Otaheite Apple – also called Malay Apple, got me interested in Jamaican fruit. It started here: In need of coc. The Purdue Horticulure Department tells you about it in Purdue horticulturish terms. . .it's also called Tahitian quince. more inside

Suicide Food Is Not Funny. What is Suicide Food? Suicide Food is any depiction of animals that act as though they wish to be consumed. Suicide Food actively participates in or celebrates its own demise. Suicide Food identifies with the oppressor. Suicide Food is a bellwether of our decadent society. Suicide Food says, “Hey! Come on! Eating meat is without any ethical ramifications!" Suicide Food is not funny.

Telephone exchanges There was an "Anti digit dialing association," back around 1964, which positioned itself against the eradication of what were called telephone exchanges. Telephone exchanges were the earliest versions of phone numbers. Named telephone exchanges were introduced in the 1930's and 1940's when 5 digits were no longer sufficient for the number of subscribers. They became mandatory in the 1950's when 7-digit dialing was instituted throughout (most of) the United States. It was believed that a word plus 5 digits would be easier to remember than would 7 digits.

Ambient noise, apparently free. Here's purring. Here's the scratch of a pencil. Here's a typewriter (with carriage returns). Here's a restaurant. Um, warning: sound.

I tried hard to find supporting links . . . but they were all awful. So I'm posting a single youtube link of a very young Aretha Franklin singing the hell out of "Natural woman." more inside

Licit and illicit drug use is part of our world, so here's to harm reduction. Some stated principles are here. The "Hotties of Harm Reduction" are here.

Art for sale, cheap-ish. Phineas X. Jones is a painter, photographer, web designer. He needs to sell some art for health reasons, and he's going cheap. Here's his price list.

Chillis [sic] galore. Here are some pretty pictures of chilis and how hot they are. There are chile facts, growing tips, recipes, and links. more inside

Shave 'em dry! [sound; NSFW] Here's some old-time smutty singing, with a great giggle mid-song, from this side-long-glancing gal, Lucille Bogan. There's more listenable smut here.

It's a hot Texas Weiner tradition "In its simple, classic form, the Hot Texas Wiener is an all-beef hot dog "blanched" or par-cooked in 350-degree vegetable oil in a fry basket for a few minutes, cooked by another hot vegetable-oil bath in a tilted steel pan until done. . . more inside

Knife Maintenance and Sharpening Here's how to be a knife-sharpening god.

FDLS Here's some news from the Fundamentalist Mormons. And some more. more inside

Music at Aurgasm, and here, at The Hype Machine, and here, at kexp.com, and here, at e-mule. more inside

Jeffs's cultists debate Warren Jeffs's defenders and apostates discuss his capture and what that means for the cult he heads.

Red v. blue in the neighborhood Growing up with all these Crips and Bloods and V13 here in Los Angeles, I don't care how badly they fry Williams just after midnight tonight.

Professed love simultaneously mixed with utter condemnation. Fundamentalism explained by an ex-fundamentalist. more inside

Electron Band Structure In Germanium, My Ass. An angry physics major sounds off.

Spell with flickr! Just a silly way to wittle away a Frday afternoon. Type in whatever and get a little photo montage spelling your word. F'rinstance: Monkeyfilter.

Happyface spiders. Theridion grallator, enough to freak your dreams forever. more inside

PostSecret "Over 3000 visitors to a Washington DC arts festival picked up postcards inviting them to share a secret anonymously. Before Artomatic ended in December 2004, 148 PostSecret cards, with secrets - some illustrated - were received through the mail."