow? We simply clean the inside, slice it up and put the slices in the oven.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:31:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

I generally use the bones for soups and braises, then knock it out onto fresh bread, add salt and yum. In restaurants in France the bones have generally been baked in the oven, then as above.

by MarekNYC on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:46:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

Ah you Americans... Marrow, British vocabulary:

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:50:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

I cannot tell you what a relief that photo is!

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:50:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

Ah, I was thinking that frying marrow is a bit of overkill - a bit like frying butter. So what do you call the stuff inside bones?

by MarekNYC on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:51:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

bone marrow

Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.

by ceebs (bunchofwankers (at) gmail (dot) com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:54:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

So what do you call the stuff inside bones?

bone marrow of course. Funny, it never occured to me you had a different word. what do you call vegetable marrows then ??

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:57:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 3)

squash

by MarekNYC on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:59:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

But squash is something else entirely !!!!! Kinda like small gourds.

Grief we could do this for ages really. this is how babel happened, you realise this don't you ? You need to completely revise your dictionary so that y'all start speaking english and then there wont be any problems :-)))

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:02:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 3)

'y'all'? I see the South is spreading its tentacles over the Atlantic.

by MarekNYC on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:04:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

;-)))

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:22:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Indeed. Gary Hart called it "pebble-dropping". Hoping to have'er addressing Jerome as "Massa" instead of "Dear Leader" before too long.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:29:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 3)

A zucchini is a kind of squash. A vegetable marrow is called a zucchini in the US, but there are lots of differnt kinds of squash. I like butternut.

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:05:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Vegetable marrow is a type of squash. There are many types of squash.

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:22:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 2)

WE clean the inside and then portion it. so it's in chunks. I'd put it in the oven but I suspect my mother boils it.

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:00:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (4.00 / 3)

Family legend tells of a stuffed marrow that exploded and blew the oven door off.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 04:33:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Does anyone want my recipe of zucchini/marrow/squash omelette?

You're clearly a dangerous pinko commie pragmatist.

by Vagulus on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 06:08:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

Not if it blows of the oven door! But otherwise - yes!

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 01:40:42 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Bulgarian food moment (none / 1)

OK, I'll write it up and post it as soon as I've time. And while I've had my share of accidents with this dish (dropped it while flipping it over to cook the 2nd side... added too much salt...) rest assured there's nothing explosive about it. Unless you overload it with capsaicin, that is.

You're clearly a dangerous pinko commie pragmatist.

by Vagulus on Tue Jul 1st, 2008 at 06:20:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Christopher the Bibliophile... (4.00 / 4)

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde

by Sam on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 02:51:36 PM EST

Re: Christopher the Bibliophile... (none / 1)

Runs in the family. :-)

by the stormy present (stormypresent aaaaaaat gmail etc) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:03:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christopher the Bibliophile... (none / 1)

Hey, isn't that an Isaac Asimov book by his left hand? Just about the right age to discover one of science fiction's greats ;)

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:31:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Christopher the Bibliophile... (none / 1)

Yes...but he seems to want to start with Douglas Adams for some reason.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Oscar Wilde

by Sam on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 05:59:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 3)

Dear Leader speaks

But one comment, I thought you loved Talk Talk. The Cocteaus are good, but.....

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:08:23 PM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 0)

Great stuff.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

by Drew J Jones (blahblahblah@blahblahblah.com) on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 03:24:52 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

I saw 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days last night. Has anyone else seen this? It is very very good storytelling, but I'm hesitant to recommend it only because it is very very hard to watch. I don't think I will forget it anytime soon...

BTW, there are only like 50 movie theatres in Romania. Whew knew?

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 04:37:28 PM EST

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

I haven't heard of that film yet. And I didn't know about the cinema shortage in Romania - I looked around a bit, and while numbers vary across sources from 48 to 80, it's baffling - and no explanation is given anywhere. Even considering that cinema chains barely began to build multiplexes.

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 05:03:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (4.00 / 2)

There was a bit about that in the extra features on the dvd. It wasn't clear precisely what had happened, but what I caught was that after communism, the movie theatres and land they were on were bought up (grabbed?) for other, more profitable commercial use. It also seems that the same kind of chaos and disintegration of the industry as a result of the collapse of the State which had been supporting the industry had a lot to do with it (a la the Russia scenario.) At one point there were only 30-something operating movie theatres in Romania. So when this film came out, they hired these Germans to drive around the country and set up impromptu screenings, outdoors, in abandoned theaters, etc.

It won the Palme d'Or. I'm surprised you've not heard of it.

Anyway, Romania is supposed to be the new It country for great films. Everyone's sweethearts....

"This is nothing compared to how Putin rigged Eurovision."

by poemless on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 05:14:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Monday Open Thread (none / 1)

So Romania's must be a more extreme version of what happened across the region. Say in Budapest, all but a dozen of the c. 70 old movie theatres have been closed - though the last few already when the dozen or so multiplexes were built. Now to come to the Palme d'Or question: winners usually go straight in art theatres here, but since I moved away from Budapest, I seldom get to see art films (bad schedule from my viewpoint).

*Traitor*, n.
A benighted individual who perceives an illusory distinction between serving his nation and abetting the criminals who govern it.

by DoDo on Mon Jun 30th, 2008 at 05:41:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Monday Open Thread | 95 comments (95 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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