You might not want to eat that chicken

A story in today's Boston Globe online notes a chicken recall that affects eleven states, including Massachusetts.

A New York company recalled nearly 7,000 pounds of chicken and meat products Tuesday while three other companies recalled another 16,332 pounds of a chicken product because the foods could be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is a microorganism that can cause serious or fatal infections in children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. No illnesses have been reported to date, according to the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which sampled the products.

And before you think "oh, no problem...I don't live in those sates," the secondary product recall -- for a red curry chicken and rice product -- was nationwide.

You might not want to eat that chicken

A story in today's Boston Globe online notes a chicken recall that affects eleven states, including Massachusetts.

A New York company recalled nearly 7,000 pounds of chicken and meat products Tuesday while three other companies recalled another 16,332 pounds of a chicken product because the foods could be contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria is a microorganism that can cause serious or fatal infections in children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems. No illnesses have been reported to date, according to the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service, which sampled the products.

And before you think "oh, no problem...I don't live in those sates," the secondary product recall -- for a red curry chicken and rice product -- was nationwide.

Go for a visit; get shot.

The first wild gray wolf to visit Massachusetts in 160 years came into the state last fall...and then was killed by a farmer, the Boston Globe online has reported.

A wild Eastern gray wolf roamed Western Massachusetts last fall before being shot to death on a farm, federal and state officials said yesterday. It was the first wolf confirmed in the state since hunters drove the species out more than 160 years ago.

US Fish and Wildlife Service officials said they used genetic tests to identify the animal, which was killed after it mauled more than a dozen lambs in Shelburne.

"To find a real one is pretty exciting," said Thomas J. Healy, special agent in charge of the agency's Northeast region.

So much for our carnivorous tourist trade.

Go for a visit; get shot.

The first wild gray wolf to visit Massachusetts in 160 years came into the state last fall...and then was killed by a farmer, the Boston Globe online has reported.

A wild Eastern gray wolf roamed Western Massachusetts last fall before being shot to death on a farm, federal and state officials said yesterday. It was the first wolf confirmed in the state since hunters drove the species out more than 160 years ago.

US Fish and Wildlife Service officials said they used genetic tests to identify the animal, which was killed after it mauled more than a dozen lambs in Shelburne.

"To find a real one is pretty exciting," said Thomas J. Healy, special agent in charge of the agency's Northeast region.

So much for our carnivorous tourist trade.

Time to go to bed...

This week is National Sleep Awareness Week. Sweet dreams.

( And the CDC notes that there are a lot of Americans who don't get enough sleep... )

Time to go to bed...

This week is National Sleep Awareness Week. Sweet dreams.

( And the CDC notes that there are a lot of Americans who don't get enough sleep... )

Stupid, overly-indulgent idiot

What a jackass. CBS4-Denver relays a report from WBBM in Illinois about a man who landed his plane on a golf course so that his son wouldn't be late for tennis practice.

Please, tell me that this child will not ever become one of my students.

Via boingboing.net.

Stupid, overly-indulgent idiot

What a jackass. CBS4-Denver relays a report from WBBM in Illinois about a man who landed his plane on a golf course so that his son wouldn't be late for tennis practice.

Please, tell me that this child will not ever become one of my students.

Via boingboing.net.

Weird font tricks

lesliet_ma found this cool site...which flips text:

¡ǝʞıɯ ɥʇıʍ ǝʌol uı slǝǝɥ ɹǝʌo pɐǝɥ ɯɐ ı

She notes it may not work with all browsers or computers.

Weird font tricks

lesliet_ma found this cool site...which flips text:

¡ǝʞıɯ ɥʇıʍ ǝʌol uı slǝǝɥ ɹǝʌo pɐǝɥ ɯɐ ı

She notes it may not work with all browsers or computers.

Give me a quarter, or I'll touch you

An Arizona junior high school has instituted hugging rules: no hug more than 2 seconds long, or it's detention for you.

Give me a quarter, or I'll touch you

An Arizona junior high school has instituted hugging rules: no hug more than 2 seconds long, or it's detention for you.

I have a theory

I have had an epiphany. Possibly an epiphanette. It is my firm opinion that, in another age, many of the current crop of science fiction writers would have been pirates.

This epiphany struck as I looked at the Locus magazine cover featuring writer Charlie Stross. "My," I thought, "Charlie, who is a pretty doggone nice guy, looks kinda scarey in that picture. No, he looks piratical."

And then, like a bolt of [Irish-brewed poteen] white lightning, it hit me: so do a bunch of the rest of 'em. China Miéville. Neil Gaiman (particularly with his carefully cultivated crop of stubble). John Scalzi. Bob Silverberg (an elder statesman pirate, I grant you). Connie Willis (what, you never heard of Bloody Connie Bess?). George Martin.

They all look like defrocked pirates.

Their heads cry out for pirate hats or pirate scarves or single large hoop earrings. Their shoulders look naked without parrots. I can almost hear them all saying, "Arrrr." (Well, okay, mostly not Connie, who doesn't have the pitch for it.)

It's all I can do not to type all of their names into the Pirate Name Generator and see what I get (but after China Miéville's came out as "Fancypants Nigel Scabb," courage abandoned me).

Perhaps I should just send them all cheap stuffed parrots. They'd probably never figure out who sent them or why.

I have a theory

I have had an epiphany. Possibly an epiphanette. It is my firm opinion that, in another age, many of the current crop of science fiction writers would have been pirates.

This epiphany struck as I looked at the Locus magazine cover featuring writer Charlie Stross. "My," I thought, "Charlie, who is a pretty doggone nice guy, looks kinda scarey in that picture. No, he looks piratical."

And then, like a bolt of [Irish-brewed poteen] white lightning, it hit me: so do a bunch of the rest of 'em. China Miéville. Neil Gaiman (particularly with his carefully cultivated crop of stubble). John Scalzi. Bob Silverberg (an elder statesman pirate, I grant you). Connie Willis (what, you never heard of Bloody Connie Bess?). George Martin.

They all look like defrocked pirates.

Their heads cry out for pirate hats or pirate scarves or single large hoop earrings. Their shoulders look naked without parrots. I can almost hear them all saying, "Arrrr." (Well, okay, mostly not Connie, who doesn't have the pitch for it.)

It's all I can do not to type all of their names into the Pirate Name Generator and see what I get (but after China Miéville's came out as "Fancypants Nigel Scabb," courage abandoned me).

Perhaps I should just send them all cheap stuffed parrots. They'd probably never figure out who sent them or why.

Just humour me here

( Which humour has primacy? I'm a Melancholic baby... )

Via supergee.

Just humour me here

( Which humour has primacy? I'm a Melancholic baby... )

Via supergee.

About that Pirate thing...

I offer this little poll. Check off as many as seem appropriate. Please feel free to suggest additional names in the comments.

[Poll #1149613]

About that Pirate thing...

I offer this little poll. Check off as many as seem appropriate. Please feel free to suggest additional names in the comments.

[Poll #1149613]