Three cheers for Marks and Sparks!

Marks & Spencers has announced that it’s going to start charging 5 pence per plastic carrier bag.  Of course, European cut-price grocery store Lidl has been doing that for years now, but maybe some momentum will build up!

Saddest story ever told

A friend lent me Sword at Sunset, which is a retelling of the Arthurian legends.  I’ve been plowing doggedly onwards, trying to get through it, but I have now given up.  It’s not that it’s poorly written, or anything like that - I just can’t take it.  Perhaps for the same reason that I am always happy when Darcy and Elizabeth finally end up together in Pride and Prejudice, I am always depressed by the Arthurian legends.  Even though I know what’s coming.  I just can’t get through any of the retellings.  (Except for one: Guy Gavriel Kay’s Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, which doesn’t really count as he manages a happy ending.) I want to read them, really I do, because I know that the Arthurian legends are amongst the richest mythological traditions, but there is just so much pain and despair and treachery built into them that I can’t.  ::sigh::

Sparkling, fresh… tap water.

I decided to look into water purity, as I’ve heard a lot in recent months from both “camps” - those who think that bottled water is better and those who cling to tap water. 

First off, the links, if you want to know where I looked:

UK tap water requirements (skip down to “Schedule 1")

Bottled/mineral/spring water requirements

The following “ingredients” had the same allowable maximum concentration across the board:
- antimony (5 micrograms/L)
- arsenic (10 micrograms/L)
- boron (1,000 micrograms/L)
- chromium (50 micrograms/L)
- mercury (1 microgram/L)
- nickel (20 micrograms/L)
- nitrate (50,000 micrograms/L)
- selenium (10 micrograms/L)

As far as pesticides went, the requirements were all the same: no more than0.5 micrograms/L.  Similarly, the requirements for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, acrylamide and benzene were the same across the board. 

As for the ones which had different requirements (blue-highlights indicate the lower allowable concentrations):

* couldn’t find any restrictions
¹ after 2013, allowable amount will be lowered to 10 micrograms/L

Conclusions

The bottom line, really, is that I personally don’t see much difference between the choices.  The government would certainly set maximum allowable limits much lower than those required for toxicity, although I have to admit, knowing that lead builds up in the body, that I would prefer there to be less of it floating around in my water.  However, I’m still going to quite happily drink the tap water, since it seems likely to me that all the nasties produced when making the plastic to bottle “natural mineral” water in probably far outweigh any slight cleanliness advantage that bottled water might have over tap water.

If you’re interested, I’ve put brief descriptions (courtesy Wikipedia, that fount of occasionally-faulty facts) of the differing-concentration “ingredients” below.  I meant to put them in the “more” section, but I’ve been switched by my webmaster into a new blog-editing setup and can’t figure out how to make it separate the “more” section out.  Please keep in mind that I haven’t had any form of biology or chemistry since the late 1990s, and therefore am probably not getting the finer points.

(On an amusing side-note, the (i) note to Schedule 2 of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000 states that “The water should not be aggressive.” Glad to hear it.)

Barium: “At low doses, barium acts as a muscle stimulant, while higher doses affect the nervous system, causing cardiac irregularities, tremors, weakness, anxiety, dyspnea and paralysis. This may be due to its ability to block potassium ion channels which are critical to the proper function of the nervous system.” However, barium doesn’t bioaccumulate, and also (confusingly) is highly reactive to water, producing hydrogen.

Cadmium: “Inhalation of cadmium-containing fumes can result initially in metal fume fever but may progress to chemical pneumonitis, pulmonary edema, and death…Human exposures to environmental cadmium are primarily the result of the burning of fossil fuels and municipal wastes… Cadmium is one of six substances banned by the European Union’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, which bans carcinogens in computers.  Cadmium and several cadmium-containing compounds are known carcinogens and can induce many types of cancer… Tobacco smoking is the most important single source of cadmium exposure in the general population. It has been estimated that about 10% of the cadmium content of a cigarette is inhaled through smoking. The absorption of cadmium from the lungs is much more effective than that from the gut, and as much as 50% of the cadmium inhaled via cigarette smoke may be absorbed.”

Copper: an essential trace nutrient which contributes to the production of blood cells and helps out with various other enzyme functions.  In toxic amounts, copper inhibits blood cell production, and fatal cases are generally terminated by convulsions, palsy, and insensibility.”

Cyanide: Can be used medically, to reduce blood pressure rapidly (in emergency situations). Used in mining to easily separate precious metal ore from slag (a process that generally releases large quantities of cyanide and other interesting chemicals into the local environment, particularly the water course.) Used illegally to capture live fish near coral reefs (acts as a stunner).  When toxic, cyanide inhibits the aerobic production of ATP within the body, particularly affecting the central nervous system and the heart.

Fluoride: In low concentrations, helps teeth enamel become more resistant to decay.  In high concentrations, fluoride compounds cause death, although I couldn’t find out how they do so, only that it has something to do with absorption through the intestine.  Long-term ingestion of [contested] quantities of fluoride can cause yellowing of the teeth, and some people think that it also contributes to bone weakness and brain damage.

Lead: Basically, lead causes brain damage, blood disorders, reproductive disorders and mental disorders.  It inhibits hemoprotein production, which buggers anything having to do with, as far as I can tell, anything.  (My chemistry/biology background isn’t enough to get me through the wikipedia page about heme.)

Manganese: plays a crucial role in a number of enzyme functions, which is why it’s considered an essential trace nutrient. In toxic levels, it can impair motor skills and contribute to cognitive disorders.

Nitrite: “Under certain conditions, especially during cooking, nitrites in meat can react with degradation products of amino acids, forming nitrosamines, which are known carcinogens…”

Recipe for a Bond film

Serves several million.

Ingredients:
- 1 suave Briton
- several buxom women
- 1 meglomaniacal villain
- optional: 1 or more eccentric villainous sidekicks

In a two-and-a-half-hour bowl, whisk above ingredients using an outrageous plot device. Season well with increasingly-unrealistic technology, add a shot of vodka (shaken, not stirred) and set alight at regular, explosive intervals. Overall flavor should be smooth yet exciting, with a thread of entendre-laced conversation running throughout. Serve at least luke-warm, depending on the age of the Briton.

Old seed

A few days ago, I became a member of the Heritage Seed Library.  The HSL is an organization that tries to keep disappearing heirloom vegetable varieties from, well, disappearing. 

Today I got my introduction packet in the mail.  In addition to information about the HSL, about saving seeds (particularly the difficulties in maintaining the genetic distinctiveness of each variety), and about Garden Organic, the HSL’s parent organization, I also got the Winter 2007 seed catalogue and a “sample” packet of seeds.

As a member, I get to request up to six packets of seeds per year from the catalogue, which runs the gamut of veggies from achocha to celeriac to melon and on to tomato (zucchini being classed as a squash, and, anyway, called a courgette over here).  Although, given our Africa trip, this year isn’t ideal for A and me to try growing veggies, which usually need harvesting about the time that we intend to be canoeing down the Zambezi, I can still ask for my packets and then save them to plant next year.  AND I get to do the same with next year’s catalogue.

The free packet of seeds they gave me are peas of the Latvian variety.  What the catalogue says about this variety:

“Called ‘Peleks Zirnis’ in Latvian, meaning ‘grey peas’.  This type of pea is grown across Latvia and traditionally eaten with fried fatty pork and onions.  Our sample was brought back from Riga on a tourist coach!  Soak the peas overnight and use as an alternative to chickpeas.  The flowers are particularly large and as attractive as ornamental sweet peas.  20 seeds.”

I don’t care if we’re leaving for all of July and August - I’m going to plant these!  Maybe I can ask one of our friends to stop by the house every few days and pick some of the peas.

Downer cows

What they don’t mention in this article about a beef recall is why downer cows exist.  They exist, in large part, because industrial-food cows are kept in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, standing in their own refuse, being fed a diet of corn (which they can’t naturally digest) and other cows’ leftover bits (since when are cows carnivores?).  And I won’t even get into how pigs and chickens are kept.

I know, I know… ranting and shoving my views into others’ faces isn’t playing nicely.  But the more I read about the industrial meat and egg industry, the more intent I become on eating only pastured, truly(!) free-range creatures.  I’ve already switched to buying all my eggs from the weekly farmers’ market, and the difference in taste and yolk color is amazing.

I tell you, what with this and with the vegetable box scheme that we participate in, I’m well on my way to becoming a locavore.  Turnip-celeriac soup (again), anyone? 

A cake to warm the heart

I’m going to make the most delicious cake this evening, so that I can share it with the several friends who are coming over this weekend.  I’ve made it a couple of times before, and it is wonderful!  (I leave off the pistachios.)

Participation

I have my absentee ballot sitting here on my desk, freshly marked and signed and sealed, waiting to be mailed.  I voted for Hillary.

You know, as I picked up my pen to fill in the ballot, I experienced a small thrill.  The thrill of getting to have a say in my government.  Even if the cynical side of me notes that my actual, individual ballot matters not a jot.  Still, how many people in the world aren’t allowed to have a say in how they are governed?  No matter how cynical one may get about the actual governing or the effectiveness of voting, the fact that one is allowed to have a say is remarkable.  And so it thrills me.

Stille Nacht

As I walked along a very quiet, pedestrian way in the town centre this evening, on my way home from dinner out, I was concentrating on walking as silently as possible, savoring the stillness around me.  Suddenly, a tumble of notes sang through the air - the cathedral must be having its bellringing practice.  If anything, it only made the night somehow even more serene.  I continued on, through the park, and prompted by the bells and the mist, stepped into the middle of a field ringed by trees and lampposts, stopping to enjoy the quiet and noise and darkness and light and mist.

One thing that I love, unreservedly, about living in Europe are the cathedrals and churches and their wonderful bells.  The bells make me smile no matter my mood, no matter the time or weather.

Activities

A brief summary of the last few days… oh, I’ll make it a week.

Monday the 4th: hosted a meeting at the college for other Aimhigher FE coordinators.  About once every three months or so, those of us who work at further education colleges in the southwest (within Aimhigher) meet up to discuss/gripe/share.  The meeting went off just fine, despite slight panic a few days earlier upon discovery that the food order hadn’t gone through.

Tuesday the 5th: trip down to Taunton for another Aimhigher meeting, this one about the next three years.  Y’see, the Aimhigher programme has been greenlit for 2008-11, to general rejoicing.  This meeting was designed to follow shortly on the announcement from the government about our funding for those three years.  Unfortunately, that announcement has not yet happened (it’s now about three weeks late), so the meeting was a lot of, “well, if we get x amount, then here’s what we’ll do…” Not so helpful.  But it was a nice train ride to and from Taunton.  Got a lot of knitting done.  Watched “Syriana” in the evening - very good - and knitted some more.

Wednesday/Thursday the 6th/7th: most interesting thing to happen was orchestra rehearsal Thursday night, where we started to work on Beethoven’s 6th Symphony.  You know, the Pastoral Symphony… the one they used in the original “Fantasia.” Also the only Beethoven symphony left that I had not played any part of.  Now Beethoven’s 7th is the only one that I haven’t played in its entirety.  Very cool, methinks.  Oh, and we watched “V for Vendetta” on Wednesday evening, which was enjoyable.

Friday the 8th: went for what I thought was going to be a long run but turned out to be about half a mile shorter than my longest usual route.  ::sigh::  Found out, in doing so, that if I am going to run in the morning it *definitely* needs to be before breakfast, not after - very upset stomach.  During the rest of the day, I went to the market, got ingredients for dinner, and plowed through making my first-ever caramelized onion tart (from a Moosewood cookbook, in a successful attempt to use up the surplus of onions our weekly vegetable box has left us with) and my first-ever sweet shortcrust pastry (which A & I worked together to fill with a bitter chocolate tart filling - yum!).  Note to self: remember to make said caramelized onion tart only when the weather is warm enough to have all the windows open, because otherwise you will be so thoroughly sick of the smell of onion by the end of the process that you won’t want to eat the results.

Saturday the 9th: nice, low-key day with A.  We cleared up some from the maelstrom of painting and carpet-laying that overtook our house these last few weeks, went to Waitrose in Cheltenham and B&Q; I repotted my cacti into a single, larger container, bless their stunted little selves.  We were in the process of making homemade pizza for dinner (the pizza crust recipe is from the same Moosewood cookbook) when one of our friends dropped round.  He had already eaten, but felt that he could just about manage to help us eat some of the leftover chocolate tart and drink some of our wine.  The three of us then watched “Good Night, and Good Luck,” which I really enjoyed and found very interesting and the other two, perhaps because it wasn’t their own history, found mildly less interesting but still enjoyable.

Sunday the 10th: we had invited three friends around for a roast lunch, so this day was spent mostly in the kitchen.  The food turned out pretty good, although it was two hours late, A’s roast potatoes weren’t as golden and fluffy as normal and my biscuits were a little flat, but our guests still professed to like it all very much.  We also hung a lot of our artwork (finally) and the house is starting to feel like a settled home at last.  In the evening, we watched “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” while I knitted.  I finished the baby blanket that I’ve been working on, just in time - the friends for whom I made it are coming over this coming weekend and I want to give it to them then!  A friend’s work is never over, though: we found out on Tuesday that another pair of friends of ours (R. was A’s best man at the wedding) who got married over the summer are pregnant.  I’m very pleased to hear this, as 1.) N. has been desperate to have a kid and 2.) I’ve already started the cross stitch baby sampler that I intend to give to them and was a little worried, in whatever part of my brain it is that still remembers superstitions like not walking under ladders, that I was somehow jinxing them by starting it before they got pregnant.  I didn’t, and now I can steam ahead with both the sampler and - when I get color preferences from them - yet another baby blanket.  My third in a year.  Geez.

So that’s what I’ve been up to.  What about you?

::humming::

“Everybody’s working for the weekend...”

TGIT - I don’t work on Fridays!  Huzzah!

Verbing weirds language…

...or, in some cases, just plain makes it ugly.  To whit: “incentivized,” seen this morning in a NY Times article. 

Glooooooossssss-terrrrrrrrr…

A and I went to see the Gloucester Rugby Football Club play the London Wasps this weekend, here in Gloucester.  We went to the same game last year (or, technically, two years ago - shortly after I arrived in 2006).  It was a lot of fun both times, although this game was more tense because, in the end, we only won 18-17 and the last five minutes of the game were scrums about five yards from our goal line.  Eek!  But it was great - the weather was cold, but not bitter, and very clear.  We had standing-room tickets.  It was nice, because we got there early enough to be the second row of people around the pitch, and when the rather large, burly guy who was standing in front of me noticed that I was behind him, he kindly scooted over so that I was able to be right up against the fence around the pitch.  I really like being that close to the pitch, particularly when play is in my end of the field, because it means that occasionally the ENORMOUS players are only about five feet away - people like Lawrence Dallaglio, who plays for the Wasps.

On a completely different note, I’m going to get a new bicycle. 

Cool

This could be very cool.  If you want to look at the SkySails website, well, you know what to do.  If you’d like to go take a peek at Little Blog in the Big Woods, where I first saw this mentioned, again, you know what to do.

Do you know the only drawback that sprang to mind while reading about this?  Thoughts of the kite-lines getting snarled when ships are passing close by each other.  Kinda like fighter kites, only bigger.

Completely lost

Pitman shorthand.  Now I see why secretaries had to go to school - to learn to change perfectly comprehensible spoken English into a mass of squiggles and back again in very short order!