News Stories

[Kokukirin]

I had the opportunity to attend a short session with Mike Chinoy, former CNN senior Asia correspondent, a couple of weeks ago. Being an ex-journalist, he doesn't know any more about the scandal than the public does. But he did make a very interesting observation: even the people in US diplomatic circles who ought to know more aren't talking. Normally, he said, there would be some tidbit or two leaked to the press. In this case, you had a close ally of Mr Bo hiding in the US consulate, and not a peep emerged from the staff about what Mr Wang revealed. Nothing, zero, nada, zilch.

That, to Chinoy, seemed highly unusual. Read into it what you will.

(By the way, Chinoy was one of the few American broadcast journalists who was present in Tiananmen on June 4, 1989. He had some terrific insights to share, one of which surprised me tremendously, because it spoke volumes about the long-lasting harm of sloppy reporting. But that's another story for another time.)

I find the word "unusual" here a bit...odd because the event itself is already highly unusual. When was the last time a high-rank Chinese official went hiding in an US consulate? There just isn't an "usual" way to deal with this sort of drama.

I think nothing is revealed by US because it gains nothing by revealing it. Perhaps the news will embarrass the CCP. May be it will further complicate the power struggle inside the CCP. But by keeping silence, US can keep China guessing what they know and even use the knowledge as bargaining chips behind the scene.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Kokukirin

I find the word "unusual" here a bit...odd because the event itself is already highly unusual. When was the last time a high-rank Chinese official went hiding in an US consulate? There just isn't an "usual" way to deal with this sort of drama.

Something got lost in the context. It was unusual because of the extraordinary level of discipline "no news" implies. As you said, it was the diplomatic equivalent of a prize catch. Something this big would normally lead to a choice gossip or two. Someone somewhere would hear or catch a glimpse of something and wouldn't be able to resist sharing the juicy tidbit. This time, nothing.

Sometimes, silence can be deafening.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Something got lost in the context. It was unusual because of the extraordinary level of discipline "no news" implies. As you said, it was the diplomatic equivalent of a prize catch. Something this big would normally lead to a choice gossip or two. Someone somewhere would hear or catch a glimpse of something and wouldn't be able to resist sharing the juicy tidbit. This time, nothing.

Sometimes, silence can be deafening.

i am pretty sure the CCCP already knows what the US knows. Wang probably spill everything in Bejing. The only issues is how much is the US asking for its silence and whether the US can actually keep a secret. There is no point in paying off the US if the US can't show it can its mouth shut.

[MrTerrorist]

Could book publishing suffer the same fate as the comic book industry?

The world’s most isolated cave is home to 4 million year old "superbugs"

[Vexx]

In 'news of the really stupid', it turns out Americans are getting salted by their fast food at least twice as deep as other countries. We can thank our persistent lobbyists from the fast food industry... the annoying thing is that the *same* corporations seem to survive quite handily in different countries when told they have to behave as when not.

Spoiler for US fast food twice as salty or more as fast food in other countries:

Want extra salt with that fast-food meal? Then buy it in the United States, where chicken dishes, pizzas, and even salads are loaded with far more salt than in Europe and Australia, according to new research.
The McDonald's Chicken McNuggets in the United States have more than twice as much salt as their sister nuggets in the United Kingdom That's 1.6 grams of salt for every 100 grams of American nugget, compared to 0.6 grams in the U.K.
You could say Americans are getting more for their money. You could also say they're getting more high blood pressure and premature death.
McNuggets sold in Canada were about as salty as those in the U.S., while Australian, French, and Kiwi nuggets had significantly less salt, but not as little as in the U.K.
That may be because the United Kingdom has set voluntary limits on salt in processed food, according to Elizabeth Dunford. She's the lead author of this study, which was published today in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and global database manager for the Australian arm of World Action on Salt and Health.
"We know that some companies are already doing work to reduce salt levels, so we expect to find variation between companies and countries," Dunford told The Salt.
Dunford and her colleagues looked at the salt content of seven types of fast-food products from six companies: Burger King, Domino's Pizza, KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and Subway. They compared those products and brands in six countries: The US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, and New Zealand.
The US boasted the highest level of salt in fast-food products overall, leading the pack with the saltiest breakfast items, chicken products, and pizza.
Pizza had the most salt per serving, while chicken products had the most salt per gram. Maybe that's why Pizza Hut foods had the dubious distinction of having the most salt overall, while Subway's sandwiches had the lowest salt content.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that healthy people consume no more than 2,300 mg of salt a day. But it's easy to blow through that limit in just one meal with some of the fast-food menu choices.
Because of large serving sizes, some of the burgers and chicken products had more than 6 grams of salt (6,000 mg, or almost three times the daily limit). Some salads had more than 7 grams of salt, mostly because of creamy dressings. And one pizza delivered more than 10 grams of salt.
French fries, surprisingly, were one of the lower-salt foods. That's mostly because they are typically consumed in smaller portions than pizza or a burger.
Fast-food manufacturers could dial back the salt without losing business, Dunford says. "Up to 20 percent, customers can't tell the difference." Phasing in gradual changes means that customers won't revolt. But industry has to make the commitment, she says. "You want to make sure that consumers don't have to make the healthy choice."
In the meantime, she says, consumers need to read labels and be aware of the huge salt load in many processed and restaurant foods.
About 95 percent of the salt that Americans consume comes in processed foods and restaurant meals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even bread is a big source of salt, the federal health watchdogs reported earlier this year.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...es?ft=1&f=1001

[synaesthetic]

I'm rather thankful I don't eat fast food now...

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

I'm rather thankful I don't eat fast food now...

eyah.... I think the last "fast food" I ate was last October down in Los Angeles. We were just seeing what the "In-n-Out Burger" phenomenon was about. We weren't really impressed (mediocre meat, bland bread) - its a nice chain and employee-friendly but.... meh.

Oh, I take that back. In December, we tried a new entry in our area - an East Coast chain called "Five Guys". Urk that was awful... the target demographic appears to be the "I need two barstools at the bar" patron.

caveat to other readers: my father-in-law ran a family-owned restaurant burger place in the 70s and I worked there in high school... he probably put out the best food in the county and I've yet to find anything to match (and when we do, its another family-owned eatery). Both wife and I are quite aware of how little salt is *needed* for tasty food, -- less salt, more quality components, thanks

[synaesthetic]

The closest thing I eat to fast food is the gourmet food trucks that tend to wander about the Bay Area... and since they tend to use organic, locally-sourced ingredients, it's a far cry from Taco Bell or Burger King and the quality of the food is quite high.

Five Ten Burger makes a good greasy "mom 'n pop" hamburger made with grassfed beef and organic produce, and their buns are almost like brioche--very tasty and the cost increase is almost negligible when you consider how tasty they are and how much real food they contain!

There's also a little Greek place nearby that makes killer gyros... full of fat sure, but full of flavor and all made from high-quality ingredients. And the combo meal--a gyros wrap, fries and a soft drink--comes to $7.14 with tax included, so it's the same price as your average Big Mac meal from McDonalds, but oh so much tastier and better for you.

[ganbaru]

I don't salt much at work beside the french fries, I don't even salt the meat when I cook it. To add a little of spices or herbs usually do a better job but of course I never work in a fast-food restaurant...

[synaesthetic]

I always salt everything when I cook, just not to excess, and I use fresh ingredients so there's not much salt to begin with. A lot of fast food is over-salted because it's preserved and made to last twenty thousand years, and then they add more salt to it when it's cooking.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

The closest thing I eat to fast food is the gourmet food trucks that tend to wander about the Bay Area... and since they tend to use organic, locally-sourced ingredients, it's a far cry from Taco Bell or Burger King and the quality of the food is quite high.

Five Ten Burger makes a good greasy "mom 'n pop" hamburger made with grassfed beef and organic produce, and their buns are almost like brioche--very tasty and the cost increase is almost negligible when you consider how tasty they are and how much real food they contain!

There's also a little Greek place nearby that makes killer gyros... full of fat sure, but full of flavor and all made from high-quality ingredients. And the combo meal--a gyros wrap, fries and a soft drink--comes to $7.14 with tax included, so it's the same price as your average Big Mac meal from McDonalds, but oh so much tastier and better for you.

Portland is also a bit of a mecca for "street vendor" food of the gods, run by families, made with real ingredients (usually ethnics of the world). I won't say some of it is "good for you" but it all tastes a hell of a lot better.

I have to be careful of hamburgers (even at the decent places) because so many of the cooks think there should be as much mayo as meat (bleh!!!!!). Personally, a bit of mustard or horseradish and no mayo, thanks.

[synaesthetic]

I tell them "dry" when I get a burger. I don't like mayo, mustard or ketchup. I just want the taste of the burger, not the condiments.

[Bri]

Few years back , I made a round trip from LA to SF to Vegas and back to LA. Bought a loaf of bread at a LA Supermarket and left it in the RV. I had forgotten about it and at the end of the trip 3 weeks later, I found it in a cupboard. It still looked fresh...I don't want to know what amount of preservatives were used to pull that off.

As for fast food, Ruby Tuesday's was really nice. Not seen many of them in the Cal area tho.

[Ithekro]

We generally stick to Arby's when we can find one. Roast Beef seems much more interesting that a burger. Especially if you have to travel to find one.

[synaesthetic]

The lunch I just had was West African/Caribbean street food made up of kebabs of beef and a grilled plantain on a stick. It was excellent. The Bay Area is an amazing place to live if you love food!

[Endless Soul]

My fast food and soda intake has been drastically reduced over the years, almost to nonexistent. Saving every penny I can and not spending it on that stuff helps too. To be honest, I don't even really miss it.

Endless "Supersize me" Soul

[Mr. DJ]

Originally Posted by Vexx

In 'news of the really stupid', it turns out Americans are getting salted by their fast food at least twice as deep as other countries. We can thank our persistent lobbyists from the fast food industry... the annoying thing is that the *same* corporations seem to survive quite handily in different countries when told they have to behave as when not.



http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...es?ft=1&f=1001

that really doesn't surprise me and I'm pretty sure McDonald's is at the top of the list.

edit: now that I read the article, the first thing they mention is McDonald's lol

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

My fast food and soda intake has been drastically reduced over the years, almost to nonexistent. Saving every penny I can and not spending it on that stuff helps too. To be honest, I don't even really miss it.

Endless "Supersize me" Soul

hell...I'm just trying to eliminate sodas from the equation, one step at a time! lol

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Mr. DJ

hell...I'm just trying to eliminate sodas from the equation, one step at a time! lol

Try my method. Get your wisdom teeth removed to the point that it'd hurt/possibly be dangerous to drink carbonated liquid. By the time you're done, you don't really care if you drink it again.

[synaesthetic]

The risk of dry socket only exists for a few days after having an extraction. Dry socket won't hurt you physically but it will cause extreme pain.

[flying ^]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

......if I am not wrong a Spitfire can carry more ammuntion than a normal Bf109.

... by only 120 rounds fully loaded
spitfire total rounds go down to 1520 if armed with cannons.

Spoiler for :

109e
- 2x cowl mounted 7.7mm MG-17 @ 1000 rpg
- 2x wing mounted 20mm Oerlikon cannons @ 60 rpg

spitfire I
- 8x wing mounted Browning 303's @ 300 rpg

spitfire II
- 4x wing mounted Browning 303's @ 350 rpg
- 2x wing mounted 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannons @ 60 rpg

Originally Posted by Endless Soul

However, the Spitfire, with its elliptical wings, and smooth, graceful lines, makes it quite easy to caress its shape with your eyes, stirring your soul, and lighting the fire within your heart. One can't help but regard this fine aircraft as one of the most sexy creations of man ever devised.

This is a tough one...

for me it's a spitfire

or this



and here's for the best brawny looking planes

Spoiler for :