Food bank workers in the Seattle area are starting to learn about the food preferences of local immigrant populations. Some cultural preferences are quite prominent, with some obvious trends coming from religious constraints (“Muslims don’t want hot dogs”), and others from unfamiliarity (“Latinos stare at fresh turnips, perplexed”). There’s also a problem with the language barrier and packaged goods with long instructions, such as Bisquick and Rice-A-Roni. Some food banks are holding cooking demonstrations to introduce new ingredients to their clients. And when possible, they try to distribute goods to the locations where they will be most accepted.
Research tells us that night owls have an internal clock with a 24.5 hour day while morning larks’ clocks run at less than 24 hours. This genetic characteristic separates us midnight oil burners from the perky morning crew. According to sleep doctors you can reset your internal clock. Start by figuring out how much sleep you need exactly and get it. Expose yourself to sunlight in the morning. Start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night, using a melatonin supplement if you wish. Stick to your new schedule, even on weekends and holidays. The best advice, however, may come from KEXP morning DJ John Richards who advises getting your dream job because: “if you don’t love where you are going, it will never be easy to wake up.”
In reading about the female-designed Volvo YCC all I wanted to know was: is there a place to put my purse? That’s the automobile feature I’ve always wanted. Putting my purse on an empty chair only works when I don’t have passengers, and although I’ve seen some women resort to sticking their purse by their feet, I don’t consider that very safe when I’m driving. Invariably I have to ask a passenger to hold my handbag for me. In delving through the various news articles, I finally found a relevant description: “the center console area can be a place for storage — or a resting place for a purse.” From the photos it looks like it might be sized appropriately for a reasonably sized bag. I also discovered that in the 1950s, the pink Dodge La Femme had compartments built into the front seat backs which held matching accessories including a purse, and there is also mention of an option for a purse hook.
Nature is the theme of the design for the California state quarter which depicts John Muir, Half Dome, and a California condor. It is based on one of the five designs which former Governor Davis chose from a group of twenty. However, Governor Schwarzenegger was given all twenty to choose from by State Librarian Kevin Starr. The original design was submitted by Los Angeles resident Garrett Burke. The quarter will be minted in January 2005.
Google‘s new user interface places their different search-type links at the top of the results page instead of inside tabs lower down, and it’s having a significant effect on me. I didn’t realize how often I switched from Web to Groups to News until the new placement proved to me how application of Fitt’s Law can make a difference. When I’m clicking through Google results my mouse cursor is moving in the area of the results links. The tabs used to be directly above those. Having to now move up that little extra distance to the top of the page and to a slightly smaller target, is a small annoyance that is building up into a big headache every time I try to change to another search type. I’ll probably be used to it in a few days, but I currently don’t view it as an improvement.
Elvis Costello has a two book deal with Simon & Schuster, reportedly “high-six-figure to low-seven-figure.” The first book sounds like a work of fiction with a description that claims it will take its cue from his lyrics. The second may be more autobiographical with the title “”How to Play the Guitar, Sing Loudly and Impress Girls … or Boys.”
Musicians’ unions continue to fight musical theater producers on both sides of the Atlantic. Use of Sinfonia, the virtual orchestra machine, continues for various reasons. Cameron Mackintosh Productions reached an agreement with the Musicians’ Union in London to use the Sinfonia for “Les Misérables” as it had to move to a theater with a small orchestra pit. However, the settlement allows for the use of the machine in that production only, with the understanding that further negotiations will take place to regulate the use of playback devices. Back in New York, Local 802 protested the Opera Company of Brooklyn’s use of the Sinfonia and won their agreement to hire musicians in the future. 802’s latest Sinfonia complaint is against an Off Broadway production “The Joys of Sex” whose composer claims he wrote the music specifically for the device. Union president David Lennon responded “Claiming to have composed for the virtual orchestra is about as valid as claiming to have composed for a tape recorder.” (sources: Backstage.com and The N.Y. Times)
Popular Science’s How 2.0 puts aside technology for a bit and shows how you can put lead into a pencil.
A tiger cub in Jakarta get a bath from mom while using its sibling as a pillow.
The mint in San Francisco produces collectibles instead of cranking out our actual spending money, and that means it brings in big business for the U.S. Mint, as collectors are happily pay premium prices for perfect proofs and commemorative coins. Run under heavy security, the mint is closed to the public, but allowed a special tour for delegates to the XXIII Mint Directors conference and some news media on Tuesday. The last public tour was in 1993. Armed guards kept an eye on the visitors as they were shown stamping and packaging machines. The mint is celebrating 150 years in San Francisco.