Folks, I have a theory.
After asking on Twitter, and using two different ISPs in two different cities, and trialling different browsers, I have found that in New Zealand, I (and one other Twitter friend) cannot reach our Autocade site without the browser coming up with an error asking one to save the page.
However, using a US proxy server, there is no problem, and the page functions normally. It actually opens.
I suspect something is afoot with ISPs in New Zealand blocking certain sites. Can friends reading this confirm this with me, please? The site is autocade.net.
I remember last month there was quite a bit of furore on Twitter when TelstraClear customers could not reach justinflitter.com (since closed). Again, I had no problem accessing Justin’s site via a proxy server. I simply could not reach it from New Zealand, even though Justin is a New Zealander.
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Today, while we were walking, I was thinking of a comment Apolline had left on my Missing Strangers post about social movements and urbanization. We turned a corner and here was exactly what I had been imagining loneliness all together to look like:
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I'm taking an extended break in my 25 minutes-on 5 minutes-off schedule today to post an FSotD to prove that I have been writing today!
With the goatee grown in, David now looked like his own evil twin.
(I stole this from real life -- the same is true of Cappy when he has one.)
Okay, break over, back to it.
Sorry that I just want to ramble on today. I'm feeling seriously rebellious. I think I want to completely overhaul my lifestyle. Mostly my diet. Okay, so I've got: a wheat allergy and chronic fatigue syndrome. The last thing I want is pity - I don't need it. I got through a graduate biology program. But I'm annoyed at our society for its silliness with edibles.
Should I stop drinking? It's so dumb how I google cider recipes and they all have booze in them. That alone makes me want to boycott the industry. I'm definetly cutting back on coffee because I'm having palpitations again when I have too many cups or alcohol.
I wonder if I should just go whole hog and live a crazy vegan lifestyle. I also google vegan recipes and they all have wheat. I can't eat those. Can you see why I want to start diet groups on Vox? People keep saying to me, "Oh, I don't know how you can stand to go without cake / coffee / booze / steak". Yeah, thanks for the words of wisdom.
On a happier note, we have heroes like Alton Brown to educate us on cooking techniques. And I still love Ace of Cakes, I bet they would make a cake just for me. My favorite episode was when they made a cake for the author of a kid's book called Ghost Girl, a child who was teased in school. Then she died and she learned what real friendship is.
Appropriate for my dilemma, I guess. Maybe I'll change my attitude along with what I consume.
So I've sent out my resume, I'm waiting patiently to hear back from potential employers. I can't wait for school to send my diploma so I can take that stupid word "Candidate" off my title for "Master's of Science".
My mom thinks I should apply for a college teaching job. You know, so I won't get eaten by some beast in the forest. I can't imagine anything I'd want to do less. I'm in biology so I won't have to work with humans, remember?
The one advantage to teaching is that I'd teach those brainwashed students about evolution. In the vet tech program, our cell biology teacher was a devout Christian. A student asked about Intelligent Design, and she replied, "This is a science class, so we're not going to discuss religion". Score!
Although it may be brutally cold I'd rather be watching bobcats anyday than stuck in a monkey suit at a desk. Being an ecologist means I can dress casual and be a socially awkward geek if I like. Not that I can help it.
I'm at least tempted to volunteer for science groups that stand up for Evolution in schools. And a new arrival at my favorite bookstore showed Origin of the Species in illustration form. Yay!
Cross-posted to SF Bay Style
Friday night, after what can only be called an arduous drive into San Francisco, I landed gratefully at a small table at Kokkari Estiatorio. A Hellenic restaurant, and sister to one of my favorite places on the Peninsula, Evvia, Kokkari is dark and intimate, the kind of ambiance that gives you a warm glow, especially after you've spent 40 minutes battling the last five miles to get to valet parking attendants you have never been so grateful to see before.
Kokkari is also extremely veg-friendly, as are most Mediterranean-based restaurants.
As I typically recommend, I called out to our waiter right at the start that I was a vegan, and luckily this was a waiter who not only reacted to my questions, but proactively pointed out various things on the menu and how, even if they were not vegan as typically served, they could be prepared vegan for me. This is always so helpful, because it eliminates that slightly forlorn feeling of having such limited choices from a menu, compared to your non-veg friends.
I've been at this long enough, that I often do that kind of proactive probing of the menu myself, but it's always nice to have the waiter do so...signaling the kitchen's willingness to be flexible.
So what did I have?
Well, we started, as every table does with a plate of marinated olives. I love olives, so I loved this little perk. I moved on to have a most intriguing-sounding Persimmon Salad, one of the night's specials. It included cucumbers, Belgian endive and nuts, with a light lemon-based dressing. It was a visually attractive dish, with a good and subtle mix of flavors. The persimmons were a bit harder than I've usually had them, but on the other hand, I wouldn't call myself a regular and experienced persimmon-eater, so not sure what that means!
For an entree I combined two small plates, both from the wood-fire roasting oven. Another special was a small plate of various mushrooms, fire-roasted and with just a hint of olive oil and parsley. My dining companion ordered this too, and with the haloumi cheese that was part of the dish's default preparation. I, o course, got it sans cheese. Lest you worry that without cheese the dish would be bland, the combination of mushrooms were sufficient on their own to create a dish of varying flavors and textures. These were mouthwatering morsels of earthy, rich delight! Seriously a piece of mushroom heaven.
Mushroom heaven (my new name for the dish, seriously @Kokkari, you're welcome!) was joined by another plate of grilled vegetables, this time mostly artichokes and eggplant on skewers. This also came with a light lemon and olive oil dressing. I can run hot and cold on eggplant, but the roasted skins/edges and soft interiors hit just the right texture combination to win me over.
Finally, despite a lack of any vegan desserts on the menu, they brought me a little bowl of fruit granita (intended as a side accompaniment to another dessert on the menu). It was pomegranate-flavored, which provided the kind of tart dessert I tend to prefer. A nice, fresh, clean way to end the meal.
I heartily recommend Kokkari to any vegan looking for a place to go with your carnivorous friends. There is something for everyone, including vegans. And nothing beats a wood oven!
'Nuff said.
After a horror start to the week for the Liberal Party of Oz (see earlier post) the later half did indeed improve with some valuable comment from some Liberals.
Unfortunately for the Party it came from elder members who no longer have much input but nevertheless it was nice to see something a bit more thoughtful for a change.
First cab off the rank was Malcolm Fraser (pictured at left) who made an insightful reply to Fran Kelly on RN Breakfast. When asked what he thought Kevin Rudd should do (principally about boat people) he said "Kevin Rudd should get out of the way and let his Ministers manage their portfolios."
A very good observation although I appreciate he is viewing it from a different angle. The problem with Oceanic Viking got blown way out of proportion and Kevin 07 did not need to be in center stage as it exploded. He should have left it for his Ministers to solve and only get involved if it really went pear shaped.
The problem arose from some misreading of a poll and Labor is not the only interest group to get it wrong. Even Michelle Grattan got carried away and started reading more into the data. For those who missed it a poll was undertaken just after the rescued Sri Lankans refused to leave the Oceanic Viking at an Indonesian port. Now some Voters were excited and the Press certainly got their knickers in a twist but the Public in general were just watching things unfold. A few different Labor folk started jumping in front of cameras too and that also caught the publics attention.
The results of the poll were Labor down 15 points but Kevin himself only 2 points. For some reason the pundits and even Kevin himself, decided the love affair with Kevin was over. I thought the data was clear. The Voters were happy enough with Kevin but unhappy with all the other members of the Party and trade unionists loudly asking for the asylum seekers to come straight through.
More detailed polling has since shown that the Voters are pretty evenly split over how to treat asylum seekers. Some want to push them away while others want an "Open Door" policy.
The upshot was Kevin hitting the airwaves a la John Howard and popping up all over the place. Personally, I think this is a bad tactic. Eventually you will say something that offends just about everyone or people just get sick of seeing you around. I simply wouldn't go there.
If Rudd hadn't jumped in he could still be relaxing back at the Lodge instead of having to keep going over the same ground.
The second Elder Liberal to make an intelligent comment was a real shock. None other than Sadam Hussien's bag man Alexander Downer. His observation was uncharacteristically accompanied by an admission of having made the same mistake himself. The comment was about carrying on negotions with a megaphone ie. through the Press. He equated it to their (The Libs) dealing with the Tampa the same way. When you use the Press to publicise your agreements you paint the Indonesians into a corner and you will struggle to get the desired result.
Normally Kevin 07 understands this as shown by the Hu Stern case, but somehow this one slipped through. Being the clever clogs that he is, I'd be surprised if he doesn't learn from this error of judgement and he probably recognises disunity was part of the problem after the more detailed polling.
Rudd has had a challenging week, not a disastrous one, and if he reflects on the lessons and fine tunes himself and his party, life for Turnbull is going to be a hard row for quite some time yet.
At the start of the day I thought I knew what today's "Note From The Universe" meant and I laughed out loud at its perfect timing and choice of words.
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However, at the end of this day, I am less certain what it means than when the day started.
But it is Friday the 13th and perhaps it's time to think some entirely new thoughts.
The Universe is looking out for me. I just need to keep listening.
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