magid

I hosted one of the Ig Nobel winners this year, a woman from Holland who studies dust mites and other small things that share our homes. It was interesting to hear about her studies (and realize that she's far beyond trilingual, actively so), but what has stayed with me most are the family stories she told; she's one of many, as are her parents, so once they started, there were many of them, including ones about how different family members acted during the Holocaust.

I got a consumer survey about stuff I buy. One of the questions asks "What sports do your household members participate in?" Which is a reasonable question. Possible answers include baseball, football, basketball, golf, soccer, walking, yoga, fishing, hiking, hunting (big game), hunting (small game)(it's interesting that they distinguish), running, ... and "fitness." What does "fitness" mean here? Aerobics? Why not say aerobics?

Same survey, later question, about what my household collects (mysteriously, "dust" and "extraneous paper" were not answer choices), the list has some predictable answers... plus "Villages." Villages? Like, I'm trying to own a village in all eastern European countries, or every state in India? It sounds so feudal.

I am in awe of what can be done with a book. Brian Dettmer's visions are beautiful.

"Deetle, deetle, deetle," sing the ditalini.
"Dumple, dumple, dumple," rumbles the dumpling.
"Tortle, tortle, tortle," warble the tortellini.

It's "fortune cookies," people. Not aphorism cookies or joke cookies. Thank you.

A few other links:
- Freerice: vocabulary games to feed the hungry! (Interesting words, too.)
- Yubotu puzzles: cross Sudoku and Battleship.
- Hazon's food conference looks really interesting.
- The Boston Jewish Film Festival is November 1-11, at a variety of screens in the metro area.