I agree. I remember the first time I got in a taxi in Japan. The driver was in a shirt and tie and was wearing white gloves. He had a "contraption" that opened the back door for me to get in. I was quite impressed!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/05/03/sriracha-hot-sauce-shortage-huy-fong-foods/73547924007/ Huy Fong Foods, maker of the Sriracha sauce that comes in rooster-adorned, green-capped bottles, says it has halted production until after Labor Day, sparking fears of another shortage. The California company blamed the popular condiment's production woes on the red jalapeño chile peppers that deliver the hot sauce's tangy sweet heat. They aren't red enough, according to Huy Fong Foods. “After reevaluating our supply of chili, we have determined that it is too green to proceed with production as it is affecting the color of the product,” it told wholesale buyers in a letter this week obtained by USA TODAY. Huy Fong Foods does not sell directly to consumers. “We regret to inform you that we have decided to halt production until after Labor Day, when our next chili season starts,” the letter continued.

https://www.vox.com/world-politics/2024/5/4/24148030/rwanda-uk-tories-sunak-labour-braverman-patel-migrants-asylum The UK is again preparing to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda after Parliament created a workaround to enact a policy the high court declared unlawful.

Water's too cold.

Kind of similar, Though not done by pickling, but fermentation, kimchi is very popular and quite healthy to eat. Usually cabbage, but can be done with cucumbers, etc. (There is even a kimchi museum in Seoul(

@George-K said in How to repair an Achilles tendon: Then, I pulled the sock down and saw two ends of shiny tendons looking at me.

He might be right, however I seem to recall rather similar predictions being made during Obama's presidency.

Well, languages, you know ...

I was assured, during a congressional hearing, that Prof. Abdou had been fired.

@George-K said in US Troops to Leave Niger: @Renauda said in US Troops to Leave Niger: Putin probably offers more attractive bribes Exactly. Russia has had its eyes on Africa since the 1950s, if not earlier. Russian technical assistance also includes stationing Wagner Group Mercenaries Russian Foreign Legion troops to support the tin pot dictators and junta leaders in the unlikely event of an attempted counter insurgency or coup. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/05/05/niger-receives-new-russian-advisers-equipment-a85039

@blondie said in "I dismissed a medical student.": This is still done, right? Like for the stupid or annoying ones? Slightly off topic... I worked with a vascular surgeon from Virginia. His first name was Julius - of course we called him "Julie" which he preferred, actually. Anyhow, Julie was a stickler for being on time. 7:30 case meant the knife hits the skin at 7:30 and woe be to the resident who's not there to ensure that happens. We always brought Julie's patients into the OR at 7:15. (says the retired guy at 6:55 am, sipping his coffee, still in his jammies, LOL) Anyhow, one day, we got the patient off to sleep, and the resident was nowhere to be found. Julie was in the lounge, expecting to walk in and start cutting at 7:30. He walked into the room, and there was nothing going on. No prepping...nothing. So, he decides to prep the leg for the bypass. At about 7:40, the resident comes into the room, and starts to apologize. Julie says (Virginia accent), "You know, I think I'm just gonna go ahead and do this here fem-pop. Why don't you go make some rounds?" I loved the guy. He and I got along very well. Julie was a very athletic guy. He died in a scuba diving accident in the Bahamas in 1986 - never found out what really happened. He was 53.

@LuFins-Dad said in MOAR free money?: This is an insanely stupid idea. Is the economic advisor with the degrees in music an social work suggesting this? "We can't go bankrupt - just print more money."

@kluurs said in Unwed: The folks that wrote Freakonomics (and others) would suggest that will result in increased crime Hasn't that been debunked?

Not only no new policies, 72,000 not getting renewed. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/state-farm-announces-major-insurance-150000813.html State Farm stated that it would discontinue coverage for around 30,000 homes and 42,000 apartments, citing surging costs, increasing risks of disasters such as wildfires, and outdated insurance rules as reasons for terminating the policies, per the Associated Press. And...it's global warming climate change... According to the AP, California's elected insurance commissioner is reforming the state's home insurance regulations to restabilize the market. "Changes to outdated regulations will improve choices for all Californians so everyone has options beyond the FAIR Plan," deputy commissioner Michael Soller told the Register. We can help homeowners in high-risk areas by switching to electric appliances, powering our homes with solar energy, and making sustainable choices when we shop. Even one small change, multiplied by thousands of people, can help curb the pollution driving more extreme weather.

Happy Birthday!

Interesting!