The Guardian has a fascinating interview this week with a woman who has body identity integrity disorder: in her case, she wants to live life as a double leg amputee. The article is part of the “First Person” series, articles about people’s daily lives and issues written from their perspective. It’s an interesting look at a medical condition I don’t know very much about, and the way in which she is dealing with it.

Daniel Radcliffe certainly knows how to get people to stop typecasting him…I’ve never seen Equus in performance, but I’d really like to. Anyone up for a trip to London?

Breaking news: Gavin Newsome had sex.

The minimum wage rises at last, with a nod to small businesses that will be feeling the pinch in the form of a tax cut. Is this still America?

A taste of home, and the saga of the DA’s race continues. Mendo readers, please vote for Meredith. She’s good people.

Dan Savage has a few choice thoughts for Mary Cheney.

A reader from New Zealand recently left some comments on the candy report, suggesting that perhaps I had received an unfair sampling of New Zealand chocolate. I wrote her, issuing a candy challenge:

I invite you to send me a box of your favourites, to balance my perspective on New Zealand candies (as long as you send me some hokey pokey, because I rather fancy it and can’t seem to find it here at all). I’ll return in kind with some interesting American candies.

She rose to the challenge, agreeing to send me a sampling of New Zealand chocolates, and today I went into the City to hold up my end of the deal. For once I actually felt justified using my cell phone to document my adventures, as some stores here don’t like you using a camera, for some reason.

Ah, the candy aisle. What a magical, mystical place. With so many things to choose from…it’s rather hard to know where to begin. I know I wanted to get her some locally made chocolates, some American classics, and some of my personal favourites, and I quickly filled up a little blue basket with a sampling.

When I got to the checkout stand, the clerk said:

“Ah, stocking up?”

“No,” I replied, “New Zealand.”

There was an uncomfortable silence after that, until he gave me my total and I fled for the post office.

Sadly, the post office didn’t have any boxes that I could use to send things internationally, so I had to use a priority mail envelope and pack it really well with tissues. I suspect a few bars might get broken in transit, despite my pleas for a “fragile” stamp, but hopefully everything will arrive ok, and reasonably edible.

My New Zealand reader can expect this:

In 4-6 business days!

[candy]

So much for all of my predictions, and 21 July it is for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, according to JK Rowling. Let the Pottermania begin: Half Blood Prince sold almost seven million copies on the first night…I would be awfully surprised if Deathly Hallows didn’t top it. The sales certainly will: the list price is $34.99, which is the highest I’ve ever seen for a children’s paperback. This had better be one thick-ass book, is all I’m saying.

According to Rowling’s accouncement on her website, the book: “will be published on Saturday 21st July at 00:01 BST in the UK and at 00:01 in the USA. It will also be released at 00:01 BST in other English speaking countries around the world.” So, apparently, readers in Hawaii will have to wait 11 hours after it is released in Britain to get their hands on a copy, but Canadians get it when it’s midnight in Britain. No fair! We’re a former colony too!

[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]