Old Faithful - centre of controversy

Old Faithful Geyser WebCam - hey, this is streaming, which means the picture changes every 20 seconds or something. How much patience have you got? Test yourself here.

Sometimes the headlines just make you laugh "Yellowstone, not yellow snow: 2 seasonal park workers fired after urinating into Old Faithful"
BOB MOEN Associated Press Writer 7:34 PM EDT, May 14, 2009

Here's a picture of Old Faithful pee'ing. Upwards.

Unfortunately we don't have a picture of the two guys pee'ing down into the geyser.

But in the age of the internet, that doesn't matter a whole lot.



It was reported by Yellowstone officials that "The geyser was not erupting at the time."

*SNORT* *GUFFAW*

Is Mexico getting back to normal?

Quote of the week

"Of course it is, don't you see the drug gangs have started killing people again?" a smiling man told the BBC while rushing to catch the green man sign at a road crossing."

Luck-y Khanzir

Link to story

Khanzir is the world's luckiest pig - if only he had a girlfriend.

He lives in a zoo in Afghanistan, given to the zoo by China in 2002, and it was a really good plan because this country is a bacon-free zone. This is not to say, no pigs allowed - just no pork products allowed. While the country may be a hellhole for humans to live in, Khanzir, with no fear of being turned into pork kebabs, lives in porker heaven with deer and goats.

That is, until visitors to the zoo worried that Khanzir, the sole - single - one and only known pig in the whole of Afghanistan - might be carrying the H1N1 virus. Just because he's a pig.

The visitors looked at the only known pig in the whole of Afghanistan and said "Mmm, a pig." Pausing, then "What do we know about pigs?" And then, "Arrgh! A pig! Swine flu!". I know! A real zealous use of exclamation marks.

So Khanzir was sent to quarantine away from his deer and goat pallies, but he gets a large room with a view and plenty of fresh air, so that's not so bad, and it may not be for too long.

In the meantime, the zoo's director, Mr Saqib, is turning his attention to the thought of the girlfriend issue. But he says "It is a dangerous and difficult time to get a new pig for our pig".

Feel the love, this guy dotes on that pig.

And don't even think about bringing swine flu to Australia. You're going to get disinfected!!!

Chanel No. 5

"Coco Chanel commissioned Ernest Beaux to make six perfumes. They were labelled No. 1, No. 2, etc. through No. 6. It was bottle No.5 that was to Chanel's liking and became the chosen formula."

Link - Chanel No. 5

I'd always stupidly thought that Coco Chanel had some direct involvement in the mixing of her famous potion.

Chanel No 5 was a favourite perfume of mine when I was in my twenties. It was not heavy but distinctive. I considered it so, anyway.

I don't wear perfume any more as it happens, I have an allergic reaction to strong smells. Which is not only a shame but a huge handicap since so many others are not so likewise troubled.

However, I read in this article that "Laboratory tests have shown that Chanel No. 5 contains secretions from the perineal glands of civet cats. Civet is a powerful fixative, making the scent last a long time."

After protests that civet is harvested in a cruel way, in 1998 the Chanel company took the generous, and some might say astute, course of replacing civet with a synthetic substitute.

I can't tell you how that's affected the perfume, read above vis a vis the allergy thing.

But I can tell you that I was affected with a special warmth for the Wertheimer family.

Link - Laelaps - Is there a civet in your perfume?

"Why not just cut out the middle-man and press a civet’s butt to your arms, neck, or chest?"

Well said that woman!