Comics in Dubai

There is one particular thing I never thought I would miss: comics. You can imagine how delighted I was when I saw these Japanese comics lying around, unwrapped in plastic, in Boarders.
It is funny to read them in English because I used to read them in Chinese. And the flow of reading is somehow weird because we are accustomed to reading English from left to right, where as Japanese comics flows from right to left. But of course, I have no complaints.

Segway

First time trying this gadget. It is super fun and easy to use. I think it is the best solution to global warming. It reduces carbon footprint as it doesn't use any petrol and at the same time it produces no exhaust. It is eco-friendly, clean and energy efficient.

It will be great if I can use it in my neighbourhood. But at US$7000 a pop, it is hardly considered as a good substitute to bicycle, nor a replacement to car yet as the maximum speed it can reach is only 20 km/h.

However I still insist it is a good mode of transport. And a good toy to play with.

Maggot Cheese

Casu marzu (also called casu modde, casu cundhídu, or in Italian formaggio marcio) is a cheese found in Sardinia, Italy, notable for being riddled with live insect larvae. Casu marzu means "rotten cheese" in Sardinian and is known colloquially as maggot cheese.

Derived from Pecorino Sardo, casu marzu goes beyond typical fermentation to a stage most would consider decomposition, brought about by the digestive action of the larvae of the cheese fly Piophila casei. These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese's fats. The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid (called lagrima, from the Sardinian for "tears") seeping out. The larvae themselves appear as translucent white worms, about 8 mm (1/3 inch) long. When disturbed, the larvae can jump for distances up to 15 cm (6 inches), prompting recommendations of eye protection for those eating the cheese. Some people clear the larvae from the cheese before consuming; others do not.

Several food safety issues have been raised with casu marzu:

* Anecdotal reports of allergic reactions.
* A risk of the decomposition advancing to a toxic state. (Folk wisdom in Sardinia holds that the presence of still-living larvae are an assurance that this has not yet happened.)
* Risk of enteric myiasis: intestinal larval infection. Piophila casei larvae can pass through the stomach alive (human stomach acids do not usually kill them) and take up residency for some period of time in the intestines, where they can cause serious lesions as they attempt to bore through the intestinal walls. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea.[1]

Because of these health threats, or simply because it is considered a contaminated product, casu marzu cannot be legally sold in Italy. Within Sardinia, enforcement of the ban is sporadic and the cheese is available as a black market item, selling for about three times pecorino's price.

I'll stick to my cheezits.

(I didn't write this article, it is stolen from MUA. But I would love to see and try it one day.)

Thoughts on being a Woman

I feel bad about my neck and other thoughts on being a woman by Nora Ephron. Nora is the woman responsible for movies like When Harry Met Sally , You've got mail and Sleepless in Seattle, which she also directed.

A great book. I finished reading it in Boarders. Yes, I admit I am a cheapo. The book is hard cover and cost 100 Dhm, dammit. I would have bought it if it had come in paperback. Yea yea yea, I am sorry Nora because I am a cheapskate. But it really is a great book.

Brave Cat

Catcat decided to check out the neighbourhood(common corridor) after dinner. I let her out to have a quick walk.

Big mistake.

After that, she always waits at the door and meows me, orders me to let her venture outside the flat whenever I am in the living room. It would not bother me that much if she doesn't need me to be constantly near her, reassuring her I am not abandoning her while she is having fun in the corridor. And with her previous record of getting lost in an HDB flat and being ended up in my neighbour's flat(which is exactly one floor below my flat), I conclude her sense of direction is not that sharp. Therefore I cannot take the risk in Dubai and let her play alone in a corridor, let alone one with elevators and staircase. In the end I spent an hour standing there, watching her sniffing our neighbours' doors.

It is tragic.

Cooking for fun

I stayed at home for my entire weekend and decided to cook everything I had in the fridge and tried some new recipe.

This is Ma Poh Taufu. This is so tasty that I can gobble up two bowls of rice with this alone.
Curry Chicken. My mum tells me this is a good way to trick children to eat carrots and celery or any other vegetables. The cooked vege are all soft and blend so well into the gravy that they are hardly noticeable. A clever trick. I believe my mum is a genius in cooking. My family has a very balanced diet without even knowing it.
And check out who is the un-invited guest?
Stir Fried Mixed Vege.
Fish Finger with Mustard. I love mustard.

Movie again

Watched the movie Prime during the weekend. Great movie. It is a romantic comedy, think along the line of My Best Friend's Wedding, While you were Sleeping and Sleepless in Seattle. If you like the above mentioned movies, you will enjoy Prime too.

Especially love the song by Rachael Yamagata at the end of the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-hda-yZvEE

This is the lovely lyrics of the song, I wish you love

I wish you bluebirds in the spring
To give your heart a song to sing
And then a kiss, but more than this
I wish you love
And in July a lemonade
To cool you in some leafy glade
I wish you health
But more than wealth
I wish you love
My breaking heart and I agree
That you and I could never be
So with my best
My very best
I set you free
I wish you shelter from the storm
A cozy fire to keep you warm
But most of all when snowflakes fall
I wish you love
But most of all when snowflakes fall
I wish you love