Hip Domestics

On Hip Domestics people post their domestic questions, and everyone answers in the comments. Fascinating stuff! Or maybe I've just gotten to be an old home-body lately.

Christmas in the Trenches

Alfred Anderson is the last survivor of World War I Christmas truce.

"The words drifted across the frozen battlefield: 'Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht. Alles Schlaft, einsam wacht'. To the ears of the British troops peering over their trench, the lyrics may have been unfamiliar but the haunting tune was unmistakable. After the last note a lone German infantryman appeared holding a small tree glowing with light. 'Merry Christmas. We not shoot, you not shoot.'"

That German soldier was a great, great man. It's a pity his name is lost to history.

Frogs frozen and revived

Interesting article today on the front page of the Seattle Times about wood frogs that can survive being frozen. They use glucose as a cryoprotectant. If such a technique could be applied to human organs for transplant, many lives would be saved.

Disposable email address

Now this is handy. If some online form asks you for an email address (which will then be a target of spam), you can leave the address heywood@jablome.com.

White gold