(no subject)

The university I work as holds a get-fit initiative every year at this time. It usually takes the form of a walking challenge - those who want to participate form teams, get pedometers, and record the number of steps they take. The winning team gets ... I have no idea what they get.

This year they're (trying to) add something: peer pressure. In the letter that was sent around announcing it, they encouraged everyone to take the stairs instead of the elevator, and to encourage your co-workers to do the same. And to note when a cow-orker* took the stairs and to send their names in and whoever got the most commendations wins ... something or other.

I cannot tell you how much the idea of secretly noting other people's behavior and reporting it to a central authority appalls me. I'm actually deliberately taking the elevator whenever possible in protest.

I don't think that anyone here actually cares enough about it to bother noting such things, but the principle is ... not good.



* Not a typo. It has a long and speshul history on the intartubes.

(no subject)

Via tammylee: cultural differences in politeness. The comments are full of other examples.

A note about the cats...

Nefer has porked up visibly in the weeks since I got the kitten, and I've worked out that it's because she's been sneaking the kitten's food, which has 150% more calories per portion than the adult food. Which is, to be fair, probably flavored cardboard, since it's Indoor Cat type food, meant for indolent inside cats.

Time for Operation Hide Kitten Food. I just bought a Cuisinart, and I still have the box upstairs. I think a hole just the size of the kitten cut in it ought to suffice for keeping Nefer out. For now, at least.

(no subject)

( What's my international spy name? )

(no subject)

"For that matter, you could define diabetes as one end of the spectrum of behavior of the pancreas."

--Harriet Hall, over on Science-Based Medicine, among the comments. The post is by Hall, about psychiatry-bashing. (Yoon, some of the comments will make you sporky!)

Reposting here because I'm going to have to remember that quote for the next person who says ADD is merely one end of a spectrum of behavior of attention, as if it's supposed to make it OK that I can barely function in some important areas of life. Gosh! Out in the bush when being stalked by a leopard, ADD makes it easier to survive! Yeah, but HERE and NOW it's a liability.

(no subject)

Three new cat videos!

First, a really dark one, because I didn't have any lights on. The kitten is so possessive of his favorite toy that once he gets a good hold on it ... well, you'll see. (Or not see, if your monitor is too dark XD)

Then, a peaceful moment as Nefer gives an extremely sleepy Sora a bath. :)

And the introduction of the Kitten Food Box! Note that the hole has been partially blocked by a piece of cardboard, as I cut the hole, set it down to see how it worked, and Nefer went "A new box! With a hole! Sweet!" and climbed inside. And the kitten followed. So a bit of resizing was in order. :) Yes, Sora fits in there - he went in and had some food shortly before I started filming.

Three things...

...make a post?

Two links from The Big Picture: Lunar New Year celebrations worldwide and aerial shots of London at night.

rachelmanija! Food porn manga! Oishinbo, Volume 1 (Oishinbo: a la Carte) With more to come!

I bought vol. 1 at the bookstore today+6999999999999999999999999999999555555555555555555555666666666666666666666666q

CAT-LIKE TYPING DETECTED

Anyway, I bought vol. 1 at the bookstore this evening and am about to read it. Apparently the original series ran over 100 volumes, and these are cherry-picked adventures from it. Basic plot: journalist and cynic Yamaoka Shiro is assigned to oversee the creation of the Ultimate Meal. His estranged father is a world-renowned gourmet who has disowned his son. Hilarious antics ensue as Yamaoka and his colleagues pursue the Ultimate Meal.

Kittyspam!

And a few still shots.

( RIGHT THIS WAY )