Text 18111, 100 rader
Skriven 2008-12-20 01:29:48 av Nancy Backus (1:3634/12.0)
     Kommentar till en text av Glen Jamieson
Ärende: DO I HEAR AN ECHO 81217
===============================
-=> Quoting Glen Jamieson to Nancy Backus on 12-17-08 12:57 <=-

 GJ> I have a New Year resolution - start the year with an empty freezer!
 GJ> I have begun by moving the frozen stock south into the fridge part.

Good start, indeed.  :)

 NB>> have a (well-deserved) reputation in the family... my "explorations"
 NB>> have produced a number of useful shorter routes to places we go to
 NB>> regularly. And at least some of those, I've had witnesses in the
 NB>> car... (G) 

 GJ> It is good to occasionally have a win like that.  I like to get a map
 GJ> of some sort in advance of visiting a new place, and a better map as
 GJ> soon as possible once I get there. 

That's my usual practice also, whenever possible.  Then I can sit and
study the map before I go, and figure out where to get the better one.

 GJ> Hotel/hostels usually have a map
 GJ> of the surrounding area with the hotel marked on it, so it is easy to
 GJ> find the way back after exploring.  Even if you don't speak the
 GJ> language, the map helps if you show it to a taxi driver or a local
 GJ> native who can point in the right direction. 

There is that, for sure.  :)  And if the map's in the language, it can
help you learn it, too...

 GJ> Recently when in Darwin I
 GJ> was on the "native" side when some German tourists in a car asked me
 GJ> for directions to the Botanical Gardens.  Fortunately, with my few
 GJ> words of German, I was able to help them.

I think it probably helps when one has been on the receiving end of
directions, to be able to know what would be helpful...  and to have
probably learned some useful gesticulations as well.  ;)

 GJ> Modern cities with large amounts of steel used in their constructions
 GJ> and moving about the streets are dangerous that way.  Ancient stone
 GJ> buildings are much more compass-friendly.

True.

 NB>> The worst thing is when one is handed a "map" which is nothing but
 NB>> a vague representation of streets and attractions in the area... that's
 NB>> almost certain to mess me up thoroughly!  I've learned (the hard way)
 NB>> to totally ignore those, and go with my instincts instead, as they are
 NB>> much safer to follow... (G)  And take a side-trip to the local AAA or
 NB>> such and get a real map of the area.  :) 

 GJ> I agree with you about the uselessness of those rough sketch maps.  To
 GJ> be useful to me a map must be accurately to scale, and have the scale
 GJ> shown on it, North direction marked, and include all street names.

Agreed.  The only exception to that would be the rough sketch map given
me along with specific directions, which only needs to be roughly
accurate but must have the right street names or route numbers for any
turns I need to make, or a proper landmark in lieu of such.  But that
only works if it IS in conjunction with spoken detailed directions...

 GJ> If I am relying on a Metro rail service or other public transport, a
 GJ> layout of line directions and interconnections and station names is
 GJ> essential. When travelling by car around USA I have found the AAA maps
 GJ> very good, but these days the in-car GPS navigators are replacing them. 

So far I've not been totally impressed by the GPS navigators.  My son
had one that gave us perfect directions to... a building that was no
longer there... but was still in its database.  And the instructions for
"TURN HERE" seem always to be too late to safely respond to...
Personally, I'd still rather rely on a good map... which might also be
not quite up-to-date, but at least one doesn't expect up to the minute
info on a printed map, just accurate at time of printing.

 GJ> Something which could be *very* dangerous!  -
 GJ> Title: Frozen Florida
 GJ> Categories: Desserts
 GJ> Cookie dough
 GJ> Orange liqueur 
 GJ> Herve This and Nicolas Kurti.  Instead of baked alaska, they made a
 GJ> dish "frozen florida".  Its a cookie with a liquid filling inside.
 GJ> It's frozen but hot inside.

INDEED!

 GJ> 1) You make a cookie casing.  Fill it up with orange liquer.  The
 GJ> cookie casing acts as your insulator.
 GJ> 2) Freeze it. Because alcohol has a low freezing pointm the orange
 GJ> liquer will not easily freeze.
 GJ> 3) Microwave 30 seconds before serving.  The molecules in liquid
 GJ> state will heat up faster than in the solid.  Thus it will hot
 GJ> inside while it remains frozen outside.

So one can simultaneously get a freeze burn and a heat burn in one's
mouth...  That is scary!  I don't think I'll try this one...  :)

ttyl      neb

... 5 second grenade fuses will burn down in 3 seconds.  'Murphy

 * Origin:  (1:3634/12)