Bamboo bicycle

Here's today's utterly cool idea that I hope spread far and wide. This was a story in my local paper today: Bamboo is sturdy, plentiful and eco-friendly. So why not make a bicycle out of it? A Californian has peddled the idea to Ghana and beyond

Here is another web page which includes a picture of a bamboo bicycle. Edited to add: Here's another link, with details and pictures about the frame. And here's Calfee's website with further information.

What the world eats

Via buymeaclue who got the link from orbitalmechanic: What the World Eats, a neat photo essay showing a week's worth of food for fifteen families in various parts of the world.

I'm with buymeaclue: I'd love to visit the Mongolians, the Sicilians and the Egyptians, too. Yum.

I am going to do it

I am going to resume taking karate.

Fiona has her first pre-screening for the black belt test tonight. There will be several of these over the next few months before she takes the actual exam. Wish her luck.

HP Friday Five for June 22

This week's hp_fridayfive:

1. What is your favorite Book 7 theory?

"Stoppered death."

2. Which movie soundtrack do you like best and why?

I listen to 'em all. In a few weeks, I imagine it'll be OotP. Right now I'm listening to an awful lot of Wizard Rock.

3. How long do you plan to spend reading DH?

Start at midnight and go as long as I can (I'm getting first crack at it, because I'm the fastest reader in the house.) Unfortunately, there's a belt test the next morning and I'm supposed to take pictures. If I'm within 100 pages from the end, that may be unbearable, to sit there and take pictures for four hours in a hot dojo. I may try to palm that task off to Rob.

4. If you could have any character for a LiveJournal friend, who would it be?

Wow, that's a tough question. I can think of five or six right off the bat: the Trio, the Weasley Twins (they would liven up my life and add a lot of fun, and I sure can use some fun). Snape and Lupin, although Snape would never admit he needs a friend. I'd love to have Molly Weasley on my friends list, exchanging parenting tips.

5. Have you ever had a teacher/professor that reminded you of a Hogwarts professor? How?

I had an eight-grade English teacher who was as vain as Gilderoy Lockhart, and always talking about how wonderful he was. I hated him, although he gave me a solid grounding in grammar. He also insisted on calling me Margaret, although I repeatedly told him not to do so.