An ancient battle

Is it possible that there is an ancient battle brewing between flowers and weeds?

I think it may be the case that thousands of years ago, flowers and weeds evolved or descended from the same plant. Both wanted to succeed as plants, at the expense of the other, but had different strategies for survival. The flowers decided to become visually appealing, lots of colors, lots of different varieties, pleasent smells. This way, they would be kept and nutured by people etc. Weeds went the other direction, hardy, can grow anywhere, need no maintenance. They can grow easily, but people don't want them and actively get rid of them.

So here we are, who has won?

Absentmindedness

Showering is a few minutes during each day when I can get some real thinking done. Most of the time, I am thinking about meaningless stuff, but still. The problem is that I sometimes find myself unsure about where I am in the process of my shower. Did I already shampoo my hair? Sometimes I can remember when I find myself asking this question, sometimes I can't. When I can't remember, the choice is to wash the hair, at which point I sometimes realize that I already did. Does this happen to anyone else?

American Pride

Sometimes you are just proud to be an American. I had 3 recent events that gave me new reasons and helped me remember why I love my country.

The first was the World Cup. I have not been a soccer fan for long, but have been following the Real Salt Lake team for a few years. Not passionately or anything, but we go to a game or two a year, and watch other games on TV. It was great to see them win the MLS cup last year. The World Cup is a whole other level. It was very exciting to see the US team compete. I watched all 4 games, and had a great time. Watching soccer on that level, especially given the passion of the fans, is very fun. Seeing the US score against England, then come back to tie against Slovenia were great times. I can remember few more exciting sports related moments than seeing Donovan put that goal in the net in extra time against Algeria. We were watching at work on a big screen, and the room erupted. I then saw footage on youtube from bars across the country and the reaction to that goal was inspiring. Two bad about the Ghana game.

The second was the 4th of July holiday itself. I am not much of a parade fan, given the heat and the sun and the heat, but we went to the West Jordan parade. It was fun to see flags, have a flag ceremony, and do the fireworks. It is a great holiday.

The third was my recent trip to scout camp with our ward troop. We had the opportunity to retire a flag while we were up there. The flag was brought by Dennis Caldwell, a member of our bishopbric, who is a Logistics Technician for the Air Force. He told the boys the story of William Driver, and Old Glory, which is a great story. He then had two of the boys help him to retire the flag. It was neat to see the reference and respect given to the flag.

Go USA!

A fowl update

Apparently, British scientists are unsatisfied with not knowing which came first the chicken or the egg, and so they have published their own evidence. According to them, the chicken came first, because there is a protein found in the chicken's ovaries that is necessary for the formation of the egg, specifically, the egg shell. So an egg can only have existed inside a chicken.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38238685/ns/technology_and_science-science/

But what if the original egg had a different shell?

I'm not convinced.

Thanksgiving

Things for which I am grateful this year, in no particular order:



1. Babies - Not the cuteness, but the entertainment value... and the tax thing

2. Football

3. Good books - Thank you Brandon Sanderson, and Alan, for the recommendation

4. Graduation - For the last time

5. Sushi

6. Cold Weather

7. Haircuts

8. Garlic

9. RSL for the MLS cup 2009!

10. The Holidays

If it comes from the ocean, it must be better.

I wrote before about how everything in food was trending towards white meat chicken, and dark meat chicken had become a hiss and a byword.

Then I found out that dark meat chicken was being consumed like crazy in Russia.

The new white meat chicken is sea salt. Ordinary salt is not good enough any more. Now salt has to come from the sea. Potato chips now have sea salt. Diet foods now use sea salt. I was at TGIF for lunch today, and they had sea salt in a grinder at the table. What is wrong with regular salt? Isn't salt salt? And of course, where is all the regular salt going? Is non sea salt preferred in Uzbekistan or some place?

I don't get these trends.

Advertising

I assume that I am not alone in this, but I hate stupid commercials. Here are a few common elements in commercials that I really dislike.

1. Butchering a popular song or tune with lyrics about the business.
2. Kids voices.
3. British people, unless the product or business or service has something to do with the UK.
4. Most jingles, especially for local businesses.
5. Commercials that make me feel like I'm not a competent parent and I abuse my kids unless I buy a certain product.

Feels good to rant.