Scottish chefs have a very low opinion of France’s president.

Very recently, the president of France made disparaging remarks about the poor quality of British, Scottish, and Finnish cuisines.

The Finns seem a bit perplexed by this singling out of their food, and can only come up with one dish that might be objectionable. And maybe the occasional elk or reindeer.

This was taken on my evening walk. The plant is entwined with a mock orange shrub, and covered with flowers.

On one corner, someone had just tossed some meat into garlic and oil, or was grilling meat that had been marinated for days in garlic, or some combination thereof. The fragrance followed us past four or five houses. If only I could bottle it.

We were approached by one friendly little schnauzer-like dog, were ferociously barked at by a large black dog behind his gate, and passed one young man working on his car while revealing his plumber’s butt.

I fed compost to this and the orange rose (both in containers), and they’re doing better, except I’m constantly pulling little squash plants from the soil.

Then there are those who have seen a seiche , and realized it for what it was.

A small lake in Norway has its own version of a monster . Some of the eyewitness accounts could describe a standing wave, while others do not.

Lake monsters may be nothing more than a combination of standing waves, also known as seiches , and the vivid imaginations of local residents.

Darn.

It was a weekend of major distractions, so when the ice cream didn’t turn out as expected, it was put in the freezer anyway. Today, I discovered that I forgot to use the stirring device that came with the machine. The frozen mass does not spoon into a cone very well, nor does it mix with the rich vein of cold ganache that I added. No matter, someone has to eat this stuff.

Concerned that Nessie will be annoyed by the splashing and general mayhem that 100 competitors might create, an insurance company decides to provide coverage of a million pounds . Thus guaranteeing a certain amount of media coverage as well for the upcoming VisitScotland Triathlon.

In a study that tracked 376 senior citizens back to their adolescence, researchers found that a certain group did not experience as much dementia as the others. These were identified as the students with higher IQs and at least two extracurricular activities.

A Harvard study indicates that drinking up to three cups a day will help reduce your risk of diabetes. Not only that, but you’ll run a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s, colon cancer, and gallstones, as compared to those who do not drink coffee at all.

A new drug synthesized from the saliva of gila monsters is a promising treatment for diabetics. It lowers blood sugar while giving the patient a feeling of satiety after meals, which in turn, promotes weight loss.

From skin cells, which are relatively easy to obtain, researchers grow three different kinds of cells. The development boosts hopes of replacing damaged tissue in a number of conditions, including stroke, diabetes, and burns. Use of a patient’s own cells eliminates the possibility of rejection.

Therapists say that the machine has a calming effect on autistic kids, especially those who cause disruptions in class.

In a province near Seoul, Arcanobacterium haemolyticum has been found in kids with colds . Symptoms include fever, rash, and in some cases, a dip in blood pressure, and possible liver damage.