Chark's New Writeupshttp://everything2.com/?node=New%20Writeups%20Atom%20Feed&foruser=Chark2003-01-18T17:06:22ZThe Last Jihad (thing)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/The+Last+JihadCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2003-01-18T17:06:22Z2003-01-18T17:06:22Z<p>What would happen if the US-led coalition doesn't remove <a href="/title/Saddam+Hussein">Saddam Hussein</a> from power in <a href="/title/Iraq">Iraq</a>? What if the <a href="/title/United+Nations">UN</a> weapons inspectors conclude their drawn-out inspection with no definitive findings? What if something then were to happen to prod the emboldened Hussein into a <a href="/title/preemptive">preemptive</a> strike against US interests?</p>
<p>This is the premise of <a href="/title/The+Last+Jihad">The Last Jihad</a>, a book by Joel Rosenburg. The book opens with a coordinated <a href="/title/attack">attack</a> by unknown <a href="/title/terrorist">terrorists</a> agains several world leaders including the <a href="/title/President">President</a> of the <a href="/title/United+States">United States</a>. The <a href="/title/protagonist">protagonist</a> of the story, a <a href="/title/Wall+Street">Wall Street</a> investment <a href="/title/consultant">consultant</a> and close friend of the president becomes <a href="/title/embroiled">embroiled</a> in the events while setting up a secret Arab-Israeli oil deal involving a huge <a href="/title/oil">oil</a> repository found just off the coast of <a href="/title/Israel">Israel</a>.</p>
<p>The novel is also unusual for a <a href="/title/political">political</a> thriller in that it is written by a <a href="/title/conservative">conservative</a> <a href="/title/Christian">Christian</a>, and thus the viewpoints vary somewhat from the typical novel of this <a href="/title/genre">genre</a>.<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…Fetus in fetu (thing)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/Fetus+in+fetuCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2002-12-26T19:07:38Z2002-12-26T19:07:38Z<p><em>Fetus in fetu</em>, literally <em>"<a href="/title/fetus">fetus</a> within fetus"</em>, is a rare <a href="/title/disease">condition</a> arising, it is thought, from <a href="/title/gestation">gestational</a> <a href="/title/wonko">maldevelopment</a>. The term describes the <a href="/title/parasite">parasitic</a> implantation of one fetus <strong>within</strong> another.</p>
<p>It is difficult to <a href="/title/excuse+the+pun%2521">conceive</a> of how this might occur, but it likely involves a <a href="/title/twin">twin</a> gestation within a single gestational sac wherein one <a href="/title/embryo">embryo</a> <a href="/title/envelope">envelopes</a> the other and the second embryo continues to develop for a time. <a href="/title/Chromosome">Chromosomal</a> analysis of the fetus in fetu shows an identical genetic makeup to the host fetus, thus lending support to the conjoined twin theory. <em>Fetus in fetu</em> is considered a form of the <a href="/title/Terata+Anacatadidyma">Terata Anacatadidyma</a> (<a href="/title/conjunction">conjunction</a> in the mid-portion of the body) subtype of <a href="/title/conjoined+twins">conjoined twins</a>, as the second fetus is connected to the first by its <a href="/title/umbilical+cord">umbilical cord</a>.</p>
<p>As one might imagine, the second <a href="/title/baby">fetus</a> has almost always died by the time of birth,<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…Russian Cream (idea)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/Russian+CreamCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2002-11-11T23:25:16Z2002-11-11T23:25:16Z<p><a href="/title/gwenllian">gwenllian's</a> <a href="/title/Russian+cream">Russian cream</a> is awesome, and quite easy to make. I would like to add here some things to enhance your experience of this sublime treat.</p>
<p><strong><a href="/title/Recipe">Recipe</a> variations</strong><br>
Since this <a href="/title/dessert">dessert</a> is so nearly perfect, I have tried only three variations.
<ul><li>Use less <a href="/title/almond">almond</a> extract and more <a href="/title/vanilla">vanilla</a>. Perhaps my almond <a href="/title/extract">extract</a> was stronger than most, but the taste was just enough to be distracting rather than being the <a href="/title/subtle">subtle</a> background taste it's meant to be</li></ul>
<ul><li><a href="/title/Substitute">Substitute</a> <a href="/title/How+to+make+yogurt">yogurt</a> for the sour cream. The taste is nearly the same, but different enough to be <a href="/title/distinct">distinct</a>. It is also quite pleasant.</li></ul>
<ul><li>Substitute <a href="/title/cream+cheese">cream cheese</a> for the sour cream. If you do this, add the cream cheese to the warm <a href="/title/mixture">mixture</a> rather than cooling it first. This sets up a bit more firmly, and again has a pleasant and distinctive taste.</li></ul>
I also mix in only a half-cup of water at first, then stir in a half cup of<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…Zebra (idea)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/ZebraCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2002-11-06T01:11:34Z2002-11-06T01:11:34Z<p><em>(Medical slang terminology)</em></p>
<p>The <a href="/title/health+care">health care</a> profession has, like most other fields, an internal <a href="/title/terminology">terminology</a> of its own, used by its <a href="/title/surgeon">practitioners</a> to communicate among each other with a combination of <a href="/title/dark+humor">dark humor</a> and efficiency. As such, there are many terms used to describe categories of situations, conditions, or patients which are used, as hackers use terms in <a href="/title/the+Jargon+File">the Jargon File</a>, as a distinct <a href="/title/vocabulary">vocabulary</a></p>
<p><a href="/title/Zebra">Zebra</a>, in <a href="/title/E2+Medicine">medical</a> terminology, refers to a rare condition or situation. It can refer to either the patient with the condition or the condition itself. <em>(e.g.: "This guy has a real zebra" </em>or<em>"This guy's a zebra")</em></p>
<p>The <a href="/title/origin">origin</a> of the term is shrouded in mystery, but most likely is <a href="/title/derivative">derivative</a> of a common rule of medical practice:<blockquote>
<em>"When you hear <a href="/title/footprints">hoofbeats</a>, don't look for zebras."</em></blockquote>
This is a simple way of saying to look for common things to occur commonly, and rare things to<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…Ticks and fleas (idea)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/Ticks+and+fleasCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2002-11-04T23:37:43Z2002-11-04T23:37:43Z<p><em>(Medical slang terminology)</em></p>
<p>There is in <a href="/title/E2+Medicine">medicine</a>, as in many <a href="/title/profession">professions</a>, an internal <a href="/title/language">language</a> or unofficial terminology used by its practitioners as a way of communicating the common <a href="/title/meme">memes</a> of that profession efficiently.</p>
<p>The term "<a href="/title/The+tick">ticks</a> and <a href="/title/flea+circus">fleas</a>" is used most commonly to refer to the <a href="/title/condition">condition</a> of a person who has a multitude of <a href="/title/disease">medical problems</a>. When speaking on the phone to a <a href="/title/surgeon">surgeon</a> to discuss a <a href="/title/patient">patient</a> you are referring, you may refer to a person with <a href="/title/COPD">COPD</a>, <a href="/title/CHF">CHF</a>, and <a href="/title/clinical+depression">clinical depression</a> who you are sending for suspected <a href="/title/superior+mesenteric+artery+syndrome">superior mesenteric artery syndrome</a> as someone who has "ticks and fleas", meaning they have a multitude of illnesses or are in poor shape overall.</p>
<p>There is a more specific meaning, however, relating to the <a href="/title/diagnose">differential diagnoses</a> a physician may have - this being that a patient has more than one of the conditions you thought they might have. If you see a dog<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…Black-eyed pea (thing)http://everything2.com/user/Chark/writeups/Black-eyed+peaCharkhttp://everything2.com/user/Chark2002-10-19T01:01:22Z2002-10-19T01:01:22Z<p>The Black-eyed pea, or "cowpea" has been a staple of the southern <a href="/title/diet">diet</a> for nearly a <a href="/title/century">century</a>. The history of its conversion from <a href="/title/cattle">cattle</a> feed to a southern <a href="/title/dish">dish</a> began in 1909.</p>
<p>For many years, the black-eyed pea was considered a feed for <a href="/title/livestock">livestock</a>. In 1909, J. B. Henry, a businessman from <a href="/title/Athens%252C+Texas">Athens, Texas</a> decided to grow large crops of what he called the "pitch-peepered" pea. He had trouble with <a href="/title/weevil">weevils</a> in the peas, and began to <a href="/title/experiment">experiment</a> with drying the peas in ovens to kill the creatures. The dried peas were soaked, cooked, and consumed, and came into widespread use in Athens within just a few years. An article titled "The Humble Cowpea" in the 1919 <em>Farm and Ranch Magazine</em> stated that:
<blockquote>
"the whole population of Athens, seemingly, and then some," was busily loading sacks of black-eyed peas onto wagons, "rushing around that square like bees around a hive in springtime when the honeysuckle crop is gathered."
</blockquote>
Several canneries opened<!-- close unclosed tag --></p>…