Mind Soup

METRO : It’s an age-old puzzle that’s stumped generations of scientists. But now they believe they have cracked the conundrum of what came first: the chicken or the egg. British researchers say the chicken must have come first as the formation of eggs is only possible thanks to a protein found in the chicken’s ovaries. ‘It had long been suspected that the egg came first but now we have the scientific proof that shows that in fact the chicken came first,’ said Dr Colin Freeman, from Sheffield University , who worked with counterparts at Warwick University. ‘The protein had been identified before and it was linked to egg formation but by examining it closely we have been able to see how it controls the process,’ he added. The protein – called ovocledidin-17 (OC-17) – acts as a catalyst to speed up the development of the shell. Scientists used a super computer called HECToR, based in Edinburgh , to ‘zoom in’ on the formation of an egg. It showed OC-17 was crucial in kick-start...

A hamburger is not inherently an exotic food. However, in the hands of the right creative (or crazy) individual, that single slab of meat and two buns can become nothing short of spectacular. Herein lies the importance of the chef. As KoldCast’s resident chefs Ivan and Sergei teach us in their experiments with raw sugar, food is not only what you make of it, but how you make it. In honor of bootstrap cooking, the possibilities of the burger, and our very own Ivan and Sergei, KoldCast presents you with the weirdest and most unique hamburgers on Earth – or at least on the Internet. Just make sure you don’t read the rest of this article on an empty stomach. Enjoy! 1. The NutBurger Hailing from Butte, Montana, this burger is nutty! Many profess that it’s like eating a sundae topping on a burger…if your Sundae topping consists of mayo and nut clusters. 2. The Fattymelt Simply put, it’s a burger crossed with grilled cheese. This heart attack-worthy burger originates from the Mossy Cre...

Today, I had misplaced my cell phone. I decided the best course of action would be to dial the number from my house phone and wait for it to ring to locate it. Somebody answered when I called. It wasn't the wrong number and I had a brief conversation with the man that stole my phone. FML  Today, my boss fired me via text message. I don't have a text messaging plan. I paid $0.25 to get fired. FML  Today, at work, a woman came up to the counter and asked if we made sweet and sour chicken. Before I could answer, she told me a really long recipe and said "I expect to see this on the menu next time I come in, or I will complain to the manager about your lousy work ethic". I work at Starbucks. FML Today, I moved out of my apartment and thought it would be nice to leave the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom for the next tenant. I later got a notice from the management that I was being charged $50 for leaving behind "personal items." FML

I rummaged through my backpack, saffron lights gleaming brilliantly pale highlighted edges of steps a grumpy figure blocking my pathway I reached for my wallet and handed him two bills and a coin My bag clung on the cold metal stairs a loud echo tumbled along but no one seemed bothered. Rivers of words flowed clumsily through the dimness of the air, heavily clogged with jaded noise. I squinted at the eerie purple glow and dragged my bag across as it bumped and vibrated. Searching for a seat, seats that feel like carpets carpets that give severe rug-burn. There was only one seat left: squished between a family of five jam-packed on two seats and a young couple who were not so pleased to see me. I wanted to sit at the window. I wanted the wind to blow onto my hair. It was too late. I rummaged through my backpack for my treasured earphones. I knew this day will come I dreaded this always. I could not find my earphones This promised to be one hell of a ride. --- Bobo, Lelo, Titi the m...

H1N1 Flu Virus under an electron microscope The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved vaccines designed to protect against the H1N1 influenza virus, a key step before starting a vaccination campaign. The approval was announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at a hearing that was held by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. An FDA spokeswoman said the agency approved vaccines made by a unit of Sanofi-Aventis SA, Novartis AG, CSL Ltd. and AstraZeneca PLC's MedImmune unit. MedImmune makes a vaccine in the form of mist delivered through the nose rather than a shot. Ms. Sebelius said a large-scale vaccination program will begin in mid-October. The U.S. has spent more than $1 billion to purchase and administer a total of 195 million H1N1 vaccine doses being made by five companies, including GlaxoSmithKline PLC. Ms. Sebelius said that the agency's officials are still working on that application. About 40 million to 50 million vac...

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER: To get to the other side. PLATO: For the greater good. ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross roads. KARL MARX: It was an historical inevitability. TIMOTHY LEARY: Because that's the only trip the establishment would let it take. SADDAM HUSSEIN: This was an unprovoked act of rebellion and we were quite justified in dropping 50 tons of nerve gas on it. CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK: To boldly go where no chicken has gone before. HIPPOCRATES: Because of an excess of phlegm in its pancreas. ANDERSEN CONSULTING: Deregulation of the chicken's side of the road was threatening its dominant market position. The chicken was faced with significant challenges to create and develop the competencies required for the newly competitive market. Andersen Consulting, in a partnering relationship with the client, helped the chicken by rethinking its physical distribution strategy and implementation processes. Using the Poultry Integration ...