If I Ever Lose My Faith In You

I read an article today that renewed my faith in science. And progress. (Thanks, Sting.) It seems that, with all of the disease, chemical and biological weaponry, stem cell research, and technological issues facing the world today, scientists haven't lost sight of the big picture.

They've come up with a heat-resistant version of chocolate that won't melt.

Here's a quote from the end of the article.

"The researchers hope their new confection will 'allow the wide distribution, display and consumption of chocolate in the tropics, especially Nigeria.'"

Well, this is just what Nigeria needs. Chocolate that won't melt. This is certainly a bigger problem than having the third highest percentage of HIV/AIDS patients in the world. Also, given the fact that the residents of Nigeria have an average purchasing power of $692 (which, admittedly, is fairly in line with my own purchasing power), how much of this chocolate is really going to be sold there??

News of this new heat-resistant chocolate should come as no greater relief to anyone than it should to my own mother, who despite living in Houston, Texas, which is the second hottest place in the world (but closing in quickly on Nigeria's lead), still insists on mailing chocolate items in packages to me that, by the time they arrive, resemble nothing close to their original shape and look more like Indian artifacts found on a dig in New Mexico. But I always (I repeat, always) appreciate the gesture. I think she's satisfectellent. I don't really know what it means, but there are billboard all over LA.