Mini Me

Mini Me

I think I was wrong. I thought he wouldn't survive longer than two or three weeks in the White House, but now I see he is the perfect companion to Donald Trump. A "Mini Me", so to say. He may even become "better" than his boss: insulting everyone, claiming he never meant what he said and emphasizing his religion in every third sentence.

And you have to admit a certain "creativity": Anthony Scaramucci compares attempt to repeal Obamacare to abolition of slavery Now that's a connection not many people may think of...

Yes, Dr. Evil finally found his Mini Me...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world-0/us-politics/anthony-scaramucci-reince-priebus-latest-paranoid-donald-trump-white-house-new-yorker-a7864001.html

Title

Sourdough bread - getting there

Sourdough bread - getting there

A new start and a new starter - and this time I tried to avoid previous mistakes. In the past I didn't pay much attention to the relative amounts of water and flour, but now I strictly kept it 1:1 by weight. I also didn't add any sugar or honey this time, and after the predicted five days the starter lived.

It can not be seen very clearly, but there are almost no visible bubbles, the whole starter is some kind of foam now, which also results in a nicely even distribution of bubbles in the bread.

So, I guess I don't need to "cheat" (add dry yeast) anymore. And now excuse me, I need to "deal" with some bread.

Nom, nom, nom...

There's the saying that you won't see motorbikes in front of a psychiatrist's practice...

There's the saying that you won't see motorbikes in front of a psychiatrist's practice...

Btw, there is an elderly couple probably living about 20km from me, at least that's the area where I saw them a few times - riding an old BMW. They make a great sight...

#taiwan
https://youtu.be/2XXPGE0klmc

Grace Monte de Ramos​, I also got myself one. Two actually, they are cheap now.

Grace Monte de Ramos​, I also got myself one. Two actually, they are cheap now.

Dragon fruit

Nature is playing with bokeh effects...

Nature is playing with bokeh effects...

The book recommended in this article may help understanding much of what happened in the US in the last 50 years,...

The book recommended in this article may help understanding much of what happened in the US in the last 50 years, but also elsewhere. It has become pretty obvious already, but here is confirmation.

_In one respect, Buchanan was right: there is an inherent conflict between what he called “economic freedom” and political liberty. Complete freedom for billionaires means poverty, insecurity, pollution and collapsing public services for everyone else. Because we will not vote for this, it can be delivered only through deception and authoritarian control. The choice we face is between unfettered capitalism and democracy. You cannot have both.

Buchanan’s programme is a prescription for totalitarian capitalism. And his disciples have only begun to implement it. But at least, thanks to MacLean’s discoveries, we can now apprehend the agenda. One of the first rules of politics is, know your enemy. We’re getting there._


https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/19/despot-disguise-democracy-james-mcgill-buchanan-totalitarian-capitalism

Ask them for the moon landings! Force them to confess! Show everyone just how smart you are!

Ask them for the moon landings! Force them to confess! Show everyone just how smart you are!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nasa-mars-civilisation-martian-deny-exist-aliens-republican-congressman-a7848416.html

See?

See? This can easily happen when the cameras are on. And we can't have that happening, can we? So the cameras stay off...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/baltimore-police-plant-drugs-evidence-claims-video-body-camera-footage-a7849411.html

Snowflakes in uniform 'startled by loud sound', kill first person they spot

Snowflakes in uniform 'startled by loud sound', kill first person they spot

'Startled by a loud sound'? Seriously? That's the excuse? I admit this is a tricky case: It's a woman. White. Australian. Wearing clothes that do not quite allow to hide a weapon. So the usual excuses may not sound so good this time.

However, if you start shooting people who talk to you just because there was an unexpected sound a few seconds before the person talked to you, you really should put down uniform, badge and especially gun and spend your days fishing on a remote island. Sorry, raising chicken is out of the question, they make too much noise, they may 'startle' you...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world-0/justine-damond-ruszczyk-police-shoot-australian-woman-fiance-bride-to-be-minneapolis-minnesota-a7848281.html

Is this the world record? I wonder if she will get into the Guinness Book...

Is this the world record? I wonder if she will get into the Guinness Book...
https://www.theverge.com/2017/7/19/15995424/iphone-smuggling-china-102-phones

Apparently this was not just a parody, but also a prophecy.

Apparently this was not just a parody, but also a prophecy.

Jump to 18:00 if you don't have time for the whole video.

#drwho

https://youtu.be/tp_Fw5oDMao
https://youtu.be/tp_Fw5oDMao

My ride home (at least to our much bigger island) waits...

My ride home (at least to our much bigger island) waits...

OK, the shutter on the phone's camera is quick enough, and the camera is too.

OK, the shutter on the phone's camera is quick enough, and the camera is too.

This was taken near the ferry terminal at Magong harbour, close to a bridge that I may post later. Right now I am busy feeling empathy for sardines while being squeezed with probably 200 tourists into the belly of one of the jet ferries that are supposed to bring us from this small island to a much bigger one.

We are approaching a swimming restaurant outside Magong harbour.

We are approaching a swimming restaurant outside Magong harbour. There is only one dish: roasted oyster, supplemented with seafood rice soup.

The biggest drawback is the continuously blaring karaoke system. Oh, and despite approaching six PM it is still hot and the surrounding sea has apparently not heard that something called wind has been invented.

Those who don't want to queue for the karaoke microphone can fish at the ponds outside the restaurant. Also, the temperature is a few degrees lower there.

Forgetting that you are on a relatively small island is rather difficult with all these reminders around...

Forgetting that you are on a relatively small island is rather difficult with all these reminders around...

Wow.

Wow... I hadn't expected a security check for taking the ferry to Penghu ("Los Pescadores"), Taiwan does usually not exhibit a security fetish.

But this is way less strict than at the airport. Nobody here would for example want to take your water away...

Lost in Translation...

Lost in Translation...

Originally shared by Joerg Fliege

Erm.

Oha.

Oha... And guess why this practice can not simply be banned: "Chris Christie claimed it would conflict with religious customs."

If you want to criticize practices of other religions, it might be useful not to do and defend the exact things you criticize. Please look up "hypocrite"...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/200000-children-married-us-15-years-child-marriage-child-brides-new-jersey-chris-christie-a7830266.html

When you think it can't come any worse out of that building - bang, new record.

When you think it can't come any worse out of that building - bang, new record. The funny side is, Xi Jinping sees himself as also ruling over Taiwan, but calling him president of our island is definitely not something he likes to hear...
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/09/wrong-china-policy-white-house-calls-xi-jinping-president-of-taiwan

That's a neat idea!

That's a neat idea!

via Bojan Jančar - Bo​

Originally shared by Bill Purkayastha

Drones used to save rather than take lives?!?

What a sickening idea!

Damn you, Evil Iranian Regime! Damn you!

Bring-your-child-to-work day

Bring-your-child-to-work day

I am sure everyone else was absolutely thrilled.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/donald-trump-ivanka-trump-g20-fill-in-a7830431.html

Third time's a charm: I tried some decorative food again, this time flowers that I'd seen in a YouTube video.

Third time's a charm: I tried some decorative food again, this time flowers that I'd seen in a YouTube video.

You need what in English is called a frankfurter sausage, slice it into halves lengthwise, then make cuts on the outside, about the half width.

Connect the ends with a toothpick, put it in a flat pan and add an egg yolk in the middle. Pierce the yolk, so that it covers the whole enclosed space.

If you want to simulate flowers you will also need something green, I only did a rough demo for that, usually it should be something that was cooked.

Why third time? The first time I added the whole egg. The second time I forgot to pierce the egg yolk. Now it should be OK.

Sorry, my kitchen doesn't have much light.

Oh, you had a parcel today? That was very kind of you!

Oh, you had a parcel today? That was very kind of you!

Something I really enjoy at the self-service car wash is completely foaming my bike with the bubble gun.

Something I really enjoy at the self-service car wash is completely foaming my bike with the bubble gun. I think it shows...

Now is a good time to quote Louis de Funes:

Now is a good time to quote Louis de Funes:

https://youtu.be/r3FEhHF_fzM
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-40496778

Bond chasing Bond - or is that "Bonds chasing Bonds"?

Bond chasing Bond - or is that "Bonds chasing Bonds"?

This would make an interesting film...
https://youtu.be/AHKPF0u77o4

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This is only of interest for Taiwanese radio amateurs.

This is only of interest for Taiwanese radio amateurs.

還有12天NCC邀請業餘無線電管理辦法修正草案相關的意見發表。如果你是業餘無線電家，現在有機會發出聲音。反應雖然可能不太有效果，但至少可以讓他們聽到我們的看法。

我發現NCC不太了解台灣的情況，“參考其它國家運作“的時候常忽視或誤會。這裡的法律跟其它國家真的差很多。不管其它國家法律多嚴格，總是有道理。台灣的業餘無線電管理辦法不會，果然會支援違法應用，但對合法電台提出不可思議的限制。
http://join.gov.tw/policies/detail/96ed6ab5-78a7-4ea6-b31d-8277a82aa074

#brexit

#brexit