The way chemist's make cookies

From a Xanga blog that I read

The Chemist's Recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies
The following recipie for chocolate chip cookies appeared in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN, Jun 19, 1995, p. 100). It was attributed to Jeannene Ackerman of Witco Corp.

Ingredients:

1. 532.35 cm3 gluten
2. 4.9 cm3 NaHCO3
3. 4.9 cm3 refined halite
4. 236.6 cm3 partially hydrogenated tallow triglyceride
5. 177.45 cm3 crystalline C12H22O11
6. 177.45 cm3 unrefined C12H22O11
7. 4.9 cm3 methyl ether of protocatechuic aldehyde
8. Two calcium carbonate-encapsulated avian albumen-coated protein
9. 473.2 cm3 theobroma cacao
10. 236.6 cm3 de-encapsulated legume meats (sieve size #10)

To a 2-L jacketed round reactor vessel (reactor #1) with an overall heat-transfer coefficient of about 100 Btu/F-ft2-hr add one, two, and three with constant agitation.

In a second 2-L reactor vessel with a radial flow impeller operating at 100 rpm add four, five, six, and seven until the mixture is homogeneous.

To reactor #2 add eight followed by three equal portions of the homogeneous mixture in reactor #1. Additionally, add nine and ten slowly with constant agitation. Care must be taken at this point in the reaction to control any temperature rise that may be the result of an exothermic reaction.

Using a screw extrude attached to a #4 nodulizer place the mixture piece-meal on a 316SS sheet (300 x 600 mm). Heat in a 460K oven for a period of time that is in agreement with Frank & Johnston's first order rate _expression (see JACOS, 21, 55), or until golden brown.

Once the reaction is complete, place the sheet on a 25 deg. C heat-transfer table allowing the product to come to equilibrium.

Weird

I'm watching the Daily Show, and they're having all sorts of fun with Bush's most recent Supreme Court nomination (not so much the nomination per se, more so the quotes from various senators and them parroting the same lines). I have no opinion on the nominee right now, haven't really read anything about him. But at least he has worked as an actual judge as opposed to Meirs. (yes, there is a precedent for SC justices not being working judges, I don't think it's a good idea) But the thing that caught my attention was they showed footage of Bush's press conference announcing it. Bush talks about the new guy, introduces him, and the new guy takes the podium and starts speaking.

Bush steps into the background, but is still on camera. And Bush is totally expressionless. I mean blank face. No smile, no nods, no happiness or joy.

To paraphrase Robin Williams, "He's a goddamn muppet!"

"War of the Worlds"

I went down to Alamogordo yesterday to do some darkroom work and grocery shopping for Russet, she needed goodies. I'd semi-forgotten about it being Halloween, and as I headed up the mountain to the observatory, I turned on the radio. Whatever was in didn't immediately grab me, I didn't recognize it right off the bat, but I left it on. They went to a commercial break and said "we'll be right back with Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds."

WHAAA?

So I started listening. And I got interested! I listened through the ending and I was impressed. I'm searching Half.com and Amazon for copies, but it isn't cheap. But here's the interesting thing....

It was made in 1978.

I'd never heard of this before! It's pretty cool stuff, and thinking about it a full day later, the music styling was a little dated, sort of like listening to early Alan Parsons Project. Gonna have to find a copy. It seemed to be more based on the original book (and in England) rather than Orson's radio broadcast.


So here's some links. There are several different versions, I definitely don't want the Highlights version. Weirdo, I think this would be right up your alley.