So there was this article in the Stranger about how if only the county had less stringent food safety rules and if downtown merchants were only less cranky about people using the sidewalk in front of their stores, Seattle could have a vibrant street food scene. Which may or may not be true, what with the general disposition of Seattlites being what it is, we rarely get real vibrant around here. But it got me to wondering: do counties with less stringent food safety rules have noticably higher rates of food poisoning? I haven’t yet found a county-by-county comparison, but I did find a states-level map of food poisoning, and whee-doggies, Washington state has a problem! Let’s hope it’s due to food-safety laggards outside of King County, or all the inspections are for naught!

A neat exhibit of Soviet architecture of the 30s through the 50s that never made it off the drawing board. Watch that space, as was just boingboinged and may be overwhelmed for a while.

I finally tried out podcasting, mostly because Le Show is now available in this format (but without the music! Dang!). Here’s a list of more public radio podcasts. Now the torture that is Weekend America can last all week. Ugh.

I’m back from vacation, semi-refreshed, with more chores to catch up on than ever. As a part of cleaning out my old magazines (I was able to part with Might, Giant Robot, Saveur, and ReadyMade but not Fortean Times. How I love thee, FT), here are some links that seem to still be live, taken from ReadyMade which, like Budget Living, seems to be a rich source of interesting web links. I don’t totally get this.

Lindsay’s Technical Books has lots of old-school do-it-yourself stuff like smelting or making charcoal.
Kikkerland keeps popping up in my peripheral vision.
I still want an Indian scooter or autorickshaw from Bajaj.

and one dead link: MimiBunny

Yes, you can laugh at dated 70’s Ozark tourism, or you can gape in awe at its present day splendor!

Not only is history being made, but you can watch the process online: Bhutan’s first constitution is in the making! When one writes a constitution these days, one has to be far more specific (electronic communication, the environment, torture and so forth), but one is still able to soar to inspirational heights:
“The State shall strive to promote those circumstances that will enable the successful pursuit of Gross National Happiness.”

Unfortunately, my unfamiliarity with Bhutanese culture results in some passages sounding a bit like science fiction:
“The title to the Golden Throne of Bhutan shall vest in the legitimate descendants of His Majesty Druk Gyalpo Ugyen Wangchuck as enshrined in the inviolable and historic Gyenja of the Thirteenth Day, Eleventh Month of the Earth Monkey Year, corresponding to the Seventeenth Day of December, Nineteen Hundred and Seven”

Let us all strive for Gross National Happiness!

Foods That Will Win the War and How to Cook Them, from 1918 advises:
1. Buy it with thought
2. Cook it with care
3. Serve just enough
4. Save what will keep
5. Eat what would spoil
6. Home-grown is best

Don’t waste it!

Hey, look! A portable office, only 1.5 Tatami! From the people that brought you a slightly larger portable room.

No Free Lunch is a doctor-to-doctor campaign to reduce the influence of drug company representatives on their work. As far as I know, we don’t have any medical personnel in our readership, but if anyone wants to get rid of drug company pens, we sure could use some extra pens where I work.

Way back in 1899 (revised 1903), John Cotton Dana wrote in A Library Primer (now available online!):

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