Heh. Thanks, Nutty.

it is very bizarre to think that we light something on fire and then STICK IT IN OUR MOUTHS and inhale the smoke. I mean, really, how the hell did this practice catch on?

Heh. For some reason, this flashed me to the lyrics to Lumina: Babies will put things in their mouths / Never heard of sin

Theo, thanks!

What I don't understand about smoking is why the first person did it. We have an Indian with a tobacco plant. He tried eating the leaves, but it made him sick, tobacco being quite poisonous. He then said, "I can't eat this, so I think I'll dry it and inhale the smoke."

Also, who first separated eggs and whipped the egg whites? Why would you do that? Yes, it turns out you get fluffy goodness, but why would that occur to anyone?

I recall a story (in one of my middle school texts, I think) in which the fallen civilization was buried in junk mail and the toilet seat was interpreted as a headdress. You'd strap the seat cover to your forehead with a ribbon reading "Sanitized for your protection."

Was it this book?

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I'd try separating eggs before I'd eat the first artichoke. And I love artichokes.

Also, who first separated eggs and whipped the egg whites? Why would you do that? Yes, it turns out you get fluffy goodness, but why would that occur to anyone?

Early humans were taught by a time-traveling Julia Child?

What I don't understand about smoking is why the first person did it. We have an Indian with a tobacco plant. He tried eating the leaves, but it made him sick, tobacco being quite poisonous. He then said, "I can't eat this, so I think I'll dry it and inhale the smoke."

Maybe they used it ritually in fires or for smudging and then thought "I can get this buzz more efficiently if I make a tiny fire just for me"

The artichoke is the one I always question. How much trial and error did that take?

Chiwetel Ejiofor on Colin Ferguson According to this week's TV Guide Magazine, Chiwetel Ejiofor (the Operative of "Serenity") is scheduled to be on the Colin Ferguson talk show on CBS Mon. night/Tues. morning Dec. 4/5, 12:35 AM, discussing "Children of Men."

Typo, thinko...it's a complex post.

Botox didn't make me look surprised (even though the bottom half of my forehead never took. It more made me unable to look surprised, since had it taken, my eyebrows would not have been able to move up. The worst paralysis was that which removed my ability to furrow my brows. At least that's started wearing off. Definitely hampered my teaching.

I dunno. Tattoos, piercings, lip plates, flattening infant skulls, foot binding, inserting pearls under the skin...people take for granted lots of things that other cultures/people think strange and extreme. I'm numbed out on that, mostly. Except for people that split tongues and penises. So not numb about that.

To quote a really funny Canadian comedien, "the first guy ever to eat lobster must have been some jesus hungry."