h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm having trouble finding a Tropical Storm Irving near Florida, but it seems that until 1996, Irving was on the list of possible names for the Western North Pacific.

My given name is another story... it's on the current lists, but if we get 23 named storms in a season, we're in big trouble!

i bought a thermos flask today and have just given it its first task, keeping my warm for the next few hours, anyone know how long it should keep freshly made for?

Depends on the flask, minicheesemouse. If I heat the pot and the flask first, then it keeps the tea more or less drinkable all day.

Poor Tiger- had to go to the vet this morning so I could get his jabs up to date so he can go to cat-jail while we're away.

When Slaves go Bad...

Poor catlet.

B

i didnt know you had to heat it first!

i just poured in the hot water, threw in a couple of teabags and some sugar, fished the teabags out with a teaspoon and added some soymilk!

You don't *have* to heat it, but it works better if you do.

how would you go about heating it?

Pour boiling water in, let it sit for a couple minutes, then pour it out and put in whatever it is you want to keep hot. If you want to keep something cold an extra long time, do the same, but with ice water.

ah i see! thanks i will try to remember and do that next time!

Where'd Saturday go? If any of you find the kid that took this afternoon, could you tell them it's not nice to take things without asking and tell them to give it back?

Poordy abused likkle catlet is curled up asleep on the laundry like a cat in a picture book. He is actually rather poorly having chosen the trip to the vet to have the runs.

Ben

Saturday disappered on the heap of says reaaaally making kids wait for Christmas, I'm sure

Been to the family-day marking the opening of the company's major new factory. Took the bicycle on the train there, decided to bicycle the 20 km or so back. Feel much better for it

Oh, and it *is* cold to stand in a 2000 m2 -55°C (-67°F) freezer

why were you in a freezer?

It's part of the new factory. We manufacture lactic acid bacteria (used for production of milk and yoghurt) and these are either freeze dried or frozen, the latter at below -50°C to keep working. So as part of the tour of the new factory, you could opt for a (quick!) trip inside the new storage fability, including this mega-big very cold freezer.

ah i see so you didnt just wander into a giant freezer for no apparent reason then

I always wondered what type of business you were in, Santra, what with all the traveling you do.

Wouldn't it be more correct to say you ~grow~ bacteria, rather than manufacture it? Bacteria farming, who-da thunkit?

We grow them to manufacture them, sure Actually, I'm not in the culture (bacterial culture) part of the business but in the enzymes part. But still, it's mainly for dairy.

With that and Google, you could get a pretty decent idea of what the company is. But be aware that one of the major competitors is also Danish

are they the "frriendly bacteria" often said to be in yoghurt drinks?

im allergic to dairy, does that mean i only have unfriendly bacteria in my system?

Downtown Flagstaff is filled with classic cars today! It's some kind of event, or show. They're all parked at jaunty angles, their hoods lifted so that passers by can get a good look of the gleaming chrome inside. Some poor college kid parked his late 90's Honda Civic in a space last night, apparently without knowledge of the coming car show. My guess is that he or she got too drunk to drive home and took a cab. Upon return the owner will find a parking ticket affixed to the windshield, and might not be able to get the car out, if the show's still on!

Talking of very cold places:

http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/employment/vacancies/job.php?JobID=377

A giant freezer sounds rather inviting right now. It's 103 and rising here. But that means in a few more hours I can pick some more tomatoes.

FG, yes, of course, please pop by if you are driving through northern California, and take some pico de gallo. I brought a pint of it to w*rk yesterday, and it vanished in a flurry of corn chips.


HN