Last year I wished this story had a happy ending. Now it does! The Greater Columbus Convention Center had recycling bins for cans and bottles, and for paper, set up in many parts of the building during Origins this past weekend. I am thrilled! Last year's news was so discouraging, I hadn't expected them to … Continue reading Origins 2008 Recycling Report
Month: June 2008
Counting to Three…Part Two
Well, the technique of counting to three had a good run, but it's not working anymore. Nicholas tried using it himself to get us to do things we'd refused to do, he saw that we still refused, and now he sees no reason why he should comply just because we're counting. I don't remember ever … Continue reading Counting to Three…Part Two
Cabbage Nengkan
This is a story about how I cook. I hope it will provide some insight to people who cook only by following recipes, or who "don't know how to cook," as to how one can go about figuring out what to do with the main ingredient that happens to be available. If not, maybe my chaotic cookery will … Continue reading Cabbage Nengkan
Packing for a Picnic or Potluck: Reusable Gear!
Picnic/barbecue season is here, with mounds of disposable tableware: soggy paper, bendy plastic, skidgy foam, spoons that scratch our mouths and melt in our coffee, forks whose tines snap off, knives that won't cut anything, cups that are too cold or hot to hold without adding a layer of cardboard. Everybody's cup is identical, so we have to write our names on them. What convenience! What convenience? We've started bringing our own dishes, utensils, and napkins when we go to picnics and some potlucks.
What’s wrong with these Earth policemen?!
Pittsburgh police killed Nang Nguyen because he was waving a meat cleaver. Okay, he should not have been doing that, but did they really have to shoot him dead on the sidewalk? Consider the details of this story: He had a history of acting strangely toward the end of the month, when he would run … Continue reading What’s wrong with these Earth policemen?!
Impulse Control and Understanding Consequences
Like learning to share, these are skills some parents claim are absolutely impossible in babies and toddlers. I think they're underestimating what those little brains can do! Babies are capable of controlling some impulses, some of the time--they just aren't as good at it as older people. Babies are capable of learning that something they … Continue reading Impulse Control and Understanding Consequences
Don’t forget the lemonade!
How come people don't serve lemonade more often? And why is it that, when people do serve lemonade, it's usually the fake kind made from a powder? Yeah, squeezing lemons is a lot of work. But lemon juice comes in a bottle! You can make lemonade with just bottled lemon juice, sugar, water, and maybe … Continue reading Don’t forget the lemonade!
Spreadable Butter
This isn't a recipe, exactly, but more of a food-related tip: I grew up seeing that butter or margarine was always stored in the refrigerator. Therefore, I assumed that it would spoil quickly if left out. Shortly after I moved up to Pennsylvania for college, a friend who'd grown up nearby invited me home for the weekend. I was astonished to see that … Continue reading Spreadable Butter
The Dreadful Future of the Postage Stamp
Last Friday night, I walked over to my local post office to buy some 1-cent stamps. Sure, the post office was closed at 9pm, but it has a new computerized machine to serve our posting needs 24/7. In fact, the Postal Service is so keen on our using this machine that, last time I was … Continue reading The Dreadful Future of the Postage Stamp
The Earthling's Handbook 