#pinch of salt

[petermorwood]

This is one of, if not THE, best April Fools jokes ever, and may even be the very first to air on "serious TV". The prank was aired April 1 1957 at the end of the BBC current-affairs programme “Panorama”.

It was helped by spaghetti being a rare exotic food in 1950s Britain, and narration by the hugely respected journalist and presenter Richard Dimbleby made it utterly convincing.

Afterwards people either got the joke - or didn’t, and wanted to grow their own spaghetti trees. These optimists were told to “place a length of dry spaghetti in a jar of tomato sauce and hope for the best”.

*****

The entire spoof got it wrong, of course, since free-range organic spaghetti doesn’t grow on trees at all. 

In actual fact it’s a kind of marshland reed, and very seasonal, only available from March 15 (when by tradition the first harvest is made by use of many small sharp knives) through until April 2nd, when it’s officially declared to be stale.

Extruded lengths of flour-water-egg paste - originally called spaghetti finti or spaghetti di casa - replicate these reeds while being available all year round.

*****

Some humourless pundits indulged in sputtering outrage that such nonsense was part of a serious programme, but "Panorama” producer David Wheeler stuck to his guns, suggesting that viewers needed a more critical attitude to what was shown on TV, and shouldn’t believe everything they saw. 

What would he have said now?

*****

@dduane​ says that for US readers to understand just how effective it was, imagine the same thing on “60 Minutes”, voiced with equal sincerity by Dan Rather.

*****

And oddly enough, what we’re having for supper tonight will be...

Probably not spaghetti.

;->

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

Okay, maybe this is just me being a bit of an asexual dumbass, but...I can't help but feel slightly...weird at seeing people compare Stolas, Blitzo's very clearly established love interest....to Tilla, Blitzo's mother? Especially when I see posts comparing traits they share and claiming those are the things Blitzo finds attractive in Stolas?

[heian-era-housewife]

As Shiu ages, flecks of silver mottle the sides of his hair, above his ears and around his neckline. Not even his mustache is safe from this subtle stippling. He wears it well, never bothering to cover or color it.

More than a silver fox, he's a venerable gentleman. Seasoned to perfection.

[reshramlove1ob]

I’m your emotional support frog

🧂👌🐸

[petermorwood]

Here's something similar from about 10 years ago.

I wonder occasionally if any US tourist took it seriously... :->

ETA: the (real) German word for glove is Handschuh, hand-shoe, although the word for shoe is just Schuh, not Fußschuh (or Fussschuh) foot-shoe. I wonder why.

[recipesvira]

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. Stir well.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze has thickened slightly.

Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted and incorporated.

Brush the glaze over the ham during the last 30 minutes of baking, reapplying as needed.

Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cooking Time: 7 minutes | Total Time: 12 minutes Kcal: 120 kcal per serving (glaze only) | Servings: 12 servings (for an average ham)

#hamglaze #brownsugar #holidayrecipes #glazingham #sweetandsavory #holidaycooking #easterham #thanksgivingham #dinnerrecipes #holidayfeast #festiverecipes #hamdinner #dinnerideas #comfortfood #homemadeglaze #familydinner #honeyglaze #cinnamonclove #dinnerisserved #savorymeals

[banglakhobor]

এক চিমটেতেই কেল্লাফতে! সংসারে সুখের অভাব হবে না, ঘরে শুধু রাখুন এই একটি জিনিস

পটনার বিখ্যাত বাস্তু বিশেষজ্ঞ এবং পরামর্শদাতা, কেপি সিং জানাচ্ছেন, লবণের উৎস হল সমুদ্র। অমাবস্যার সময় সমুদ্রে জলস্ফীতি হয়। এই সময় যাঁদের আগে থেকেই কোনও মানসিক সমস্যা রয়েছে, তাঁদের সমস্যা আরও বেড়ে যেতে পারে। লবণের শক্তি প্রাচুর্যের কারণে এমন ঘটে থাকে। Source link

[petermorwood]

Flying Officer B.P. “Squirrel” Nutkin of 266 Squadron RAF, seen here in a Hawker Hurricane Mk I flown by 266 during the Fall of France.

As the British Expeditionary Force were driven back by Guderian’s Blitzkrieg, 266 was badly mauled while keeping Luftwaffe bombers away from the Dunkirk beaches, losing enough Hurricanes that it re-equipped with the Supermarine Spifire Mk Ia just in time for the Battle of Britain.

Nutkin, resisting what was already becoming known as "Spitfire Snobbery", was one of the last 266 Squadron pilots to convert from his Hurricane. This snapshot, therefore, must have been taken at some time in mid-June 1940, between the end of Operation Dynamo on 4th June and the official start of the Battle of Britain on 10th July.

*****

It was during the BEF’s final withdrawal from Dunkirk that Flying Officer Nutkin, already with two kills to his credit, made ace in an afternoon and won his first DFC.

He was section leader of Red Section - comprising himself, Pilot Officer Tom E. Brock and Pilot Officer J.R.M.E. Fisher - providing top cover for the evacuation, when on 2nd June 1940 they found themselves up-sun from a raid directed against several of the “Little Ships” (civilian vessels with volunteer crews).

Red Section executed a perfect “bounce” that caught the enemy completely off guard, six Luftwaffe aircraft were shot down, and Nutkin personally accounted for two Junkers Ju.87-B Stuka dive-bombers as well as one Messerschmitt Bf.109-E4 from their escort.

(Representative images, not actual footage)

“Squirrel” Nutkin finished his RAF service in 1946 with the rank of Wing Commander. It’s widely believed he was promoted no higher after saying “Nuts!” to Air Vice-Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory, even though this turned out not to have been an insult, merely a misheard comment about which bar snacks were running short in the Officers' Mess.

Regardless of explanation, Leigh-Mallory - always notoriously pompous about his own image and reputation - made a disparaging entry in Nutkin’s file and refused to amend it. His later death in an accident meant the unwarranted black mark was never deleted.

This didn't concern post-war fledgling new airline BEA (British European Airways), and Nutkin joined them directly he left the Air Force…

…going on to become one of their senior captains before transferring to Transatlantic service with BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation).

During a layover in New York he met and later married Cicely van Gopher of the New Hampshire van Gophers, and on retirement from flying made a fortune in forestry.

“Some people can’t see the wood for the trees, but for some reason I'm quite good at both.”

[petermorwood]

This could be made even more convincing by adding fake citations, including some in Foreign.

See here and here for that trick.

I saved a collection of responses / reactions to the second one here, which suggest the accumulated fakery of my and other reblogs was pretty convincing.

(Hint: any time you see "pinch of salt" as one of my post's tags, there's leg-pulling going on.)

:->

One of New York Central’s “Mercury” engines in Chicago, 1936.

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

Why are people so against the idea of letting Blitzo be in the wrong about anything? I love the guy, but the fact that I swear so few people on certain sites are able to accept the idea that maybe he can be the bad guy sometimes frustrates me so much. Like with Verosika.

Yes, her actions following their break up are not good and I don't excuse them. But literally everything we've been told gives zero indication that she did anything to Blitzo when they were dating. And yet I see people making up these theories like he told her how he felt and she just refused to let him leave. Or she blackmailed him into staying with her until he stole from her.

[tonydaddingham]

whoever it is that took these photos please make yourself known. s_liu2023 id like to send you baked treats

[scarletrigmor]

So long story short it was greed and homophobia

[petermorwood]

It might be an ankus or elephant goad intended for use on particularly stubborn, not to say thick-skinned or possibly even armoured, elephants.

*****

Alternately, it could have been designed by an expatriate Tibetan monk who, while not forgetting the shape of his tantric ritual tools, has gone into the barbecue-accessory business and created a toasting fork intended to present both insides of a hot-dog bun to the coals simultaneously with the sausage impaled on the pre-heated top spike.

The rotating multi-pointed back, equipped with cooling fins to dissipate heat transmitted from the front, holds five relish dispensers - perhaps a selection of ketchup, mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard and some sort of onion pickle, though the final choice in that would depend on the personal taste of an end user.

Obviously...

*****

IRL, however, I'm pretty sure it was some sort of late-era parade weapon, the kind with no useful function.

Apart from being an accessory for the sort of guards, possessed of a high threshold of boredom and excellent bladder control, who got stationed at regular intervals along the corridors and stairs of palaces while wearing picturesque but usually well out-of-period costumes.

*****

And it might just be a 19th century fake assembled from agricultural-tool pointy bits and ornamental terminals from a brass bedstead, all welded together and stuck on the end of a curtain pole.

The weapon, not the guards or the palace.

Probably.

It's probably the old-school Dungeons & Dragons fan in me talking, but I love historical polearms that try to be every polearm at once. Like, it's a pike and an awl and a glaive and a billhook and it has an iron-banded haft for parrying and there's an extra spike on the butt-end in case you ever need to stab the guy standing behind you. Fucking "this is the thing they killed Medieval Shinzo Abe with"-ass weapons.

[fauna-and-floraa]

Seungmin for Nylon Japan x Coach. English translations under the cut.

To Bangchan hyung, thank you for your hard work this year. I look forward to working with you again next year. Take care of yourself! Grandpa. A reliable leader, Bang Chan. A black leather tote with excellent storage capacity that can be used from work to work. The eye-catching robot print that stands out against the simple design subtly shows off your sense of style.

To Lee Know Hyung, I hope you have a merry Christmas- Nekohyung! (cat hyung) For our beloved Lee Know, we have selected a sweater that is soft to the touch and adds warmth to your face. Pay attention to the sophisticated and colorful color scheme that adds this year's color to autumn/winter styles that tend to be heavy.

To Seo Changbin hyung, thank you for your hard work this year. Please train hard next year too! Changbin subtly show off your gratitude with a combination of a mini wallet for everyday use and high-quality knitwear. The key point is the colorful and profound prints that tickle the playful spirit of adults.

To Hyunjin-kun, I hope you have a happy Christmas, which is your favorite~ Hyunjin, who has an artistic side, chose a crossbody bag from the “Cosmic” collection with a pop of planets. Pair it with a down jacket for a casual look.

To Han, eat lots of your favorite cheesecake this Christmas! For the fashion-loving HAN, we are gifting a highly designed crossbody bag with a traditional signature coated canvas and catchy handwriting motif patches. Combine with knit for a traditional mood.

To Felix tingling, Have a nice Christmas! Thank you for your hard work this year!! Picking up a Kira Kirakira Chio mini bag with the aim of turning it into a ball, the stylish presence will update your outfit toNaramachi mode.'' To I.N-kun, our maknae, thank you for being cute this year too! I hope you stay cute next year too~ To our beloved youngest member I.N COACH's icon character "Lexy" A combination of pop printed tote and playful jacquard knit.

To Stay, Happy New Year! Seungmin. For STAY, which is always in your heart, we chose a retro mini bag that you can carry with you at any time. The size fits a smartphone, making it perfect for accompanying live performances. We recommend using it not only as a shoulder bag but also as a clutch.

[avalonelf]

Okay I never post but seeing all the misinterpretations of Ragatha and Gangle in the new The Amazing Digital Circus ep made me feel the need to at least put my opinion out there, for whatever it’s worth. Everyone asks for morally grey characters but when given them, they are heavily misjudged and mischaracterised.

So this scene:

Also! Please take into consideration that Ragatha is literally drugged up here. She’s in an altered mental state and would never normally say these things. She probably doesn’t even realise the things she’s saying.

So, notice how Ragatha says ‘Happy mask’ and not ‘Comedy Mask’?.

She is referring to the new mask that Gangle has never had on around them before (which I may also argue altered her mental state too but that’s another can of worms), and also the fact that it’s a MASK. She didn’t say “you’re annoying when you’re happy.” And people interpreting it that way are the same ones saying that Ragatha is too much of a people pleaser and needs to be more honest, which yeah she does! She’s more saying “Not to offend, but right now, you are being quite overbearing and demanding” and considering Ragatha is all loopy and out of it, I’m sure it was just how she was feeling in that moment.

Ragatha is not this secretly evil or nasty person who hates everyone, and Gangle saying to Pomni:

Was not saying that Ragatha is ‘hiding and true feelings and actually doesn’t like me’, it’s more once again Gangle worrying that’s what Ragatha may actually think due to how much of a people pleaser she is and how with this mindset, makes her dishonest. Which yeah! Being a people pleaser is not always a good thing, it can cause this exact situation! This doesn’t mean Ragatha is ‘hiding her true evil feelings’, more so she just not honest when she should be. You can be a critic to someone without being mean, and hopefully Ragatha can learn that.

Once again, what Ragatha said to Gangle is not a nice thing to say to anyone at all, but she is not thinking straight at all and Gangle is literally her boss essentially, or at least supervisor (in this ‘adventure’ setting). Anyone who has worked in retail/fast food or any minimum wage job understands that no matter how much you get along (or don’t) with your supervisor, there’s going to be points where they get on your nerves. Gangle herself is not happy in this episode, she has another mask on and is working a job she doesn’t even want to do! Here is a plain example of this:

Gangle doesn’t even want to do this job, she wants to be a comic artist but she’s been made to believe that it’s just an impossible dream.

I also feel this episode is heavily a direct metaphor on how the capitalist society and how a minimum wage job can just destroy a persons soul and motivation. Coming from someone who has worked this sort of job, your own personal relationships can be negatively affected and even ruined due to work pressure. Whether it’s managers getting in your business or whatnot, work can make people grouchy and harsh in fear of losing their jobs or being criticised or people just being eager to please and get a raise or just words of affirmation from higher ups. Like Jax for example, we don’t know what Gangle did to make him so afraid and make him a shell of his usual self, but once again is showing how jobs such as this can change and affect people deeply.

And also! All you people saying Jax is finally getting a taste of his own medicine and what he deserved, we don’t know what that employee training video was and why Jax reacted the way he did. So be careful with that!

Gangle was not happy this episode, and the ending solidified that for me. She wasn’t taking her mask off and finally feeling free and happy, to me it felt like she was in a manic sort of state and was being so careless that she unintentionally fell into oncoming traffic. As soon as she got out of work and took that work based mask off. I don’t think it was a reflection of her finally taking off her mask and being free, it had very unsettling undertones. Not to mention Cain straight up grading her ‘performance’ including what she did AFTER she clocked out which was quite literally being hit by a truck. Do you see what I’m getting at here? It’s the exact similar situation I have seen where my own supervisors were particularly demanding or grouchy on a day where I wasn’t feeling it, and then they themself regret it or end up getting in some sort of trouble with a higher up when they were just trying to essentially do their job! Also Ragatha was straight up drugged, without consent, due to the materials she was forced to work with!

But yes, I think people are empathising too heavily towards Gangle in thinking how they often have masks up and how much it would hurt if their friends acted this way or if they HAVE in fact acted this way towards you, but I don’t think this is the case here.

I ramble a lot but I hope this got some of my thoughts and interpretations across??

I loved this episode and it’s left me asking so many questions that I’m so curious about and I’m so excited for what future episodes bring!