>  ML> Interestingly, there were some disturbances way north
>  ML> and east that therefore didn't qualify in our
>  ML> Americocentric view as tropical storms; one of them
>  ML> was grudgingly acknowledged as a nontropical one;
> Makes you wonder who comes up with some of the definitions. I've
> mentally raised my eyebrows a few times at some of them.

The problem is that the conditions are mutable.
Somebody had observed how storms developed during
certain seasons and made a framework for 
assessing and categorizing them - but then the
rules changed - likely in our lifetimes out of
season storms will become more frequent, and
sooner or later they'll have to dispense with
the entire notion of hurricane season. It's
like some popular destinations that used to
have high and low season, and now there's just
high season and 2 weeks' vacation for the help.

>  ML> We're up to Gamma with another on the way. It's silly
>  ML> that there's an "official" hurricane season, when there
>  ML> is no telling when a storm with sustained winds of at
>  ML> least 73 mph (75 depending on whom you ask) will hit.
> I guess the theory is that the more active times constitute a "season"

Pretty much.

> but we've had a lot of pre season activity the last few years. Maybe
> they need to add in the letters of the alphabet they've taken out, then
> go with the Greek if needs be.

Hurricane Xerxes doesn't have that ring to it.

>  ML> figure that if you see a duck in February, it's still
>  ML> a duck!
> Some are storms that would blow a duck into the next county.

Many of them, most likely.

> We had the mostly dry week, looks like this week we may get a bit more
> rain. Temps have ranged from 85 last Monday to mid 60s the past couple
> of days with nights bottoming out in the upper 40s. Our heat kicked on
> this morning!

Just so you don't have to spend too much to buy 
those therms. Problem is that most theories
point to greater fluctuations (with an upward 
tendency), which means more effort to maintain 
a comfortable range and more dollars down the
tubes.

>  ML> Guess what. You will be exposed to S2. It's an
> I'm figuring if I've not been exposed yet, I will be sooner or later.
> Right now I'm trying to avoid exposure until the lungs heal more from
> what looks (as it finally eases off) like a major asthma flare up.

The particles, they're there; just try not to
get to be invaded by too many at a time. I have
a similar notion about cancer: there are evil
mutants happening all the time, and that's not
so much of a concern until they become frequent
enough that your regulators and lymphocyte cops
can't cope with them all, and they start causing
heaps of trouble.

> I can do what I can to avoid it but can't put myself into a total
> bubble. I won't be the first, nor the last, to take a vaccine, once one
> comes out that's proven effective. It'll probabably be like the flu, a
> slightly different vaccine each year.

I'd happily be one of the first ... or not get
a shot at all for that matter.

>  ML> > Family matters may make it neccessary to do so.
>  ML> That doesn't qualify as business as I know it,
> Sometimes family is business and business is family.

>  ML> > We did use PreCheck (on my sister in law's account) 3 years ago but
>  ML> that > was our last flight. We've taken the camper out more since that
>  ML> time.
>  ML> How did that work. I've not had to use someone
>  ML> else's account, having had my own.
> I think it was all arrainged thru the travel agent she uses--we weren't
> aware of it when we flew up to Chicago from Raleigh so only used it on
> the return leg. It went as smoothly as any other airport scan we've had,
> just a somewhat shorter line. There must have been a code on our
> boarding passes but I don't remember what, if any, there was.

The boarding passes have variations of TSA PRE on
them, a sort of inverse of the SSSS that used to
be pretty common that entitled the bearer to extra
scrutiny and annoyance.

> I don't mind a bit rubbery but would just as soon not chew rubber bands.

Depends: I'd like them enough if they were fried
and/or in a decent tomato sauce.

> The rings in the last batch we had were almost melt in the mouth tender;
> I could have easily made a meal out of them.

Melt in the mouth is not my goal. By the way,
soda will pretty much guarantee that texture
or lack thereof.

> Hmmmm, maybe I'm going to have to get some squid.........on 2nd thought,
> it's a lot easier to have somebody else prepare it. (G)

It really isn't all that hard to deal with!

MALASADAS (A PUNAHOU RECIPE) [like zeppole] 
categories: fried, dessert, Hawaiian, breakfast
yield: 1 batch
 
1 Tb dry yeast 
1 ts sugar 
1/4 c warm water 
6 c flour 
1/2 c sugar 
1/2 ts salt 
1/4 c melted butter or margarine 
1 c water 
1 c evaporated milk 
6 eggs 
1 qt vegetable oil (to cook) 
extra sugar 

Malasadas are one of the all time favorite snacks at 
community functions and fund-raisers. If you make this, 
you will rapidly become popular with all of your local 
friends. A non-traditional (read haole) way of 
preparing this is to add nutmeg or cinnamon to the 
sugar mixture that is used to coat the malasadas. 
[M's note: haole is a somewhat unkind term used by the 
Hawaiians to describe anyone who doesn't have the 
luxury of a bit of yellow ancestry] 
 
Dissolve yeast, sugar and water and set aside. Beat 
eggs. Measure flour into mixing bowl and add salt. 
Make a well in the flour, pour yeast mixture, eggs 
and other ingredients. Beat in circular motion 
until the dough is soft. Cover, let raise until 
double. Turn dough over but do not punch down. 
Cover and let raise again. Heat oil to 375F and 
drop dough by teaspoon full into oil and cook until 
brown. Shake in brown bag with sugar. Best when hot. 
 
Note: If the malasadas have a tendency to come out 
with the center still doughy, turn the heat down on 
the oil which will allow them to cook longer. [M's 
note: don't turn the heat down, they'll get greasy; 
instead, make them smaller. If you must make big 
ones, fry them once at 340 or so and then drain 
them. Then fry again briefly at 375.] 
 
alt.culture.hawaii 
Submitted by: Nan Ellen Ah You 
Organization: BYU 
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