bookofjoe

What happens when you put a an eighth of a ton of Silly Putty in one place?

Clay Bavor, an associate product manager at Google, wanted a big piece of Silly Putty and so did a lot of other people at Google so they placed a "really, really big bulk order" — for 1/8 of a ton of the stuff.

Bavor had the shipment delivered to his desk but before distributing it he and his posse "were curious to see what 250 lbs. of Silly Putty looked like, so... we put it all in a single pile to see."

After the wonder of it died down they discovered an unanticipated property of Silly Putty in bulk, a kind of emergent behavior: "The problem was that once together, Silly Putty doesn't like to come apart."

Read his blog post of this past Tuesday on the ensuing putty fun.

Note to aspiring Google employees: The question, "Why is 1/8 of a ton of Silly Putty on your desk a problem?" will be among those you'll be asked during your interview: at least you'll get one right.

Flip Flop Clock

Quite nifty: the soft silicone case acts as a stand when you're stationary; when it's time to go the case flips up to become a protective cover so you can toss it in your bag.

Fully open it measures 3"W x 5"H x 1"D.

In red or black.

$19.99 here (battery included).

NewsLink

I don't know how I happened on this very useful site, with direct links to:

• U.S. newspapers grouped by: state, national papers, major metros, dailies and non–dailies

• TV stations by state and network affiliation

• Radio stations by state, news, talk, or public

• Much, much more.

Ultimate Ice Scraper Mitt — Do mittens dream of frozen windshields?

This is what happens when two species that shouldn't interbreed ignore all the warnings and go ahead anyhow.

You end up with a mitten with an ice scraper extruding like a mutant proboscis.

From a website:

This Ultimate Ice Scraper Mitt protects your hand from snow, ice and wind while scraping ice from your vehicle.

It has a waterproof outer shell with a high-tech fleece inside for extra warmth.

One size fits [either hand of] all.

$7.99 here.

Buy two and use 'em to mix salads – w00t!

BehindTheMedspeak: Can kimchi cure bird flu?

That's the question raised in today's Washington Post Business section front–page story by Elissa Silverman.

She wrote that the first sign that something was up was noted by Washington, D.C.–area Korean groceries, where kimchi sales suddenly spiked a few months ago.

"Ho Jin Lee, president of Kim Chee Pride, Inc. of Maspeth, New York, which supplies kimchi on the East Coast, said sales jumped 20% this year."

The inciting factor?

The publication of a study by South Korean researcher Kang Sa–Ouk of Seoul National University last spring which found that 11 of 13 chickens infected with avian flu virus recovered after being given kimchi juice.

Here's the Post article.

Kimchi Sales Rise on Link to Possible Bird Flu Cure

Moon K. Yoon sensed something was up about two months ago when the 16-ounce jars of kimchi started moving quickly from the shelves of the Lotte Plaza International Supermarket in Fairfax, a sign that interest in the spicy cabbage dish had moved beyond the Korean customers who typically buy it by the gallon.

At the Super H Mart on Lee Highway in Fairfax City, sales of $7.99 bags of freshly made kimchi have increased 55 percent, compared with a year ago, store records showed.

Ho Jin Lee, president of Kim Chee Pride Inc. of Maspeth, N.Y., which supplies kimchi on the East Coast, said sales jumped 20 percent this year.

A sudden new joie d'epice in the American diet?

Try avian flu.

Blame it on the Internet, the anxiety of life in the 21st century, or a volatile combination of the two, but publication of a minor study by a South Korean academic last spring has apparently triggered a minor run on kimchi, a daily staple of the Korean diet that the bland-of-palate are likely to avoid like a global pandemic.

Which presents a potentially difficult choice given the work of Kang Sa-Ouk of Seoul National University, who took 13 chickens infected with avian flu virus and a couple of other diseases, fed them kimchi juice and found that 11 of the birds recovered.

Word of the study has been circulating on the Internet.

As fears about bird flu have grown in the recent months, Yoon and operators of other ethnic groceries have gotten more phone calls about kimchi.

So has the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), where callers have turned seeking validation of the idea that kimchi may ward off avian flu, spokeswoman Kathy Stover said.

"Although it certainly sounds interesting, NIAID, unfortunately, can't comment on the dish's effectiveness as we have not studied it," Stover said in an e-mail.

Yoon and his fellow grocers have also gotten lots of questions about the dish's taste and its pungent smell.

"It's hard for me to explain the taste," Yoon said.

The most common preparation of kimchi for sale in markets begins with sliced Napa cabbage, which is salted, set aside for hours and then rinsed.

Most traditional recipes add plenty of crushed garlic, as well as ginger, onion, sliced radish and fish sauce to the cabbage.

And lots of hot pepper, though Yoon said that in some "Americanized" versions, the pepper and fish sauce are reduced.

No one quite knows what in kimchi is the magic ingredient, but its increased popularity pleases international food groceries, who believe the exposure might bring more customers to their markets.

There might be other reasons for an increase in kimchi sales.

More exposure to ethnic cuisine might make American eaters more adventurous and eager to try the dish.

As interest in cooking and international foods becomes more in vogue, so have the markets catering to customers seeking these dishes.

Regardless of the reason, the trend has been widely noticed among Korean grocers.

Mainline stores in the region like Giant Food say they do not carry the dish.

"We're selling more small jars," said Kei Kim, the manager of the Grand Mart in Seven Corners near Falls Church.

"They are scared -- they try a little."

********************

I like kimchi, but prefer it in Korean restaurants as opposed to buying the bottled stuff.

Tell you what: a glass of kimchi juice in place of my O.J. along with my morning coffee would sure change the tenor of this blog — I suspect not for the better.

Mamma mia, that's a spicy cabbage....

Self–Powered Fan

Now here is an interesting device.

From the website:

Your Woodstove's Heat Powers This Fan

Our Self-Powered Fan is a unique design with its internal heat-fueled generator and its almost magical automatic operation.

As the stove warms, the fan turns itself on; as the stove gets hotter it automatically increases speed to extract more heat from your stove and circulate it.

Aluminum with a stay-cool handle.

Made in Canada.

The small fan (top) has two blades; measures 4" x 8-3/4"H; and costs $119.95.

The large fan (below)

has three blades; measures 4" x 9"H; circulates 50% more air than the smaller version; and costs $159.95.

Both here.

I wonder how well one of these would work placed atop my electric oven, the top of which gets plenty hot on those rare occasions I use it.

NeverUnder.com — 'The world's first and oldest delayed messenger service'

Certain messages are intended to be delayed.

Such as those you might write to a loved one, your handwritten letter, to be delivered only after you've died.

Fred, who sent this site to me, wrote, "The recipients actually participate in this transaction without knowing when the message is scheduled to arrive or whom it is from. Very clever!"

Stipulated.

[via Fred]

Collapsible Colander

Slick.

From the website:

Silicone Colander Collapses to Store Flat!

Unlike bulky strainers, this collapsible nonstick colander can be stored in a drawer when not in use!

Opens to a full-size (8") colander for draining large quantities.

A lip on the edge lets you place this clever colander over a pan or bowl to drain liquid, leaving both hands free to safely handle a pot of hot pasta or vegetables.

Pasta won't stick to the silicone surface.

Heat resistant to 500°F.

Dishwasher safe.

$14.95 here.

Hey — is that a colander in your pocket or...?