csziggy
csziggy's JournalArtificial sweeteners may tip scales toward metabolic problems
by Rachel Ehrenberg
1:00pm, September 17, 2014
Eating artificial sweeteners may spur the very health problems that dieters try to avoid. A new multipronged study of mice and a small number of people finds that saccharin meddles with the gut’s microbial community, setting in motion metabolic changes that are associated with obesity and diabetes.
Other zero-calorie sweeteners may cause the same problems, researchers say September 17 in Nature.
<SNIP>
Until recently, most sugar substitutes were thought to pass through the gut undigested, exerting little to no effect on intestinal cells. As ingredients in diet soda, sugar-free desserts and a panoply of other foods, the sweeteners are touted as a way for people with diabetes and weight problems to enjoy a varied diet.
But the new study, led by computational biologist Eran Segal and immunologist Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, suggests that rather than helping people, the sweeteners may promote problems.
More: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/artificial-sweeteners-may-tip-scales-toward-metabolic-problems
Wow! Not a good thing at all.
For those planning to go to Iceland to see Bardarbunga erupt
By Jón Kaldal |Mar 27 2014
While visiting Iceland it's useful to know some key phrases in Icelandic, like góðan dag/good day, takk fyrir/thank you and matseðilinn takk/the menu please. Then you have some you should not bother with. Here are ten.
1. Hvar er næsti McDonald’s? / Where is the nearest McDonald’s?
Nope, no Big Mac for you. There are no MacDonald’s restaurants in Iceland. The fast food chain used to run three outlets in Iceland for a while, but they closed their doors in 2009, the owner maintained it was due to the economic crisis. We believe it was because local burger joints beat off the competition with their tasty burgers (you don’t’ find Starbucks either in Iceland. The local cafes whip up much better coffee drinks).
2. Hvar er næsta lestarstöð? / Where's the closest train station?
There are no trains in Iceland. Domestic travel is by car, plane, boat, bike or foot.
More: http://icelandmag.com/article/10-useless-icelandic-phrases-you-should-not-bother-learn
For #2, they left off a mode of travel - see #10!
I particularly like #5 and #7.
Lightning striking all around our hilltop!
At Dozens of close strikes, several so close I heard a crackle BEFORE the flash of light!
Plus it's raining buckets.
My husband is supposed to be on his way home from work - I hope he has sense to pull over somewhere. I don't want to call his cell in case he is on the road.
There is a heat iadvisory for the frigging BEACH in North Florida!
This if for the Big Bend and Panhandle of North Florida, and for South Georgia and Alabama!
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
231 PM EDT SAT AUG 23 2014
...DANGEROUS HEAT WAVE TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY...
.HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE TO
PRODUCE DANGEROUS HEAT INDEX VALUES THROUGH SUNDAY. AN EXCESSIVE
HEAT WARNING CONTINUES ALONG THE COAST TODAY WITH A HEAT ADVISORY
IN EFFECT ELSEWHERE. A HEAT ADVISORY HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED FOR
PORTIONS OF THE AREA FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=FLZ017&warncounty=FLC073&firewxzone=FLZ017&local_place1=3%20Miles%20WSW%20Miccosukee%20Cpo%20FL&product1=Heat+Advisory&lat=30.52358&lon=-84.15381
Forecast for today and tomorrow:
Tonight - Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday - A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 100. Heat index values as high as 108. North northeast wind around 5 mph.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?map.x=217&map.y=150&site=tae&zmx=1&zmy=1
Too damn hot to got to the beach!
I HATE calling tech support
Especially when it's for my landline. Today my internet, TV and landline kept dropping out. In order to call tech support when the landline isn't working, I have to go outside to use my cellphone. I get no cell signal inside my house.
So I have to call, select 1 for English, select 4 for tech support, 1,2 or 3 for internet, TV or telephone (I picked 1), verify if the number I am calling from is the account number (2 for no), enter the account number, enter 0 because I don't want to use their automated help menu, enter the account number AGAIN, enter the number from which I am calling in case we're cut off. Oh, while they are switching me to a person, they tell me I have to be in front of my computer to assist the tech support person solve my problem. HAH!
I finally get tech support. First thing I have to do is give her my account number AGAIN. Second, give her the number I am calling from in case we're cut off. She verifies the account information and asks my problem. First I tell her that I cannot be at my computer and talk to her at the same time. I have to be outside to talk to her. Then I explain that all my services (that come in on the same line) are intermittently cutting out. And there is no point in using my cell phone number to try to reach me because it will NOT ring or connect inside my house and I will not be standing outside waiting for a call back.
She asks me to check my service - I AGAIN explain to her that I cannot be at the computer and talk to her at the same time. That I just wanted to register a complaint that the services keep cutting out all at the same time. That I don't want to spend much more time outside because the heat index is over 100 but it is cooling down because the thunderstorm with lots of lightning I can hear coming is causing a downdraft. And that I really DO NOT want to continue to stand outside on top of this hill with a lightning storm on the way.
She asks me to hold while she checks my service. I agree but ask her to hurry. She comes back and says there is no problem. I disagree - there is a problem or ALL the services would not be dropping intermittently. She agrees to send a service technician out to check the line. She wanted my cell phone number for the tech to call when he headed my way - uh, REDUX: there is no point in using my cell phone number to try to reach me because it will NOT ring or connect inside my house and I will not be standing outside waiting for a call back. I thank her, got off the phone and back inside.
I just checked my cell phone - the entire screen is filled with numbers from the insane amount of information I had to enter - that never got to the service representatives. It's not her fault - she did not set up the system. But why the heck can't the fucking PHONE COMPANY put caller ID that automatically enters the number into the service representative's screen? Why does it have to ask for it multiple times during the same repair call? 
Wild Turkeys in my front yard!
No pictures, unfortunately. Three adult wild turkeys and seven small poults, about as small as I've ever seen baby turkeys. All look very healthy. Two of the adults were about ten feet out from the front steps so about 22 feet from where I stood inside the front door. The hen and youngsters were up the hill about 40 feet away at a bad angle for viewing.
It's a very grey day here. I could have gotten pictures of two of the adults but the hen with the poults was under the shade of the live oak at a very bad angle. I'll have to leave the camera out handy and hope they come by on a sunnier day and that I will see them out in the open.
The fairy tale that should be told!
This is the fairy tale that should have been read to us when we were little:
Once upon a time
~~~~~~~~
in a land far away,
~~~~~~~~
a beautiful, independent,
self-assured princess
~~~~~~~~
happened upon a frog as she sat
contemplating ecological issues
on the shores of an unpolluted pond
in a verdant meadow near her castle.
~~~~~~~~
The frog hopped into the princess' lap
and said: " Elegant Lady,
I was once a handsome prince,
until an evil witch cast a spell upon me.
~~~~~~~~
One kiss from you, however,
and I will turn back
into the dapper, young prince that I am
~~~~~~~~
and then, my sweet, we can marry
~~~~~~~~
and set up housekeeping in your castle
~~~~~~~~
with my mother,
~~~~~~~~
where you can prepare my meals,
~~~~~~~~
clean my clothes, bear my children,
~~~~~~~~
and forever feel
grateful and happy doing so. "
~~~~~~~~
That night,
~~~~~~~~
as the princess dined sumptuously
~~~~~~~~
on lightly sauteed frog legs
~~~~~~~~
seasoned in a white wine
~~~~~~~
and onion cream sauce,
~~~~~~~~
she chuckled and thought to herself:
~~~~~~~~
I don't fucking think so.
Are the residents of Murrieta California anti-vaxxers?
Every story I see about the idiots blocking the buses the morons natter on about their children being exposed to diseases from the immigrant children. Why are they so concerned? I haven't heard of any major disease outbreaks as a result of immigrants into the country or of illness among the most recent influx of immigrants from Central America.
Do the citizens of Murrieta no vaccinate their children to protect them from the ordinary childhood illnesses? That's the only reason I can think of that they are so afraid of their children being near children from other locations.
That and blatant prejudice.
Whoever posted the link to GeoGuessr - a challenge!
I think I just maxed out the score! I just totaled 24998 - only two points short of a perfect score! 
If you want to try the same set of maps: https://geoguessr.com/challenge/oB1j3rb3YAwx0s06
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