Not a good Vegemite substitute

A new fast food is making its debut at U.S. fairs this fall: fried Coke. Abel Gonzales, 36, a computer analyst from Dallas, tried about 15 different varieties before coming up with his perfect recipe — a batter mix made with Coca-Cola syrup, a drizzle of strawberry syrup, and some strawberries.

Balls of the batter are then deep-fried, ending up like ping-pong ball sized doughnuts which are then served in a cup, topped with Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream, cinnamon sugar and a cherry on the top.

Gonzales said the success of his fried Coke had inspired him. Next year's fair-goers can look forward to fried Sprite or — for those watching their weight — fried diet Coke.

"We are trying to cut a lot of the sugar out of it. It has less calories but it's still very, very sweet," he said. – (Reuters)

Free Trade Agreement?

America bans Vegemite
October 21, 2006, from The Sunday Times
www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20623973-2,00.html
www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,20623014-948,00.html

THE US has banned Vegemite, even to the point of searching Australians for jars of the spread when they enter the country.
... Vegemite has been deemed illegal under US food laws. [It] contains folate, which ... America allows to be added only to breads and cereals.

Evanescence & Solidity (again)

"Bleigiessen", a seven-storey high sculpture by Thomas Heatherwick at the Wellcome Trust, Gibbs Building, 215 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE
some pictures
www.flickr.com/photos/electricsprout/255666808/
www.flickr.com/photos/loplop/245495378/in/photostream/
www.tom-carden.co.uk/2006/01/28/bleigiessen/

Fluffy, White, not necessarily harmless

Clouding the Mind ...
pic1.funtigo.com/ valuca?g=25544746&cr=1
Many beautiful & fascinating photos here. A few of them are from a World War I German 'Cloud Atlas' produced for pilots, others are from sites around the world. Many of the lenticular clouds look extraordinarily artificial.

... One Way or Another
"one step closer to that marshmallow-armed society we all dream of" [Ed - of which we all dream?]
www.stupid.com/ stat/ MLLW.html

Loss: John M Ford

The writer of the poem below died suddenly, shortly after the equinox, a quarter of the year before Christmas Day at the age of 49. He left a sad gap in my online life, and a much bigger, painful, rent in others' lives. I mourn his passing, condole his family & friends, and cherish the works he left us.

Obituary: tinyurl.com/oeouj — This is a free Usenet posting (groups.google.com/ group/ alt.obituaries/ msg/ 0a7495d51f3af0de) of John Clute's obituary in The Independent (news.independent.co.uk/ people/ obituaries/ article1772294.ece)

Sestina, from a main centre of information and remembrances (nielsenhayden.com/ makinglight/ archives/ 008033.html).