This website talks about ancient face cream, from 200 AD, found in London. Made with tin oxide, animal fat, and root and grain starch pulled out in boiling water.

Blackfive has a post about the Houston Marine Moms sending care packages. I think this is cool, because my church helped collect money to get them mailed out and then we sent about 25 more ourselves.

But the best thing about this article is that the accidental sending of a female package to a male Marine, and his accidental grabbing of tampons instead of chapstick, saved a Marine’s life. Read it.

URL is http://www.blackfive.net/main/2004/12/every_care_pack.html#more

For some reason WP isn’t letting me have links that weren’t ORIGINALLY quoted.

It’s here. Fox has a column on Good News for the year. I was surprised by how much stuff there actually was. Less dropouts. Lower teen pregnancy. Less teen violence. For an encouraging word, go read it.

I found it via Instapundit.

Good friends drove home from Tennessee to see us. We were a good six hours in the wrong direction from where they were going next, but they decided to come see us while we were in North Carolina. That was great. I enjoyed seeing them. And I adored their new baby girl from China.

Then other friends came to Greensboro to meet me halfway between Wake Forest (my sister’s) and Charlotte (where they live). That was great too.

Had bingo with my family and friends on Christmas Eve. Opened presents with nephew Christmas morning. Went to our friends. Had the little one’s 3 year birthday. “Happy birthday to me!” she kept saying. Then we went to a fancy restaurant for Christmas dinner with my family and our friends. I got to sit with my friends, which saved me some uncomfortable discussions at the family table.

Hubby flew home the next day. Monday was when I went to Greensboro. Tuesday had Mexican Steak for dinner. Yeah. Tomorrow we go home. Bigger yeah.

I’m going to bed, but I wanted to post and say Merry Christmas to anyone who reads this regularly. Night night. God bless you.

Forget pajamas. I’m going to blog half nude. Well, okay, my icon is half nude. Aside from the red hair and pale skin I don’t much look like that.

Do you like the new blog look? I think it is ultra-feminine. My husband created it for an anniversary present. 16+ years.

Happy anniversary to us.

Was reading Shelley at Blog Explosion and she had a list from the BBC about 50 things you should eat before you die. Note that the Brits are having trouble counting, as there are only 48 things on the list.

Though I have had fish, the only kind of seafood I enjoy is canned tuna.

1. Fresh fish YUCK
2. Lobster No thanks.
3. Steak Had it. Love it.
4. Thai food Had it. Like it.
5. Chinese food Had it. Like it.
6. Ice cream Had it. Like it.
7. Pizza Had it. Like it.
8. Crab Yuck.
9. Curry It’s okay.
10. Prawns Never have, never will.
11. Moreton Bay Bugs Not sure what these are, but they sound nasty.
12. Clam chowder Don’t like it.
13. Barbecues I’m not a big bbq fan, but I like it.
14. Pancakes Like it.
15. Pasta Like it.
16. Mussels Never have, never will.
17. Cheesecake Like it.
18. Lamb Like it.
19. Cream tea Never had it, but sure…I would try not.
20. Alligator Never had it, but I would try it.
21. Oysters No.
22. Kangaroo I don’t think so, but maybe if no one told me what it was first. Dog was good that way.
23. Chocolate Like it.
24. Sandwiches !
25. Greek food It’s okay.
26. Burgers Love it.
27. Mexican food Mmmm…me gusta mucho!
28. Squid Very chewy, not too good.
29. American diner breakfast Like it.
30. Salmon Hate it. Don’t even like the smell.
31. Venison Very good.
32. Guinea pig Haven’t ever had it. Don’t think I want to.
33. Shark Haven’t had it. Don’t want to.
34. Sushi No.
35. Paella I had some when I was in HS and in Europe.
36. Barramundi Don’t know what this is.
37. Reindeer I haven’t ever had any, but I wouldn’t turn it down.
38. Kebab Like it.
39. Scallops Don’t like it.
40. Australian meat pie I guess I’d try it. Don’t know why I wouldn’t.
41. Mango Like it.
42. Durian fruit If this is the one I think, it stinks to high heaven. Like spoiled tuna and dog crap. Don’t think so.
43. Octopus Chewy.
44. Ribs Don’t really care for them.
45. Roast beef Good if it’s cooked.
46. Tapas What’s that?
47. Jerk chicken/pork Spicy.
48. Haggis Only if I didn’t know what it was.

Coming to Brazil found on Blog Explosion, had an excellent comment/commentary on the backlash of Mery Christmas.

And Merry Christmas to them, too.

How Much Information discusses both the production and the use of information. The most interesting things to me were book and internet use. But I will mention some others.

First, the average US household in 1992 spent 100 hours per year reading books. If the average household consists of four people, that means that the average American read 25 hours a year. Okay. I’m obviously not average. Even when I’m not reading much I read 25 hours a month easy. When I am reading, I read well over 25 hours a week. So do I skew so far they throw me out? Or do I skew in such a way that most people only read an hour or two a year? I don’t know. I’m thinking they’d throw me out. In 2000 the average household only spent 24 hours a year reading. You know, my kids read more than 24 hours a month. So I guess we all mess it up.

Second, TV watching. The average household spent 1510 hours a year watching TV in 1992 and 1571 hours watching it in 2000. That’s a little less than 400 hours per person. Which works out to be about an hour a day. Okay, maybe my family skews here too. I watch about an hour and a half a week. My boys only have 4 hours a week that they can watch. So we’re definitely below the average in TV watching.

Third, internet use. In 1992 the average household used the internet 2 hours a year. Okay. In 1992 even my one year old son used the internet more than that. My husband used the internet probably 2 hours a day in 1992. So he’d definitely skew the whole set there. In 2000 Americans used about 43 hours per year. Now, at that rate of growth, we should be looking at about 63 hours per year for the American household today. Well, we use 63 hours a week on the internet at our house. We have an airport and four laptops. Plus two table top computers. There are four of us, but still. I’d say we easily push the average of the year by a minimum of 50x. I mean, my family considers me a computer-phobe and totally geek-less, but I use the internet at least 10 hours a week. Often more. And my boys use it more than I do by a huge magnitude. I’d say maybe 50 hours a week each. So really, we’d use double the yearly amount for the average household each week.

I guess all I can say about this info and usage is that my family doesn’t match it.

I haven’t wanted to write anything specifically, but one of the units I have been sending things to is in Mosul. I pray for them, specifically today, as many died and were injured. Is it awful to say that I hope they weren’t “my” soldiers?

The war dead list has not yet been updated, so I can’t check.

Pray for them.

I’ve gotten three e-mails in the last ten days from the folks I sent things to via the anysoldier.com website.

I got a letter from an Army captain to whom I have sent only letters. He had asked for letters and I knew I could send those. I did too. Over forty in the last five weeks, plus letters from some of my college kids. It was a wonderful email, long and full of information, including what other things besides letters they’d like. (That was in the generic part of the email, which was just as gracious as the personal section.) We bought some old classic movies to send over.

Today I received an email from the platoon sergeant we’ve been sending packages to in Baghdad. He said thank you. He wrote a nice note which mentioned that sometimes just eating over there is dangerous. (Mosul lunch room bomb.)

I got one from a GySgt who said they were thrilled with the packages and could use some more hygiene products. But then when I went to the website today, that address is listed as “no packages for awhile.” The Marines are upset because they aren’t getting the packages from their families. I can understand that. But I don’t think our packages are keeping their packages away, but what do I know? I’m not a Marine or a postal worker for the Armed Forces.

I guess I am pleased as punch that we got responses from folks and a bit sad that we can’t send to “our” Marine unit anymore. Now we’re only sending to the Soldiers.

Oh well. Blessings on them all and my prayers are with them. Hope yours are too.

Cronaca writes about a German find of a flute made from a Wooly Mammoth’s tusk. They date the piece to 35,000 BC, which I doubt, but it gives credence to stories of humans hunting the mammoths.

Interesting post from Clayton Cramer on the flood and some astronomical disasters placed at about 2300 BC.

I have to put checks in bank, drop off give aways, get groceries for boy lunches, and go out to eat. Plus do the laundry and pack for our four or eight day excursion to NC. That packing includes wrapping presents.

Since I woke E at 10 to get him to sign his checks, I’m good to go.

Chief Wiggles

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