Nestle in the news again

From Spin of the Day:

Nestle’s Christmas Gift to Ethiopia
Faced with a “mounting public relations disaster” over its attempt to sue the famine-stricken country of Ethiopia for $6 million, the Nestle corporation has promised to donate the money to hunger relief. But Justin Forsyth of the hunger organization Oxfam calls the offer a “half measure” and calls on the company “unambiguously to drop the claim and allow the Ethiopian government to spend the money on famine relief. … Nestle has had lots of opportunities to back down over the last year. Sadly it has taken Oxfam and the Ethiopian government exposing them to public outrage to make them see sense.” Source: The Guardian (UK), December 23, 2002

Those guys just don’t get it. They’re still flogging formula over breast-feeding in Africa, despite the fact that it’s killing more people than it’s saving. And now this. “There’s a principle involved” indeed…

posted at 11:51 am on Thursday, December 26, 2002 in Current Events | Comments Off on Nestle in the news again

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone!

posted at 12:33 am on Wednesday, December 25, 2002 in Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Merry Christmas

Good Yule!

We celebrate the return of the sun…

posted at 8:38 pm on Saturday, December 21, 2002 in Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Good Yule!

TV does add 4 kilograms

In related news, TV makes men hunkier and women chunkier.

Apparently due to “quirks” in our vision processing, 2D pictures of people look larger to us than corresponding 3D images. Strange…

posted at 4:00 pm on Friday, December 20, 2002 in Odd, Science and Technology, TV | Comments Off on TV does add 4 kilograms

Trends in Playboy Models

Centrefold models getting more androgynous

Based on 577 consecutive montly issues of Playboy, researchers graphed trends in height, body mass index, and waist to hip ratio. Wow, that would be a fun job; we always joke about scientific excuses for looking at naked women :-). Anyway, they discovered that:

  • BMI is dropping (20 to 18), making models skinnier
  • bust size is dropping, and waist to hip ratio is rising, making models less “hour-glass” shaped and more tubular
  • height is increasing, while weight remains constant

The net result; models are becoming less “classically” feminine, and more androgynous.

The real question is: are mens’ preferences changing, and is the media (including Playboy) documenting or causing the changes?

posted at 2:57 pm on Friday, December 20, 2002 in Odd, Science and Technology | Comments (2)
  1. Charlotte Spence says:
    2003-03-14 at 11:20

    harald-
    hi! i just wanted to let you know its not every guy that can lose weight like that and KEEP losing it. keep up the good work! it seems like to many people are over, or according to your article, UNDER weight these days. no one knows the true definition of nutrition and body type anymore.
    -charlotte

  2. Rossana says:
    2003-03-28 at 21:28

    i think that they look just fine. everyone else is just too fat!!!!!

The Holidays

shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP SHoP SHOp SHOP shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP SHoP SHOp SHOP shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP sHoP SHOp SHOP shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP SHoP SHOp SHOP shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP SHoP SHOp SHOP shop Shop sHop shOp shoP SHop ShOp ShoP sHOp sHoP shOP SHOp ShOP SHoP SHOp SHOP … <grin>

posted at 6:05 pm on Thursday, December 19, 2002 in Personal | Comments Off on The Holidays

Small conumdrum

So I have to decide what to do over Christmas, what with all the parties with good food, and sitting around doing nothing, and frantic trips to malls, and so on.

The three options are:

  1. Continue to lose weight normally
  2. Be slightly less conscientious, and take a small break until January; don’t lose more but don’t gain any either.
  3. Throw caution to the wind, and enjoy the holiday season. Gain lots of weight.

I don’t like the last option; I’ll be really depressed in January if I do that. But I’m torn between the first two. On the one hand, I have a Goal, and reaching it sooner would be cool. On the other hand, I’m ahead of schedule, and I want to eat all that good food that’s around.

At this point, “no decision” is the same as option 2, but without a concrete goal and plan; having a plan is better. I need to decide going in, so that I’m happy with the result coming out.

posted at 9:59 am on Wednesday, December 18, 2002 in Personal | Comments (1)
  1. RJ says:
    2002-12-19 at 15:16

    Personally, I’d go with option 2. Every dietician that I have spoken to over the years says that trying to stick fanatically to any diet, especially during the holiday season is a good way to wind up falling off the wagon and then the depression/guilt/”what does it matter anyway” eating begins.

    If the season is also about forgiving others, perhaps forgiving yourself is also appropriate.

Michaela’s blog

Michaela takes yet another step towards geekdom, as she now has her own weblog…

posted at 12:28 pm on Monday, December 16, 2002 in Personal | Comments Off on Michaela’s blog

Star Trek

In order of my preference:

II: The Wrath of Khan
VIII: First Contact
IV: The Voyage Home
VI: The Undiscovered Country
IX: Insurrection
VII: Generations
III: The Search for Spock
X: Nemesis
V: (I can’t even remember the title now)
I: The Motion(less) Picture

Yes, I liked Nemesis enough to place it above Star Trek V. Ugh…

posted at 10:19 am on Monday, December 16, 2002 in TV | Comments Off on Star Trek

Gift Ideas?

Just what everyone needs: A time machine. Or how about powdered urine?

These and other fun gifts can be found at the Holiday Survival Guide for Slackers…

posted at 2:18 pm on Friday, December 13, 2002 in Odd | Comments Off on Gift Ideas?

Today’s Peeves

We interrupt this program for two annoyances:

  • People who stand on narrow escalators (where there’s no room to pass) so that everyone else has to wait for them. I make exceptions for people who obviously have trouble with stairs, but watching someone walk 500m and then stand on an escalator really bugs me.
  • People who are perfectly able-bodied using the elevators on the subways and GO train platforms. Those elevators are supposed to be for people in wheelchairs; I’ve also seen people with strollers and carts use them, which is ok by me. However, I’ve also seen a mother with a child in a stroller have to wait for three or four elevators, because they are full of selfish S.O.B.s who are too lazy to take the stairs (or even worse, the escalators).

WALK, PEOPLE! IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

posted at 2:04 pm on Friday, December 13, 2002 in Rants | Comments (3)
  1. jok says:
    2002-12-16 at 13:43

    Gee, I didn’t know you took the subway. Are you using the new Sheppard line at all?

    As for walking 500m and then standing on an escalator: Well Toronto isn’t so bad (except for Spadina station) for it’s inter-line transfer stations, but when I was in Osaka (and Tokyo), after 500m of dodging crowds, standing behind everyone on the escalator was a welcome rest. and actually, I’m pretty sure there is an 800m walk inside Tokyo station to get from the main body of JR lines to the line that goes to Tokyo Disney world. Worse yet, we had to do it twice, since I misread the map and did not realize that the line shoots right under Ginza without connecting to any of the subway lines above it. and duh, that’s what I get for trying to use a JR pass. The subway connection in Tokyo station does actually go right to Ginza. Now here’s a subway system:
    http://www.tokyometro.go.jp/network/print_english.html

    That purple line is super-deep. At shinjuku station there are something like 5 levels stacked on each other and O-edo sen(line) is the deepest, but keep in mind the JR line is elevated above street level, so you only have to worry about going down 3 to level 5. I’ll bet you’d rest on the escalators from O-edo sen. Btw, here’s a diagram of the O-edo platform at “Tochoomae” (one left of Shinjuku on that map).

    I’ve lost the link, but there used to be 3d diagrams of the O-edo stations somewhere.

    Hm, I seem to have gotten off topic… So have you tried Don Mills station yet? That thing is about 5 storeys down. Walking on the escalator could be tiring for some there. I have a nit to pick with that station. It is officially on 4 levels (subway,mezzanine,bus bay,street) but the fricken elevators only take you up one level at a time! Taking Megan on a stroller through that station requires walking all over hell’s half acre taking 3 different elevators (Well, if you’re going shopping that is… There is yet another elevator closer to Sheppard which goes from the mezzanine to the street).

    More curious still, is the elevator in Sheppard station. It has two buttons “Level 4” and “Level 5”, but (for newcomers) you have no idea which level the Sheppard line is on (you can tell from the button placement which level is the lowest). Only a complete nerd like myself who read the station design plan would know that they actually built the Yonge station above the Sheppard station bringing it within inches of the surface. Building it below would probably have been most people’s assumption. (FYI, you come across the elevator before you get to the escaltors and their signage telling you which way to go for Yonge trains)

    $1 billion and they can’t even get the elevator buttons right.

  2. jok says:
    2002-12-16 at 14:00

    http://www.kotsu.metro.tokyo.jp/util/sitemap_index.html

    Article explaining depth of O-edo sen (15-48m) Hm, at 3m/storey, that’s 16 storeys down in places. It also lists the cost at $13 billion (approx — I converted it):
    http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr28/pdf/f22_fuc.pdf

  3. jok says:
    2002-12-16 at 14:41

    Slight correction from http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/%7Ezq8a-kaz/shinjyuku.htm (in Japanese, if you want a laugh, cut and paste the lines with the “36.6m” into babel fish.. brutal). Shinjuku O-edo line station is on level 7, 36.6m down.

Another Depressing Anniversary

I found today’s Astronomy Picture of the Day somewhat depressing. It’s been 30 years since we put a man on the moon, and what have we done since then? A partially blind telescope and a couple of piddly little space stations.

“It’s the year 2000, but where are the flying cars? I was promised flying cars? I don’t see any flying cars? Why? Why? Why?” – Avery Brooks – IBM Commercial

posted at 10:02 am on Thursday, December 12, 2002 in Science and Technology | Comments Off on Another Depressing Anniversary

bleah

work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK work Work wOrk woRk worK WOrk WoRk WorK wORk wOrK woRK wORK WoRK WOrK WORk WORK …

posted at 4:12 pm on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 in Personal | Comments (2)
  1. Reid says:
    2002-12-12 at 00:15

    fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fnu fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun

  2. RJ says:
    2002-12-19 at 15:44

    Yah. Right. Sure. Babe.

Addiction

I am very glad that I have never had to deal with this, and I hope I never will.

That man can write…

posted at 4:10 pm on Tuesday, December 10, 2002 in Links | Comments Off on Addiction

Vampire Ecology

Take a PhD candidate in ecology. Assume he is also a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One result could be a treatise titled Vampire Ecology in the Jossverse…

The short answer appears to be yes, Sunnydale can support the vampire population we see there, and further that the predator-prey relationship is stable.

Cool.

Update: I forgot to credit Turn of a Friendly Die for the link. Bad Harald! No biscuit!

posted at 9:10 pm on Thursday, December 05, 2002 in Odd | Comments Off on Vampire Ecology

Too Much Spare Time?

New Scientist reports that Mathematics unravels optimum way of shoe lacing…

There are many millions of different possibilities but, reassuringly, the proof shows that centuries of human trial and error has already selected out the strongest lacing patterns.

It’s nice to know that we humans can get something right…

(first seen in andersja’s blog)

posted at 12:49 pm on Thursday, December 05, 2002 in Odd, Science and Technology | Comments Off on Too Much Spare Time?

Out of the mouths of babes…

[ Talking about Advent at breakfast this morning. ]

M: What are we waiting for?
C: Jesus’ birthday?
M: Do you know why?
C: No…
M: Why do we celebrate Jesus’ birthday and not Elvis’ birthday?
C: (with “the look”) because Elvis is an alien!

Much laughter and giggling ensued…

posted at 9:27 am on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 in General | Comments (2)
  1. Debbie says:
    2002-12-03 at 11:59

    This is great!!

    By the way, I keep meaning to congratulate you on your weight loss. Very impressive!

  2. Michaela says:
    2002-12-04 at 01:30

    My “devout catholic” mother was less impressed with the rest of the story. There is a beauty of a punchline at the end. It went like this.

    Me (Michaela/Mother/Wife) “Okay, you’re right, that is what makes Elvis special. Why is Jesus special?”

    Gareth “Because he is God”
    Charlotte (the echo child) “Because he is God.”

    Me “Charlotte, what is God?”

    Charlotte “I don’t know”

    Me “Gareth, do you know what God is?”

    Gareth “He is a spirit.”

    Me “Do spirits get born and have mummy’s”

    Gareth “Yes”

    Me “okay, you are right. Do spirits wear diapers?”

    Me “So Jesus was God and a person. That is what makes him so special. And *that* is why we celebrate his birthday”

    Gareth “Yeah, just like Hercules!!!”

Origami Boulders

Still looking for something interesting for that special person who has everything?

Try the Origami Boulder.

(Thanks to Karen Murphy for the link.)

posted at 10:01 am on Monday, December 02, 2002 in General | Comments (3)
  1. Debbie says:
    2002-12-03 at 11:58

    Cute. :) I’ve heard of origami boulders before, but never thought anyone would SELL them.

  2. joel says:
    2003-01-14 at 16:35

    its quite the site isn’t it. cracks me up everytime. still haven’t bought anything though :-)

  3. Sharper says:
    2003-06-09 at 13:10

    Origami Boulders are great! Easy and yet fun to do. I can knock out a dozen in about 10 seconds.

    Check out the Origami ideas at:
    http://www.booksunderreview.com/Arts/Crafts/Origami/

    …now to convince my wife that all of her “messups” when writing are really art…