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kitchen experiments: iced coffee

Filed Under Category Coffee and Food by titanium

Last week, I was needing a caffeine boost, but it was too hot for a regular cup of tea or coffee. So, I made a concentrated coffee, and put ice and milk in it. It turned out quite well, here is the recipe I used.

[iced coffee from above, with a pink straw]

You Need:

So, I made the coffee in a couple of centimetres of hot water at the bottom of the tall glass, stirring it really well. Then I added the ice cubes- filling the glass. Milk fills in the gaps. Now, I wasn’t to impressed with the result, so I got out the blender and tipped in my creation, and hit the blend button, adding a bit of sugar. I stopped it when I couldn’t hear the chunks of ice clunk against the sides any more. I poured it into the glass… mmm. I forgot that milk froths up, so should have used less milk so I didn’t have extra in the jug.

It was really tasty and refreshing! Yum…

March 30, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

slight redesign

Filed Under Category Site Stuff by titanium

I’ve adjusted the design of the site a bit. Hopefully it’s a bit lighter and brighter. I like white backgrounds, but feel it’s not very original. Hopefully this is a good balance between readability and creative individuality.

Please let me know if anything is borked, broken or illegible!

March 21, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

GM mosquitoes

Filed Under Category Environmentally Friendly, Faith, Religion and Belief, Tech by titanium

I read this article on the BBC about a scientific trial of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes.

The general idea is that they are malaria resistant, and compete with and eradicate the malaria mosquitoes. They haven’t been released yet, as they are still being trialled in laboratories.

Malaria is a big issue in the developing world. In Africa, it is a big killer. In the western world, malaria is not an issue, because it was generally eradicated with widespread use of DDT, a powerful pesticide. However, powerful pesticides like this one are banned because of the environmental damage caused. (See ‘Silent Spring’.)

I found myself wondering about the ethics of releasing genetically modified animals into the wild- there are concerns about GM food, which can be semi controlled and restricted to one farm. (This is simplifying, of course there are concerns about pollination contamination.) Would there be protests against the release of GM mosquitoes? Is it ethical?

But, in parts of Africa, a child dies from malaria every 3 seconds. Is it ethical to withhold a solution to the loss of life? We (in the western world) don’t have to live with malaria- sometimes this is because of natural factors (isolation, altitude) but it could be a result of environmental devastation, which happened a long time ago. Even though mosquitoes are annoying and carry disease, they are still a part of the food chain.

I suppose it is a case of two evils- or is it? Are GM mosquitoes a bad thing? If they are, then is it something we are willing to overlook? DDT is banned (for good reason), so it cannot be used any more to eradicate mosquitoes. This means we have to find an alternative way of dealing with the problem. GM mosquitoes mean there is still a food source for predators (such as birds and frogs) while eliminating the issue of malaria, while bringing up issues of genetic modification.

If I had to decide, I would “vote” in favour of the GM mosquito program, but I’m still thinking about it. What do you think?

March 20, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

Lent update

Filed Under Category Coffee and Food, Faith, Religion and Belief by titanium

So, I’ve been “lenting” for a little while now, two and a half weeks in, 3 and a half to go. I have to say that regular run of the mill sweet things don’t have any appeal to me- but exciting deserts are harder to resist. Like the scones with jam and whipped cream that I had to turn down. :)

I’ve found that this experience has focused me. I think about God things more- there is the trigger there to remember. I will enjoy desert again at the end of it, but at the moment I’m doing well without.

Possible infractions: tried a little bit of the gingerbread we were making as an activity in Girl’s Brigade. Licked the golden syrup spoon when testing the recipe at home. Ate a little dough- then remembered. I’m doing well though- it’s not impossible to give something up.

March 11, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

marketing silliness: vegetarian eggs

Filed Under Category Coffee and Food, Faith, Religion and Belief, Randomness by titanium

I was in the supermarket recently, and I happened to pass the egg section. I was scanning the shelves for food colouring, (I had already been through the aisle that it was supposed to be in, so I was looking carefully,) and I saw a new (to me) kind of eggs: Not only were these eggs free range, but they were “from Vegetarian hens.”

That’s right, vegetarian hens. I thought chickens were vegetarians to begin with, especially factory chickens, which are fed only grain and seed. A free range chicken might eat a worm, I suppose.

Then another thought entered my head- are they implying that the other eggs come from blood sucking dracula hens? Or steak eaters? Cannibals?
What about the marketing aspect? Perhaps they are trying to crack (ooh, a pun) a difficult niche- vegetarians will eat vegetarian fed eggs, won’t they? Won’t they? The answer to that question is the same as the answer to this one: do submarines need fly wire screen doors?

Vegetarians do not eat meat, or any other animal flesh. This includes meat that isn’t fully formed yet- unborn meat if you will. And seafood.
There are people who claim to be vegetarians but who just don’t like the taste of meat, but will eat eggs! Or fish, or chicken. The aversion seems to be with red meat.

I’m not a vegetarian, but I respect those who are for real reasons, not flavour reasons. :)

Still- vegetarian eggs! How bizarre and odd.

This link (thanks to my parents for pointing me towards this one!) compares barn-raised eggs to free range and vegetarian, organic, caged and omega 3.

March 8, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

organic store wars

Filed Under Category Coffee and Food, Education, Environmentally Friendly, Podcasts and other Media, Randomness by titanium

Hey, another youtube video. I quite like this one- geekiness and environmentally friendly rolled into one.

edited to add- thanks to Curious for this one!

March 4, 2007 | |

COMMENTS

uni again – evil interior designers

Filed Under Category Education, Randomness by titanium

So, my favourite kind of lecture theatre seating has been replaced. Gone are the rows of flip down vinyl seats and large wooden desks. Now, we’ve got soft seats and gross, plastic flip up desks, which are smaller than the original. The rooms have been repainted, and feel smaller than the old style.

It isn’t that bad, it is still usable, and better than the other new/now old theatres. The swivel desk system has been improved- it now requires conscious effort to lift the desk to vertical and slide down, unlike the other kind which would maliciously return to stowed position causing all your stuff to go flying everywhere.

Here’s what I wrote about this time last year about the seating subject.

March 2, 2007 | |

COMMENTS