peds

Marmite really is a divisive ingredient, isn't it. On toast with scrambled eggs: delicious. Stirred through pasta with a spoonful of the cooking water and a handful of grated parmesan: a little weird, but surprisingly good. Tossed over parboiled potatoes before roasting in goose fat for savoury, crispy, roast potatoes: sublime. Stirred into vegetarian chilli or ragu for umami and vitality: highly recommended. But this... soft bread, crispy lettuce, marmite... this does not spark joy. The important thing is that you enjoy it though, and that you aren't eating it under duress, or as the forfeit of a bet you lost or something.

There you go, getting all weird again. Straight to the gutter with you. Rolling around in the fag ends and the pigeon droppings. Look, I know this isn't strictly covid-related, but do you think you could leave any further messages over in the covid thread? Like... for ever? Anyway, here's a cool photo from the Olympics. Gabriel Medina can, apparently, fly, after surfing a near perfect wave. Photo by Jerome Brouillet. Which gets me to wondering, is this on the Atlantic, or is there a wave pool available for the surfing events? How long has surfing been in the Olympics? I'll tell you what is worthy of outrage... I heard discussion on the radio recently about "e-sports" being allowed into the Olympics one day... computer games. I know it's big business these days, with significant international championships held all the time... but at the Olympics? Really?

Crazy isn't it, was the car thermometer lying to me yesterday when it claimed 30°? I start sweating out at anything past 15°. I'm not built for this kind of weather unless I'm installed next to a beach or a swimming pool with a fridge full of rosé.

Morning all. What day are we, Tuesday? This is day number 6 back in the UK for me, and good god, when are you expecting a bit of rain?! This is horrible. The soil is dust. I feel like I'm in Mad Max or something. Back home to Ireland on Thursday, where we get an appropriate and near-constant delivery of rain, just the way it should be.

Bit late for that, after all the disgusting things you say sometimes, what with being a morally reprehensible human being. You do not have the opportunity to clutch your pearls I'm afraid. Anyway, regardless of race, gender, faith or cult, I think we can all agree that the kind of psychopath who'll do this sort of thing (and sadly, they grow in every strata of society, in every corner of the globe) should go straight over the side of the boat, and the sharks can decide on the most appropriate punishment.

Anyway, in the news today apparently Simone Biles is pretty good at this sport? I don't really follow the Olympics, but this was bloody impressive: m2-res_1130p.mp4 She had a bit of a stumble upon landing which lost her some points, but I believe one judge said that "as long as she lands somewhere inside the building, she will have the highest score." Strong stuff.

Wow, that was easy.

Be a shame if the insecticide you used on that blue beetle also killed a natural predator of those other wee beasties...

To be fair, the fact that you've been able to list so many, even with a slight overlap of some topics, suggests the opposite of hyperfixation. I think his problem lies elsewhere, though that's just a matter of opinion.

I'm not a huge fan of rope grabs, I wildly prefer prusiks for a load of different reasons, but combined with a pulley like that it's a really elegant little unit. Quick and easy little personal haul system. Found them for 85-120 quid, might get one as an early Christmas present for myself.

I've heard chatter about them, they look bloody lovely. And 20kN load, it ticks all my boxes! Might invest in one one day.

Some of the things you say are really weird.

Which is in itself something of a problem, given the alarming quantity of PFAS found in a great number of condoms and lubricants recently tested.

Ahh, my mistake, I thought you were talking about what happened a couple of weeks ago... and not what was in the news nearly two decades ago... Don't worry, carry on, cousin.

Bro, do you have someone there to show you how to post links instead of a screenshot? I can get my 79 year old mother to talk you through it if you find the technology challenging 👍

F*ckin' LOL! 😆😆😆

m2-res_480p (2).mp4

That does offend me greatly I'm afraid, and I'll have to just skip straight over it and go back to the lard-based discussion on the previous page. Back when I lived in the Alps, whenever we popped over to Italy for the day sometimes I'd buy a chunk of lardo, just cured back fat, same as prosciutto crudo or pancetta or guanciale but pure fat. Slice it thin and drape it over hot toasted bread, ideally something open-textured and chewy like a ciabatta, and the fat would warm up slightly and turn from milky white to translucent, like the windows in a smoker's apartment. Traditionally it would be served drizzled with honey and sprinkled with preserved chestnuts. Phenomenal stuff. Edit Google images just doesn't scratch the itch. I'm going to have to go to the Val d'Aoste right now. Ah jeez, I can fill up on crespelle alla valdostane while I'm there! Pancakes stuffed with cooked ham and bechemel, covered with fontina cheese and baked until bubbling... gert lush, fam.

Thank god, it was all fairly dull before.

Looks nice, enjoy. ...is that beehive... a postbox?

Yeah you're right, he probably would have been fine with just Crimea. Definitely would have left it at that 👍 Oh, and Donetsk. Just those. Maaaaybe Luhansk. DEFINITELY leave it at that. That would have scratched his itch just fine. Yeah.

Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014.

So, still waiting for someone with a MUCH BIGGER BRAIN than mine to tell me what the actual covfefe is behind this fairly cryptic statement...

I have, in the past, when faced with a shortage of the necessary ingredients to prepare a campari spritz, made an entirely drinkable alternative out of Irn Bru and gin.