if these walls could talk or windows to the soul

In probably the boldest and most shameless assault against the consuming public since—the last, a German marketing firm has announced its ability and plans to deliver, for a willing sponsor, advertisements to a captive audience through cranial conduction.
The company proposes that clients' messages be distributed on public transport, shaken into the passenger's skull when inadvertently or purposefully leaning against the windows of a bus or a subway or any chosen surface. It's a lot worse than regular commercial breaks spammy pop-unders while navigating websites, and if anything people who take mass-transit ought to be rewarded for not contributing to congestion, not submitted to focus-groups involuntarily. I am sure these beamed messages could be tailored to particular passengers and it is scary hoone's head.
w quickly this might escalate.  Chatty, shuddering coffee mugs or singing beer and wine glasses?  Such skeletal transmissions are not new but relatively novel things, but perhaps the means to speak with disembodied voices should not be first surrendered to marketers and demographers, who would always like to get into

consider yourself part of the furniture

Before living in Germany, I had never heard the word Stammtisch, although the phenomenon and culture of a table for regulars, a salon-society, and a designated meeting point, a reserved spot, for networking and politicking, like the word, had been long since an established fixture of many societies. That term sounded very formal, like holding court, and maybe that made me seek out a less down-to-earth translation or equivalent. It comes under other names, too, of course, including the cracker-barrel or Coffee-Klatch, which surely has German origins too, and all the different words with differing connotations of hierarchical sophistication. Cafes, guesthouses, inns (Gaststätte) and pubs usually distinguished the gathering point for their regulars with a special ceremonial ashtray or a table flag (Wimpel). Mostly the get-together has been sublimated in the form of a virtual presence, but in some places the tradition continues unbroken.

almond joy

H baked a very good treat following a recipe he got from a colleague for a biscotti variant called cantuccini. These Italian biscuits (Zwieback) translate to “little corners” and were fun and easy to make. The ingredients as presented make a big batch, an entire baking sheet. The biscotti will keep for several days. In fact Pliny the Elder, upon first being acquainted with such non-perishable food boasted that they had a shelf-life of centuries. While I don’t suspect that’s true (since they get rock-hard eventually), being able to keep such stores was quite an important advancement for the Roman army and allowed for expansion of the empire. One could also just halve all the measurements, I suppose.
Into a large mixing bowl, pour 400 grams and add four medium eggs, beating them until frothy. Next add 500 grams of flour and approximately 400 grams of almonds (whole or sliced). Add a few drops of bitter almond oil or vanilla extract and one package of baking yeast and knead the mixture well by hand.
Turn on the oven to 180 ° C and allow to pre-heat while letting the dough to sit for ten to fifteen minutes. Next, form the dough into small loaves and place on the baking sheet for slicing. The dough is quite sticky but manageable. Allow to bake for 40 to 45 minutes, possibly removing the sheet to re-slice the biscuits half way through, as they will expand somewhat and become difficult to cut once baked and hardened. Afterwards, allow to cool and enjoy with coffee and/or grappa, and be sure to share with one’s co-workers and let them know that cantuccini was a staple of the Roman legion.

and the java and me

Livejournalist Jane Noodlepudding shared an amazing find from the digital archives of the British Museum, a handbill extolling that new Coffee Drink, recently introduced to England by a Venetian merchant. Astonishingly, this advertisement dates from 1652 and the tone and language is by turns very dated and very contemporary and does an excellent job piquing the curiosity for an unfamiliar public.

The Vertue of the COFFEE Drink.
First publiquely made and sold in England, by Pasqua Rosée.
THE Grain or Berry called Coffee, groweth upon little Trees, only in the Deserts of Arabia.
It is brought from thence, and drunk generally throughout all the Grand Seigniors Dominions.
It is a simple innocent thing, composed into a drink, by being dryed in an Oven, and ground to Powder, and boiled up with Spring water, and about half a pint of it to be drunk, fasting an hour before and not Eating an hour after, and to be taken as hot as possibly can be endured; the which will never fetch the skin off the mouth, or raise any Blisters, by reason of that Heat.
The Turks drink at meals and other times, is usually Water, and their Dyet consists much of Fruit, the Crudities whereof are very much corrected by this Drink.
The quality of this Drink is cold and Dry; and though it be a Dryer, yet it neither heats, nor inflames more than hot Posset.
It forcloseth the Orifice of the Stomack, and fortifies the heat with- [...] its very good to help digestion, and therefore of great use to be [...] bout 3 or 4 a Clock afternoon, as well as in the morning.
[...] quickens the Spirits, and makes the Heart Lightsome.
[...]is good against sore Eys, and the better if you hold your Head o'er it, and take in the Steem that way.
It supresseth Fumes exceedingly, and therefore good against the Head-ach, and will very much stop any Defluxion of Rheumas, that distil from the Head upon the Stomach, and so prevent and help Consumptions and the Cough of the Lungs.
It is excellent to prevent and cure the Dropsy, Gout, and Scurvy.
It is known by experience to be better then any other Drying Drink for People in years, or Children that have any running humors upon them, as the Kings Evil. &c.
It is very good to prevent Mis-carryings in Child-bearing Women.
It is a most excellent Remedy against the Spleen, Hypocondriack Winds, or the like.
It will prevent Drowsiness, and make one fit for Busines, if one have occasion to Watch, and therefore you are not to drink of it after Supper, unless you intend to be watchful, for it will hinder sleep for 3 or 4 hours.
It is observed that in Turkey, where this is generally drunk, that they are not troubled with the Stone, Gout, Dropsie, or Scurvy, and that their Skins are exceeding cleer and white.
It is neither Laxative nor Restringent.

Made and Sold in St. Michaels Alley in Cornhill, by Pasqua Rosee, at the Signe of his own Head.