Nazi murder by starvation, Panda Express Orange-Flavored Chicken

Today's Gradual Yet Truly Morbid Fact!

The following is a description by a visitor to a Nazi medical institution meeting at Eglfing-Haar in the fall of 1939, where the director, Dr. Hermann Pfannmuller, discussed his policy of starving children "unfit for life" (ie. mentally ill and handicapped) to death rather than wasting medication on them:

"I remember the gist of the following general remarks by Pfannmuller: These creatures (he meant the children) naturally represent for me as a National Socialist only a burden for the healthy body of our Volk. We do not kill with poison, injections, etc.; then the foreign press and certain gentlemen in Switzerland would only have new inflammatory material. No, our method is much simpler and more natural, as you see. With these words, he pulled, with the help of a nurse, a child from its little bed. While he then exhibited the child like a dead rabbit, he asserted with a knowing expression and a cynical grin: "For this one, it will take two to three more days." The picture of this fat, grinning man, in his fleshy hand the whimpering skeleton, surrounded by other starving children, is still vivid in my mind. The murderer explained further then that sudden withdrawal of food was not employed, rather gradual decrease of the rations. A lady who was also part of the tour asked - her outrage suppressed with difficulty - whether a quicker death with injections, etc. would not at least be more merciful. Pfannmuller then praised his methods again as more practical in view of the foreign press. Pfannmuller also did not hide the fact that among the children to be murdered were also children who were not mentally ill, namely children of Jewish parents."

Culled from: The Nazi Doctors

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Morbid Link Du Jour!

Joseph stumbled upon a website entitled The Sociology Of Death:

"[It's] all about different kinds of death and things related to death. It even has a 'Death Clock' to determine the day you will probably die. It also has links to other interesting sites on it."

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Morbid Mirth Du Jour!

For those of you who need a little help with your decision-making skills, be sure to print out a copy of The Premeditated Murder Flowchart and have it handy at all times!

Thanks to Amy for the link.


Panda Express Orange-Flavored Chicken

As far as Chinese food goes, I think the stuff these guys throw together in sizzling woks is surprisingly tasty for a takeout chain. This dish is something of a twist on the traditional sweet and sour chicken commonly found at Chinese restaurants over the years. This popular menu item has a delicious, citrus-laced, tangy-sweet sauce with a spicy nip the regulars find truly addictive. The chain claims to cook all of its food in woks, including sauces. But this homegrown version will work fine, whether you go for a wok, or not.

Sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced water chestnuts
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 rounded teaspoon chopped green onion
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons arrowroot
3 tablespoons water

Chicken
4 chicken breast fillets
1 cup ice water
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsifted cake flour
2 to 4 cups vegetable oil

1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients - except the cornstarch, arrowroot, and 3 tablespoons of water - in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir often while bringing mixture to a boil. When sauce reaches a boil, remove it from heat and allow it to cool a bit, uncovered.

2. Slice chicken breasts into bite-size chunks. Remove exactly 1 cup of the marinade from the pan and pour it over the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or other container which allows the chicken to be completely covered with the marinade. The chicken should marinate for at least a couple hours. Cover the remaining sauce and leave it to cool until the chicken is ready.

3. When chicken has marinated, preheat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet to 350 degrees.

4. Combine cornstarch with arrowroot in a small bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of water. Stir until cornstarch and arrowroot have dissolved. Pour this mixture into the sauce and set the pan over high heat. When sauce begins to bubble and thicken, cover and remove it from heat.

5. Beat together the ice water and egg in a medium bowl. Add baking soda and salt.

6. Add 3/4 cup of the flour and stir with a fork just until the flour is blended into the mixture. The batter should still be lumpy.

7. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of flour on top of the batter and mix with only one or two strokes. Most of the new flour will still be floating on top of the mixture. Put the remaining flour (1/2 cup) into a separate medium bowl.

8. Dip each piece of chicken first into the flour, then into the batter. Let some of the batter drip off and then slide the chicken into the oil. Fry up to 1/2 of the chicken pieces at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip the chicken over halfway through the cooking time. Remove the chicken to a rack or paper towels to drain.

9. As the chicken cooks, reheat the sauce left covered on the stove. Stir occasionally.

10. When all of the chicken is done, pour it into a large bowl, and cover with the thickened sauce. Stir gently until all of the pieces are well coated. Serves four.