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10 December, 2009
Threaded Headset Basics
Threaded Headset Sizes
There are five fairly common threaded headset sizes: ISO, Italian, French, JIS, and BMX.
ISO is by far the most common size and is used on virtually every modern bike with a 1" steerer. The steerer inside diameter (ID) is 22.2mm. The pressed race ID is 30.2mm (that's the inside of the head tube). The crown race (on the fork) measures 26.4mm and the threading is 24tpi. Velo Orange stocks three ISO headsets, the Grand Cru sealed bearing headset, the VO loose ball headset, the Tange Levin NJS loose ball headset.
It's worth noting here that ISO, and most other, headsets use a keyed lock washer. A groove or keyway is machined into the steerer and the key in the washer fits into it. This is intended to prevent the top nut from loosening. But many custom bike builders don't machine a keyway. In this case simply throw away the washers and use a drop of Locktite on the top nut,
Italian headsets are virtually the same as ISO. The crown race ID is 26.5mm rather than 26.4mm and the threads are a tiny bit different, but ISO headsets are so close that they work absolutely perfectly on Italian frames.
French sized frames use a 25.0mm steerer with a 22.0mm ID. The crown race is 26.5mm and the pressed race is 30.2 mm. Thread pitch is 1mm, or 25.4tpi. The final difference is that the steerer has a flat machined onto the back rather than a keyway, so a different washer is used. French headsets are getting very hard to find, but Velo Orange will soon be making one. It will arrive early next year.
JIS headsets are used mostly on older Japanese frames and on Keirin racing frames. They differ from ISO headsets in having a 27.0mm crown race and 30.0mm pressed race. VO makes a JIS headset.
BMX-sized headsets were used on some older lower quality American and Japanese frames and on BMX bikes. The steerer ID is 21.15mm, the crown race is 26.4mm, and the pressed race is 32.6mm. This size is still made, but VO does not stock them.
There are also a few odd headset sizes including French tandem, Austrian, Raleigh, and 1/1-4" tandem. I don't have any experience with these and don't know of a source for replacements other than E-bay.
Stack Height
Stack height is the total height, or thickness, of the headset, not including the parts that fit into the head tube. In other words, it's the vertical distance required to fit the headset. Stack height is important because if it's greater than the available space on the fork the headset will not fit. This is rarely an issue on modern frames, but older frames often had their steerer tube lengths sized for a low-stack-height steel headset, so taller modern headsets might not fit. It pays to measure first. On a fork that has extra length, spacers are added to take up the excess.
If you're fitting a headset but find you lack just a millimeter or two of room, simply remove the lock washer and use a drop of Locktite on the top nut instead.
Loose Ball or Sealed Bearing
I am completely sold on sealed cartridge bearing headsets and they are the only type I will now install on my own bikes. The advantages of sealed bearings is that they last much longer, are smoother, are sealed against moisture, and require no maintenance. With the Grand Cru headset, which I use, the crown race is split so no tools are required to install or remove it. And if the bearings do someday wear out you simply lift out the two bearing cartridges and drop in new ones. (Note that some sealed bearing headsets have pressed in bearings and traditional crown races.)
This is not to say that loose ball headsets are bad. Cyclists have been using them for over a hundred years. If you ride mostly in nice weather and don't mind a bit of maintenance, they are a good way to save some money.
Roller bearing headsets also had a strong following, particularly the now discontinued Stronglight A9 headset. But with modern sealed bearing headsets available for the same price, I can see no reason to use a roller bearing headset. Some claim that roller bearing headsets reduce shimmy, but so do sealed bearing headsets.
Installing and Maintaining Headsets
Installing headsets is not difficult, but it does require some costly tools. So my recommendation is to pay the local bike mechanic to do it for you. It's only 10 or 15 minutes of work so it shouldn't cost much. For those of you who really want to do it yourselves, I'll simply point you to the Park Tools' excellent instructions.
That Park Tools article also explains how to disassemble the headset to grease or replace bearings, something that should be done a couple of times a year with loose ball headsets. It's an easy at-home job requiring only a headset wrench and some grease.
Are threaded headsets better than threadless?
Most bike manufacturers now make frames that use threadless forks and 1-1/8" threadless headsets, a size that was originally developed for mountain bikes. It is true that 1-1/8" threadless headsets are stronger than 1" threaded, but road bikes don't need the extra strength. It is massive overkill. The big disadvantage of threadless headsets is that they don't use quill stems, which allow easy up and down adjustment. With the threadless system you cut the fork steerer to length and then adjust the height by using a different stem or by shuffling spacers. If you cut and set up your fork correctly it's fine, but if you need to later adjust handlebar height upward it gets expensive or even impossible.
So why are threadless systems popular? They are promoted by big bike manufacturers to lower production cost. Only one size fork need be made for each frame and it does not need the additional steps of cutting a keyway and threading. Then the fork steerer is cut to size by the customer or bike shop. This results in a huge cost saving for a big bike manufacturer.
With threaded forks, like those used by Velo Orange, forks are made for each frame size. Beyond the adjustability of a quill stem, an additional benefit of making a specific forks for each frame size is that it allows us to make slight rake adjustments for smaller frame sizes. This results in optimal handling for those small frames.
Hope this answers some questions. Some of my other informational articles can be found on the VO Tech Info section.
Posted by Velo Orange at 3:07:00 PM
43 comments:
- Anonymous said...
When I install a headset, I just grease up the cups and gently hammer them into the head tube with a plastic mallet (originally for tent stakes). I don't need no stinking headset press!
- Anonymous said...
I use a rock!
Og - 12/10/09, 3:57 PM
- philcycles said...
May I comment on HS adjustment?
Rather than tightening the lock nut into the screwed race I do the reverse: I tighten the screwed race into the lock nut. This requires several tries-usually-to get the proper adjustment but once done is absolutely rock solid. My HS never loosen and never require readjustment.
BTW, I'm a frame builder and I usually file a flat on the steerer for the keyed washer if I'm installing it but if I'm not I just leave it off.
And I ALWAYS use a head set press.
Phil Brown - 12/10/09, 4:07 PM
- scott said...
Hi Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to post useful information about threaded headsets.
Regarding production threaded forks ... any word on a revised production V/O rando fork?
Scott - 12/10/09, 4:17 PM
- Velo Orange said...
Scott, we don't plan to sell forks separately, but are still working on a new fork with a traditional bend for our production frames. We were not happy with the first tooling and are trying again. I was at the factory and thought the bend was close, but not perfect.
- Anonymous said...
One footnote: French headset bikes do have a flattened section on the fork as you describe rather than a keyway, but just because a fork has this rather than a proper keyway don't assume it's French. A lot of cheap older bikes of various origins and headset dimensions have this design as well since it's easier to machine. The washer often spins around when you tighten the headset and mangles some threads on the fork.
- Larry Leveen said...
Before anyone jumps down your throat about it, I'll (hopefully) politely point out that there are a couple other threaded sizes you didn't mention in your post: 1 1/8" & 1 1/4", which, of course, have their own individual crown race and pressed cup dimensions. I know VO is largely a 1"-oriented outfit. Just sayin' is all....
I too am a fan of sealed bearing headsets for the same reason as you -- folks never seem to take care of that bearing (or any other, for that matter). Bearing durability is partially dependent on maintaining a thin film of lubricant between bearings (ball or roller) and the surfaces on which they roll. Contaminate or perforate the film, and you get direct metal-to-metal contact, resulting in rapid pitting/damage (from what I have been told, the physics involved are amazing). Pedal, hub and crank bearings spin "round and round" and this motion helps replenish the lubricant film. Headset bearings, however, do not normally move like that; their arcing motion is thought by some to facilitate lube film failure and resultant bearing damage. Therefore, why not be able to pop out a couple cartridges and have the system work like new?
Several years ago I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Shimano made ISO crown races and pressed cups for their _cartridge bearing_ headsets (!), though I am not sure if they still do as they seem to be phasing out threaded headsets altogether. I still have a set each of 1" JIS/30.0 cups in stock (it's easy to mill down a fork from 27.0 to 26.4), and it's nice to be able to offer that to customers with ISO framesets.
Chris, is the VO headset compatible with Shimano's cartridges? I'd assume so, but please verify. If so, it means that VO headsets are more easily serviced anywhere in the developed world. - 12/10/09, 6:23 PM
- Unknown said...
"[The lockwasher] is intended to prevent the top nut from loosening."
True. It also stops the bottom nut from rotating while you're tightening the top nut. Without a lock washer, two wrenches are required; with one, you can theoretically get away with one wrench. - 12/10/09, 6:37 PM
- superfreak said...
now that vello orange sells french headsets and french bbs when are you going to start selling a french threaded frameset. french threads make a huge improvement in the ride, much bigger effect than low trial or 650b wheels. thx superfreak
- Pierre said...
I sometimes post anonymously on here about things that I don't really agree with, like 650B for example. But thank you for taking the time to post this headset piece. Very informative for a cyclist like me who rides but is not really into the more complicated mechanical stuff.
I'm glad to see someone else with some level of authority posting about threaded vs threadless headsets. I've heard all the arguments about advantages and disadvantages, and I've taken the beatings on usenet and bike forums about it for more than a decade now, but I still want nothing to do with threadless headsets.
I'm no racer or pro of any kind, but I like my stem easily and readily adjustable for height. I actually do vary that height over the course of a season, and I've been riding road bikes for more decades than I care to say. I'll take my traditional threaded system over my daughter's new bike with the ugly, threadless, glorified pipe-clamp stem which can only be adjusted in wide increments by frigging around with spacers, and which side of the stem is up with which side of a special washer... and then worrying about getting the preload on the bearing just right. No thanks. I mean, talk about kludgy!
I've been bold enough to openly disagree with many supposed "experts" on this, even the great engineer of wheelbuilding fame. People like me who prefer threaded are always dismissed as hopeless curmudgeons and dinosaurs. - 12/10/09, 8:06 PM
- Roy said...
Can the cartridge bearings in the Grand Cru be serviced? Do you sell replacement cartridges? Do you know if the cartridge is the same as catridge in the old (mid 90's ?) shimano 600 and 105 headsets? It does look very similar but I was too lazy to disassemble my other headset to check.
Thanks! - 12/10/09, 10:24 PM
- @realjanmaaso said...
I am a huge fan of the threaded headset. My favorite? That would be the one on my "oldie", a 1964 Moulton Continental. It has a steel headset (naturally) and must have about 20 balls in the lower race, an absolutely amazing piece of kit. That headset will be spinning smoothly long after I am dead and gone.
- John said...
Chris, Thanks for putting together this primer on threaded headsets. Very informative. Here's one thing I've always wondered. Given that threadless headsets came about as a cost-saving device (which I believe), why is it that cheap bicycles such as WalMart bikes and low end cruisers all use threaded headsets? Doesn't make sense to me that the least costly bikes to buy would use a more costly manufacturing process. I think most serious cyclists' aversion to threaded headsets in the US is at least partially driven by their association with cheap bicycles.
- Anonymous said...
Great writeup! VO is not only a source for parts but also for reliable information. Keep up the good work!
- johnson said...
john b.-
one of the reasons could be that most walmart bikes & cruisers only come in one size, so the company would only need to cut and thread to one length. is is also possible that the cheapest OEM parts spec is still cheapo quill stems and steel threaded headsets. or a combo. - 12/11/09, 9:50 AM
- Velo Orange said...
I don't know if the bearing cartridges we use are the same as those used in old Shimano headsets, probably not.
We have a few replacement bearing cartridges. But since they typically last for many years there is no demand for them yet and probably won't be for quite some time. The bearings are serviced by simply lifting out the cartridge and dropping in a new one. The only tool required is a headset wrench. - 12/11/09, 10:12 AM
- Anonymous said...
Will the French headset be usable with the short stack height? I have a 1980 PX10, and it has, at the most, 37mm of stack height. If I can use it, I am a potential customer.
- Anonymous said...
Someone should invent a threadless that allows for an adjustable quill.
- Tom said...
The threadless headset design was 'invented' by Dia Compe (although that's arguable, with prior art by Pino Moroni, Hi-E, and some French constructors). That invention is protected by worldwide patents. Every manufacturer has to pay a licensing fee to produce a threadless headset, and this additional fee makes it much more expensive than an cheapo steel threaded version. When you counting costs to the Taiwan dollar (NT) or Chinese Yuan, a $3 per headset licensing fee (or whatever it is- it's not exactly cheap)pushes threadless headsets out of the commodity WalMart Opening Price Point market.
The Dia Compe patent is going to expire relatively soon. There are a lot of rumours on the supply side as to how this will affect threadless headsets and the bikes they will be speced on. It will definitely go down market. - 12/11/09, 11:35 AM
- Tom said...
anon 12/11/09 11:29 AM:
Rocket power parts did just that in the mid-90's: an adjustable height threadless stem. Kinda clunky, and headset spacers pretty much did the same thing, as long as the steerer was cut with that in mind.
Adjustable angle stems are common on hybrids. Ugly as sin, but very common. - 12/11/09, 11:38 AM
- lee.watkins said...
With the Raleigh, it's usually the bottom races that wear out or get
"brinnelled," and those parts are interchangeable with those from an ISO headset. You can mix and match parts between B.S.C./ISO and Raleigh headsets, since all of the other mounting dimensions are the same except the threading. If your Raleigh headset cups are worn out or rusted on the load-bearing bottom section, which is almost always the only issue with them, you can replace just the bottom with any standard ISO 1" headset parts, and re-use the Raleigh upper assembly... provided the "stack" of original and replacement parts is close enough.
Headset stack height problems can be solved (within a small window of
opportunity) by using a different thickness spacer between the topmost (threaded-on) race and its locknut. A lot of headsets come with one that's on the order of 5 mm thick, and you can get them down to 2 or 1.5 even. Of course, if your previous stack height was too large -- generally not the problem -- then you can use a thicker/additional spacer. Or, if you're fearless enough, you can lop a few mm off the top of the steerer tube.
Ideally, a "brinelled" headset part should be replaced, but you can often cure the problem by replacing the retainer with loose balls. You use the same size balls, but can usually fit more of them into the races if you leave the retainer out. As a result, the greater number of balls, closer together, no longer all line up with the dimples in the races.
American-style bike frames use the same headset threading and diameter as ISO standard (British) headsets, also the same 26.4 mm fork crown race size, but the frames have larger diameter head tubes. I thought that standard was closer to 32.7mm ? Usually American size uses 24 threads per inch, but some bikes, particularly older Schwinn and Mongoose models can use 28 threads per inch parts.
Early mountain bikes used American "cruiser" frames with these standards. While the imported European bikes, and later Asian bikes were undeniably lighter and faster (partially due to higher tariffs on heavier models in those days), the American bikes were made with a greater emphasis on durability and ruggedness. BMX and children's department store bikes are subject to rough usage, and they are also the only type of crankset that can be serviced with ordinary household tools, hence they have held out longer on one-piece steel cranks and other American dimensional tolerances. People began to associate the American dimensions with these low-end bikes, and to forget that many high-quality machines had been made to these standards... as a result American dimensional tolerances went into retreat, and were increasingly relegated to department store bicycles, such as Huffy and Murray, which was self-perpetuating. - 12/11/09, 12:09 PM
- Anonymous said...
My own PERSONAL opinion is that stem adjustability, as in being able to adjust on the road, is less of a deal than many make it out to be. I love to play around with different bars and stuff on project bikes, but I also like to fool around with cranks and derailleurs--I suppose someone could put together an adjustable crank arm (or derailleur cage with multiple jockey wheel positions) that some would find themselves fiddling with; but most riders are content to find a stem height and stick with it.
Everyone is different, but I pretty much stick with saddle height, but I once read that the great Eddy Merckx carried not only an allen wrench to adjust his saddle height several times in a ride, but he also carried an extra binder bolt because he was worried his frequent adjustments would fatigue the bolt and it would break mid-ride.
Again, this is my opinion, but both standards are fine, and it you are doing something wrong if you find yourself thinking enough about stem height while you are riding that you need to change it.
M Burdge - 12/11/09, 12:17 PM
- Anonymous said...
I made a headset press for maybe $5out of a long bolt, nut, and washers from the hardware store. It's lasted 20 years so far.
Mark G
Longmont CO - 12/11/09, 12:37 PM
- philcycles said...
Everyone is different, but I pretty much stick with saddle height, but I once read that the great Eddy Merckx carried not only an allen wrench to adjust his saddle height several times in a ride, but he also carried an extra binder bolt because he was worried his frequent adjustments would fatigue the bolt and it would break mid-ride.
Eddy had a horrible crash on the track in 1969(I believe) and after that fiddled with his position endlessly. I don't think he was ever comfortable on the bike after the crash.
Phil Brown
Phil Brown - 12/11/09, 4:23 PM
- Pierre said...
Threadless on a road bike pretty much guarantees you are getting a generic fork with a rake that is not customized for the frame size. A win for the big bike megafactories in China, a loss for the average bike rider. Really useful though, if you ever have to put a mountain bike suspension fork on your road bike, or if you weigh 300 lbs.
Like almost everything else in the bicycle world, threadless has been done before. Maybe it will eventually go away again this time. Aesthetically-speaking, a threadless headset and stem only look marginally acceptable only if the handlebars are well-below saddle height and few spacers are used... hardly appropriate for a French fit style of road bike. - 12/11/09, 5:15 PM
- benny said...
lee.watkins: I have a 1972 Schwinn Sports Tourer that I suspect has a larger "American" head tube. Any idea where I can find a replacement headset?
- Anonymous said...
'Eddy had a horrible crash on the track in 1969(I believe) and after that fiddled with his position endlessly. I don't think he was ever comfortable on the bike after the crash.'
I don't think you are trying to generate an argument--neither am I--but the fact that Merckx's need for constant adjustment was not a normative thing, but the result of a chronic injury only lends weight to the point that stem adjustment may be less of a deal for people without damaged backs or necks. It was only after he got hurt that he needed to adjust constantly.
I want to keep good natured about this; especially since we are talking about little metal bits that hold other metal bits up in the air on what amount to non-essential items for most of us. And one of the things I love about cycling is the variety with which individual persons set up their machines.
And all I want to say is that we have all seen lovely bikes with threadless stems. Heck, many of us have piloted bikes with them, and enjoyed the scenery and conversations with fellow riders and the exercise just as much as with someone using a Technomic.
M Burdge - 12/12/09, 2:04 AM
- philcycles said...
Not trying to generate argument at all. I think that Eddy's fiddling was also in part trying to gain a bit of a performance increase. Let's face it, 1% is a tremendous increase and if position fiddling would get it Eddy was enough of a perfectionist to go for it.
Myself, I've been riding with the same position for about 15 years or so through several injuries and the like. I'm comfortable.
Phil Brown - 12/12/09, 4:20 PM
- fridaycyclotouriste said...
...another potential french headset customer here (i assume that's what i'll be needing for a vintage peugeot mixte restoration project).
Nathan - 12/12/09, 7:09 PM
- Roy said...
I realize this thread has wound down, but I installed my second Grand Cru headset last night. It's wonderfully buttery. However, I did notice that the my first Grand Cru had a split ring crown race while the second has an ordinary ring. Is there any reason for the change? The split ring seemed convenient.
- Troy DuFrene said...
What terrific news about the roll out of the new French thread headset. I'm in the middle of rebuilding a early 70s Motobecane Grand Jubilee, and I was really grumpy about having to live with the eroded chrome on the original. Can you be any more specific than "early next year" about the ETA? Not like I have a choice but to wait...
- Velo Orange said...
Roy, Thanks for pointing that out. It seems the factory shipped the last order with non-split crown races. They should be back on the next production run.
- Velo Orange said...
The French threaded headsets have a stack height of 41mm, or about 39mm without the washer. They will be loose ball with an alloy body.
We don't yet have a firm ETA from the factory. - 12/14/09, 1:50 PM
- Anonymous said...
threaded systems are much more aesthetic than threadless systems!
- OlyBikes said...
Usually a curmudgeon and retro-grouch, I actually like threadless headsets. They:
- Allow adjustment of steering bearings without expensive/bulky tools -- "power to the people!"
- Do not rely on the health of fork threads which can be damaged/rendered useless (rare, but I've seen it and it's a bummer). You can drive out a bunged-up starnut and sink a new one in and viola -- new threads! Sort of like cartridge bearings in headsets that way.
- They ARE now height adjustable, if you get an NVO-type stem . Granted, you do need to keep your steerer long. "Beauty in the eye" and all, but I find these industrial black stems butt-ugly (Chris, how about an similar stem from VO that's cold-forged silver alloy? If you do it, _please_ consider a two or four bolt "endcap design" for faster stem/bar swaps.)).
- They are more universally available, and with Cane Creek's patent about to expire, I'd expect prices to plummet.
- They come in various forms for all of the stupid pseudo-innovations in head tube shaping/machining that the industry spews out..... :-/
... Strike that last one...
I like threaded ones too, though. My main ride has an Ultegra cartridge unit on it. Love it. - 12/17/09, 3:43 PM
- OlyBikes said...
I am not anti-DIY, but want to offer a few words of caution on DIY headset presses and crown race installers:
Cartridge bearing systems rely on a different portion of the cups/crown race than loose-ball systems.
Professional install tools are specifically designed to avoid damaging those respective areas of the headset.
VO (and any other headset maker, regardless of design)should not be held accountable for damage during installs without proper tools. - 12/17/09, 3:49 PM
- Unknown said...
I'd like to ask a question here. I have an old Derosa and a Colnago. Both frames are equipped with a Campagnolo Nuovo Record headset. Back in the NR days, Campagnolo was manufacturing French, Italian and British standard headsets, and I believe my frames use the Italian. Now, when you look at the 2010 Campagnolo catalog, they sell only British standard headsets. Is it totally OK to use this on my bikes? If they are compatible, how come Campagnolo was selling both British and Italian headsets separately in the NR era?
- Anonymous said...
Is it possible to convert a threadless steerer tube to a threaded one for use with a conventional (old school) threaded headset?
- Unknown said...
I have seen a Derosa Neo Primato, of which fork was converted from an original thread-less to a threaded. The guy said he had it threaded by a frame builder, so technically speaking, it is not impossible.
- garagepunkfan said...
Chris, any plans for a nice vintage-look forged alloy quill for 1" threaded steerers anytime soon? i have a nice, vintage looking but somewhat nondescript Compe 60mm forged alloy quill on my project bike but what something more distinctive. I've been looking for an "English" stem (of which i've never seen a forged alloy version) or a 60mm SR JUN "chest-buster" for a while because the Kalloys simply do not have the "look" and are a little too '80's.
- Anonymous said...
It's hard to come across this information online. Most people talk garbage to make themselves look high and mighty, thanks for posting
- Anonymous said...
Just installed one today after battling with the rattling rusting of a cheaper headset that has just been binned after one winter.
Very very pleased with the VO so far. No play and smooth.
I used a mallet as well.
(headset press? Pfftt) - 5/16/13, 3:44 PM
- Anonymous said...
French forks tend to have 27mm crown race not 26.5


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Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Will this Great Broccoli Salad Become Your New Favorite Summer Side Dish? Probably Not.
I remember having a great one next to a piece of grilled salmon in Monterey years ago, but all I remembered was it was very cold, very lemony, and kind of spicy.
The only other cold broccoli salad taste memory I have is from the annual post-Passport, Sunday night dinner that Bill Frick hosts for the family after the event. Bill makes a super simple, but perfectly delicious version that really shines next to a platter of grilled chicken.
Using both these salads as inspiration, I proceeded with the blanching and the whisking, and what was produced far exceeded my expectations. This is a great tasting, very refreshing, and believe it or not, interesting salad.
Will this become your favorite summer side dish? I doubt it. It's really very good, but how can you complete with such iconic picnic table fixtures as potato and macaroni salad? Let's face it, it's still broccoli after all.
Nevertheless, you can never have enough vegetable side dish recipe ideas, so I hope you give this tasty, easy-to-make salad a try. Enjoy!
1 1/2 pounds broccoli
3 cloves garlic, mashed
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
39 comments:
- Tammy Jones said...
Macaroni and potato salads cannot compare to BROCCOLI!! They just can't. It's nummy, crunchy, amazing goodness and a couple of simple starches are wimps in comparison! Thank you so much for posting this, I'm always looking for another excuse to use broccoli!
- June 1, 2010 at 7:01 PM
You had me at "lots of garlic".
- June 1, 2010 at 8:25 PM
Been making this for years. My Italian mother-in-law handed this recipe down from her kitchen 50 years ago. The only thing she didn't add was the mustard. It is the only way I have ever made broccoli florets. And no one ever tires of it. Hot pepper seeds sauteed in olive oil with the garlic and poured over the broccoli and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
- June 1, 2010 at 8:57 PM
I just made this for my girlfriend and I for dinner tonight. (How's that for a quick turn-around?)
She's on a new diet and is drastically limited in many foods she can eat, but Brocolli is "free." The only issue was the olive oil. We cut the olive oil down to 1/4 cup and were still pleased.
We both agreed this is our favorite brocolli recipe ever! Very guilt-free and delicious. We didn't chill it before eating, but on a hot summer day this could be a crucial cold side-dish.
Way to go, Chef John. - June 1, 2010 at 9:27 PM
You were kidding about the ingredient measurements being critical, right? - June 1, 2010 at 11:59 PM
Hey CJ! Completely off topic but watch this!
He effin' stole your intro!
hehehehe - June 2, 2010 at 12:27 AM
- Chef John said...
yes, it's just a salad ;-)
- June 2, 2010 at 12:43 AM
- Razors Edge said...
I'll give this a try...
I've been burned one too many times by people that think serving raw broccoli without any preperation is somehow "organic food" or "healthy". Horseshit I say.
Its like steaming or boiling it renders it inert (the way they see things,) and it comes out all raw tasting.. hard and chewy... and then the little bits of broccoli get tangled up in my teeth and my toothbrush gets filled up with those bits.
Yuck...... raw broccoli is an abomination IMHO. BLEGH. Love the taste of broccoli but its gotta be done right. - June 2, 2010 at 4:25 AM
- Arina said...
That sounds so yummie! I love broccoli, will give this a try! Too bad I live in an apartment and can't have a bbq :) but that's all right haha :)
- June 2, 2010 at 7:44 AM
- Steffen P said...
Looks great. I always use bacon in brocolli salad, kind of makes up for the fact its brocolli. :P
- June 2, 2010 at 9:38 AM
- Fatcat said...
I think Newman called this a vile weed...
- June 2, 2010 at 11:29 AM
Macaroni salad is disgusting. Go broccoli!
- June 2, 2010 at 1:36 PM
- Tom said...
Chef John,
Is there a good/east seafood dish this would pair well with this?
Fletcher - June 2, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Chef John said...
I can't imagine a fish recipe this wouldn't be great with! Whatever your favs will be perfect.
- June 2, 2010 at 1:46 PM
Chef, have you ever tried the Broccoli Crunch salad from Whole Foods? I think they just barely blanch the broccoli, but the dressing for it is amazing. And there's candied walnuts and bacon, how can you beat that?!
- June 2, 2010 at 5:17 PM
Made this dish for myself and two others last night, was well liked!
- June 3, 2010 at 9:30 AM
- Hania said...
I have just done this recipie and my husband loved it. It made him hot.
Thank you for that and for great recepie.
Hania - June 3, 2010 at 3:04 PM
- Chef John said...
thanks, glad i could help ;-)
- June 3, 2010 at 3:36 PM
- rivergal47 said...
delightful salad along with your Buttermilk Fried Chicken, both chilled well for an early June heat-up. Thanks!
- June 3, 2010 at 5:10 PM
- orange said...
I added some toasted sesame and a very little bit of soy sauce.
orange - June 24, 2010 at 6:56 AM
Hello! I tried doubling this recipe, but it didn't work out so well. It just seemed like waaaay too much olive oil. Is it bad to double salad dressing recipes? It was looking really tasty until I added the olive oil. Any tips to make it come out better next time?
- July 15, 2010 at 4:50 AM
Hey chef John :)
Just tried your broccoli salad today and loved it! It was amazing!
If only you could invent an olive oil that doesn't have so many calories :) - August 25, 2010 at 12:07 AM
This looks simple and awesome....I'm going to steam instead of boil and I think I won't have to drain...
- November 22, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Hey Chef John, Do you have broccoli in your garden? My Culinary teacher said that when she made fresh broccoli from her garden, her husband ate it all, and she said that he is not a vegetable person.
- March 5, 2011 at 9:33 PM
- Chef John said...
I don't. But it will basically taste the same as the store.
- March 5, 2011 at 11:55 PM
Not really. If I recall what she said, she told me that the broccoli was much sweeter when she grew in her garden than buying it in a store.
- March 6, 2011 at 3:47 AM
- tucker's mama said...
how do u think oven roasted broccoli, instead of boiling it, would work? i try to stay away from boiling veggies. im a big fan of roasting them. totally different flavor - it adds a wonderful nutty favor to the broccoli. winner! thanks!
- March 24, 2011 at 9:25 PM
- Chef John said...
never tried, may get bitter. you'll have to try and see!
- March 24, 2011 at 10:19 PM
- Rachel's croations said...
OMG delicious! Was looking for something new and . My husband had seconds!
- June 3, 2012 at 7:50 PM
Can I use different vinegar types?
- June 13, 2012 at 11:21 AM
- Chef John said...
of course! it's your salad! ;)
- June 13, 2012 at 11:54 AM
Just made this and it was sooooo delicious. Loving the lemon and the hint of dijon.
- June 14, 2012 at 1:44 PM
Hey Chef,
Just want to let you know that it's a sigh of relief to see a chef who tries to make something simple without it being laden with fat, salt and sugars. It's nice to find someone who doesn't overkill on things. Sure you could mayo and bacon up this recipe to make it good but this dressing is simple and refreshing!! Thanks in advance! - August 26, 2012 at 5:08 PM
- The Three Oaks Reveille said...
The best cold Broccoli Salad is one we have been making in the restaurant for years.
6 cups of chopped raw broccoli
1 cup medium dice red onion.
1 cup raisins
1 cup candied pecans or walnuts
The dressing (approximate)
1 1/2 cups Hellmans Mayo
1/3 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup ganulated sugar.
Blend dressing ingreds. then add to Broccoli mix.
Chill before serving.
- July 4, 2013 at 9:59 AM
- Toshiko Suisei said...
Thanks Chef John, this was really good and Mom loved it! I boiled the broccoli for 3 minutes and it was crisp-tender. Then after blanching, the broccoli went for a ride in my salad spinner to quickly rid it of excess water.
- July 5, 2013 at 9:06 AM
- Maryam said...
Thanks for this delicious recipe. We dipped french bread in the remaining dressing and it was very very good.
- July 16, 2013 at 8:46 PM
- Unknown said...
Thanks Chef John! Just made this tonight and it was incredible, as all your recipes are! And Toshiko-san, thanks for the salad spinner idea. Genius! I'll give that a try next time. Excess water is the enemy of broccoli salad :)
- October 18, 2013 at 3:44 AM
- Sally said...
I make a Broccoli-Cauliflower salad from a recipe on Allrecipes that's very good too. This looks delicious; I'll have to try it. Thanks!
- April 12, 2017 at 9:06 AM
- david melbourne OZ said...
blanched broccoli, and pepitas and firm but ripe Avocado diced, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper is what we've been making down under for the last couple of years.
We have the microplane at the table and grate great Parmigiano Reggiano over our own serve if we choose.
Served with cold boned turkey with a basil pesto seasoning, sliced thin, and a glass of red wine - shiraz
perfect dinner when the temperature is 94
David - December 26, 2017 at 4:23 AM


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Actress Bonnie Piesse appeared at WonderCon in San Francisco and was kind enough to listen to my stupid question regarding her time playing "Aunt Beru" in Star Wars Episode II and Star Wars Episode III. In our conversation Bonnie explains that the baby she held was in fact not real, but was made to feel like a real baby.
She also offered that George Lucas, who directed and produced the movies, was relaxed and easy to work with. Finally, Bonnie talks about her music and her album which is set to debut in late 2007.


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Maker Faire 2013
We are organizing our presence at Maker Faire 2013!
Maker Faire
May 18 & 19, 2013
Saturday 10am – 8pm
Sunday 10am – 6pm
see Maker Faire for more info
Also note, Noisebridge is organizing an "afterparty" May 18, 6pm. See this page:
2013 MakerFaire Afterparty
Noisebridge booth[edit | edit source]
[1] is May 18 and 19 at the San Mateo County Expo Center. If you'd like to help set up/run the booth this year, please add your contact info below. NB should be getting several free passes for volunteers who work at least a 4-hour shift. First come, first served!
Projects/Items Displayed in the Booth[edit | edit source]
There will be projects from noisebridge at the faire this year.
- high above the crowd, the space over the booth will be festooned with tooth pick sculptures by [[monad]
- the space will also be decorated with light.
- a sign will rise up from behind, announcing the presence of Nosebridge to all.
- miloh will be bringing a project as of yet still under wraps
- 3D head scanning for 3D printers, etc. If we had a big screen TV, my lappy can output HDMI. Headscans look cool on TV. My printer is currently broken, so can we borrow a Type-A?
Other Items to Bring[edit | edit source]
- NB flyers
- NB stickers
- NB t-shirts?
- a colloage of photos of noisebridge?
- the RoboConfessional Especially set up to hear allow the automat confession of sins from faire goers. Also serving as infoshopbot.
- sudomate (5 gallons) Courtesy of Sudo room pop effort!
Maker Faire Volunteering Signups[edit | edit source]
Maker Faire is a huge event with more than 100,000 people expected to attend.
In case you have never been, or have never worked a booth at the Faire, this
from our friends at Dangerous Prototypes is a nice introduction.
Please sign up for at least a couple 2 hour shifts for Saturday and Sunday.
Also, add your name and a contact email to the Volunteer Contact section below.
We will be getting in touch with you about more scheduling and badges and all.
Please help fill out the empty timeslots so we have at least 3 people at the Noisebooth during the Faire!
Education Day, Thursday May 16th[edit | edit source]
Update: Alex is going to be at the booth Thursday, focusing on discussions about NB and Gamebridge
- Alex P (Maker Pass)
- Lance V (Maker Pass)
- Heather B (Maker Pass)
Note: Alex already has 2 helpers organized, Sorry about that.
Apparently, the Education-Day only people wont need passes, but I'd allocated them before I found out, so in any case, Have fun.
- John W (Can I do a booth at Education Day?)
Setup Friday May 17th[edit | edit source]
Setup times for the venue: 10am-8pm
1200 - 1600 (full)
- Monad will be driving down from Noisebridge with our gear(Maker Pass)
- Rolf W - will be here for booth setup (Maker Pass)
- John E - some flexibility for schedule, available (Maker Pass).
- Miloh will be able to check in and help as needed (With TAM)
- Felipe can drive to the event and help set-up (Maker Pass)
Saturday May 18th[edit | edit source]
0900 - 1100 Setup (0 slots open)
- Miloh will be here for opening
- Rolf W.
- John E (Maker Pass)
1100 - 1300 Staffing
- John E
- Alex P (Maker Pass)
- Donald Tronix (Maker Pass)
1300 - 1500 Staffing (1 slot open)
- John E
- Kevin S (Maker Pass)
1500 - 1700 Staffing
- Dana S (has ticket)
- Maggie F (has ticket)
- Kevin S
1700 - 1800 Staffing and shutdown for the night
- Miloh
- Alan Rockefeller
- Lilia (Maker Pass)
Sunday May 19th 0900-1900[edit | edit source]
9am - 11am pull out the projects and set up for the faire to open at 10am.
- Mek (Maker Pass)
- Tayopa (Maker Pass)
11am - 1 pm regular staffing
- Mek
- Drew (Maker Pass)
1pm - 3pm regular staffing
- John E
- Dan (Maker Pass)
- Tayopa
3pm - 5pm regular staffing
- Dan
- Mek
5pm - 7pm regular staffing, break down the booth and leave by 7pm (2 slots open)
- John E
- Miloh
Volunteer Contact Information[edit | edit source]
Rolf W ( Rolf)
John E.
Mek Karpeles email@example.com
Drew Winget email@example.com
Dan Cote email@example.com
Tayopa firstname.lastname@example.com (as early as I can get a ride in. I am assuming it's 9:00am- and at least four hours (happily more if needed)).
Alex Peake firstname.lastname@example.com
Donald Tronix email@example.com
Kevin S firstname.lastname@example.com
Felipe email@example.com
Maggie firstname.lastname@example.com
Members with Booths at Maker Faire[edit | edit source]
"Going to Maker Faire with another group? Let us know where you'll be!"
Rock The Bike - Nice pedal-powered live music all weekend, outside. Jake helped make the electronics.
Type A Machines -- miloh will be the TAM corporation :-)
Booths to Visit[edit | edit source]
Evil Mad Science
Will Upverter be there?
West coast hackerspaces:
- Sudo Room
- Ace Monster Toys
- Hacker Dojo
- CRASH space
- Jigsaw Rennaissance
- add more!


text:
NBC reports that the service will start to be publicly available today and Google confirms the news: "Invites to people on reservations list starting to go out today." In March, Google Voice was released as an upgrade to the existing GrandCentral users and you could request an invitation using a form from Google's site.
Network World found that Google reserved one million phone numbers from Level 3, preparing for the public launch of the service. A major hurdle slowing the adoption of Google Voice is getting a new phone number, but Google tests a feature that allows users to port their existing numbers to the service.
Update: Apparently, Google Voice won't be publicly available, but you'll get an invitation if you've previously requested one. "We are happy to share that Google Voice is beginning to open up beyond former GrandCentral users. If you requested an invitation on the Google Voice site or previously on GrandCentral, keep your eye out for an invite email," says Google's blog.
{ via Lifehacker }


text:
I had a brilliant week in Melbourne as a guest of the State of Design Festival. Loads of interviews and events that all culminated with my keynote speech on the Saturday.
There was, however, an event on the Saturday morning - July 26, 2010 - that was extremely interesting to be a part of. A group of citizens, rallied together by filmmaker and bicycle advocate Mike Rubbo, decided to go for a bicycle ride together on Melbourne's new bike share system bikes. A splendid idea. Melbourne's bike share system is shiny new, although unlike most cities in the world with a bike share programme, only 70-odd people are using them each day. In Dublin, by contrast, there are over 30,000 subscribers. Not to mention the cracking successes in Paris, Barcelona, Seville and most of the over 100 cities with such systems.
So, a group of people, many of them Copenhagenize.com readers, fancy a bike ride. Sounds lovely enough. They met up at the bike racks at Melbourne University. Hired the bikes without a problem. Now the tricky bit is that you can rent a bike spontaneously - the whole point of such systems - but you then have to figure out how to get a bike helmet. The State of Victoria, like all Australian states (not Northern Territory... they repealed their all-ages helmet law when they saw cycling levels fall drastically) has an all-ages mandatory bike helmet law. The bike ride was a demonstration to point out that a bike share system won't work with a helmet law and that Australia's failed helmet laws should be reconsidered.I arrived at about 09:40, together with my son, Felix. After greeting some of the people I noticed two Melbourne bicycle cops lingering nearby. Speaking in low tones, eying the 'mob'. They had been there since 09:00, waiting for this 'demonstration' to kick off. Seriously. Two city employees lingering, doing nothing, for an hour because some people had announced they were going for a bike ride. Mike Rubbo had generated some good pre-press about the ride. Like this from the ABC and this article in The Age newspaper.
It included this poll, which signals a sea change in public opinion in Australia:Should public-bike scheme users be excused from wearing helmets?Yes... 71%No.... 29%Total votes: 13885Felix and I took a bunch of photos but this shot really sums it up for me. Mike Rubbo on the left, Dr Paul Martin on the right and an ominous-looking police officer keeping an eye on us all. Dr Martin is from Brisbane and flew down for the ride. He recently recieved a ticket for cycling without a helmet in Queensland and is intent on fighting it, following in the footsteps of Sue Abbott, from New South Wales. They were all wearing badges from The European Cyclists Federation's Ask Me Why I Cycle Without a Helmet campaign. Mike Rubbo also did a film about the bike share system in the days up to the protest.(it was actually Felix, aged 8, who took this shot, which makes this dad proud, but that's another story...) There were loads of cameras and journalists present during the whole event. People going for bike rides must be big news in Australia. After Mike Rubbo did the talking to the press the group was off.
All in all, it was a frightfully well-dressed demonstration and with the exception of the recent Velo-City Global conference in Copenhagen and conferences in La Rochelle and Lleida, Catalunya, I hadn't before been with such a large group of well-informed people who knew their science about helmets and who were so passionate about promoting cycling. Here is one of the bike racks for the bike share bikes and here's Felix joining the press corps to document the event. It was great to have him along to witness this little slice of democracy. I explained the whole situation to him as neutral as possible.What from I understand the University of Melbourne grounds were private property so the police - and camera crews - tagged along as the group rode away. As soon as the group hit the mean streets of Melbourne, the police moved in. Three bicycle cops and three (!) police cars were in action to tackle the 20+ well-dressed people on bicycles. Comical.After some discussion the police informed the group that they wouldn't be ticketed but if they decided to continue riding, they would be. Six or seven of the group set off. And enjoyed it! They were all ticketed accordingly. The fine for cycling without a helmet in Melbourne is a whopping $160. Not exactly encouraging people to cycle, now is it. Fining them for contributing to lower pollution levels, better public health, etc etc. is hardly the way to build the foundations of a bicycle culture. In contrast, Sydney is experiencing a greater boom in cycling, despite having less infrastructure, largely because they don't bother punishing cyclists for riding bicycles without helmets. After the evildoers were duly punished, we all walked our bikes for the rest of the short route. One chap was straddling his bicycle and was told to dismount. Straddling bicycles is, apparently, illegal.
After the formalities were complete and the route was completed, the bikes were returned and we retired to a local café for a coffee. Pleased with the results, pleased that a debate, hopefully and finally, has been launched in this country. Hopeful that the work of so many Australians may finally reach a greater audience. Dr Dorothy Robinson, Prof. Piet de Jong, Chris Gilliam, Bill Curnow, et al.
There's always room for a spot of Cycle Chic, even when protesting. At left is Jenny from Auckland Cycle Chic and at right is Saskia from Cycle Chic Sundays - Sydney. Both made the trip to Melbourne to hear my talk. Which was wonderful!At the end of the day it's a David v Goliath challenge, but this was an excellent start.
Now it's interesting to see what Vancouver does or doesn't do with their impending bike share system.


text:
Western Supply
Plumbing - Wholesale
About Us
Plumbing Showroom In Great Bend, KS
With friendly, knowledgeable product experts, and the latest selection of plumbing products for the kitchen and bath, Western Supply Company helps make your dream home a reality around Great Bend. At Western Supply Company, you'll find a large selection of quality brands for the kitchen and bath and dedicated showroom specialists to help coordinate your projects. When you visit Western Supply Company, you'll find incredible quality; from sinks, faucets, bath tubs, shower systems, and toilets, to lighting fixtures, cabinets and many more home decor and design products. Let one of our expert product specialists guide you to products that fit the scope of your job and budget. When you need help finding the right kitchen and bath products, Western Supply Company is the place to shop in and around Great Bend, KS.


text:
iMesh is a media and file sharing client with online social network features, available in 9 languages. iMesh operates the first 'RIAA-approved' P2P service, allowing users residing in United States and Canada to download music content of choice for a monthly fee in the form of either a Premium subscription or a 'ToGo' subscription. A third option is also available for users (residing in either country) to permanently purchase tracks for $0.99 each, without a subscription.
In addition to the paid content, iMesh allows all users (regardless of origin country) access to 'non-copyrighted' music and video files. A legalized ringtone download service is also available, allowing users to purchase songs for use as cellphone ringtones.
iMesh was the first company to introduce 'swarming' - the ability to download one file from multiple sources, increasing download speed. iMesh was also the first company to introduce a working 'resume' feature, allowing users to pause downloads and resume them at a later time.
The company behind iMesh is also the same company behind BearShare under their MusicLab subsidiary.


text:
Oh, no. not this. Not on the White House website, the pristine digital seat of the most powerful office in the U.S. It's unseemly, absurd, hypocritical. Barack Obama says he wants to elevate the public discourse, yet here he is, hosting the loons and the radicals, the pranksters and the protesters. Anyone with Internet access can put a petition on the federal mainframe. Get enough signatures and the staff of the President of the United States—the people juggling debt crises, immigration reform and terrorist assassinations—will take time to respond to you.
There are petitions to impeach Obama. To legalize pot. To fire U.S. Attorneys. To try Senator Dianne Feinstein for treason. To recount the 2012 election. To take God out of the U.S. motto. To allow eight states to secede from the union. (More than 350,000 people signed those.) "Do it fast," said Fox News' Shepard Smith when he told viewers to sign a petition to declare the day after the Super Bowl a federal holiday. Some 34,000 Star Wars fans petitioned the U.S. government to build a Death Star. The official White House response: "The Administration does not support blowing up planets." Really.
(SPECIAL: The American Dream)
So the clamor grows. A half-dozen news websites run "Top 10 Most Ridiculous White House Petitions" stories. Someone has started a petition to end petitions. Another petition seeks to make petition responses better. And how do the President's aides respond? Do they admit defeat and pull up the drawbridge? Actually, they couldn't be happier. From where they are sitting, they are winning. Everything is on track. Web traffic is through the roof, with nearly 10 million signatures now on file. That figure doubled in two months. "We wanted a system that is as open as possible so people can use it as they will," says Macon Phillips, the White House digital director running the effort. "I see the openness of the system absolutely as a strength."
But there's a method in all this madness. Consider: Once upon a time, Presidents could talk to the whole nation at will. Thirty years ago, 50 million people watched the nightly news on TV. Now not even half that many do. And whole segments of the public have walled themselves off. How can Obama reach Rush Limbaugh's audience, except through Rush Limbaugh? How does he talk to his friends and opponents who care passionately about public policy but would never tune in to the State of the Union or even his Inaugural Address?
This was the thought that helped launch the petition system, We the People, back in September of 2011. It started as little more than a whiteboard jot in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, a simple idea to get millions of Americans to contribute to the White House website. Imagine a scenario in which a gun-rights group starts a petition to tell Obama not to confiscate guns. "Wouldn't it be great if we had the opportunity to respond to all these people directly and say we are not interested in doing that at all?" the White House staff mused. It would be a new digital main line to opponents, a way around organizations like the National Rifle Association. Here's the key. There are two sides to every petition: one seen—the public petition—and one unseen—the list of e-mail addresses it generates. When you sign a petition, you implicitly agree that the White House has a right to communicate with you about that matter by e-mail. That's why this works at 1600 Penn.
(MORE: American Democracy and Some of Its Unique Discontents)
Gutenberg on Steroids
On Dec. 23, a talk-radio host named Alex Jones takes to the airwaves. He is no friend of Obama's. He says the President "lies about everything." He says "they want to take our guns to enslave us." His audience is huge—millions a week—and his whole show is about resisting "globalist tyranny." What does resistance look like today? He says, Go to the White House website. He calls on his listeners to petition for the deportation of Piers Morgan, the CNN talk-show host who supports gun control. (The network is owned by the same company that owns Time.) "Understand why we did this," Jones says later that day in an online video. "We are defending our constitutional republic."
Before long, more than 100,000 Jones listeners have given over their e-mail addresses. Tens of thousands more visit the site for other gun-related petitions. The public has self-organized. Obama's staff is overjoyed. The President records his own video response. "I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms," he says, looking straight at the camera. "The fact is, most gun owners in America are responsible." Boom. Message delivered. Nearly 400,000 people watch the video, about 10 times the online traffic Obama gets for a regular weekly address. And many of them are the right people, the ones the President could not reach before. When his computer team polls the Piers Morgan petitioners, nearly half the respondents say Obama's answer was helpful. One in four say they learned something new. The discourse has been elevated.
MORE: Viewpoint: If We Want Gun Control, We'll Need to Compromise


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Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pondering the Senator McCaskill Hillsboro town hall…
It was…well, one word just can't sum it up.
Yes, a sorta-scuffle broke out when a man grabbed and ripped up a poster of Rosa Parks a woman mistakenly brought into the meeting hall (signs were banned by the college hosting the event).
No, that wasn't me.
That woman didn't even have an Afro!
I did have an unfortunate incident with a woman when I was trying to make a phone call outside of the hall while being black. She got up in my face…said something about being tired of all us [insert N-word]…and then called me a baby killer (I was wearing a pink Planned Parenthood t-shirt). She was quickly escorted away by an extremely nice and police officer.
But, other than those incidents and a general climate of vocal hostility, nothing happened that wasn't expected.
Anyhoo, here are my observations.
A lot of people in attendance weren't Obama or McCaskill supporters before healthcare reform. This wasn't about McCaskill losing support…it was about people who did not support her, do not support her and will not support her telling her why they did not support her, do not support her and will not support her.
A lot of the folks in attendance were confused. President Obama was portrayed on signs and pamphlets as some sort of Nazi, socialist, foreign born, communist, Muslim, euthanasia enthusiast, fascist who wants to tyrannically impose new environmental standards to perpetuate the dangerous myth of global warming all the while teaching the wee little babies about birth control in pre-school and plotting to knock off Grandma.
These people seem to be scared shitless by the Obama presidency.
Many of them are on Medicare…like Medicare…don't want to see Medicare go away, but are opposed to government healthcare coverage options.
Still others are for tort reform instead of healthcare reform…seemed surprised that Missouri and other states have already done some serious tort reform…were even more surprised that the tort reform they called for did not result in a lowering of healthcare costs…and then settled back on their allegation that healthcare reform is fascist and supporters want to knock off Grandma.
Don't even get me started on how the crowd cheered when Senator McCaskill announced the huge profits posted by healthcare insurance companies. I was so sure they were about to start a Blue Cross Blue Shield They're Our Man If They Can't Profit from it NO ONE Can! cheer…but they somehow restrained themselves.
Anyhoo, after two hours it was all over.
And a bitch was left more enlightened than disturbed.
See, I live here and I've got a pretty good handle on my region…and I've got to tell you that crowd didn't warrant the press coverage they got.
Nope…sorry, but no cigar.
If a bitch had been blogging the event I'd have covered the fact that, given the accusations made by those people who did attend, it is far more news worthy that the place didn't reach capacity.
Because the fact that throngs weren't gathered outside even though this town hall was closer to conservative areas than the more liberal St. Louis city (the St. Louis event was cancelled)…the fact that every seat in the place was not filled nor were people overflowing outside the building…the fact that there were lots of healthcare reform supporters there too (and Gawd forbid the media capture that)…and the fact that a bunch of other folks were there from organizations trying to get petitions signed for this or that (hey, a crowd is an opportunity!)…
…all of that shit adds up to not as many fired up anti-reform confused about the difference between a socialist and a fascist Missourians as they and their backers would have the press believe.
Which leaves this bitch suspecting that most eastern Missourians are still in Show-Me mode in regards to healthcare reform while yesterday's town hall represented the folks who refuse to be shown.
33 comments:
- Unknown said...
I watched the epic on MSNBC. I was freaked by the whole thing..people are so hosed up over the Healthcare Wars.
Glad you weren't hit over the head, or tazed, or any other of the multitude of bad things that could of happened.
It's a friggin warzone ain't it? Makes me quite sad Shark Fu. ;( - 10:19 AM
- J. A. Baker said...
A lot of the folks in attendance were confused. President Obama was portrayed on signs and pamphlets as some sort of Nazi, socialist, foreign born, communist, Muslim, euthanasia enthusiast, fascist who wants to tyrannically impose new environmental standards to perpetuate the dangerous myth of global warming all the while teaching the wee little babies (well, the few he hasn't personally aborted yet) about birth control in pre-school and plotting to knock off Grandma and hand altar boys over to gay pedophiles.
(BTW, I arrived via Pandagon. I met Pam at Netroots Nation last year - she is awesome!) - 10:29 AM
I daresay the folks attending the daytime events don't have jobs with real responsibilities. (The number of employment-age people who freelance or otherwise have the ability to readily schedule around an event (without dumping on coworkers unduly) are few.) I'd guess that the unemployed, housewives, elderly, and perhaps a few college students, are the likely audience for a weekday noon-ish event. No wonder the most obnoxious attendees resemble unmoderated blog/listserv commenters - the pajama-clad members of the 101st Keyboarding Brigade of Freeperdom, stationed in their parents' converted basements.
That could be a big reason for low turnout, from all sides of the issue.
Another reason is that the town hall format has been temporarily ceded to the wingnuts, and the non-wingnuts are (I hope) choosing to write letters, call, etc., rather than wait around and then get abused or beat up by some yahoo. - 11:19 AM
I have been doing a great deal of reading & find the Media stir-up is back in play big-time! I also caught the O's town hall meeting & have been reading the bill as written. Have questions: why do ignorant folks listen to 'hear-say' w/o checking it out & where do ignorant folks hide out..cause me not wanting to go there! So much of our world has been held back by ignorant folks being scared..I'm surprised anything get accomplished! Question: are u on White House http, lots of good up-dates/understanding there? Also glad that weren't hurt & nice cop jumped at right time...hugs..
Perfect - "These people seem to be scared shitless by the Obama presidency." or as Atrios said "Nobody could've predicted that electing a black man president would drive this country completely fucking insane."
It's all part of the show.
I love your final paragraph.
Thanks for a great blog. - 12:43 PM
White chick commenting: They can't believe that we have an African American (who has a wacky Furin name, and a father from Kenya, who might be a muslim) and they are losing it. I had the misfortune to run into one of them: He's a homeskoolin freak a zoid and a bible thumper. "Obama is going to get rid of NYSCHAP!!!" NYSCHAP is a NYS run agricultural program. I said he wasn't and quickly moved on. Please! As if President Obama doesn't have enough to worry about? Like he really cares about a small NYS ag. program?
They're crazy. I hate them. Yes I do, and I don't care. - 12:50 PM
Hi, Shark-fu. I'm here from Shakesville.
The coverage of the town hall meetings (well, the coverage of the eliminationist, racist, xenophobic, too-ignorant-to-know-that-Medicare-is-a-federal-program people attending them) has been so constant, and the behavior of the people interviewed so obnoxious, that I've been contacting all my public officials to remind them that there are plenty of well-informed, reasonable people who don't believe that the status quo is acceptable.
Thank you for your bravery, and I'm glad you're all right. - 2:00 PM
- Unknown said...
Many of them are on Medicare…like Medicare…don't want to see Medicare go away, but are opposed to government healthcare coverage options.
Repeated, for emphasis. - 2:24 PM
Thank you for your observations.
The Media has more responsibility in this than anyone is pointing out. They should be the ones educating and refuting, but they are too interested in promoting the conflict and portraying the conflict - it's good for their ratings. For so long we've been led to believe we need to contact our congresspeople, when we should have been concentrating on the media. They use our "public" airwaves to pander, incite, and create conflict just so they can film it and boost ratings. I say protest the MSM by not supporting their advertisers.
- N Crowley said...
I'm in St Louis (metro area) and I'm here to tell you that if this is a "more liberal" part of the state, then this state is in far deeper trouble than I'd had any idea of.
When is McCaskill's next town meeting? As long as I'm not scheduled for work, I'm there. This, dammit, is MY country TOO. - 6:25 PM
- Shark-Fu said...
Senator McCaskill's website is the best resource for when town halls are happening. Also, you'll need to register just in case. Scroll down the front page and there should be info. there.
http://mccaskill.senate.gov/ - 6:38 PM
- Ravan Asteris said...
Shark-fu, thanks for your pithy, bitchy comments that have some meat, not just heat, behind them. The anonymous coward that whined about you swearing should listen to some of the obscene crap that the teabaggers are saying - oh, wait, he probably is, and spewing it himself. But since he's probably a religious nut too, he gets a "bye" for all the false witness, greed, impiety and blasphemy by virtue of his bought and paid for salvation.
I added you to my link list on my blog.
Keep up the lovely rants. - 8:47 PM
- N Crowley said...
Thank you for the link - I'm headed there next.
What you said - amen! - 10:51 PM
- David Duff said...
"President Obama was portrayed on signs and pamphlets as some sort of Nazi [...] fascist ..."
Wind the clock back a few years and insert the name 'Bush' instead of 'Obama' and you have an example of the same old, same old.
By the way, just as a matter of interest, did you object to Bush/Hitler pamphlets at the time? - 3:04 AM
- Shark-Fu said...
You know what, after enduring the shit I went through at that town hall meeting I am not in the mood to dance.
I've got archives.
Review them.
You won't find any damn mocked up poster of Hitler and you sure as shit wont find a picture of me jumping up in some white woman's face, calling her a (shit, is there an equivalent word to "nigger" for white women?) and then spitting out some bullshit about how she's a baby killer because she supported the Iraq War.
I don't roll that way and I don't support the kind of rhetorical manipulation that inspires people to behave that way.
The only victor in this circus is the status quo and the less than 10% of this nation benefiting from it...but it would be too much like right for the press to report that. - 7:03 AM
- David Duff said...
Sorry, 'Shark-fu', perhaps I didn't express myself clearly enough. You wrote what reads like a criticism against those who portrayed Obama as a nazi or a fascist - and quite right, too, I agree with you. But my question, which is an easy one to answer without my having the no doubt enjoyable experience of combing your archives, is did you raise criticisms of those anti-war protesters who did the same to George Bush?
As you well know it is a 'sauce, goose and gander' sort of a question! - 9:09 AM
- Shark-Fu said...
Well David, I'm not in a sauce, goose gander kind of mood.
I said...
"A lot of the folks in attendance were confused. President Obama was portrayed on signs and pamphlets as some sort of Nazi, socialist, foreign born, communist, Muslim, euthanasia enthusiast, fascist who wants to tyrannically impose new environmental standards to perpetuate the dangerous myth of global warming all the while teaching the wee little babies about birth control in pre-school and plotting to knock off Grandma."
My point was about the confusion and that these folks don't seem to be coming from a place of logic or rational critique. I mean, how many black Muslim Nazi pro-choice euthanasia backers do you know?
But hey, I'll defend an Americans right to public displays of ignorance, fear and bigotry any day. - 9:43 AM
As you well know it is a 'sauce, goose and gander' sort of a question!
As we all well know it is a "why don't you bitchezzz ever talk about what I want you to talk about especially when you're addressing the hateful bigotry this country is steeped in and what about poor George Bush! After all, he's an oppressed white man!" question. - 9:48 AM
- Jordan said...
That last part captures the crux of this issue; I think the vast majority of people out there really want President Obama to take clear leadership and show them the value of this. It's there, he just needs to rise above this BS and find a vehicle that will drive a clear message home to those who want to listen.
These idiots who want to chant down people and who are crying out to their senator that they are afraid of the spooky black guy in THEIR American White House are beyond help. They are the thoughtless masses yearning for something to be afraid of. Fox News and the like give them that and they'll never let go regardless of any evidence shown to them.
As much as I hate to say it, a man who would rip apart a poster of Rosa Parks, despite the breaking of the rules, and the crowd that would cheer him on in such an act are largely beyond reason and should be shut out of the real debate.
Great post. - 10:21 AM
- David Duff said...
"My point was about the confusion and that these folks don't seem to be coming from a place of logic or rational critique.
Quite so, and whilst I wouldn't put it in quite those words I am not unsymathetic to your point of view. However, you still fail to indicate whether or not you approve of the anti-war demonstrators who used precisely the same tactics against Bush?
Unless, of course, you are including them in your final sentence, and if it that is the case, then what can I say except, er, Hallelujah!
Hattie writes:
"As we all well know it is a [...] question. Er, no, Hattie, actually, it is not that sort of question at all. Try reading it again, there's a good girl. - 10:39 AM
- Erich said...
I don't know anything about this story other than a video. I was not aware that posters had been banned.
If I were in the audience I doubt I would have known the subject of the poster. I agree these people are thuggish, but I don't think it is clear the intention of the person in this case. Perhaps there is more to it than I am aware.
I recall when Bush had people arrested for wearing peace t-shirts at campaign rallies. I don't know why these events are so out of control.
It is remarkable so many poor people are working against their own best interests, but it is no longer suprising. - 10:58 AM
All these "birthers" , "deathers" and "tea baggers" have one thing in common...scratch beneath the surface and it is racism that is the their underlying motivation. Their sense white privilege and entitlement has been shaken to the core by Obama's Presidency, and they are going to fight tooth and nail against anything that represents change from the status quo.
Sitting here in San Francisco---where virtually everyone is ready for change and supports the Obama agenda---it seems that Middle America has gone off its rocker. Keep up the good fight and let the world know that there are more voices out there than the angry and fearful wingnuts we've been seeing in the media. - 1:22 PM
- Nick said...
Hi, Sharkfu!
I always wanted to see some kind of real census from one of these town hall meetings -- it's good to hear that there are gradations to the crankiness.
Any chance of you or another Feministing scholar could give us a post on what health care reform means to women as a group? There must be some kind of connection between employer-based health care, marriage benefits, and spousal dependence -- I mean, wouldn't it be better for many women if they weren't encouraged to marry (and discouraged to divorce) because of health benefits? - 6:24 PM
- dmcrane1944 said...
Just stumbled across your blog. Love your clear sighted view of the world. Very enjoyable and smart ranting.
You didn't see much protest against Bush because the media didn't cover it, and because the Bush organization threw people out who wore peace message T-shirts, made "designated protest areas" a quarter mile or more from the event (and had individuals coming closer arrested whether or not they had signs), had most events closed to the public, either fundraising, corporate photo-ops (with workers obliged to put up or be fired), or military photo-ops (active military cannot diss the President/C-in-C in public).
Bush got some "fascist" comparisons mostly because of his spying on American citizens, his acknowledged and defended policy of torture, his joke about how his life would be so much easier if he were a dictator, etc.
Hitler is entirely the wrong comparison. Mussolini is a better personality/goal match - an opportunist who had no interest in ideology, only in power and making his rich friends and himself richer. The Italian Fascists got their start as union-busters for hire. They envied the English, Belgians, French, Germans, Dutch their more profitable colonies, but face it, most Italians just weren't interested in achieving "glory" in foreign lands, and had no interest in the revival of a Roman Empire. - 6:44 PM
Is it just me... or did anyone else wonder why 3 officers grabbed the black female and only one for the angry white guy... if anything he should have been arrested for theft... geeezzz people this is not ok... she was just sitting there and he for all practical purposed assaulted her space and took her property..why wasnt she defended from him? I hope some really big guy smashes that piece of lowly evolved human flesh...
angry white girl...tired of those kind of ignorant white people embarrasing me.. - 6:57 PM
- McGonagall said...
As someone living in Canada ( we have state provided universal healthcare ) I gaotta ask - are these folks really that stupid?
- Unknown said...
@ David
<<"As we all well know it is a [...] question. Er, no, Hattie, actually, it is not that sort of question at all. Try reading it again, there's a good girl.>>
You just showed your patronizing, entitled Freudian "draws" by calling Hattie a "good girl".
And basically proved her point, boy. - 1:40 AM
- David Duff said...
Mkali-Hashiki, 'patronisation', if I may neologise, is a game for two. It requires a 'patroniser' but also a 'patronisee'. If Hattie chooses to totally misrepresent my question in a stream of childish un-consciousness, then she deserves to be patted on the head and sent on her way, a case, if I may say so, of if the hat fits Hattie, so be it.
You, too, are in similar danger because I made absolutely no claim to entitlement which anyway has no part in this conversation. As for Freud, he was mostly a silly old fool whose ridiculous and unscientific ideas have caused much mischief but which are the subject of abject and total faith by people who then deride, say, Christians for believing in God.
I'm not sure I understand your reference to "draws". - 8:16 AM
- Ravan Asteris said...
Horse pucky, David. Patronization is a game for one. You have now attempted to blame the target of your patronization for being patronized by you. The fact that you are spewing your "stream of childish un-consciousness" at her does not make her responsible for it. Own your own shit, don't blame it on your target.
- David Duff said...
Ravan, you may well be right, sometimes I just can't help myself, more to be pitied than anything else; but please tell me what "horse pucky" means and where it comes from. I just love new words and new phrases and that is a complete original as far as I'm concerned.
- Unknown said...
nice blog.....
http://envrionment.blogspot.com - 12:32 PM
The Gumdrop Stage of Grief ...
So many of you have shared condolences and support after the death of my beloved brother Bill from COVID-19. I wish I could thank you indiv...
I was slightly illish this weekend and took to my bed Saturday, but I did rally for Brother Rob Thurman's fantabulous cookie decorating part...
Okay, so most of you know that this bitch has some evil assed fibroids . Most of them were successfully murdered with full premeditation se...
So many of you have shared condolences and support after the death of my beloved brother Bill from COVID-19. I wish I could thank you indiv...


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text:
Tortillas and other items are seen in the International food aisle of a grocery store Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013 in Washington. These days, tortillas outsell burger and hot dog buns; sales of tortilla chips trump potato chips; and tacos and burritos have become so ubiquitously "American," most people don't even consider them ethnic. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
by Suzette Laboy and J.M. Hirsch
Associated Press Writers
MIAMI (AP) — Salsa overtaking ketchup as America's No. 1 condiment was just the start.
These days, tortillas outsell burger and hot dog buns; sales of tortilla chips trump potato chips; and tacos and burritos have become so ubiquitously "American," most people don't even consider them ethnic.
Welcome to the taste of American food in 2013.
As immigrant and minority populations rewrite American demographics, the nation's collective menu is reflecting this flux, as it always has. And it goes beyond the mainstreaming of once-esoteric ethnic ingredients, something we've seen with everything from soy sauce to jalapenos.
This is a rewrite of the American menu at the macro level, an evolution of whole patterns of how people eat. The difference this time? The biggest culinary voting bloc is Hispanic.
"When you think about pizza and spaghetti, it's the same thing," says Jim Kabbani, CEO of the Tortilla Industry Association. "People consider them American, not ethnic. It's the same with tortillas."
With Hispanics making up more than a quarter of the U.S. population today — and growing fast — experts say this change is dramatically flavoring the American culinary experience. Hispanic foods and beverages were an $8 billion market in the last year, according to consumer research firm Packaged Facts. By 2017, that number may reach $11 billion.
And that's influencing how all Americans eat. Doritos, after all, are just tarted-up tortilla chips.
As the entire menu of the American diet gets rewritten, the taste is getting spicier, with salsa and chipotle popping into the mainstream vernacular. And onto your dinner table: Marie Callender's has grilled shrimp street tacos with chipotle ranch dressing; Whataburger has a fire-roasted blend of poblano peppers in its chicken fajita taco; and there's tomatillo verde salsa in the baja shrimp stuffed quesadilla from El Pollo Loco.
From queso fresco to chorizo, traditional Hispanic foods — or even just the flavors of them — are making their way into our everyday diet, particularly among the millennials — those born between the early '80s and the turn of the century. Generation Y's Hispanic community was born into an American culture but still holds onto its traditions, often eating white rice and seamlessly switching between English and Spanish.
"They are looking for products that are not necessarily big brands anymore," says Michael Bellas, chairman of the Beverage Marketing Corporation. "They like brands that have character. They are looking for authenticity and purity, but they are also looking for new experiences."
For example, popular among the millennials and other generations on the West Coast is the Mexican soda Jarritos, which boasts real fruit flavors ranging from mango to guava. The company's site showcases a collage of photos taken by Generation Y soda drinkers. Brightly colored sodas pop through their clear vintage-looking bottles. And the bottle caps share a simple message: "Que buenos son," or "They're so good."
Another Hispanic beverage making ever more rounds in households across America is tequila.
In 2006, nearly 107 million of liters of tequila were exported to the U.S., a 23 percent increase over 2005, according to Judith Meza, representative of the Tequila Regulatory Council. Tequila entered the top 10 of liquors in the world five years ago, she said.
Even our choice of side dishes is feeling the influence. In general, Americans are eating fewer of them. Except white rice, a staple of Hispanic cuisines, says Darren Seifer, a food and beverage analyst for The NPD Group, a consumer marketing organization.
Americans ate rice on its own as a side dish (not counting as an ingredient in another dish) an average of 24 times in 2013, up from 20 servings in 2003, according to NPD's National Eating Trend.
Why has rice resisted the death of the side dish? It's one of the traditions millennial Hispanics have held onto, says Seifer.
And that's just the start. Rice also was the top-rated side dish in a National Restaurant Association chefs survey of what's hot. The same survey also found chefs touting taquitos as appetizers; ethnic-inspired breakfast items such as chorizo scrambled eggs; exotic fruits including guava; queso fresco as an ingredient; and Peruvian cuisine.
The influence goes deeper than the numbers. Like Italian food before it, Hispanic food enjoys broad adoption because it is easy for Americans to cook at home. Few Americans will roll their own sushi, but plenty are happy to slap together a quesadilla. Hispanic ingredients also are more common than those of Indian or other Asian cuisines. Ditto for the equipment. While nearly every American home has a skillet for sauteing (a common cooking method in Hispanic cuisines), only 28 percent of homes have a wok, according to NPD.
All of this has meant a near complete loss of ethnicity for many Hispanic foods. Americans now more closely associate tacos, tortilla chips and burritos with fast food than with Hispanic culture.
"The Hispanic market isn't the only one driving that taste profile," says Tom Dempsey, CEO of the Snack Food Association. "As manufacturers become more innovative on how to use tortilla chips, that will continue to take a larger share of the snack marketplace."
Tortilla dollar sales increased at a faster pace in supermarket sales than potato chips this year (3.7 percent vs. 2.2 percent over a 52-week period), according to InfoScan Reviews, a retail tracking service.
Though potato chips continue to be the top-selling salted snack in terms of pounds sold, "the growth of tortilla chips is a little bit more robust than the growth of potato chips," Dempsey says. "And both tortilla chips and potato chips are reflecting greater influence from the Hispanic taste profile than in previous years."
Which is to say, even all-American potato chips are increasingly being flavored with traditionally Hispanic ingredients. Care for Lay's "Chile Limon" chips? How about some "Queso Flavored" Ruffles? Maybe some Pringles Jalapeno? And of course there's the old standard — Nacho Cheese Doritos.
As testament to their popularity, the Tortilla Industry Association estimates that Americans consumed approximately 85 billion tortillas in 2000. And that's just tortillas straight up. It doesn't include chips.
"Having been raised on Wonder bread," Kabbani, the group's CEO, reminisced of his childhood days, "I didn't think that this could displace the sliced bread that was such an item of the American kitchen." But parents are picking healthier options to wrap their child's lunch every day, he said.
"When it comes to health, the Mexican cuisines cater better to that with salsas and vegetables," says Alexandra Aguirre Rodriguez, an assistant professor of marketing at Florida International University.
A healthier option many Americans are choosing is the tomato-based salsa, which beat ketchup sales 2-1, according to IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm.
This isn't simply a matter of Hispanics buying more of their traditional foods.
At the grocer, Hispanic ingredients have moved well beyond the international aisle, sometimes commandeering entire aisles of their own or, increasingly, mingling freely with the rest of the products. Tortillas and taco kits outsell hamburgers and hot dog buns, according to the latest edition of Hispanic Foods and Beverages in the U.S.
Packaged food is also playing a major role.
"If I would look at 10 shopping carts, about half would have taco shells, the Americanized components to make enchiladas or tacos, or frozen chimichangas," says Terry Soto, president and CEO of About Marketing Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in the Hispanic market. There are more non-Hispanics buying those types of foods, she says.
"There is a larger segment of the population that wants the real thing. It's not so much the products becoming mainstream. It's about ethnic food becoming that much more of what we eat on a day-to-day basis."
EDITOR'S NOTE _ "America at the Tipping Point: The Changing Face of a Nation" is an occasional series examining the changing cultural mosaic of the U.S. and its historic shift to a majority-minority nation.


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Hey guys - I thought I would throw up a contest for the weekend. Up for grabs is a 1941 Heritage Press edition of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass," complete in one volume. Contains the Tenniel illustrations and comes in a nifty slipcase. Just leave a comment below to let me know you're interested in entering. I'll announce the winner on Monday around noon.
Contest is closed. Thanks to all who entered.


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Children with autism are two to three times more likely than other children to have been exposed to car exhaust, smog, and other air pollutants during their earliest days, according to a new study.
That new research adds to a mounting body of evidence that shows a link between early-life exposure to pollution and autism spectrum disorders.
MORE: Autism Rises: More Children Than Ever Have Autism, But Is the Increase Real?
For the new study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers in California analyzed some 500 children living in that state: roughly half had autism and half did not. The kids' mothers gave an address for each and every home in which they had lived during pregnancy and the child's first year of life. Researchers took that information — along with data on traffic volume, vehicle emissions, wind patterns, and regional estimates of pollutants like particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and ozone — to estimate each child's likely pollution exposure. According to the study, children in the top 25% of pollution exposure (using one of two different pollution scales) were far more likely to be diagnosed with autism than kids in the bottom 25% of the pollution scale.
The researchers stress, however, that their study does not definitively prove that pollution is the root cause of autism.
"We're not saying that air pollution causes autism. We're saying it may be a risk factor for autism," says Heather Volk, lead author on the new study and an assistant professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California. "Autism is a complex disorder and it's likely there are many factors contributing," she says.
MORE: Researchers Discover Genetic Patterns of Autism
In particular, she says, genetic differences may leave some children more susceptible than others to the effects of damaging environmental stimuli such as air pollutants. Still, changes in air pollution over time cannot completely explain the entire disturbing rise in autism prevalence over the past two to three decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 U.S. children has now been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. And the pollutants that Volk and colleagues analyze are not necessarily more common today than they were 30 years ago.
Even so, the latest study findings suggest that air pollution may be one of the best characterized environmental risk factors for autism. In an earlier study published in 2010, Volk and colleagues showed that kids with autism were much more likely than kids without the disorder to have been born to mothers living within 1,000 feet of a freeway. Other researchers have shown that kids with autism are also unusually likely to have exposure to high levels of diesel exhaust particles and metals (mercury, cadmium, and nickel) and to other air-pollutant chemicals, such as those used to make rubber, plastics, and dyes.
MORE: Pollution in Utero
These associations continued to remain strong even after researchers adjusted for other characteristics, like poverty, that may also be connected to pollution. Unlike asthma, for example, autism rates are not consistently higher among lower income populations. In Volk's study, the links between air pollution and autism risk were virtually unchanged after accounting for parents' race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and smoking status, as well as for the area's population density.
The new study builds on previous research into the relationship between air pollution and autism with two new insights. One is the focus on nitrogen dioxide (a common by-product from motor vehicle engines and power plants) and to particulate matter (dust, soot, and smoke in the air). The other is the study's detailed, fine-grained data on individuals' exposure to air pollution. For their research, Volk and her colleagues recorded information not just about proximity to major roadways, but also about whether homes were downwind or upwind from the roads, and the traffic load on these roads, in addition to regional-level data from the Environmental Protection Agency on other pollutant compounds. The researchers also looked at exposure throughout pregnancy and during the first year of life, and did not limit their measurements to a single point in time.
MORE: Hazardous Haze
Because conditions like autism are likely the result of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors, however, the new findings may ultimately raise as many questions as they answer. It's not clear how or why the chemicals we breathe may affect development and autism risk, for example, although the researchers suggest that pollutants may impact both neurological development and inflammation, which can damage the lining of blood vessels in the brain and compromise the blood-brain barrier.
As research into the role that air pollutants can play in autism continues to grow, say the scientists, anti-pollution laws may be passed that could ultimately affect rates of the disorder.


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It's Ok, Melanie X: pull that mask off and you'll find he's just a harmless - if somewhat crotchety - old guy.
This one's fun: at first, sure, you see Scooby with what appears to be an escaping bird in his cheek. But, look at it long enough, and you may start to see what I'm seeing: a side profile where that "cheek" is a nose. Eh? See it? Anyone? Anyone?
Phfft, you guys have no imagination. Well, Kellie J., you can still enjoy the levitating mini-bone and "tail" sprouting from his "fingers", right?
And finally, class, take out your #2 pencils, because "How To Draw Scary Scooby 101" is now in session:
2. Forget "ear to ear": Grinning should always be "eye to nose."
3. One can never have too many lips.
4. When in doubt, draw more lines. ("See? Now the left eye makes sense.")
Thanks for the lesson, Mel M.!
- Related Wreckage: "And In the Mornin', I'm Making WAFFLES."


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Egypt has made a request to Saudi Arabia. In effect: Please, send your ambassador back here to Cairo. The Saudis recalled their ambassador over the weekend, exposing tension in one of the most important relationships in the Arab world. The Saudis have the most money. Egypt has the most people.
NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports from Cairo, on what they do now.
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, BYLINE: Saudi Arabia said it recalled its ambassador to Egypt for consultations due to, quote, "unjustified demonstrations in front of its embassy in Cairo." The kingdom also closed its consulates in the northern Egyptian cities of Alexandria and Suez.
Hundreds of Egyptians held protests last week, demanding the release of lawyer Ahmed el Gizawi. One demonstration was captured in this video.
NELSON: Gizawi was sentenced in absentia by a Saudi court, to one year in prison and 20 lashes for defaming King Abdullah. The lawyer had filed a lawsuit against the monarch on behalf of Egyptians languishing in Saudi jails without charge. Gizawi was arrested in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, as he arrived for a religious pilgrimage. Officials claim he was trying to smuggle anti-anxiety drugs into the kingdom.
Egypt's top military ruler called the king over the weekend to defuse the crisis. Relations between the two Arab countries haven't been this tense since 1979, when Egypt signed a peace deal with Israel.
Since the king's close ally, former President Hosni Mubarak, was forced from power, relations have again turned frosty.
Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, NPR News, Cairo. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.


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Wool is a perfect insulator worn in many areas of the world to keep warm, yet the Bedouins of the Sahara wear wool because it keeps them cool.
1. Staple Length The ideal staple length is between 2.75 and 3.25 inches. Wool with
staple length less than 2.5 inches will not be accepted, nor will staple length longer
than 4.5 inches.
2. Color White and bright wool are highly desirable, therefore, fleece with stains and/or fleece rot will not be accepted unless the fleece is skirted and stains are removed. Wool with canary yellow color will be accepted, however, the price paid may be discounted. At shearing, blackface sheep should be separated and shorn last. Wool from blackface sheep should never be mixed with whiteface wool.
3. Skirting is required for removal of obvious black fibers and vegetative matter along with the removal of all tags, skin pieces, crutchings, topknots, leg wool (shanks), cheeks and paint brands. Fleece must be carefully and minimally skirted to ensure that only inferior wool is removed and all good fleece wool remains with the fleece. It is the responsibility of the producer and the shearer to assure that the minimum number of second cuts are made by shearers. Clip with a high number of second cuts will be discounted or rejected.
Fleece that is clotted must be removed from the clip at shearing. Clip with excessive kemp will not be accepted.
4. Paint Brand It is preferable that methods other than paint branding be used for animal identification; however, if paint brands are used, the brand must be placed on a spot on the animal that allows maximum wool to remain after the brand�s removal. Wool branded with non-scourable branding fluid will not be accepted. If brands cannot be eliminated, blue is the best color to use when branding; red is an undesirable color.
5. Fiber Strength Broken or tender wool will not be accepted because the fiber is less resilient and will be subject to breakage, affecting the resulting length of the fiber. Fleece should be tested for breaks and tenderness and those found to be broken or tender are removed from the clip. Wool that can withstand 7 pounds of pressure are
considered to be sound.6. Yield Fleece will be accepted or rejected after scouring and payment will be calculated based on scoured yield. The acceptable minimum yield is 58%; lower yields may be rejected or heavily discounted.
6. Yield Fleece will be accepted or rejected after scouring and payment will be calculated based on scoured yield. The acceptable minimum yield is 58%; lower yields may be rejected or heavily discounted.Suggested management practices that can affect yield:
a. Shear before seed heads mature to reduce vegetable matter.
b. Tag before shearing to decrease the amount of stained wool.
c. Maintain a clean shearing floor (increases yield by 3%-5%).
d. Skirt fleeces (required by The Natural Bedroom)
7. Vegetable Matter: Due to the nature of its business, it is especially important to The Natural Bedroom to have wool that is free from noticeable prickly vegetable matter. Wool that requires carbonizing to remove excess vegetable matter will not be accepted, as the carbonizing process results in decreased fiber strength and harsher feeling wool.
The amount of vegetable matter can be decreased by management practices:
a. Avoid throwing hay on the back of sheep and pouring grain on their heads and neck during feeding.
b. Shear before seed heads mature.
c. Restrict sheep from grazing areas that contain plants known to cause contamination, especially when their fleece are long.
d. Clear corrals of vegetation before using.
e. Avoid bedding sheep on hay or straw prior to shearing.
f. Skirt fleece (required by The Natural Bedroom).
8. Polypropylene The Natural Bedroom will not purchase any wool that has been contaminated with polypropylene. If hay is fed that is tied with poly twine, the
producer should take all steps necessary to assure that the poly twine does not
contaminate the wool clip. If the hay is bought, wire bales should be purchased when
9. Residues Fleece with residue of pesticides, herbicides, topical medications, or other
chemical contaminants will not be accepted.