Little Buggers

Normal "honey bees" are easy to spot doing recon in the garden and yard. But there's a whole population of "bees" that almost qualify as no-see-ums. They act the same as honey bees—gathering and spreading pollen—but can almost be missed because of their size. I haven't taken time to look up their identity and determine their correct name, so I'll call them "bees." They are tiny buggers—about 1/4" to 3/8" in length. But definitely beautiful up close. I took these as they collected pollen off the Swiss chard plants that have gone to seed, the seed-buds of which are producing tiny flowers with pollen.

Here are the chard seed-flowers the bees visit (not the sharpest image):

And here's what the bees are collecting—yellow pollen:

From the underside:

In these next three photos, note the different markings on the backs of all three of these bees—all distinctly different patterns. Male/female? Different species? (I won't even mention the obvious beauty of those translucent wings.)

And the ubiquitous lizards are there, silent but deadly. I saw this one waiting patiently for a bee or other no-see-um to fly by. I saw him lunge a couple of times, but he didn't connect. But given his healthy look, he must get his fair share:

This big guy (girl?) is definitely a see-um size. I've started seeing him in my back yard early in the mornings of late. Since I don't use weed-control chemicals on the yard, I have a healthy buffet of great variety that he seems to enjoy. He lives in a large thicket behind my house. Here he seems to have selected a dandelion leaf: "Excellent choice, sir!"

The Calm of Reason

I am not a Catholic for many reasons, but I am a firm supporter of their fight to defend their right to religious conscience from the heavy hand of President Obama's Health and Human Services dictates. You can't help but be impressed with the calm and reason of this group of Michigan Catholic bishops who explain why 43 Catholic church and ministry organizations have filed suit against the HHS. These men are not speaking from a teleprompter but from the mind and heart. Something tells me that president Obama, in a dialogue with men like this, would not be able to defend his turf. If there are many reasons to critique the historical Catholic church, there are many as well to applaud their rigorous use of reason and their faith in revelation. (I would not want to be in a mind-wrestling contest with anyone whose name was followed by the initials "S.J."—or arm-wrestling, for that matter.) I can't help but believe that Obama will lose this challenge when it reaches the courts.

The Value of Years Spent Thinking

When each issue of Forbes magazine arrives, I always look to see if the "Thought Leaders: Current Events" column for that issue has been penned by the eminent British historian Paul Johnson. He is one of four international leader-scholars who alternate in writing the column.

Paul Johnson was born in 1928 and has authored more than 40 books. So he has had time, and has taken opportunity, to evaluate a lot in his lifetime. Schooled first as a Jesuit (i.e., conservative), he graduated from Oxford and became a left-leaning liberal in his early public years. Obviously, the fact that he writes for Forbes means he jettisoned his liberal views and returned to conservatism: "The Left had no answers," he said. Through the years, he has given his critics plenty to swipe at, both politically and personally. Given that there are no perfect observers of the world condition, I still value the 83-year-old perspective of one who has witnessed the perturbations of Western Civilization from both sides of the Atlantic from first a liberal, and now a conservative, point of view.

All that by way of introduction—to provide weight to the following words of his from his current Forbes column, "Thank God: An American Recovery." Concerning what he sees as a growing economic recovery in America . . .

President Obama can take no credit whatsoever for this. Nothing he's done has promoted growth, and his actions may even have held it back somewhat. Fortunately his presidency has been so weak, his hesitations so various and prolonged and his changes of mind so frequent that the White House's actual impact on the workings of the economy has been trifling. Had Mr. Obama been a stronger and more determined man, it's likely that, given his views, his interventions would have been destructive, and the U.S. economy would now be in dire distress. The inactivity—or impotence—of the White House is thus, for once, welcome.

And concerning the possibility of recovery in Europe . . .

The danger [in Europe] is that one of the EU's members will freely choose a government that then opts for a nondemocratic solution in bringing unemployment down sharply and rapidly. This is, of course, exactly what happened when Adolf Hitler came to power in the 1930s. Mass unemployment killed the [pre-Hitler] Weimar Republic, but Hitler's policies of public works and rearmament restored full employment to Germany, the only country in the 1930s where this happened.

How is that America elected a young man as president who couldn't possibly have a sufficient view of the grand sweep of history, either through intellectual study or simply the passing of years? I would vote for a Constitutional amendment that says U.S. presidents have to be at least 65 years of age, etc. etc. The Bible calls leaders "elders" for a reason.

When it comes to the "ten year rule" of domain mastery (Harvard's Howard Gardner in Creative Minds), Paul Johnson qualifies in spades. Our current president? He simply hasn't put in the years. And it shows.

Stratas of Grain

To mix with my oatmeal, I create this mix of buckwheat, colored quinoa, white quinoa, and amaranth, just to add a few more gains for nutritional variety. When it comes to meat, it's mostly white or red. But the variety of the raw plant world seems never-ending (and not nearly as painful).

Before mixing:

After mixing:

Stuff That Works: Brew Mug

My son David, he of the Grindcore House, introduced me to this brew mug that works well. The Grindcore House gets most of its tea offerings from premiumsteap.com, also the source for this mug.

The inner cup, for holding loose tea during steaping, is stainless steel with really tiny perforations that keep any tea debris from winding up the finished brew. (Pictured is a yerba mate blend, looking similar to what might come out of your lawnmower's catch-bag, but tasting decidedly better, I assume.)

Caution: don't drop the cup cover from more than a few inches. I accidentally did, and the ceramic lid split, albeit with a clean break. So a little Gorilla brand super-glue put 'er back together again.

The bag of yerba mate. I'm no expert on tea, and sampled this brew because vegan marathoner Brendan Frazier recommends it as part of his regimen as a mild pick-me-up. It seems to have less caffeine than regular green tea based on my unofficial buzz meter:

Stuff That Works: Cast Iron Pizza Pan

Lodge, the cadillac of cast iron cookware, has come out with a 14" cast iron pizza pan. I got my daughter-in-law one for her recent birthday and when she gave it the thumbs up, I decided to get one myself (from Amazon). It works great. My daughter-in-law made her vegan pizza dough from scratch—she was only eight-and-a-half months pregnant; what else does she have to do?—but I used a Tofurkey vegan pizza as a base (comes as veggie-vegan pizza, ready to heat and serve) and added a bunch more stuff to it (spinach, peppers, seitan, mushrooms, broccoli, tomato, Eden's pizza/pasta sauce, vegan parmesan, nutritional yeast—totally forgot onion slices. Obviously, I went a little too heavy on the pizza/pasta sauce that leaked out the side when heated.).

I put the iron pizza pan on top of the sandstone pizza stone I've used for years and it came out beautifully. I put a very thin coat of coconut oil on the surface of the pan and the pizza lifted right off. Because I had to scrub pretty hard to get the baked-on juices off, I re-seasoned the pan after using. (All Lodge iron cookware comes pre-seasoned now, but it never hurts to keep it well seasoned.)

Camouflage

I'm not sure how my eye catches these little guys—this one was lazing happily in the cool of the morning on a Swiss chard stalk, just happy to be unseen. I have to say that they are very accommodating. This is not a crop from a telephoto shot. I shot this with a 100 mm macro lens—the first one from about four inches away, the second from about two. When I moved in closer his modeling moment was over and he disappeared into the green.

Me, Someday, I Hope

Great picture on the cover of the current Peloton magazine—somewhere in Europe (Italy, I assume, judging from the "For Sale" sign on the door?), a group of old-timers, Spandex and all, taking a break from logging the miles on their bikes (four of the five, anyway). Click the picture for a larger version.

Not Everyone Will Think This Is Funny

I laugh until I cry every time I watch this—an Australian newsman interviewing the Dalai Lama, using a variation of the Zen-Buddhist joke about a sandwich/pizza/hot dog: "Can you make me one with everything?" (If you don't laugh at that, you won't laugh at this video.)

The Dalai Lama is a good sport, but clearly has no clue what the interviewer is talking about.

This is on a compilation of TV newsroom gaffes, so you'll need to fast forward to 1' 13" to begin this segment. (I haven't watched all the remaining pieces—I'm only recommending this one.)

Who Needs Eggs?

Friday supper: tofu scramble with chopped garlic and onions, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, Tofurkey sausage, turmeric for the yellow, and a healthy dose of iron from the big skillet. (Thanks to Daniel for guidance on this dish.)

Obama: "Philosophically Confused"

"Barack Obama is an ethical man and a philosophically confused man," said Peruvian congresswoman Martha Chavez of the conservative Catholic Opus Dei movement. "He knows that marriage isn't an issue only of traditions or of religious beliefs. Marriage is a natural institution that supports the union of two people of different sexes because it has a procreative function." (Link)

The Problem with a Narcissistic President

Victor Davis Hanson's piece is here. His conclusion is scary: "The problem with a narcissistic president is not just that he sees the world as all about himself, but that the world soon sees that it is not about him at all."

'Nuff Said

I took this picture yesterday at a gas/convenience store near where I live.

Correlate the above offering with this graph, published this week in connection with the CDC's estimate of future obesity rates in the U.S.:

Poor, Helpless Julia

If I was a woman, I would really be offended by the new Obama campaign slide show titled "The Life of Julia." This presentation follows a fictional female named Julia through her life, nearly from womb to tomb, showing how Obama's policies make it possible for her to accomplish great things in her life without a care. No worries about anything—education, healthcare, pregnancy, starting a business, retirement—it's all a piece of cake under Father Obama's (my words) generous provision. And, in every case, none of it would be possible under the stingy Mitt Romney's and Paul Ryan's policies.

How insulting—or revolting is a better word. How did women in America prior to 2008 ever accomplish anything? And this is coming from the same party that brought us the (failed) ERA? Where is the outrage from the feminists over being portrayed as helpless without Big Brother there to shepherd them through life and ensure their success?

It's obvious who this presentation is targeting: women who have been taught by Obama's party over the years that they need big government. And that they are entitled to have their needs met through the tax revenues of those who actually earn money and pay taxes in this country.

The only thing good about this presentation is that it reveals, more clearly than ever, exactly what Obama's agenda really is: to teach Americans—women, in this case—that they can't be successful or fulfilled in life without government making it happen for them. Every time Obama opens his mouth or his campaign makes a decision, the choices about America's future become easier to see.

David, Goliath, and King Kong

I have written about the battle being waged by Chick-fil-A against a T-shirt maker in Vermont named Bo who sells T-shirts that say "Eat More Kale." CFA is afraid that Bo's T-shirts are going to detract from their trademarked slogan, "Eat Mor Chickin.'" (At least Bo can spell.) This is a classic David and Goliath story, and Bo-David is not backing down. He raised enough money on Kickstarter.com to fund a documentary about his struggle against CFA and has done a brilliant job of mounting a grassroots campaign through social media.

But the Feds have already indicated they are likely to side with CFA in their "cease and desist" order against Bo. CFA has already shut down the efforts of 40+ other entrepreneurs and businesses who tried to use "Eat more . . . ." in their advertising—and they're likely to win against Bo, given the way things work.

But a new player has just entered the fray: King Kong, aka Mars, Incorporated—the $30 billion dollar (revenue, 2010) maker of M&M's and most of America's favorite chocolate bars and other snacks. (Mars also own Seeds of Change, one of the oldest and best sellers of organic seeds and veggie food items.) Mars just came out with the ad above—"Eat more broccoli"—encouraging their customers to include lots of healthy foods in their diet along with their M&M's. Kudos for that.

Now it gets interesting. Chick-fil-A is a $5 billion revenue company that doesn't think twice about pushing T-shirt makers and other small businesses around—companies that don't have the resources to fight them in court. But is Chick-fil-A going to try the same stunt with a company six times its size? I can't wait to see!

Mars is the fifth largest PRIVATELY HELD company in America. They have no stockholders to tell them what to do. They are filthy rich and can do whatever they want—to include telling Chick-fil-A to back off if they hear a trademark chirp out of them in the form of a "cease and desist" letter.

Here's what I wonder: The Mars ad has just come out. This has to be more than coincidental. Because Bo's "Eat More Kale" campaign has garnered national attention, there's no way the folks at Mars created their "Eat More Broccoli" ad in a media vacuum. I relish the possibility that the Mars folks created their ad just to tweak Chick-fil-A; to see how tough the chicken-sellers are when they come up against somebody bigger than Bo.

I may be wrong. It could be a coincidence. But the world is watching—okay, I'm watching—to see what Chick-fil-A says to Mars, Incorporated—if anything. If CFA is telling Bo he can't say "Eat More Kale," then they should tell Mars they can't say "Eat More Broccoli." Better—CFA should tend to its chicken and leave the kale and broccoli to Bo and Mars and whoever else.

Nutella Isn't Healthy? Do-tella!

I first noticed Nutella on the training tables in pictures of professional cycling teams during the Tour de France. When I checked it out I was shocked at the ingredients. I guess if you're burning 6,000 calories a day during the Tour you can afford to eat something with five teaspoons of sugar in a single serving. (Not really—nobody needs that much sugar.) Not surprisingly, Nutella just settled a class-action lawsuit filed against its claim of being a health food. If you eat Nutella, you might want to read this.

Born for Trouble

A man who is the chairman of the board of one of the largest Christian publishing houses writes a blog I read several times a week. In today's post he talks about choices and circumstances in life and recounts his own history of challenging experiences:

• I have been fired (more than once).
• I have gone through a business failure.
• I have felt stuck in a job I hated.
• I have gone through a protracted and expensive IRS audit.
• I had to have emergency surgery when my gall bladder ruptured.
• I have had a child in rebellion and on drugs.
• I have had two daughters with chronic illnesses.
• I have lost money on three out of four houses I’ve owned.

First, I appreciated his vulnerability in reciting his history of less-than-ideal circumstances. Second, it reminded me of Job 5:7: "For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward."

Sometimes we look at other people and think their lives are less difficult than ours. The truth is, we just haven't heard their whole story. There is no escaping the challenges of life in a fallen world for any of us. (Michael Hyatt's post is available to read here.)

Not As Smart As We Think

What's wrong with this picture? America is supposedly the most advanced nation in human history, but the following facts belie that assumption (from this article):

Life Expectancy: United States life expectancy is 42nd in the world.

Infant Mortality: In 1960, the U.S. had the 12^th lowest infant mortality rate in the world. By 1990 it had dropped to 23^rdplace, and the most recent study in 2008 estimated that the U.S. is now in 34^th place.

Effectiveness of the U.S. Health Care System : We spend more on health care than any other nation in the world ($6,714 per person in 2006) but get less, according to the World Health Organization, which ranked our health care system as 37th in overall performance, and 72nd by overall level of health.

I was amazed to read a current editorial by Fortune senior editor-at-large Geoffrey Colvin that touches this subject—that America's healthcare (sickcare, actually) crisis is fundamentally a problem of how people choose to behave. I read this kind of opinion from alternative and plant-based docs and authors all the time, but rarely from a mainstream, non-medical professional. Colvin's editorial calls to mind the stunning moment in a 2008 presidential debate between Obama and McCain when the moderator asked the two candidates whether they considered healthcare a right or a responsibility.

Obama: "A right"

McCain: "A responsibility."

No one should be surprised that Obama wants to dedicate one-sixth of the U.S. economy to supporting a rights/entitlement system that has proven to be an utter failure at elevating the health of the American people. The government can't legislate health any more than it can legislate morality. Both are responsibilities.

Colvin's entire editorial is great, this being the heart:

At the beginning of the 20th century, the top causes of death in the U.S. were communicable diseases -- flu, tuberculosis, curses that could strike any of us. Today the top causes of death are noncommunicable diseases that result mostly from the way we live --coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, some cancers. Medical researchers call them lifestyle diseases.

What's important from a policy perspective is not just that these diseases cause the most deaths, but also that they cause the most spending. The great majority of America's staggering $2.6 trillion health care tab (as of 2010) was spent treating lifestyle diseases. While we rightly worry about health care costs rising 8% or 9% a year, we spend well over 50% of our costs on diseases caused mostly by the way we choose to behave.

If Americans behaved just a little differently, our health care costs could settle down to a sustainable growth rate that matches the economy's growth, or could even fall further. We don't need a nation of triathletes. If we would smoke and drink a little less, walk a little more, eat a few more vegetables and fruits, and lose some weight, the effect would be far more dramatic than most people suspect. "More than 90% of type 2 diabetes, 80% of coronary artery disease, 70% of stroke, and 70% of colon cancer are potentially preventable" by that combination of moderate behavior changes, reports Harvard epidemiologist Walter C. Willett. In other words, by making realistic changes that are entirely within our own control, we could end the crisis of unsustainably rising U.S. health care costs. Which brings us to that simple question: Why don't we?

"Best Café in the World"

Not that many vegetarians or vegans reach the pinnacle of their sport, but England's James Willstrop has—he's the number one squash player in the world (on the right in the picture). Having traveled the world for 10 years as an athlete, he recently compiled a list of his 10 favorite vegetarian restaurants. Of the four listed in the United States, one was South Philadelphia's Grindcore House (and here)—Philly's first and only vegan coffee shop. Here's how Willstrop described it (for his complete list go here):

6. Grindcore House, Philadelphia
More a café than a restaurant, Grindcore is an unlikely presence in a south Philadelphia neighbourhood, free of shops and businesses. They often play hardcore music (at a moderate level) which is almost incongruous with the feel of the place. High points are the comforting sandwiches, and I can't believe how good the chocolate peanut butter bomb is. If you can't handle soya or cow's milk in your coffee then there are almond and rice milk options. For me, the best café in the world. If there was one of these in Leeds then I would never find time to train.

(Shameless plug: the Grindcore House was co-founded and is co-owned by my son David [who doesn't play squash]. Nice work, Dave!)

Am I Missing Something Here?

With the recent discovery of a cow in California found to have "Mad Cow Disease" (BSE—bovine spongiform encephalopathy), facts about the disease, and its potential for being transmitted to humans, have been repeated in the news.

Here's something I didn't know: According to Marion Nestle (note: those are two separate links in case you want to click through), professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and author of many books on food and public policy, some 34 million cows are slaughtered in the U.S. every year. Of these 34 million, only 40,000 are randomly selected and tested for the presence of BSE. If my math is correct, that means one cow out of every 850 is tested for the presence of the disease.

To be clear: Those numbers don't say that the chances of encountering BSE in beef are 1:850. It says that one in 850 cows is tested. The chances of consuming tainted beef are much lower given the rare occurrence of finding afflicted cows.

But still, the fact that a cow was found with BSE means that the disease is out there. With a testing ratio of 1:850 I would not, were I a meat-eater, be feeling very confident about the purity of the "other 849" that aren't tested—especially given the death sentence represented by this disease for those who develop the human version of BSE (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) from eating tainted beef.

In light of the discovery of BSE in the afflicted cow, the USDA issued this statement:

"The beef and dairy in the American food supply is safe and USDA remains confident in the health of U.S. cattle. The systems and safeguards in place to protect animal and human health worked as planned to identify this case quickly, and will ensure that it presents no risk to the food supply or to human health. USDA has no reason to believe that any other U.S. animals are currently affected, but we will remain vigilant and committed to the safeguards in place."

But—does testing one in every 850 cows justify the confidence expressed in the above statement? How would I feel about flying cross-country on an airplane if only one out of every 850 planes was given even cursory pre-flight maintenance and checks before taking off? Or only one in 850 was given the routine periodic detailed checks that planes undergo?

Knowing that this disease exists in the meat supply (remember: an afflicted cow was just discovered), I wouldn't be feeling too good about my chances of avoiding it if I included beef in my diet given a 1:850 testing ratio.

Am I missing something? In case I'm not, I'm sticking with my plants-only diet.