Big cats in the Tower of London. Ancient Romans loved fish. Your choice of food. Dieting Italian style. Metrolink ripoff?
Submitted by Robert Daeley on Mon, 2005-10-24 00:00.
Big cats prowled London’s tower
Two lion skulls unearthed at the Tower of London have been dated to Medieval times, shedding light on the lost institution of the ‘Royal Menagerie’
US menus and Romans may aid future fish stocks
Americans scorned lobster until the 1880s while the ancient Romans loved fish so much that their catches depleted the Mediterranean, according to a study that may give clues about how to restore damaged world fish stocks.
A survey has shown that the Japanese tend to eat a greater variety of different foods every day than Westerners (27 different foods a day whereas the recommended minimum in the West is 30 different foods per week); they are less prone to the ‘diseases of civilization’ - diabetes, heat disease and cancer - than Europeans, and their varied diet is thought to contribute to this.
Let’s face it: We Americans love Italian food, maybe more than anybody except Italians themselves. It started with pizza, which conquered New York shortly after World War II. Progressed to spaghetti and meatballs, ravioli, lasagna. In the golden age still dawning, we have learned to savor an endless variety of regional dishes, from polenta to porchetta to zuppa de pesce. In recent years, too, we’ve been hearing the unbelievable — that this food we love is good for us. This Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, tomatoes, pasta, can protect us against heart disease and cancer. Our infatuation bodes well for our health. Alas, something is lost in the translation. A simple dish of pasta is ladled with enough heavy cream to cramp your stomach. A pizza is paved with five kinds of meat, and four of cheese. We’ve taken the not-insubstantial fat content already present in Mediterranean food, and we’ve biggie-sized it, with a side of fries. Not exactly what the dietitians have in mind….
I have a question. Why does the Metrolink HO Model Locomotive cost $65? Don’t collectors have to be able to afford collectors’ items so that they can start collecting them?