> > > I'm not quite sure.  Mine was out for days and we had to use the 
> > > unreliable cell phones.
> > Which couldn't have been as unreliable as 611 that you
> > couldn't use, as the service was on the fritz.
> Not quite, but it got close.  Chronic dropped calls anyone?  

Better perhaps than no calls at all, for those
who like calls.

> > There are lots of factors in an immigrant group filling
> > up a niche: they're hungry, they're less established, the
> > smarter, more resourceful, and energetic ones don't have
> > the wherewithal to go to law school, and so on, so they
> > work in what they can find employment at. Also, if they've 
> > banded together, they have a support system that has broken 
> > down among long-term populations that have been around for 
> > a few generations, as there's nothing holding these latter 
> > together except the bridge club or maybe church.
> Sometimes. It can also involve finding jobs that don't require 
> fluency in a new language.  My grandfather came to the US from Poland 
> already speaking a fair bit of German and a little Russian.  No 
> English. He found a job apprenticing in a German bakery.  He then 
> could learn English at a slower pace.  And if these guys were already 
> fisherman, it would make perfect sense to club together and get a 
> boat and build from there.  

True, if you have a critical mass of people in the
community who speak the other languages.

> > > > maybe it takes booze (though I have more often
> > > > gotten tinnitus through booze).
> > > I got it from bad sinuses.
> > I read that you got it from B minuses. Then on second
> > reading I read that you got it from bad sins.
> Possibly the latter more than the former, although I got a few of the 
> Bs too at one point. They however do not cause medical problems, at 
> least directly.

If my parents had ever found out that I'd gotten B minuses,
their little hearts would have been broken. I never told
them anything but sent them a Xerox of my diploma with the
fancy Latin stuff when I got it.

> > > > Was he a saint or depicted as such, sort of like
> > > > Anthony of Padua?
> > > More like a veterinarian. 
> > I read, well, skimmed the book just now.  Not my kind
> > of thing. Of course we should be circumspect in viewing
> > art and literature from another era through our own
> > filters, but despite the author's looking askance at
> > English customs and attitudes of the day, he himself
> > reflected a lot of them. And it's a really dumb book.
> I wouldn't disagree.  Made a good kids' movie though. 

It was a truly worthless book, and I don't watch movies.

> > > > > I just don't want to end up in the orange, tan or stripes.
> > > > What's the likelihood? Slim and none, I presume.
> > > Unless they catch me using plastic bags in supermarkets. (LOL)
> > On another subject, is the Asian composer you were
> > referring to Somtow Sucharitkul?
> Sure is. Do you know each other, or is this just a case of a very 
> small pond?

Nah. Back at the beginning of his writing career, I wrote
a fairly glowing review of one of his science-fiction
books and was fairly excited to find out that he was
also a composer. I investigated and decided that I didn't
like his music as much as his writing. The fiction is
kind of breathless but quite engaging; the music I find
post-Soviet Socialist Realismish - it might do okay with
audiences but wasn't my thing. My friend Pad Gajajiva from
RIME-Cuisine was from a similar background and might have 
been a relative.

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.00

      Title: Yum Pra-Hmik (Thai Squid "Salad").
 Categories: Appetizers, Thai, Seafood
      Yield: 6 servings

      1 lb Fresh Squids.                       1 tb Fresh Ginger Root,
Julienne.
      1 tb Lemongrass, Sliced Fine.            2 tb Onion, Chopped.
      3 tb Lime or Lemon Juice.                3 tb Fish Sauce.
      1 tb Scallions, Chopped.                 1 tb Cilantro, Chopped.
    1/2 c  Mint Leaves.                       10    Crushed Hot Chili
Peppers.

  Clean and wash the fresh squids, removing all inner matters and skin. 
Cut
  through the side so that the meat is in a single "sheet".  Cut the meat
  into strips about 3/4" to 1" wide and 2" long.  If desired, slash one
side
  in a close criss-cross patterns, and the strip will curl into a roll upon
  cooking.  Place the squid pieces into a wire strainer with long handle.

  Boil a pot of water, and immerse the strainer with the squid meat into
the
  boiling water to cook.  For very fresh squid, cook until the meat had
  turned opaque and heated through.  For frozen, or "not so fresh" squid,
it
  is advisable to cook a little longer.  Lift the squid out of the boiling
  water and let drain in the strainer.

  Place the well drained squid meat into a bowl and add fish sauce and lime
  or lemon juice.  Adjust tastes by adding more of either ingredients.  The
  tastes should be tangy sour with sufficient salty tastes.  Add
lemongrass,
  ginger roots (very finely julienne), and chopped onions, and mix well.
  (Optionally, you may add dry ground hot chilli pepper to taste).

  Place on a serving platter (lined with lettuce leaves) and topped with
  chopped scallions, cilantro, mint leaves, and crushed hot chilli peppers.

  Translated by Padej Gajajiva from a Thai cookbook, "Thai Cuisine" by
Chantr
  Tasanont, Manee Suwanpong, and Srisamon Kongpun.

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