sauerkraut: the new health food

November 4, 2005

It is, after all, made from cabbage, which is in the same nutrition-rich family as cauliflower, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.

A University of New Mexico study indicates that it can lower the risk of breast cancer by up to 74 percent.

Korean scientists say that a kimchi extract fed to chickens with avian flu had a positive effect.

It is sold in an institutional-size container at Costco, in case you’re so inclined.

the pumpkin pc

I’m catching up to stuff I missed those five days of the Comcast outage. This is truly remarkable.

California: great white was a giant

Two weeks ago, it bit a surfer and left a bite mark on her surfboard. When researchers examined the mark, they concluded that the shark was 18 feet long and weighed 2 tons.

astronaut bones and the dangers of solar flares

Solar storms can cause grave danger to the marrow cells in the bones of astronauts. NASA is considering a redesign of the spacesuit to allow for extra protection in the areas most vulnerable, which include the shoulders, hips, thighs, sternum, spine, and skull.

Australia: giant crocodile trapped

It is over 13 feet long, and weighs over 660 lbs. Wildlife officials estimate the age to be around 50 years, and have taken it to a crocodile farm.

The weight is roughly that of the Mekong catfish caught in Thailand.

a nano goes through the washing machine

Left in a shirt pocket, it traveled through an entire wash/rinse/spin cycle and a minute or so in the dryer before the owner realized what had happened.

China: 4000-year old observatory discovered

The platform is a semicircle surrounded by 13 pillars. Researchers say the users not only watched the skies there but also performed sacrifices.

the mosquitoes, the rotting moose hide, the concentrated iodine

All play a large role in the unique life-or-death situation experienced by a man living alone in the wilderness with seven wolf-dogs.

Russia: nyet to Simpsons

Russian officials condemn The Simpsons as ‘corrupting schoolchildren’ and point out the aggression and violence in many episodes. TV stations were warned to cut back on violent shows or face censorship.

Japanese desserts

Where presentation means a lot. It helps if you like cats.

how salami is made

It’s complicated.

listening to the Pretenders

Don’t Get Me Wrong from an old tape, the ones my kids called the soccer tapes, played on the way to thousands (it seems like) of games on Saturday mornings.

spices: the new health food

They’re packed with antioxidants (oregano has 42 times that of an apple), fight diseases such as Alzheimer’s, and zip up the taste of many dishes.

Mexican ramen

Or ramen fusion, if you will. The instant noodles are a hit with time-stressed workers and schoolchildren, who take their ramen with salsa.

Some Mexican officials are worried that ramen will replace the more traditional rice and beans.